Xiao Qiao paused for a moment, then quickly moved to close the window. Wei Yan’s hand swiftly propped it open. With the agility of a monkey, he entered through the window and stood before her.
Moonlight spilled in, falling on the windowsill behind him, outlining his silhouette. His face, however, was like the dark side of the moon, hidden completely in shadow.
Only his eyes were visible, glinting faintly in the darkness.
Suddenly, a startled “Ah!” came from behind.
Wei Yan darted over in a flash. With a single strike, he knocked out Chunniang, who had just awakened and sat up. She let out a muffled groan before falling back down.
After subduing Chunniang, Wei Yan walked to the candlestick and lit it. He turned around slowly.
He was dressed in ordinary blue Han clothing. Though several years had passed, aside from a short beard, his face looked much the same as Xiao Qiao remembered.
However, the aura he exuded from head to toe was quite different.
Xiao Qiao sensed the bloodthirsty essence of an alpha wolf emanating from him.
Seeing his eyes flash as they fell upon her, her heart pounded. Her entire body tensed as she warily watched him, slowly backing away to shield the still-sleeping Fei Fei behind her.
Wei Yan’s gaze swept over the small bed behind her, his eyes flickering slightly.
“Don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you,” he said in a low voice.
In a split second, Xiao Qiao abandoned the idea of calling for help.
In this room, there were only herself, Fei Fei, and Chunniang, who had been knocked unconscious by Wei Yan.
Even if she were to shout and summon others now, if Wei Yan harbored ill intentions towards her or Fei Fei, it would be child’s play for him to act.
She gradually calmed herself.
“What do you intend to do?” she asked directly.
She didn’t ask how he had entered.
Although Jia Si had arranged patrols and guards, with Wei Yan’s skills and familiarity with the Wei mansion’s layout, he could sneak into the inner courtyard under the cover of night, evading the patrols.
Wei Yan remained silent, his gaze once again falling upon her, staring unblinkingly.
A cool breeze seeped in through the window, stirring the candlelight. The flickering yellow flame seemed to make his gaze waver.
His eyes lingered on her face for a moment, then slowly traveled down her neck.
Xiao Qiao was still wearing only the thin, white sleeping robe she had on earlier. The collar was slightly open, revealing a stretch of snow-white, flawless skin.
She turned and took a light purple robe from the clothes rack by the bed, wrapping herself tightly. She lowered her head to fasten the sash, then turned back to face him.
“What should I call you? Elder Brother? Or Hu Tu Kun, the Xiongnu Jianjiang Wang?”
She cast a cold gaze at him.
Under the Chanyu’s tent, besides the Left and Right Xian Wang and the Left and Right Rizhu Wang, there were also the Left and Right Jianjiang Wang, six in total, forming a hexagonal power structure.
During his years with the Xiongnu, Wei Yan had shown his prowess. He had also assisted his grandfather, the old Chanyu, in conquering the Eastern Hu people, long-standing enemies of the Xiongnu who had occupied the Pamir Mountains for years. He killed the Eastern Hu king and captured all their people and livestock. Because of this battle, he gained the old Chanyu’s favor and was exceptionally granted the title of Right Jianjiang Wang, governing the former Eastern Hu territory in the Pamir Mountains.
A few months ago, Xiao Qiao had visited the north room. The servants, seeing her, didn’t announce her arrival as they would for outsiders. As she approached the door, she inadvertently overheard Madam Xu and Mama Zhong discussing Wei Yan, mentioning this matter.
At the time, Madam Xu’s tone carried both longing and hidden worry.
Wei Yan’s lips twitched slightly as he slowly walked towards the small bed, finally stopping beside it and bending down slightly.
“Is this your daughter with Second Brother?”
He examined the sleeping Fei Fei.
“She’s beautiful… looks just like you…”
He gazed at Fei Fei, speaking softly, slowly reaching out as if to touch her cheek.
