Chapter 76: Why Are You So Skilled at This?

Across the grasslands, corpses lay everywhere.

Anagui stared blankly at the scene, dozens of eagle hunters kneeling before him.

“Great Khan!”

“What exactly happened?”

“Yesterday, someone came bearing your wolf banner, claiming to announce your orders. We were unprepared and caught off guard—he launched a surprise attack and we suffered heavy losses.”

Anagui’s expression turned grim; he now understood what had occurred.

There must be a traitor within the Rouran.

“Yujiulu Fa, I’ll kill you!”

Anagui roared, but those around him urged him to calm down.

“The khanate is in peril, Great Khan—you must decide swiftly.”

Anagui gathered the fleeing tribes and those near the royal court, assembling over a thousand men. There wasn’t enough time—if he had more, he could have rallied even more forces in Monan.

“How many did you lose?”

“More than half of the three hundred eagle hunters were wounded, and over seventeen hundred horses were stolen, including precious blood-sweating steeds.”

Anagui’s gaze grew distant; he nearly staggered, but was steadied by those behind him.

“Great Khan, do not worry—our men left behind in Mobei are still alive.”

Hearing his subordinate’s advice, Anagui turned around.

“Return to Mobei?”

“When wolves on the grasslands smell blood, they gather in droves. We are wounded, bleeding—tribes like the Tiele and Gaoche won’t miss this chance. Once they sense weakness, they’ll pounce. Staying here risks disaster.”

Reason told Anagui this was correct.

Yet the fire in his heart did not dim.

At that moment, his subordinate produced the arrow shot at him that day.

Anagui had kept this arrow as a reminder, to never forget the shame of the golden tent.

Anagui had decreed: whenever he ignored loyal counsel, his ministers could present this arrow to urge him to reconsider.

“Great Khan, endure this humiliation for now, and wait for a better day!”

In the end, he made his decision.

“Return to Mobei!”

Wuchuanzhen.

They had killed Wei Kegu and crushed his remaining forces.

The heads of the Heba and Yuwen clans could finally sit down, breathe, and discuss their future.

The worst thing they feared had not happened: the Tiele tribes around Wuchuanzhen had not taken advantage of the chaos to raid—instead, they had all moved north, for reasons unknown.

“I think we should not join the Grand Commander!”

The two clans had been debating their next move, but Yuwen Tai’s words made everyone frown.

This matter had originally been decided by Heba Dubai and Yuwen Gong.

Yuwen Tai, who happened to be nearby, spoke up.

Yuwen Gong rebuked him for interfering.

“What do you know?”

Yuwen Tai did not flinch; he bowed respectfully.

“Father, Uncle Heba, the Grand Commander may seem powerful, but he holds no real authority.”

“How do you know that?”

“Yunzhong is the Grand Commander’s base, but merchants say the surrounding troops are all Han soldiers under the General Who Pacifies Bandits. Military and political decisions are not his own—they rely on divination. If he can’t even control what’s right before him, how can he control distant lands? Shuozhou may appear to be under his command, but it is not.”

After hearing this, Heba Dubai and Yuwen Gong grew serious, no longer dismissing him as before.

Seeing this, Yuwen Tai added:

“With the General Who Pacifies Bandits wielding such power, if we join the Grand Commander, we won’t even keep our own troops—he’ll devour us whole.”

Heba Dubai pondered for a moment, then said:

“Hearsay is unreliable—only seeing with our own eyes will tell us the truth. We must go to Yunzhong ourselves.”

Huaihuo.

Li Shuang returned with a large force and learned that Wuchuanzhen had already been retaken.

The Heba and Yuwen clans had already sent men to Yunzhong, seeking to meet Li Shen.

Before him stood someone unexpected.

The True King’s envoy!

Yujiulu Fa seemed afraid of her—he brought this plain-looking woman before Anagui.

Yujiulu Qingyu!

While this woman remained calm, Yujiulu Fa sat as if on pins and needles in the room.

Li Shuang waved his hand, and he fled as if granted pardon.

“Why did the True King send you to me?”

“The True King wishes to proclaim you Emperor!”

Li Shuang laughed at this.

“The True King has quite the sense of humor.”

“You command at least six thousand troops now. If you recruit the forces of the Duoku, Kedi, Hulü, and Po Liuhan tribes, you could gather over ten thousand men. Taking Pingcheng would be effortless.”

“And then?”

Yujiulu Qingyu had not expected such a calm reaction from this boy.

“Take Pingcheng, then follow the old path of the Tuoba—march south to Luoyang, conquer the world, and you shall become the King of Kings, the Heaven’s Khan!”

Po Liuhan Baling must be on the brink of collapse—he’s already turning to Li Shuang.

Li Shuang smiled, then suddenly reached out and took Yujiulu Qingyu’s hand.

“Sister, you’re Rouran—why are you helping the True King?”

Yujiulu Qingyu had not anticipated such boldness from this boy; she lost her composure.

“The True King saved my life.”

“If that’s so, then out of respect for you, I’ll warn you: the True King’s situation is hopeless—even Zhang Liang or Chen Ping alive could do nothing.”

The room felt strangely intimate; Yujiulu Qingyu was over thirty, yet she seemed flustered before this boy.

“Make plans to escape—flee to Saibei, go far west, or seek out Xiao Baoyin—he can give you refuge.”

At the mention of Xiao Baoyin, Yujiulu Qingyu’s expression darkened; finally, she said nothing more.

“Goodbye!”

Nightfall.

The gate slowly opened; Du Gu Ru saw Li Shuang enter, and her months of longing turned to sarcasm.

“If it isn’t our General Who Pacifies Bandits—what brings you to see this little woman? Where are your beauties? I heard you even have a golden-haired one.”

“Who told you that?”

“Do I need someone to tell me? The entire Huaihuo knows about that long line of captives.”

“Rumors—all rumors, Aru. My heart belongs only to you!”

Du Gu Ru recalled receiving Po Liuhan Kong Que’s letter, riding hard to save him.

But that day, after leaving the city, Po Liuhan Chang revealed the truth—and she felt like a fool.

Thinking of it, she punched Li Shuang, furious and ashamed.

“Don’t think you’ve got me figured out!”

“Aru, I’m not trying to trap you!”

“Hm?”

Du Gu Ru lifted her beautiful eyes and saw a handsome face.

“I’ll eat you for life!”

Du Gu Ru punched him again, but he caught her arm; her body instantly softened, her voice laced with languor.

“You scoundrel!”

They gazed at each other for a long while; passion rising, Li Shuang blew out the candle. Du Gu Ru grew alarmed.

“Why are you taking off your clothes?”

“I’m cold.”

“Then why are you taking off my clothes?”

“I’m afraid you’re cold.”

Du Gu Ru, who had been warmly receptive, suddenly gripped Li Shuang’s hand, her bright eyes fixed on him in the dark.

“Why are you so skilled at removing women’s robes?”

“...”

Careless!

The door slammed open; Li Shuang was thrown out. Inside, Du Gu Ru’s voice rang out.

“Get out!”

…