Chapter 60 A Warning to the North

The court assembly at the Golden Horde of the Northern Kingdom continued, with Helian Bobo's anger and murderous intent filling the tent. The ministers were silent as cicadas in winter, and no one dared to say another word.

However, amidst this somber atmosphere, unnoticed by anyone, behind the heavy felt carpet of the golden tent and the massive wooden pillars supporting the royal court, a dark figure, almost blending into the dim environment, slid out silently like a ghost. His movements were so light that they didn't even stir a gust of wind, as if he were merely a wisp of smoke passing by.

The dark figure swiftly moved away from the core area of ​​the royal court, its form leaping and bounding like an owl as it disappeared into a sparse woodland on the outskirts of the court. There, another figure dressed in the same attire stood motionless, like a stone statue, waiting.

"Urgent order!" The guard's voice was extremely low, but his words came out as fast as popping beans. "Emperor Helian Bobo of the North, having been rejected for a marriage alliance and Princess Mingzhu being humiliated, has developed rebellious intentions. He intends to use his spies hidden within the Great Zhou territory to target Consort Chen and her unborn child, hoping to frighten her into a miscarriage or disturb the master's peace of mind."

He paused, his tone grave: "This news is extremely urgent. The Northern Kingdom has already decided to kill. You have the best lightness skill, so set off immediately, at all costs, and return to the capital of the Great Zhou as quickly as possible to personally present this to the Chief. There must be no mistakes! Make sure the Master knows immediately!"

The waiting guard's eyes instantly sharpened like knives. Without the slightest hesitation, he nodded heavily and said, "Understood!"

Before he finished speaking, he shot off like an arrow, disappearing in a few swift movements at the horizon where the vast grassland met the sky. His speed was so great that he left only a faint afterimage in his wake. He had to deliver this deadly warning before the Northern spy could act!

The guard who had brought the message earlier stared coldly in the direction his companion had disappeared. He too quickly turned around and, as if blending into the shadows, silently returned to the vicinity of the royal court to continue his mission of monitoring the movements of the Northern Kingdom.

Two days later, the secret guards who delivered the message traveled day and night to the Shadow Pavilion's secret outpost in the capital.

The guard, who had been traveling with dust and barely sleeping, staggered to the ground, and his companions on duty immediately rushed forward to help him up.

"Quickly...take me to see the chief! There are disloyalties in the North...urgent military intelligence!" His voice was hoarse, and his lips were cracked and bleeding.

What could have driven him to rush back at such a desperate pace must be no small matter. His companions quickly helped him into the secret room.

Looking at his subordinate, who was slumped on the ground and barely conscious thanks to his internal strength, the leader of the Shadow Pavilion asked in a deep voice, "What is the matter that is so urgent?"

The guard, taking a deep breath, recounted verbatim the conversation between Helian Bobo and his ministers that he had overheard at the Golden Horde court in the Northern Kingdom. Finally, panting, he emphasized, "...Helian Bobo's murderous intent is set; his target is the unborn child of Consort Chen! His spies within the kingdom have likely received urgent orders and may act at any moment! Furthermore...the Northern Emperor may have other plans. Please report this to your master immediately, sir!"

Upon hearing this, the Shadow Pavilion's leader instantly emanated a chilling killing intent, and the temperature in the entire secret chamber seemed to drop several degrees. He abruptly stood up:

"You did a great job! Go and rest immediately!"

He turned and sternly ordered a trusted aide beside him: "Order all Shadow Pavilion members to suspend all non-essential missions and focus on monitoring the capital and its surroundings, especially the area around the palace. Screen all suspicious persons and be especially vigilant against spies from the Northern Kingdom! If there is any clue, kill them without exception!"

"yes!"

Having given his orders, the Shadow Pavilion's leader didn't linger. His figure blurred into a blur, and he stealthily infiltrated the palace at top speed, heading straight for the Hall of Reflection. He knew that his master was most likely there at the moment.

Inside the Sizheng Hall, Yuwen Che had just finished reviewing a batch of memorials and was preparing to return to Guanju Palace.

A dark figure appeared out of nowhere and knelt on one knee.

