He continued to hold the crossbow and vigilantly watch underwater. The large boat had already docked. The middle-aged man on deck with an unfriendly expression shouted a few things in tribal language, then led the people other than lackeys down from the boat first.

Pei Yuan waited another moment. There was still no movement underwater. His expression looked terrible. Somewhat disbelieving that Xiao Li’s group could hide underwater for so long, just as his heart grew restless, he heard faint water sounds from the water grass where they had docked behind.

A trace of a fierce smile floated onto Pei Yuan’s face. The crossbow in his hand immediately shot several short arrows in that direction. Unfortunately, the distance was rather far—he probably didn’t hit, and no blood color appeared on the water surface either.

Pei Yuan ordered the lackey rowing: “Pursue!”

The lackey pressed the oar at the boat’s stern to turn the bow. Just as he was about to row the boat toward that water grass area, unexpectedly a tremendous pulling force suddenly came from below the oar.

That lackey only had time to cry out in alarm before his entire person was dragged underwater.

Pei Yuan, who had been holding his crossbow aimed at the distant water grass, quickly turned back to look. But he was splashed full in the face by the water spray from the lackey entering the water. He hurriedly pulled the crossbow mechanism to shoot arrows swishingly into the water, only stopping after large patches of blood color floated on the water surface.

But still no corpse floated up. Pei Yuan wanted to continue shooting arrows, but the crossbow’s arrow slot was already empty.

While vigilantly continuing to watch the water surface, he took short arrows from his quiver to load into the arrow slot, shouting loudly toward shore: “Xiao Li is hiding under my boat! Quickly shoot arrows!”

The lackeys on shore and those who hadn’t yet disembarked from the large boat all quickly took out their crossbows and aimed at that water area beneath his boat.

But before they could shoot arrows, the boat body was struck with great force. Pei Yuan could barely stand steady. The short arrows he was trying to load into the arrow slot were also shaken out by more than half.

Pei Yuan’s expression was alarmed. The next instant, he only felt his calf tighten, then was also carried by a tremendous force and toppled into the water.

As soon as Pei Yuan fell into the water, the lackeys on shore and on the large boat no longer dared shoot arrows, only crying out in alarm: “Captain!”

The corpse of that lackey who fell into the water earlier also slowly floated up from the blood-stained lake water.

Using a short arrow he picked up from the water, Xiao Li pressed it against Pei Yuan’s neck, using him as a shield in front as he swam toward shore. Wet hair scattered messily before his eyes, but those eyes remained eerily fierce and violent as before, saying coldly to that group of lackeys on shore: “Hand over Hanyang.”

The lackeys looked at each other. Pei Yuan, pressed with an arrow by Xiao Li, gave his subordinates meaningful looks while saying: “Quickly! Quickly! Hand Princess Hanyang over to him!”

The lackeys had no choice but to pretend to go to the large boat to bring someone.

That middle-aged man who had disembarked earlier drew his bow from higher ground behind and aimed at Xiao Li, who was holding Pei Yuan captive.

Xiao Li seemed to sense something. When he raised his eyes to look at that middle-aged man, that arrow glinting coldly under the scorching sun had already left the string and was flying toward him.

At the same time, Pei Yuan, held captive by Xiao Li, lowered his body form. Underwater, he used his body to forcefully strike at Xiao Li, trying to trip Xiao Li toward where the arrow was flying.

The short arrow Xiao Li had pressed at Pei Yuan’s neck immediately stabbed down forcefully. Even though Pei Yuan dodged the fatal neck in time, he was still forced by that arrow that nearly pierced through his shoulder blade to cry out miserably.

That flying long arrow was gripped tightly in Xiao Li’s palm. However, blood dripped from between his fingers—clearly that arrow’s force was extremely great, scraping his palm before being caught.

Seeing Xiao Li catch his shot arrow barehanded, that middle-aged man couldn’t help but show surprise on his face.

Xiao Li immediately used that long arrow to forcefully stab into Pei Yuan’s back. Pei Yuan cried out in pain again. In the chaos, he fumbled out a dagger hidden in his boot trying to stab at Xiao Li, but had his hand bone broken by Xiao Li instead.

