Chapter 39 Prince Wudati Hou’s long arm swept her away…

Chapter 39 Wudati Hou’s long arm shot out, grabbing her...

Seeing that he had been exposed, Wudati Hou no longer concealed himself. He tore off his face covering and urged his horse forward, confronting the crowd.

His face, framed by a thick beard, was grim, his eyes as fierce as a wolf’s.

"Tuo Baxiao!" he snarled, his voice dripping with hatred.

Tuo Baxiao had no patience for nostalgia; his expression hardened, his green eyes turning to ice.

The Li Eagle reared up, and with a single arm, he thrust his spear forward, bellowing, "Kill!"

The low blast of the horn echoed, and the Xianbei cavalry, primed for battle, surged after their fearless king, thundering down the slope.

Armored cavalry were the most formidable forces—less agile than light cavalry, but their charge was unstoppable. Tuo Baxiao’s men, positioned on high ground, harnessed the momentum of their descent to devastating effect.

The earth itself seemed to quake as Tuo Baxiao led the charge, a force as unstoppable as a thunderbolt.

Trapped between foes, the barbarian cavalry scrambled to form a defense, but their ranks were instantly cleaved in two by Tuo Baxiao’s onslaught.

Tuo Baxiao’s bravery was unmatched, but Wudati Hou, his equal, was no slouch. Amid the chaos, he swiftly rallied his troops.

This army, destined to conquer Liang, now showcased their courage and unyielding resolve.

Despite Tuo Baxiao’s early gains, they held firm, unlike the Jie, and fought back under Wudati Hou’s command.

Jiang Congyan stood on the hillside, her gaze fixed on the distant clash below.

The night was too dark to make out details, but she could see fiery streaks darting and clashing, locked in a stalemate.

This was Wudati Hou, the second prince of the barbarians.

Ambitious, he coveted Liang’s fertile lands and couldn’t afford to let the Xianbei and Liang State unite. Tuo Baxiao, his greatest rival, was a thorn he was determined to pluck.

He lurked in the shadows, exploiting the Jie’s daytime assault to strike when his enemies were weary, hoping to seize Tuo Baxiao in a single blow.

His plan was sound, but Tuo Baxiao had anticipated it, turning the tables and ensnaring Wudati Hou instead.

His courage and cunning rivaled Tuo Baxiao’s, allowing him to swiftly expand his dominion after his rival’s demise.

But a reign built on brute force alone is doomed to crumble.

He toppled the Xianbei court, obliterated Liang State, and claimed a vast swath of land from the North Sea to the Huai River. Though he ruled the world, his methods remained those of a nomad.

The grassland tribes thrived on plunder; without formal peace, they were perpetually at war with their neighbors, squandering energy on internal strife. But under a great leader, united and free of discord, they became a force to reckon with.

Both Tuo Baxiao and Wudati Hou were leaders of this caliber.

But without such a leader, they quickly descended into chaos.

Wudati Hou first seized Liang’s northern lands, then overran the Jianghuai region, absorbing Southern Liang into his empire. But soon after, his son killed him, sparking a power struggle that fractured the barbarians once more.

The oppressed Han people glimpsed hope, rallying to resist. Uprisings erupted everywhere, and the Xianbei, Qiang, and Wuhuan reemerged.

The barbarians’ grip on the land faltered, and no single power could unify it. The divine land splintered, with Han and barbarian regimes vying for control. Warlords carved out fiefdoms, and war’s shadow loomed over all.

This turmoil endured for two centuries until the Tang Dynasty finally restored unity.

During these two hundred years, the Han population drastically decreased, only one in ten survived, a large amount of historical records were lost, social production was severely damaged, the rivers lost their dikes, floods ravaged, famine and epidemics ran rampant, the dead numbered not just in the millions. The fields were strewn with bleached bones, and silence reigned for miles. The people’s suffering was a tragedy beyond words.