"Master, urgent news from the North!"

Yuwen Che paused, his gaze sharp as he looked at him: "Speak."

The head of the Shadow Pavilion finished reporting the news brought back by his subordinates clearly and quickly.

Upon hearing that "Helian Bobo intended to disturb the Imperial Concubine's pregnancy and even cause her to miscarry," Yuwen Che's aura suddenly turned icy cold, as if he had instantly fallen from the warmth of spring into the depths of winter. His knuckles clenched so tightly that the paperweight on the dragon desk trembled slightly.

"Good, very good." Yuwen Che's voice was terrifyingly low, each word seeming to be squeezed out from a crack in the ice. "Helian Bobo, you are courting death!"

He suddenly looked at the leader of the Shadow Pavilion, his eyes filled with surging thunder and undisguised killing intent:

"Investigate for me! Dig out every single one of those rats from the North who are lurking in the Great Zhou, especially in the capital! I want them to die without a burial place!"

"Yes! I'll take care of it immediately!"

"Furthermore," Yuwen Che added, his tone chilling, "reinforce the manpower threefold to secretly protect Guanju Palace! If even a single hair on the Consort's head is missing, I will have you all come to me with your heads!"

"Yes, sir!"

The shadowy figure obeyed the order and vanished instantly.

Yuwen Che stood alone in the hall, his chest heaving slightly with anger. He looked towards the direction of Guanju Palace, his eyes as cold as iron, yet tinged with lingering fear.

Helian Bobo, how dare you plot against my child... This time, I will make your Northern Kingdom pay a price you will never forget!

As night deepened, undercurrents surged throughout the capital, and murderous intent lurked everywhere.

The Shadow Pavilion's power was fully mobilized, like the most sophisticated killing machine, precisely pouncing on its pre-locked targets under the cover of darkness. Screams were choked in their throats, the sound of blades slicing through flesh barely audible.

Overnight, dozens of spies from the north who had been lurking in the capital, some of whom had been entrenched for years, were uprooted and turned into cold corpses.

In the darkest hour before dawn, Han Ying, the chief of the Shadow Pavilion, appeared silently in the Hall of Political Thought.

"Master, a total of forty-seven Northern spies have been identified in the capital and surrounding areas, and all have been eliminated without a single one escaping." Han Ying's voice remained calm, as if he were merely reporting a routine official matter.

Yuwen Che stood with his hands behind his back by the window, looking at the still dark night outside, his eyes cold: "What should we do with the body?"

Han Ying paused slightly, then said, "According to convention, it should be handled secretly, leaving no trace."

Yuwen Che slowly turned around, a cruel smile curving his lips: "No. Throw these corpses to the Honglu Guest House where the Northern Kingdom's princess and envoys reside. Pile them up right at their courtyard gate, so they can see them as soon as they open the door."

A hint of surprise flashed in Han Ying's eyes, but he immediately accepted the order: "Yes! Your subordinate understands!"

This is no longer just about eliminating a threat; it is the most direct and bloodiest warning and provocation!

Honglu Guest House, the courtyard of the Northern Kingdom's envoy.

As dawn broke, a northern maid, who had gotten up early to clean the courtyard, yawned and pushed open the courtyard gate.

"ah--!!!"

A piercing scream shattered the tranquility of the early morning!

Outside the courtyard gate, corpses were piled up in layers on the open ground, forming a small mountain! Blood soaked the ground, and a strong stench of blood filled the air! The corpses were contorted in pain, each bearing fatal wounds; they were the elite spies sent by the Northern Kingdom!

The maid was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground and scrambled back, crying out, "Princess! Lord Wuzhu! Something terrible has happened! People are...people are dead! So many dead people!"

Startled, Helian Mingzhu and Wuzhu hurriedly threw on their clothes and came out. When they saw the horrific scene outside the courtyard gate, Helian Mingzhu's face turned deathly pale, his stomach churned, and he almost vomited. Wuzhu also gasped, feeling a chill run through his body.

