Chapter 40 “Kill them all, leave none alive!”…

Chapter 40 "Kill them all, spare none!"...

Jiang Congyan was now in unbearable discomfort.

Wudati Hou had snatched her onto his horse, lying horizontally across its back, face down, like a hanging sack, constantly jolted by the galloping horse. Her internal organs felt like they were being crushed, and she could barely breathe.

She felt like vomiting but couldn’t.

The green shadows of trees swiftly passed behind her; her hair was already disheveled. The cold wind howled past, painfully cutting her face, with occasional weeds and leaves scraping her cheeks.

At such high speed, even these soft weeds felt like sharp blades, and Jiang Congyan could almost feel the tiny cuts on her face bleeding.

But she couldn’t afford to focus on the pain now; she had only one thought—how to survive?

Wudati Hou chose to kidnap her instead of killing her outright, probably planning to use her as leverage against Tuo Baxiao.

Whether or not Tuo Baxiao would compromise for her sake, even if he were willing, with Wudati Hou’s cunning, would he really let her go?

The horse’s jolting was too violent, each bump felt like a punch to her body. Jiang Congyan was in agony, her thoughts too scattered to be clear, and after much thought, she couldn’t come up with a good plan.

Against such brute force, her cleverness was useless. Even if she were willing to swallow her pride and surrender to Wudati Hou, in such a dire situation, she might die before she could even speak.

Jiang Congyan felt deep regret for her arrogance and overconfidence.

She had come from the future, knowing the course of history, which was her advantage. Before this, she had used her foreknowledge to achieve much.

But this long-term success had made her complacent.

Historically, Wudati Hou had fought Tuo Baxiao twice and lost both battles, one of which was in April of the fifteenth year of Yong’an.

Thus, she naturally assumed that this time Wudati Hou would lose to Tuo Baxiao, and so she let her guard down.

If she had ordered the Lüben Guard and Zhang Zheng to arm themselves and prepare on horseback, Wudati Hou wouldn’t have broken through their defenses so easily.

She had made a fatal mistake—since she wanted to change history, how could she expect future victories and defeats to unfold as written in the history books?

This was a paradox in itself.

People can make mistakes, but this mistake was too great, directly pushing her to the edge of a cliff, where the slightest mishap could lead to her destruction.

Jiang Congyan felt her head growing increasingly heavy, and while she still had a bit of strength, she struggled to raise her hand, carefully feeling through her hair to retrieve the only remaining hairpin and hiding it in her sleeve.

Now, she could do nothing but wait.

She didn’t know how long they had been fleeing, nor how far they had gone, but the shadows of the trees had lengthened in the sunlight, seemingly nearing dusk, when Jiang Congyan faintly heard the sounds of the Xiongnu cavalry.

"Second Prince, there are Xianbei cavalry blocking us to the southwest."

"Second Prince, there are also Xianbei people approaching from the north."

Without his subordinates’ reports, Wudati Hou could also sense the distant tremors.

He narrowed his eyes, looking up at his beloved eagle in the sky, which circled for a while before flying westward.

"Don’t mind them, head west at full speed."

To the west was the Yellow River; once they crossed it, Tuo Baxiao would be powerless against him.

Tuo Baxiao pursued relentlessly and soon caught up with Zhang Zheng and his group.

Without wasting words, he closely tailed Wudati Hou's forces.

Wudati Hou, with years of battle experience, used a variety of escape tactics. As before, he left Imperial Guards to block them at a particularly narrow terrain.

Though they swiftly dealt with the guards, it still delayed them, preventing a full interception.

However, as Wudati Hou fled longer, his Imperial Guards dwindled, and their resistance faltered. Tuo Baxiao finally caught up with him by the Yellow River.

It was a small, remote ferry crossing with only a few boats, likely Wudati Hou's planned escape route. However, the area closest to the ferry had already been occupied by Su Li and the Xianbei cavalry.

