Chapter 688 He Came for You
Before Shang Ruyi could react, she heard a long, mournful neigh. The warhorse, startled and in pain, reared up, kicking its front hooves and letting out one miserable cry after another.
But the next moment, the warhorse's long neigh was drowned out by an even more piercing sound!
That's the sound of arrows flying!
The archers behind them were already extremely nervous, each of them having drawn their powerful bows to their limit, waiting for the final order to fire.
And the command was that sharp whistle just now!
In the Western Turkic army, besides the Khan's orders and the war drums of attack, there was another command that was most direct for these archers, directly imprinted in their minds, hearts, and even the memory of their bodies: the sound of the whistling arrow!
As soon as they hear this sound, all the archers will fire their arrows.
At that moment, countless sharp whistling sounds rang out, even drowning out the howling wind. Shang Ruyi's eyes widened as she watched hundreds upon hundreds of arrows hurtling towards her, forming a curtain of light in the air. But in an instant, these whistling sounds were drowned out by an even more piercing roar—
"ah!"
The roar and scream, like a howl, suddenly rang out, deafening Shang Ruyi. When she turned her head, she saw that all the arrows, following the whistling arrow, were shooting towards Ashina Shali's warhorse.
However, when the warhorse reared up, Ashina Shali's strong body on its back became a target.
In an instant, he was riddled with arrows and turned into a hedgehog!
“Shali Khan…”
Shang Ruyi wanted to say something, but the shock made her voice hoarse and barely audible. The sound was immediately drowned out by the howling wind around her. But a thought flashed through her mind and she quickly turned to look behind her.
From the beginning of their journey until they arrived here, there was a person who had always been by Ashina Shali's side. At this moment, he suddenly disappeared. Shang Ruyi turned his head and his eyes immediately searched the crowd and found a figure standing on horseback, holding a longbow, with a cold glint in his fingertips!
It's Ashina Zhuxie!
He had retreated behind them without them noticing, and just moments before, when all the archers were ordered to prepare to fire their arrows by Shali Khan, he had also taken out his own bow and nocked it.
However, his bow and arrow were the whistling arrows that Shali Khan had just given him!
This arrow guided the arrows in the hands of all the archers behind him. The arrows rained down like a storm, instantly killing the unsuspecting Shali Khan. With a loud thud, Shali Khan's huge and strong body fell heavily to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
But at this moment, Ashina Zhuxie's bow was drawn once again.
The arrow was still pointing forward.
Shang Ruyi suddenly sensed something, and before she could turn around, she heard a gasp beside her—
"Father Khan!"
Upon seeing that Khan Shali had fallen from his horse after being struck by an arrow, Prince Iasu immediately turned his horse around and galloped towards Ashina Shali, who had also fallen from his horse after being struck by dozens of arrows and was bleeding profusely.
And the arrow in Prince Zhu Xie's hand was pointed at—
Shang Ruyi immediately shouted, "Prince Iasu, don't go over there!"
The moment her shout rang out, a flash of lightning streaked past her eyes. Prince Iasu seemed to sense something as well, instinctively pulling on the reins. He turned his head, but before he could even see what was happening, he felt a weight on his chest, and then he froze on his horse.
He seemed unable to believe it, or rather, he was out of control. He stood there blankly for what seemed like an eternity, or perhaps just a moment, when he was pierced by the coldness in his chest. He shuddered and slowly lowered his head.
An arrow pierced his chest!
"Prince Iasu!"
Shang Ruyi shouted, but it was too late. The next moment, hundreds and thousands of arrows flew in again following the whistling arrow. In the blink of an eye, Yiasu had been hit by dozens of arrows. His whole body was trembling from the repeated blows of the arrows. Finally, he could not hold on and fell off his horse.
The entire world seemed to collapse at that moment.
Shang Ruyi couldn't believe her eyes, her ears, or even the world she was in. Yet, the most cruel and bloody scene before her eyes, the sharp whistling of arrows cutting through the wind, and the screams and roars of the people around her echoed in her ears. The entire world seemed to be stained blood red by the sight of Yiasu falling.
how so?
