Nightwatcher

Chapter 364: The Yao Army Crosses the Border

# 364. The Yao Army Crosses the Border

The white-robed woman, whose beauty could overthrow cities, smiled faintly. “Why don’t you try finding where the Zhenbei King carried out his ‘Blood runs three thousand miles’ massacre?”

The man with the indistinct face shook his head helplessly. “These past few days, I’ve scoured every corner of Chuzhou, reading the flow of Qi, but I still haven’t found the site of the Zhenbei King’s slaughter. Yet heaven’s will tells me it lies within Chuzhou.”

The white-robed woman’s seductive demeanor receded, her long, straight brows knitting slightly in contemplation.

“He’s racing against us for time. Once the essence blood is fully refined, it will be impossible to stop him. By then, the only way to halt the Zhenbei King’s ascension to second rank will be to kill Mu Nanzhi. But since Mu Nanzhi is traveling with that boy, it’ll be up to you Arcanists to handle it. Hah, earning the grudge of someone with great fortune is terrible for one’s own.”

She paused, then added, “By the way, do you think the Jianzheng is aware of the Zhenbei King’s plot? If so, why does he seem indifferent? I’m beginning to suspect that Mu Nanzhi traveling with Xu Qi’an is due to the Jianzheng’s silent manipulation.”

The white-robed man sneered. “You can keep guessing. The moment you deduce his plan, heaven’s secrets will respond, and the Jianzheng will appear in Chuzhou. I can always find a way to escape, but as for you... well, you can say goodbye to that pretty fox tail of yours.”

The woman was clearly apprehensive and refrained from mentioning the Jianzheng further.

“Three days,” she mused, “we have three days to locate the site of the Zhenbei King’s massacre, or everything will be irreversible.”

The faceless Arcanist gazed out at the distant landscape and interjected, “Xu Qi’an?”

“Yes, and no.” Her lips curled into a faint smile as she stroked the silky fur of the six-tailed white fox in her arms. “You think Xu Qi’an’s great fortune can guide us, and that’s a valid thought. But my idea is that everyone seems to have overlooked Wei Yuan. He’s the only strategist capable of matching the Jianzheng move for move. Why don’t we focus on the delegation?”

The Arcanist chuckled. “If you know he’s the Jianzheng’s equal on the chessboard, you should also know the delegation is just a decoy. I’ve never underestimated Wei Yuan; I simply can’t gauge his stance on this matter. Wei Yuan is a statesman and a rare military talent. His perspective won’t be confined to simple notions of right and wrong. If the Zhenbei King ascends to the second rank, the northern frontier of the Great Feng will become secure, pressing the barbarians hard. Wei Yuan, who has spent years patching this declining empire while navigating inter-clique conflict, might very well hope to see the Zhenbei King succeed.

“But the Zhenbei King’s atrocities cross the line. Whether Azure Cloak Wei will silently acquiesce or covertly stab the Zhenbei King in the back—hah, not even the Zhenbei King himself can be sure.”

The Arcanist snorted derisively. “That idiot, he’s still heading west.”

The woman in white gently tossed the six-tailed fox in her arms, saying gently: “Go. Notify the myriad Yao to converge in Chuzhou, gather in the mountains, and await orders.”

The petite and adorable fox tumbled off the cliff, its body swelling as it fell. The fluffy, round creature stretched and grew, transforming into a giant fox over ten feet long. Its form was sleek, its limbs powerful, and its tails fanned out like a peacock’s plumage.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The fox sprinted, its paws stepping effortlessly on thin air as it sped into the distance.

…

On the road west, Xu Qi’an dozed beneath the shade of a tree. In his dreams, he tumbled with a stunning beauty, their entanglement reminiscent of a general charging into battle.

“Phew…” He opened his eyes. The swaying shadows of leaves and dappling light danced above him. The beauty in his dream began to overlap with the fleeting image of the princess consort he had seen that night.

He wasn’t sure if it was his prolonged absence from the Jiaofangsi or the princess consort’s overwhelming allure, but the woman lingered in his thoughts like a toxin—impossible to forget.

He glanced sideways at the princess consort dozing against the tree trunk, her ordinary face stirring no emotion. The sight filled him with a detached clarity, a sense of tranquillity in his heart.

A peculiar kind of “sage time”.