“Wei Yan!” Xiao Qiao suddenly raised her voice.
“I’ll overlook your rudeness in sneaking into the inner courtyard in the dead of night. I know you must have a purpose. What exactly do you intend?”
Wei Yan’s hand stopped, slowly withdrawing. He turned around and walked towards Xiao Qiao step by step.
Xiao Qiao didn’t back away.
Wei Yan finally stopped in front of her, just an arm’s length away.
So close that he seemed to catch a faint, elusive fragrance emanating from her.
“Aren’t you afraid of me?” He stared at her steadily, his eyes gradually becoming unfocused, his expression strange.
Xiao Qiao sneered, “This is my home. Why should I fear you? You may have used your familiarity with the layout to evade the guards Jia Si set up and sneak in here, but don’t forget, this is the Marquis’s mansion! If I call out, if you can escape unscathed, you might as well write the character ‘Wei’ backward from now on!”
Wei Yan was silent for a moment, his gaze gradually clearing. Suddenly, he said, “You’re right. I came here for a reason.”
He paused for a moment: “Liu Yan has sent envoys to the Chanyu’s tent, promising the Hetao region in exchange for the Xiongnu iron cavalry attacking southward, to relieve his urgent situation in Langya. The Chanyu may not necessarily take his words seriously, but he is already old and increasingly frail. His only regret in life is not being able to reclaim the Hetao region that was lost from his hands. Thus, he was persuaded. In a few days, he will take this opportunity to send 300,000 iron cavalry southward, launching a surprise attack on the three regions of Yunzhong, Baideng, and Shangjun…”
The Hetao region encompasses the basins of the Huangshui River, Tao River, and Sanggan River. Since ancient times, it has been known for its lush grasslands and fertile soil. For hundreds of years, since the rise of the Xiongnu in the north, Hetao has been a coveted territory for them.
One of the old Chanyu’s greatest achievements in his life was when he was in his twenties, just after succeeding as Chanyu. With lightning speed and iron-blooded resolve, he snatched Hetao from the hands of the Liu family’s Han Dynasty, allowing the Xiongnu people to graze horses and herd sheep southward for twenty years.
Later, Wei Shao’s grandfather guarded the north and, after several major battles, reclaimed the occupied Hetao region. In the past twenty years, although the Chanyu has attempted to attack Hetao several times, he has always been thwarted. Even though the iron cavalry trampled the Western Regions and Eastern Hu, his heart remained unsatisfied.
Xiao Qiao’s face changed dramatically.
Wei Yan raised his left hand to his face, looking at the small finger encased in a black iron ring.
“Before I left the Wei family, I swore an oath by cutting off my finger that as long as my grandmother lived, I would not kill a single Han person. Although I am a despicable and shameless person, I still remember the oaths I’ve made. For this southern surprise attack, I will not request to join the battle.”
His gaze fell upon her beautiful face, now drained of color: “Since I left the Wei family and returned to the Xiongnu that day, I am now a Xiongnu person. Even if I didn’t request to join the battle, I shouldn’t have come to report this news today. But my grandmother has shown me the kindness of raising me. So I came to deliver this message, to settle the debt of the Wei family’s nurturing kindness. From now on, I am no longer a Han person. As you said earlier, I am Hu Tu Kun of the Xiongnu.”
On the bed, Chunniang, who had been knocked unconscious earlier, was gradually regaining consciousness, making a few muffled sounds.
Wei Yan gave Xiao Qiao one last deep look, then turned and quickly walked towards the window he had climbed through earlier, leaping out.
Xiao Qiao snapped back to her senses and chased after him, calling out to the silhouette in the moonlight, “Since you left, Grandmother has been thinking of you constantly. Since you came to report this news, why not see Grandmother and tell her in person?”
She saw the figure ahead pause slightly, then continue forward, disappearing into the night in the blink of an eye.