The river roared, and the wind whipped the weeds and reeds on the bank. Heavy clouds hung low, threatening to burst. The wind howled, and armored soldiers stood like a frenzied ink painting.

Wudati Hou was cornered at the ferry crossing, with fewer than two hundred Imperial Guards remaining.

Su Li's eyes sparkled with anticipation. Wudati Hou was the Xiongnu's most formidable warrior. Killing him today would leave the Xianbei cavalry unrivaled on the grasslands and could even topple the Xiongnu royal court.

Su Li itched to charge, but A Long gripped him tightly.

"Wudati Hou has the Han Princess. Without the king's command, you must not act rashly."

As the king's confidant, he knew exactly how the king had treated the Han Princess recently.

Su Li couldn’t understand and turned his head. "She's just a Han Princess. If she dies, we can find another. This is Wudati Hou. If we kill him, the Xianbei people will have no rivals left on the grasslands."

"Remember how many lives we lost and how many cattle and sheep were taken when Wudati Hou attacked the royal court four years ago..."

A Long couldn’t predict the king’s decision, but without an attack order, he had to restrain General Su Li.

Su Li seethed but was powerless.

When Wudati Hou saw he was surrounded, his face darkened briefly, then he smirked provocatively at Tuo Baxiao.

"Tuo Baxiao, look who I have in my hands."

Jiang Congyan was yanked up by the back of her collar. Utterly spent, she let him maneuver her like a puppet. Even breathing sent sharp pain through her chest and abdomen, and her vision blurred. She could only vaguely see a tall figure on horseback in the distance.

"The princess you worked so hard to bring from Liang State—will you abandon her now?"

"Back off, beyond arrow range, or I’ll slit her throat," Wudati Hou ordered coldly, pressing a curved blade to her neck.

The cold blade pressed against her skin, like a viper coiled around her neck, poised to strike. The chilling aura of death sent shivers down her spine.

Finally, it had come.

Jiang Congyan fought to ignore her pain, discreetly fingering the hairpin in her sleeve, steeling herself. She opened her eyes slightly, looking toward Tuo Baxiao in the distance.

Beneath her tangled hair, her dark eyes gleamed like stars. She blinked slowly, then closed her eyes again, like a lifeless doll.

Tuo Baxiao's gaze lingered on her for only a moment before shifting away, saying nothing.

Zhang Zheng, fearing that Tuo Baxiao might prioritize killing Wudati Hou over the lady’s safety, quickly dismounted and knelt before him, pressing his forehead to the ground.

Throughout their journey, Zhang Zheng had never bowed to the Xianbei people, showing only formal respect to Tuo Baxiao. But at this moment, he cared for nothing—dignity, honor—none of it mattered. His resolute face showed unprecedented desperation and helplessness.

"Prince of Mobei, I implore you to protect the lady. If she is safe, the Marquis of Liangzhou will forge an alliance with you!"

At this critical moment, he dared not waste time with elaborate reasons and directly offered the greatest incentive.

As long as the girl's life can be preserved, he is willing to sacrifice anything.

Xie Shao was stunned that Zhang Zheng would use Liangzhou as leverage, but there was no time to dwell on it. He quickly dismounted and knelt before Tuo Baxiao, "Prince of Mobei, please, for the sake of our alliance, save the Han Princess!"

Following suit, several members of the Liangzhou Imperial Guard and the Lüben Guard also dismounted and knelt, pleading for mercy.

A circle of people knelt before Tuo Baxiao's warhorse, pleading for mercy.

Seeing this, Wudati Hou laughed even more smugly.

After the defeat, he had initially planned to kill the Han Princess to trouble Tuo Baxiao, but upon seeing her appearance, he changed his mind.

He’d heard this Han Princess was handpicked by Tuo Baxiao, and indeed, she was as beautiful as a flower. Instead of killing her and provoking Tuo Baxiao into an endless feud, it would be better to take her as his own bargaining chip. If he could bring her back to the royal court and make her his woman, it would be a great humiliation for Tuo Baxiao.