“Hey, wake up,” Xu Qi’an called, rousing the princess consort. As she opened her sleepy eyes, he urged, “We can reach the next city before lunch. Let’s have a proper meal and see if we can kill a few more barbarians or your husband’s spies while we’re at it.”

The princess consort frowned, clearly displeased by the mention of “your husband.” She rolled her eyes and snorted in annoyance but ultimately climbed onto his back obediently.

After a brief bout of indignation, she wrapped her arms around his neck, buried her face, and murmured, “Hey, can you defeat King Huai? What’s your plan for dealing with him?”

Despite being momentarily captivated by the air of authority Xu Qi’an had exuded that one time, she still knew enough to be curious about his approach to facing the Zhenbei King.

If Xu Qi’an declared, “I’ll cut the Zhenbei King down in one strike,” she would immediately try to dissuade him from such a suicidal notion.

Xu Qi’an replied curtly, “I plan to stab his wife. A white blade in, a green blade out.”[^1]

“?”

The princess consort was dumbfounded for a moment before realisation struck. Her brows shot up as she pounded his head with her fist.

Duang! Duang! Duang!

He was beaten the entire way.

…

Chuzhou Garrison.

Yang Yan and Censor Liu stopped outside the military camp. Unlike temporary tents commonly associated with military camps, this was a more permanent establishment. Local garrisons like this one often had dedicated barracks indistinguishable from ordinary civilian houses.

Typically, the guard force in a prefectural capital numbered between five and six thousand. For a border city, it increased to ten to twenty thousand. But in Chuzhou, due to its proximity to the frontier and reinforcements by the Zhenbei King, the number reached a staggering thirty-six thousand.

These thirty-six thousand troops were directly under the Zhenbei King’s command. The guards stationed across other parts of Chuzhou also fell under his authority but required an official order of deployment — an order bearing the seal of the Commander General of Chuzhou.

Yang Yan and Censor Liu sat astride their horses under the scorching sun for an hour. Even the horses were snorting in discomfort from the heat.

Censor Liu, slumped over his mount and parched, muttered feebly, “Gold Gong Yang, why don’t we head back? This official is about to be sun-dried into jerky.”

Just then, a guard with a hand on his sword emerged and called out loudly, “The Commander invites both of you inside.”

Censor Liu heaved a sigh of relief, practically sliding off his horse as he stumbled toward the entrance, his exhaustion palpable.

Following the guard, the two walked through rows of barracks to a large two-section courtyard. Inside, they were led to the reception hall, where they were greeted by the Chuzhou Commander and Duke Protector of the Nation, Que Yongxiu.

Que Yongxiu was a man of striking appearance, with a sharp, handsome face and a short beard. However, one of his eyes was blind, leaving the remaining one gleaming with defiance and sharpness. He sat in a large chair, a tea cup in hand, his gaze cold as it landed on Yang Yan.

“Well, if it isn’t the ragtag brat of Wei Yuan,” he sneered. “What brings you to my camp?”

His tone was full of mockery.

Yang Yan’s impassive demeanour remained unchanged as he replied evenly, “To investigate.”

Feigning ignorance, Que Yongxiu asked, “Investigate what?”

Yang Yan’s tone turned colder. “The Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles case. I need to see the Chuzhou Garrison’s deployment records.”

Starting with the garrison records was logical. The delegation had arrived in Chuzhou first, given its proximity. Furthermore, the thirty-six thousand guards here were all Zhenbei King’s trusted troops and the core of the Chuzhou military.

If the massacre occurred, the Zhenbei King would undoubtedly mobilize troops to respond. Deployment records would serve as critical evidence. Military operations, after all, left traces—logistics, supplies, and preparations could not simply disappear. Though the Zhenbei King’s control over Chuzhou might obscure clues, an investigation was still necessary. Without it, the delegation would be stuck idling at the inn.

“What Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles?” Que Yongxiu slammed the table, startling Censor Liu. Rising from his seat, he stormed toward Yang Yan, jabbing a finger in his face as he roared:

“This duke has served the Zhenbei King and defended Chuzhou for over a decade. And now you, a lackey of Wei Yuan, dare come to my camp thinking you can just investigate as you wish!?”

Yang Yan’s expression didn’t waver as he silently stared at the duke.

“When I was killing enemies on the frontier and guarding the border,” Que Yongxiu continued, his voice dripping with disdain, “you lot in the capital were lying on silken beds with your beauties. Now you barge in here talking about ‘Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles’? Bah! Go back to Wei Yuan and tell those pen-pushing pedants in the court that if they think they can frame me or the Zhenbei King, they’re dreaming!”

