A while later, the girl reluctantly returned.

Henry Clark glanced at her and thought she was truly beautiful. The key was that she carried an indescribable air of nobility, stirring all sorts of thoughts in people.

I’m not harboring any delusions!

Henry Clark felt a bit guilty. His dream was simply to find a literate woman to marry, so that in the future, when he went out hunting, his wife could teach their children to read at home...

His gaze suddenly swept over the girl.

The girl was trying to sneak off toward the woods at the side, her mischievous look making the middle-aged man smile. He was just about to order someone to bring her back when Henry Clark glanced at the girl.

“Insolent!”

The Wang family was undoubtedly of the highest nobility, so for a country boy to glance at a Wang family girl was as outrageous as a toad peeping at a swan.

The middle-aged man was instantly furious.

The guards were seething with anger...

The girl looked at Henry Clark with disdain, then her expression changed.

Henry Clark lunged over, grabbing her and leaping off the horse.

“Assassin!”

Only then did his shout ring out.

The sound of bowstrings was like thunder.

Two arrows shot out from the woods like lightning.

One was aimed at the girl Henry Clark was holding as they fell from the horse, the other at the middle-aged man...

“Xian’er!”

The middle-aged man’s face changed dramatically.

Chapter 5: I Just Want to Go to Chang’an

The middle-aged man seemed not to notice the arrow flying at himself, but stared fixedly at the one aimed at the girl. His fists clenched tightly, more tense than ever before, but he was too late to save her.

Henry Clark, holding the girl as they fell from the horse, had his back to the arrow. The girl struggled in his arms, her head raised just in time to face the incoming arrow—this was why the middle-aged man and the guards froze for a moment.

George Foster turned pale, wishing he could stab himself.

As Henry Clark was falling, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine, and his body twisted strangely.

This movement brought the girl along, and her forehead slammed hard into Henry Clark’s, her eyes brimming with tears.

The arrow grazed past her cheek.

Whew!

A collective sigh of relief.

Facing the incoming arrow, the middle-aged man raised his hand and flicked his finger. Just as the arrow was about to reach his face, he flicked it away as if brushing off a drop of water.

The arrow exploded in midair. The middle-aged man’s expression remained calm. “Kill them all!”

Arrows shot into the spot where the assassin had been from all directions. If there had been any veteran soldiers present, they would have exclaimed at the guards’ marksmanship—able to instantly seal off all possible escape routes for the assassin.

An incredulous George Foster cursed, “Damn it! How did that kid pull that off?”

Cursing as he went, he led his men toward Henry Clark.

Another group of guards, under the cover of the arrow barrage, charged into the dense forest in small teams. Their formation and coordination were so skillful that even elite soldiers would have to admit inferiority.

Thud!

The girl landed on her back, and the tears she had been holding back finally burst forth. “Why did you use me as a shield!”

Henry Clark sprang up, his gaze sweeping the woods. He said, “If more arrows come, I can block them.”

He had already blocked the angle of the arrow aimed at the girl while on top.

But the girl, annoyed, said, “Aren’t you going to turn around?”

She turned her head, tears streaming down.

How embarrassing!

The girl was truly angry now.

George Foster rushed over with his men, nervously asking, “Miss, are you hurt?”

The girl sat on the ground, hugging her knees, burying her face in them, and gently shook her head.

The maids surrounded the girl, with the guards forming an outer layer.

Henry Clark found his horse and gently stroked it.

It was a fine horse. The Wang family was generous and had given it to him without a second thought.

Henry Clark never took advantage of others. Even if he got a piece of dry bread from someone in the mountains, he would find a way to return the favor.

Thomas Reed came over, slapping him hard on the back and laughing, “Good lad, you actually saved the young lady. Later, you can drink as much good wine as you want.”

These past few days, the guards had taken turns drinking after setting up camp. Henry Clark, smelling the aroma of wine, was tempted—he had never tasted wine in his life. But as a country boy merely attached to the Wang family’s caravan, he was too embarrassed to ask for any. He didn’t dare speak up, but the guards, being shrewd, had already noticed.

The middle-aged man was discussing matters with his advisors. He looked up and nodded gently at Henry Clark.

Originally, his niece wasn’t supposed to come on this trip, but she had pestered his elder brother so much that he had no choice but to bring her along.

The Wang family’s daughter held a position of great honor, and the niece was deeply loved by both his elder brother and himself—she was truly the pearl of the Wang family. If something had happened earlier, he couldn’t imagine how his elder brother would react, or what would become of himself.

Henry Clark!

The middle-aged man silently repeated the name, then began to ponder who was behind the assassination attempt.

Naturally, they couldn’t continue traveling today, so everyone began to set up camp.

Henry Clark slipped away quietly.

“Where’s Henry Clark?”

Someone asked.

“The horse is still here, so he’s probably just gone to relieve himself.”

Soon after, George Foster returned to admit his fault.

“Second Master, the bandits were well-prepared. When their first strike failed, they immediately fled far away. We couldn’t catch up. We only managed to kill a dozen or so of their rearguard.”

George Foster was both angry and ashamed.