Many people were lying in ambush on both sides of the valley.
Ambushing is a tiresome task.
One must hide.
To hide in advance means hiding for a long time.
One must wait.
Waiting is exhausting.
Because it's an ambush, they naturally can't cook or light fires. They can only gnaw on dry bread, unable to have a single bite of hot food.
They had started the ambush three days ago.
Their bodies were frozen stiff.
The targets were supposed to arrive two days ago, but for some unknown reason, they were dawdling.
They still hadn't arrived.
It was said there was a pregnant woman, but they had factored her into their timing for the ambush.
Unfortunately, they hadn't accounted for a little brat who loved watching sunrises and sunsets, loved looking at the icicles on the grassland, and demanded clean places to relieve herself. Her father and brother indulged her without limit, so their journey was several days slower than expected.
In any case, it was now the third day.
These people were the elite forces under the Seventh Prince.
Many among them were suicide troops.
It seemed a bit strange to ambush at the first stop.
It felt like going all-in right from the start.
But the young master had emphasized the gravity of the situation, insisting they must kill Jiang Changtian and his family.
After Jiang Wan demonstrated her talent in front of Chu Xi, she confidently stated that he had the aura of a dragon, but someone's presence was interfering with it.
When Jiang Wan mentioned that person, Chu Xi wasn't surprised at all.
In this world, for someone to look like that, their appearance alone set them apart from ordinary people. Moreover, they were so adept at governing, with the people of Jingzhou thriving under their rule, standing out from the rest of the country. This person would surely be a formidable enemy.
In fact, even if Jiang Wan hadn't said anything, he had his suspicions.
But Jiang Wan's words strengthened his resolve.
Trying to ambush Jiang Er's family in Jingzhou would be like attempting to rob someone's home—far too difficult.
It would be like walking into death's embrace.
They needed to lure Jiang Er out.
So, an imperial edict was issued, summoning Magistrate Jiang to the capital to report on his duties.
This was typically a necessary step for a promotion.
Then he decided to send Jiang Er on a journey—to the afterlife.
Chu Xi was a decisive person.
The Seventh Prince was also decisive and willing to follow orders.
As the ultimate victor in his previous life, he naturally wouldn't hesitate.
Thus, this all-in ambush was set from the very beginning.
Chu Xi believed in thoroughly eliminating evil and cutting the grass at its roots. Among the group that had rebelled together years ago, one faction had indeed become the Seventh Prince's people.
This was also why when Jiang Wan said he had the dragon's aura, Chu Xi believed her.
Because they had prepared earlier than anyone else.
Why should all princes be equal, yet the Seventh Prince be neglected and exiled?
Why couldn't he sit on the dragon throne?
The rebellion was a test.
Besides rebelling, the Seventh Prince also had connections with foreign powers, collaborating both internally and externally.
He was preparing on two fronts.
Back then, they had already noticed Jiang Er.
And because of Chu Yi's death, the Seventh Prince had wanted Jiang Er dead too, but he had restrained himself for the sake of the bigger picture.
Now was the perfect opportunity to exact revenge as well.
But they had been in ambush for three days.
Even for suicide troops, it was grueling.
The winter days were bitterly cold.
They were exposed to the elements, sleeping rough.
And they couldn't make any noise.
Earlier, they had seen a woman on horseback approach from afar, wander around, and then return. She had even traversed back and forth through the gorge, making their hearts race with tension.
They shouldn't have been discovered.
After all, they were professionals.
Their professionalism was evident in how they had even caught birds and released them.
Generally, in an ambush, apart from being discovered due to carelessness or making noise, the other way to be found out is if it's too quiet, which can also be suspicious.
Because excessive silence itself is unnatural, violating the laws of nature, indicating that someone has disrupted the natural order of the place.
So they had prepared birds to release. They were extremely thorough.
But who was Qin Luoxia? When she ruled the mountains, even pythons shed their skin and slithered away on their own.
As she rode through on her horse, sensing something amiss, she looked up to see a bird flying overhead, emitting a crisp call.
This bird, rather than camouflaging the ambush, became the very signal that confirmed it to Qin Luoxia.
Having eaten so many birds, she could tell this one's flight pattern was unnatural. It was definitely suspicious.
Then Qin Luoxia left.
They thought this woman might be a scout, but surely they wouldn't send a woman for such a task.
But subconsciously, they lowered their guard against a female, and since they had even released birds, they couldn't kill this woman without risking alerting their targets.
To completely annihilate the enemy, this gorge was the perfect burial ground.
So they continued to lie in wait.
Ambushes typically involve defeating a larger force with a smaller one, catching the enemy off guard and unprepared.
But the Seventh Prince was prepared, with manpower, equipment, and money at his disposal.
For all these years, the Seventh Prince's wife had accompanied him in living a frugal life. Where had all the money gone? Of course, it had been used to nurture their forces.
These men were the elite of the elite.
When setting up the ambush, the Seventh Prince's son, Chu Xi, had some differing opinions.
The Seventh Prince had never met Jiang Er face to face and didn't find him so terrifying. He believed the men he had sent were sufficient, especially with the element of surprise on their side. This wasn't the first time they had done something like this.
He was ruthless and merciless, leaving no room for error.
But Chu Xi had met Jiang Er, and because of Jiang Wan, he was extremely cautious about Jiang Er. He insisted on deploying more manpower.
Not only did they need to ambush, but they also needed an overwhelming numerical advantage.
No survivors could be left.
Because Jiang Er was now an imperial official, and the men they had deployed for the ambush could, to some extent, be traced back to the court. They had to be absolutely thorough in their actions.
Besides, Jiang Wan had said that the Meng family would definitely end their lineage. Meng Shaoxia and his pregnant wife were among the targets. It was perfect—they could kill them all at once.
They had the advantage in numbers.
They were well-equipped, regular troops with superior gear.
They had chosen the ambush site, giving them the advantage of both timing and terrain.
They had to win.
After killing these people, they would return to be served with good wine, good food, and beautiful women.
A vulture flew overhead, circling with outstretched wings.
The ambushing suicide troops looked up, inwardly cursing. These flying beasts were always the most sensitive. They surely knew people were about to die and were waiting for a feast. They had come early to wait.