“They…they were our people…” Wuzhu’s voice was hoarse, filled with disbelief and horror, “They…they were all…”

Helian Mingzhu abruptly looked up towards the palace, her body trembling slightly with fear and rage. She understood—it must have been Yuwen Che's doing! He not only knew about their plot, but also used this most brutal method to deliver a bloody response!

This is telling them: Your every move is under my control! I can kill anyone you send if I want! This is what will happen to those who dare to touch my people!

A bone-chilling cold rose from the soles of Helian Mingzhu's feet, instantly spreading to every part of her body. She had previously only perceived Yuwen Che as cold and devoted, but now she truly witnessed his iron-fisted and ruthless nature as an emperor!

"Get rid of them! Get rid of these things quickly!" Wuzhu shouted at his terrified followers, barely suppressing his discomfort.

The attendants stepped forward tremblingly and began to move the body, their faces filled with fear.

Helian Mingzhu stood rooted to the spot, gazing at the horrifying bloodstains. For the first time, she felt a profound fear of the Great Zhou capital she was in. This was no longer a safe haven where she could run rampant; it was a den of dragons and tigers! That man was the absolute ruler here; anyone who dared to defy him faced certain death!

All her previous ambitions and resentment were shattered in the face of this pile of cold corpses.

The bodies in front of the courtyard gate had not yet been cleared away, and a heavy stench of blood filled the air, making one want to vomit. The northern retainers, pale-faced and weak-limbed, carried their comrades' corpses, the atmosphere as oppressive as a tomb.

Helian Mingzhu stared intently at the pile of bloody, mangled warning images, her face turning from white to pale, her body trembling uncontrollably. Unlike those sheltered princesses who were oblivious to danger, she had been exposed to power struggles and intrigues since childhood, and instantly understood the terrifying meaning behind it all.

“There’s a traitor…” Her voice was hoarse, trembling with an almost desperate tone, “There are Yuwen Che’s people among us… or in the royal court, or by my brother’s side!”

Upon hearing this, Wuzhu trembled and looked sharply at Helian Mingzhu: "Princess, you mean..."

"Isn't this obvious enough?!" Helian Mingzhu abruptly interrupted him, her emotions almost out of control, pointing at the corpses outside the courtyard. "Our people have been infiltrating for years, their locations well-hidden. How could they all be found so precisely overnight, without a single one left?! Even their bodies were brought back to us! If our every move hadn't been under his surveillance, how could he have done this?!"

She staggered back a step, her back hitting the cold pillar before she could regain her balance, her eyes filled with horror:

“It’s over… This time… it’s not a question of whether we want to leave or not…” Her voice lowered, with a bitter laugh, “It’s that we… can’t leave anymore.”

Wuzhu's expression changed drastically, and he instantly understood the princess's meaning. Since Yuwen Che could so clearly grasp their network of informants, and might even be monitoring their communications with the royal court, then their delegation was probably already trapped like fish in a barrel from the moment they stepped into the Great Zhou territory!

The so-called Honglu Guest House was nothing more than a magnificent prison!

“He’s warning us,” Helian Mingzhu murmured, her eyes vacant, “warning us not to make any more moves, warning the royal court… he knows everything. We… we are just meat on his chopping block.”

She recalled Yuwen Che's cold gaze at the banquet yesterday, his disregard for her dance performance, and his meticulous care for Su Luoxue... It turned out that the man was not just indulging in love; his ruthlessness and control far exceeded her imagination!

“Princess, then we…” Wuzhu’s voice was hoarse, tinged with fear. As an envoy, he knew all too well what being trapped in the capital of an enemy country meant.

Helian Mingzhu waved his hand weakly, as if all his strength had been drained:

"What else can we do? Put away all the thoughts we shouldn't have, stay put and behave ourselves, and maybe... we can live a few more days."

She looked up at the majestic silhouette of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace and felt for the first time how insignificant and powerless she was. All her pride, all her scheming, became a joke in the face of absolute power and control.

She now only hoped that her brother, Helian Bobo, would stop in time after receiving her previous secret letter and not further provoke this lion that had already fully bared its fangs. Otherwise… she dared not imagine what terrible, thunderous wrath awaited the Northern Kingdom.

The future fate of their delegation now rests entirely on Yuwen Che's decision.