Pei Yuan was in so much pain that the veins on his neck bulged, his entire face savage.

The arrow Xiao Li took in his shoulder had its tail broken off. The blood color on his clothes had already been washed away by more than half in the water. His face was pale and oppressively cold: “Where is Hanyang?”

“At… at…”

Pei Yuan’s face was covered with cold sweat from pain, but his eyes still harbored a vicious energy. Suddenly he screamed miserably again.

Xiao Li continued forcefully twisting his broken arm, asking fiercely: “Where?”

Pei Yuan finally was in enough pain to tell the truth: “Not here. We didn’t capture her…”

That middle-aged man looked at Xiao Li and said a phrase “Fu Li,” then once again drew his bow and aimed at Xiao Li. The subordinates following him also drew their bows one after another.

Seeing this, the lackeys hurriedly shouted: “Our captain is still there! Cannot shoot arrows!”

The lackey who understood both languages was dead. Communication between the two groups was currently difficult.

But that middle-aged man saw that the lackeys seemed to want to stop them from shooting arrows. Finally using halting official language, he said: “That is Fu Li. Wolf.”

After speaking, he raised his hand to make an arrow-shooting gesture to the subordinates behind him.

From the official road behind the ferry crossing came particularly dense hoofbeats, shaking even the sand and stones at the ferry crossing into faint tremors.

That middle-aged man turned back to look at the official road behind. He saw on the winding long road flags with the character “Liang” fluttering as eye-catchingly as raging fire.

His subordinates spoke to that man in tribal language with alarmed expressions.

After that man stared fixedly at Xiao Li and shot two arrows, he shouted something, then led his people and horses to withdraw first via another official road.

The lackeys still on shore hesitated for a moment, then also followed in retreat.

The Liang army troops quickly arrived. Gu Xiyun instructed the vice general to lead a team of troops to continue pursuit. She herself spurred her horse toward the ferry crossing, looking at Xiao Li who was dragging Pei Yuan to shore like a dead dog, himself also stained with large patches of blood color. She spoke: “Lord Xiao of the Northern frontier—truly your great reputation precedes you.”

The urgent report she received was that Xiao Li had led troops to surround the royal court. Her current words inevitably also carried some gunpowder smell.

Xiao Li slowly raised a pair of eyes scarlet with rage to bursting, asking only one question: “Where is Wen Yu?”

That woman rescued from the lake by the Wolf Riders—at this moment after regaining consciousness—knelt on the shore crying unceasingly toward the lake’s heart: “Husband… husband…”

Seeing Gu Xiyun leading armored troops, she should be a high official. She immediately cried toward Gu Xiyun again: “General, please seek justice for me and my husband. We husband and wife operated a ferry boat doing a small business. Who would have thought we’d be hijacked by a gang of thieves who also killed my husband…”

The Azure Cloud Cavalry who came with Gu Xiyun, after identifying some lackey corpses at the ferry crossing, said to Gu Xiyun: “It’s that group who launched the surprise attack on us earlier.”

—

The Wolf Riders withdrew. The royal court restored order again.

When Wen Yu returned to the palace, she learned that before leaving, Xiao Li had specially released the imprisoned Qi Simiao and a group of other ministers. She was quite surprised. When she entered the sleeping chamber and saw those overturned trunks, her gaze touched on those wood carvings placed on the desk. She pressed her temple, her voice as light as a sigh: “He still saw them after all.”

After settling A’Li well and changing clothes, she went to the Council Hall to discuss with Qi Simiao and a group of ministers how to handle the accumulated political affairs from these days.

“General Mu on the western border sent back an intelligence report, stating he has verified that those several Chen armies that previously slaughtered the surrounding tribes were disguised Western Ling soldiers.”

“The various tribal envoys who entered the border earlier are all temporarily residing at the royal court’s post station. They identified that cavalry team that entered in the name of their various tribes—it was the Bashye tribe chieftain who vouched for them, deceiving them that this trip to the royal court was to protect the Princess’s safety.”

