Chapter 251 - Convergence

The sound of clanking swords and fighting filtered in from outside, filling the now silent reception hall.

A soldier swiftly ran in to inform, "Commander, we're being attacked!"

"Attacked by who?!" The Commander immediately asked.

"We're not sure but we've already sent out the signal, reinforcements should be here soon."

"How many?"

"About fifty."

"Fifty?" They had over a hundred around the manor at the moment, about another hundred that were sent out searching. Not to mention that with the signal sent out the city garrison will be on their way as well. Fifty was really nothing to worry about. 

"Highly skilled. They- they took us unaware..." The soldier hesitantly informed. 

"Perhaps it will be safer for Your majesty to move into the inner house..." Chen Bo jumped in with a frown. Although he was very confused as to how his house had become a battlefield, the last thing the family needed was for the Empress dowager to die on their property. 

{...Someone must be out to truly ruin this family...}

The Commander knit his brows in thought. While it might be true this location was not safe, but having the Empress dowager go out there towards the fire did not seem like a good idea either. 

Chen Bo saw the Empress dowager scowl and quickly explained, "There's a small exit in the back of the room we can use..."

Before the Commander could make up his mind, the Empress dowager irritatedly went, "Make sure she stays alive..." pointing the sword at Chun Hua, then she turned to Chen Bo and ordered, "Lead the way." 

Chen Bo promptly went to the back wall, felt around for a bit, and then removed some panels to create a doorway. He poked his head out and quickly glanced around, after verifying there was no enemy in sight, he moved to the side and bowed to the Empress dowager, "Your majesty, please proceed." 

The Empress dowager cast one last glance at Chun Hua and then she turned and walked off, throwing the sword back at the Commander as she did. The commander promptly followed behind her after ordering a soldier to grab Chun Hua. 

Chen Bo led the way, followed by the Commander and the Empress dowager, who was surrounded in a protective circle by most of the soldiers. Then came the soldier who was pulling Chun Hua along by the arm, then Chen You and her mother, with three soldiers at the back. 

Chun Hua frowned as the sounds of the swords got further away. This was definitely a very troublesome situation. She did not need to be told that it was her brother and Bao Zhun who had come. 

{...How could they be so reckless? I had everything under control, now they've come here just to - to make everything worse...}

As irritated as she was with them for recklessness, she could not help feeling worried. Even though they were skilled, numbers was a problem that could not be surpassed here. It was only a matter of time before reinforcements arrived and then they would be overwhelmed.

What's more, with this move, the Long Emperor will now confirm his suspicions about her. And if he found out about their origin, he would attack Zou kingdom prematurely and ruin everything.

Ruin her chances!

Zou kingdom could definitely not withstand an attack right now, on its own. 

Chun Hua let out an irritated breath. She knew her brother was too stubborn and would not withdraw without "rescuing" her. But if they stayed and got caught, the consequences were too great. While she had faith in her brother and Bao Zhun to keep their mouths sealed, their underlings could not be trusted.

Regardless of her plan, Prince Houyi and Zou kingdom could not be dragged into this. What's more, Prince Rui and Nalan were here and could definitely identify both Bao Zhun and Chun Hai. 

She needed to escape now, they needed to escape.

At the very least, the Empress dowager did not want her dead and she also knew the Chen manor well enough, better than the soldiers. Therefore she had a high chance of a successful escape if she played her cards right.

The soldiers were obviously not paying attention to her so her the main problem was the soldier holding on to her arm. But luckily she had done some foreplanning. 

Since the day she left the palace and realized she was being watched, she had been coating her fingernails with a highly potent poison, as an extra layer of protection. Therefore, if it was just one person she needed to handle, she could do it. 

But she would only have one chance, so she had to be very careful using it. 

Chun Hua steeled herself and waited for her opportunity. As the group rounded the corner, she swiftly raised her free hand and swiped at the soldier's face. He was caught completely unaware and she scratched him right across the cheek, leaving three bloody streaks.

The soldier immediately released Chun Hua as he urgently went to claw at his now burning and itching face, screaming in pain. 

Before anyone could react, Chun Hua immediately turned and pushed Chen You and her mother into the guards behind them, and then she ran. 

