A’na Ri laughed coldly in fury, speaking rapidly in Tatar: “Does Young Master Lu think that because he’s discussed some matters with the Prince Consort, he’s qualified to act arrogantly before me?”

Lu Heng released the whip but shielded Qin Yining completely behind him, saying in a deep voice: “The Khan need not overthink this. I merely want to remind the Khan that those being devoured by wolves below are your Tatar subjects, and the people watching beside them are also your Tatar subjects. Having your own subjects witness such a tyrannical side of you – aren’t you afraid they’ll feel the sorrow of the rabbit’s death and the fox’s grief? Aren’t you afraid your reputation for benevolence will be completely destroyed, and no one will willingly follow you with genuine loyalty in the future?”

A’na Ri said in a low voice: “Is it your place to lecture me on how I should conduct myself?”

“I wouldn’t dare. I have no intention of lecturing, merely offering counsel to the Khan. After all, the Prince Consort and I have reached a cooperative agreement – we’re friends now. Since the Khan and Prince Consort are husband and wife, you’re family. If problems arise in a friend’s family and I pretend not to see them, what kind of person would that make me?”

“Sophistry!” A’na Ri pointed at Qin Yining and sneered: “You clearly fancy this seductive vixen and are trying every means to please her! Lu Heng, if you’re really a man, don’t use such methods. If you like her, then like her; if you want to sleep with her, then do it. With so many opportunities out here, what are you afraid of? Whatever happens between you two is your business – can you stop constantly interfering between her and me?”

Lu Heng was struck in his painful feelings of unrequited love and spoken of so crudely. His face immediately flushed red with anger as he said in a deep voice: “If the Khan refuses to listen to my counsel, I have nothing more to say. But with the Khan committing so many unrighteous acts, don’t regret it later!”

“What are you to tell me what to do?”

…

A’na Ri spoke like a machine gun in words Qin Yining couldn’t understand, and her argument with Lu Heng was also in Tatar. Qin Yining had no idea what they were fighting about, feeling truly depressed and frustrated.

Especially when not far down the slope was a group of slaves being wantonly slaughtered by wild wolves.

The bloody smell was so thick it wouldn’t disperse, and the screams were so sharp they cut like knives across one’s heart.

This hellish scene was caused by a single word from A’na Ri, yet she had no awareness of this whatsoever, as if it were the natural order of things.

What use were such autocratic rulers who gave no consideration to their people? How was A’na Ri any different from Great Yan’s incompetent monarch?

Qin Yining went around the two arguing people, drew her bow and nocked an arrow again, aiming at the wild wolves in the circle.

But while she had been able to aim accurately before, it was because there were no humans around the wolves.

Now, with wolves charging and killing among the crowd, if Qin Yining’s arrowhead turned sharply, she could easily injure innocent people. This made her hesitant.

Seeing her holding the drawn bow and constantly aiming but not shooting a single arrow, Si Qin finally spoke: “Are you trying to kill the alpha wolf again? Are you certain you won’t hurt the people around them?”

Qin Yining looked back at Si Qin and sneered: “At this moment, shouldn’t the Prince Consort be finding ways to persuade the Khan to spare those slaves?”

But Si Qin stood with his hands behind his back: “Do you know that these people are all criminals guilty of treason? If their deaths can bring happiness to the Khan, then they die for a worthy cause.”

Qin Yining had drawn her bow to full capacity, but couldn’t aim accurately at her target. She couldn’t rashly release the bowstring lest she injure her arm. Just as she was feeling troubled, hearing Si Qin’s words immediately made her willow eyebrows stand on end in anger. She turned around and pointed the sharp arrowhead directly at Si Qin’s nose bridge.

Si Qin remained completely motionless, watching Qin Yining.

Both A’na Ri and Lu Heng were startled by Qin Yining’s action and even forgot their argument.

The surrounding guards drew their swords and unsheathed their blades, surrounding Qin Yining completely, as if they wouldn’t rest until they cut her to pieces.

But Si Qin showed no fear whatsoever. His eyes even grew brighter, and his lips held a smile that couldn’t hide his interest: “What do you intend to do?”

Qin Yining pressed her lips together. A gust of wind brought a bloody smell and made the hair at her temples and the red agate tassels on her forehead sway.

“Give the order – save the people, kill the wolves. Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”

“I give the order? The Khan’s decree is for them to die – what order can I give? Don’t you people of Great Zhou have a saying: ‘When the ruler wants a subject to die, the subject cannot refuse to die’?”

“You’re the Tatar war god, commanding heavy troops with such high military prestige – would these people not listen to you? You simply don’t care about these people’s lives and deaths. My husband is someone who leads troops in battle, and you’re considered his equal. I know his hands are stained with much blood and he’s killed countless people, but I know in my heart that he’s a good person with both demon-subduing hands and a compassionate heart.

“But what about you? Your compassionate heart was eaten by dogs long ago, wasn’t it? Such a person without principles is actually considered equal to my husband – I feel ashamed for you!”

“Silence!”

Qin Yining’s words struck right to the heart. Si Qin listened with a gloomy expression, while A’na Ri flew into a towering rage: “Guards! Seize her!”

Hearing the command, the guards swarmed forward.

Lu Heng jumped up anxiously to protect Qin Yining, pulling her and saying: “How can you be so impulsive? Quickly move your arrow away!”

Qin Yining looked back at the few remaining slaves down the slope, gritting her teeth with no sign of compromise.

The guards came forward, grabbed Qin Yining’s hand holding the arrow tail, and forced her to release the arrow in an uninhabited direction.

As the bowstring loosened, they immediately twisted Qin Yining’s arms behind her back.

A’na Ri said in a low voice: “This person attempted to assassinate the Prince Consort – she deserves death. Take her away immediately for beheading.”

“Yes.”

The guards pulled Qin Yining aside.

But then Si Qin, who had remained silent, coughed and casually waved his hand.

Seeing this, the guards immediately forgot A’na Ri’s earlier command and released their hold on Qin Yining’s hands.

Seeing this, Qin Yining immediately understood that in Tatar territory, Si Qin truly could make all decisions.

A’na Ri roared: “Why release this scheming vixen! Ever since she arrived, we’ve had no peaceful days! Eliminating her today would remove a great menace!”

At this moment, sounds like dog barking came from down the slope.

Qin Yining looked back to see only ground covered with mangled corpses and grass stained red with blood. Guards were driving the wolves away.

She closed her eyes. All the frustrations she had endured while staying by A’na Ri’s side surged up at once, making even speaking a word to her feel like torment.

Si Qin made a gesture.

Immediately guards came forward to lead both Qin Yining and Lu Heng aside.

Si Qin then pulled A’na Ri toward a nearby clearing. Only after they could no longer smell the bloody stench below and had no one around to overhear their conversation did he say in a low voice: “Khan, so many people have died – have you vented your anger?”