As soon as these words came out, the court ministers present all discussed among themselves. Even though this royal court catastrophe had passed, being surrounded and humiliated, plus creating the ugly spectacle of binding the monarch for surrender due to internal chaos—all the Chen Kingdom ministers still felt embarrassed.

Immediately a court minister said: “Could this Bashye tribe be colluding with that surnamed Xiao?”

“I heard that Bashye tribe chieftain is also at the royal court. Why not summon him for confrontation in court!”

“Right! Confront in court! The Princess has treated their various tribes well. How could they collude with external enemies to harm the Princess!”

Fang Mingda came forward and said: “The Bashye tribe chieftain is currently waiting outside the hall.”

Wen Yu also had many puzzling points about Xiao Li leading Wolf Riders to surround the royal court. It was just that previously being trapped, she had no way to thoroughly investigate. Now she nodded: “Summon him.”

Before long, the Bashye tribe chieftain was brought to the great hall.

His emotions were very agitated. During the period when Xiao Li conquered the royal court, the envoys from various tribes who entered together proposed to see Wen Yu, but were all refused by the personal guard beside Xiao Li who understood some of their tribal languages, using various reasons.

Only then did they realize that Xiao Li had placed Wen Yu under house arrest, understanding that they had unwittingly become accomplices.

After the Wolf Riders withdrew, the Bashye tribe chieftain actively sought out Qi Simiao and others, trying to explain the situation.

Now seeing Wen Yu, after making a salute with his right hand in a fist placed at his left chest, he urgently said in not-very-fluent official language: “Princess, please see clearly. This subject… this subject was also deceived.”

He haltingly spoke of how his entire tribe was slaughtered by that Western Ling army, then after being rescued by Xiao Li, the various matters that followed.

Speaking to the end, he said with great regret: “We truly thought he surrounded the royal court to rescue the Princess from the hands of Western Ling spies.”

The assembled ministers couldn’t help but discuss among themselves. Someone said in a low voice: “A joke? How could our Chen Kingdom have Western Ling spies?”

But previously the Jieji tribe had experienced the matter of Western Ling spies. Not long before, the Yan father and son and the court’s aristocratic ministers had just staged a coup together. Thus most ministers still didn’t dare speak too definitively.

After hearing the whole story of this matter, Wen Yu’s face still showed no emotion. She only asked: “I previously received a message from Puershi tribe. They claimed their tribespeople were slaughtered by more than half by a Chen army, and their chieftain also died at that Chen army’s hands. You didn’t contact Puershi tribe?”

Hearing this, the Bashye tribe chieftain showed an expression of disbelief. In his emotional excess, he even said a bunch of things in their own tribal language.

Wen Yu furrowed her brow slightly. A minister in court who understood Bashye tribal language translated: “The Bashye tribe chieftain says his wife is the daughter of the Puershi tribe chieftain. After they were… were rescued by Xiao Li, they immediately rushed to Puershi tribe to report. But when they arrived, they saw the entire tribe had already been slaughtered and the chieftain was also dead. Only then did they turn to unite the remaining tribes. Accompanying Xiao Li into the royal court was both to protect the Princess’s safety and also hoping the Princess would lend troops to their Bashye tribe, so they too could seek revenge on Western Ling.”

Wen Yu asked: “Is the chieftain certain that Puershi tribe’s entire tribe was slaughtered?”

The Bashye tribe chieftain showed a bewildered expression.

Wen Yu took out that letter of accusation from Puershi tribe that the Azure Cloud Guards had initially delivered back, signaling Eunuch Li standing beside to give the letter to the Bashye tribe chieftain.

After the Bashye tribe chieftain finished reading that letter, he suddenly said with agitation: “It’s Badan! It’s Badan!”

He again said a string of Bashye language.

The minister who translated earlier said again: “The Bashye tribe chieftain says Badan is the Puershi tribe chieftain’s younger brother, Puershi tribe’s first warrior. He must have led some tribespeople to escape.”

Wen Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly. In this instant, she understood the intent behind Western Ling’s poisonous scheme.

