Chapter 391
Chapter 391
Inside a secret chamber of the Great Victory Hall in Raging Tide City.
Jin Mulan said, embarrassed.
“I'm truly terrible at acting. Father is clearly alive and well, yet you're asking me to pretend to be lost in sorrow. I just don't know how.”
Mulan was indeed a terrible actress. With both her parents safe and a loving husband, she was incredibly happy. Asking her to feign sorrow was an impossible task. Jin Hui hesitated beside her for a long moment before finally making a decision.
*Here goes nothing!*
Jin Hui whispered quietly in Jin Mulan's ear.
“My lady, they say the Young Master slept with Princess Ning Yan in the capital. It wasn't just once, either. He was even caught by the King.”
The moment she heard those words, Mulan's eyes turned crimson, as if tears were about to burst forth.
*'You scumbag husband! Didn't you tell me time and again that you and Ning Yan were like siblings, that there were no other feelings between you? I would rather you visit a brothel and find some young courtesan than get emotionally entangled with a woman by your side... especially not one of those lovely women. Your heart must never stray!'*
At that moment, An Zaitian, who was standing nearby, spoke.
“Excellent. That's the look, my lady. It's perfect. For the next few days, whenever you find it hard to look sad, just think about the Young Master's affair. Everyone knows you can't act, so if they see your sorrowful and furious expression, they'll believe His Lordship has been assassinated.”
Marquis Jin Zhuo was left speechless.
*'Do we really have to go this far?'*
Mulan ground her teeth and muttered.
“Shen Lang, you scumbag, just you wait. When you come home, I'll kill you!”
*'Last time in Lang County, I, Jin Mulan, went soft on you and let you get out of bed the next day. Don't you know your own limits? You can't even satisfy me, Jin Mulan, yet you go out and cheat? How can you be so shameless when you're so pathetic at it?'*
A voice was heard from outside.
“My lord, an army of tens of thousands from the State of Wu is heading south.”
An Zaitian sighed and said.
“A decisive battle will soon be fought at Raging Tide City. The Young Master may not be here, but he left a plan in advance. We will surely achieve a great victory this time as well.”
Marquis Jin Zhuo said.
“Everyone, prepare for war!”
* * *
Aronana's tribe, at the foot of the Great Snow Mountain.
Because they offered free cowpox vaccinations to prevent smallpox, over a hundred thousand people had sought refuge here in just a few short months, turning it into a large settlement. The Qiang people had a tradition of following the strong, so most of those who came to Aronana were the old, the weak, and the young. Even so, the growing population increased the fame and influence of Aronana's tribe.
Recently, however, the many people of this tribe had been living in terror, startled by even the sound of the wind. The civil war in the Qiang Kingdom had ended, and a new Qiang King, Aruotai, had ascended the throne. The old Qiang King, Arujiang, must have had some lingering fatherly affection for Aronana, as he never sent soldiers to attack her tribe. In contrast, Aruotai, though Aronana's full brother, held no such sibling affection for her. After killing his three adult brothers, Aruotai immediately prepared to lead an army of forty thousand to attack Aronana's tribe. Day by day, the forty-thousand-strong army drew closer to Aronana's tribe.
The new Qiang King's envoys repeatedly shouted at Aronana's mountain tribe.
“Get out now if you don't want to die! The Great King is willing to accept all herdsmen, so bring your cattle and horses to welcome him. Any who dare to follow Aronana when the King's army arrives will be killed without mercy!”
To be honest, they truly did support Princess Aronana. Not only had she given everyone free vaccinations against smallpox, but she also rarely exploited them. Life in her tribe was far better than anywhere else. But what was more important than one's life? Aronana had only a few thousand warriors. How could they possibly stand against the Great King's tens of thousands? To remain in the mountain tribe was a death sentence. Before long, the herdsmen began to scatter and leave.
With people leaving every day, the number of tents, cattle, and sheep in the tribe dwindled. Princess Aronana was heartbroken. Her confidants constantly urged her to kill the deserters to stop others from fleeing. If they surrounded the tribe with their army, the herdsmen would be trapped by the valley and unable to escape.
Princess Aronana sighed and said.
“Even ants struggle to survive, let alone people. What right do I have to order innocent herdsmen to stay and die with me?”
In the past, Aronana would never have said such a thing. She used to have a fiery temper and thought little of human life. But after contracting smallpox, coming closer to death than anyone, and surviving its threat, she had changed completely. She had learned the value of life. Especially after sleeping with Big Dummy, she now carried a child in her womb. She had gained an even deeper understanding of life.
