Bowstrings twanged, several arrows hurtled toward Haidu Aling in his gauzy skirt, their gleaming cold tips grazing past his braided hair.
He flashed into motion, one hand brandishing a blade to parry, the other clutching Yuchi Damo, dodging left and right in the cramped space. Using screens, couches, and long tables as cover, he attempted to break through the encirclement.
The guards besieging him multiplied, arrows pouring down like torrential rain.
His eyes held no fear. Leaping into the air, he charged straight into the arrow storm. One shaft whistled past his cheek, splattering a spray of blood. His tall figure suddenly froze mid-air, then tumbled to the ground. When he lifted his head again, half his face was a mangled mess of flesh and blood.
Seeing him wounded, the guard commander’s roars grew more fervent: “Loose arrows! Kill the assassin, and a hundred gold pieces are yours!”
Haidu Aling’s face darkened, his eyes bloodshot, pale yellow irises brimming with icy killing intent. He rolled on the spot, evading the onslaught of arrows, and scrambled toward a nearby pillar, still gripping Yuchi Damo tightly. With his right hand, he tore open his garment—the tattered robe instantly shredded, revealing a close-fitting narrow-sleeved undershirt.
At Lady Yina’s command, shouts of “Reward of a hundred gold!” echoed through the palace. All the royal guards surged toward the hall, their footsteps merging into a tidal roar that shook the entire palace.
The once-boisterous hall descended into chaos.
Yao Ying stood at a high vantage point, her robes flapping in the wind, her gaze fixed unblinkingly on the fierce struggle unfolding in the hall.
Amid the glint of blades and shadows of swords, Haidu Aling struggled desperately, like a furious beast trapped in a hunt.
Figures shifted in the long corridor. Lady Yina, resplendent in lavish attire, ascended the stone steps surrounded by her personal guards. She stared coldly at the heavily surrounded Haidu Aling and sneered, “Haidu Aling, did you think disguising yourself as a woman would fool me? You, a prince of the Northern Rong, stooping to impersonate a woman—skulking like a rat in the gutter, sowing discord between me and my husband, plotting rebellion. Are you even fit to wear armor and command ten thousand cavalry?”
Haidu Aling remained silent.
Lady Yina raised her voice: “I know it’s you! You were raised by beasts, a lowborn wretch! It was my uncle who took pity and gave you a chance at life. Yet you, with the heart of a wolf and the guts of a dog, repay kindness with betrayal—daring to harm Jin Bo! You are unworthy to be called a child of the wolf tribe! Today, I shall deal with you, you vile beast, on my uncle’s behalf! I’ll use your skull as a wine cup for Jin Bo!”
Haidu Aling, disheveled and battered, half his face drenched in blood, locked eyes with Lady Yina across the dense ranks of guards, the forest of blades, and the web of arrows. He threw back his head and laughed: “Yi Na, your brothers were all defeated by me. What makes you think you can kill me?”
Lady Yina’s expression turned icy. She snorted disdainfully and declared clearly, “Jin Bo, under the protection of the Wolf God, survived the great peril. He has returned to the court to report your assassination attempt to my uncle! The Great Khan will surely issue a warrant for your life! Haidu Aling, even if you are the Northern Rong’s finest warrior, how can you alone withstand the pursuit of hundreds of warriors? From this day forth, there will be no place for you in the northern deserts or the Western Regions—not even wings could help you escape!”
“If you know what’s good for you, you’d better surrender. I can make your death swift.”
Having spoken, she didn’t even glance at the captive Yuchi Damo, merely pointed a finger in Haidu Aling’s direction.Guards armed with blades, spears, and clubs advanced inward layer by layer, tightening the encirclement and blocking all escape routes for Haidu Aling, waiting to trap him like a turtle in a jar.
Cornered in this desperate situation, Haidu Aling’s expression turned grim and silent, as if he knew he was surrounded with no way out. He seemed to have abandoned all hope, ready to fight to the death.
A smug smile curled at the corners of Lady Yina’s lips.
