Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Xie Tingyu was inexplicably called out...

Northern Qin, Xianyang Palace.

In front of the Sihai Palace.

A woman knelt on the cold stone steps, her back straight, her right sleeve bare. Anyone brave enough to strip her clothes would see her entire right arm severed from the shoulder blade down. The cut was as smooth as a mirror, a testament to the brutality of the blow.

Since returning from the Great Zhou after her misfortune, Helian Yi has not only failed to complete her mission, but also lost the Great Zhou emperor on her way home, and even lost the identity of her captors. The new Khan, Helian Ji, is furious and harshly denounces her for dereliction of duty. Now, she has knelt before this palace for days, seeking only a glimmer of forgiveness.

"Your Highness, Your Highness."

Helian Yi raised her exhausted, almost dazed eyes. She had been kneeling here since sunrise, without a single grain of rice to eat. Now, she was starving and weak.

The imperial guard beside the Khan came running over, "Your Highness, His Majesty is calling you in."

Helian Yi coughed heavily twice, propped herself up with her hands, and very slowly tried to stand up. However, she had been kneeling for so long that her knees were already numb and piercing. She had no choice but to bend over and support her knees, dragging her steps into the Four Seas Hall.

Upon entering the palace, Helian Yi noticed that although the court meeting had ended, several ministers had not yet left. Those remaining in the palace were all trusted ministers of the new Khan, Helian Ji.

Back in the day, the eldest princess, Helian Shu, was beheaded by a fierce general of the Great Zhou Dynasty. When the news reached the old Khan, he wept publicly and remained bedridden for half a month. Helian Shu, a man of both civil and military talents, had been personally cultivated by the old Khan, and was considered the perfect candidate to succeed him.

However, his beloved daughter passed away suddenly, and the old Khan was overwhelmed with grief. The throne remained vacant for over a decade. The princesses fought openly and secretly for the throne, and finally the seventh princess, Helian Ji, emerged as the heir to the Khanate.

Helian Yi dragged his stiff legs into the hall step by step, hearing bursts of disdainful snorts and ridicule.

"Your Majesty, the Fifteenth Prince even lost the husband that Tengri chose for you. I believe that even if they are blood relatives, their crime should not be forgiven lightly!"

Helian Yi glanced at him coldly and recognized that the person who spoke was Murong Ye, the most capable general under the Khan.

When the old Khan was gravely ill and on his deathbed, he openly stated his ambition to unify Northern Qin and made this a key principle in selecting a crown prince. The question was, which of the imperial daughters could expand Northern Qin's territory, encompassing the surrounding tribes like the Qiang, Xiongnu, and Jurchen, and whoever had the greatest achievements would be the worthy successor. Murong Ye had accompanied Helian Ji on his conquests, making significant contributions and earning Helian Ji's trust.

During the past decade or so, Northern Qin has grown increasingly powerful, and its territory has expanded to its largest extent in decades.

During his lifetime, the old Khan particularly admired the Han culture of the Zhou Dynasty. He felt that in order to achieve hegemony, he had to abandon the old nomadic customs and emulate the Zhou Dynasty to establish rules and regulations. So he led his people out of the grassland, established the capital and built a palace, thus laying the foundation of the Northern Qin Dynasty.

Helian Ji sat on the throne with a stern expression, not saying a word. However, the trusted ministers around His Highness spoke one after another, and their words were full of sarcasm.

In front of the Khan, several officials brazenly ridiculed their blood-related sister. This was truly absurd and ridiculous. This also illustrates that in Northern Qin, unlike the Great Zhou, where kinship was valued, blood ties were far less solid than merit.

Helian Yi ignored the jeers and bowed slightly, speaking gravely, "I am incompetent and have failed to bring back the prince. Furthermore, I have no clues on this matter and cannot negotiate with the Great Zhou again. I am deeply grateful for your reappearance. I am willing to go on another mission to seek an explanation for your majesty."

At this moment, a hunchbacked old man standing beside the throne said slowly, "The prince disappeared in Pengcheng, in the northern border of the Great Zhou. In fact, Pengcheng was originally our Xianbei territory, but was later captured by the Great Zhou."