That's right. She was pregnant, already three months along. Big Dummy, impressive as ever, had hit the mark with a single shot. Soon after, she not only stopped preventing the herdsmen from leaving but also publicly declared that she would not stop anyone who wished to leave the mountain tribe. She even went out to see them off, giving gifts of cheese, brick tea, and dried meat, especially to the poor. Touched by Aronana's actions, countless people knelt before her and shed silent tears. They had never met such a benevolent ruler in all their lives in the Qiang Kingdom.
“We will not go! We will share life and death with Your Majesty, the Queen!”
“We're not leaving, we're not! To hell with it, we'll fight Aruotai to the death!”
“Her Majesty is so benevolent. If we abandon her at a time like this, wouldn't we be worse than beasts?”
Many, their eyes filled with hot tears, drew their swords and returned to Aronana's side. But these fearless few were a minority; most still left. They left the tribe with endless regret and shame. They wept all the way as they departed, able only to pray to the heavens, the gods, and the saints to protect their queen.
But no matter how much they prayed, their queen would not survive this disaster. Such a good queen should never have appeared in the lands of the Qiang. Her demise was, perhaps, fated. The mountain tribe and their queen would soon face their final day.
* * *
“Your Majesty, Aruotai's army is fifty li from our tribe. They will attack by noon tomorrow!”
A warrior knelt before Aronana and reported.
“How many do we have?”
The warrior answered Aronana's question.
“Three thousand.”
Aronana was surprised.
*'There are still three thousand left?'*
She had expected everyone to flee, leaving her to defend the mountain tribe alone. But three thousand remained, meaning only two thousand of her five thousand warriors had left.
“Your Majesty has shown us all immense grace. It is not cold water but hot blood that flows in our veins. Even in death, we will protect Your Majesty until the very end!”
Aronana had never called herself a king, but after her father, King Arujiang, died, the people of her tribe slowly began to address her differently. They had started calling her Queen. Because no ruler had ever treated them better. Not only did she treat their illnesses and give them vaccinations against smallpox, but she also had her troops set up tents for them and sent people to treat their sick cattle and sheep. Sometimes, she even delivered the calves and lambs herself. In contrast, the former Qiang King had been the epitome of cruelty, treating them like dogs, pigs, or livestock.
Aronana had a very modest fortress, less than a thousand square meters in size and not even fifteen meters high. Her tribe was located inside a mountain valley. Situated at the foot of the snow mountain, the year-round meltwater made the grass grow lush and plentiful. Aronana stepped out of the fortress and stood on an open terrace. The entire valley was now empty. Many tents still stood, but there were no people inside them.
Though countless herdsmen had left, the fact that they hadn't taken down their tents was a testament to their feelings. Their bodies may have departed, but their hearts remained, leaving their tents behind as they considered the mountain tribe their eternal home. Seeing Aronana emerge, the three thousand warriors knelt before her in unison, their eyes filled with resolve as they gazed upon her.
Aronana spoke.
“Aruotai's army is fifty li away and will attack by noon tomorrow. Flee now, while you still have the chance. I will bear you no grudge!”
The three thousand warriors remained prostrated on the ground, unmoving.
“We will share life and death with Your Majesty!”
“We will share life and death!”
Aronana said.
“Aruotai is my brother, but he is ruthless and will show no mercy. I cannot defeat him. If you stay here, you will only die.”
“We will share life and death with Your Majesty!”
The three thousand shouted in unison.
Aronana continued, her voice ringing out.
“Perhaps I should flee as well, but I do not want to. Besides, where would I even go?”
Big Dummy was gone, and so was Master Xue Yin. Her master's home was even here, on the mountain behind them. Aronana did not want to run. Though she no longer regarded human life as insignificant, her fiery spirit remained. She would rather die than flee from a battle. And where could she run? The State of Yue? She had an enemy there, the Su clan. The State of Chu? The Shaman Tribe? No, she didn't want to run anywhere.
“We will share life and death with Your Majesty!”
The three thousand repeated the words endlessly, their voices tragic and resolute. Their words held the firm resolve to die together. After all, with only three thousand men against Qiang King Aruotai's forty thousand, there was no chance of victory.
Aronana's clear voice rang out.
“Very well, then. Tomorrow, we will face Aruotai in a battle of life and death! I, Aronana, will die on my feet rather than live on my knees. Nor will I run like a stray dog. Let us fight to the death!”
“To the death!”
The three thousand roared like madmen.
*'So the final day has come? Then let it come. What's there to fear? It's only death!'*
Just then, the thunder of furious hoofbeats echoed from outside.
“Your Majesty, a troop of cavalry is approaching!”
Aronana was startled.
*'Didn't they say Aruotai's army was fifty li away? Why are they here so soon? But let them come. What do I, Aronana, have to fear? Big Dummy, you idiot. If I die, will you even think of me? But even if I die, you must remain faithful to me. If you dare take another woman, I will become a vengeful spirit and never forgive you.'*