Jun Beiyue stood with his hands clasped behind his back, facing away from the entrance, his tall frame straight and imposing. He had already removed his armor, had his wounds bandaged, and was dressed in his usual black.
After Bai Mengmeng left, the vast tent finally fell silent.
“Has General Bai Hu arrived?” he asked flatly, somewhat distracted.
“Still on his way, sir. He just went to deal with the prisoners of war,” the guard reported truthfully.
Hearing this, Jun Beiyue felt a measure of reassurance. Even with all the chaos Bai Mengmeng had caused, General Bai Hu hadn’t forgotten his duties — worthy indeed of being foremost among his Three Great Tiger Generals.
It was precisely because he valued the general’s feelings and standing so much that he hadn’t exposed Bai Mengmeng publicly or moved to kill her.
Otherwise, what use was there in keeping a spy who’d already outlived her usefulness?
“Still no news from the northern steppe?” That was the only thing Jun Beiyue truly cared about. Only matters concerning Ziqing could unsettle him like this. So many days now, and still no word!
Not only was there no news of Ziqing — there was none of Yelu Qianqian either.
He had to admit that every moment, he wanted to leave. But he knew very well he couldn’t.
If he left, the first person who would never forgive him was himself. The second, without question, would be Ziqing.
The map lay spread across the broad table. His dark eyes were lowered, fixed on it in silence, but he couldn’t focus.
“Master, it’s been three days without word. Perhaps that means good news is coming…” a shadow guard ventured timidly. He had to admit they had failed badly — they hadn’t even been able to keep up with the princess consort.
Jun Beiyue’s hand, resting on the table, suddenly clenched. Fury was plainly coiled in his chest, and no one knew when it might break loose. The shadow guards exchanged glances, none daring to speak.
Just then, someone burst in without being announced — a guard from beside Yingzi. “Master, word has come from Master Yingzi!”
Ever since Ziqing had vanished, Situ Haonan had been unable to leave the battlefield, so he’d sent Yingzi to search for her. But once Yingzi left, there had been no word at all — until now.
“Speak!” Jun Beiyue said, uncharacteristically impatient.
“Master Yingzi has personally searched the entire northern steppe region. For now, it’s certain the princess consort hasn’t left the area. There are only two places in the region left unsearched — Nangong City, and the small town of the northern steppe!” the guard reported honestly.
“Any movement from Nangong City?” That was what worried Jun Beiyue most — that Nangong City might step in to help Situ City. Nangong City’s influence in the northern steppe was hardly small.
“No word so far. Young Master Situ has written to the head of Nangong City several times, but has yet to receive a reply. Master Yingzi is about to head to the small northern town, and sends me to ask Master’s instructions regarding Nangong City.”
If she was in the small town, then everything would be fine.
But so many days had passed — if Ziqing hadn’t been taken captive, if nothing serious had happened to her, why would she have lost contact with both the shadow guards and Situ Haonan?
The northern steppe was normally a peaceful place. It wasn’t likely that anything would go wrong there.
Yingzi’s implication was clear — he feared Ziqing had been trapped by Nangong City.
And if she truly was in Nangong City, that would mean Nangong City’s loyalties didn’t lie with Situ Haonan, nor were they neutral — they leaned toward Situ City instead.
If that were true, matters would become far more complicated.
He would have no choice but to go to Nangong City himself.
While Jun Beiyue frowned in thought, a guard’s anxious voice suddenly came from outside the tent. “Master, something’s happened in Young Miss Bai’s tent — she says she wants to kill herself! General Bai has already rushed over!”
At these words, Jun Beiyue’s handsome, austere face turned seventy percent colder in an instant. So, Bai Mengmeng had stooped to such contemptible tricks!
“Tell Yingzi to search the small town first. And keep close watch on the border between Xijing and Xiliang — Yelu Qianqian must be kept safe at all costs.”
Jun Beiyue gave the order in a low voice. The matter of Yelu Qianqian’s abduction had, from the start, remained an open secret.
Because the moment it became public, it would reveal that Xijing was in danger — that Da Zhou’s deep advance into Dong Qin territory wasn’t as free of complications as it appeared.
First, it would unsettle the morale of the Tiger Army. Second, it would shake the resolve of the three armies of Xijing standing ready behind them.
What Jun Beiyue needed to do now was take Dong Qin as swiftly as possible.
He would never allow Bai Mengmeng to waste even a fraction of the Three Great Tiger Armies’ time.
With that, he strode out of the tent at once, heading toward Bai Mengmeng’s.
By the time Jun Beiyue reached Bai Mengmeng’s tent, she had already been saved. The shadow guards had done a fine job keeping things quiet — without Jun Beiyue’s order, no unrelated person was allowed anywhere near.
Inside Bai Mengmeng’s tent, aside from General Bai Hu and a few trusted aides, everyone present was a shadow guard.
This matter absolutely could not leak out before Jun Beiyue and General Bai Hu had discussed it. Once uncertain news got out, there was no telling what shape it would take by the time it spread.
Women!
True to form — crying, making a scene, threatening suicide. Bai Mengmeng had chosen to hang herself, and now lay on the bed, seemingly at death’s door, while General Bai Hu personally fed her water.
Seeing Jun Beiyue arrive, General Bai Hu rose hastily, still deferential, but his face was etched with worry — nowhere to be seen was the joy of victory or the youthful fighting spirit he usually carried.
Jun Beiyue said nothing, gestured for him to sit, and took a seat beside him. He didn’t so much as glance at Bai Mengmeng — nothing in him but irritation.
Bai Mengmeng was putting it all on, of course — there was no way she was truly injured, truly struggling to breathe. She glanced at Jun Beiyue, said nothing, and let tears silently slide down her face.
At last, General Bai Hu couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Master, what — what exactly is going on here? I’ve asked this wretched girl again and again, but she won’t say a word, insists on seeing you.”
General Bai Hu was worried Bai Mengmeng had suffered some wrong at Jun Beiyue’s hands. He’d only recently come to realize how she felt about his lord.
He knew his master’s feelings for the princess consort ran deep, and he harbored no great hopes, didn’t dare imagine Mengmeng could outshine her in his favor.
He only wished Mengmeng could stay by his master’s side, whether as a secondary consort or simply as a personal attendant.
A man — especially an emperor — having multiple wives and concubines was nothing unusual, after all.
He thought that even if the princess consort found out, she likely wouldn’t object too strongly. Mengmeng was, after all, the young lady of his own Tiger Army, a girl who could endure hardship, far better than those pampered daughters of the capital’s elite.
And if Prince Yao truly had no interest in Mengmeng, then so be it — he believed his daughter would find a fine husband eventually.
Only, seeing her in this state now, he truly couldn’t fathom what could possibly have caused such a scene.
“Someone, bring the item in.”
Jun Beiyue didn’t answer, simply gave the order flatly. Soon a shadow guard brought in the three severed heads Bai Mengmeng had carried with her. The moment General Bai Hu saw them, he was struck with shock, rising at once. “Master, what on earth—”
“These are Bai Mengmeng’s birth parents and her younger brother. Beheaded by the Empress of Dong Qin — because Bai Mengmeng betrayed her.”