Jiang Ye (Before Night) by Mao Ni (NO SPOILERS PLEASE)

[billybuton]

and Binggo ( can i call you that? ) strike again....

Thanks for the update.. Why people hate Ning Que.. I like this kind of MC... make's thing interesting...

[Aequitas]

Ning Que is a great MC. I like his condescendingness with the reasoning to back it up xD Thank you for the chapter xD

[binggodude]

and Binggo ( can i call you that? ) strike again....

Thanks for the update.. Why people hate Ning Que.. I like this kind of MC... make's thing interesting...

Yea you can call me that ^.^ And i think its that i hate the author's writing style makes me hate the main character=/ Like if your gonna do this at least make it clear in the beginning. And another character i hate is that "maid" not Sang Sang though.

[Catahn]

Thank you for the chapter. This is so much better than the Manhua.

[binggodude]

Sorry we asians had each of us New Years Parties with family so we will release 2 chapters tomorrow to make up for this one loss of chapter. One early in the morning and one later at night/. REALLY SORRY FOR ALL THOSE DEDICATED FANS OUT THERE T.T I APOLOGIZE FOR OUR NON-POST

[criticalmind]

No biggie. Enjoy yourself... if you can

[Catahn]

Sorry we asians had each of us New Years Parties with family so we will release 2 chapters tomorrow to make up for this one loss of chapter. One early in the morning and one later at night/. REALLY SORRY FOR ALL THOSE DEDICATED FANS OUT THERE T.T I APOLOGIZE FOR OUR NON-POST

Sounds like fun to me. Have a great time and we'll be here when the new chapter arrives. (Keep up the awesome work!)

[billybuton]

Well said catahn.. I couldn't agree more with you.. just like catahn said, we'll be here when the new chapter is in. So have fun with the party.

[binggodude]

TL Note: Sorry guys heres the chapter to amke up for yesterday.

Chapter 8 On the way of north mountain, an arrow flew from the south

“Even for finding people to back up, the choice of place was also really important, if it were for me to decide, I would rather let the reinforcement be place to be on some road, instead of Pine Cone Hill.”

Ning Que looked at the marked point on the hand-drawn map. “They chose to go from the north mountain, yet forgot to think that even though this is a single road, the two sides of the road are covered by forest, which is easy for ambush.”

After finish this sentence, he remained silent for a while. He put the hand-drawn map into his clothes and shook his hand. He sneered at himself, “The so called ‘guide,’besides leading them into the way of north mountain, was more of a target to confuse the enemies by grabbing their attention. That stupid princess had not trusted General Ma at all, and therefore she won’t trust me either.”

“One idiot is leading a group of idiots.” Ning Que thought about the possible incoming ambush on the way of north mountain, the possible nonexistence of the reinforcement troop, his feeling became heavier and lost. He lowered his voice and said harshly, “Stayed about a year on the Great Plain, yet still did not become any smarter, I don’t understand where did she get her reputation from.”

“Kang!” Ning Que took out the three slightly rusty swords and opened up a water bag. He poured water on the grindstone and began to grind silently. After entering the path of north mountain, there may be several continuous fights. While it’s too late to grind right before the fights, he could at least calm himself down by doing so.

“If we separate from them as soon as we entered the way of north mountain, how can you get any chance to ask that elder?” Sang Sang asked.

“Staying alive is the most important thing.” Ning Que looked down to grind his knife, slowly but determinedly,”As long as we can arrive Chang An alive, we can always find opportunities to learn those things. Yet if we left our lives in the hands of that group of idiots, we won’t have any more chances.”

……..

The more they went South, the higher the temperature rose. In theory the landscape outside was supposed to become fresher, But because this group went onto the higher altitudes of Mian Mountain, the green grasses around the carriage lessened little by little becoming tall trees on the sides. The leaves were not yet green, keeping the sternness from last year’s fall and winter.

As the temperature lowered, a tense and depressive aura covered the entire carriage. Everyone understood, the big figure in Chang An who dared to plot to murder the princess, if he wanted to prevent the princess from peacefully returning to the Capital, the Mian Mountain between the frontier and the inner provinces would be his last chance.

During the tense caution and search, the carriage traveled for days and eventually arrived at the entry of the path of the north mountain. Looking at the gloomy dense forest, most people in the team did not feel worried like Ning Que did, but became much more relieved.

That pretty maid had chat with Sang Sang for much less time in these days. Most of the time she remained on the second wagon. When she got off in the evening, she even had a little smile.

When she decided to leave the Great Plain, she had already sent messengers into the territory of the empire. Although it was difficult to gather a large army to escort the princess home, the messenger had enough time to contact some loyal subordinates of the princess.

