Seeing that the other party was not falling for his trick at all, he couldn't help but feel a pang of frustration. Although he couldn't defeat the opponent, nor could he easily escape from her grasp, as long as his disciple was no longer a restraint, he could lead them to the gold mine. There were plenty of secret passages and traps there. As long as he acted quickly, he could escape from their hands. Didn't they want to find the gold mine? Perhaps dying in the gold mine would be the best option.
Unfortunately, Wu Caiwei didn't give him this opportunity, which made him hesitate. His disciple was very important, but this gold mine was also very important. King Ping had shown him great kindness in the past, so he reluctantly agreed to guard it for him.
To be free from any constraints, his family had settled down not far from a nearby village decades ago. Everyone considered them locals, unaware that he had adopted many orphans in his small courtyard, nurturing them in their studies and martial arts, with the sole purpose of protecting this place for him.
They were not ordinary people, but having lived in the village for so long, they carried the simplicity and innocence of villagers. At first glance, they were indistinguishable from ordinary villagers. That's why Wu Caiwei had that initial illusion when she first saw him.
Seeing him lost in thought, she knew he was in a moral dilemma, weighing the pros and cons of the matter.
Little Six, having lived so long, saw his master in such a predicament for the first time. He exclaimed loudly, "Master, don't mind me. I've been an orphan since childhood. Being raised by Master, having food, clothing, and shelter, and being able to study martial arts, is something I never even dreamed of. I am content. I only beg Master not to let me suffer anymore and to find a way to kill me."
"Shut up, or I'll finish you with one stroke," Yang Hanye, a trusted subordinate of Yang Han Ye, who was following Wu Caiwei, drew his saber. Seeing him say such a thing, he feared it would affect the judgment of the person opposite them and threatened him with his gaze.
"Do you think I'm afraid? I bet you don't dare to kill me. Come at my neck if you have the guts." Upon hearing this, Little Six not only showed no fear but seemed to welcome it. Although he hadn't been in Wu Caiwei's hands for a full night, he felt that woman was ruthless and had many tricks. The thought of enduring more suffering at her hands made him tremble with fear.
Little Six didn't know that because of his words, his master became even more hesitant. He already had deep feelings for his disciples, raising them like his own sons. Now, seeing that he could disregard life and death and always consider him first, it was impossible not to be moved.
Finally, he closed his eyes, sighed, and said, "I can take you to the gold mine, but it is filled with traps and dangers. I am a retired master of the martial world, ordered by King Ping to guard the surroundings with them. Any disturbance would mean immediately dealing with any scouts who came. I have truly never entered the mine myself. If you can take me to the entrance of the gold mine, you will release my disciple and help him detoxify."
Wu Caiwei scrutinized him. She didn't believe a word of his statement. Would someone as skilled in martial arts and who had guarded this place for so long not be curious about what was inside? That was impossible. If it were her, she would definitely want to understand the situation inside and determine if it was worth her loyalty.
"If it's just that, then I choose to kill him. I don't believe that there isn't anyone among the nearby villagers who knows the way. Even if I go and ask, they definitely won't tell me, but when faced with life and death, and the lives of their loved ones, I believe someone will tell me this secret." Wu Caiwei looked at him with confidence.
The man found the woman in front of him truly difficult to deal with. He had said so much, yet she was still relentless. He knew the gold mine was in a rather secluded location, but people who grew up here sometimes went into the deep mountains and old forests to hunt. Although in recent years, everyone who went there never returned, having been captured to mine gold and often dying there, the older generation was exceptionally familiar with the terrain and knew its approximate location.
They knew it was a place not to be mentioned lightly, especially when outsiders inquired, they would remain silent. But if someone were to capture them and torture them, or threaten them with the lives of their descendants, he believed they would reveal everything without hesitation.
It wasn't that no one had tried to do so, but they were not skilled enough and were all dealt with by himself. However, the opponent was his equal, and the people she brought with her were skilled in martial arts and outnumbered him. If he guessed correctly, the opponent was also a master of poison and quite cunning. He truly dared not gamble.
Therefore, after much deliberation, he cast a pained glance at Little Six and disappeared with his people before them. Someone wanted to pursue them, but Wu Caiwei waved her hand, telling them to retreat.
Little Six understood his master's gaze. The gold mine was of great importance, and he could only feel sorry for himself. If he weren't completely immobilized, he would have ended his own life. Unfortunately, he was in a state where he couldn't live or die. He closed his eyes and calmly awaited the pain.
Wu Caiwei knew he had decided to stand firm against her to the end. If he had been wavering before, his master's visit had solidified his resolve to keep the secret.
However, she wasn't too worried. The moment she thought of what she had observed earlier, a smile spread across her face. There would definitely be unexpected gains.
After a night of turmoil, dawn was breaking. There were other things to do tomorrow, so she instructed everyone to get some rest.
Early the next morning, Wu Caiwei received a carrier pigeon and learned that the heir apparent had made a move. She then ordered Little Six to be escorted to meet him.
Wu Caiwei watched a figure flash by in the nearby woods, her smile deepening, as if she hadn't noticed anything. She led the main force in the direction of the county town.
Because of the gold mine, although this was just a small county town, it was heavily guarded. They had originally thought that even if the enemy attacked, it wouldn't be easy to succeed. Unexpectedly, as soon as the two armies clashed, they were greatly surprised. The reason was that although they were beyond the range of fire, the Yang family army could shoot arrows at them, while their own arrows fell short of the enemy's position.
Watching the soldiers on the city walls fall one by one, they couldn't help but become anxious. This situation was unsustainable. They ordered everyone to take cover, believing that as long as they stayed put and defended the city walls, the enemy couldn't do anything to them.
Yang Han Ye involuntarily looked at Wu Caiwei beside him. She had said she had new weapons to show him and that he should confidently attack the county town. He had always trusted them. Hadn't their own arrows already shown that they had a longer range than the enemy's, causing them considerable losses? These were all thanks to the two of them.
Wu Caiwei smiled and had the items she had ordered people to prepare brought forward. Yang Han Ye looked at the dark objects and asked curiously, "What is this? Can this thing help us?"