Chapter 261

This is really a big problem, huh! Are you going to die, Langnv? The prisoner on the ground teased with a slightly joking tone, his tone smug, much happier than the soldiers beside him who kept shouting "Your Highness! Your Highness!" without pause.

"Get out of the way, I'm not dying yet." She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, angrily shoved aside the attendant cavalry beside her, then issued an order: "If that idiot says another stupid thing, I'll cut off the tongue he dares to charge with!"

After saying that, she spat out another mouthful of blood.

If it weren't for her timely escape from the azure hawk's body, she could have vomited even more blood, and the mental shock would have been greater. However, her willpower was enough to resist that false external impact like a volcanic eruption, and her body could also withstand the fake burning pain—enduring to the end, she actually felt the flames striving to please and attract her.

This foolish red-robed monk.

But she knew that as long as this red-robed monk was around, dealing with Budun, she could no longer take advantage of the shapeshifter's edge.

"Langnv, what are you putting on this show for? Damn, when we were fighting I never heard you make a sound, and now you're spitting blood—what's that supposed to mean? If you die, don't blame it on me!"

"Shall I cut out his tongue, Your Highness?" Great Jia Si asked.

Langnv glanced at Jia Si, but didn't answer him.

"Putting it on your tab isn't that more impressive?" Mei Yi said disdainfully, "I just got bitten by a mouth of the evil creature raised by your Lord Budun, and now I feel nauseous enough to vomit blood—are you satisfied?"

She was both answering the prisoner and explaining to the soldiers beside her.

"Your Highness, where is the evil creature?" Jia Si asked. Ha'erluo pulled him back after hearing that, but Jia Si was somewhat indifferent. "Wherever it is, I'll go slaughter it!" He insisted.

"Which red-robed cultist?" Ha'erluo inquired.

"Of course it's that red-robed monk." Mei Yi leaned on her sword, stood up, nodded, then wiped the corner of her mouth again, feeling a bit uncomfortable but saying it wasn't a big deal, though it was hard to fully figure out at the moment. "Do you know how Lusi Budun lost the battle, Sir?"

"Don't come with that—your claim of defeating him might not even be true… you're just trying to trick us into opening the gates and surrendering. I guess you also prepared a flayed man banner, right? You think what you've done in the south is so far from the North that we couldn't possibly find out?"

"Oh, how would we find out?" Really strange, Mei Yi began to take great interest, "Could Zhanmu or Paixi'er the High Priest really be kind enough to tell you the story of their crushing defeat?"

"Your Highness, the enemy——" Ha'erluo's words were cut off by Mei Yi's gesture.

"They certainly aren't that kind-hearted……" He shifted to a more comfortable pose, "But wanting to know these things isn't difficult. You brought back quite a few soldiers and prisoners from the south. Damn, I admit, releasing those prisoners was a clever move; they return grateful and devoted, also spreading word of you far and wide. You won't forget the other family prisoners you rescued, will you? Too bad you forgot to make them keep silent."

"But you're the only one paying attention to this information, right? I prepared a banner—how many could see through it? You wouldn't really think there are fewer fools in the River East than in the River West, would you?"

The sound of hooves like dots, Mei Yi looked up; a lone rider came from the direction of Mountain Yang City. Her soldiers had already moved forward to intercept.

"At least in my view, your Lord Lusi Budun is also a fool. He clearly has the stronger strength, yet he allies with the evil gods—he thinks everything is under his control, but he doesn't realize that what those evil gods love most is mockery. If it weren't for him burning to death the officers of Feilinte before the battle, you'd think I won so quickly for no reason?" Budun's cavalry still looked far off, Mei Yi had plenty of time to chat with him, "He's a cruel tyrant, Sir; you should help me, not a rebel of the old gods."

"I'm just a prisoner……"

"You could also be a free knight, someday a viscount lord, an earl lord. The North doesn't have that many places, but my goal isn't only the North. Hehe, you wouldn't think the whole North is as grain-abundant as the River East, would you?"

"Pah! What's so different about the River East? Is the North's snow piled up to the River West? Piled up to the Great Wall? You'd better pray this winter isn't as long as imagined, otherwise your rule will be a dead land. Your brother Luo Bo Stake was defeated in the south—you don't really think that has no effect on Budun, do you?"

"He has never lost a single battle, whereas Budun has lost quite a few."