The Empress dowager immediately turned back and screamed, "NO! Stop her!" And then she took off running after Chun Hua herself, shoving the soldiers out of her way, pushing them into each other, further causing chaos.

"Your majesty!" The Commander shouted after the Empress dowager and promptly ran after her through the mess, the other soldiers promptly regained themselves and chased behind him. 

"Your majesty!" Chen Bo echoed, also not missing a miss a beat as he ran after the soldiers, leaving his wife and daughter behind on the ground where the soldiers had deposited them in their rush.

The soldier Chun Hua had scratched laid on the ground and began convulsing. Chen You and her mother exchanged frantic looks and then quickly got up and followed after Chen Bo, too scared to be left alone with the now convulsing soldier.

The noisiness of the group attracted the attention of Chun Hai and Bao Zhun's group of men, who had used the battle in the front as a diversion as they went into the manor to search for Chun Hua. They promptly converged towards the location of the voices and it did not take long for Chun Hua to round a corner and run straight into them.

Without any hesitation or words, the group turned and started racing for the exit as one of the men blew a whistle, signaling it was time to retreat. They arrived at the front, where their men had already begun carving a route towards the exit. Without missing a beat, they jumped into the fray and were quickly making headway to the exit.

They knew they were short on time and needed to get out of the manor and disperse before reinforcements arrived. 

But just as they were about reaching the stairs to climb up to the entrance, a new set of soldiers poured in through the doors, forcing the rescuers to fall back.

They could immediately tell from the way their attire that these were the Imperial guards. The other soldiers gave way for the Imperial guards, who simply surrounded the Zou rescuers with their swords drawn, but they did not attack. At the top of the steps, a line of archers stood took their places on the platform with their arrows drawn and trained on them. 

The Zou rescuers huddled close together, with Chun Hua in the center as they surveyed the grim situation. Any movement right then would result in an instant rain of arrows. 

They had lost their small window of opportunity and the situation was now very grim. 

"Well, this is quite the interesting scene..." The Emperor calmly said as he walked in with a small smirk on his face and stood in-between the archers as he lightly scrutinized the wary group. Now even more curious than before as to Chun Hua's identity.

With the Emperor's arrival on the scene, the atmosphere greatly changed. The Empress dowager stood still at the edge of the front courtyard, glaring at the Emperor as she clenched her fists.

{...Has he come to ruin things for me again? This stupid son!...}

The Zou rescuers' scrutinized the Emperor, who was leisurely standing there with his hands behind his back, with a wall of men behind him blocking the entrance as far back as their eyes could. They could guess there was probably more waiting outside. This situation was now looking incredibly bleak. 

Bao Zhun and his men began to truly feel panicked and huddled even closer, their eyes darting around them, mentally preparing for the onslaught. Bao Zhun covertly glanced around and spotted the Empress dowager on the edge of the fray. He glanced at Chun Hai and whispered, "If we take the Empress dowager hostage, then..."

It would be hard to get there, but if they could carve out the way for one person to grab her, sword on her neck, they will make it. Chun Hai knit his brows and did not respond as he kept his eyes fixed on the Emperor, who was watching in an irritating relaxed manner.

{...It could work, it has to...}

Next to them, Chun Hua was thinking very different thoughts as she narrowed her eyes at the Emperor. With the way things now stood, death seemed to be the only option they available.

And if she was going to die here, she thought she might as well make her death useful and take the Long Emperor down with her. She lightly rubbed her thumbs over her nails as she considered how she would make her way over to him once the scuffle began.

{...Just a scratch...I just need a scratch, ju-...}

But then Chun Hai suddenly gripped her wrist tightly, cutting into her thoughts. Chun Hua raised an eyebrow at him and he just shot her a stern look and whispered, "No."

"Drop your swords and surrender and I will spare you." The Emperor calmly informed. He would truly spare their lives but as to how they would live it, that was up in the air. 

The Zou rescuers glanced at each other, hesitating and debating the offer. The men looked to Bao Zhun and Chun Hai, who were looking at the Emperor with steeled gazes. It was obvious they were not about to surrender and so their men steeled themselves as well.

The Emperor saw their determination and let out a sigh, "Fight then. I only need a few wagging tongues."