The pursuing guards came in waves after waves. In the pitch-black stillness of the night, the heart-pounding twang of bowstrings could be heard from time to time. Haidu Aling swung his blade horizontally, filling the air with cold, gleaming arcs of steel.
Screams of agony continued as men fell one after another.
Yuchi Damo’s tightly gripped shoulder burned with pain. Trembling like a sieve, his face was a mask of terror, yet his brown eyes calmly scanned their surroundings.
They had fled the palace, and the sounds of pursuit and slaughter gradually faded behind them.
Haidu Aling’s clothes were tattered and stained with blood, as if he had been dragged from a pool of gore. He hauled Yuchi Damo onto a snow-covered rooftop, then flung him aside. Letting out a series of urgent whistles, he waited.
Footsteps suddenly echoed in the darkness, and shadowy figures emerged—several black-clad guards knelt at his feet.
"Jin Bo is still alive. He has returned to report me to the Khan," Haidu Aling’s voice was icy.
The guards were shocked, exchanging glances before kowtowing. "We have failed in our duty. We are willing to return to the Khan’s court and confess our crimes, ensuring the Prince is not implicated."
Lying in the snow, Yuchi Damo inwardly admired: Haidu Aling had just broken through a deadly encirclement, surviving against all odds. Before even escaping Gaochang, he was already calmly planning how to absolve himself of blame. Truly, he was the most valued junior of Wahan Khan.
Haidu Aling let out a fierce laugh, casually wiping the thick blood from his cheek. With a clang, he discarded the blade that had been chipped from relentless hacking. In a clear voice, he declared, "You have loyally followed me, risking life and limb, daring to assassinate Jin Bo for my sake. Each of you is a pillar of loyalty and courage—what crime have you committed? Man proposes, but Heaven disposes. It was not your failure but Jin Bo’s fate to survive."
The guards were stunned, their faces showing deep emotion.
"This calamity is my destiny to bear," Haidu Aling said, standing with his hands behind his back as he looked at his subordinates, enunciating each word clearly. "The Khan will surely be enraged. I alone am responsible for the order to assassinate Jin Bo. I will bear all the blame and accept whatever punishment the Khan decrees."
He bent down, drew a sword from one of his subordinate’s waist, and placed it in the man’s hand.
The guard took the blade, bewildered.
Haidu Aling patted his shoulder. "My attempt on Jin Bo’s life has been exposed. The Khan and the other princes will not spare me. Yi Na’s pursuers will be here soon. I refuse to die at the hands of a woman. Take my head back to claim the reward. The Khan will not only pardon you but also reward you with gold, silver, and beautiful women."
The guard finally understood, his hands trembling.
Haidu Aling’s gaze swept over each of his followers’ faces as he calmly stated, "You have fulfilled your duties. There is no need to follow my orders any longer. From now on, each of you must find your own path."
Tears welled in the guards’ eyes as they looked up at his resolute and upright figure, rendered speechless for a long moment.
Suddenly, with a sharp clatter, the guard who had taken the sword flung it aside and stood up in fury, his eyes red as if dripping blood. Choking back tears, he cried out, "The Prince has campaigned south and north, fighting bravely and rendering immense service to Northern Rong! Everyone in the army knows how you always charge at the forefront! Just because you are not the Khan’s own son, you are cold-shouldered and suspected! The First Prince and the Second Prince set traps to harm you, leaving you severely wounded. The Khan knew full well they were the prime suspects, yet he only executed a few bandits to cover it up—such blatant favoritism! I cannot accept this!"His accusations shattered the silence, stirring waves of outrage as the other guards also showed expressions of indignation, angrily declaring, "The Prince cannot just surrender without a fight! You are the foremost warrior of our Northern Rong! The First Prince and the Second Prince struck first with deadly intent—you were merely defending yourself!"
"The Khan acts foolishly, weak and incompetent! The First Prince and the Second Prince are narrow-minded and vengeful. If they inherit the Khan's throne, what chance of survival would we have?"
"Exactly! Whether we die sooner or later, it's better to follow the Prince than endure humiliation under their command. Only the Prince can lead us to conquer more lands, win more battles, and seize more beauties!"
"Prince, let us rebel!"
The guards lifted their heads, gazing at Haidu Aling, placing their left palms over their chests in a gesture of loyalty, and declared in unison, "We are willing to follow the Prince, brave any danger for you, until the day we die in battle!"
Haidu Aling stared at his subordinates, his eyes slightly reddened, and sighed, "I truly cannot bear to drag all of you to your deaths with me."