Chunniang finally awoke, sitting up abruptly. She looked around, saw the lit lamp and Xiao Qiao by the window, seemingly normal, and sighed in relief. Rubbing her still-aching neck, she mumbled, “My Lady, were you talking to someone just now? In my dream, I thought I saw a dark figure enter the room. I was about to call out, but then I don’t know what happened… Was it a dream, or did something happen?”
Xiao Qiao turned around and hurriedly wrote a letter.
Moments later, Jia Si rushed over, saying, “My Lady, you suddenly summoned me. Do you have any instructions?”
Xiao Qiao handed him the letter: “Go to Golden Dragon Temple and give this to the Old Madam immediately! Don’t delay even for a moment!”
……
Just as dawn was breaking, Madam Xu returned from Golden Dragon Temple.
As soon as she arrived, Xiao Qiao followed her in and recounted the events of Wei Yan’s visit and his warning from the previous night.
Of course, she omitted the beginning and only mentioned the content of his warning.
Madam Xu remained silent, sitting with her eyes closed.
A moment later, Lei Yan, who had been ordered to stay in Yuyang, arrived in a hurry with two deputy generals and several adjutants.
Besides the various military garrisons on the border, Wei Shao had also left 5,000 troops each in Yanmen and Fanyang.
Madam Xu arranged for troop deployments and transfers. When finished, she said, “Send meteor riders to notify the commanders of Yunzhong, Baideng, and Shangjun to be on high alert. If the Xiongnu attacked, they had to defend themselves to death and wait for reinforcements. The other military garrisons should coordinate with each other and report any news to me immediately!”
Lei Yan received the order and hurriedly left with his men.
After they had gone, Madam Xu pondered for a moment, then suddenly began coughing incessantly.
Mama Zhong quickly offered a handkerchief and rubbed her back.
Ever since the incidents with Wei Yan and the poisoning attempt that year, Madam Xu’s health had greatly deteriorated.
Xiao Qiao hurriedly poured a cup of warm water and offered it to Madam Xu after her coughing subsided.
Madam Xu took a sip of water, set down the cup, and after catching her breath, smiled at Xiao Qiao: “Don’t be afraid. I’ve already sent a message to Shao. He’ll be able to return with his troops soon. Although the Xiongnu iron cavalry is coming fiercely, our Wei family’s sons are also battle-hardened. We will surely overcome this crisis!”
Mama Zhong’s expression remained grave.
Xiao Qiao asked, “Grandmother, how long will it take for my husband to return with his troops at the earliest?”
Madam Xu pondered for a moment: “With elite troops traveling light, half a month after receiving the news.”
“So at least twenty days. Grandmother, with 100,000 defending troops against 300,000 Xiongnu iron cavalry, plus the garrison forces in Yanmen and Fanyang, even if we defend to the death, it will likely be a difficult and bitter battle.”
Madam Xu looked at her with her one eye: “Do you have something to say?”
Xiao Qiao knelt before her.
“Grandmother, if we were to borrow reinforcements from the Qiang troops in the Huangshui area, how long would it take for them to arrive here?”
“At most ten days…” Madam Xu suddenly looked up: “What do you mean?”
“Why not quickly seek help from the Beiwo Qiang people? I believe if we ask, Clan Leader Yuan Wang will surely send troops. The Qiang people are brave and skilled in battle, no less than the Xiongnu. If they come to our aid, even if they can’t repel the Xiongnu, they can at least help our defending forces hold out until my husband returns with his troops.”
Madam Xu knew very well that it would be quite difficult for the defending force of just over 100,000 to withstand the 300,000 Xiongnu iron cavalry for more than twenty days.
Her earlier words to Xiao Qiao were mostly meant to comfort her.
In her heart, Madam Xu had already planned to send Xiao Qiao and her daughter away from Yuyang as soon as possible.
Suddenly hearing this suggestion, she felt a spark of excitement and nodded: “This plan is feasible!”