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Shulitu shivered in his chair. The bloody scene inside of the Second Consort’s tent still lingered in his mind. He could keep his cool in front of outsiders, but at heart, he was still terrified.

“That’s different,” he said. He was probably embarrassed about his discomposure, but Shulitu explained himself even though the Dragon King did not ask. “Killing and being killed is predictable… on the battlefield. But the two corpses were right there… Zhesu and Duoercha didn’t expect to be killed. The dim light, the blood on the floor, and the Second Consort’s eyes… I hope that the Dragon King doesn’t laugh at me.”

“No,” Gu Shenwei replied. As a twelve year old kid, Shulitu’s performance had been almost impeccable. “So, you think that the Second Consort schemed to kill the two of them.”

Shulitu nodded first, but then shook his head. “It’s a guess or just a feeling of mine. I don’t have any direct evidence. The Second Consort is a powerful woman. Even if she proposes to me, I wouldn’t dare accept it now.”

Shulitu wasn’t rich in worldly experience yet, but he would slowly learn that a lot of the truth was hidden in one’s feelings.

“Did she make you an offer?”

Killing Zhesu and Duoercha was one of the terms, but the Second Consort had done so ahead of time.

“No.” Shulitu raised his head, looking a little puzzled. “I also thought… that this is the strangest part. The Second Consort seemed to be really scared at that time, and her emotions couldn’t have been faked. But she didn’t mention anything about the coronation from beginning to end. I mentioned it, but she didn’t answer.”

The Second Consort was becoming more and more of a problem, but she was not the biggest problem at the moment.

“Was I wrong to let the people of the Naihang Tribe go?” Shulitu asked. He had not received much approval of his actions at that time, which made him very uneasy.

“You did the right thing. Forcing the people of the Naihang Tribe to stay might have caused serious disturbances and could have ruined the chance to explain the situation instead.”

Shulitu let out a long sigh of relief. He was more willing to believe the Dragon King’s judgment than those of the officers.

After the private talk with the Dragon King, Shulitu immediately summoned the officers of the army to discuss a deal with the Naihang Tribe’s defection. Gu Shenwei listened for a while before leaving the tent on his own.

Dugu Xian followed him out and said, “It’s a bit tricky. Some people are scared that the escaped soldiers of the Naihang Tribe will instigate the rest of the Naihang Tribe to revolt and to even join together and turn against the new Khan’s enemy.”

“The Khan has to send someone to explain this to the people of the Naihang Tribe immediately.”

“Yes. So tomorrow, we must take Thousand Horsemen Pass. We can’t delay anymore.”

“Hmm, tomorrow.”

After departing with the General of the Left, Gu Shenwei went to check the corpses with the guards.

Zhesu and Duoercha’s corpses had been brought back. Shulitu had promised to the remaining Naihang soldiers that the two would be given a funeral beyond the standard.

The corpses had been washed clean and the wounds were very clear, each one with a small wound mark. It was hard to imagine the two stout men had died from it.

Duoercha’s penis had been cut off but carefully sewn back. He had died of excessive bleeding. When he was screaming, the soldiers and officers outside were still in a daze and thus weren’t able to save him in time.

Zhesu, on the other hand, had died in an instant. He was pierced through the heart from his back.

Gu Shenwei returned to his own tent. He then sent someone to arrange another living place for Luo Ningcha and was refusing to meet her again.

Han Fen had accepted the order and smiled happily as soon as she entered the tent. “The Second Consort is really ruthless. She was still so timid when cutting off Duodun’s head, but this time, she’s so bold. I should get her to join the Waning Moon Hall.”

“Have you talked to the Second Consort about this?”

“About what?” Han Fen looked puzzled.

“Waning Moon Hall.”

“No. Why would I talk about Waning Moon Hall with her? I just said it casually. It’s up to the Master Commander to decide who should be taken as a disciple.”

“Have you ever seen the Second Consort besides the night when Duodun committed suicide?”

