Chapter 78: Holding Accountable

"Snap!"

A whip lashed through the air and struck Tuoba Lie across the face.

In an instant, a bloody welt appeared on Tuoba Lie's face.

Beads of blood trickled out from the wound.

Though he was in pain, Tuoba Lie dared not make a sound, only bowing his head even lower.

"Useless trash. You couldn't even handle such a simple task, causing our Black Iron Royal Tent to lose three thousand fine horses and the lives of over two thousand Servant Soldiers. If this gets out, we will become the laughingstock of the Grassland."

A burly man stood before Tuoba Lie.

The man wore exquisite clothing sewn from wolf fur, his leather boots were embroidered with wolf-shaped patterns, and the necklace around his neck was actually strung with individual wolf fangs.

At this moment, his unique, dark-red face—typical of the Grassland people—was filled with rage.

Fierce light flickered in his copper-bell-like eyes.

"Great King, it is Zhang Kang's fault; otherwise, I could not have failed." Tuoba Lie wished he could tear Zhang Kang into ten thousand pieces right now.

If not for the false intelligence he provided, how could he have been so bold?

Three thousand men had left the North Camp, yet he had been completely unaware.

He swore that if he could return this time, he would definitely make Zhang Kang pay.

"Do not make such excuses. Zhang Kang is also your man; you are both just as useless as he is." The man snorted angrily.

Walking up to Tuoba Lie, he said coldly: "Our Black Iron Royal Tent has never suffered such humiliation. This humiliation must be repaid with blood. If there is another mistake during this Autumn Hunt, both you and he will die!"

"Rest assured, Great King, there will definitely be no more mistakes. According to Zhang Kang, the Yuan Family also intends to eliminate this Yan Wang, so they will not send troops to reinforce him." Beads of sweat broke out on Tuoba Lie's forehead.

The Northern Barbarians had one Court and ten Tents; the Court was the Royal Court, the residence of the Khan.

Beneath the Khan were ten Royal Tents. The leader of each Royal Tent was called a Great King, similar to the vassal kings of the Great Song, each governing a part of the Grassland and obeying the Khan's orders.

And he belonged to the Ninth Royal Tent, a member of the Black Iron Royal Tent.

The man before him was the Nine Kings, named Kutu.

To him, the words spoken by this Great King were absolutely not a joke.

"Hmm, that Yan Prince Mansion had better be filled with treasures and grain as you said." Kutu strolled outside the royal tent.

The wind from the North Territory rolled through the boundless pasture, like the rising and falling of tides.

The slight chill in the wind made him realize that the season of lush water and grass would soon pass.

"Great King, it is absolutely true. Although this Yan Wang is detestable, he has come up with many strange and curious things during this time, and these things have earned him a lot of Silver. The Fine Wine the Great King drank a few days ago was also brewed by the Yan Prince Mansion." Tuoba Lie exhausted his vocabulary to depict Yancheng as a place of longing.

He knew that only by saying this could he appear to have some value in Kutu's heart.

"Moreover, a Beauty recently arrived in Yancheng. If we take Yancheng, the Beauty and the wealth will all be yours, Great King."

The corners of Kutu's mouth began to rise; there was not a single Northern Barbarian who did not dream of taking the land, wealth, and Beauties of the Great Song as their own.

"The territory of the Northern Barbarians has no borders. One day, we will lead our iron cavalry to trample the mountains and rivers of the Great Song." He recalled what the Khan had said while gently stroking his head.

Turning his head to look at Tuoba Lie, he said: "Return to Yanzhou; do not let me down again."

"Yes, Great King." Tuoba Lie bowed and slowly retreated from the royal tent.

Wiping the cold sweat from his head, he gritted his teeth and rode a fast horse toward Yanshan.

Yancheng.

After spending a day in Yancheng, Tong San had to return.

To him, a place like Yancheng was still too desolate, far less prosperous than Jingshi.

So much so that he did not even have a reason to stay for a few more days.

"It is truly this King's regret not to be able to spend more time with the Eunuch." Zhao Xu saw Tong San off at Nanmen.

"How could this humble servant feel otherwise?

It is just that the Emperor is waiting for this humble servant to return and report the decree, so this humble servant dares not linger." Tong San wore a look of regret.

"Since that is the case, this King will not keep you." Zhao Xu cupped his hands.

Although he did not like false pleasantries, there was no help for it; social interaction was just like this.

Tong San nodded and, along with two guards, escorted the Northern Barbarian captives toward the south.

Accompanying them was also a team of Personal Army soldiers.

After all, more than a hundred captives could not be escorted by just two or three people.

Watching Tong San depart.

Zhao Xu reined in his horse and turned back, saying to Xu Lie: "Go to Tianxiang Lou."

The group entered Tianxiang Lou, only to see the first floor of Tianxiang Lou packed, full of wealthy merchants and sons of Rich Clans.

Xu E sat upright on the stage, playing the zither while singing the lyrics "Bodhisattva Barbarian" that he had written for her that day.

"Small mountains overlap, gold flickers and fades..."

Lifting her eyes and seeing Zhao Xu, Xu E's gaze fixed on Zhao Xu, but she continued to sing with composure.

The people below were also listening, entranced, and no one dared to make a single noise.

When the song ended, thunderous applause erupted in the hall.

Someone sighed: "I never expected there to be such stunning lyrics and such wonderful music in this world."

"Truly celestial music from heaven."

"..."

Amidst the praise of the crowd, Xu E bowed, gave Zhao Xu a look, and disappeared behind the screen, supported by Huan'er.

Seeing this, Zhao Xu went straight to the fourth floor and entered Xu E's room.

"Your Highness has come today, I fear, to hold me accountable, haven't you?" Xu E poured a cup of tea for Zhao Xu and asked softly.

"Do you still expect this Prince to come over to listen to you sing?" Zhao Xu let out a cold snort, "If this Prince hadn't uncovered some clues, the corpses lying at Qingfeng Pass right now would be this Prince's soldiers."

Xu E's face showed shame, and her eyes turned slightly red, "Your Highness, I did not expect such a mistake to occur. They deliberately released this news to lure our people into a trap; now, I fear our Tianxiang Lou has also been targeted."

"Your Highness, forgive this servant for being rude, but if my Young Lady hadn't revealed the news of the assassination to Your Highness, the Zhang Family wouldn't have suspected that we had people in Qingfeng Stronghold, and today's events wouldn't have happened," Xiao Huan argued.

Xu Lie muttered, "Isn't it because you wanted to use His Highness?"

Xiao Huan looked at Xu Lie, "Saving His Highness is a matter of public duty, but also a private matter..."

"Shut up," Xu E scolded at this moment.

Hearing this, Zhao Xu cast an inquiring look at Xu E.

Xu E smiled, seemingly unwilling to say more, "This time it is indeed the fault of my Tianxiang Lou; if Your Highness wishes to punish us, I have no defense."

"Forget it, you saved this Prince's life after all," Zhao Xu sighed.

After thinking for a moment, he said, "It is just that this Prince hopes you can tell me everything you know; that is the sincerity of cooperation."

Xu E was stunned for a moment, "What does Your Highness wish to know?"

"The trade between the Zhang Family and the Northern Di people surely hasn't been going on for just a day or two; it is impossible for you to know nothing at all," Zhao Xu did not point it out directly, but was probing.

If Xu E continued to play dumb, he would have no need to cooperate with her in the future.

Gazing at Zhao Xu, Xu E bit her lip and said slowly, "Has Your Highness also uncovered the matter of the Zhang Family's dealings with the Northern Di people?"