BEGW C91

Chapter 91

Ying Changchuan’s fingers brushed lightly over the shell.

The movement was careful and gentle—utterly unlike the man who usually rode horses and swung a sword.

What he had just said was no joke. Rather… it was genuine emotion.

Curiosity was human nature, let alone when the person before him was the Son of Heaven of Great Zhou, a man long known for never indulging in romance.

…This scene was no different from the sun rising in the west.

The Dingbei Grand General, who spent most of the year stationed far from Zhaodu guarding the northern frontier, felt his curiosity reach its peak at this very moment.

Usually meticulous and sharp-minded, his brain began spinning rapidly.

While speculating about who the emperor’s beloved might be, the general sneaked a glance at the object in Ying Changchuan’s hand.

The shell was pretty—yes—but clearly not of tribute quality.

Which meant… it must have been something his beloved had personally picked up and given to him?

If memory served correctly, His Majesty had once gone to Shuolin Commandery!

The Dingbei Grand General subconsciously held his breath.

Since His Majesty had brought it up himself, surely there was nothing wrong with asking?

After holding back for quite some time, the general—famed for his valor—finally chuckled and asked tentatively,

“…This object is truly beautiful. I assume it was personally selected by the one in Your Majesty’s heart along the seashore? Ah… then Your Majesty’s beloved must be from Shuolin Commandery?”

Ying Changchuan’s fingers paused.

He did not spare the general a glance, merely placing the shell back into its brocade pouch.

The lamb over the bonfire had finished roasting.

The soldiers removed it from the fire, cut it into portions with small knives, and distributed it to everyone.

The atmosphere at the camp grew even livelier.

Night wind carrying the aroma of roasted meat swept over them, and the Dingbei Grand General’s stomach let out an involuntary growl.

“Cough—cough—”

He hurriedly cleared his throat and looked around, trying to cover up the embarrassment.

The Son of Heaven secured the pouch and walked slowly toward the command tent.

Just as his figure was about to disappear from sight, the restless Dingbei Grand General suddenly heard him say softly,

“She is from Lanze Commandery.”

With that, he entered the tent.

The Dingbei Grand General: “!!!”

From Lanze Commandery?!

The general—who had just been eager to eat—froze on the spot.

Lanze Commandery was unimaginably far from Zhaodu. When had His Majesty ever met someone from there?

…Could it have been during the imperial tour years ago?

But Lanze Commandery didn’t seem to produce shells like that.

A few breaths later, a terrifying possibility surfaced in the general’s mind.

—Could it be that His Majesty had known that person even before the tour, and had kept them by his side all along?

That… that was hiding it far too deeply!

The Dingbei Grand General had spent half his life on the battlefield. Though shocked by the evening’s conversation, it did not distract him.

At dawn the next morning, scouts who had confirmed King Qiuqi’s movements returned to camp.

The army broke camp and advanced westward at full speed.

Deep within the vast Dingwumu Grasslands, King Qiuqi—who had fled back in disgrace—spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva.

He grabbed a waterskin and gulped it down.

“Damn it… how did Ying Changchuan end up here?”

As he spoke, the warhorse he had ridden finally collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Horses were the most precious wealth of the Zherou people.

Not to mention that this year’s White Calamity had already claimed countless warhorses.

Seeing the horse fall, a dull pain struck King Qiuqi’s heart. He immediately sent someone to inspect it.

At his earlier words, a subordinate’s eyes widened.

“Could it be those Zhou men who claimed to be ‘Believers of the Listening Heaven Platform’ who tipped them off?!”

The strategist who had fled with him gritted his teeth.

“That makes sense! Otherwise how could Ying Changchuan have waited so precisely in Wuchang County?”

While washing the rope burns from his palm, King Qiuqi snarled,

“Capture every last one of them!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” The soldier withdrew at once.

The Dingwumu Grasslands were the third-largest pasture in King Qiuqi’s territory and had suffered relatively less damage this year.

All Zherou under his rule were now secretly hiding here.

But the land’s carrying capacity was limited—it could not support so many people.

The veterinarian dragged away the dead horse. After being chased by Zhou troops for two days, King Qiuqi was utterly exhausted.

He glanced at the distant sky and finally staggered back into the tent.

Once those Zhou men were killed and the threat eliminated…

He would lead his people south, reclaim his honor, and seize enough food for the year.

At that time, he would wash the hatred in his heart away with Zhou blood!

Without even cleaning himself, King Qiuqi collapsed onto the animal-skin couch.

Yet before he could fall asleep, chaotic footsteps sounded outside the tent.

“Reporting to the King—bad news—!”

A sharp pain drilled into his head. Pressing his temple, he forced his eyes open.

“What now?”

The soldier’s voice trembled.

“The Zhou… the Zhou seem to have caught up again.”

“Impossible!” King Qiuqi shot upright.

Three sides of Dingwumu were desert. He was certain that Zhou soldiers—unfamiliar with Zherou terrain—could never find this place.

“Come in and explain!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

The leather-armored soldier stepped forward and handed over the report.