Que Yongxiu sneered, “Now, get out of my sight. Go back to where you came from.”

Censor Liu’s face turned red with fury. Pointing a finger at the duke, he shouted, “Duke Protector, we are acting under imperial orders. Do you dare defy the decree?”

The duke’s lips twisted into a mocking grin. “Censor Liu, you’re welcome to impeach me upon your return to the capital.”

The sheer arrogance of his reply left Liu trembling with anger. Yet he had no authority to act against the duke, nor the strength to challenge the Zhenbei King’s authority in Chuzhou. Furious but helpless, he could only glare.

“Let’s go,” Yang Yan said, turning to leave.

The fiery rage within Censor Liu had nearly reached its breaking point. Being left outside to burn in the sun for a whole two hours, suffering all the time, then finally with such difficulty entering the garrison only to find out the other party deliberately let them in just to humiliate them.

As for the case, they didn’t even get a word.

“Wait!”

Que Yongxiu suddenly called after the two men. When Yang Yan returned, the corner of his mouth turned up: “Yang Yan, you did not guard the princess consort adequately, and she has been abducted by the barbarians. Today, her whereabouts are unknown.

“King Huai is very angry. The only reason why he has not held you accountable was out of respect for Wei Yuan. Now if you were to admit fault, and kneel outside the camp for four hours, this duke will make an exception and let you read through the garrison deployments.”

Throughout his speech, his mouth was curled in a sneer, carrying a blatant provoking aura.

“You go too far!” Steam rushed out of Censor Liu’s ears, and he was just about to display the “tongue sword” so cultivated by scholars, to teach this coarse martial artist a lesson, to make sure all the women in his family lose all their dignity—

Yet he was stopped by a glance from Yang Yan.

The two turned and left, the sound of Que Yongxiu’s smug laughter ringing in their ears.

“Outrageous! Simply outrageous!” Liu fumed as they exited the camp. “He’s gone too far. When we return to the capital, I’ll ensure this brute learns the power of a scholar’s pen!”

Yang Yan’s calm voice interrupted him. “He’s provoking me intentionally. He wants to kill us.”

Liu paused, his anger replaced with shock. “What do you mean?”

Without answering directly, Yang Yan mounted his horse and spoke in a low voice, “Blood Runs Three Thousand Miles is far more complicated than we anticipated. Xu Qi’an’s decision was correct—heading north in secret, away from the delegation. Had he stayed, he’d be powerless here.

“And with his short temper for bullshit, he would easily fall into Que Yongxiu’s trap. Here, he cannot beat the Duke Protector and Zhenbei King, his fate would only be death.”

Censor Liu’s face turned white, but he quickly calmed his expressions, speaking with a seriousness they had not heard before: “But with his intelligence, surely Silver Gong Xu wouldn’t fall for such schemes?”

Yang Yan shook his head. “A simple taunt wouldn’t suffice…”

*But if it were like that Silver Gong Zhu back then, could he have restrained himself?*

Liu fell silent. He didn’t fully understand Yang Yan’s reasoning but felt an instinctive chill. His intuition as an experienced official told him one thing: this case was deeper and darker than they’d ever imagined.

…

“I’ll tell you a joke,” Xu Qi’an said, breaking the silence and admitting defeat as he carried the beautiful princess consort through the wilderness.

It wasn’t because of the earlier bashing of his head; rather, he had summed up the princess consort’s character—petty, timid, and proud. While he didn’t care about the latter two traits, her pettiness was a problem. She’d been sulking and hadn’t spoken for quite some time, making the journey unbearably dull. He thought some conversation might ease the tension.

Hearing him relent, the princess consort gave a soft “hmm” and tilted her chin up. “I suppose I’ll listen.”

“Once, there was an ant that loved playing with its legs. One day, it saw a centipede and exclaimed, ‘Holy shit! I could play with those legs for an entire year!’”

The princess consort froze for a few seconds, then burst into laughter as realization dawned. “I’ve never seen a centipede before, but it must have so many legs! No wonder the little ant was amazed.”

“Exactly,” Xu Qi’an replied.

“What does ‘holy shit’ mean?” she asked, her curiosity piqued.

“…It’s an expression used when someone is astonished,” he explained.

Nodding as though she had learned something valuable, the princess consort decided to forgive Xu Qi’an.

