Chapter 230
"We meet again, Xiao Jun..."
He kept his crossbow trained warily on the water below. The large ship had already docked, and the middle-aged man on deck shouted something in a hostile tone using tribal language before disembarking with everyone except the Hawk Hound.
Pei Yuan waited a while longer, but the water remained still. His expression darkened, unwilling to believe that Xiao Li and his group could hide underwater for so long. Just as frustration gnawed at him, faint splashing sounds came from the aquatic grass near the shore behind him.
A vicious grin spread across Pei Yuan's face. He immediately fired several bolts from his crossbow toward the source, but the distance was too great—none hit their mark, and no blood stained the water's surface.
Pei Yuan ordered the rowing Hawk Hound, "After them!"
The Hawk Hound used his oar against the stern to pivot the boat toward the aquatic grass, but suddenly, a tremendous force yanked the oar from below.
With only time for a startled cry, the Hawk Hound was dragged underwater.
Pei Yuan, who had been aiming his crossbow at the distant grass, whipped around but was splashed in the face by the spray from the Hawk Hound's plunge. He hastily triggered his repeating crossbow, firing volleys into the water until a large patch of crimson bloomed on the surface.
Still, no body floated up. Pei Yuan wanted to continue shooting, but his crossbow's magazine was empty.
While keeping a vigilant eye on the water, he retrieved short bolts from his quiver to reload, shouting toward the shore, "Xiao Li is under my boat! Open fire!"
The Hawk Hounds on shore and those still aboard the large ship quickly raised their crossbows, aiming at the area beneath Pei Yuan's vessel.
Before they could loose their bolts, the boat was struck with immense force. Pei Yuan nearly lost his footing, and most of the bolts he was loading spilled out.
Terror flashed across Pei Yuan's face. The next instant, he felt a tight grip on his calf, followed by a powerful tug that sent him tumbling into the water.
With Pei Yuan in the water, the Hawk Hounds on shore and the ship dared not shoot, only crying out in panic, "Commandant!"
The corpse of the previously fallen Hawk Hound slowly rose from the bloodied lake.
Xiao Li pressed a short bolt he had retrieved from the water against Pei Yuan's throat, using him as a shield as he swam toward shore. His wet hair was disheveled across his face, but his eyes remained as dark and fierce as ever. He coldly addressed the Hawk Hounds on land, "Hand over Han Yang."
The Hawk Hounds exchanged uncertain glances. Pei Yuan, held at arrow-point by Xiao Li, signaled frantically to his subordinates, "Quickly! Quickly! Give him Princess Han Yang!"
The Hawk Hounds had no choice but to pretend to fetch her from the large ship.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man who had disembarked earlier took aim from a higher position behind them, drawing his bow toward Xiao Li, who held Pei Yuan captive.
Xiao Li seemed to sense it. As he looked up at the middle-aged man, an arrow glinting coldly in the blazing sun was already speeding toward him.
At the same moment, Pei Yuan, held captive by Xiao Li, crouched lower and shoved forcefully against him underwater, trying to trip Xiao Li into the arrow's path.
Xiao Li immediately drove the short bolt hard into Pei Yuan's neck. Though Pei Yuan dodged a fatal strike to the throat, the bolt nearly pierced his shoulder blade, forcing a scream of agony from him.
The incoming arrow was caught firmly in Xiao Li's palm, but blood dripped from between his fingers—the arrow's force had been so great that it grazed his hand before he seized it.The middle-aged man couldn't help but show astonishment when he saw Xiao Li catch the arrow he shot with his bare hands.
Xiao Li immediately turned the long arrow around and forcefully drove it into Pei Yuan's back. Pei Yuan cried out in pain again and, amidst the chaos, pulled out a dagger hidden in his boot, attempting to stab Xiao Li, only to have his wrist bones broken by Xiao Li instead.
The pain made the veins on Pei Yuan's neck bulge, his face contorted with agony.
The arrow embedded in Xiao Li's shoulder had its shaft broken off, and most of the blood on his clothes had been washed away in the water. His face was pale and grim as he demanded, "Where is Han Yang?"
"She's... she's..."
Pei Yuan was drenched in cold sweat from the pain, yet a fierce determination still lurked in his eyes. Suddenly, he let out another agonized scream.
Xiao Li twisted his broken arm even harder, growling, "Where is she?"
Finally, overwhelmed by the pain, Pei Yuan told the truth: "She's not here. We didn't capture her..."