Even if there are variables, how did it turn out like this?
At that moment, Shang Ruyi didn't even have time to grieve. Overwhelmed by shock, she lost all reaction. It wasn't until the deafening roars around her, like thunder, and more chaotic figures began to turn their horses around and charge backward, that the tense atmosphere finally tugged at her cold heartstrings.
She instinctively tried to dismount, but the galloping horses around her wouldn't allow her to move.
Amidst the bustling crowd and deafening roars, she could only slowly turn her stiff neck to see clearly. The people around her finally understood what had happened. Several soldiers immediately stepped forward to help the fallen Shali Khan and Prince Iasu, who had been shot by arrows. However, with so many arrows piercing their hearts, there was absolutely no chance of survival.
Shang Ruyi's eyes were bloodshot as she looked at Yiasu's pale, handsome face, which had lost all vitality.
He had just been talking to Lei Yu inside the tent, promising to protect her, but those bright, lively eyes would never open again.
"Avenge the Khan!"
"Someone is rebelling! Ashina Zhuxie is rebelling!"
"Kill them!"
Just as Shang Ruyi's heart finally stirred and began to fill with grief, more roars filled her world once again. She turned around again and saw that the heavy cavalry had all returned to his back, lined up neatly, and in unison drew their arrows and nocked their bows!
Ashina Zhuxie's cold, sinister eyes coldly surveyed everything around him.
Just now, when he fired the first whistling arrow, the archers around him, who were already on edge from the impending battle, followed by the arrows he fired. But when the second whistling arrow was fired, Shali Khan was hit by the arrow. The archers had already come to their senses, and the extreme shock made them stop moving. The arrows that followed the second whistling arrow were all from this group of heavily armored cavalry.
Only two arrows.
With just two arrows, he killed the Western Turkic Khan and the Khan's most beloved Prince Iasu, completely eliminating his political enemies.
No wonder he agreed to hand over the heavy cavalry in exchange for only a whistling arrow.
It turns out it was all for today, for this very moment!
This was the most powerful and decisive counterattack that Prince Zhu Xie made when he was in dire straits!
But--
Shang Ruyi trembled and turned back once more to look at Prince Iasu, who lay on the ground in a pool of blood, already dead. She never dreamed that Iasu would die before her very eyes.
How much pain will Lei Yu suffer?
She was pregnant with Iasu's child and even hoped to tell him the good news after things had stabilized.
What should we do now?
Just as Shang Ruyi's mind was in chaos, a small group of soldiers around her had already reacted. Seeing that several generals were about to lead their troops to charge towards Ashina Zhuxie, the tall figure stood firm under the protection of the heavy cavalry.
Suddenly, Ashina Zhuxie raised his hand and held the whistling arrow high in the air.
Upon seeing this, some soldiers stopped in shock.
That, after all, belongs to the Khan!
Moreover, after the initial shock and rage, and the subconscious drive of the generals, some people gradually came to their senses. Did they really want to kill Ashina Zhuxie?
He was the only one left in the Western Turkic Khaganate—
Just as this thought crossed his mind, Ashina Zhuye suddenly proclaimed, "The Khan is dead, Yiasu is dead, and I am the sole heir of the Western Turks!"
"Killing me means wiping out the future of the Western Turks!"
"Today, all those who have submitted to me are great contributors to the Western Turks, and I will reward you handsomely; but anyone who tries to harm me is an enemy of the Western Turks and a rebel!"
Upon hearing this, some more people reined in their horses!
Indeed, although many of them were dissatisfied with Ashina Zhuxie and believed that the orphan of the Zhuxie tribe was not qualified to inherit the position of Khan, now that Shali Khan was dead, and even his previously designated successor, Prince Iasu, was dead, the entire Western Turkic Khaganate was left with only this one successor.
What terrified everyone even more was—
Just now, countless people among them followed Ashina Zhuxie's first whistling arrow and struck Shali Khan!
If Ashina Zhuxie is to be considered a traitor, then wouldn't those who just followed and shot those arrows also be punished? Wouldn't they all have to die then?