Ten days ago when she received the emergency report from Gu Shan state, she did not hesitate for a moment and went straight into the North Mountain road. Her determination was cause by her trust in the young commandery of the Gu Shan state. She believed that he already lead his troops into the south opening of the North Mountain.

Although she left Tang empire for a year already, but she still believe that her subordinates were still loyal to her. Some people might be bribed by that woman in the Royal Palace and turned against her, but Hua Shan Yue definitely would not, because......his eyes were always so gentle when looking at her.

When the group was thirty miles from the meeting point, it started to set up camps and rest in the dusk. Traveling through the forest in midnight seemed like a risky choice from all angles. Some guards even suggested her to wait outside of North Mountain and wait for Hua Shan Yue’s troop to aid the party.

As for this suggestion, she was still thinking. But whatever the situation, she and the child were very safe for now, gentle smiles once again crawled back onto her soft cheeks. Happiness once again seemed to return to the entire carriage.

In the light of dusk, a simple camp was set right outside of the circular formation of the carriage. The guards asked one time, but the owner of camp stayed there and just wouldn’t join the formation created by the five carriages and supply carts.

“If we don’t set the camp further away from the formation, how are we going to run away when emergencies happen?” Ning Que explained, he tied the big black umbrella up with grass string and made a pretty flower knot, then put it on Sang Sang’s back.

Sang Sang raised her head, looking at his chin with a hint of mustache and asked, “If we ran away, what are they going to do?”

Ning Que was checking if the bowstrings were damped. When he heard the question, he turned around and looked at the little dark face of the maid. After a period of silence he said earnestly, “You might have forgotten what happened when you were young, but I did not.”

“I dug you out of a corpse pile. Since I survived when I was young, I endured some struggles that normal people would not even imagine.”

“Sang Sang, you should always remember that we struggled really, really hard..... even gambled our lives to stay alive in this world. If we struggle so much to live, then we should not die so easily.”

After saying this sentence, Ning Que did not explain any further. He put the freshly sharpened swords into their sheaths, used some grass string to wrap around them and coordinated the sheaths to a perfect distance, then put them onto his back.

Sang Sang did not ask any further and started packing silently. She used her small hands to test the straightness of each arrows. Because she know when darkness of night fell upon the earth, it will be the moment she and Ning Que would ran off into the vast and open Mt. Min. She was not afraid, because when she was younger, they had traveled through the mountain and forest countless times during the night.

Right at this moment, the hand of Ning Que that was holding the sheaths stiffened.

The curtain of the simple camp was lifted by a single hand. The maid walked in, but the smile on her delicate face turned into frozen ice.

Her original purpose was to come chat with Sang Sang, but she did not expect to see the two packing their belongings. It was easy to guess that they wanted to leave.

“What are you guys doing?” She stared coldly at Ning Que’s face and said, “At a time like this, your action is hard to not be considered as suspicious.”

Ning Que did not speak a word at first, but smiled a moment later. He was ready to explain. Suddenly his ears moved a little, the dimples on his face disappeared and his expression became heavy and serious. Quickly he carried the three swords onto his back and pushed the maid aside unpolitely and walked out the camp.

The camps were located right outside of the opening into North Mountain. There was no dense forest covering them. The formation was comfortably warm.and showered under the last light of dusk. But at this moment the light seemed to turn to a layer of crimson red.

The wind traveled through the newly awakened forest and whistled lowly, almost like crying of ghosts. Ning Que wrinkled his eyebrows and observed the depths of the forest closely. He listened to the details of the whistles carefully, and suddenly yelled, “Ambush!”

The silent noise in the low-pitched whistle of the wind finally showed its true identity. An arrow shot from the forest and flew straight into the fancy carriage like a thunder strike!

[tahir]

Thank you so much for the chapter binggodude!

Also this line needs to be fixed "Yet if we our lives in the hands of that group of idiots"

[Catahn]

Yay! Thanks for the chapter! I'm looking forward to the next one as well!

[binggodude]

Thanks for the heads up tahir. Also I hope you guys enjoy it. At least things are catching up to where the manga is up to =D. I too look foward to the next one. I don't read chinese so i don't know what happens either Xd

[Catahn]

What's not to like about a good wuxia / xianxia novel being translated for a poor soul like me who doesn't (yet) read Chinese?

[BocahTuaNakal]

really like this!

[Aequitas]

Ning Que has a good attitude to not die. Thank you for the chapter

[Catahn]

Somehow knowing that there is a second chapter for today is worse than not knowing. Every time I see this thread updated I think "Oh is the other chapter out?" But nope, just another comment XD.

[binggodude]

Chapter 9 The determined soldiers

“Pu!”

Like a sharp metal spine stabbed hard into several dozens of wet paper, the arrow pierced into the chest of one guard who stood by the noble wagon. The young man fell down as he covered his bleeding chest with his hand.