The middle-aged man stared at Xiao Li, uttered the word "Fuli," and then drew his bow again, aiming at Xiao Li. His subordinates followed suit, nocking arrows to their bows.
The Hawk Hounds, seeing this, hurriedly shouted, "Our Commandant is still there! Don't shoot!"
The Hawk Hound who understood both languages had died, making communication between the two sides difficult.
But the middle-aged man, noticing that the Hawk Hounds seemed to want to stop them from shooting, finally spoke in broken official language: "That is Fuli, the wolf."
With that, he raised his hand and signaled his subordinates to release their arrows.
However, an unusually dense sound of hoofbeats came from the official road behind the ferry, causing the gravel at the dock to tremble faintly.
The middle-aged man glanced back at the official road and saw a strikingly bright "Liang" banner, blazing like fire, waving along the winding path.
His subordinates, looking panicked, said something to him in their tribal language.
After firing two more arrows at Xiao Li, the man shouted an order and led his men to retreat along another section of the official road.
The Hawk Hounds still on the shore hesitated for a moment before also withdrawing.
The Liang army soon arrived. Gu Xiyun ordered her deputy to lead a team in pursuit while she rode toward the ferry. Watching Xiao Li drag Pei Yuan ashore like a dead dog, his own body stained with large patches of blood, she said, "Lord Xiao of the Northern Border, I've long heard of your reputation."
The urgent report she had received was that Xiao Li had led troops to besiege the royal court, so her words carried a hint of tension.
Xiao Li slowly raised his bloodshot eyes, his voice cracking as he asked only one question: "Where is Wen Yu?"
The woman rescued from the lake by the Wolf Cavalry had regained consciousness and was now kneeling on the shore, weeping bitterly toward the center of the lake: "My husband... oh, my husband..."
Seeing Gu Xiyun in armor and leading troops, she assumed she was a high-ranking official and cried out to her, "General, please seek justice for me and my husband! We ran a small ferry business, never expecting to be attacked by bandits who seized our boat and killed my husband..."
The Azure Cloud Cavalry, who had come with Gu Xiyun, identified some of the Hawk Hound corpses at the ferry and reported to her, "These are the same group that ambushed us earlier."
With the Wolf Cavalry's withdrawal, order was restored in the royal court.
When Wen Yu returned to the palace, she was quite surprised to learn that Xiao Li had specifically released the detained officials, including Qi Simiao, before leaving. Entering her bedchamber, she noticed the disarray of the chests and her gaze fell upon the wood carvings placed on the table. Pressing her temples, she let out a soft sigh, her voice barely audible: "So he saw them after all."After settling A Li and changing her clothes, she went to the council hall to discuss the accumulated government affairs with Qi Simiao and other ministers.
"The Western Frontier General has sent a report confirming that the Chen army troops who previously massacred the surrounding tribes were actually Western Mausoleum Army soldiers in disguise."
"The envoys from various tribes currently staying at the royal court's posthouse have identified that the cavalry who entered our borders using their tribes' names were guaranteed by the Basheye tribe leader. They were deceived into believing they were coming to the royal court to protect Your Highness."
At this statement, the court officials began murmuring among themselves. Although the royal court catastrophe had passed, the humiliation of the siege and the scandal of attempting to surrender their ruler during internal strife still made all Chen officials feel deeply ashamed.
One official immediately spoke up: "Could it be that the Basheye tribe colluded with that Xiao fellow?"
"I heard the Basheye tribe leader is also at the royal court. Why not summon him for confrontation!"
"Exactly! Let's have an open confrontation! The princess has treated all tribes well—how could they conspire with external enemies to harm her!"
Fang Mingda stepped forward: "The Basheye tribe leader is currently waiting outside the hall."
Wen Yu also had many unanswered questions about Xiao Li besieging the royal court with his Wolf Cavalry. Previously confined, she couldn't investigate thoroughly. Now she nodded: "Summon him."
Soon, the Basheye tribe leader was brought into the main hall.
He appeared very agitated. During the period when Xiao Li controlled the royal court, he and other tribal envoys had repeatedly requested to see Wen Yu, but Xiao Li's guards—who understood their languages—had always refused with various excuses.
They eventually realized Xiao Li had placed Wen Yu under house arrest and understood they had unintentionally become accomplices.
After the Wolf Cavalry withdrew, the Basheye tribe leader had actively sought out Qi Simiao and others to explain the situation.
