Chapter One Hundred and Fifty-Seven

As the setting sun cast its glow, Dong Tujue's offensive finally began to wane. After a fierce afternoon of relentless attacks, not only had they suffered heavy casualties, but they had not even managed to scratch the outer defenses of Yanmen Pass.

Apart from firing arrows to fend off the enemy, the Great Zhou soldiers simply poured freezing water down along the ramparts. The water quickly refroze, reinforcing the damage the Hu forces had inflicted upon the city gates. At times, the soldiers on the walls would brazenly hurl water directly onto the heads of the Hu soldiers below. One could easily imagine what it felt like to have ice-cold water poured over one's head in weather so bitter that even a stream of urine would freeze solid into an icicle. Those Hu soldiers who had attempted to push the massive battering rams toward the gates soon lost all courage to even approach them.

"My lord! Look! The Great Zhou soldiers are lowering a bunch of figures in black from the city wall again! Who knows if these are real people or dummies this time?"

"Pass down the order! Command the archers to aim squarely at those men in black and let loose a volley! The Great Zhou dogs must think we wouldn't dare shoot, so the ones lowered this time are bound to be real flesh and blood!"

A tempest of arrows rained down from the Hu archers! Yet not a single sound of agony escaped from those figures in black.

Sensing something was amiss, the Hu general roared, "Cease fire!"

By the time the command was given, however, the figures in black had already been hauled back up inside the ramparts, and the Great Zhou soldiers burst into thunderous, triumphant laughter that shook the heavens.

Straddling his horse, the Hu general spun in place, consumed by fury, and pointed his whip at the soldiers atop the wall, heaping curses upon them.

"My lord! Another batch of men in black is coming down!"

"I can see that! Do you take me for a fool? Hahaha!" This time, the Hu general stood his ground with arrogant posturing, casting a contemptuous gaze at the descending figures.

Seeing their commander roar with laughter, the Hu soldiers followed suit, cackling in unison.

Right amidst the mocking laughter of the Hu forces, those figures in black that had reached the ground suddenly drew their bows and nocked arrows. A swift hail of projectiles flew straight into the Hu formations. The arrogant general, who had been laughing just moments before, was pierced by a flurry of arrows and fell dead before he could even react. As it turned out, this batch of men in black was a mix of reality and illusion—five hundred elite suicide squads interspersed among five hundred straw dummies. Following the volley of arrows, these five hundred elite warriors charged into the Hu ranks, seized the warhorses of the slain enemy riders, and galloped straight toward the Hu encampment. At the same time, the soldiers shed their black outer garments, revealing that they all wore Hu attire underneath, and shouted in fluent Turkic, "Fall back to the main camp immediately! Fall back to the main camp immediately!"

Amidst the chaos, Dong Tujue's forces began retreating in a panicked stampede toward their encampment. Mixed seamlessly into the disorderly retreat of the Turks, the five hundred Zhou soldiers reined in their mounts not far from the enemy camp and once more drew their bows. This time, however, the arrows they loosed were tipped with flames, and their targets were the Turkic tents.

Seizing the ongoing confusion, the Zhou soldiers abandoned their horses, tying burning material to the animals' tails. They sent the terrified beasts stampeding wildly through the chaotic, fleeing Hu encampment before quickly falling back. By the time the Hu forces finally regained their composure and attempted to organize a counter-offensive, the Zhou soldiers had already safely retreated behind the city walls.

Everything had transpired with lightning speed, taking barely a quarter of an hour, yet it inflicted heavy losses upon the Hu forces. It was a long while before the Hu army managed to quell the chaos within their camp. Their very first action was to retreat ten miles further back before cautiously setting up camp once again.

The tents pitched at the vanguard belonged entirely to Dong Tujue, whereas the encampment of the Western Turks under Aiying had been established by the latter upon a high ridge five miles beyond Yanmen Pass.

Hearing the chaotic tumult echoing from afar, Aiying stepped out of the command tent. She saw that the forward camp belonging to Dong Tujue had been reduced to a raging sea of fire stretching toward the heavens, accompanied by endless shrieks of agony. With a faint snort of contempt, Aiying instructed Jiezhilue by her side, "Order the camp to fall back ten miles. Tell the forward sentries and patrols that anyone approaching our encampment is to be shot on sight without exception! None are permitted to come near!"

********

Yang Yaozong directed this campaign of feints and shifting realities, reaping yet another magnificent victory.

The morale of the Great Zhou soldiers soared ever higher, thrilling every commander, including Nangong Zhan. The looks they cast toward Yang Yaozong were brimming with profound admiration and respect.