This man was the former Khan's former military advisor, and now assists the new ruler, holding the position of Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister bowed to Helian Ji and continued, "Pengcheng is a treacherous place, especially the Luliang Mountains, where the mountains are steep and the beasts are fierce. Your Majesty has been held captive for several months, and it is likely that he has been lost. Furthermore, it is difficult to hold the Great Zhou accountable for this matter. According to the envoys' report, the kidnappers spoke the Xianbei language. The Great Zhou has always respected the Han language and disdained to learn our barbarian language. Therefore, I, this old minister, believe that this matter is not the fault of the Zhou Dynasty, and it is not appropriate to rashly launch an army to hold them accountable."

Murong Ye waved his hand and shouted in a booming voice, "Prime Minister, your words are truly useless! Since the prince was defeated on our old land, why should we bow down to the Great Zhou? Why not—"

She deliberately stretched out her words, suddenly knelt on one knee, clasped her fists, and shouted, "Your Majesty, why don't we just send troops and take Pengcheng back!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers who had mocked Helian Yi before also echoed them.

"Your Majesty, General Murong's words make sense, but they're not entirely true! What's the point of just taking Pengcheng? If we're going to fight, we should fight all the way to Jiankang!"

"Hahahahaha, I have to agree with what Tuoba said! We should incorporate the entire Great Zhou into the territory of Northern Qin!"

"Your Majesty, let's attack Jiankang!"

"Your Majesty! I heard that the new emperor of Great Zhou is just a little girl. What is there to be afraid of? My Northern Qin is no longer what it used to be. Their Great Zhou no longer even has a famous general like Wang Xuanji. If we don't fight now, when will we fight?"

The few henchmen who followed Helian Ji were illiterate warriors whose lives were spent on horseback. For them, the greatest achievement was to seize the land and men of another country.

“No!”

The prime minister held a cane and refuted angrily.

She turned to Helian Ji, who had remained silent on the throne, and spoke in a heavy voice, "Your Majesty! Our Great Qin has been engaged in wars for years. Although we have expanded our territory and annexed several tribes, our treasury is empty and our troops are exhausted. We should rest and recuperate now. How can we start another war?"

"Prime Minister, why are you so afraid?" Murong Ye looked at her in confusion. "You were so brave when you conquered the world with the old Khan, but how come you are so timid now?"

"Shut up!"

The Prime Minister was furious, slamming his cane repeatedly on the ground, the thumps echoing through the hall. "This old minister has recently consulted Tengri, and the gods have indicated that Northern Qin should remain calm for now, prioritizing the appeasement of the Jurchens and Xiongnu, and other internal affairs. Your Majesty! Do not listen to the words of such a reckless woman. Please suspend military action and wait for the right time!"

Murong Ye and others immediately started to loudly refute and argue with the prime minister, and the hall was suddenly in chaos.

"Everyone—"

Helian Ji, who had been silent the entire time, finally stood up and slowly walked towards a massive stone statue over three meters tall beside the throne. This statue, erected to commemorate the old Khan's founding of Northern Qin, bore a solemn expression and a sharp, gleaming sword slung at his waist.

"You are all the pillars of Northern Qin. I understand your thoughts and concerns. What the Prime Minister said about recuperating and resting is also the wise way of governing the country. But——"

She turned abruptly, her face sullen and her eyes brimming with anger. "I was in the main camp during the night raid! I saw with my own eyes how that fierce Zhou general, Wang Xuanji, beheaded my sister, Helian Shu, with a single blow! I'm sure you all have never forgotten the shame of that battle."

The hall suddenly became dead silent, with the ministers either bowing their heads or showing anger on their faces.

"From that moment on, I vowed to slay my enemies with my own hands as a sacrifice to Tengri! It's a shame that Wang Xuanji died in battle long ago. However, before her death, Mother Khan still clung to her wish to unify the world. This aspiration is mine today!"

"Your Majesty!" The Prime Minister wanted to make another remonstration.

Helian Ji raised his hand to interrupt him, his voice as clear as stone, "I have made up my mind. This time, I will personally lead the army, heading straight for Jiankang! When the Han people send troops, they always have to find a 'pretext' for their cause. So, this time, our Northern Qin will use the slogan 'Find the Prince's Husband and Apprehend the Real Murderer'!"

She lashed out the long sword from the statue's waist with a clang of her backhand, pointing the cold blade southward. "I will personally lead the Northern Qin cavalry, crush the mountains and rivers of the Great Zhou, seize Jiankang, and incorporate all of this vast territory into the Northern Qin empire!"

