Chinese Generals Summoning System

Chapter 15: The Twin Sisters

The Zheng family merchant caravan from Yongzhou, trapped in the village by the bandits, had already prepared to abandon all the wagons and the cloth they carried in order to break through the encirclement. The slow draft horses pulling the wagons were temporarily being used as warhorses by some of the guards—though, of course, these draft horses were far slower than true warhorses. Even with the addition of several dozen draft horses, the entire caravan had only a little over 160 horses—barely enough for the guards to share among themselves. This was because, during the recent skirmish, dozens of guards had already been killed in action. As for the caravan’s remaining 100-plus drivers and laborers, they would have to rely on their own two feet to escape during the breakout. However, the caravan had left behind a four-wheeled carriage with a rear compartment—apparently intended to be taken along during the breakout—and it still had a driver. The two draft horses that had originally pulled the carriage had been replaced with two warhorses, clearly demonstrating the importance of this carriage to the Zheng family’s caravan. When Zhang Baohong heard Yue Yi ask who was inside the carriage, he sighed and said to Liu Ji, Yue Yi, and the others, “Inside are the third young master of the Zheng family, a pair of twin courtesans we ransomed at great expense from the Drunken Moon Pavilion in Qinhuai City, and their two young maidservants. It doesn’t matter if we lose all the fabric we’re transporting on this trip, but if anything happens to these twins, I’ll be in deep trouble!” Yue Yi then asked, “Manager Zhang, is the rear compartment of this carriage protected against arrows?” Zhang Baohong nodded and replied, “I’ve already had wooden planks installed on the windows and doors of the carriage. It should be able to withstand ordinary arrows.” Yue Yi immediately replied, “Manager Zhang, when we break through the encirclement, may my lord and lady also board this carriage? With the three of us household guards here, we can ensure its safety!” Zhang Baohong thought about it for a moment, then nodded and said, “No problem. When Young Master Liu and Miss Liu break through the encirclement, they will ride in this carriage, and Young Master Liu’s three retainers will be responsible for protecting it. As long as you can bring these twins to safety, our Zheng family will surely reward Young Master Liu generously!” Liu Ji glanced at the carriage not far away and said confidently to Zhang Baohong, “Manager Zhang, rest assured. With Yue Yi, Liu Pi, and Gong Du, we will certainly be able to protect this carriage and break through the bandits’ encirclement.” Zhang Baohong continued, “In that case, I’ll go tell those two young ladies. Young Master Liu and Miss Liu should board the carriage immediately. The bandits outside the earthen enclosure are currently eating; we’ll take this opportunity to break through their encirclement.” Zhang Baohong then hurried to the carriage, exchanged a few words with the two courtesans inside, nodded to Liu Ji, and went back to organizing the caravan’s preparations for the breakout. With the help of Yue Yi, Liu Pi, and Gong Du, Liu Ji quickly donned a set of iron armor weighing nearly 20 jin and put on an iron helmet. The armor and helmet were still a bit too large for him, but at this point, simply having a set was a blessing—and in a critical moment, this armor could save his life. Liu Ji took a few steps in the armor and helmet; it still felt a bit heavy, but walking normally was absolutely no problem. He should even be able to run a short distance while wearing it. Before his combat strength had increased by 3 points, Liu Ji might have struggled even to walk in this armor. Afterward, Liu Ji didn’t take his younger sister, Liu Niuniu, directly into the carriage. Instead, he wandered around near the main gate of the earthen enclosure. The ground here was littered with the corpses of caravan members and bandits, causing Liu Ji’s Soul Points to instantly rise to 213. Unfortunately, there were still dozens of corpses outside the gate, and since he couldn’t absorb their Soul Points, he had no choice but to give up. However, having surpassed 200 soul points was already enough for Liu Ji to summon two more third-tier generals. With the breakout imminent and manpower desperately needed, Liu Ji considered whether to summon them immediately—ideally one more third-rate general, though two would be even better. By this time, the guards, drivers, and laborers of the Zheng family’s merchant caravan had made preparations to break through the encirclement. Yue Yi, Liu Pi, and Gong Du had each mounted a warhorse, while the remaining spare horse carried two sacks of grain, a small sack of salt, and two bundles of arrows. Each of the three—Yue Yi, Liu Pi, and Gong Du—also carried 30 arrows in their quivers. Yue Yi said to Liu Ji, “My Lord, the Zheng family’s merchant caravan is ready. You and the young lady must board the carriage immediately; we will escort you to safety!” Liu Ji, with no time to summon his generals, hurriedly brought his younger sister, Liu Niuniu, to the front of the carriage. The coachman immediately opened the wooden door of the carriage, allowing Liu Ji and Liu Niuniu to enter. As soon as Liu Ji entered the carriage, he saw two women wearing white sable fur coats. However, both women were wearing white veils, and with their sable fur coats and hats, Liu Ji could not make out their features. Still, he knew these two women must be the twins. In addition, there were two delicate, pretty girls aged fourteen or fifteen inside the carriage—presumably the twins’ maidservants. They were both wearing pink cotton jackets lined with silk. It was well known that silk was extremely expensive in the Great Jin Dynasty; even Liu Niuniu, the daughter of a small landowner, had never worn a single silk garment. The two maids were staring at Liu Ji and Liu Niuniu with curious eyes, and even the twin sisters were curiously sizing them up. The carriage was fairly spacious, but it became a bit crowded once Liu Ji and Liu Niuniu stepped inside. Liu Ji held Liu Niuniu in his arms and said to the four women in the carriage, ““We apologize for the disturbance, ladies. The caravan is about to break through the encirclement. My sister and I had to hide in this carriage so as not to slow down our bodyguards. But please rest assured, ladies—my bodyguards are highly skilled in martial arts and will certainly protect us as we break out of the bandits’ encirclement.” At that moment, one of the twin sisters spoke in a sweet, delicate voice: “Young Master Liu, you’re far too kind. How could this be considered an inconvenience? As Manager Zhang mentioned earlier, the three bodyguards under your command are exceptionally skilled in martial arts. If we sisters manage to escape this time, it will be entirely thanks to the blessings of Young Master Liu and Miss Liu.” Liu Ji couldn’t help but take another look at the woman who had spoken; her voice was simply too lovely—as clear and melodious as an orchid blooming in a secluded valley. He immediately noticed that her eyes were as clear as a pool of water. As for the rest of her face, it was concealed by a veil, so Liu Ji couldn’t see it, but judging by those eyes alone, she must be quite beautiful. Then, the other twin suddenly asked Liu Ji, “May I ask where you are from, Young Master Liu? How did you come to be here?” This woman’s voice was equally lovely—sweet as honey, sending a tingling sensation through one’s body upon hearing it. “Oh, my family is from Pingyuan County in Dongchang Commandery, Wan Prefecture. My hometown was struck by a disaster, and on top of that, a large band of marauding bandits invaded Pingyuan County. So my family was preparing to go to Yong Prefecture to seek refuge with relatives, but a couple of days ago we encountered the bandits, and I became separated from my younger sister and father.” The twin sisters exchanged a glance, and then the woman who had asked the question earlier said with a smile, “I’m sure Young Master Liu will be reunited with your father very soon.”