Now, all those Han people were pleading with Tuo Baxiao. Would he agree?

Tuo Baxiao urged his Li Eagle forward a few steps, the bright daylight couldn’t pierce the gloom in his emerald eyes.

Wudati Hou didn’t flinch as he approached; he even rode forward to meet him, confident that Tuo Baxiao alone could not take his life, especially since he held a hostage.

"As long as you let me go, I will return this Han Princess to you. A life for a life—seems fair, right?" Wudati Hou said maliciously.

Zhang Zheng and the others didn’t catch his meaning, but Su Li did, and his heart raced with anxiety, "My Prince, you cannot!"

"Wudati Hou is as cunning as a fox. We have finally trapped him; we cannot let this chance slip!" Su Li panicked, worried the Prince would let this chance slip.

Tuo Baxiao did not respond to him.

From the beginning until now, he had remained composed, not uttering a single word, making it impossible to discern his thoughts. Only a chilling aura clung to him, like a suppressed sword waiting for the right moment to draw blood.

Seeing his continued silence, Wudati Hou also began to hesitate. After all, she was just a woman, no matter how beautiful. If it were him, if he could kill Tuo Baxiao, he would not let go of this opportunity, even if it meant sacrificing all his wives and concubines.

He drew a sharp breath, his golden-green eyes glinting with cruelty, and shouted at Tuo Baxiao again, "Make up your mind! If you don’t, I’ll kill your Han Princess and then duel you!"

He increased the pressure, the blade once again nearing Jiang Congyan's fragile neck, already drawing a line of blood that stained her snow-white skin, both beautiful and shocking.

Tuo Baxiao's pupils contracted slightly, his eyes darkening further, his knuckles tightening on the reins.

The north wind along the river roared, whipping up sand that struck everyone's faces, their emotions as chaotic as the storm. They watched the confrontation between Wudati Hou and Tuo Baxiao on horseback, wondering what Tuo Baxiao would choose.

After a long pause, Tuo Baxiao finally sneered, "How do I know she’s even alive? Maybe she’s already dead!"

Wudati Hou had not expected such a question.

Throughout the journey, the Han Princess had not spoken a word, nor had she made any move to resist. Even when the blade was pressed to her neck, she had not reacted.

He instinctively lifted Jiang Congyan in his hand, lowering his head to look at her, and indeed, her eyes were closed, her lips pale. If not for her faint warmth, she might as well have been a corpse.

Even if she wasn't dead, she looked as if she was close to it.

Wudati Hou froze for a split second.

In that instant of hesitation, a white arrow, swift as a shooting star, shot toward him. His battlefield-honed instincts made his hair stand on end. He didn’t have time to react, slashing his curved blade to deflect the incoming strike.

At the same time, Jiang Congyan suddenly opened her tightly closed eyes, clutching her hairpin and driving it toward Wudati Hou’s neck with all her might, aiming straight for his jugular.

Her pale, fragile face was etched with cold-blooded determination.

Jiang Congyan had truly decided to risk everything on this single blow.

Wudati Hou was the greatest threat to Liang State and the Liangzhou region. The Xiongnu cavalry was powerful, but without an absolute leader, even if they continued to invade in the future, their strength would decline significantly. History might pivot at this very moment.

As he said, a life for a life—it was worth it.

However, Wudati Hou's reaction was much faster than she had anticipated, and his awareness of hidden killing intent was razor-sharp. The tip of her hairpin had just grazed his skin, barely scratching the surface before she could pierce deeper, when Wudati Hou had already moved.

Trapped between two threats—Tuo Baxiao's icy arrow slicing through the air and her assassination attempt—Wudati Hou couldn't handle both at once. Instinctively, he hurled her away and focused all his strength on deflecting the sneak attack.

Tuo Baxiao's arrow was the greater threat!