This was the darkest period in Han history, a story of bloodshed that history books could never fully recount. The beginning of it all was the battle when the Huns swept south and Chang'an fell, later referred to by historians as the "Gengzi Rebellion," and commonly known as the "Hu Ma Rebellion."

Because the subsequent history was so tragic, many people in later generations, when learning about this period, couldn't help but wonder if the outcome might have been different had Tuo Baxiao not fallen.

Jiang Congyan thought that if Tuo Baxiao had not fallen, it might have only postponed the fall of Liang State slightly.

Between Wudati Hou and Tuo Baxiao, there would always be a clash to determine the ultimate ruler.

The history that followed might have remained dark—or perhaps not.

After a battle lasting nearly an hour, Wudati Hou realized he could not kill Tuo Baxiao after all, and with heavy losses on his side, he finally gave up, rallying his remaining forces and fleeing toward the western valley.

Tuo Baxiao wasn’t about to let him escape and immediately led his troops in pursuit.

Wudati Hou viewed him as a mortal enemy, and Tuo Baxiao saw him as a formidable foe. If either had the chance to take the other's life, they would not hesitate.

Wudati Hou fled westward with his battered troops, appearing completely routed by Tuo Baxiao and unable to fight back. But upon reaching a valley, he suddenly pulled his horse to a halt, turned around, and faced Tuo Baxiao behind him.

The anxiety and frustration on his face vanished, replaced by excitement and a thirst for blood in his golden-green eyes.

"Tuo Baxiao, this prince has never underestimated you!" Wudati Hou licked his lips, the taste of salty blood thrilling him.

Tuo Baxiao had been chasing them relentlessly, now just a hundred paces behind, and soon closed in for the kill.

The Xianbei cavalry sensed something was amiss—why had these Huns stopped fleeing?

Could it be a trap?

Just as this thought crossed their minds, a sharp whistle pierced the air, followed by the rustling of leaves, and then the surrounding mountains shook.

The sound of hooves!

An ambush!

——

After the two armies disappeared from view, the slope below was left with nothing but a mountain of bodies and a sea of gore from the fierce battle.

They waited for a long time, until the horizon began to lighten, but Tuo Baxiao still had not returned. Everyone was worried.

Though Jiang Congyan also felt some concern, she was confident Tuo Baxiao would prevail, so she calmly ordered Xie Shao and Zhang Zheng to go to the battlefield and care for the wounded survivors.

To lure Wudati Hou into the trap, and because the wild slopes had no roads, making it hard to move supplies and carts, only people had been hidden up there in advance. All the supplies and livestock were at the foot of the mountain, and many had been destroyed by the fire arrows Wudati Hou had shot. As soon as Wudati Hou left, people scrambled to extinguish the flames.

Even with timely efforts, nearly half had been lost, leaving the craftsmen who had labored to transport them devastated.

Jiang Congyan ordered the rescue of the wounded, and Zhang Zheng and Xie Shao led their men down to carry out the task.

Having been surrounded by the Jie during the day and staying up all night, everyone was worn out.

Jiang Congyan sat on a blanket spread on the ground, leaning against A Chun for a while, when she heard that Chigan Balie had woken up and was insisting on seeing her.

Jiang Congyan thought for a moment and agreed.

Chigan Balie had been shot in the chest, and though he could move after being treated and bandaged, he shouldn't exert himself too much.

The mountain path was difficult, so Jiang Congyan didn't want to trouble him and decided to go down herself.

Supported by Si Zi, she made her way down to the middle of the slope and stood before Chigan Balie. "I'm here. What did you want to say?"

Chigan Balie sat on the ground, his gaze complex as he looked at the Han Princess.

That arrow he took earlier was actually a result of his frustration.

Ever since the king punished him, Chigan Balie had been bitter with resentment, especially since he couldn't ride horses daily and had to walk back like commoners, which deeply wounded his pride. He felt the king had cast him aside and would never let him be a great general again.

