If you do not wish to fight, you must first fight; through battle comes the hegemon, through battle comes the unification of the realm, and only then come the sages and wise rulers!
This girl surely had no idea that the reason Wanyan Lie had taken a liking to her was entirely because of the arrangements made by her good elder brother!
Situ Haonan had no time to explain all of that, nor was he negotiating terms with her. His large hand wiped roughly at her tears, and he immediately pulled her along, striding forward.
Yelu Qianqian trotted along after him, no longer able to think about anything else. A woman, when things had gone thoroughly wrong, could simply stop thinking and follow a man in the same direction, responding to whatever came—that, in truth, was the greatest happiness of all!
However, they had not gotten far before the “gravely wounded” Wanyan Lie came charging out of the Mingsha Cave!
“Yelu Qianqian! This prince will marry you no matter what!”
He gritted his teeth as he spoke. His desire to marry Yelu Qianqian was no longer born of his earlier admiration for her dancing, nor his fondness for her carefree nature despite being a princess.
It was hatred now!
This woman had dared to embrace another man before she was even married to him!
She had dared to kick him where it counted, threatening to end his bloodline!
If that kick just now had been a little harder, he really would have lost the ability to have children!
Wanyan Lie’s broad, handsome forehead bulged with veins from fury, his face twisted into something dark and terrifying. He immediately drew out his horn and blew it, then hastily dismounted to chase after them himself.
Situ Haonan and Yelu Qianqian looked back and were both alarmed, fleeing even faster.
The horn kept sounding. Wanyan Lie gave chase with everything he had, and before long, all his guards had arrived, chasing wildly behind Situ Haonan and Yelu Qianqian.
Situ Haonan took a route that skirted around the sand-worship altar, even circling past the imperial palace, breaking out through the city walls!
He had thought this would buy them some time and let them avoid Yelu Chenyi a little longer, but who would have expected that once Wanyan Lie started chasing, he would chase with such overwhelming force!
It was impossible not to draw attention!
At that moment, Yelu Chenyi—known as Jun Beiyue—had been searching everywhere for Yelu Qianqian and Wanyan Lie. The instant he heard the horn, he immediately gave chase.
Seeing the situation, he was greatly alarmed, but without asking too many questions he grasped the general shape of things and at once gave the order: “Someone—block them from the front, right away!”
This was, after all, entirely their own territory!
Mobilizing troops took only a moment. Situ Haonan, dragging Yelu Qianqian along, soon came to an abrupt halt—a group of soldiers had charged out from somewhere ahead, not only blocking their path but rushing straight at them!
Now they were caught between pursuers behind and a blockade ahead, forced back toward the altar.
But very soon, Yelu Chenyi himself led troops charging toward the altar as well.
The three forces formed a triangle, surrounding Situ Haonan and Yelu Qianqian, and everyone at the altar turned to stare at them.
At that moment, Situ Haonan wanted nothing more than to shout, “You, surnamed Jun—where are you!”
At last, he slowed to a stop, exhaling a heavy breath.
“Yelu Chenyi, what is the meaning of this, your sister’s behavior!” Wanyan Lie roared, demanding an answer.
“This must be a misunderstanding—she must have been deceived by this shameless scoundrel! Once I capture this lecher, I will surely give you an explanation!” Yelu Chenyi shouted. That he, a man normally so withdrawn, was no longer withdrawn now showed just how serious the matter was.
The Emperor of Xijing arrived in a rush, both anxious and furious, glaring viciously at Situ Haonan, nearly choking with rage. “Situ Haonan, you! You! I am telling you—if you do not give me an explanation for this, my Xijing and your Situ City are finished with each other!”
Well then. Everyone was against him now. He had become the lecher.
Yelu Chenyi’s eyes flashed, and he immediately leapt down from his horse. Situ Haonan, helpless as he was, did not let his guard down even slightly. He knew that with things having come to this point, something must have happened to Jun Beiyue—otherwise this would not be happening.
He pulled Yelu Qianqian close and drew his sword to meet them. At the same time, Wanyan Lie also raised his dagger and struck. Though Situ Haonan’s martial skill was formidable and he came from a distinguished lineage, facing two such powerful opponents at once while also having to protect Yelu Qianqian, he simply could not hold his own.
Soon, several gashes had opened across his arms. Yelu Qianqian watched, her heart aching, and when she saw Yelu Chenyi’s sword coming at him again, she suddenly yanked Situ Haonan behind her and stepped forward to meet the blade herself, crying out furiously, “I did this of my own will! I pursued him—I’ve been pursuing him for years! This has nothing to do with him! It’s all my fault!”
Yelu Chenyi withdrew his sword in time, greatly shocked by her words, and beside him, Wanyan Lie too froze in astonishment, his hand stilling.
She had done this willingly?
“Brother, I told you long ago—I don’t want to marry anyone.” Yelu Qianqian lowered her head, not daring to look at either Yelu Chenyi or her father the Emperor, and continued, “I told Father as well…”
“Emperor of Xijing!” Wanyan Lie suddenly bellowed. To think of how this father and son had once told him—told him that Princess Qianqian was so looking forward to it, that she was quite fond of him as well!
Wanyan Lie was furious, the Emperor of Xijing and Yelu Chenyi were furious as well, yet who would have thought that Yelu Qianqian still failed to read the situation? She knelt down and, with utter sincerity, continued, “Father, Brother, Your Highness Crown Prince Lie—Qianqian and Haonan truly love each other. I beg you to grant us your blessing!”
The corner of Situ Haonan’s mouth twitched. No—his entire face was twitching. No—every organ in his body was twitching!
Yelu Qianqian was such a fool!
What good would begging do? If begging could have worked, they would never have let her be married off in the first place—it wouldn’t have waited until now!
Xiliang, though not as savage as the Xiongnu, was still notoriously brutal!
Begging was useless!
Wanyan Lie suddenly burst into laughter. “Grant you your blessing? Are you begging this prince for his blessing? Let me tell you—if you obediently come with this prince to Xiliang now, this prince might consider forgiving your father and your brother. But let me tell you this—you yourself will never be forgiven!”
The moment he finished speaking, the Emperor of Xijing hesitated. But who would have expected Yelu Chenyi to immediately give the order: “Someone, take Princess Qianqian back to the palace and prepare her for the wedding!”
A marriage entered into without forgiveness was destined to be a lifetime of suffering!
And once she was married off into that savage land of Xiliang, Yelu Qianqian would only end up as a slave!
Yelu Chenyi—what a ruthless brother he was, to do this to his own sister!
Situ Haonan’s gaze turned cold. He immediately hauled Yelu Qianqian up and, seizing the opportunity, broke out through one side of the encirclement!
He could clearly hear Yelu Qianqian crying, but he had no time to spare for that, nor could he spare a thought for how many pursuers were behind them.
He had thrown everything into it—his very life was running with him now, with only one thought in his mind: run, take this girl and run!
He could not let them be caught. If they were caught, it would be as good as pushing this girl into hell with his own hands!
Situ Haonan clenched his jaw and charged madly against the wind, his once refined and handsome face twisted into something fierce, like a wild beast gone berserk.
But very soon, Yelu Qianqian could no longer keep running.