On the couch, King Qiuqi’s eyes—red from exhaustion—shook as he took it.

After drawing a deep breath, he opened it.

The kneeling soldier cautiously raised his head to observe the king’s expression.

—It turned iron-blue in an instant.

Soldiers guarding the desert choke point had seen the Zhou army marching west.

They appeared to be crossing the desert directly toward this place.

“…Ying Changchuan.”

King Qiuqi crushed the report in his hand.

At last he understood—he had never shaken off Zhou pursuit.

They had followed him at a distance, deliberately letting him lead them to the main force.

He tossed the report aside and donned his armor once more.

The soldier blurted out, pale-faced,

“Your Majesty, even if they know where we are, the desert blocks them. They might not dare cross it… they don’t even know how vast or deep it is.”

As he spoke, his expression eased slightly.

The desert was their natural barrier.

Zhou soldiers unfamiliar with the north might well die of thirst before reaching Dingwumu.

“Silence!”

King Qiuqi suddenly turned and kicked him hard.

“They’re already at the choke point—yet you think they won’t make it?”

His shout pierced through the tent and echoed across the grasslands.

Stepping outside, he saw the trembling strategist.

“What do you think, Duenli?!”

Duenli immediately knelt.

“Your Majesty speaks wisely… if the Zhou can find the choke point, then it’s possible they possess detailed Zherou maps.”

The messenger muttered,

“How could that be…”

Indeed—the so-called Listening Heaven Platform believers had arrived recently and were blindfolded the entire way.

How could they have maps?

Dingwumu was the last pasture of the year.

King Qiuqi could not abandon it.

Orders for battle spread at once.

Seventy thousand Zherou troops hidden in the grasslands prepared at full speed.

Still basking in memories of countless past victories, King Qiuqi and those who had not experienced the terror of Wuchang Night showed little fear.

But Duenli’s face alternated between red and white.

Silently, he prepared to flee.

Total mobilization had once been the Zherou’s strength.

Now, it was their greatest weakness.

Lacking professional training, they relied on mobility—fight if they could win, flee if not.

But now, with no route of escape, cavalry power would plummet.

Duenli clenched the reins.

This time, Heaven seemed to stand with Zhou.

The Dingwumu Grasslands stretched endlessly beneath a clear sky.

Every movement within dozens of li lay exposed.

Moments later, a black dot appeared on the horizon.

King Qiuqi, mounted at the rear, raised his hand.

The war horn sounded.

Zherou troops facing east dispersed into a semicircle, bows raised.

King Qiuqi took another swig of strong liquor and shouted at the top of his lungs,

“—The commander of the Fulin Army today is Ying Changchuan! Slay him, march south, seize Zhaodu—wine and beauties will be endless!”

“Seize Zhaodu! Seize Zhaodu!”

The roar echoed across the grasslands.

The Fulin Army advanced like a black cloud.

Just before entering range, they halted.

Murmurs spread among the Zherou.

“They stopped?”

“Not many of them…”

“All cavalry?”

Zherou had over seventy thousand.

Zhou had fewer than ten thousand.

The disparity was obvious.

King Qiuqi laughed.

“Ying Changchuan finally realizes how many we have. He’s afraid.”

Duenli’s smile froze.

…If Ying Changchuan dared come, how could he not know?

His unease only deepened.

Eagles soared overhead.

At that moment, dozens of war carts appeared before the Zhou army.

Duenli sucked in a breath.

“…Trebuchets?”

King Qiuqi frowned.

“They’re useless against cavalry.”

Then—

The “stones” arced through the air.

“Boom—”

They ignited midair.

Fireballs.

They struck the dry grassland—and exploded.

From them burst countless 蒺藜 (caltrops), tearing into horses’ legs.

Screams erupted.

Horses reared, fell, trampled riders.

Chaos spread like ripples.

Untrained troops panicked.

Seventy thousand cavalry collapsed into disorder.

In moments, the battle was decided.

Ying Changchuan drew his sword.

Cold light flashed in his ash-gray eyes.

No words were needed.

Blades were drawn.

“Kill—!”

Blood sprayed.

Grass stained red.

Their shared thought:

End this century-long plunder.

Pacify the north.

Let the people live.

“Kill!”

Ying Changchuan advanced like a nightmare, severing heads in a blink.

Their eyes met.

He smiled casually—while striking again.

Another head fell.

“Retreat…”

Cold sweat drenched King Qiuqi.

He fled.

Ying Changchuan let him go.

He wanted him to find the other kings.

The battle ended with Qiuqi fleeing with a thousand guards, the rest surrendering.

Eastern and southern Zherou lands fell to Zhou.

Days later came the surrender rites.

At dawn, mist clung to the grass.

Before the rooster crowed, the Son of Heaven stepped out.

A white horse galloped toward camp.

Jiang Yuxun approached at full speed.

“Your Majesty, be careful!”

“Don’t be afraid. Jump.”

He did.

And fell—

Into Ying Changchuan’s arms.

 

• 「蒺藜」 → caltrops: ancient spiked weapons designed to maim horses—devastating to cavalry-based armies.