She had always been closest to Jin Bo and his brothers. Since childhood, she had resented Haidu Aling—raised among wolves—for overshadowing her cousins. The Northern Rong royal family were descendants of the divine wolf, noble by birth. How could Haidu Aling, a fatherless, motherless bastard and an outsider, be worthy of being a Northern Rong prince?
The guards slowly closed in on the hall. Those at the front were so excited their eyes gleamed, yet none dared strike first. Haidu Aling was renowned as the foremost warrior of the Northern Rong, and they hesitated to act rashly.
Archers on the outermost perimeter continued to draw their bows, arrows raining down on Haidu Aling. With a swift movement, he dodged behind a pillar.
Standing behind the crowd, Lady Yina grew impatient at the guards’ hesitation and shouted, "Whoever severs his head shall become a commander of ten thousand and be rewarded with a hundred gold pieces!"
Encouraged by her words, the guards erupted in battle cries.
Three guards, gripping long blades, steeled themselves and charged at Haidu Aling with furious shouts.
Haidu Aling’s light-yellow eyes widened sharply as he coldly scanned his surroundings. Drawing a deep breath, he roared, "Seeking death!"
The roar, infused with Internal Force, echoed like the furious roar of the king of beasts—overwhelming and majestic. The hall’s roof tiles trembled, and dust cascaded down.
The surrounding guards felt as if the roar had exploded right beside their ears. Dizziness overwhelmed them, their hearts pounded like drums, and their innaces twisted as if churned by a blade. They could barely stand, their legs threatening to give way.
Amid the clatter of falling blades, the guards closest to Haidu Aling clutched their ears, screaming in agony. Trembling uncontrollably, trails of crimson blood seeped from their lips.
The other guards recoiled in terror, reminded of Haidu Aling’s legendary prowess on the battlefield, where he could hold off a hundred foes single-handedly. Like a basin of icy water dousing their fervor, the instinct to survive momentarily suppressed their fervent impulse for glory.
Lady Yina retreated several steps, her face ashen.
Up on the wall, even Yao Ying, hidden in the shadows, felt the roar reverberate like continuous thunder in her ears, her heart racing wildly.
Steadying her nerves, she lightly clenched her fingers around her sleeve.
Standing beside her, Yang Qian gazed toward the hall, his brow furrowed tightly. Gripping his long sword, he remarked, "Haidu Aling truly lives up to his reputation as the foremost warrior."
Yao Ying remained silent.
In the hall, after his roar had forced several guards back, Haidu Aling charged through the encirclement with Yuchi Damo in one hand. Moving with the speed of a hare and the precision of a falcon, he sliced through the guards’ blockade like a steel blade. Arrows whistled toward him, but with a sweep of his hand, his palm’s force sent them clattering to the ground inches from him.
Lady Yina continued to shriek orders, and the guards gritted their teeth and pressed forward. Dozens, even hundreds, swarmed in—even without weapons, their sheer numbers could crush their opponent.
Haidu Aling faced four or five guards at once, unshaken in the face of danger. His defense was impenetrable, as if he possessed three heads and six arms, advancing and retreating with ease. Where his blade fell, flesh and blood flew, and guards collapsed one after another.
The hall was packed to the brim, figures entangled in the flickering torchlight. Those outside could no longer discern the situation within. Guards were crammed together, struggling even to turn around. The slaughter continued unabated, and the sounds of agony never ceased.One by one, the personal guards fell, and Haidu Aling, drenched in blood, resembled a wild beast.
Anyone who met his gaze trembled in fear, retreating backward.
A smirk curled his lips as he seized an opening, grabbed Yuchi Damo, swiftly broke through the encirclement, leaped onto the roof, and his tall figure vanished into the vast night.
Lady Yina's furious roar echoed: "Chase after him now! Show no mercy! Do not let him leave Gaochang alive!"
The guards shouted in acknowledgment, gripping their long blades as they pursued.
In the hall, corpses lay strewn across the floor, blood pooling everywhere.
A fallen torch ignited the embroidered curtains, flames leaping up and devouring half the hall in an instant. The raging fire roared, and cries of alarm rose and fell throughout the palace.
