I am the Ruler of the Kingdom of Mysterious-Chapter 346 - 310: Qianshou Army

After spending an entire day, Sang Que prepared the things Liu Tianyou needed. On the morning of May 7th, she took Qiao Ling, Xia Chan, and Xuan Yu over Bright Moon Mountain, deep into the depths of the adjacent Qianyue Mountain Range, following the direction of the river until they reached the cliff of a thousand feet.

The Xuan River tributary within Jinzhou passes through Bright Moon Mountain, eventually forming a waterfall here, cascading down into Qinzhou.

"Aren’t we going to Qinzhou? Why did you bring me here?"

Qiao Ling, in a dark blue narrow-sleeved cloth skirt with a bamboo box used by scholars taking the exam, stood at a high point, looking down the cliff.

The roar of the water was deafening, the thousand-foot waterfall roared like a silver dragon, misty and cool.

Looking afar, the rosy light broke through the clouds, illuminating the mountains and rivers. The peaks were majestic, and the mountains stretched far away, gradually disappearing into the plains, the great river flowing, the forests heavy with green shadows.

Sang Que was still in her black clothes, carrying a newly made peach wood bow, arrow quiver, and a bamboo tube containing the painting. Two fine steel short knives from the modern age were inserted into the leather sheath at her waist, and a small leather bag was slung diagonally, containing some commonly used items.

She looked around and found the rope ladder that she hid here during a previous team training, uncovered the straw mat over it, and threw down the already secured rope ladder.

"I’m a ghost citizen now... meaning I don’t have any household registration documents, it’s basically impossible to pass the Qinzhou checkpoint for verification. Besides, entering Qinzhou from the checkpoint requires a detour, better to jump straight from here, below is Qinzhou territory."

Qiao Ling’s mouth opened slightly, she looked down once more, though she wasn’t afraid of heights, this was too high.

In a green dress, the shockingly voluminous-haired Xia Chan nodded while munching on a radish, "It’s better to go down from here, no detour, Little Chan hates walking!"

Xia Chan also carried a cloth bag full of radishes and the equally reluctant to walk Xuan Yu.

The white radishes were seedlings Sang Que brought from the modern age, recently harvested, crispy and sweet, full of moisture, Xia Chan’s favorite.

Sang Que continued, "This is also to leave a back route for Bright Moon Mountain, in case one day the road in front and sides of Bright Moon Mountain is blocked, everyone can be transferred from here."

Over the past two months, when she trained those two hundred guards in the mountains, she taught them how to tie knots to make simple rope ladders and climbing skills, intending to slowly teach the mountain’s residents later.

Qiao Ling swallowed, "This rope ladder isn’t that long, though."

Sang Que smiled and started to climb down. She could actually jump straight down using instant teleportation to buffer, but Qiao Ling, like He Buning back then, had some caution that couldn’t be eliminated. She couldn’t use instant teleportation with Qiao Ling along.

"Sister, wait for Little Chan."

Xia Chan bit a radish, following Sang Que down, Qiao Ling took a deep breath and also climbed down the rope ladder.

After climbing two hundred meters, the rope ladder ended, and the three reached a protruding platform on the cliff with a small cave inside. Sang Que pulled another section of rope ladder from the cave.

"I accidentally discovered this cave, unfortunately, there’s no peerless master or martial arts manual inside. I’ll have someone slowly excavate the cave later, it can also be a temporary shelter."

Sang Que threw the rope ladder from her hand down the cliff, leading Xia Chan to continue the descent.

It took nearly an hour, changing the rope ladder more than ten times, for the three to safely descend from the cliff. Throughout the path, Sang Que had already excavated platforms for short halts and placed spare rope ladders, ensuring a smooth descent.

After landing, Sang Que hid the last section of the rope ladder among the vines on the cliff, it wouldn’t be noticeable without a careful look.

If entering Qinzhou by normal routes, it would take at least half a month’s journey. But now, before noon mealtime, they were already in Qinzhou territory.

"The war hasn’t reached here yet, there’s a mountain village nearby. I glanced at it last time from afar, this way."

Sang Que drew out a short knife, cutting through the blocking bushes and vines in front, while Xia Chan and Qiao Ling followed.

"Are the radishes delicious?" Qiao Ling suddenly asked Xia Chan.

Xia Chan immediately assumed a defensive posture, "Not sharing!"

Saying so, she ran behind Sang Que, tugged on Sang Que’s bag strap, and stuck her tongue out at Qiao Ling.

Qiao Ling sighed, "Just asking..."

The dark Xuan Yu emerged from Xia Chan’s bag full of white radishes, twitching its ears and scanning the surroundings, the forest igniting its hunting instinct, it quickly darted out to lead the way for everyone.