The guards shouted, "We have no regrets!"
Haidu Aling stood still in silence for a long while before helplessly sighing, "We are descendants of the divine wolf, our veins flowing with the blood of the divine wolf. We cannot scurry like rats in the sewers! If we must die, let it be with valor! We return to the court. If the Khan truly demands my death as atonement, I have nothing to say. But before I die, I will drag the First Prince and his followers down with me!"
The guards' spirits lifted, and they roared in agreement.
Yuchi Damo remained silent, quietly observing Haidu Aling inciting his men to join him in rebellion.
Lady Yina was hunting him down, and Jin Bo along with the other surviving princes would send assassins after him. He was in dire straits himself, yet he put on a show to win over his followers. No matter what hardships he faced next, these fiercely loyal subordinates would never betray him.
Indeed, beneath his rough exterior lay cunning.
After calming his enraged followers, Haidu Aling turned to Yuchi Damo and helped him to his feet. "I acted rashly in the heat of the moment earlier. I beg your forgiveness, Lord."
Yuchi Damo impatiently shook off his hand, his face dark as storm clouds, and asked, "Do you truly intend to rebel against Northern Rong?"
A cold glint flashed in Haidu Aling's light golden eyes as he replied, "If the Khan truly seeks my death, I cannot simply offer my neck to the blade."
Yuchi Damo narrowed his eyes, studying him for a moment before lowering his voice. "I have only a few thousand troops at my disposal—hardly enough to oppose Northern Rong. I cannot promise you anything unless you can stand on equal footing with the other princes. Only then can I lend you my aid."
Haidu Aling's gaze suddenly turned fierce.
Terrified, Yuchi Damo stumbled backward, nearly falling off the roof. He swayed unsteadily before barely regaining his balance, his eyes bulging with anger. "You almost got me killed tonight! With only this handful of men, I won't accompany you to your doom!"
As he raged, he trembled uncontrollably, clearly bluffing. Haidu Aling saw through his empty bravado and inwardly sneered: This Lord Yuchi was indeed as cowardly as the rumors claimed. When Lady Yina signaled her troops to unleash a volley of arrows earlier, he had been so frightened he wet himself, reeking of urine.
What a spineless coward.Haidu Aling looked down upon men like Yuchi Damo, but with his current isolation and lack of support, he had no choice but to form an alliance with such a person. Though Gaochang’s troops were few, as long as they could weaken the support of The First Prince and his allies, his own chances of victory would increase.
He turned and gazed toward the southeast, his thin lips pressed tightly together.
He was meant to be a wolf, roaming the grasslands and hunting freely, yet to survive, he had been forced to scurry like a rat in the sewers. Today, he had nearly died in a trap set by a woman—a humiliation he would never forget. One day, he would personally kill every person who had mocked or belittled him, washing away his shame with their blood!
Only the strong are respected.
The title of Great Khan would eventually fall into his hands. The most beautiful women in the world, the most fertile and prosperous lands, the most precious treasures—all would be his to command.
…
Two hours later, Lady Yina’s guards found Yuchi Damo on the brink of death thirty li outside the city gates.
The guards hurriedly carried his blood-soaked body back to the palace.
Upon hearing the news, Lady Yina came to see him.
The witch doctor had just extracted several arrows from Yuchi Damo’s body. With gaping wounds and purplish lips, he lay on the bed, raging, “You venomous woman! How ruthless! You saw I was in Haidu Aling’s grasp, yet you still ordered your men to shoot! Did you mean to kill me under the guise of chaos? By the grace of Buddha, I managed to roll off the city wall when Haidu Aling was distracted and survived—your plan failed!”
Lady Yina suppressed her anger and replied, “Your Majesty misunderstands me. How could I disregard your safety? I ordered the attack on Haidu Aling precisely because I feared for your life.”
Then, she shifted the subject.
“Why did you secretly meet with Haidu Aling? What did he say to you?”
Yuchi Damo’s temples bulged with fury. “You suspect I conspired with Haidu Aling? He nearly killed me! You had me placed under house arrest, surrounded by your spies. I should be asking you—how did he infiltrate the palace? Did you deliberately let him in, hoping he would do your dirty work and kill me?”
In his agitation, he jerked his wounds and winced in pain, howling and cursing. One moment he condemned Lady Yina for her cruelty, the next he raged at Haidu Aling for his viciousness. After a few curses, he broke into a sweat, his breath grew faint, and his voice trailed off.
The witch doctor hurriedly tended to his injuries.