With this mindset, he charged headlong into battle, not caring whether he would get injured. It wasn’t so much about killing the enemy as it was about venting his pent-up frustration. It wasn't until the battle ended that Chigan Balie realized he had been hit by an arrow.

He wanted to pull it out himself, but the Han people wouldn't let him, saying they would help him.

Hmph, I don’t need your fake help, you Han people.

These Han people clearly hated him too, yet they put on a show of generosity and came to help him. Chigan Balie despised such hypocrisy.

He lashed out at those Han people, but they still refused to leave until they called for her.

After waking up, Chigan Balie recalled the words she had said to him, and he still refused to believe them. He was sure it was just a trick the Han people cooked up to deceive him.

He comforted himself with this thought, but a sense of dread lingered in his chest, making him edgy and irritable. Nothing seemed to go right, so he insisted on seeing the Han Princess to call her out on her lies.

"You’re lying to me, right? We Xianbei people are Xianbei, and the Xiongnu are Xiongnu. I’m pure Xianbei blood, not some mixed breed of theirs!"

Chigan Balie's tone was agitated, and Jiang Congyan feared his heavy breathing might reopen his wound.

She saw him glaring, his eyes bulging as if they might pop out.

"Why would I lie to you?" Jiang Congyan retorted.

"Because you wanted to knock me out while I wasn’t paying attention and treat my wound," Chigan Balie answered without hesitation.

"Hmm, you’re right. That was my plan, so everything I said was a lie," Jiang Congyan replied nonchalantly, clapping her hands as if ready to leave.

Chigan Balie froze for a moment. She just admitted it? Shouldn’t she try to talk her way out of it and make him believe her lies?

Chigan Balie was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted and called out, "Don’t go!"

Jiang Congyan stopped, turned around, and looked down at him.

Perhaps it was the first time he had seen her from this angle, but Chigan Balie felt her gaze was dark and intense, different from the king's deep green eyes, yet carrying a similarly imposing aura.

Chigan Balie's mind went blank for a moment, and he pushed aside these jumbled thoughts. He wanted to say something but didn’t know how to start.

Jiang Congyan noticed and chuckled softly, "You believe me, don’t you?"

Chigan Balie wanted to retort, "I don’t believe it," but the words stuck in his throat.

Deep down, he sensed the Han Princess’s words were true.

Her words seemed to carry an undeniable weight, as if they were backed by some irresistible divine will. He didn’t know why he felt this way.

He looked at the Han Princess and listened as she continued:

"Your Xianbei people have no written language. Even if there are some symbols, they are very limited. So, there is no record of where your ancestors came from. The stories of the past are only passed down orally by the elders. Over hundreds of years, those ancient tales have gradually become blurred and will eventually disappear forever."

"But we Han people are different. Our history books meticulously record the course of history, documenting what our ancestors did and who they met. So, our history books contain your story."

"We know better than you where you came from!"

Her words rang out with authority.

Chigan Balie was utterly dumbfounded.

"Your Xianbei tribe was part of the Donghu lineage, originating from the Xianbei Mountains. After emerging from the forest, you reached Hulun Lake and Bell Lake, where you encountered the early Xiongnu people. You mingled and interacted with them, and after several hundred years, you continued to migrate westward and southward, eventually forming the current Xianbei tribe."

"Within your tribe, you likely still preserve some ancient customs, such as various birch bark products like birch bark coffins, birch bark bow straps, and quivers. These traditions stem from the birch forests deep within the majestic Xing'an Mountains..."

"This is the tale of your Xianbei ancestors. Perhaps you still don't believe it, but it doesn't matter. I never intended to make you believe; I just wanted to render you unconscious to treat your wounds."

Upon hearing her words, Chigan Balie sank into deep contemplation.

—

There were ambushes, and the Xianbei cavalry immediately abandoned their pursuit, quickly forming a defensive formation.

The terrain in Guyuan was ideal for setting up ambushes.

