Chapter 994

Chapter 994: On the Road

The carriages rolled and the banners fluttered, as valiant riders galloped westward.

Wang Chen glanced back at the road they had just traversed, catching a glimpse of the imperial capital, now almost vanishing from view in the distance.

For some reason, perhaps influenced by Sun Zhengheng, he felt an uneasy premonition!

“Lord Wang…”

At that moment, a knight swiftly approached Wang Chen and whispered, “His Highness requests your presence.”

The knight’s voice was clear and melodious, and with fair skin and a delicate visage, their gender was unmistakable.

Among the three thousand Yulin Guards of the marriage envoy, there were fifty female knights tasked with accompanying Princess Qingyun’s luxurious carriage.

Wang Chen nodded, “Understood.”

He tightened the reins, guiding his yellow steed closer to the luxurious carriage drawn by eight fine horses.

This carriage, befitting royalty, was as spacious as a moving house, equipped with various amenities that could easily accommodate over a dozen passengers.

The passengers were none other than Princess Qingyun and her entourage of maids.

“Master!”

As Wang Chen approached, Princess Qingyun leaned out of the open window, exclaiming, “Could you come up? I have many questions to ask you.”

The surrounding guards maintained a stoic demeanor, pretending not to notice anything.

Wang Chen felt both amused and embarrassed, “Your Highness, that wouldn’t be very appropriate.”

Despite holding the title of Taibao and being Princess Qingyun’s mentor, entering her carriage in full view of everyone was hardly proper conduct!

Princess Qingyun huffed, pulling her head back and slamming the window shut.

Clearly, she was expressing her displeasure to Wang Chen.

Wang Chen shook his head, not taking it to heart.

If he were in Princess Qingyun’s shoes, traveling thousands of miles to marry a stranger in a foreign land, he wouldn’t be in high spirits either.

Wang Chen distanced himself from the carriage once more.

However, it wasn’t long before the female knight approached him again, this time presenting him with a food box.

Wang Chen immediately understood it was a token of respect from his beloved disciple.

A warmth spread through his heart.

The lengthy procession stretched several miles along the official road, and merchants and travelers heading eastward respectfully stepped aside, all displaying utmost courtesy.

For safety reasons, the bridal procession moved at a leisurely pace, with local dignitaries coming out to welcome and entertain them with an array of gifts.

At this rate, Wang Chen estimated it would take them at least six months to reach Dayan’s capital!

Throughout the journey, Princess Qingyun remained well-behaved.

Though she no longer invited Wang Chen into her carriage for lessons, she continued to diligently practice the methods and sent him notes with questions whenever she encountered difficulties.

She was quite diligent.

For such a disciple, Wang Chen naturally offered guidance, adding a touch of enjoyment to this otherwise monotonous and lengthy journey.

A month later, the marriage envoy arrived at the West Sea Prairie.

The West Sea Prairie lies within the boundaries of West Sea County, the largest of all the counties in Dayang, renowned for its vast expanse.

However, the population of West Sea County is sparse, primarily concentrated in a few towns.

This implies that the journey ahead for the envoy will be quite challenging. They won’t often have the luxury of staying in towns or receiving hospitality and supplies from local officials.

Moreover, the West Sea Prairie harbors significant dangers.

“Primarily, there are three groups of horse bandits…”

Sun Zhengheng explained to Wang Chen, “Especially the White Wolf Bandits; they are formidable, with three leaders who are all fifth level martial sect masters!”

The White Wolf Bandits have been terrorizing the West Sea Prairie for ten years. Initially just a small group of horse bandits, their power has grown exponentially, becoming a severe threat to West Sea County.

In recent years, many local herdsmen have joined the White Wolf Bandits, further expanding their influence and posing a significant threat to the county capital.

West Sea County has attempted to dispatch troops to eliminate them, but aside from suffering losses and depleting resources, they have achieved no success.

The most troubling aspect is that there are dozens of small and large bandit groups on the prairie, many of which are interconnected. When danger arises, they alert each other and may even form alliances!

Wang Chen understood, “You’re concerned these bandits will pose a threat to us?”

Sun Zhengheng had shared so much for a reason.

“Yes.”

Sun Zhengheng sighed and pointed at the dozens of supply wagons in the envoy, “These goods alone are enough to attract thieves!”

These wagons carried all of Princess Qingyun’s dowry, including gold, silver, jewels, and exquisite silks, worth at least several million taels—a vast fortune.

It was natural for bandits to covet such wealth.

Wang Chen chuckled, “Let them come; aren’t your Three Thousand Yulin Guards formidable?”

The Blood Guard, Blood Guard, and Yulin Guards are known as the Three Personal Guards of the Emperor, directly under the command of the Daye Emperor, and all of them are elite soldiers selected from various legions.

The Three Thousand Yulin Guards escorting the marriage envoy were particularly elite.

Wang Chen didn’t believe that the mere White Wolf Bandits could stand against this team; even adding another group of bandits wouldn’t be an issue.

While bandits could handle merchant escorts, they would reveal their weaknesses against a real army!

“I heard a rumor…”

Sun Zhengheng lowered his voice, “The White Wolf Bandits have connections to Dayan.”

Hm?

Wang Chen was slightly taken aback—Dayan is an ally of Dayang!

But after a moment, he realized how naïve that was; there’s no real friendship between nations, only interests at play.

The Northern Qi desires to swallow Dayang; doesn’t Dayan have any intentions?

Using bandits to establish footholds within Dayang clearly seemed like a clever strategy.

If the White Wolf Bandits truly were connected to Dayan, their strength had to be reevaluated, and he couldn’t afford to be careless.

“Taibao Wang.”

Sun Zhengheng said sincerely, “It’s better to be safe than sorry. If we really find ourselves in a dangerous situation, I hope you can take the princess and leave first; don’t worry about us!”

“Alright.”

Wang Chen nodded, “I promise you.”

Sun Zhengheng showed a relieved smile, “Thank you!”

Woo—

A powerful horn sound echoed from ahead, and the guiding banners fluttered as the envoy slowed down.

Night was approaching, and it was time to set up camp.

In this remote area with no towns in sight, they hadn’t encountered a single merchant or traveler, so they would have to camp out for the night.

As night fell and darkness enveloped the land, bonfires were set up and lit in the campsite.

The Yulin Guards gathered around the bonfire, enjoying their dinner while chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.

Awo—

Suddenly, a long wolf howl rang out from a distance, reaching everyone’s ears!

Many Yulin Guards immediately changed their expressions!