Just as Qing Xia was about to be injured by Qi An’s hand, that pale and slender woman suddenly sprang up like a cheetah, executing an eighteen-form diving external Muay Thai combo kick, viciously kicking Qi An’s left leg. She spun and flew in rotation, turning two circles in mid-air before half-crouching on the ground, looking alertly at this Eastern Qi crown prince she had once rescued.
That move just now would have been certain death for an ordinary person, let alone Zhuang Qing Xia who should have had a weak constitution.
Almost simultaneously, Chu Li and Qin Zhiyan both rushed to Qing Xia’s rear. Qin Zhiyan’s expression was gloomy, showing killing intent in his eyes for the first time. He raised his palm vertically, and behind him the Great Qin Yan Battalion soldiers stepped forward in unison, drawing their weapons with fierce shouts. Armor gleaming and ready, iron-blooded and cold, their voices rang out like explosions on the plain, like a thunderclap.
Chu Li’s long spear flashed with cold light. Before he could make any signal, Xu Quan, Le Song and others behind him charged forward with soldiers from the Military Intelligence Camp mainly composed of black-clad guards, forming horns with the Qin army, protecting behind the three of them. Chu Li’s eyes were coldly sharp, fiercely staring at Qi An, this great enemy of his life, his gaze almost wanting to carve flesh from his body!
Seeing their crown prince trapped, the Eastern Qi soldiers immediately gave fierce shouts, instantly surrounding them with intimidating momentum, standing behind Qi An. Their iron armor and weapons flashing with cold light pointed coldly toward the Qin and Chu armies, everyone’s face showing no trace of fear.
Just because of one movement from Qing Xia, the three nations’ soldiers immediately drew swords and strung bows. The atmosphere seemed like a fully drawn bowstring, ready to clash blades at any moment.
In the air, a scene of murderous cold silence!
“Haha, interesting, interesting!” A recklessly unrestrained laugh immediately rang out inappropriately. Yan Hui stood outside the battle situation, as if he couldn’t see the circumstances here, laughing loudly: “What a fine four-nation hunt! You haven’t even seen White Deer Fortress’s shadow, yet you three want to fight first. The world only knows I, Yan Hui, am romantic and dissolute, picking flowers and tasting honey, but they don’t know you three are also flower-cherishing people. Prince An, acting so rashly in broad daylight before everyone – aren’t you being a bit too eager?”
Having said this, he walked through the three armies as if blind, slowly coming beside the fully alert Qing Xia, continuing to speak as he walked: “Stealing jade and fragrance also has upper, middle, and lower grades. I humbly believe that using force to compel is the lowest grade, using profit and desire to tempt is middle grade. Only moving with true feelings and conquering with grace is the highest grade. You all acting like this, forcibly snatching women in broad daylight and fighting – not only is this lacking in grace, it’s disrespectful to women. What do you take this young lady for? This is truly the lowest grade strategy, completely unsuitable for your positions. Back in the day, to get close to Mei’er, that heavenly fairy dancing girl of the Eastern Qi Xuanhua family head, I infiltrated the Xuanhua mansion alone, disguised as a woman, pretending to be a maid for two months before Mei’er willingly eloped with me to Xichuan. You three should really learn from me.”
Yan Hui walked to Qing Xia’s side and very kindly displayed what he considered his most charming smile, wanting to help Qing Xia stand. As soon as that rich fragrance approached, Qing Xia immediately frowned deeply, looked at him with disgust, and slowly stood up by herself.
Qing Xia stood up alone. Yan Hui didn’t feel embarrassed but smiled as he withdrew his hand. Everyone seeing him proudly mentioning past events, even the Xichuan soldiers couldn’t help but frown tightly.