Now seeing Wen Yu, he placed his right fist over his left chest in salute and urgently spoke in broken official language: "Your Highness, please understand... I was deceived too."
Stumbling through his words, he recounted how his entire clan had been slaughtered by that Western Mausoleum Army unit, and everything that happened after Xiao Li rescued him.
Finally, he said with deep regret: "We truly believed he was besieging the royal court to rescue you from Western Mausoleum spies."
The officials began murmuring again, someone whispering: "Ridiculous! How could there be Western Mausoleum spies in our Chen Kingdom?"
But since the Keji tribe had previously discovered Western Mausoleum spies, and the Yan father-son duo along with aristocratic family officials had recently attempted a coup, most ministers didn't dare speak too absolutely.
After hearing the whole story, Wen Yu's expression remained unreadable as she asked: "I previously received a message from the Puershi tribe claiming half their people were massacred by a Chen army unit, and their chieftain died at their hands. Haven't you contacted the Puershi tribe?"
Hearing this, the Basheye tribe leader showed disbelief and, overwhelmed by emotion, began speaking rapidly in his tribal language.Wen Yu slightly furrowed her brows as the court official who understood the Basheye tribe's language translated: "The Basheye chieftain says his wife is the daughter of the Puer tribe's chief. After they were... rescued by Xiao Li, they immediately went to inform the Puer tribe. But upon arrival, they found the entire tribe had been slaughtered, with the chief also dead, so they turned to unite with other tribes. Accompanying Xiao Li to the royal court serves both to protect Your Highness and to request troops for their Basheye tribe to seek revenge against Western Mausoleum."
Wen Yu asked: "Is the chieftain certain the Puer tribe was completely wiped out?"
The Basheye chieftain showed a confused expression.
Wen Yu produced the initial accusatory letter from the Puer tribe delivered by the Azure Guard, signaling Eunuch Li standing nearby to present it to the Basheye chieftain.
After reading the letter, the Basheye chieftain suddenly became agitated and exclaimed: "It's Badan! It's Badan!"
He then spoke a stream of Basheye language.
The translating official interpreted again: "The Basheye chieftain says Badan is the Puer chief's younger brother, the tribe's foremost warrior. He must have escaped with some tribe members."
Wen Yu lowered her gaze, instantly understanding Western Mausoleum's vicious scheme.
Even if the Western Mausoleum Army disguised as Chen troops hadn't completely annihilated the tribes, this blood feud would permanently sever their relations with Chen.
She said: "The chieftain has endured great hardship to aid our royal court, for which we are grateful. I now understand the situation's origins and will surely seek justice for the chieftain and attacked tribes. The chieftain may rest at the guesthouse first."
The Basheye chieftain placed his hand over his heart in profound gratitude before withdrawing.
After addressing some urgent state affairs and noting the late hour, Wen Yu dismissed the court, retaining only Qi Simiao and other key ministers for further discussion in the imperial study.
Upon entering the study, Qi Simiao asked: "Your Highness concerns the Western Mausoleum spies?"
Xiao Li's attitude toward Wen Yu was evident when he specifically released Qi Simiao and other ministers while withdrawing troops. Though formerly a royal faction minister, Qi Simiao recognized Chen's survival depended entirely on Wen Yu, having witnessed her treatment of Chen's people and officials. Without Wen Yu, Chen's future would be uncertain. Xiao Li's siege had inadvertently helped eliminate the Yan family and treacherous aristocratic ministers. Whether Xiao Army would remain friend or foe depended on both leaders' intentions. Thus he only raised the unresolved spy matter.
Coldness seeped into Wen Yu's light-colored eyes: "I anticipated desperate measures when pressuring those parasites corroding Chen, but colluding with foreign enemies truly surprises me."
Qi Simiao and other ministers bowed silently. Chen's decay resulted from long-term court corruption - they felt shock, chill, and shame alike. If Liang currently relied on Wen Yu's shoulders, Chen differed little.
"After the Keji spy incident, I established strict laws attempting to alleviate Keji's longstanding grievances through fairness." Wen Yu rose behind the long desk, opening windows to ventilate the stifling study."But what stirs the chaos in this world, aside from injustice, is excessive greed." She closed her eyes briefly, as if unwilling to say more, and stated, "The matter of the royal court spies shall be entrusted to Chancellor Qi to investigate."