Jiang Congyan fell heavily from the nearly two-meter-high horse, her back scraping against the ground, burning with pain. Her insides felt like they’d been pummeled, and her arm was numb from the impact. Her vision swam.

Fortunately, the surroundings were muddy with weeds, providing some cushioning.

Pushing through the dizziness and pain, she clutched her arm and rolled several times toward Tuo Baxiao's direction before Wudati Hou could reach her.

Tuo Baxiao, having shot the arrow, immediately put away his bow and spurred the Li Eagle into a full-speed gallop toward her.

He had been a hundred paces away, and even at full speed, it would take a few moments to reach her. By then, Wudati Hou had already reacted. He was enraged, never imagining he’d be outwitted by a seemingly delicate Han woman.

She dared to try to assassinate him!

Without a second thought, Wudati Hou moved to capture Jiang Congyan. However, at that moment, a hail of arrows rained down.

"Fire the arrows!" Su Li shouted.

Unfortunately, they had been forced to retreat earlier, and at this distance, the arrows lacked lethal force. Wudati Hou's Imperial Guards also charged forward.

Wudati Hou deflected the surrounding arrows but still refused to give up, determined to capture her.

He was single-minded, blind to everything else, his mind set on one thing—killing this Han woman.

He’d been bested by a seemingly delicate Han woman!

This was his disgrace!

Jiang Congyan heard the sound of hooves close to her ears. A glint of steel flashed toward her, and she rolled forward in terror, narrowly avoiding Wudati Hou's slashing blade. The icy blade grazed her cheek, severing strands of her hair that scattered into the air.

She continued to roll forward, trying to escape, but she was no match for the speed of Wudati Hou’s charging steed. In an instant, he caught up to her. Wudati Hou raised his long blade again, slashing down with full force. Just as it was about to strike her, a silver spear, gleaming like winter’s first snow, shot through the air. It struck the descending blade less than half a foot from Jiang Congyan, forcefully deflecting it. The spear embedded itself deeply into the mud, its tip completely submerged, and the shaft quivered with force, a testament to the immense strength behind it.

The tremendous force numbed Wudati Hou's arm. Although he didn't drop his blade, its trajectory was altered.

Tuo Baxiao rushed forward like lightning. As he passed Jiang Congyan, he leaned sideways, scooping her up and placing her on his horse. Then he pulled out the spear he had thrown.

The entire incident, from start to finish, lasted only a few moments, but the danger felt as though it had stretched across an eternity.

Jiang Congyan only vaguely saw a familiar, handsome face. Back in the safety of his embrace, the tension she’d clung to finally unraveled, and she fainted.

Tuo Baxiao immediately looked down at the person in his arms. He saw her in an unprecedented state of disarray. Her face, delicate as a blossom, which he had always been reluctant to touch with any force, was now covered in fine scratches, her skin as pale as fresh snow. What enraged him the most was the crimson bloodstain on her otherwise flawless, jade-like neck—a mark left by Wudati Hou.

Having failed to kill Jiang Congyan and with Tuo Baxiao charging toward him, Wudati Hou quickly decided not to prolong the fight.

"Stop him, attack!" he ordered his Imperial Guards to surround Tuo Baxiao, while he himself turned and headed toward the river.

No matter the situation, even when consumed by rage, he always made decisive choices that favored his own interests. Whether it meant abandoning his subordinates or anything else, he never faltered.

The hostage he had taken was now lost, and Tuo Baxiao, free of any constraints, would undoubtedly come after him with everything he had.

Wudati Hou used the moment Tuo Baxiao went to rescue Jiang Congyan to quickly create distance, leading his remaining Imperial Guards to engage in battle with Su Li.

Tuo Baxiao cradled Jiang Congyan in one arm and wielded his spear with the other to fend off the surrounding Xiongnu cavalry. Fortunately, the rest of the Xianbei cavalry quickly rushed in.