Before he could finish his words, a flash of a knife swept across, breaking the long table beside him. The wine cup shattered, spilling wine and sending porcelain shards flying like rain.

Murong Ye and other generals knelt on the ground in ecstasy, clasped their fists and shouted in unison: "We swear to follow Your Majesty to the death and destroy the Great Zhou!"

"Your Majesty, absolutely not! Tengri's warning cannot be disobeyed, Your Majesty!"

Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister trembled. He was about to kneel down to protest, but a pair of hands firmly grasped his wrist. He looked up and met Helian Ji's penetrating gaze. She solemnly ordered, "Since the Prime Minister is so concerned about the foundation of the country, during this expedition, you will take my place in Xianyang and manage the government."

Helian Jue paused slightly, then pressed his knuckles with unnoticeable force on the Prime Minister's aged wrist. "However, this battle must be won. I must personally lead the entire nation's forces. An army of 650,000 will include warriors from the Xianbei, Jurchen, and other tribes. The dispatch of food and fodder, as well as logistical support, are paramount. Such a major undertaking requires a veteran minister like the Prime Minister, who has been with his mother through thick and thin."

Upon hearing this, the Prime Minister knew that no matter how much he tried to persuade him, he would not be able to change his mind. He just said, "Your Majesty... obey your order."

Helian Ji solemnly returned the long sword to the stone statue with both hands. The soft sound of the blade returning to its sheath was particularly clear in the silent hall. She turned and stared at the Prime Minister. "Then I will trouble you, Prime Minister, to ask Tengri to choose an auspicious day for our Northern Qin cavalry to conquer the mountains and rivers of the Great Zhou."

——

It was a frosty night in November, the sky was high and the air was crisp.

Ji Lian wiped Xie Tingyu's wet hair with a silk handkerchief in her hand, and said softly, "The venison I just ate with my aunt and uncle was quite rich in flavor."

After he finished speaking, he gently pinched the back of her neck with his fingertips and said meaningfully, "Uncle even specially let me drink an extra bowl of venison soup."

Xie Tingyu didn't understand what he meant. He just followed Ji Lian's wide sleeve and naturally stroked his silky smooth arm, saying, "Since father lets you use it, it's okay to have one more bowl."

Ji Lian was so frustrated that she put her arms around her neck from behind and put her lips close to her ear. "You finally don't have to deal with government documents so late tonight. Do you want to go to bed and rest early?"

Xie Tingyu raised his eyes and smiled, "Okay."

Ji Lian hesitated for a moment before finally speaking out her true feelings, "Can we, can we not use that? I want to... be completely and closely connected with you."

Finally, he said, "Use that one which is a bit stuffy."

Xie Tingyu refused decisively, "No."

Ji Lian hummed a few times and bit the corner of her lips.

A burst of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded, and someone outside the door hurriedly reported: "Thank you, sir, there is urgent military information!"

Ji Lian took the clothes from the clothes rack and helped Xie Tingyu put them on in an orderly manner.

Xie Tingyu walked to the corridor in his wooden clogs, "What's going on?"

The man, dressed in Sirong Mansion uniform, saluted with his fists clasped. "Please, sir, proceed to Sirong Mansion to discuss matters immediately! Urgent news from Xiangyang: Xiangyang City has fallen completely to Northern Qin!"

Xie Tingyu's expression became serious. "I'll go right away."

As she turned around and put on her outer robe, Ji Lian said, "Your urgent summons at this late hour must mean the military situation is urgent. I'll go with you. Even if I can only wait in the carriage, it will give me peace of mind."

The carriage and horses rolled over the bluestone road and galloped towards Sirong Mansion.

As Xie Tingyu entered the Grand Council, he heard angry rebukes: "Northern Qin is truly shameless! They've used the excuse of the Emperor's disappearance within the Great Zhou, accusing our dynasty of condoning thieves and lacking interest in marriage, as an excuse to send troops! They've even threatened to level the country and capture the real culprit. Oh, what a 'legitimate cause'!"

"We haven't received any news about Emperor Qing disappearing! Northern Qin is truly shameful! Hey? Xie Er, you're here!"

The rest of the people turned around and saluted, "Thank you, sir!"

Xie Tingyu, who was inexplicably called out, felt guilty: "...Hmm..."

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