Even if those Western Ling soldiers disguised as Chen army couldn’t kill all the major tribes, they could still use this blood feud to make them sever ties with Chen Kingdom forever.

She said: “The chieftain suffered ten thousand hardships to come aid my royal court. Your care is appreciated. I now know the original circumstances of this matter. Later I will certainly seek justice for the chieftain and the attacked tribes. The chieftain may return to the post station to rest first.”

The Bashye tribe chieftain placed his hand at his chest in infinite gratitude and saluted Wen Yu before withdrawing.

Wen Yu also gave instructions on some urgent political matters needing handling. Seeing the hour was already late, after announcing court dismissal, she only kept Qi Simiao and several other backbone ministers to move to the Imperial Study to continue discussing matters.

After arriving at the Imperial Study, Qi Simiao said: “Is the Princess concerned about the Western Ling spy matter?”

Xiao Li’s attitude toward Wen Yu could be glimpsed from how on the day he withdrew troops, he still specially went to release Qi Simiao and a group of ministers.

Although Qi Simiao was formerly a Wang faction minister, he deeply understood that Chen Kingdom could reach today entirely thanks to Wen Yu. How Wen Yu treated Chen Kingdom’s common people and them ministers—he also saw it with his eyes.

Without Wen Yu, whether the entire Chen Kingdom could even continue to support itself was uncertain.

Xiao Li surrounding the royal court also amounted to indirectly helping them catch the Yan father and son and the aristocratic ministers with ill intentions in one net.

Whether to be enemies or friends with the Xiao camp afterward still needed to see the intentions of both sides’ masters.

Thus he currently didn’t mention a single word about how to subsequently punish Xiao Li, only bringing up the Western Ling spy matter that Wen Yu hadn’t continued discussing in court.

Cold intent seeped into Wen Yu’s lightly indifferent eyes as she said: “This Palace considered that after pressing those rotten root insects that have always been gnawing at Chen Kingdom too hard, they would turn desperate. But colluding with external enemies was truly beyond this Palace’s expectations.”

Qi Simiao and the group of ministers bowed their heads in silence.

That Chen Kingdom became riddled with holes like this was due to long-term corruption in court. Besides feeling alarmed and chilled, they also felt embarrassed.

If current Great Liang was supported by Wen Yu’s single shoulder of strength, then their Chen Kingdom wasn’t much different.

“After the previous Jieji spy matter, this Palace strictly established laws, trying to use fairness to eliminate the Jieji tribe’s grievances accumulated over many years.” Wen Yu rose from behind the long desk and pushed open the window to let the stuffy Imperial Study get some air.

“But what stirs up this world’s chaos, besides injustice, is also excessive greed.” She closed her eyes, as if unwilling to say more, only saying: “The matter of spies in the royal court—I’ll leave it to Prime Minister Qi to investigate.”

Though it was said investigation was still needed, on the day the Wolf Riders surrounded the royal court, the Yan father and son and a group of aristocratic ministers were absent from court assembly. Clearly they had learned a step ahead what the royal court being besieged was about. They all thought Xiao Li was using those tribes to infiltrate the royal court to take revenge on Wen Yu, and were confident the Imperial Guards could hold out until reinforcements arrived, which gave them the courage to launch that palace upheaval.

Now they were all still trapped in prison. Whether through interrogation or searching residences, obtaining solid evidence couldn’t be more convenient.

But how to investigate, to what degree, so as not to cause tremendous panic or drag down Chen Kingdom still at war—that required someone to control that degree.

Qi Simiao was a Chen Kingdom veteran minister. He couldn’t be clearer about those intricate and complex relationships in court. His prestige was also high both in court and among the people. Having him personally handle this matter was most appropriate.

He currently bowed toward Wen Yu: “This old minister will certainly not fail the mission.”

“Princess!” Tongque hurried inside, her expression clearly unusual. Unable to care that Qi Simiao and a group of old ministers were still in the study, she walked quickly to Wen Yu’s ear to whisper a few sentences. Wen Yu’s eyes narrowed slightly, then she instructed Qi Simiao and the group of ministers: “Esteemed ministers may withdraw.”