Su Li led the Xianbei cavalry to surround Wudati Hou, thinking they could surely capture him, but the ferocity of a cornered beast was far beyond what he had anticipated.

He kept ordering his men to loose arrows, but Wudati Hou was fiercely protected by his Imperial Guard and was extremely brave, clad in full armor. Only his arm and leg were struck, making it hard to kill him outright.

Finally, Wudati Hou was driven to the edge of a cliff, with only a dozen or so Imperial Guards by his side.

"Wudati Hou, you have nowhere to escape," Su Li grinned sinisterly.

Below them surged a river. It was April, and the north was fully thawed, with the spring flood raging fiercely.

Wudati Hou looked at the tightly packed Xianbei cavalry before him, then at the turbulent Yellow River below, and finally at Tuo Baxiao in the distance. He drew a deep breath and bellowed:

"Tuo Baxiao, I will remember this day!"

With that, he jumped without hesitation.

Su Li lunged forward, attempting to grab him, but he was a step too late. He could only watch as Wudati Hou fell into the river and quickly disappeared under the rapids.

His decisiveness was indeed rare, forging a slim chance of survival in a seemingly hopeless situation.

For a moment, everyone stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

"My lord, shall we send men to search downstream?" Su Li asked.

Logically, Wudati Hou had been struck by arrows and was wounded, and the river was so swift. The chances of survival were minimal, but this was Wudati Hou. Just like their lord, the impossible could always happen to him.

Tuo Baxiao gave a nonchalant nod and then carried Jiang Congyan back.

If Wudati Hou was dead, so be it. If not, he was not afraid. A defeated foe was just that. Since he had defeated him twice, he could defeat him a third time in the future.

Zhang Zheng watched as Tuo Baxiao carried the lady back and wanted to step forward to check on her condition.

Regardless of whether the lady had been tortured by Wudati Hou earlier, just the fall alone filled him with deep concern. He knew how delicate the lady was and how she could endure such an ordeal.

Yet Tuo Baxiao paid him no heed, his face as cold as ice. He shot him a glance before riding off on his Li Eagle.

Though he said nothing, Zhang Zheng saw reproach, disdain, and even... murderous intent in that single glance!

He was sure he was not mistaken.

Zhang Zheng clenched his fist but remained silent, silently following behind him.

Tuo Baxiao carefully cradled the person in his arms, ensuring she wouldn’t be jostled, and then quickened his pace back to camp.

Back at the camp, everyone waited anxiously.

When they saw Tuo Baxiao carrying the lady back, Ruo Lan and Si Zi rushed to greet him first, while the rest of the Liangzhou Imperial Guard also eagerly looked on.

In the previous battle, Si Zi’s arm had also been grazed by an arrow. Fortunately, the wound was not deep, and after a hasty bandage, she had been waiting here, utterly distraught.

She blamed herself to the extreme, regretting that she had not protected the lady. If anything happened to the lady, she would not be able to live with herself.

Even Chigan Balie felt complex emotions.

He had never liked this Han Princess and had even thought it would be better if she disappeared in an accident. But after she was actually kidnapped by Wudati Hou, he found himself unable to feel happy.

Now, seeing the lord bring her back, he realized he had let out a sigh of relief without even noticing.

"Prince of Mobei, how is she?" Ruo Lan was so anxious that she forgot about etiquette.

Tuo Baxiao dismounted, carrying Jiang Congyan in his arms. "Get the physician here."

Only after he dismounted did Ruo Lan and Si Zi see that the lady was unconscious, her arms hanging limply, her eyes tightly shut, lifeless.

Their hearts, just starting to calm, were gripped again. Their faces changed; they wanted to touch her but didn’t dare. Ruo Lan turned pale instantly, a chill running up her spine, nearly collapsing.

It was Si Zi who reacted first, quickly leading Tuo Baxiao to the tent they had prepared earlier. The tent was draped with silk, creating a private yet well-lit space.

