In a sparse grove of trees, Xie Wanzhou, an investigator of the廷尉府 *(Tingwei Bureau)*, cautiously poked his head out and looked around.

His body was covered in a bundle of dead grass — in a place like the Northern Wasteland, tumbleweeds were everywhere, so he blended in without any trace of suspicion.

He had been observing from this position for at least two full hours, yet had seen no movement whatsoever from the Blood Butcher forces.

This spot was less than two *li* from the Blood Butcher camp that called itself the *Northern Sacred Land*. The fact that he had gotten this close was proof enough of Xie Wanzhou’s ability.

To minimize risk — and to move more freely — Xie Wanzhou had come alone.

Although the northern frontier border army had some understanding of Han Sanzhou, that understanding was extremely shallow. Before any major battle, they had to gather as much intelligence as possible.

The Northern Wasteland was such a peculiar place, and Han Sanzhou was such an unpredictable factor, that even knowing full well this was a gamble, it was one that simply had to be taken.

But today, the Blood Butcher bandits showed no sign of any outward activity at all. For two full hours, almost no one had entered or left the camp.

Xie Wanzhou sensed that something was off.

Just as he was considering how to get closer still, he suddenly spotted a cavalry unit in the distance heading toward the camp.

Xie Wanzhou immediately pressed himself flat, peering through the gaps in the tangle of grass.

When those men drew near, Xie Wanzhou’s gaze turned sharp.

So Han Sanzhou really had colluded with the Black Wu.

The riders approaching Han Sanzhou’s camp were a Black Wu cavalry unit. The bandits at the front were serving as their guides, and their demeanor toward the Black Wu men was quite deferential.

The leading Black Wu man appeared to be a Jiànmén disciple — his robes alone were enough to mark his standing.

The Black Wu cavalry numbered around a hundred or so. The bandits greeted them and escorted them into the camp.

Xie Wanzhou’s heart began to itch. If he could slip inside the camp and eavesdrop on whatever the Black Wu man and Han Sanzhou were negotiating, it would certainly help in the coming battle.

Yet this camp reportedly held at least four thousand bandits, every one of them ferocious. And not only was Han Sanzhou himself peerless in martial arts — several of the bandit chieftains under him were said to be highly skilled as well.

According to the northern border army’s intelligence, Han Sanzhou’s martial ability could be called unrivaled in the Northern Wasteland.

Below Han Sanzhou were four men he had personally titled the Four Sacred Generals of the Northern Sacred Land: Sacred General Gao Wukan, Sacred General Liao Tinglou, Sacred General Wang Huan, and Sacred General Nie Zuo.

Every one of the bandit chieftains in the Blood Butcher force had a mysterious background.

Some said they were all notorious criminals who had once fled the Central Plains — hunted by the court and unable to survive, they had come to the Northern Wasteland to hide.

Others said that among them were likely former Chu border army generals, who for unknown reasons had thrown in their lot with Han Sanzhou.

From intelligence gathered by the border scouts — including accounts from those who had survived encounters with the Blood Butcher — this bandit force was equipped with weapons and armor nearly indistinguishable from those of the Chu government soldiers. So it was entirely plausible that former Chu border generals were in their ranks, perhaps even intact Chu border army units.

Rationally speaking, Xie Wanzhou should not take the risk.

But he was confident in himself.

—

Inside the Blood Butcher camp, in the wooden tower grandly titled the *Changle Xinggong*, Ye Fuzhi met Han Sanzhou — Xu Suqing — once more.

“Good news, General.”

Ye Fuzhi smiled. “When I returned and reported to His Highness the Prince, he immediately dispatched someone to ride through the night to the capital to seek an audience with the Khan.”

He settled into his seat and continued: “The Khan has sent a special envoy. He has already agreed to the General’s request. The Khan’s decree will arrive shortly — the messenger is halfway here, but the news-bearer has already come through.”

He pressed his fists together toward Xu Suqing in that Central Plains gesture of congratulation.

“Congratulations, General. If nothing goes amiss, the Khan’s decree will arrive before long — and the General will be the Khan’s imperially appointed *Han Wang*, King of Han.”

He looked at Xu Suqing and asked, “General, are you satisfied with the title of Han Wang?”

Xu Suqing burst into laughter and waved a hand. “Set out a banquet.”

After giving the order, he turned to Ye Fuzhi: “To receive His Majesty’s favor — I am overjoyed. From this day forward, I will serve the Khan as loyally as a hound and horse.”

Ye Fuzhi smiled warmly. “From today, we are family.”

He smiled in a manner that was friendly and gracious, betraying not a single hint of anything amiss.

In truth, how could the Black Wu ever genuinely grant a title of king to someone like Xu Suqing?

Kuoke Diye Lan had not sent anyone to the capital to petition the Khan at all. And even if he had, how could news have returned so swiftly? This was nothing more than Kuoke Diye Lan’s orders — toss Xu Suqing a title at no cost, since the Black Wu had no intention of honoring it anyway.

“General — no, Your Highness Han Wang.”

Ye Fuzhi smiled. “Now that we are in agreement — shall we speak of what His Highness might do in service of the Khan?”

Xu Suqing smiled. “Just say the word. Whatever I can do, I will not disappoint His Majesty’s trust.”

Ye Fuzhi glanced around. The reception hall was crowded with people, and there were things he could not say in front of so many.

Xu Suqing said, “You need not worry. Every one of them is a sworn brother who has been through life and death with me. They are all to be trusted.”

Ye Fuzhi thought about it. These people were nothing but cannon fodder anyway — it hardly mattered if he spoke plainly in front of them.