He carried her for a while longer before suddenly stopping in a secluded valley.

“What is it?” she asked.

“Need a piss,” Xu Qi’an said bluntly.

The princess consort scoffed, sliding off his back and turning away in embarrassment.

Xu Qi’an gave her a puzzled look. _Does she think I’d relieve myself right in front of her? What nonsense._ He made his way into the nearby forest.

Just as he was about to untie his belt, the princess consort’s terrified scream echoed through the valley.

At the same time, he caught the faint, chaotic sounds of something approaching. Hastily securing his “8∞D”, he dashed out of the forest to find the princess rushing toward him, her face pale and on the verge of tears.

“Xu Qi’an! Holy shit!!!” she shrieked.

_This consort really is quick to pick up on slang…_ Xu Qi’an’s mouth twitched as he glanced past her. The sight that met his eyes explained her terror.

A massive serpent, three meters thick and over thirty meters long, slithered into the valley, crushing bushes and trees in its path. Its presence was accompanied by other beasts: a black horse over two meters tall with a single horn and fiery hooves; a hulking rat as tall as a human, leading a swarm of rodents; and a four-tailed white fox the size of a horse, surrounded by an army of its kind.

The valley was teeming with creatures—monkeys, rock goats, tigers, lynxes, and other beasts Xu Qi’an couldn’t name. It was a Yao army on the march.

“It’s the Yao…”

Xu Qi’an muttered as he instinctively pulled the princess behind him, bracing for the worst.

The unexpected encounter threw him off guard. He couldn’t imagine why such a large Yao force was here. _Could they be after me? No, I’ve been keeping a low profile, and my movements are erratic. There’s no way they’d organize a pursuit of this scale._

Regardless, the situation was dire.

The serpent leading the group hissed and raised its massive head, its cold, slit pupils locking onto Xu Qi’an. The other leaders—the fox, horse, and rat—emitted sharp cries and roars, signaling to their followers. From all directions, the forest echoed with calls and growls as the Yao forces came to a halt.

Countless hostile gazes pierced through the trees, bearing down on Xu Qi’an. The overwhelming malice set his warrior instincts ablaze.

The princess consort clung to his arm, her legs trembling uncontrollably. Pale and helpless, she seemed to place all her hope on the man in front of her.

Xu Qi’an’s mind raced. _These aren’t ordinary Yao. Each of them is formidable. Escaping alone would be difficult, let alone with the princess… Whether they’re after me or not, their instincts won’t let them pass up a chance to hunt._

He glanced at the gathered beasts. _Are these northern Yao? A Yao army in Chuzhou… Something catastrophic is brewing here._

Taking a deep breath, Xu Qi’an calmed his nerves. He discreetly activated the jade mirror, summoning his black-gold blade and a Confucian spellbook. Grasping the princess’s hand with one and his sword with the other, he gripped the book in his teeth and spoke in a slightly muffled tone that still carried authority:

“Who among you is the leader?”

The serpent hissed, its vertical pupils gleaming coldly. “Who are you?”

_Not here for me, then…_ Xu Qi’an exhaled in relief. “Just a wandering warrior, with no intention of being your enemy.”

He laid his intentions bare, hoping to avoid conflict.

But he underestimated the primal nature of the Yao. Voices rose from the forest:

“Eat him! Eat him!”

“What potent qi and blood—what a feast!”

“That woman looks tender and juicy—a perfect appetiser.”

“Eat him, tear him apart, suck the marrow from his bones…”

The malice grew unbearable, drowning the valley in bloodlust.

The princess consort clutched Xu Qi’an’s arm tightly, her face ashen and her body trembling like a fragile flower in a storm.

The serpent flicked its tongue, its cold eyes gleaming with hunger. The man’s qi and blood were too tantalizing to ignore, and their mission could wait.

_So we can’t settle this peacefully… Well, I needed a good fight anyway._ Xu Qi’an sighed, touching the hilt of his blade. A wicked grin spread across his face as his eyebrows twitched, and he growled:

“Are you sure you want to eat me?”

A golden light emerged at his brow, quickly spreading across his body. Radiating a divine, unyielding aura, he transformed into a radiant figure, burning with righteous fury.

“The Vajra Divine Art?!”

Panicked cries erupted among the Yao. The ranks fell into chaos, and even the leading beasts unconsciously stepped back.

---

[^1]: Just a reminder: green in China connotes adultery