Under the Bamboo Parasol

No one noticed that behind them, trailing on quietly was the carriage which they believe to have broken down. Ru An was quite the expert driver, making the horses go at a slower pace so that the sounds coming from the wheels would be at a minimum.

Madam Lin peered out the curtain, moving closer to Ru An, to the point she was practically sitting behind Ru An's shoulders, making the girl feel discomfort. There was practically the warmth and breath of another human being right behind her, yet she did not feel consoled.

"Hmm…" Madam Lin thought for a while, as she observed the many carriages that were in front. It looked nothing like a civilized line of carriages traveling. Instead, it looked more like a flock of sheep not knowing where to go, and without a herding dog to guide them.

She spotted one carriage that was built beautifully, made with ebony, and curtains of brocade. The carriage was pulled by top grade horses that were from the northern regions, resistant to the cold, and strong enough to bring a full-grown man dressed in a full set of armor into the battle-field. The beautiful carriage was in the center of four carriages that were the color of darkness and driven by men who were dressed in a black uniform. Which were also surrounded and forced to move slowly.

"It should be that one." Madam Lin's finger pointed at the brocade carriage in the middle. It was the most beautiful thing that stood out, like a crane in a flock of ducks. Perhaps, sometimes being too flashy didn't bring on the best-intended results.

Ru An looked towards the carriage and wondered what kind of status the person within held. She knew that it wasn't ordinary, but then thought of what kind of power the enemy of that person held, in order to send so many to do the simple task of sliting the throat of a single person.

Surely, a secret assassin that carried out his assignment in the dead of night would be just as effective right? Also it would not be such a waste of manpower, and many lives would not have to be extinguished for no reason.

Perhaps, no one would understand why the perpetrator had made such a decision. Or maybe, the years of power and being on an elevated podium got to his head.

The carriage silently trailed the hoard in front, as they had deviated from the main dirt road, and onto a lesser known one that had not been traveled nor trampled upon in a while. As the lush grass that was still growing tall with pride showed.

Madam Lin's eyes were filled with a sense of anticipation as though she was about to watch a brilliant show.

By now, she was practically sitting right beside Ru An, who tugged lightly on the reins, as the horses slowed to a silent stop.

All of a sudden, from the treetops, descended men who were wearing black masks and holding identical swords that gleamed in the light, that emitted a cold bone-chilling aura.

At the same time, the farmers who were traveling around the surrounded carriage reached into their wagons and pulled out their swords, the merchants also did the same.

"Ahhh!" There was a scream from the poor unsuspecting people who had been cornered into going along with this hoard of carriages. How tragic it was to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. If they were not on a carriage perhaps they would not have gotten dragged into this.

The assassins feared that onlookers would be witnesses to their crime. With a quick thrust of their blades, they quickly silenced the witnesses. With a short amount of time, the ground was filled with running blood.

With no one around to bear witness to their crime, they quickly surrounded the brocade laden carriage and its four protector carriages.

"Hmm… I wonder if they will survive?" Madam Lin placed her hand under her chin and watched without any emotion at all. With all the bloodshed that was happening in front of her, she was unfazed.

Ru An had her eyes fixed upon the bloodshed and screaming. There was a fire that was burning within her eyes, as though she felt her blood rushing towards the four limbs of her body, warming up to get her ready for a battle.

She suddenly spoke: "I don't know if the guards will survive, but the person they are protecting, will most likely be unharmed." It was as though Ru An was very well versed in such a situation, knowing those that will survive and those who will perish.

"Oh? Tell me why." Madam Lin asked, her eyes wide with anticipation as she looked at the artery that was pulsating so fast on Ru An's pale neck.

"The guards that are protecting the carriage has formed a formation around it making sure that not even a fly will be able to get through," Ru An pointed to the guards who had placed the black-clad carriages as a blockade around the brocade laden carriages and used their bodies as shields around the carriage, "this goes to show the lengths these guards are willing to go to prevent the person inside from getting hurt, even willing to give up their own lives. With the move and communicate together, I believe that they may be death guards." Ru An spoke analytically as her eyes were still glued on the fight.

"Hm." Madam Lin nodded as she fishes around her pocket and finds a wrapped oil package of sweetened lotus seeds and placing one into her mouth.

"Want one?" She hands one to Ru An, who takes it and places it into her mouth. Yet with her actions of taking the lotus seed to putting it into her mouth, her eyes did not leave the fight for even a second.