Moreover, who knows if his arrow just hit Shali Khan?
Who dares to take the bet?
With this in mind, more and more people stopped, feeling uneasy.
However, several generals were still dissatisfied. After all, they had been in the same position as Shali Khan from the beginning and had not followed the whistling arrows. Moreover, Ashina Zhuxie's actions were patricide and usurpation of the throne. How could they let him have his way?
So he shouted to his soldiers, "Charge!"
Ashina Zhuxie declared sternly, "Those who protect me today are all meritorious officials of the Western Turks!"
Although it was only a few words, the chaos caused by the two whistling arrows had dragged most of the people into the fray. These people hesitated and did not rush towards Ashina Zhuxie, but the generals and their personal guards refused to give up. They brandished their swords and charged directly towards Ashina Zhuxie!
At that moment, a cold glint flashed in Ashina Zhuxie's eyes.
He suddenly waved his hand—
"superior!"
The next moment, one of the heavily armored cavalrymen surrounding him stepped forward and immediately spurred their horses forward to meet him.
The outcome of heavy cavalry fighting against ordinary cavalry is obvious.
Even though Shang Ruyi hadn't witnessed the great battle that had taken place near Shouyang, nor the crushing victory that resembled a massacre, she already knew that the cavalry that Ashina Shali cared so much about must be exceptionally brave and skilled in battle.
Sure enough, as the two groups clashed, a series of shrill screams rang out simultaneously.
The soldiers who charged forward following the generals were thrown back as if they had hit a solid wall. Some were sent flying several meters away, while many more were knocked to the ground. Just as they were about to struggle to their feet and fight back, the heavy hooves of horses landed on them.
A scream, accompanied by gushing blood, followed.
This horrific scene was even more shocking than the one where Ashina Shali and Yiasu were pierced by a thousand arrows. The soldiers who were following behind, hesitating whether to charge forward, stopped again.
But some refused to give up and continued to fight back.
In an instant, the Western Turks' own troops were thrown into chaos. Shang Ruyi watched helplessly as blood stained the grassland red. One group of soldiers charged forward, and another group of soldiers fell. Some who fled in panic even bumped into her!
Just then, several heavily armored cavalrymen suddenly rushed over from the side and surrounded her!
Shang Ruyi was startled and subconsciously turned her head. She saw Ashina Zhuxie not far away watching his heavily armored cavalry cut through the soldiers who were not willing to fight back, and then spurring his horse forward.
How could he—?
Just then, Shang Ruyi felt a numbness in her back.
She suddenly realized that although what she was facing was a scene of chaos, with swords flashing and blood flying everywhere, or rather, a war, this was not what she was going to face, nor was this what they were going to face.
Or rather, it's not just that.
Instead—
Thinking of this, she suddenly turned around and saw that on the opposite bank of the Cangtou River, on the vast grassland, the army that had been rushing towards them like ink stains seemed to have seen the situation of the war on this side and gradually stopped!
However, the figure that was leading the way did not stop.
Yuwen Ye continued forward!
What's wrong with him?
Even the army behind him stopped, clearly on his orders. But if the army stopped, why was he still walking forward alone?
Shang Ruyi could hardly believe her eyes, and thought the intense stench of blood around her was causing her to hallucinate. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying her best to calm herself down, before opening them again—
That's right!
That agile, dragon-like figure was still riding on horseback, moving forward without stopping. His speed was even faster than when he was marching, and it was getting faster and faster.
In the blink of an eye, I could see the outline of his figure clearly, and even feel his cold gaze!
Shang Ruyi grew increasingly panicked, and at that moment, a person walked up to her—it was Ashina Zhuxie.
A flame seemed to ignite in his sinister gaze as he stared intently at the approaching enemy. Though he was alone, he showed no fear in the face of the massive Turkic army, the rising blood, and the deafening battle cries. He said in a deep voice, "It seems he has come for you."
"..."
Shang Ruyi's heart skipped a beat.
When I looked up again, that familiar figure had already reached the other side of the Cangtou River.
He was the only one.
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