Yan Hui’s reputation for romantic nature was known throughout the world. Among all the absurd things he had done in his life, the most notable was two years ago when he infiltrated the Eastern Qi great family Xuanhua mansion alone, disguised as a woman pretending to be a maid for two months. In the end, he not only seduced away their dancing girl, but also took the Xuanhua family head’s two concubines to elope back to Xichuan. Who knew that after arriving in Xichuan, they discovered one of the concubines was already three months pregnant. Because of this incident, Yan Hui was severely scolded by the Xichuan Great Emperor and fined three years’ salary. This matter had long been known throughout the world, and the Xichuan people were ashamed of it. Yet the protagonist of this incident now spoke shamelessly before the other three nations’ leaders as if it were some glorious achievement. The Xichuan soldiers’ hearts were shattered, each one red-faced, all secretly feeling ashamed of their commander.
“Prince An, what you’re doing is wrong.” Yan Hui stood earnestly in the field, not even glancing at the coldly threatening spears and swords of the three sides around him. His battle robe was designed quite creatively – silver armor with flowing colors, yet wide robes with large sleeves resembling Chu clothing, deep garments with tassels, lined inside with blue-green silk gauze embroidered with complex flowers, uniquely brilliant and dazzling. Outside, to suit the occasion, it was hung with layers of silver armor pieces. The entire outfit was neither fish nor fowl, reeking of overwhelming fragrance, looking neither like battle dress nor formal wear. Worn on him it was like his person – quite topsy-turvy.
Legend had it this outfit was hastily made to deal with the Xichuan Great Emperor. According to him, it gave face to the royal family while maintaining his own preferences. He smiled as he drew a feathered strategist’s fan from his bosom, his fox-like eyes smiling as he said: “Prince An has always been known for chivalry. Your Highness’s noble righteousness is known throughout the world. Although there was some flirtation with the Southern Chu Great Emperor’s consort, that’s human nature, which Hui completely understands. Although this Southern Chu consort is now having improper relations with Qin’s Third Highness, this shows how poisonously accurate the Prince’s eye is. There’s only one such exquisite beauty in the world, and you noticed her – this truly makes Yan Hui admire you. Even if this Southern Chu consort has now escaped Southern Chu and fallen in love with Qin’s Third Highness, abandoning Your Highness like worthless grass, you see the Southern Chu Great Emperor hasn’t taken the lead in making trouble. Why must you wade into these muddy waters? After all, you were just childhood sweethearts. Even if you once made mountain and sea vows, such ambiguous and unclear matters are things of the past and should be viewed with tolerance.”
His rambling words were topsy-turvy and chaotic, making the relationships between everyone a complete mess. But every sentence was provoking discord between them, moreover describing Qing Xia like a wanton woman, base and contemptible. Before Qing Xia could react, Chu Li’s face had already flushed red, Qin Zhiyan’s face was pale, his phoenix eyes slanting upward as he looked coldly toward Yan Hui. Even Qi An frowned tightly, looking impatiently at the meddlesome Yan Hui.
But Yan Hui seemed to have lost all sensation, continuing to chatter: “A great man need not worry about having no wife – why must you fight to the death? Prince An wears Southern Border secret-made gloves with potent poison smeared on them – contact with skin means death. If they truly touched the Chu Emperor’s consort’s beautiful face, turning a beauty into dry bones, wouldn’t that be a pity? The gentleman is open and at ease, the petty man constantly worried. The Chu ruler ordering a detour behind the Qin army rear camp – could it be he wants to learn from White Deer Fortress and launch a sneak attack on Great Qin’s provisions to snatch back the woman? And Qin’s Third Highness, you had people change the provision camel carts overnight, loading the provision carts with sulfur and such – are you thinking of using fire attack against those who would ambush? I say you three needn’t fight anymore. Why don’t you all come to my mansion together? My home has beauties like clouds for you to choose from. Except for my sixteen concubines, I’ll present all the rest.”
As soon as Yan Hui finished speaking, all three men’s expressions changed simultaneously. They had always heard that Xichuan’s Swallow Cave spies penetrated everywhere, but hadn’t expected their intelligence work to reach such a level – truly extraordinary.
