“It’s obviously a trap.” Zong Chen announced beside Feng Zhiwei. “Fire, blood, and Prince Helian’s mother... running so freely. Clearly the enemy is baiting Prince Helian across the river.”
“Do you think the Queen is foolish or clever?” Feng Zhiwei replied, a strange smile on her lips. “After such an uproar, even an idiot would understand that something was wrong. As long as Helian Zheng is not a pig, he will not cross.”
“If she stayed quiet and refused to lure Helian Zheng across, the Golden Roc Tribe would use her to blackmail the Prince.” Zong Chen realized, smiling quietly. “The Golden Roc Tribe do not understand yet, but when they do, the Queen will be in danger.”
Feng Zhiwei turned to examine Helian Zheng. The man stood in the dark night, his hands clasped and his back to the river, still and motionless.
The witch mother ran around breathlessly, waving that strip of cloth powerlessly, her hoa.r.s.e voice filling the air: “You b.a.s.t.a.r.d Ji dog! Your old man died and you lost you heart! You’re not even as sweet as Kereyid! To think I gave birth to a dog like you! Tomorrow I’ll take him as my son!”
Helian Zheng twitched, and only a quiet Feng Zhiwei dared to ask: “Who is Kereyid?”
“Fire Fox Tribe Chief...” Helian Zheng replied through grit teeth. “So he is a traitor...”
The pieces began coming together. Helian Zheng had already told her that the circ.u.mstances around the old King’s death were strange. He had summoned the Golden Roc Tribe Chieftain for questioning, but the man had been able to ignore the heavy guards and easily slipped away after the murder. Clearly, there was a traitor.
Finally, the witch Queen of the Steppes had pa.s.sed on the news.
Some of the people chasing after the Queen burst into laughter as if greatly amused. Feng Zhiwei watched the woman with her spy gla.s.s, making out many ma.s.sed shadows behind the far tents.
“We have experts who can swim?” Feng Zhiwei suddenly asked.
“I sent them when we confirmed her ident.i.ty.” Zong Chen replied.
Feng Zhiwei nodded with satisfaction as Helian Zheng turned, his gaze grateful. The steppe warriors were not good swimmers, and none of his own people could cross the river without detection.
Helian Zheng finally turned towards the river and shouted.
“Liu Mudan you crazed woman! You can sleep in any den you like! You can take anyone as your son! If you want to jump into the river, jump! Just stop yelling and b.i.t.c.hing!”
“This Mother will sleep right now! I’ll jump!” Liu Mudan cried out defiantly, leaping out of the hands of her pursuers and spitting into the Chang Shui River.
“You don’t scare me!” Helian Zheng called back angrily. “Before father, you slept with over a hundred people! And afterwards, you still hooked up with Naiman, White deer, and all the others! At least ten honored leaders complained about your hara.s.sment! You have shamed the Irgi King Line and polluted the n.o.ble Irgi Blood! If I f.u.c.king listen to you, I’m not an Irgi!”
“Why didn’t this old lady leave you to be trampled by a horse!”
“Why didn’t I drag you out from Hule’s tent and stone you!”
The mother and son began quarreling, airing their dirty laundry. One side was accused of being an easily seduced, loose woman whose prost.i.tute background was not at all worthy of the t.i.tle of Queen. The other side was called heartless, cruel, and without morals, surely the reincarnation of the snow mountain wolf, which would explain why he almost gnawed off her nipples every time she breastfed him, and whenever she held him while he peed, he would pee for six hours and her arms would go numb — both sides cursed and threw colorful and spectacular insults, stunning the people on both sides of the river with remarkable secrets about the Steppe King’s family.
As they listened in stunned amazement, the people pursuing Liu Mudan lagged behind, letting her slip towards the river bank unattended.
“Stop her!” A loud voice cried out, hoof beats stamping forward.
At that moment, Liu Mudan dove into the water, disappearing into the river.
“Shua.”
A cloud of metal gleamed, shooting out of the peaceful Chang Shui River waters, cutting into the crowd pursuing Liu Mudan. The amused guards were still distracted by what they had heard and completely unprepared for the attack, and they had not even recovered from Liu Mudan’s shocking disappearance when the silvery gleams were upon them.
“Ah!”
Miserable cries filled the air, the powerful crossbow bolts mowing them down mercilessly. Shadows collapsed, blood dying the water red.
A rider neared, entering the crossbow’s range, but as the gleaming bolts howled towards him, he flipped under his horse’s belly, letting the animal absorb the arrows. The horse neighed and fell as the man flipped upright and landed firmly, his face ugly as he looked out at the dead and dying and the empty, calm river waters.
A few small waves headed towards the opposite bank, and a woman’s head appeared out of the water. She turned and waved cheerfully, pouting her red lips at him.
“Mua!”
“Hei!”
The man snorted, striking the river with his sword. The water blasted up three meters in the air, but his enemy was already out of reach.
As the Steppe Queen was busy taunting, Helian Zheng had already lined his men into battle formation.
Now that Zong Chen’s men had rescued his mother and taken care of the enemy ambusher’s in the river, Helian Zhen ignored his weeping mother and ordered his three hundred guards onto their transports, with Chunyu Meng and his three thousand escort guards following.
The enemy’s plan had failed, but they refused to leave, dark leather shining dully in the firelight as they lined up by the river.
They stood by the borders of Hu Zhuo land, and this was the first step towards reclaiming the steppes. Just as Helian Zheng had to win this battle, the Golden Roc Tribe were determined to stop Helian Zheng here, once and for all.
Steppe men were direct people, and since neither side planned on letting any of their enemies leave alive, they shouted no insults as they met fought.
Helian Zheng could not instantly disembark his mounted troops, and as their transports neared, the enemy’s arrows fell like rain.
Chunyu Meng’s shield bearers had already formed up at the bow, guarding their own archers. As they neared the other bank, Helian Zheng and his Eight Valiants rushed forward with large shields before them, smashing into the waiting enemy.