During the moment Ning Que called out “Ambush,” the well trained guard reacted immediately. He bravely jumped on top of the wagon, blocking the window of the princess’s carriage. He did not know where the arrow would go but he only knew that the princess inside the wagon must be the enemies’ first target. He could not let anyone threaten princess’s life.

This brave guard took the right gamble, yet the cost was his young life.

“Ambush!”

“Protect the highness!”

“Shields up!”

The guards started to yell both angrily and surprisingly.

Countless arrows were shot out like a storm from the forest. “So-- So--,” the arrows instantly shouted through the wind and appeared to be extremely terrifying.

Ning Que was still a short distance away from the circular carriage formation. He lied down immediately. He did not forget to cover Sang Sang and the maid by using his body as he fell down.

He fell on the ground between the trees. Because of the pine needles stacked on the way of the north mountain, he did not feel much pain. He kept his face glued to the cold leaves. He listened to the arrows that were densely packed break the air in the front. As he heard the arrows occasionally fly over his head, he silently calculating the number of archers and the arrows used.

The entry to the path of north mountain was surrounded by the guards’ angry and anxious shouts yelling commands and lifting the heavy shields. The guards pushed the big shields that were temporarily made out of panels of the wagons into the edges of the carriage to use as a shield to block against the arrows.

Chu! Chu! Chu! Chu!

Arrows landed harshly into the simple wooden shields, sounding like hits on a battle drum. Yet they were much more intensive and terrifying than the battle drums. From time to time, there were arrows that passed through the joint between the shields and pierced the guards, causing a stuffy hum. However, the horses who were unfortunately hit by the arrows were not as determined as Tang’s men. They painfully fell down and started to roll and rage.

The sound of arrows breaking the air, arrows hitting the wooden shields, humans’ stuffy hum, and horses’ sad rage mixed together transforming the previous happy and warm camp into a hell.

Chiu!

One arrow landed deep into the soil ground in front of Ning Que causing the rocks to fly at his face immediately making a red mark. Yet his facial expression had not even changed a tiny bit. He silently lied on the pine needles and looked through the gaps between the trees. He passed over that arrow, far away to the south of the way of North Mountain.

The opponents did not choose to ambush in the jungle surrounding the path to North Mountain and ambush during the night. But chose to attack during evening, when the carriage just arrived to the path of the North Mountain. Even though Ning Que had a natural instinct towards danger since childhood, he still did not think of it.

Evening was the time people loosening their guards the most. Moreover, since the carriage would almost meet with the reinforced people from Gu Mountain Province. it’s almost unavoidable that people would feel relieved. The enemies used this simple point to their advantage.

Faintly people could already see the densely juxtaposed bodies appearing from the jungle on the two sides of the path of the North Mountain. Through the previous calculation by using the density between the arrows and the number of people he saw, he could approximately predict that there were around sixty enemies.

After all it was in Tang, and the target was the Emperor’s favorite princess. No matter for secrecy before or after the murder, the opponent could not really use any big troop, instead they could only choose the most loyal assassins who were willing to sacrifice their lives.

Since they were assassins, the number could not be too big. However, Ning Que clearly understood, on the battlefield, it’s never the number that matters. Instead, a group of assassins who were not afraid of death was the hardest to deal with.

The one who planned out this murder, besides using assassins, might even ask a Xiu Xingist to join. He thought of the possible fight between those experts. Ning Que actually felt excited, but suddenly all of his excitations turned into fear that he had never encountered before.

“So unfortunate.” He muttered, turning his head to glance at the maid on his side, discovering that this little woman only had felt terrified at the beginning, yet calmed herself down quickly. He couldn’t help but applaud in his heart.

The enemies from the two sides in the jungle had already ran out. The men who was wearing the gray Tang’s military uniforms did not cover their faces. They waved their steel knife as they ran in like wolves. Since they did not hide their identities, then obviously one side would be completely slaughtered.

The wild barbarians surrounding the carriage were the horse gang subdued by the princess on the Great Plain. The previous rain of arrows already stimulated their ferocity. Some people took out their bows and arrows and began shooting, some people shouted as they took out their knives and ran towards the enemies.

Suddenly, the sound of contacts between weapons exploded out on the way of North Mountain. From time to time there were people dying. The points of the knives were stabbed into chests and bellies, and the edges of the knives were cutting the throats apart. Bloods came out from the men’s bodies, soaking and incaradining the fallen leaves on the ground.

The battle went into the most horrifying stage since the beginning, yet no one retreated, and no one turn around. What they competed on was the not only their skills, but more of their courage and warlike spirit.

