"Congratulations, Fourth Prince!!"
Chi Na gazed at the jade seal stamped on the peace treaty, his eyes brimming with ambition.
This was only the beginning.
The ruler of this land of Huazhou should be a mighty eagle, not a weak lamb!
"To the blessings of the heavens!"
"Woo-hoo!"
Lord Liu sat at the banquet, watching the enemy raise their cups in celebration, his heart heavy with sorrow.
In his youth, he had been naive. He still remembered the triumphant return of the Great Ancestor after reclaiming Shuozhou, sitting on his father’s shoulders as the people cheered. Now, in his forties, he had personally delivered the peace treaty into the hands of the enemy. How tragic!
Watching the soldiers in the courtyard drinking and feasting, Chi Na waved Bu Dan over.
A sense of unease gnawed at him. Thinking of Xiao Zheng, who had escaped, he said in a low voice,
"General Su Meng, remember the lesson from last time. The guards at the city gates must rotate shifts diligently. Do not let your guard down."
"Your Highness need not worry. We’ve doubled the manpower at both city gates, and patrols within the city are conducted every hour. What happened last time will not repeat itself. As for the food and wine, we’ve already tested them on those cunning Great Yuan slaves."
Chi Na nodded.
"Your Highness fears Xiao Zheng will attack the city?"
"This humble officer believes you overthink it. Given the nature of the Central Plains people, once the imperial decree is issued, they will not rebel. To defy the emperor’s order is to invite execution—who would be so foolish?"
Even the Northwest Marquis had been stripped of his military rank by a single decree, obediently submitting to a newly appointed first-rank general. If Xiao Zheng dared attack tonight, not only would he likely fail, but his defiance alone would warrant beheading. Who would be that reckless?
"Your Highness, tonight is a rare occasion for celebration! This humble officer toasts you!"
"Let us drink our fill tonight!"
"Your Highness! We’ve abstained from wine and women for far too long! Surely you won’t disappoint the men again tonight!"
"Hahaha!! All you think about is women!"
Chi Na glanced at the peace treaty and felt he might be overreacting.
There was a saying in the Central Plains: "Whether thunder or rain, all is the grace of heaven." Even if Xiao Zheng was discontent, could he truly defy the emperor’s decree?
Chi Na raised his cup, setting aside his worries. After several rounds of drinks and a hearty feast,
a burly man with a thick beard clapped his hands.
"Your Highness! These are the beauties we’ve captured these past few days. You pick first! The rest of us will share the leftovers. Hehehe!"
A group of finely dressed women were shoved forward, some sobbing uncontrollably, on the verge of fainting.
Chi Na frowned at the tearful women. He had little interest in delicate, fragile types and was about to wave them away when he caught sight of a pair of fierce, wolf-like eyes.
Unlike the other pale-skinned noblewomen, this one had a light dusting of powder on her face, her dark hair tied high, exuding a spirited aura. Most striking was the ferocity in her gaze—as if she’d tear a chunk out of anyone who touched her.
Interesting.
As Prince Chi Na approached, Xiao Zheng clenched her fists, watching him warily.
"If you can kill anyone here, I’ll take you into my service. How about that?"
Chi Na spoke to her in the language of the Central Plains, his voice just loud enough for all the women to hear.
Xiao Zheng steadied her breathing, then yanked a hairpin from her bun and drove it into the abdomen of the girl beside her.
A bloodcurdling scream erupted.
Blood gushed, coating Xiao Zheng’s hands. She clenched her fists and looked up at Chi Na.
He lifted her chin.
"Hahaha!!! Ruthless!! I like it!!"
"Hahaha!! A fiery one’s the best!! Your Highness is wise!"
"Then the rest of us won’t hold back!!!"
Amid the screams and lewd laughter, Xiao Zheng tasted iron on her tongue.
Lord Liu couldn’t bear to watch, clutching a pillar as he wept.
Heavenly gods, open your eyes and witness this hell on earth!
Then—the clash of blades. A furious roar.
"Who are you?!"
Lord Liu turned. The leering men now lay twitching on the ground. The delicate woman, her clothes torn, wielded a dagger with bloodlust in her eyes. The guards who had entered with her were already locked in combat with the enemy.
Xiao Zheng had struck!
Without a word, Xiao Zheng snatched a sword from a corpse and swung. Her grandfather’s voice echoed in her ears:
"Yingge, as a woman, agility is your advantage in close combat. The moment your enemy falters, strike to kill!"
After thousands of repetitions in training, she could not—would not—fail.
Chi Na barely dodged, lifting a stool to block. The wood splintered, the impact sending him stumbling back, his arm numb.
This level of skill—he’d only encountered it once before, on the battlefield.
"You’re Xiao Zheng? A woman?! Does your emperor know? Why not join me? I’ll make you my princess consort."
Chi Na licked his lips, staring at her with burning intensity.
Xiao Zheng lunged, but her blade suddenly flew from her grip, hurtling toward Chi Na. He sidestepped, but a sharp pain pierced his calf.
"Brother Zheng! Catch!"
Two spears arced through the air. Xiao Zheng caught one mid-spin, kicking the other straight into Chi Na’s leg.
Staggering, Chi Na gritted his teeth. Twice now, he’d been bested by Xiao Zheng. It made no sense!
"You poisoned them?! How?"
They’d tested the wine on Great Yuan slaves. How was this possible?
Chi Na swung his broadsword, its edge whistling toward Xiao Zheng. She dodged, but a kick sent her sprawling.
Suddenly, one of the noblewomen rushed forward, plunging a dagger into Chi Na’s back.
He roared, flinging her off, but she clung desperately, her eyes pleading with Xiao Zheng. With a final heave, Chi Na hurled her to the ground.
"Second Aunt!"
Xiao Zheng’s spear became a blur—a silver dragon weaving through the air.
"Agh!"
Chi Na collapsed, clutching his thigh.
In seconds, the spear’s tip pressed against his throat.
"Don’t kill me! Name your price!"
Her eyes bloodshot, Xiao Zheng burned with the urge to end him.
"The Northwest Marquis died by my hand, but I wasn’t alone! Your emperor wanted him dead! Do you not understand what it means to overshadow the throne? Everything I did was sanctioned! Why else did no reinforcements come?!"
"Your Great Yuan emperor is the one who deserves death! I can help you! Together, we’ll march on the capital and avenge the Northwest Marquis! What do you say?!"
"He clings so tightly to his throne—you should drag him down! Crush him! Make him regret it! Our alliance would be unstoppable!"
Xiao Zheng narrowed her eyes. For the first time since entering, she spoke:
"None of you will escape."
The palace.
A secret letter slipped quietly out of the palace, carried by a swift horse galloping toward Yingchuan. As night deepened, the sounds of fireworks and firecrackers filled the air, painting a scene of festive tranquility outside the palace walls—while within, unseen currents of intrigue surged beneath the surface.