Zhang Fu was also waiting nearby, hurriedly inviting Tuo Baxiao to lay the lady down on the clean carpet inside the tent.

When he saw her current state, he was startled.

The lady, once meticulously cared for and beautiful as a flower, now looked utterly disheveled. She was pale, her flawless face cut by weeds, some already clotted, leaving crisscrossing bloodstains. The wound on her neck bled heavily, making her look even worse. The old lord and lady would be heartbroken to see her like this!

Zhang Fu pushed aside his panic, forcing himself to stay calm. He checked her pupils first, felt her pulse, then examined her limbs to see if there were any broken bones. Finally, he hovered over her abdomen, glancing at Tuo Baxiao.

Tuo Baxiao stood silently beside him, expressionless, his eyes dark since their return.

Seeing no reaction from him, Zhang Fu pressed his palm down, checking if there were any injuries to her back.

"The lady seems to be in decent shape. Her bones are fine, and she’s not in immediate danger. She lost some blood from her neck wound, but it’ll heal. But her internal organs and back took a hit and are congested. She’ll need time to recover."

"Thank goodness she’s okay!" Ruo Lan clutched her chest, suddenly collapsing to the ground.

When she saw the lady carried back lifeless by the Prince of Mobei, no one knew how scared she was. It felt like seventeen years ago all over again. She was terrified, fearing she’d lose the lady and be helpless.

The lady was her only reason for living. If something happened to the lady, she’d follow her.

After Zhang Fu finished speaking, he hesitated, as if he wanted to say more.

"Is there anything else?" Ruo Lan quickly asked.

Zhang Fu looked at Tuo Baxiao and said, "I only checked her insides and bones. I can’t properly check her external injuries. Change her clothes, check her over, and let me know."

The lady said life matters more than etiquette, and doctor-patient formality isn’t needed, but Zhang Fu still avoided unnecessary exposure when he could.

Ruo Lan and Si Zi knew some basic medical stuff, so this wasn’t too difficult.

After Zhang Fu told them what to look for, he stepped outside.

Tuo Baxiao, however, remained standing where he was, unmoving. The two women were at a loss, unsure whether they should ask him to leave.

At that moment, Su Li came to report. He stood outside the tent. "Prince, we have captured over a thousand Xiongnu cavalry. What should we do with these prisoners?"

Tuo Baxiao's gaze fell on Jiang Congyan, who was still unconscious. Her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, as if she was uneasy even in her sleep.

Her face was covered in small wounds, her black hair a mess, and her white dress stained with yellow-brown mud. Even so, she was still beautiful, fragile and heart-wrenching. But he preferred her previous self, with her clear, dark eyes.

She would smile at him, and sometimes get angry and give him a cold look. Even when she refused him with her eyes open, it was better than this lifeless state.

Tuo Baxiao took a deep look at the sleeping Jiang Congyan, then turned and strode out of the tent.

Outside, Su Li was waiting, and General Modolou was also there. Both of their armors were covered in blood, and they had numerous wounds. Modolou even had a long bloodstain on his face, showing just how fierce the battle had been.

Su Li reported the results of the battle with the Xiongnu cavalry to Tuo Baxiao. They had fought brilliantly, annihilating two thousand elite Xiongnu cavalry and capturing over a thousand. Their own losses were less than seven hundred, a three-to-one casualty ratio that would be considered a great victory anywhere. Not to mention the horses they had captured, all of which were top-tier Xiongnu warhorses.

"...Those Xiongnu cavalry lost their fighting spirit soon after Wudati Hou fled. Hmph, boasting about being the best cavalry in the world—I think they’re no different from those weak Han soldiers. Our Xianbei warriors are the strongest on the grasslands..."

Su Li spoke excitedly, but then noticed that the Prince was still cold-faced, his aura chilling. Su Li's voice gradually trailed off.

"Prince?"

Tuo Baxiao stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the mountains in the northwest, and commanded Su Li, "Kill them all, leave none alive!"