So he opened his mouth. “The Khan’s intention is—”

He had barely gotten those words out when something flickered at the corner of his eye. He glanced toward the rear window of the wooden tower.

“General, it seems there is a draft coming through this tower.”

Ye Fuzhi tilted his head meaningfully toward the rear window.

Xu Suqing gave a great laugh. “The winds and sand in the Northern Wasteland are heavy as it is — a draft is nothing unusual. Have it blocked.”

He gestured toward the area near the rear window. One of his Sacred Generals, Gao Wukan, gave a small nod.

Gao Wukan said, “Allow me to refresh the special envoy’s tea.”

With that, he picked up the teapot from the table — and then suddenly spun around and hurled it straight at the rear window.

Outside the rear window, Xie Wanzhou — who had been hanging there upside down — felt his heart clench. The moment the teapot shattered through the window, he hauled himself upright and threw himself into motion, desperate to retreat.

*Boom.* The rear window was smashed open.

Sacred General Gao Wukan burst through the wall of the wooden tower. Catching sight of the dark figure ahead, he smiled.

He flicked his wrist. A long whip snapped toward Xie Wanzhou — at least three *zhang* in length. An ordinary person would have found it nearly impossible even to swing such a length, let alone wield it. But in Gao Wukan’s hand, the whip moved like an obedient serpent.

The front end of the whip swirled into a loop, as if to snare a person — but that was not quite what it was doing.

Xie Wanzhou sensed the sound of something cutting through the air behind him. He wrenched his body sideways and drew his saber.

There was no time for a proper slash, and slashing at a whip was hardly effective anyway — all he could do was hold the blade upright as a shield before him.

At that moment, the loop the whip had been forming fully unfurled — the tip of the whip snapped open like a flicked tail.

*Crack.* The tip lashed against the flat of the blade with a force that sent a shock through Xie Wanzhou’s heart.

The blow was strong enough to knock his blade sideways. The flat of the saber smacked him squarely across his own forehead.

Xie Wanzhou did not hesitate. He knew he could not fight. He yanked out his grappling hook and sent it spinning.

In midair, Xie Wanzhou swung the hook and wrapped it around a large tree not far away. Using the momentum, he vaulted forward in a wide arc.

In the very moment he swung forward — a massive stone came hurtling straight at him from ahead.

Xie Wanzhou’s eyes flew open wide. Dodging it seemed impossible at this point.

He was arcing forward on the hook’s momentum — and the stone was coming straight for his face. How could he possibly avoid it?

Xie Wanzhou released his grip. His body dropped like a stone. The boulder — which must have weighed over a hundred *jin* — flew past just above his head, trailing a howling wind.

Directly ahead, Blood Butcher Sacred General Liao Tinglou stood watching Xie Wanzhou with a cold sneer.

Liao Tinglou stood a full head taller than the average man — perhaps even more. Xie Wanzhou was not short himself, yet standing next to Liao Tinglou he would barely have reached the man’s shoulder.

Simply standing there, Liao Tinglou looked like an iron tower.

Seeing that Xie Wanzhou had actually managed to dodge the stone he had thrown, Liao Tinglou showed no particular concern. He bent down, picked up an even larger rock, flexed both arms, and hurled it.

Xie Wanzhou did not dare take it head-on and could only throw himself to one side.

He had barely dodged when the whip came again.

The long whip swept horizontally. The crack of the tip cutting through air was sharp and shrill.

Xie Wanzhou ducked — but not quite quickly enough. The tip of the whip skimmed the top of his head and somehow tangled itself in his hair.

Gao Wukan gave a cold laugh and hauled back sharply on the whip. It dragged Xie Wanzhou stumbling backward.

Xie Wanzhou did not hesitate even for a heartbeat. His saber swept backward — the blade could not cut through the tough whip, so the only solution was to cut through his own hair.

Freed, Xie Wanzhou planted his feet and launched himself upward, catching hold of the grappling hook he had thrown earlier. He used the momentum to swing himself higher again.

*Whoosh.* An iron-shafted arrow sliced through the air.

This was clearly no ordinary arrow. The shaft itself was iron, and the fletching resembled razor-edged blades.

From roughly twenty *zhang* away, Blood Butcher Sacred General Wang Huan stood holding an iron-boned bow, watching the fleeing figure with a faint, half-amused smile.

That arrow severed the grappling hook’s line. Xie Wanzhou’s body plummeted again — and before he even hit the ground, the long whip came whistling through the air and coiled around his waist.

Xie Wanzhou’s face went pale with shock. Reflexively he swung his saber to try to cut through the whip — but before he could put any force behind it, the whip yanked hard and slammed him into the ground.

He struggled to rise. He had barely found his footing when Liao Tinglou came striding over, seized him one-handed by the belt, hoisted him into the air with a single arm, spun around once, and smashed him back into the earth.

Ye Fuzhi watched this from inside and could not help but laugh, clapping his hands together.

“The brave warriors under Han Wang’s command are truly as formidable as their reputation.”

Ye Fuzhi walked forward a few steps and crouched to look at the now-unconscious Xie Wanzhou. “This one must be a Ning army spy.”

“Hmm…”

Xu Suqing said, “Then chop him to pieces.”

Men drew their sabers and stepped forward, but Military Advisor Xiao Ting moved to block them: “General, keeping this man alive is useful — we may still be able to wring something out of him.”

Ye Fuzhi said, “The military advisor is right. Keep him. A little persuasion and perhaps we’ll get something worthwhile.”

Xu Suqing waved a hand. “Then drag him away for now. Lock him up and break all four of his limbs first. I’ll join the special envoy for drinks, and question him myself later.”

Xiao Ting immediately led several men forward and bound the unconscious Xie Wanzhou.

—