Moments later, flickers of firelight indeed lit up in the forest, revealing shadowy figures.

Glancing around, they saw that the firelight had completely encircled them. Judging by the numbers, there were at least a thousand, gathered together and gradually tightening the encirclement.

Everyone was on edge, except for Tuo Baxiao, who remained expressionless.

Wudati Hou detested his demeanor. Despite being over a decade younger, Tuo Baxiao always exuded a kingly presence.

Indeed, Tuo Baxiao had already claimed the throne as the Xianbei King, while he himself was still the second prince of the Xiongnu. Even the title of Left Virtuous King had been lost because of Tuo Baxiao, and he had been neglected for years. Every time he thought about it, he longed to drink Tuo Baxiao's blood and devour his flesh to quell his hatred.

Wudati Hou stepped forward a few paces. "Tuo Baxiao, it's not easy to deceive you, but you've finally been deceived."

Four years prior, Wudati Hou had been soundly defeated by Tuo Baxiao and knew how formidable he was on the battlefield. Tuo Baxiao's strategies were unpredictable, and his adaptability left even the most renowned generals in awe.

The saying most often used to describe Tuo Baxiao was: "He was born for battle."

Wudati Hou could not afford to underestimate Tuo Baxiao as he had four years ago, nor would he let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He initially led a thousand cavalrymen to attack the camp. If Tuo Baxiao was caught off guard and he succeeded, it would be a divine favor from the Hu Tian gods. Even if he didn't succeed, it didn't matter; he had a backup plan.

Just as he wanted Tuo Baxiao's life, Tuo Baxiao wouldn't let him go either. By using himself as bait, he was certain Tuo Baxiao would take the bait.

Now, he had succeeded.

Wudati Hou was more victorious than ever and continued to taunt Tuo Baxiao. "Tuo Baxiao, I told you I would cut off your head and use it as my wine vessel. Today is the day I claim my spoils."

Tuo Baxiao's brow creased, his sharp features looking especially cold and intense in the flickering firelight, his jade-green eyes as deep as an unfathomable abyss.

Wudati Hou thought this was the silence of someone backed into a corner.

"Charge!" he roared with murderous intent.

The Xianbei cavalry gathered around their king. Facing the enemies closing in from all sides and the Xiongnu cavalry outnumbering them tenfold, they were somewhat concerned but not the least bit afraid.

"My king, I am willing to carve a path of blood for you," one of them said.

Tuo Baxiao didn't agree, only coldly uttering a few words: "Brave warriors, follow me to slay the enemy!"

"Slay the enemy! Slay the enemy!"

The Xianbei cavalry's morale instantly soared.

Not seeing the scene he had hoped for, Wudati Hou was furious and led his cavalry to charge at Tuo Baxiao. Tuo Baxiao also rode out alone to meet him.

One wielded a silver spear, the other a massive longsword. The two clashed fiercely, their movements wide and powerful, making it impossible for others to get close.

Tuo Baxiao stood over eight feet tall, towering and muscular, with immense strength, while Wudati Hou was equally broad-shouldered and battle-scarred. Both were among the fiercest warriors of their time, and for a while, neither could completely overpower the other.

After fifty grueling rounds of combat, both were drenched in sweat, their arms numb from the impact.

By now, the sky was gradually brightening.

Outside the core of the battlefield, the Xiongnu cavalry were aggressively surrounding the Xianbei cavalry. Though the Xianbei forces were holding out temporarily, the situation was steadily deteriorating.

Seeing this, Tuo Baxiao's Imperial Guard finally couldn't restrain himself and urged, "My King, the Xiongnu are too numerous. Let me carve a path out for you, or there truly will be no chance."

Tuo Baxiao ignored him, his focus seemingly locked solely on Wudati Hou as his enemy.

Wudati Hou grew more and more excited by the taunts, his attacks becoming more ruthless. He seemed to already picture Tuo Baxiao's head rolling at his feet.

