Chapter 368

Bateer flew into a rage: "What do you mean?"

"Is bringing Father Khan tonics every day just an act? Is keeping vigil by his bedside all night just an act?"

Su He walked to the center, gazing at the several elders and senior officials, and slammed his right hand hard against his chest:

"On the steppe, the ancient rule is: if an eagle pecks out the eyes of its nest‑mate, it should have its wings broken and be flung off a cliff to feed the vultures."

"If a wolf bites the throat of the old wolf king, the whole pack will tear it to pieces!"

"Today, if we let the Second Prince, who poisoned his own Father Khan, go unpunished, where will the wrath of Eternal Heaven blaze across the grasslands? Upon which tribe will it fall?"

Several elders' faces turned ashen, and they began to discuss.

"The White Deer tribe has just cleared its name, how could it produce such a wicked scion!"

"Bao'er Chi's blood is streaming onto the felt! How could it be fake?"

"Poisoning the Great Khan! This is a heinous crime that no one on the steppe can tolerate!"

The murmuring spread like a tide, and the gazes of several people toward Jifeng shifted from initial doubt to disappointment and contempt.

Aersi Leng felt anxious inside and probed: "Or perhaps we wait until the Great Khan can speak, then let him personally pass judgment on the Second Prince?"

"Speak? Maybe in the next life."

Bateer, confident, looked at E'ermuqi: "It could be done, but E'ermuqi, you tell us—when will Father Khan be able to speak? How much longer does he need to recuperate?"

E'ermuqi slowly shook his head: "The Great Khan's poisoning is deep; merely preserving his life is already difficult. Speaking… is hardly possible."

Jifeng stood alone in place, like the last horse in a blizzard refusing to kneel.

Xiao Ningxun clenched his fists, Xiao Ran gritted his teeth, and the hilts of Xiao Er's and Lu Qi's knives were soaked with sweat.

Tuan Tuan furrowed her little brow.

What are they going to do to Uncle Jifeng?

Finally, the eldest elder slowly rose.

He approached Menggen's cot, leaned in for a moment, and said: "Great Khan, on our Xilu grassland a treacherous wolf who has slain father and sovereign has appeared."

"Since you can neither speak nor move, we few will decide for you."

Xiao Ran exclaimed in surprise: "The Great Khan is still alive—how can you decide for him?"

Su He snorted: "How do you Central Plains people understand our steppe's rules?"

"The Great Khan cannot manage affairs and has named no heir; thus all major matters are decided by consultation among the elders and senior officials."

That elder ignored their conversation, stared straight at Jifeng, his face full of pity: "Second Prince Jifeng."

"According to steppe law, you will be bound to a horse's back and dragged to the foot of the Holy Mountain, then tied to a tree,

whether you live or die is entirely up to the will of Eternal Heaven."

Su He's mouth corner twitched upward slightly.

Bateer turned his body, his shoulders trembling slightly, as if reluctant, yet he slowly nodded.

Jifeng smiled like a wolf grinding its fangs: "You set a trap for me and still want my life?" He gripped the hilt of his saber at his waist.

Su He gave Bateer a look; Bateer's face darkened: "You have committed such a grave crime, yet you dare to kick about like a spirited horse? Seize him!"

A few guards outside the door rushed in together.

Xiao Ran, upon hearing, grew anxious: "Isn't that just feeding him to the wolves? We haven't even clarified anything—how can you do this?"

Feeding to wolves? Using Uncle Jifeng to feed wolves?

"No!" Tuan Tuan shouted: "I am the steppe's holy maiden—I forbid it!"

Su He sighed and said softly: "Holy maiden, that poison was given to the Second Prince by your brothers; you'd better not say anything more."

"The elders haven't yet called you to account for your crimes."

Cangying Po Po's expression grew grave, Aersi Leng felt anxious inside, but having come to this point, both were powerless.

The guards stepped forward a few paces, several pairs of large hands reaching simultaneously for Jifeng's arms.

Jifeng's expression unchanged, his saber flashed out of its sheath.

Xiao Ningxun shouted loudly: "Brother Jifeng!"

Jifeng glanced at him; Xiao Ningxun's heart burned with anxiety—should he not resist? Would he just let others drag him away to be fed to wolves?

To resist? In others' eyes, that would become the final desperate act after the crime is proven—whatever he does is wrong!

Bateer roared: "Seize him!"

The guards each drew their waist swords, showing no weakness.

At the moment swords were drawn and bows strung.

"Wait a moment!" a clear child's voice rang out.