Lady Yina watched coldly as the witch doctor applied medicine to Yuchi Damo’s wounds. Once she confirmed his injuries were real, she stepped out of the room and questioned the guards about how they had found the ruler.
The guard answered truthfully, his voice growing softer: “My Lady… when we found His Majesty, his undergarments were soaked through.”
A look of disgust crossed Lady Yina’s face.
So he had been so terrified he wet himself! No wonder he had surrendered even before the Northern Rong army began their siege.
A faint smile curled on Lady Yina’s lips. With a husband so cowardly, even if he learned of their children’s deaths, he would never dare seek revenge. Backed by her uncle Wahan Khan, she could do as she pleased in Gaochang.
Dismissing her suspicions of her husband, she ordered the guards to continue tracking Haidu Aling’s whereabouts.
Half an hour later, the palace guards came to seek instructions: the noble families in the city, having heard that the ruler had nearly been assassinated, feared Haidu Aling might return and had sent their private soldiers into the city to protect him.
Lady Yina grew alert and declared, “Do not let them enter the city!”She could control Yuchi Damo because the city guards were all men she brought from the Northern Rong, and she had secretly bribed the palace guards. The noble families of Gaochang appeared respectful on the surface but harbored their own schemes. If their private soldiers entered the city, how could she continue to intimidate the princes and nobles?
The palace guards returned from issuing the decree with troubled expressions: "My Lady, the Yang, Meng, and Zhang families say they cannot rest easy until the assassins are captured soon. They insist on sending additional guards to protect the palace and their residences to sleep peacefully."
Lady Yina’s face turned ashen, and she said coldly, "Then let them stay vigilant at night. Without my order, no private soldiers are allowed into the city!"
The palace guards broke into a sweat and cautiously added, "My Lady, when the king was brought back, the citizens witnessed it. The city is now in a state of panic. If this continues, I fear it will lead to trouble."
Lady Yina cast a cold glance at the guards beside her. If they had managed to kill Haidu Aling last night, none of these troubles would have arisen.
The guards dared not utter a word.
The palace guard carefully suggested, "My Lady, the best course now is to issue a decree in the king’s name, ordering the noble families to send their private soldiers to pursue Haidu Aling and his followers. This way, you can calm the people, prevent their soldiers from entering the city, and seize the chance to weaken the remnants of Hexi and Helong."
Lady Yina pondered for a moment, then clasped her hands and smiled lightly. "A brilliant plan!"
Most of Gaochang’s nobles hailed from prominent families in Hexi and Helong. Relying on their deep-rooted influence, they often feigned compliance while secretly defying orders. She had long been displeased with them. Their demand to send private soldiers into the city was surely an attempt to seize the palace, and she would not let them succeed.
The palace guard was right. Since they used protecting the king as an excuse, she would send their soldiers far away!
...
That afternoon, the palace issued a decree ordering the noble families to gather their men, station them at various posts to guard against assassins, and select the most skilled fighters from their private soldiers to form ten squads of five each, heading east to pursue the assassins who had targeted the king.
"Lady Yina has declared that if they fail to capture the assassins, they need not return!"
The noble families immediately protested. They wanted to enter the palace to protect the king, not be sent to the desert to eat sand!
"We demand to see the king!"
"We must enter the palace to guard the king!"
The area outside the palace erupted into chaos.
Inside, Lady Yina sneered repeatedly: "Trying to seize power? Let them taste the consequences of their own schemes!"
Outside, at the Yang residence.
Yang Qian listened to his subordinate’s report, rubbed his hands excitedly, and rushed into the corridor, smiling. "Princess, you guessed correctly. The louder our people protested, the more suspicious Lady Yina became, and she didn’t dare let the private soldiers enter the city."
A slender figure stood at the corridor’s end, gazing up at the faded murals on the wall. Hearing him, she turned around and smiled. Dressed in a narrow-sleeved brocade robe with roundel patterns, her skin glowed like snow, and her eyes sparkled brightly.
Unable to contain his excitement, Yang Qian stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Princess, I’ve already chosen the candidates. Now that Lady Yina has ordered them to pursue Haidu Aling, they must set off immediately."
He sighed as if helpless, but a glint of triumphant cunning flashed in his eyes.
Yaoying exchanged a knowing smile with him.
She had learned from Su Dan Gu that Northern Rong scouts were spread throughout the Western Regions, with strict checkpoints and tightly controlled tribes.
Trying to quickly send a message to the Central Plains was as difficult as scaling the heavens.Over the years, Yang Qian had recruited many followers, and they were willing to risk their lives to deliver the message.