"Tuo Baxiao, you will pay for your arrogance!"

"Do you think your pitiful forces can still stop me?" Wudati Hou laughed heartily.

As Xianbei warriors dropped one by one, just when Wudati Hou thought victory was within his grasp, the tide turned once more.

By now, the sky had brightened further, and everyone could see a massive cloud of dust approaching in the distance, accompanied by the increasingly clear sound of galloping hooves.

From the commotion, it was clear there were at least five thousand.

The mantis stalks the cicada, oblivious to the oriole behind.

At this moment, Tuo Baxiao turned his face slightly, the bright daylight revealing the icy glint in his jade-green eyes. "Wudati Hou, I return your words to you—"

"You will pay for your arrogance!"

Wudati Hou's face twisted in shock.

The cavalry he had prepared to ambush Tuo Baxiao numbered less than three thousand, while Tuo Baxiao's reinforcements numbered well over five thousand.

In the past, even with a hundred thousand elite cavalry against his thirty thousand troops, he had struggled to gain an advantage. Now, Tuo Baxiao's forces outnumbered his own...

Wudati Hou's face darkened, the veins on his hand gripping the longsword bulging. He clenched his teeth so tightly that even through his armor, the heaving of his chest was visible, clearly enraged to the extreme.

"How dare you be so bold!"

Everything became clear. Wudati Hou had thought he was the bait luring Tuo Baxiao into a trap, but in reality, Tuo Baxiao was the true hunter.

"Weren't you afraid your reinforcements would arrive too late and you'd truly die by my hand?" he cursed bitterly.

Hiding the tracks of five thousand cavalry was extremely difficult, especially since Wudati Hou had planned an ambush and would have thoroughly scouted the surroundings.

Thus, Tuo Baxiao's reinforcements must have been hidden far enough away to avoid detection, but this also meant that once the battle began, it would take considerable time for them to arrive.

The battlefield situation changes in an instant, and no one knew if a mere quarter-hour delay would result in their complete annihilation.

Tuo Baxiao snorted disdainfully, "You? You couldn't kill me!"

The arrogance of this statement made Wudati Hou's expression turn utterly grim.

But now was not the time to dwell on such matters. With the western retreat route blocked, Wudati Hou's eyes flickered as he rallied his men, charging forward instead, seemingly trying to break through before the Xianbei forces could fully encircle them.

Thousands of cavalry clashed in a battle no less intense than a mid-sized war. Dust and stones flew, the sound of clashing weapons rivaling the roar of rivers, the scene so breathtaking it defied description. The very earth trembled beneath the chaos.

Wudati Hou's forces were already outnumbered by Tuo Baxiao's, and with their retreat cut off, their morale took a hit. Continuing the fight would inevitably lead to their defeat.

The Xianbei cavalry shared the same assumption. But in an instant, everyone saw Wudati Hou's Imperial Guards turn and charge east.

The Xianbei cavalry came from the west, aiming to trap Wudati Hou in a pincer attack, but since Wudati Hou had charged headlong westward earlier, they couldn't fully encircle him in time, and the eastern flank was thinly defended.

Now, with the impact of Wudati Hou's Imperial Guards, a breach was swiftly forced.

Wudati Hou bolted east with a mere few hundred Imperial Guards, callously abandoning the thousands of soldiers in his wake, and even the Xiongnu were momentarily paralyzed with shock.

Were they forsaken by the Second Prince?

With Wudati Hou gone, their morale plummeted further. Just as everyone was about to take the opportunity to annihilate them, Tuo Baxiao's gaze turned icy, as if he had thought of something, his expression darkened. He swiftly rallied several hundred elite cavalry and chased after them.

...

Dawn broke, revealing the landscape. The camp buzzed with activity as soldiers organized supplies and tended to the wounded.

From a distant valley, a billowing cloud of dust approached.

At first, everyone thought it was Tuo Baxiao returning, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Xiongnu cavalry. Panic erupted, sending everyone scrambling in every direction.