In the distance, Yang Qian stared for a long time in the direction Haidu Aling had fled, his heart shaken, his hand on the sword hilt cold as ice.
Trained in martial arts from a young age, he had been rather arrogant, with a roguish temperament and a love for challenging others. Just moments ago, he had been eager to jump down and test his skills against Haidu Aling. Now, he suddenly understood why his elders always mocked his recklessness and naivety. There is always someone better, and beyond one mountain lies another. Haidu Aling was a top-tier master. Yang Qian's flashy techniques might impress onlookers, but they were merely superficial. Had he actually charged forward, he would not have survived Haidu Aling's lethal strikes.
Yang Qian withdrew his gaze and turned to Yaoying: "The Princess was right. Lady Yina indeed could not kill Haidu Aling."
Yaoying said softly, "Haidu Aling dared to enter the palace alone because he was confident he could escape unscathed. Though he appears rough and reckless, he is actually meticulous and well-prepared."
Yang Qian said resentfully, "It's a pity he managed to escape this calamity."
Yaoying remained calm.
She could not kill Haidu Aling herself. Xie Qing was severely injured and had not yet recovered, and no one else was a match for Haidu Aling. But that did not mean she could do nothing. After recognizing Haidu Aling, she immediately ordered Xie Chong and the others to deliver Jin Bo's plea for help to Lady Yina and inform her that Haidu Aling intended to incite Yuchi Damo to kill her.
As expected, Lady Yina took the bait and set up an ambush, hoping to strike first.
Although the ambush failed and Haidu Aling's identity was exposed, what would Wahan Khan, Jin Bo, and the other princes do to him once he fled back to the Northern Rong? Troubles would follow him one after another, and in the days to come, those seeking his life would be as numerous as fish in a river.
Even if he managed to escape danger this time, the accumulated conflicts within the Northern Rong would inevitably erupt sooner or later. At this stage, he was too young to suppress the Northern Rong nobility. Even if he killed Wahan Khan and his sons, he would not gain their allegiance and would face constraints at every turn.
The flames soared into the sky, and the night wind was cold.
Yaoying tightened her cloak, the blazing firelight reflecting on her mask.
Haidu Aling would never know that tonight's trap was her way of using another's hand to eliminate him. The Northern Rong had stirred conflicts among the Central Plains kingdoms, hoping to reap the benefits. She was merely repaying them in their own coin, intensifying the strife between him and the other princes. Once the Northern Rong fractured, they would be unable to launch any large-scale expeditions.
...
The palace was thrown into chaos.
Yang Qian escorted Yaoying out of the palace.
Yaoying instructed him: "When King Yuchi returns, the next step is to arrange personnel. Lady Yina showed no regard for the King's life earlier, so the King can make more demands."
Haidu Aling would not kill Yuchi Damo. The more Lady Yina disregarded her husband, the more reason he had to keep Damo alive.Yang Qian grunted in acknowledgment. He understood Damo well—neither accomplished in letters nor martial arts, Damo’s greatest skill was submission. By now, he should have already gained Haidu Aling’s trust as planned.
Xie Qing waited outside the palace gates. Upon learning that Haidu Aling had not died, his brow furrowed slightly as he helped Yaoying into the carriage.
Yaoying had been standing atop the wall, exposed to the wind for a long time, and her body was chilled to the bone.
Xie Qing handed her a warming stove. She took it, clasping it in her palms, and gradually felt a bit warmer.
Yang Qian stood outside the carriage, watching it depart into the distance. Suddenly, he strode forward, caught up to the carriage, and tapped on the window. "Princess," he asked, "since you knew Haidu Aling wouldn’t die, why did you insist on entering the palace?"
He, Yuchi Damo, and Xie Chong had repeatedly rehearsed the night’s plan. The princess didn’t need to appear in person, yet she had insisted on going to the palace. He had assumed she wanted to witness Haidu Aling’s downfall with her own eyes.
When Haidu Aling escaped moments earlier, everyone was stunned and incredulous—only the princess remained perfectly calm, clearly indicating she had anticipated the outcome.
