Chapter 90: Tuo Baxiao Directly Pulled Her onto His Horse…

Chapter 90: Tuo Baxiao yanked her onto his horse...

Jiang Congyan wrote off and on for an hour before finishing the reply. By the end, her hand hovered over the paper for a long time without moving.

Tuo Baxiao had asked if she missed him.

Of course, she had thought of him—but not the way he meant.

His letter had been so direct, clearly demanding a reply where she admitted missing him too, preferably with the same fervor as his words. Yet she simply couldn’t force herself to write it, and truthfully, she hadn’t really thought about it much.

If she didn’t write it, given how petty he was about these things, he would surely "take it personally" and find ways to torment her later. After much deliberation, she finally wrote at the end of the letter: "Wishing for your safe and early return."

She then called Lingxiao over to deliver the letter.

This time, Lingxiao absolutely refused to go.

The trip back had worn the poor bird out.

Jiang Congyan had no choice but to bribe it with treats, neck rubs, and sweet talk. Only by the next day did it finally agree to take off.

Having flown the route once, Lingxiao now knew the way—not just the path, but also how to find people.

Tuo Baxiao’s army was no longer in its original position. He had left men behind, fearing Lingxiao might get lost, but the bird didn’t need any guidance. After circling a few times, it found him on its own.

When Tuo Baxiao returned from battle and stepped into his tent, he saw a white figure sprawled arrogantly across his bed, so at home it might as well have claimed the bed as its nest.

He strode forward, grabbing Lingxiao by the wing and dragging it up. The bird screeched in protest—this guy’s so rough!

Tuo Baxiao held down its flapping wings and spotted the message tube tied to its leg. His furrowed brows finally relaxed.

But the tube was way too small—half the size of his own. Did she really have so little to say to him?

Impatient, he opened the tube and unfurled the letter. Though the pages were few, her handwriting was far more elegant than his, making the letter a decent length.

Sitting on the bed, he read line by line. Before long, his brows knitted again.

The letter congratulated him on his first victory, then mentioned that all was well in the royal court—the wheat in Tumochuan was ready for harvest, promising a good yield, and the workshops were complete, ready for the autumn border trade... She also inquired about the war, especially whether Yanmen Pass had been successfully taken. All serious matters—not a single line about missing him.

Tuo Baxiao flipped through the pages rapidly, just skimming, until the last page. Only in the final half did he find two lines expressing hope for his early return.

After all the words he had written about missing her, this is all I get?

His fingers clenched, crumpling the letter.

Tch. Since she’s so half-hearted with me, I’ll make sure to punish her properly when I return.

...

After days of effort, A Long finally completed the task assigned by the king. Carrying a bulging sack, he arrived at the royal tent. Along the way, many asked what he was hauling, but A Long thought, *If I dared say, the king would kill me.* So he simply replied, "Don’t know."

Entering the tent, he found the king sitting on the bed, clearly in a foul mood. Not daring to speak unnecessarily, he presented the heavy sack. "My king, your orders have been fulfilled. Everything is here."

Tuo Baxiao glanced over, the gloom in his jade-green eyes easing slightly. He reached out, took the sack, and waved a hand to dismiss him.

A Long quickly stepped outside.

A Long had spared no effort, fearing the king’s dissatisfaction. He had dug up everything he could.

Tuo Baxiao opened the sack—there was indeed quite a lot. A thick stack, at least a dozen books. He picked one at random and started leafing through it.

It turned out he had carried that book with him all along, memorizing every page by heart, nearly revering it as sacred. But these books made that one seem trivial.

The illustrations in these books were even more novel and daring.

So you could do *this* too?!

These Han people preached propriety and morality on the surface, yet in private, they were just like the Jie—hungry for pleasure, even more inventive than the barbarians.

Tuo Baxiao devoured the pages with gusto, but the more he read, the more he couldn’t help but think of her, resenting that she wasn’t by his side now.

He flipped through the pages rapidly, finishing one book quickly before moving on to the next. Just as his interest peaked, he opened another—when his face twisted in fury.

His heavy brows slammed down, his deep emerald eyes beneath high-arched brows turning icy. His entire demeanor became terrifyingly grim, his aura sharp as a naked blade, even carrying a hint of killing intent.

Tuo Baxiao hurled the book in his hand violently. The pages tore through the air with a *whap* before crashing heavily to the ground, one torn page drifting loose.