Qin Zhiyan looked coldly at Qi An and said in a deep voice: “So Prince An’s trip to Southern Border last time was to seek poison masters. Enlightening. Today’s gift will surely be repaid in full.” Having said this, he stepped toward Qing Xia.
A long spear suddenly blocked Qin Zhiyan’s path. Chu Li coldly turned to look at him: “I was only feigning an attack on Great Qin’s rear camp. Third Highness is indeed supremely intelligent, making preparations in an instant. Unfortunately, it wasted Your Highness’s excellent arrangements.”
Qin Zhiyan smiled faintly and said coldly: “Mutual, mutual. The so-called sulfur materials were merely a facade to deceive people. Great Qin’s provisions are still safely stored in the rear – those with courage are welcome to try. But General Yan’s intelligence seems insufficiently detailed. I wonder if Swallow Cave’s abilities are limited, or if General Yan is intentionally sowing discord to make us three fight.”
Yan Hui’s eyes flashed, fox-like eyes gleaming as he laughed heartily: “Naturally it’s Swallow Cave’s limited abilities. How would I intentionally sow discord? This hunt is hosted by Xichuan. Yan Hui is just being cautious, afraid everyone might act impulsively and not respect what the command document states, fighting amongst ourselves – that would look bad. You all are careful in everything while campaigning, cautious in all matters – truly brilliant.”
The three engaged in verbal warfare, but Qi An still stood to the side, coldly staring at Qing Xia, eyes unblinking, suddenly asking sternly: “Who exactly are you?”
The long winds immediately swept backward with howling sounds like northern wolf packs. Qing Xia stood in the center of the field, beside her the smiling Yan Hui who feared the world wasn’t chaotic enough. Hearing this, she suddenly raised her head, looking in shock at this Eastern Qi crown prince.
Qi An tore off the specially woven gloves from his hands, threw them on the ground, and said in a deep voice: “I was together with Qing Xia for ten years. No one would know her better than I do. Tell me, who exactly are you?”
Yan Hui’s mouth held a smile, looking like he understood everything, though whether he truly perceived all or was just pretending was unclear. Zhuang Dianru’s long eyebrows furrowed tightly, but he showed no panic, obviously having some awareness. Qin Zhiyan’s brows slightly furrowed, but not very obviously. His gaze wasn’t directed at Qing Xia, just slightly turned, coldly watching Qi An with sharp gleams in his eyes, warily maintaining composure.
Only Chu Li, hearing these words, frowned tightly with what seemed like storms suddenly appearing in his eyes. He sharply turned his head, staring intently at Qing Xia’s face, his two eyebrows almost knotted together.
“Qing Xia came from a great scholarly family, brilliant in literature, quick in thought, but by nature least loved reading history. She said history books were bloody, military books dealt in killing – all inauspicious things. From the seventeenth day of the eleventh month of the Bingshen year, you read history books and military strategy classics for a month straight, moreover inquiring everywhere about unofficial histories and biographies. This is the first point. Qing Xia believed in Buddha, had been vegetarian for years, necessarily reciting scriptures daily at noon. Also from the seventeenth day of the eleventh month of the Bingshen year, you stopped eating vegetarian food and stopped reciting scriptures. This is the second point. Qing Xia was gentle and weak by nature from childhood, preferring music, chess, calligraphy and painting, composing poems and essays, never having practiced martial arts. Yet you are agile and vigorous, capable of fighting over ten soldiers alone without difficulty, with superior ambush and stealth abilities and rich combat experience. This is the third point. Qing Xia was extremely filial. Even unwillingly, she would obey her father’s commands and peacefully marry into the Chu palace. But from the eleventh month of the Bingshen year, you repeatedly fled Southern Chu. Besides this, Qing Xia greatly valued propriety and education. Though gentle in character, she would never betray moral teachings – otherwise she would have left Southern Chu with me long ago. Thus she would never escape the Chu palace and then have improper relations with other men. This is the fourth point.”