Han Fen looked up and thought for a while before saying, “Hmm. I’ve met her a few times but I can’t remember exactly how many times. There was once when she asked to see the Dragon King, once when she went to see the little girl, and once …”

The so-called ‘meeting’ mentioned by Han Fen was just a glance from a distance. Gu Shenwei hurriedly interrupted her. “I meant a private meeting where you have a private talk with her.”

“No.” Han Fen immediately shook her head. “I remember that very well.”

“There are disciples of the Waning Moon Hall hiding in the camp then,” Gu Shenwei said quietly.

“Yeah, it’s me, isn’t it?”

“There’s someone else besides you.”

“Really?” Han Fen’s eyes lit up, “Could it be possible that the Master Commander has sent someone for me? Dragon King, if that’s the case, then please do me a favor and let me go. You know, I’m useless and I eat a lot. I know that it’s not easy for you to support so many people and I’d be glad to relieve your burden a bit…”

“Find the hidden disciples of the Waning Moon Hall and I’ll consider letting you go.”

“Heehee, the Dragon King is trying to use me, right? I’m not stupid.” Han Fen changed her tone.

“Right. I’m using you as compensation for the food you ate. And I promise that I’ll provide everyone you find with food and accommodation, no matter how many Waning Moon Hall members you root out. I also won’t kill them, but I won’t show mercy if I find them myself.”

“What does the Dragon King mean by showing no mercy? Scolding, raping, or killing?”

“Kill.”

“Oh.” Han Fen thought for a while before her eyes lit up again. “Is this a competition? To see who can find the most disciples of the Waning Moon Hall first?”

“Yes. If you win, I’ll let you go. If you lose…”

“You want me to sleep with you?”

“If you lose, you’ll have to renounce your allegiance to the Master Commander.”

“That won’t do.” Han Fen anxiously shook her head. “No, I can’t. If I lose…”

“If you lose, you are not allowed to eat for three days.” Gu Shenwei wanted Han Fen to win.

“All right.” Han Fen immediately agreed, but then suddenly sighed. “I wish that Han Xuan were here. She’s the best at this game. She can find all of the disciples of the Waning Moon Hall with just her nose. Dragon King, I miss her.”

“Then let the game begin. When you win, you’ll be able to go back and see her.”

Han Fen turned around and jumped out of the tent. She wanted to take the lead from the very beginning.

After a while, Doctor Sun came to see the Dragon King and discontentedly complained, “Dragon King, I’ve told you a long time ago that anyone who claims that they can cure every disease is a swindler. As incapable as I am, even the treatment of the injured soldiers is a bit beyond my ability, but now you want me to examine corpses. To tell you the truth…”

“How did it go?”

“How did it go? It’s obvious. One died from blood loss while the other died of the fatal wound in the back.

“No signs of poisoning?”

Although Doctor Sun complained, he had still done a meticulous examination. “There was a small sign, but not obvious. The only way to confirm it was to cut open the body and make a thorough check. For some hidden poisons, one cannot always judge from the appearance of the victim. Instead, one must look at the victim’s internal organs, which will always be damaged.”

An autopsy would cause a big stir among the soldiers of the Naihang Tribe. Gu Shenwei did not want to the speculation of poisoning to spread at all. “Leave it alone for now.”

Doctor Sun nodded and turned to leave when he turned his head and asked, “The Dragon King suspects that the two were poisoned by the Waning Moon Hall, correct? But the Second Consort… Right, the Second Consort is also a woman. Alas, women.”

Gu Shenwei still could not believe that the Second Consort could secretly join the Waning Moon Hall. The Second Consort’s ideal of fighting for power was completely contrary to that of Lotus’s. But he had the same doubt as that captain who had run away from the camp: How could Zhesu and Duoercha have possibly been killed by those two weak women, one master and the other a slave girl?

Doctor Sun usually did not make guesses, but he saw that the Dragon King was very concerned about the matter so he gave his opinion before leaving. “I didn’t see any traces of the Waning Moon Hall’s poisons. Even if the Second Consort really poisoned them, she must have used poison from a different source.”

Gu Shenwei agreed. But this made the Second Consort’s behavior even more complicated and confusing.