"A Long!" Tuo Baxiao roared.

Hearing the king’s furious voice, A Long’s gut lurched, his legs trembling slightly.

It had been a long time since he’d seen the king this enraged, yet he was certain he hadn’t done anything to provoke him.

Terror locked his limbs, but habit drove him forward. He entered the tent immediately and knelt on one knee before the king without a word.

"My king," A Long responded cautiously, not daring to look up.

"What kind of books did you bring me?!" Tuo Baxiao snapped.

"I—I only got what you asked for!" A Long stammered, utterly confused. After a moment’s thought, he admitted his oversight. "My oversight, my king. I skimmed them, saw the illustrations were similar, and brought them back. If some aren’t what you wanted, I’ll take the blame. I’ll burn them right away."

Without hesitation, A Long picked up the book from the ground and backpedaled toward the exit.

"Wait."

He turned to statue.

Tuo Baxiao swiftly flipped through the remaining books. Finding none like the cursed one, his expression eased slightly.

"Go. Burn it now."

A Long bolted.

He didn’t dare ask why the king was so furious, nor did he dare look at what was depicted in the book. Following orders, he found a brazier outside and tossed the book into the flames.

After A Long left, Tuo Baxiao remained alone in the tent, his breath sawing in and out for a long time before finally calming down.

He had no interest in the remaining books either, shoving them into a haphazard pile and stuffing them into a chest with his clothes.

——

Su Li and the others pushed forward unchecked. The western front lacked natural barriers like Yanmen Pass, and the Jie were no match for the fierce Xianbei cavalry, routed within hours.

After the two armies merged, Tuo Baxiao divided his forces again to pursue the shattered Jie forces.

The Jie king Wudushi, the Third Prince Toke, and General Nuliqin were cut down, scattering the Jie like chaff until they finally surrendered.

With this, Tuo Baxiao swallowed up the lands stretching from Lüliang to Taihang—wrenched from the Jie’s grip—and fully incorporated Henei and Hedong into his territory.

Hedong originally belonged to Ji Province. Though Ji Province was mountainous, its valleys sprawled wide, and rivers crisscrossed the land, turning its soil to gold—one of the breadbaskets of the north.

Jinyang was the most crucial city in Ji Province, having been a northern stronghold since the previous dynasty. To its east lay the natural barriers of Mount Heng and the Taihang Mountains, while to its west stood the fortified Yellow River. Situated at the northern gateway of the Central Plains, it occupied a pivotal position in the empire and had always been a fiercely contested battleground.

Since the chaos of the late previous dynasty, when nomadic tribes took advantage of the turmoil to invade southward, Jinyang had been occupied by the Jie. For decades, the Central Plains dynasties had failed to reclaim it. Now that it had fallen into Tuoba Baxiao's hands, it signified his true foothold in the Central Plains, extending a powerful arm deep into the heartland. Once he had gathered his strength, he could seize the remaining territories at any moment.

Liang State was gripped with tension, fearing that Tuoba Baxiao would continue his southward march after conquering the Jie. Fortunately, this did not come to pass.

After slaughtering the Jie army, many Jie commoners remained. Though they had not participated in the fighting, the presence of adult men was inherently a threat—rivals for resources.

Tuoba Baxiao's subordinates urged him to kill all the men and spare only the women and children. Zhang Zheng’s brow furrowed at this. "Prince of the Northern Desert, I believe this is unwise."

The Xianbei officers shot him furious glares.

Zhang Zheng had distinguished himself in the battle at Yanmen Pass, earning command. His performance in pursuing the Jie had also been outstanding. His grasp of terrain outmatched that of the Xianbei people, and even they had to admire his military prowess. But that didn’t entitle him to meddle in Xianbei matters.

Zhang Zheng knew his words would provoke the others, but he had to speak.

Relying solely on massacre to suppress other tribes was unacceptable, especially slaughtering civilians. Their resentment would fester, and one day they would rise in rebellion. The lady had warned.

Before setting out, the lady had specifically instructed him to try to dissuade the Prince of the Northern Desert. Zhang Zheng fully agreed with her words. Moreover, there were so many Han people in the Jie territories—he could not stand by and watch them be slaughtered.

Tuoba Baxiao fell silent for a moment before ruling, "Men who surrender shall not be killed. Those who refuse—execute them."