Nangong Zhan bestowed generous rewards upon the soldiers who had risked their lives to return, as well as upon the families of those who had made the ultimate sacrifice.

********

"Young Master! I heard you made the Turks suffer another crushing defeat!" Xiao Qin said as she lightly dusted the soot from Yang Yaozong's shoulders the moment he stepped into the tent.

"It was merely good fortune. Where is your young mistress?" Yang Yaozong asked with a smile.

"My lady has just finished bathing and is resting inside. Your bathwater has also been prepared, Young Master. Would you like to bathe now?" Xiao Qin asked with a trace of bashfulness.

Yang Yaozong nodded and replied, "Very well."

Xiao Qin led Yang Yaozong behind a folding screen on the other side of the tent, where a wooden tub filled with steaming water awaited.

Seeing Xiao Qin step forward to help him undress, Yang Yaozong hurriedly stopped her. "You are not needed here. I can manage by myself. Just leave a clean set of robes over the screen."

With a shy murmur of assent, Xiao Qin retreated from behind the screen.

Yang Yaozong had long yearned for a thorough hot bath. He soaked in the tub, scrubbing himself clean, and did not emerge until the water had grown lukewarm.

The tent was heated to a cozy warmth. Donning a long robe, Yang Yaozong approached the low couch and found Nangong Qingyi sitting upright. Her glossy black hair cascaded loosely over her shoulders, and she wore a white gown that closely draped her graceful curves. She was kneeling on the bed, reading a book, though her posture appeared somewhat tense and constrained.

At this moment, the two of them were alone in the tent. The dim, flickering oil lamp added an intimate atmosphere to the already narrow space.

Ever since Yang Yaozong had begun his bath, Nangong Qingyi's heart had fluttered with nervous agitation. When she saw Mu Qinghan, Xiao Qin, and the other maidservants giggling as they withdrew from the tent—especially Xiao Qin's parting whisper that the young master was bathing—her heart had pounded even faster. To steady her jittery nerves, she had casually picked up a book to read, though her mind was consumed by the agonizing question of whether she ought to have attended to Yang Yaozong's bath. Amidst this hesitant, tangled turmoil of thoughts, Yang Yaozong had finished washing and was now seated right beside her.

As Yang Yaozong sat down next to Nangong Qingyi, a faint, delicate fragrance drifted into his senses. He gave a soft cough and murmured, "Qingyi."

"Yes?" Nangong Qingyi gripped the book a little tighter, her response no louder than the hum of a mosquito.

"I... there is something I wish to tell you," Yang Yaozong said after a brief hesitation, having finally made up his mind.

Nangong Qingyi raised her gaze to meet Yang Yaozong's apologetic eyes. Sensing what was coming, a bitter ache tugged at her heart. "Are you certain you must say it now?"

Yang Yaozong nodded gently. "You are my wife. I cannot conceal matters of the heart from you! Besides, you would have learned of it sooner or later, would you not?"

Nangong Qingyi recalled the conversation she had with her father that afternoon, in which he had confessed the truth regarding Yang Yaozong. Her father had specifically reminded her that a true mistress of the household must possess the fortitude to bear its burdens. In truth, she had long mentally prepared herself for the reality that Yang Yaozong might take other women; what she could never have anticipated, however, was that the Emperor would bestow a princess upon him in marriage. She already regretted not staying behind at the estate on their wedding day, and the thought that Yang Yaozong was now a Prince Consort of Great Zhou brought unbidden tears streaming down her face.

Yang Yaozong reached out to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

With stubborn pride, Nangong Qingyi turned her face away and said, "I already know what you wish to say; my father has told me everything. You are now the Prince Consort of Great Zhou, and I wish to know how you intend to treat me."

Sighing softly, Yang Yaozong chided, "You stubborn woman!" With that, he pulled her into a kiss and gently pressed her back onto the couch.

Startled by the suddenness of his action, Nangong Qingyi froze for a moment before she began pushing against his chest in protest.

Fearing he might reopen her unhealed wounds, Yang Yaozong pinned her arms gently, lifted his head, and looked into her eyes with solemn sincerity. "As long as you do not cast me aside, so long as I am a son-in-law of the Nangong household for a single day, I shall remain a son-in-law of the Nangong household for all my life!"

Tears still wet upon her cheeks, Nangong Qingyi choked out, "Then don't even dream of ever leaving the Nangong household!"

Yang Yaozong nodded heavily with a smile. "My lady, may we finally consummate our marriage now?" (To be continued.)