Shulitu had just finished a meeting. He sent out 50,000 horsemen with an experienced general as their commander to pursue the fleeing Naihang soldiers and to try to persuade them to change their mind. If that did not work, then they would try not to start a war and instead go together to the Naihang Tribe and declare the new Khan’s decree.

Shulitu was a bit anxious. He had just become the new Khan. The betrayal of the Naihang Tribe, which used to be an important ally of his, would have a large impact on the grassland. He wanted to go to the Naihang Tribe in person, but he also wanted to stay and help the Dragon King seize Thousand Horsemen Pass or even break into Jade City.

“Take Thousand Horsemen Pass and you will be able to lead the troops to appease the Naihang Tribe. Also, Luoluo is said to be regrouping his troops in the north. It’s necessary to stay on guard.”

“Hmm.” Shulitu nodded seriously. “How many horsemen does the Dragon King want to leave behind?”

“Ten thousand.”

“Ten thousand?” Shulitu was surprised because this number was much lower than what he had expected. “I don’t need too many troops, but the Dragon King has to fight against Jade City while simultaneously guarding against the people of the Central Plains…”

“I have my ways.” Gu Shenwei even thought that the ten thousand horsemen were too many. Neither he nor Dugu Xian wanted to use too much of the Norland’s power in the Western Regions.

When he walked the Dragon King out of the tent, Shulitu looked a little excited. He had been ill at ease with his status this whole time. For the very first time, he felt that it was possible to really get rid of his identity as a puppet.

The plan to attack Thousand Horsemen Pass was postponed by one day. Golden Roc Castle’s garrison and the Central Plains’ 10,000 strong vanguard did not take the initiative to challenge them. The two sides seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, so the front line was quiet during the day.

That evening, the counselor Fang Wenshi rushed back to the camp without his entourage and was almost shot dead by a sentry who did not recognize him. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found that the battle for Thousand Horsemen Pass had not begun.

“Dragon King, we can’t attack the Thousand Horsemen Pass, at least not for now,” Fang Wenshi blurted out as soon as he entered the tent without even greeting the Dragon King.

Gu Shenwei was working with Dugu Xian to perfect the plan to attack the city. He looked up at the sweaty counselor and asked, “Who are you lobbying for?”

Although Fang Wenshi was loyal to the Dragon King, he was easily influenced by others. Sometimes, he wanted to convince someone but ended up with being persuaded himself. He himself, however, did not think so, so he was slightly stunned and said, “Of course for the Dragon King. Is the Dragon King worried that I was bribed? I came back all alone.”

“Hmm, give me a reason.”

Fang Wenshi took a glance at Dugu Xian. Seeing no response from the Dragon King, Fang Wenshi continued, saying, “I wasn’t able to go to the Loulan Kingdom. I met the Central Plains Army along the way and the one leading the army was exactly the governor Wei Song. He politely received me and claimed that the Central Plains was willing to ally with the Dragon King. Wei Song was slippery so I secretly investigated Wei Song’s status in the Central Plains Court according to the Dragon King’s instructions.”

Fang Wenshi paused for a moment before continuing. “In order to fight a decisive battle with the Norland, the Central Plains has gathered an unprecedentedly large army. The commander-in-chief’s name is Pang Ning. Not only is he the General-in-chief of the Central Plains, but he’s also a relative of Wei Song’s by marriage.”

“Hmm.” Gu Shenwei still did not understand. The Pang family and the Wei family were relatives by marriage, but that seemed to have nothing to do with their attack on Thousand Horsemen Pass.

Fang Wenshi spoke too fast. He finally poured out the most important piece of information after catching his breath. “Didn’t the Dragon King want to know who Wei Song’s political enemy was? It’s precisely that Prince Xiao. If the Dragon King attacks Thousand Horsemen Pass, the Central Plains Army will be drawn over. Wei Song and Pang Ning will gain the upper hand and Prince Xiao will lose his power. Otherwise, Prince Xiao will have a deed of merit, while Wei Song and Pang Ning will return with nothing. The Dragon King can make an informed choice now.”