The experiment of integrating Evil Spirits into corpses has achieved success. Sang Que personally handled it with a fifty percent success rate, but when the Yin Child conducted the experiment, the success rate reached ninety percent, which translates to a ninety percent success rate for her.

Next, Sang Que plans to attempt the experiment on live animals. If successful, Xuan Yu could eventually become a Yin Cat.

Thinking of this, Sang Que believes her Divine Statue needs a black cat so that Xuan Yu can also enjoy some incense.

It is quite a distance to the small village at the foot of the mountain. Around Noon, Xia Chan’s stomach starts rumbling, and deep in the forest, Xuan Yu’s meowing sounds can be heard.

Sang Que uses Instant Teleportation to check; Xuan Yu is crouching atop a fallen deer, licking its paws. The deer’s neck has been snapped by Xuan Yu, with blood flowing incessantly.

During the previous time with Qiao Ling, whenever they neared the forest, it was Xuan Yu who hunted and fed Xia Chan, its ’child,’ fulfilling its responsibility to care.

Sang Que brings the deer and Xuan Yu back, clears a patch of land in the mountains, and uses stones to make a spot for a fire.

Qiao Ling, being skilled in anatomy, while Sang Que provided salt from her supplies, they roasted venison for lunch. With Xia Chan there, nothing was left; even the medicinal parts of the deer were carefully collected by Qiao Ling, leaving everyone satisfied.

By around four in the afternoon, the trio finally emerged from the mountain, reaching the small village at the foot, the scenario matching their expectations. Only the elderly, sick, and women with children remained; all able-bodied adults had been captured.

This village was fortunate enough that the elders could still venture into the mountains to collect goods and dig for wild vegetables, avoiding starvation.

Sang Que claims they are herbalists lost in the mountains, offering a small bag of coarse rice to the villagers in exchange for a night’s lodging.

In times like these, Silver Coins were useless, only food was accepted.

Upon entering the village, Qiao Ling takes out her bell and rings it, treating those who needed medical attention. In this world, apart from Nine Song’s Bell Doctor, many ordinary Bell Doctors travel around offering medical services.

Qiao Ling charges merely symbolic fees for her medical services—a single cent or a handful of rice, anything offered could serve as payment.

Sang Que seizes this opportunity to inquire with the village elders. She learns that along the river about fifty miles south lies Sancha River Pass, which is now entirely under the control of rebellious forces.

Their heads wrapped in black cloth, those rebels call themselves the ’Qianshou Army.’ They do not kill civilians but loot county and prefectural cities, targeting corrupt officials and distributing plundered grain and Silver Coins among the populace.

Qinzhou borders Yunzhou; in efforts to pacify Yunzhou, the military and grain taxes on the Qinzhou side were heavy. Coupled with rampant Evil Spirits, the common folk suffered unbearably, oppressed to the point of despair.

Since the ghost disaster in New Year’s Eve Mountain City, in over four months, wherever the Qianshou Army arrived, civilians flocked to them. Their momentum was irresistible, breaking numerous defenses in Qinzhou.

Qinzhou dispatched troops and resources from Jinzhou and Jiangzhou, initially suppressing the Qianshou Army’s momentum. However, many Gu Masters and Ghost Witches from Yunzhou secretly aided the Qianshou Army.

Gu Masters utilized Gu, Ghost Witches summoned spirits, leaving Qinzhou’s defense forces defeated progressively.

"I’d much rather have my children join the Qianshou Army than be sent to die for nothing by the Qinzhou defense forces."

The old man conversing with Sang Que sighs, while Sang Que remains silent.

As night falls, Qiao Ling closes her practice, with the village elders setting up an empty, unoccupied yard for them to settle into, having decided to head toward Sancha River Pass the next day.

Under the heavy curtain of night, Sang Que lies beside Xia Chan, asking Qiao Ling on the other side, "When you reach Sancha River Pass, will you aid the Qinzhou defense forces or the Qianshou Army in treating their injuries?"

Qiao Ling turns over, "We’ll see when we get there."

Though Qiao Ling is already thirty, she has never experienced an era of conflict. Sang Que’s question baffles her, as she doesn’t know which side to take—or perhaps not choose any side, and just treat anyone purely from a healer’s perspective?

Gradually, Xia Chan’s breathing becomes steady, and she falls asleep. Sang Que also turns over and shuts her eyes.

On the beam above, Xuan Yu sits with paws tucked, eyeing the room with glowing green eyes. Nearby, the Yin Child swings his legs from the beam, tilting his head in a daze.

In the second half of the night, under a cleansing moon, the night owl cries from the mountain, as both Xuan Yu and the Yin Child sense something, suddenly looking toward the village entrance.

Xuan Yu leaps down from the beam while the Yin Child instantly returns inside Sang Que.

Sang Que’s eyes snap open, sitting upright.

Numerous people are sneaking into the village!