Though it was said to require further investigation, on the very day the Wolf Cavalry surrounded the royal court, the Yan father-son pair and a group of aristocratic family ministers were absent from the court assembly. They had already learned beforehand how the royal court came to be besieged and believed Xiao Li was using the tribes infiltrating the royal court to seek revenge on Wen Yu. Confident that the imperial guards could hold out until reinforcements arrived, they dared to launch that palace coup.
Currently, they are all still imprisoned, making it exceptionally convenient to obtain solid evidence, whether through interrogation or searches of their residences.
But how to investigate and to what extent, without causing widespread panic or collapsing the Chen Kingdom still at war, requires someone to control that balance.
Qi Simiao is a veteran minister of Chen, thoroughly familiar with the intricate relationships at court and highly respected both in the imperial court and among the people. He is the most suitable person to handle this matter personally.
He bowed to Wen Yu: "This old minister will certainly fulfill the mission."
"Your Highness!" Tong Que hurried in, her expression clearly disturbed. Disregarding the presence of Qi Simiao and other veteran ministers in the study, she quickly approached Wen Yu and whispered a few words into her ear. Wen Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, then she instructed Qi Simiao and the other ministers: "All ministers may withdraw."
Only after Qi Simiao and the others bowed and retreated did she ask: "How is he?"
Tong Que replied: "He was surrounded by the Pei family's Hawk Hounds and the Purshi people at the eastern shore ferry of Straw Cape Lake, took an arrow wound, and has been rescued by General Gu's troops."
Wen Yu frowned slightly: "Pei Song's forces and the Purshi people infiltrated Chen Kingdom together?"
Tong Que lowered her head: "During the period the royal court was besieged, over half the troops were withdrawn from various border passes to provide reinforcements. The common people, knowing you were captured and offered in surrender, countless were enraged. Some even rebelled against local authorities under the banner of rescuing you. The entire Chen Kingdom has been quite chaotic. Likely, the Pei family's Hawk Hounds and Purshi people took advantage of this chaos to infiltrate the passes."
Wen Yu seemed to ponder for a moment, then asked: "Among the captured Purshi, was there one named Batan?"
Tong Que shook her head: "General Gu sent troops to pursue that group, but the leader managed to escape. However, Xiao Li captured Pei Yuan alive. General Gu is currently interrogating him about Pei Song's whereabouts."
Wen Yu suddenly asked: "Is his injury serious?"
Tong Que was momentarily stunned, wondering how Wen Yu knew Pei Yuan was injured? Then she realized her mistake and understood the question referred to Xiao Li. She hurriedly said: "The arrow struck his back shoulder. The military physician examined it—it's a flesh wound, didn't hit the bone."
Wen Yu said nothing more.
She paced back to the desk and sat down, murmuring: "When the Azure Guard was at Straw Cape Lake, they were ambushed... that group specifically targeted the carriage..."
When she lifted her eyes again, the softness in them had faded layer by layer, leaving only sharpness: "This is aimed at me."
Tong Que was startled, then realized that the Azure Guard squad that day was feigning to cover Wen Yu's exit from the city, yet that group intended only to deliver a fatal blow.
Recalling what the Basheye tribe leader clarified in court today, she paled in shock: "The Purshi tribe was massacred by that Western Mausoleum Army disguised as Chen troops, yet now the Purshi are joining the Pei family's Hawk Hounds to assassinate you at the royal court...
"Could that Western Mausoleum Army have some connection to Pei Song?"
Wen Yu didn't answer, only instructed: "Secretly summon the Basheye tribe leader."The crisis at the royal court had been resolved, and the Liang army led by Gu Xiyun no longer needed to march day and night. When they camped in the wilderness that evening, Wen Yu suddenly arrived in person with a squad of Azure Cloud Cavalry, startling Gu Xiyun.
Holding a boot and hopping on one foot as she put it on, Gu Xiyun emerged from her tent: "Why are you here all of a sudden? There were people chasing you during the day—I haven't caught them all yet!"
Wen Yu, draped in a snow-white cape, reached out to steady Gu Xiyun and said, "Let's talk inside the tent."
Back inside the main tent, Gu Xiyun poured tea for Wen Yu while asking, "What exactly is going on?"
In private, the two never maintained the formal demeanor of ruler and subject.
Wen Yu said, "Pei Song has likely defected to Western Mausoleum."
Gu Xiyun choked on the tea she had just sipped. After coughing, her face turned grim: "That treacherous dog! Having served the Party of Ao for so long, he'll now recognize anyone who takes him in as his master!"