"My Prince, no!"

"What if they surrender now but ambush us later?"

The men erupted in protest, but when Tuoba Baxiao suddenly lifted his gaze to them, they felt an invisible force press down, stilling their voices involuntarily.

"I have made my decision. No more debate."

They could only murmur their assent.

Unable to sway their prince, they turned their resentment on Zhang Zheng, blaming this Han man for influencing his decision.

Fresh from conquest, Tuoba Baxiao should have stayed longer to suppress potential unrest. But he had been away from the royal court for over a month and was eager to return. He stationed Xianbei cavalry in key towns and passes, rounded up some Jie men, and tasked Zhang Zheng with escorting them to Tumochuan.

As for the women and children—under normal circumstances, they would have been spoils of war, and his subordinates had long been eager to claim them. But Tuoba Baxiao forbade it.

He recalled her words. Having read many books recently, his thinking had begun to change.

If he wished to rule the Central Plains in the future, bloodshed alone wouldn’t suffice. Of course, he would not hesitate when killing was necessary.

Thus, he distributed the noble Jie women and children among his officers but forbade any action against the commoners.

Though grumbles spread, Tuoba Baxiao's authority was absolute, and none dared protest further.

One unexpected development was Tuoba Wuxi's refusal to accept any spoils. He offered no explanation, only a refusal.

The others could guess why—the defeat still gnawed at him. Since the conquest of the Jie was largely Tuoba Baxiao's achievement, he did not want to appear as though he was taking advantage of him.

If he refused, Tuoba Baxiao wouldn’t press him.

Once everything was settled, he set off for the royal court with a few hundred light cavalry.

Unencumbered by supply trains, they moved swiftly and would arrive in just a few days.

He had already sent Lingxiao ahead with a letter, specifying his arrival date.

When Jiang Congyan received the message, she grasped his meaning—he expected her to greet him.

His quick return meant the war had gone well, and she was genuinely pleased. Yet the thought of her peaceful days ending once he returned left her feeling a little down.

Life was so easy now... oh well.

Regardless of her feelings, she ordered preparations to be made and went personally to welcome him outside the palace. She also instructed Si Zi to inform the others of Tuo Baxiao’s return.

Upon hearing the news, the king's court buzzed with excitement as if celebrating a festival, and by early morning, crowds had gathered outside to await him.

Jiang Congyan wore a white silk inner blouse with narrow sleeves, layered with a grass-green embroidered half-sleeved tunic adorned with floral and avian motifs. Below, she donned a pleated skirt in sky blue, weighted with tassels and jade ornaments. As summer had passed and the air turned cooler, she draped a light-blue cloak over her shoulders. Her hair was swept up entirely, adorned with gold hairpins inlaid with rubies, looking both lovely and regal as she sat quietly atop her horse.

All around her, the people of the palace excitedly chattered, boasting of their king’s latest victories—their king, who had never suffered defeat.

A plume of dust rose on the distant horizon, followed by the distant rumble of hoofbeats and a sea of dark banners, coming some giant beast. At the forefront rode a single horseman.

"The king has returned!"

"The king returns victorious!"

The crowd broke into cheers, their voices rising and falling in waves. Yet amid the clamor, the sound of one horse’s gallop rang distinctly in Jiang Congyan’s ears, that went straight to her heart.

The towering figure grew clearer.

She recognized him—Tuo Baxiao, who had been gone for a month and a half.

Tuo Baxiao’s gaze locked onto Jiang Congyan amidst the crowd. She sat gracefully upon her snow-white steed, the autumn wind lifting the hem of her robes like pristine snow upon muddy earth—a rare, delicate flower on the grasslands, standing out in breathtaking beauty.

Across the distance, their eyes met.

Jiang Congyan blinked nervously, offering him only a faint smile.

The man squinted his green eyes and abruptly spurred his horse forward, charging toward her at full speed.

The massive black stallion, bearing its equally towering rider, came charging like a landslide, its momentum fierce. The crowd instinctively scattered.

Trusting his horsemanship, Jiang Congyan held her ground—until she felt a moment of confusion as she realized he showed no sign of slowing as he neared.

The next instant, a strong arm grabbed her waist, and she was lifted into the air. Before she could catch her breath, she landed in a strong, firm embrace—

Tuo Baxiao had pulled her right onto his own horse.