Situ Haonan had earlier sent word to the Old Madam telling her he would lure Han Ziqing to Mingsha Cave — that Han Ziqing would have no gunpowder on her, and would be coming entirely alone.
Deceived Han Ziqing? Or deceived Nangong Cheng?
What did Nangong Ye mean by that? Could it be that even without gunpowder, Han Ziqing still had some extraordinary means of surviving?
The Seventh Madam had no idea what they were talking about, nor did she have time to worry about it. She stood by, frantic with worry that if the two of them actually came to blows, her own son would come out worse for it. After a moment’s thought, she immediately sent someone into the city to mobilize reinforcements!
“This has nothing to do with you. I’ll say it one last time — get out of my way.” Situ Haonan meant business now.
Nangong Ye burst out laughing. “Situ Haonan, everyone curses you, calls you unfilial, calls you heartless and ungrateful — and not one word of it is wrong. You arrived at the gates and didn’t even bother to go pay respects to your own grandfather before you’re already trying to leave. Well done, truly well done!”
How could he possibly answer that?
Words, in the end, were the most powerless thing of all. The answers one couldn’t give were the most bitter of all, and the grievances one couldn’t voice were the deepest grievances there were. Situ Haonan didn’t answer — instead, he drew his long sword.
He had once been such a talkative person. But only now, in this very moment, did he truly, genuinely understand why some people fell so silent.
Since no explanation would help, since no matter how he explained it, the words would never land right, would never be understood — then so be it. Let them fight.
Whoever won would have the right to speak. Whatever the winner said would be taken as right.
Fight, then!
Seeing Situ Haonan draw his sword, Nangong Ye drew his own without hesitation, even more brazen than Situ Haonan, pointing the tip directly at Situ Haonan’s nose. “This young master will say it to you one last time — unless you step over this young master’s corpse, you will not take a single step away from here before they return!”
“Then let’s see if you have what it takes!”
Since the pretense had already been dropped, what was there left to hold back for? Situ Haonan swept his sword forward; Nangong Ye dodged aside, and in an instant, uncle and nephew were locked in fierce combat!
Swords clashed with ringing clangs, the two of them alternately grappling close together and breaking apart, leaping into the air and landing back on the ground!
It was clear that Situ Haonan had the upper hand.
But Nangong Ye’s reinforcements soon arrived, immediately rushing in to help, surrounding Situ Haonan!
With Situ Haonan pinned down, Nangong Ye seized the chance to close in, his sword strikes sharp enough to end Situ Haonan in a single move.
A knot of frustration lodged in Situ Haonan’s chest, neither rising nor falling. This was the last thing he wanted — the very last thing he wanted was for uncle and nephew to be tearing each other apart at the gates of Nangong Cheng while his grandfather’s body wasn’t even cold yet. But he had no other choice.
Push a dog hard enough and it’ll jump the wall — how much more so a person!
Blood-eyed with fury, Situ Haonan roared, “As long as my father doesn’t get involved, if you can kill Han Ziqing, then so be it! There’s nothing more to say!”
“What about your father? Isn’t your father Nangong Cheng’s son-in-law? Situ Haonan, the Old Madam never even asked you to go — you should be grateful for that. What right do you have to make demands of your own father?”
“Can’t you people reason at all? Ganging up on the weak, bullying with numbers — that’s exactly the kind of people you are!”
“Talk about reason? What about Han Ziqing? Just because she has gunpowder, does that give her the right to kill people?”
“You were the ones who struck first! If you hadn’t attacked, she never would have provoked you for no reason!”
“Enough, Situ Haonan. If Han Ziqing has what it takes to survive, then say no more — I, Nangong Ye, will be the first to kneel before her and swear allegiance! Even if she wants Nangong Cheng itself, I’ll fight to give it to her!”
“If she can make it back alive, she won’t need your help fighting for anything! You’re being unreasonable!”
Situ Haonan swung his sword like a man possessed, killing several guards in a single stroke — the first time he had ever killed anyone from Nangong Cheng. He knew there was no turning back now.