After venting her anger, she wondered: "But how did they get through the pass? Especially that Xiao fellow—he led a large troop. Even if they tried to sneak through, they couldn't possibly have been allowed passage, right?"
Wen Yu replied, "I've received a report from General Fan. He suspected Pei Song had escaped through Tiger Gorge Pass and used capturing Pei Song as a pretext to lead his army through. The garrison commander at Tiger Gorge Pass, Yang Shuo, once served under Qin Yi. Xiao openly challenged Yang Shuo, implying that if he refused passage to the army, it must be because Yang Shuo had already secretly allowed Pei Song through and now feared letting Xiao pursue him. Constrained by his past affiliation with Qin Yi's faction, Yang Shuo had no choice but to let the army pass."
Gu Xiyun's eyelids twitched at this: "He really dares! Western Mausoleum is currently at war with Chen. Leading troops through the pass at such a time—isn't he afraid Western Mausoleum will mistake them for reinforcements we sent to attack from the rear and wipe them out?"
Wen Yu remained silent.
Gu Xiyun thought of another matter and suddenly frowned: "Does Pei Song's appearance beyond the pass have anything to do with Yang Shuo?"
But she immediately dismissed the idea herself: "No, that doesn't make sense. If Yang Shuo had switched allegiance to Pei Song, why not directly help him gain power in the western frontier? There'd be no need to let him through the pass."
Wen Yu still said nothing, her eyes lowered as if deep in thought.
Seeing her silence, Gu Xiyun assumed she was troubled by the current situation. After all, if Pei Song joined forces with Western Mausoleum, eliminating that treacherous dog would become far more difficult.
She asked, "A Yu, what do you plan to do now?"
Wen Yu said, "The Western Mausoleum Army disguised themselves as Chen troops and massacred the Pu'ershi tribe. Now that the Pu'ershi are alienated, to prevent further chaos within Chen's borders, I'll need support from various factions. I must clear up this misunderstanding with their current chieftain."
She slowly raised her eyes: "On my way here, I deliberately leaked my whereabouts. We just need to set the trap and wait."
Understanding Wen Yu's intent, Gu Xiyun immediately said, "Leave it to me."
As she hurried toward the tent entrance, she suddenly paused, hesitated for a moment, then turned back to look at Wen Yu: "Um... I caught that Xiao fellow at Straw Cape Lake ferry. Do you want to see him?"
Wen Yu still wore her cape, her face partially concealed by a veil as her rash hadn't fully healed. In the dim candlelight of the tent, she appeared as cool and detached as mountain snow or a moon veiled by clouds. Surprisingly, she replied, "Alright. I brought something for him. Have the Azure Guard accompany you to fetch him."
Though she sounded perfectly calm, Gu Xiyun inexplicably felt chills run down her spine.After a moment's reflection, regardless of the reason that fellow had for besieging the royal court, it ultimately amounted to disrespect toward Wen Yu. It was only natural for Wen Yu to want to teach him a lesson.
She summoned her personal guard and ordered them to lead the Azure Guard to apprehend Xiao Li, while she went to arrange other matters.
Left alone in the military tent, Wen Yu lowered her gaze and quietly observed the cup of tea that Gu Xiyun had poured for her moments before. Soon, footsteps echoed from outside the tent.
"Get inside!" The soft clinking of chains accompanied the Azure Guard who had accompanied Wen Yu from the royal court as they shoved a person into the central command tent.
Almost instantly, Wen Yu felt an intense, smoldering gaze fix upon her, as if it could burn two holes right through her.
She slowly raised her eyes, looking down imperiously at the person being escorted into the tent.
His face was pale from the injury, yet the aura around him remained as cold, fierce, and imposing as ever.
He was excessively tall and robust. Even with a blood-stained bandage wrapped around his shoulder, his extraordinary physique overshadowed any hint of vulnerability from the wound.
Especially his eyes as they looked at her—defiant, untamed, blazing, yet profound.
As if blatantly declaring two words: Mine.
Even the heavy black iron collar freshly fastened around his neck seemed to lose its intimidation in an instant.
The Azure Guard pressed him to kneel, but his bones were unyielding. No matter how hard they pushed down on his shoulders, he refused to bend his knees.
Wen Yu made a gesture, signaling the Azure Guard to step back.
When she spoke again, her tone could be described as gentle: "We meet again, Xiao Jun."
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