Xie Shao urgently called the Lüben Guard to arms, but they too had endured a grueling day and night. Some rested on the ground, while others tended to the wounded, unprepared for battle. They were caught off guard.

Wudati Hou closed the distance with alarming speed.

But he bypassed the Lüben Guard entirely, instead leading all his Imperial Guards straight up the slope.

The hillside wasn't very high, only about twenty to thirty zhang, yet the Lüben Guard's defenses were breached, allowing Wudati Hou to surge upward unopposed.

A hail of arrows descended upon them.

The few Imperial Guards left by Jiang Congyan's side hurriedly gathered to block the arrow rain, but they were too few in number, and some arrows still got through.

A cold arrow pierced through their defenses and shot straight towards Jiang Congyan. Everyone tried to protect her, but it was too late.

Jiang Congyan's pupils contracted. In that instant, she didn't even have time to think about whether she would die from this arrow.

At the critical moment, Jiang Congyan's vision darkened as a figure lunged forward and blocked the arrow.

It was Chigan Balie!

He was injured, and his movements weren't as agile as they were at his peak. He didn't have time to draw his sword to defend, so he had to use his body to shield her, forcefully swinging his arm to deflect the arrow.

Even so, a long gash was torn open on his arm, and blood gushed out like a spring.

But no one had the mind to pay attention to his injury at that moment, as Wudati Hou had already fully charged up.

He stared at Jiang Congyan, who was being protected in the middle, her clean and elegant dress confirming her identity as the princess of Liang State that Tuo Baxiao was to marry. Without any hesitation, he charged straight towards her.

The few Imperial Guards left behind were terrified and threw themselves forward in a desperate attempt to stop him, but there were only about ten of them, and they weren't mounted. How could they possibly withstand Wudati Hou's hundreds of iron cavalry? In an instant, they were scattered.

Wudati Hou rapidly closed in, and only Si Zi and Chigan Balie remained by Jiang Congyan's side.

A cold chill ran down Jiang Congyan's spine as she hurriedly backed away.

In the next second, Wudati Hou's long arm reached out and swept her onto his horse.

After capturing her, Wudati Hou didn't linger in the fight. He turned around and charged down the hillside.

The moment Zhang Zheng saw Wudati Hou, he quickly mounted his horse and led his men in pursuit, but they were blocked by Wudati Hou's cavalry. Witnessing the scene of the lady being captured and taken onto Wudati Hou's horse, his eyes nearly burst with rage, and he chased after them like a madman.

"Halt!"

Tuo Baxiao relentlessly pursued Wudati Hou, but Wudati Hou, having fought for so many years, had his own bag of tricks. As he fled, he ordered his Imperial Guards to intercept Tuo Baxiao.

Though they knew they were being abandoned, they still obeyed Wudati Hou's commands without hesitation.

The rugged terrain offered few paths for horses. With hundreds of people blocking the way, even if they avoided a fight, breaking through would take time, especially since the Xiongnu cavalry were as fierce as the Xianbei cavalry.

Just as Tuo Baxiao returned to the camp, someone reported, "The princess has been kidnapped by Wudati Hou. General Zhang and General Xie have already led men in pursuit."

Tuo Baxiao's face instantly changed. His piercing, azure eyes radiated an unprecedented, terrifying intensity, the azure so deep it seemed to shimmer with a bloody hue.

The Lüben Guard delivering the news feared Tuo Baxiao might kill them in his fury, and those around him held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

But Tuo Baxiao did not erupt in anger as they had expected. He paused only for a moment, and upon learning the direction of Wudati Hou's escape, he immediately gave chase.

"General Modolou, take your men and flank from the north. A Long, go and notify Su Li to have him lead his men to the west and cut off Wudati Hou's retreat. Tell him that if Wudati Hou escapes, he will pay with his life!"

"Understood!"

"Understood!"

The two responded in unison and quickly dispersed with their troops.