After Qi Simiao and the others bowed and took their leave, only then did she ask: “How is he?”

Tongque said: “Surrounded by Pei clan lackeys and Puershi people at the east shore ferry crossing of Raincoat Lake. He took an arrow to his body and has been rescued by General Gu’s troops.”

Wen Yu’s brow furrowed slightly: “Pei Song’s troops mixed into Chen Kingdom together with Puershi people?”

Tongque lowered her head and said: “During the period when the royal court was besieged, the border passes drew off more than half their troops to come to aid. The common people knew you were bound for surrender. How many were angered is unknown—there were even those using the banner of rescuing you to rebel against local government offices. The entire Chen Kingdom’s interior was quite chaotic. Presumably the Pei clan lackeys and Puershi people took advantage of the chaos to mix through the passes.”

Wen Yu seemed to ponder for a moment, then asked: “Among the captured Puershi people, is there one called Badan?”

Tongque shook her head: “General Gu sent troops to pursue that group, but the leader still escaped. However, Xiao Li captured Pei Yuan alive. General Gu is currently interrogating Pei Song’s whereabouts.”

Wen Yu suddenly asked: “Is his injury serious?”

Tongque was stunned, thinking how did Wen Yu know Pei Yuan was injured?

Thinking again, she realized something was wrong, then reacted that the question was about Xiao Li. She hurriedly said: “That arrow wounded the back shoulder. The military doctor looked—it’s a flesh wound, didn’t injure the bone.”

Wen Yu said nothing more.

She paced back to sit at the desk, murmuring in a low voice: “When the Azure Cloud Guards were at Raincoat Lake they encountered an ambush. That group specifically attacked the carriage…”

When she raised her eyes again, the gentleness in her eyes faded layer by layer, leaving only sharp intent: “This was aimed at me.”

Tongque was startled, then realized that day that team of Azure Cloud Guards was to pretend to cover Wen Yu leaving the city, yet that group only wanted to strike with killing intent.

Thinking again of what the Bashye tribe chieftain clarified in court today, she was suddenly greatly alarmed: “Puershi tribe was slaughtered by that Western Ling army disguised as Chen army. Yet Puershi people are now together with Pei clan lackeys coming to the royal court to assassinate you…

“Could that Western Ling army have some connection to Pei Song?”

Wen Yu didn’t answer, only instructed: “Secretly summon the Bashye tribe chieftain.”

—

The royal court’s crisis was already resolved. The Liang army led by Gu Xiyun didn’t need to continue forced marching day and night. That evening when camping in the wilderness, Wen Yu suddenly arrived in person with a team of Azure Cloud Cavalry, startling even Gu Xiyun.

Holding a boot and putting it on while hopping out from inside the tent: “How did you suddenly come? A group of people were chasing to kill you during the day. I haven’t caught them all yet!”

Wen Yu wore a snow-colored cloak. Reaching out to support Gu Xiyun, she said: “Let’s talk inside the tent.”

Re-entering the main tent, Gu Xiyun poured tea for Wen Yu while saying: “What exactly is going on?”

Between the two of them privately, there was invariably no appearance of sovereign and subject.

Wen Yu said: “Pei Song very likely turned toward Western Ling.”

The mouthful of tea Gu Xiyun had just drunk choked her. After coughing, her expression looked terrible: “This dog thief truly was accustomed to being a dog for the Ao faction before. Now wherever takes him in, he recognizes them as master!”

After venting her anger, she said puzzled: “But how did they exit the pass? Especially that surnamed Xiao—he was leading large troops. Even trying to muddle through the pass, they wouldn’t allow passage, right?”

Wen Yu said: “I already received an intelligence report sent from General Fan’s side. He suspected Pei Song exited Tiger Gorge Pass and used capturing Pei Song as reason to lead a large army out of the pass. Tiger Gorge Pass commander Yang Shuo worked under Qin Yi in earlier years. He openly used words to block Yang Shuo, saying if he didn’t let his large army exit the pass, was it because Yang Shuo had already secretly let Pei Song exit the pass and thus feared him exiting the pass to pursue Pei Song. Yang Shuo, constrained by his identity as Qin Yi’s former subordinate, had no choice but to let the large army exit the pass.”

