Chapter 74: The Khan Flees by Night

In the snowstorm night, within the golden tent of Wang Ting, a host of Rouran nobles still sang and laughed, accompanied by beautiful women.

Yujiulu Anagui sat upon the khan’s throne, yet unlike his subordinates, he was not at ease, lost in thought.

The Rouran were pitiful, utterly crushed by the Xianbei.

After the Xianbei moved south, their vigilance against the Rouran was even stricter than against the Han.

The lands of Monan and the Hetao region should have been the foundation for a steppe overlord to achieve greatness, yet for nearly a century, they had been suppressed by the Liuzhen garrisons.

The military system represented by the Liuzhen formed the most solid defense line within the Northern Wei’s territory.

It was meant to guard against the Rouran!

Or more accurately, against any tribe on the steppe capable of becoming the next Xianbei.

But now the Liuzhen have fallen into chaos!

Heaven had granted the Rouran another chance to rise, so Anagui and his followers had no hesitation in marching south.

Whether allying with the Northern Wei or punishing the Liuzhen was not the most important thing; the key was to seize Monan and further infiltrate the Hetao region amid this chaos.

To erase the Liuzhen—the Rouran’s nightmare—completely from history was what all the Rouran longed for.

“Has Yujiulu Fa not returned yet?”

Anagui snapped out of his thoughts and asked his attendant.

“Not yet!”

Perhaps because he had grown up amid turmoil and betrayal, Anagui was extremely cautious and suspicious.

Of course, this was also a quality befitting a great ruler.

“By the agreed date, he should have returned!”

“The Young Khan said he might stay longer when he headed south, since he is related by marriage to Poliuhan Kong Que.”

The attendant’s words eased Anagui slightly.

He mentally reviewed the situation once more:

The Liuzhen were in chaos; Poliuhan Balin’s two generals, Poliuhan Kong Que and Wei Kegu, had been defeated by the Grand Commander of the Northern Expedition, Li Shen, suffering heavy losses. Poliuhan Balin’s Wuye Town was surrounded on all sides, barely able to defend itself. Seeing this opportunity, Poliuhan Kong Que, fearing for his own safety, voluntarily defected.

Once Huaixiu Town fell, Wuchuan would stand alone and could not hold out—eventually, it too would be Rouran’s.

Thus, the Rouran would establish a foothold in Monan.

Anagui looked at his smiling subordinates in the tent; if he could, he would leave this place at once and march south.

But he could not. The long journey from Mobei had left his men discontented; he must use women, fine wine, and feasts to dull their resentment.

Moreover, he needed to gain early control over Huaixiu Town’s situation.

Only three hundred li from Huaixiu, everything had been arranged.

There was nothing wrong—so why did he feel so uneasy?

“Has anyone returned from the thousand-commanders I sent out, Tu Dou Fa?”

“No one!”

“Not a single one?”

“Not a single one!”

On Anagui’s bearded face, his brows knitted tightly.

“Bring my golden knife. Summon all my personal guards. Arm them all!”

“What are your orders, Great Khan?”

Anagui glanced at the attendant, who lowered his head, dared not speak further, and went to carry out the order.

“Something is wrong!”

Anagui looked at those in the tent, stood up, and waved his hand, dismissing the Hu women dancing.

The guests, mid-entertainment, stared at Anagui, still enjoying the spectacle.

“Great Khan, what’s wrong?”

“I sense danger!”

Upon hearing this, the men laughed, and one even said:

“Great Khan, you overthink. The Liuzhen are in chaos, the Gaoche and Tiele tribes are fractured— who could possibly threaten our Rouran Khanate?”

The moment he finished speaking, a deep, resonant horn sounded through the snowy night.

This alarm horn had not been blown in the Rouran court for many years.

But halfway through, it abruptly ceased.

Then, whistling arrows rang out from all directions of the court.

In the snowy night, the sound sang like a song—but brimmed with deadly intent.

The chieftains and tribal lords turned pale, tried to rise, but, drunk too much, staggered unsteadily.

The concubines and dancers turned white with fear, huddled in corners.

Inside the great tent, chaos reigned like tangled threads.

Anagui stood at the head of the group, and in his mind, only one question remained:

Who?

“Where is Anagui’s golden tent?”

Li Shuang, armored and wielding a spear, questioned Yujiulu Fa beside him.

The man had still hoped to preserve his last dignity, but Li Shuang’s cold words shattered his resolve.

“You’ve come this far—what’s one more step?”

Hearing the cries of battle within the court, Yujiulu Fa raised his hand.

“Right ahead—that largest round-topped tent is it.”

“All commanders, follow me and charge!”

Gao Ang, Yang Kan, and other generals, having marched through the freezing night, felt no fatigue, only exhilaration.

“We follow our lord!”

Hundreds of armored cavalry shattered the darkness, charging deep into the heart of the golden tent court.

Their long spears pierced through snow and wind; the round-topped golden tent, symbol of Rouran’s supreme power, burned to ash in the flames.

When the ashes cleared, only a group of trembling Rouran chieftains and tribal lords cowered behind the Rouran Khan.

The great ruler Yujiulu Anagui, who had led the Rouran from chaos to stability, now glared fiercely at the knight charging ahead, masked and armored.

Before him stood a line of the Rouran’s most elite armored guards!

Dozens of riders followed behind; Li Shuang had never before seen this legendary Rouran Khan who had outwitted the Northern Wei court time and again.

“You burned my golden tent, captured my people—how did I not know the Northern Wei still has such heroes? Dare you name yourself!”

Li Shuang roared.

“A true man does not change his name or hide his identity—I am Grand Commander of the Northern Expedition, Li Shen!”

Upon hearing the name, Anagui’s eyes blazed with hatred.

Anagui had been to Luoyang and seen the famed playboy-turned-northern-warrior, but the distant memory was hazy.

“Li Shen!”

At that moment, Gao Ang and his cavalry finally arrived.

His massive frame sat atop a warhorse that looked more like a lion; seeing this scene, he did not fear—he roared instead.

“My lord, let me capture this enemy chief!”

Gao Ang charged into the ranks, his spear swinging with the force of ten thousand catties, effortlessly spearing a guard and lifting him into the air.

Witnessing this terrifying sight, the Rouran chieftains lost heart and urged:

“Khan, flee now—it’s not too late!”

Anagui was unwilling, deeply unwilling. But as more enemy cavalry surged from all sides of the court, he abandoned his last hope.

“Go!”

“Protect the Khan’s retreat!”

“Think you can escape?”

Li Shuang, seeing this, drew his bow and loosed an arrow—straight into Anagui’s plume helmet.

In panic, Anagui abandoned everything, fled north with several hundred cavalry for dozens of li, only stopping when dawn broke.

The snowstorm subsided. Anagui removed his plume helmet, stared at the arrow embedded in it, and pulled it out.

In the muddy water, his haggard reflection stared back; fury surged within him, and he howled to the heavens.

“Li Shen, I swear I will kill you!”