Knowing the ambush would fail, why had she insisted on entering the palace?
Yaoying held the warming stove, exhaling slowly. With a light laugh, she said, "To be honest, Fourth Young Master, this way I’ll have fewer nightmares."
She had once been imprisoned by Haidu Aling. Arrogant and confident, he knew she was just a helpless woman who couldn’t escape his grasp. He patiently tamed her like a falcon, wearing her down to force her submission.
On many nights, exhausted, hungry, terrified, and despairing, she would curl into a ball, trembling uncontrollably, secretly thinking it might be easier to just give in to Haidu Aling.
But in the next moment, clutching the Bright Moon Pearl Li Zhongqian had given her, she would grit her teeth and endure.
"In the past, the mere sight of Haidu Aling filled me with fear."
Yaoying raised a hand to smooth her hair, smiling at Yang Qian.
She knew Haidu Aling would lead his iron cavalry to trample the Central Plains. She knew that in the stories, Li Zhongqian died facing him in battle. How could she not be afraid?
"That’s why I had to enter the palace tonight—to witness Haidu Aling ambushed, to see him wounded. So that in the future, when I face him again, my courage will be a little stronger."
Since she couldn’t avoid him, she would confront her fear head-on.
Her tone was playful, as if joking.
But Yang Qian couldn’t bring himself to laugh. Gazing at her intently, he said earnestly, "Princess, you must have suffered greatly."
His own sister was around the same age as the princess—innocent, carefree, and unaware of sorrow, fretting daily over which dress to wear or which jewelry would outshine others and win praise from her beloved. Yet the princess had been stranded beyond the borders, wandering thousands of miles, uncertain when she would reunite with her brother.
Yaoying closed her eyes, recalling those desperate, helpless days after Li Zhongqian’s departure—the lecherous gaze of the Yelu Tribe’s First Prince, the covetous stares of the other princes…
Bitter memories surged forth, warming the corners of her eyes.
Then, a figure of noble purity and cool detachment flashed through her mind, as if a flood of brilliant light poured down, washing away the icy, dark recollections like a receding tide.
Yaoying snapped back to reality. The warming stove in her hand radiated a comforting warmth, her fingers cozy, a surge of heat flowing through her heart.
She remembered her time at the Buddhist temple, following the monks to morning prayers.
Amid the chanting of scriptures, a man sat solemnly in the main hall, holding a lotus, clad in a fiery red kasaya. His gaze, clear as glass, turned toward her, transcendent and ethereal.
When she failed to recite the scriptures, she blinked at him playfully.
His expression remained indifferent as he averted his eyes.
Yaoying chuckled softly. "Later, I met a very good person."
Her brows and eyes brimmed with laughter, her voice gentle and melodious.Yang Qian could sense her current state of relaxation and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief for her. Curiously, he asked, "Is that person the Buddha Prince?"
Yaoying nodded: "The Buddha Prince treats me very well."
Yang Qian recalled the rumors circulating in the city and couldn't help but wonder: Why does the princess say the rumors are false?
He hesitated for a moment, too embarrassed to voice his thoughts aloud. Watching the carriage rumble away into the night, he turned and headed back to the palace.
Haidu Aling had escaped right under their noses, sending Lady Yina into a furious rage. She dispatched all her personal guards to pursue and kill him.
Yang Qian led a group of drunken, frivolous young men charging into the palace. Drawing his long sword, he volunteered: "My lady, our king has fallen into the hands of villains and is in grave danger! As the king's subjects, we cannot stand by and do nothing! Please allow us to rescue the king! I will tear Haidu Aling limb from limb!"
With these words, he swung his sword and cleaved a seating mat in two.
Lady Yina cast him a cold glance and nodded in approval.
Yang Qian immediately requested the bronze tally needed to exit the city.
In her furious state, Lady Yina didn't think twice and ordered someone to fetch the bronze tally.
Yang Qian received the tally, knelt in formal salute, a faint smirk curling at the corners of his mouth.
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