Tuan Tuan lunged to the edge of Menggen's cot.

She pointed at Menggen's wide-open eyes: "Great Khan Grandfather has something to say!"

"The Great Khan will speak?" Several elders and officials turned their gazes to Menggen.

Bateer's heart jumped—Father Khan can speak?

He lifted his gaze to the cot: Menggen's eyes were wide open, his eyeballs twitching slightly, yet he still could not utter a sound, nor move an inch.

His mind eased a little, the corner of his mouth twitching: "Holy maiden, the Great Khan is merely furious inside upon hearing that Jifeng poisoned him."

"If he could speak, he would surely agree with the elders' verdict."

Su He interjected: "The Crown Prince speaks well; the Great Khan is wise and mighty, hearing that his own son dared to poison him, he is grieved and indignant—hence this reaction."

He sighed lightly: "This is only natural, like an old horse seeing its colt run off—what father wouldn't feel anguish?"

He turned his head to the guards facing off with Jifeng, raised his hand and pointed at Jifeng, brow furrowed: "What are you waiting for? Didn't you hear the Crown Prince's words? Quickly seize him!"

"Stop!" Cangying Po Po stared at Tuan Tuan: "Why the rush? Have you forgotten the divine manifestation the holy maiden showed at the spring rites?"

Everyone's heart gave a start, and all eyes once again gathered on Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan pursed her lips, extended a small hand, and tightly grasped Menggen's cold, stiff, curled large hand.

She closed her eyes, her little face tightened, as if she wanted to use her own power to make Menggen recover.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, muttering confusedly, "Why is there still so much black qi? The purple qi won't come out."

Su He sneered, "Saintess, are you about to show your holiness again?"

Bateer twisted the corner of his mouth, "Father Khan is about to be driven mad by Jifeng; if he could speak, he would have said it long ago!"

Tuan Tuan ignored them and looked around inside the Golden Tent.

Suddenly, her gaze fell on Fan Fan, who was sniffing around on the bed.

"Right! Fan Fan!"

"On the spring festival day, among the four great guardian spirits of the steppe was the Azure Wolf!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes lit up, and she carefully lifted Fan Fan, placing it beside Menggen's other outstretched palm: "Fan Fan, you're the wolf king's baby, right?"

"Your father is a guardian spirit of the steppe!"

She extended her small hand, gently tapped the snowy white tuft on Fan Fan's forehead: "Think of a way to help Great Khan, okay?"

"Together with me, let's drive all the black qi off his body!"

Fan Fan tilted its head as if half‑understood, and its nose sniffed Menggen's finger.

The next moment.

It let out a low howl, "Awo…wu…".

The sound was no longer that of a cub, but a long, low echo, faintly carrying the desolate resonance of the wolf king's long howl.

Immediately, the white tuft on Fan Fan's forehead suddenly blossomed into a soft, silvery‑gray radiance.

It stretched out its two tiny front paws and gently placed them on Menggen's palm.

Tuan Tuan also hurriedly clasped Menggen's other hand.

The silvery‑gray aura rippled outward from Fan Fan's paws, instantly spreading over Menggen's wrist, arm, chest…

Wherever it passed, the dense black qi that had been tightly coiled in Tuan Tuan's eyes melted away like ice and snow under scorching sun, quickly dissipating!

A deep, muffled gasp burst from Menggen's throat.

"Ho—!"

His rigid body shuddered violently, and a mouthful of thick, black‑and‑purple blood sputtered from his mouth, splattering onto the bedding, shocking to behold.

"Father Khan!" Jifeng dropped his curved blade, rushed to the bedside, extended his hand, and wiped the blood from his father's mouth.

Bateer widened his eyes, and Su He's face kept twitching.

Menggen, who had been like a stone statue, bound for an entire night, suddenly regained vitality.

His tense shoulders and neck relaxed slightly, and those eyes that had been dead‑staring, bloodshot, finally moved with less stiffness.

His gaze swept over Tuan Tuan's small face, lingered on Jifeng's face, seeing Jifeng's surprise and concern reflected there.

He slowly turned his head, saw Bateer's ghostly pale face, and his expression turned icy.

Inside the tent, a hush fell; everyone stared dumbfounded at the scene that seemed like a miracle.

Menggen's lips trembled, opening, closing, opening again.

At last, he found his voice again, hoarse and broken, but he managed to force it out with difficulty:

"Last night…"

Bateer convulsed all over, staggered backward, knocked over the low table behind him, and cups and plates crashed to the ground in a clatter.