Kill, then!
No regrets!
Once he let himself go, mere guards had no hope of stopping him. Soon, bodies littered the ground, and only Nangong Ye remained.
The Seventh Madam watched in terror and couldn’t help rushing forward to intervene — but in a flash, Situ Haonan’s sword plunged straight through Nangong Ye’s shoulder!
The Seventh Madam screamed and threw herself at Situ Haonan without a thought for her own safety. Situ Haonan simply shoved her aside, then pulled his sword free and turned to leave.
There was no way Nangong Ye would let him leave. Ignoring the wound in his shoulder, he flipped himself back up to block Situ Haonan’s path, sword raised to strike. “You dare touch my mother!”
Situ Haonan didn’t answer — his blade swept sideways, and had Nangong Ye not dodged in time, he likely would have lost his entire right shoulder.
Realizing he was no match for Situ Haonan, Nangong Ye threw down his sword and used his own body to block the way instead.
A flash of ruthlessness crossed Situ Haonan’s eyes, and he kicked Nangong Ye aside, hard enough to make him cough up blood. But Situ Haonan paid it no mind, immediately chasing after him — only for Nangong Ye to use his body to block him again!
Situ Haonan threw a punch, and Nangong Ye still didn’t dodge — but it turned out to be nothing more than a feint meant to draw his attention.
With his other hand, Situ Haonan struck a sharp blow to the back of Nangong Ye’s head.
“Ye’er!”
Amid the Seventh Madam’s shriek of alarm, Nangong Ye’s vision went black and he collapsed instantly — proof enough of just how hard Situ Haonan had struck.
Situ Haonan didn’t spare him another glance, turning and storming off like a man possessed.
He was afraid!
Afraid he’d be too late, afraid everything would become irreversible, afraid he would regret this for the rest of his life!
It was nearly evening now, and tomorrow was the Grand Sand Sacrifice Ceremony — Akbachu was bustling with unprecedented excitement.
No previous year’s Sand Sacrifice Ceremony had ever seen such fanfare as this year’s.
At the foot of Mingsha Mountain, on the side facing Akbachu, all preparations for the ceremony were complete. But the mountain was so vast that it would take a full day of walking just to circle it, so no one had any idea of the earth-shaking commotion unfolding on the far side, at Mingsha Cave.
On the sandy plain between Mingsha Mountain and Akbachu stood a massive open-air platform.
It looked like a giant chessboard suspended in midair, held up by nothing more than a few stone pillars on either side.
This platform was where the peace conference would be held.
Holding the peace talks to the sound of the singing sands had been the wish of the Emperor of West Jing — a hope that the sand god might protect West Jing once more.
Tomorrow would be both the Grand Sand Sacrifice Ceremony and the peace conference. Today, the emperors and generals of every nation had been arriving one after another — yet the greatest victors of this entire war, Jun Beiyue and his consort, were nowhere to be seen.
No one knew that, in fact, Jun Beiyue had arrived first of all — he had reached the city the previous night.
But not even the people closest to him knew where he had gone.
No one knew that, in truth, he had been at the city gate the entire time. Yingzi had sent word that Ziqing would arrive today.
He hadn’t even had Yingzi tell Ziqing that he’d arrived first. He sat alone, silent, atop the city wall, gazing far into the west, waiting for that woman to appear!
He knew that woman loved surprises, but he, a grown man, truly wasn’t quite sure what counted as a proper surprise.
Would this count?
Sitting atop the city gate, waiting for her, waiting until she’d walked right up close — and only then would he come down!
Appearing silently behind her, spreading his arms wide, calling out to her, “Hey, you there in front — yes, you, I’m talking to you!”
It wouldn’t be long now, surely!
Thinking of this, the corners of Jun Beiyue’s mouth curved unconsciously into a warm smile. Peace conference, meetings with the other rulers beforehand — all of it could go hang!
Prince Yao was busy!