Hearing this, Gu Xiyun’s eyelid twitched: “He truly dares! Western Ling is currently at war with Chen Kingdom. At this time he’s leading troops out of the pass—isn’t he afraid of being annihilated by Western Ling who takes them as reinforcements we sent to launch a surprise attack from their rear?”

Wen Yu made no comment.

Gu Xiyun thought of another matter and suddenly frowned: “Then does Pei Song appearing outside the pass have any connection to Yang Shuo or not?”

As soon as the words left her mouth, she herself negated them: “That’s also not right. If Yang Shuo turned to Pei Song, why not directly help Pei Song rise to power in Western Frontier? Where would there be need to let him exit the pass?”

Wen Yu still didn’t speak, her eyes slightly narrowed, not knowing what she was thinking.

Seeing her not speaking, Gu Xiyun only took it as her having a headache over the current situation. After all, once Pei Song joined hands with Western Ling, wanting to take that dog thief’s life would become difficult.

She asked: “A’Yu, what do you plan to do now?”

Wen Yu said: “Western Ling soldiers disguised as Chen army slaughtered Puershi tribe. Now Puershi tribe has been sown with discord. To prevent them from continuing to create chaos within Chen Kingdom’s borders, I’ll also need various tribes’ assistance afterward. I must resolve this misunderstanding with their current chieftain.”

She slowly raised her eyes: “On the road coming, I already deliberately leaked my whereabouts. I only need to invite the gentleman into the urn.”

Gu Xiyun understood Wen Yu’s intention and immediately said: “Leave it to me.”

As she hurried to exit the tent, her steps suddenly paused. After slight hesitation, she turned back to look at Wen Yu: “That… that surnamed Xiao was captured by me at Raincoat Lake ferry crossing. Do you want to see him?”

Wen Yu’s cloak hadn’t been removed. Because the rash marks on her face hadn’t completely faded, she wore a veil. Her entire person under the tent’s dim yellow candlelight was as cool and cold as Heavenly Mountain snow, a moon in the clouds. Unexpectedly, she answered: “Alright. I brought something to give him. Let the Azure Cloud Guards go with you to bring him.”

She displayed herself as calmly as could be, yet Gu Xiyun inexplicably got a full body of goosebumps.

Thinking again, regardless of what reason he surrounded the royal court for, in the end it was contempt for Wen Yu. That Wen Yu wanted to give him some lesson was within reason.

She called her personal guard to have him take the Azure Cloud Guards to bring Xiao Li, while she herself went down to deploy other matters.

—

Only Wen Yu remained alone in the tent. She looked down quietly at that cup of tea Gu Xiyun had just poured for her for a moment. Then footsteps came from outside the tent.

“Go in!” The sound of chains rang lightly. The Azure Cloud Guards who came from the royal court with Wen Yu pushed and shoved a person into the central command tent.

Almost instantly, Wen Yu felt a heavy, eerily scorching gaze fall upon her body, as if wanting to burn two holes straight through her.

She slowly raised her eyes, looking down from above at the person pushed into the tent.

The other party’s complexion appeared somewhat pale from injury, yet the aura around his entire person remained coldly fierce and domineering as before.

He was built excessively tall and strong. Even though his shoulder was still wrapped with blood-stained gauze, that physique differing from ordinary people still concealed that slight weak state from injury.

Especially that pair of eyes looking at her—untamed, unrestrained, intensely hot, yet deeply sunken.

As if nakedly speaking two words: His.

Along with the heavy black iron collar just fastened around his neck, it seemed to suddenly lose its deterrent power.

The Azure Cloud Guards pushed him to kneel, but his bones were extremely hard throughout his body. No matter how they pressed down on his shoulders, he refused to bend his knees.

Wen Yu made a gesture, signaling the Azure Cloud Guards to withdraw.

When she spoke again, her tone could be called gentle: “We meet again, Lord Xiao.”