Those barbarians from the Great Plain were really skilled at archery. They were brave and determined, instantly suppressed the enemies’ attack. From time to time people died in the jungle. The barbarians shouted out weird sounds as they went into the battle, gradually taking over the control of the ground around the carriage formation. Moreover, they were courageous yet they did not lose their caution. They did not extend the battlefield for no reason.

No matter how it was observed, the tactic used by the barbarian guards was correct, at least it was right in Ning Que’s opinion. Therefore he was confused, why was the expression of the maid becoming more and more depressed, it seemed like she was worried about something.

She was worried that the barbarian guards did not experience the dreadful battles in Central Region. She gritted her teeth forcefully, and decided to stand up.

But Ning Que would not simply let her show their location and lead Sang Sang and himself into a dangerous situation. The maid fell down after he made a fist with his hand and hit the curve between her leg.

“What are you doing!” The maid started angrily into his eyes, her right hand was slowly reaching for her waist.

Ning Que was focusing on the battlefield and did not pay attention to her questioning. When he noticed the formation around the carriage, he thought of a certain possibility and his body shivered.

The fight in the opening of the North Mountain was awful, but in the formation it was strangely quiet. The dozen elite Tang guards kneeled halfway and surrounded the two carriages.

Inside of the flawless protection of the guards, the gentle elder in the old robe closed his eyes and sat in front of one of the carriages, his face was in the direction of the depth of the forest.

Ning Que nervously licked his lips and reached for Sang Sang. His palm was wet because a lot of sweat was produced from his tense mood.

Sang Sang glanced and passed him the bow in her hands, then she slowly untie the black umbrella behind her back, quietly put it on the fallen leaves along her side.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

The fight raged on, the three were separated from the dangerous battlefield by the carriage formation. Looking at the violent encounter between the barbarian soldiers and the assassins, Ning Que knew the impact would not affect their location any time soon. However, he felt nervous, so nervous that he did not notice the sweat between his palm and the bowstring had vaporized.

The dozen statue like guards kneeled halfway around the carriage, all of them stared coldly into the depths of the dense forest. The expressions on their tanned face could be described as calm and persevering, although alarmed but not afraid.

These dozen Tang guards came from Chang An Yu Lin army. They were especially chosen to protect the fourth princess when she was married into the Great Plain. For sure they were the best of the elites in the army, however, in this battle their performance was rather weird.

When the rain of arrows ambushed them from the depths of the forest, the guards quickly formed a circular guarding formation, and stayed behind their huge shield without further actions. Even until the enemy assassins showed up and started attacking, they stayed in this position, almost if they were unaware of their surroundings.

Sometimes their ally barbarian soldiers die in front of them, sometimes lifeless bodies crashed into the carriage and produced a loud bang. They did not even move their eyelashes, still staring coldly into the depth of the forest. Their body and mind were like unmovable steels and stones.

The guards kneeled on the fallen leaves with one knee. They were wearing cotton shirts, and the edges of the shirts showed hints of iron scale. Their right hands reached for their back, holding the knife shanks tightly and focused on their frontal view, surrounding the two carriages behind them.

One of the fancy carriage remained silent. In the other carriage sat the only elder in the entire group. His eyes were closed and he sat crossed-legs, seemed very comfortable. On his knees there laid a sword, the sword shank was old and broken, just like the robe the elder was wearing.

The guards remained emotionless around the elder’s carriage. They did not pay attention to the surrounding battle, nor the screams and shouts around them. Only when the enemy was about to rush into their defense formation, then one of the guard will take out their knife and kill the assassin.

Since only one of the guards entered the battle, he was outnumbered by the large mob of assassins and quickly showed signs of danger. But even this did not move the rest of the guards, they still would not leave the elder for even half a step.

Ning Que did not know why the guards were behaving this way, he did not know what was hiding in the depths of the dense forest, but he knew for sure there will be big trouble.

Knowing vaguely of what was going to happen and the exciting new world he was about to enter, Ning Que became even more tense. His index and middle finger kept rubbing the bowstring silently. After brief moment, his breathing magically slowed down, his expression turned steady.

The mood became oppressive from waiting for the unknown danger. The shouts and knife clashes surrounding the carriages seemed to disappear in that moment.

In that critical and intense moment, the fancy carriage’s window was pushed open. A beautiful young lady stuck out her head, her facial expression was full of worry.

The leader of the guards did not wait for her to say anything, he warned her and quickly pushed her back into the carriage and closed the window. Although his expression showed respect, his action was quite impolite due to the fatal situation they are in.

[Aequitas]

Hmm... I'm guessing maid = princess, girl in carriage = body double. Makes the most sense as to why the guards give 0 firetrucks and why they can be impolite to the girl. Thanks for chapter.

[HPC7595]

Thanks binggodude

[tahir]

thank you so much for the chapter binggodude!

this needs to be fixed "blocked the window of the princess’s window"