"Hey, at least Budun brought back the River East's soldiers; those old, weak, sick, and disabled waiting in the North only have gratitude to give. As for your undefeated brother Luo Bo, what has he done—you wouldn't not know, right? Hah, while the northern soldiers were fighting hard, he even despised rolling in the hay with a Frey whore, and he valued that Stake face more than the North itself! And his stupid old mother…… oh, you're a bastard, not her seed…… damn, you actually have more advantages than Luo Bo. Hey, if I were also in the south, I might just be the first to stab him……"

"You should be glad you didn't go," Mei Yi kicked this time, his whole body curled up and vomited bile, "Otherwise, I wouldn't have to waste my breath talking to you here." It was the evil gods' magic that killed him and the northerners. But on that point, she isn't entirely sure. Since the conversation has reached this point, there's no need to continue, so she laid her cards on the table: "Budun may be smarter than others, able to bring back the River East's soldiers, but I have sworn that every soldier Budun brought back from Twin River City, I will hang one by one; their elderly parents, if they wish, can also watch…… As for those who didn't participate, you'd better hope they're smart enough, otherwise you have no need to boast about Budun's brutal 'achievements'."

"Oh……" he cried out in pain, "You talk…… like a nagging southern queen, what exactly do you want to say?"

"Swear fealty to me, and everything still has a chance……"

"Save it…… you might as well send my head to Mountain Yang City; if they're softies, they'll naturally open the gate for you……"

"Spare his life!" a female voice called out.

Mei Yi turned his head to look at her. Her face was frozen red, time leaving traces on it, yet she remained beautiful. She wore the fur coat and sheepskin cloak commonly worn by northerners—not exquisite, but clean and tidy. Even before she spoke, Mei Yi had noticed her.

She was the woman who had ridden from the direction of Mountain Yang City, now out of breath, held among the guard cavalry members.

"Why are you coming over?" Sir Huotemoermo rolled over his body, struggling to turn toward the sound, his face flushing.

"I've come here to save you!" She turned to look at Mei Yi, "I've brought gold, and I hope you'll allow me to ransom the prisoner according to the knight's code. I know you are the greatest knight of the North, and you will surely follow the rules."

"Madam, how should I address you?"

"Qiao Ruina Moermo. I am the daughter of your captive Sir Mot."

"Exchanging prisoners or ransoming them takes place when the war ends or during a truce; now the war is still ongoing, and what's more, Budun's cavalry will be here soon. Heck, they're already here. In this situation, how could I release such an important prisoner? He's the famous 'Charger'!"

"Make him swear not to take part in the war anymore!"

"I won't swear!"

"Look? He's stubborn. Besides, I don't even see that you've brought any gold……" Mei Yi chuckled, "Nord, does she have any gold on her?"

"Your Highness, she only has two daggers. One has an icefield wolf etched on it, and this lady says it's a little dog." Nord laughed as he handed the short dagger engraved with an icefield wolf pattern to Mei Yi.

Mei Yi lightly tested the dagger's weight; its scabbard was a leather pouch with icefield wolf patterning, the handle a unique silver icefield running wolf—clearly, the original owner of this dagger must have been a Stake.

The gold I left in the city; as long as you are willing to release the prisoners, I will certainly be willing to send the gold up. I am willing to pay the ransom according to the lord's standard.

"I don't need your gold……" Sir Mo Te had just spoken when Mei Yi kicked him hard. "Whether or not we need the gold is up to me to decide." She then turned to look at Qiao Ruina, "Why should I trust you?"

"Oh…… because she's a stupid woman, she thinks that having borne Shi Ta Ke's bastard, Shi Ta Ke should believe her. Damn it, tell her, tell her what's up with your bastard!"

Mei Yi had a strange feeling, and she increasingly found it absurd and ridiculous.

"It was you who sent me to him! It was you who told me to bewitch him, to knock him out! It was you who told me he wouldn't stay in East of the River for long!" She shouted at Sir Mo Te. Sir Mo Te rarely blushed.

Compared to Lady Ka Si Lin, Qiao Ruina appeared more resolute, and also more like a pure Northern woman. After saying that, she stubbornly turned her head to look at Mei Yi.

"Yes," she looked somewhat resolute, as if she were stepping onto a battlefield that belonged solely to her, "I have borne a bastard of Shi Ta Ke, rest assured, he is not the seed of your father Ai De Shi Ta Ke."

"My uncle Bu Lan Deng Shi Ta Ke?" she thought, sighing.

"Yes!" she bit her lip, "The dagger was also his gift. He said this was his most treasured possession, and I must keep it safe, keep it safe for his little dog……"

"But you don't have any." Mei Yi only wanted to roll her eyes.

"Yes, none."

The youths before them were stunned by what was happening before them.

"You'd better say my cousin's name, lest I accidentally commit patricide."

"Xi En Xue Nuo. So, can you accept the deal to ransom the prisoners?"

"Of course not, my target is Sunny Mountain City, not a few pieces of gold. For this purpose, I would rather use his head. Of course, without Sunny Mountain City, having this relative serve me, I could also accept."

"Take it! Take my head! Woman!" Sir Mo Te shouted.

"Take his head, and you'll never get Sunny Mountain City!" Qiao Ruina interrupted the knight's speech, gazing deeply at Mei Yi, "I will give you Sunny Mountain City, as long as you spare his life."