Yaoying trusted their loyalty, but loyalty and perseverance alone could not breach the Northern Rong blockade. Without the official passes and bronze tokens used within Northern Rong territory, they would be pursued by Northern Rong cavalry wherever they went.
She and Yang Qian discussed several ways to conceal their identities: as merchants, monks, or envoys.
Finally, Yaoying had a sudden inspiration: what identity could be more fitting than that of Lady Yina’s personal guards?
With Lady Yina’s decree, the team could travel unimpeded. At least along the route from Gaochang to Guazhou and Shazhou, no one would scrutinize them closely.
That was why Yaoying and Yuchi Damo had reported to Lady Yina.
It would be best if Lady Yina could set an ambush and kill Haidu Aling, but even if she failed, it wouldn’t matter. They had calculated every possible outcome and deemed the risk worthwhile.
Now, with Lady Yina’s decree and the official passes and bronze tokens in hand, they gathered troops under the pretext of protecting the ruler, mobilized secretly trained rebel forces, and deployed personnel across Gaochang—all under Lady Yina’s watchful eyes.
Yang Qian couldn’t help but marvel, “With the decree, things have become much smoother.”
Yaoying reminded him, “We must not let our guard down. Lady Yina’s decree is only valid for a few months. Beyond Shazhou, everything will depend on their adaptability.”
Yang Qian replied, “They know the journey is arduous, but they are fearless.”
Yaoying nodded.
The first group to depart had long been prepared. As soon as the palace decree reached Yang’s residence, everyone immediately packed their belongings and made ready to set off.
Yaoying and Yang Qian saw them off.
A dozen young men, heads wrapped in turbans, swords at their waists, and white cloaks draped over their shoulders, stood beneath the corridor. Hearing footsteps, they looked up and, upon seeing Yaoying approaching gracefully, hurriedly saluted her with folded hands.
Yaoying stepped before the stairs, her gaze sweeping slowly, lingering on each face for a long moment.
They were so young, yet so resolute and courageous, fully aware that this journey might lead to their deaths, yet undeterred.
Yaoying composed herself, straightened her expression, and bowed deeply to the group, performing three formal military salutes with her hands.
The group held their breath, their intense gazes fixed upon her.
Yaoying raised her head and looked at them. “To probe the tiger’s den and enter the dragon’s palace, breathing toward the sky to form a white rainbow. In ancient times, Crown Prince Dan bid farewell to Jing Ke by the Yi River—a scene of such solemn grandeur, immortalized through the ages. Today, I send you off…”
The group’s expressions grew solemn, their eyes gleaming with heroic resolve.
One young man clenched his fists and declared loudly, “Please rest assured, Princess! We will deliver the letter to Liangzhou. Unless we reach Liangzhou, we will never turn back!”
Others echoed his vow, each speaking with fervent determination.
Yaoying thought of the bleached bones in the yellow sand and shook her head.
The group stared in confusion.
Yaoying looked at them, her eyes sparkling like brilliant starlight, and said word by word, “You have cast aside all thoughts of life and death. I admire and respect your courage. Today, as I send you off, I offer no songs, no poems, no lofty words—only one plea: I beg you to take utmost care to preserve yourselves and act with caution in all matters. One day, we will surely meet again!”
Her tone was gentle, yet each word rang with resolute force, striking deep into their hearts. The group trembled, setting aside their youthful recklessness, and returned her salute.After the ceremony concluded, they raised their heads and mounted their steeds.
Yaoying stood at the foot of the steps, watching them depart.
Long after the group had galloped into the distance, they glanced back and noticed Yaoying still standing there watching them. Scratching their heads, they exchanged bashful smiles.
"Will we make it back alive?"
"Without a doubt."
"Did we look impressive just now? Will people sing tales of our deeds someday?"
"I was far more impressive than you! Look how pale your face turned—you were scared, weren't you? Once we're out of the city, stick close to me. I'll protect you!"
One voice sighed, "The princess is truly beautiful..."
The others halted, shouting angrily, "Zhang Jiu, you scoundrel! What are you thinking?! Did you sneak a peek at the princess just now?"
Zhang Jiu muttered in defense, "I was just saying it casually..."
The wind carried the boisterous chatter of the young men.
Yang Qian's face flushed crimson: These useless fools! A moment ago, each acted more solemn than his grandfather—how could they turn so frivolous in the blink of an eye?
Yaoying remained where she stood, shaking her head with a faint smile as she watched the spirited backs of the young men vanish into the vast, snowy wilderness.
This time, she hoped they would not be betrayed.
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