Chapter 150: Nazhu

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. A thin layer of snow clung to the pine branches, casting a faint, shimmering glow in the night.

Beneath the largest horsetail pine, two men had already been waiting on horseback for some time. One was older, with graying temples and a weathered face; the other was somewhat younger, appearing to be his bodyguard. They sat astride their mounts, gazing into the distance as if anticipating someone’s arrival.

Before long, the muffled thud of hooves treading on snow echoed from afar. As the sound drew nearer, two galloping horses came into view. Nazhu narrowed his eyes, watching the two figures pull up and come to a halt before him.

“You brought someone after all,” Nazhu said, shaking his head with a bitter, self-deprecating smile. “Do you not trust me?”

“You brought someone too,” Wei Meng replied coldly. “Cut the chatter. Why did you summon me here? Let’s get straight to the point—I don’t have time to waste on pleasantries.”

Nazhu cast a sidelong glance at the man standing behind Wei Meng. Both newcomers wore black cloth masks, completely concealing their faces.

Understanding his silent query, Wei Meng shut it down immediately: “He is my confidant. He knows everything about my past, so there is no need to hide anything from him. Speak freely.”

A flash of displeasure flickered in Nazhu’s eyes.

Behind his mask, Pei Yuan was also quietly sizing up this aging Chanyu. The old ruler possessed a burly, imposing physique and wore a thick bear-skin cap. Though his youth was long gone, the lingering embers of his lifelong ambition and sharp edge could still be detected within his eyes. No matter how hard he tried to project an aura of sincerity and fatherly benevolence at this moment, he could never pass for a genuinely kind, innocent old man.

Pei Yuan knew instantly that this was an adversary who could not be underestimated. Even though they had clashed on the battlefield numerous times, this was the first time they were meeting face-to-face.

“Meng’er,” Nazhu said, his voice softening with emotion. “It is time for you to return and aid me. I know you still harbor deep hatred toward me, but I am in desperate need of you right now. The royal court needs you.”

Pei Yuan lowered his gaze, carefully masking the profound shock that rippled through him.

He had long held his suspicions regarding Wei Meng’s true lineage, but hearing this exchange with Nazhu with his own ears still sent a tempest of shock through his chest. To think their connection is this intimate, Pei Yuan thought. His mind flashed back to Princess Wei Wu, who had been sent from the Zhou court to wed the Xiongnu in a marriage alliance some thirty years ago. Could it be…

“Over the past decade, the royal court and I have been entirely irreconcilable,” Wei Meng spat back. “The number of Xiongnu soldiers who have perished by my hand numbers in the thousands, if not the tens of thousands. The cold edge of my blade was forged and tempered in the blood of your people. You want me to return? Are you not afraid that I harbor treacherous intent—that I will slaughter every last one of your savage kin to avenge my mother!”

Hearing such insolence, Meng Jia, the bodyguard standing behind Nazhu, could no longer contain his fury. He let out a fierce roar: “Presumptuous!”

Nazhu raised a hand, signaling his guard to hold his peace. He then slowly dismounted his horse, walked directly to the front of Wei Meng’s mount, and looked up. “The vengeance you sought to exact has already been fully repaid, has it not? Your royal father does not blame you. It was my fault.”

Wei Meng had entirely unexpected such a response. Left momentarily speechless, he waited in grim silence for Nazhu to continue.

“Meng’er, I do not know if you can truly comprehend what I am about to say. What I mean is that every ruler carries the crushing weight of his people’s hopes upon his shoulders. No sovereign exists who does not dream of expanding his borders and bringing prosperity to his subjects. The burning ambition of my youth was never driven by a vulgar lust for power; I simply wished to lead my clan to lands where the pastures were at their lushest, to regions that were warm and fertile, so they might escape poverty and the brutal, biting cold. I could not fail their expectations. I had to forge a better future for them, even if that path had to be paved in blood. For the pain that caused you and your mother… I am truly sorry, Meng’er.”

Pei Yuan watched closely as a faint, sorrowful smile appeared on Nazhu’s face.

“But I no longer think that way,” the old Chanyu continued. “A man’s true purpose in this world is not to seek endless wealth, but to find peace and stability. I am old, and I have no desire to fight any longer. Just last month, I personally met with General Qiu of the Zhou dynasty. Acting on behalf of the Zhou Emperor, he signed a peace treaty with me. For the next ten years, no wars shall erupt along our borders.”

Wei Meng let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Just last month, your forces launched a surprise raid on our borders the exact moment our troops were weakened during a rotation. Yet here you are, spouting these hollow, deceitful platitudes. How do you expect me to believe a single word?”

“The border raid was not ordered by the Chanyu!” Meng Jia blurted out, interjecting before Nazhu could speak. “It was carried out by Chunyu Luan, the Wise King of the Left!”

Wei Meng’s eyes narrowed. “Oh? Explain.”

A look of deep exhaustion washed over Nazhu’s face as he closed his eyes. “I am advanced in years, and the internal factions within the royal court have grown increasingly fractious over recent years; I can no longer control them all. Chunyu Luan is my nephew. Having no biological sons of my own, I raised him as my own flesh and blood, dedicating every resource to grooming him. I simply never imagined that raising a wolf for a thousand days would inevitably result in being bitten by it. Now, he can no longer tolerate my presence. Having established his own powerful faction within the court, he openly defies my commands.”

Nazhu opened his eyes, staring up at Wei Meng with absolute earnestness. “Meng’er, this is the sole reason I have risked contacting you time and time again. I need you to help me eliminate him, just as you need him removed. As you have already witnessed, Chunyu Luan is a man of unbridled ambition. Should he ascend to the throne, your borders will never know a single day of peace!”

Suddenly, the old ruler pulled his robes tight and dropped heavily to his knees in the snow, weeping bitterly. “Look upon this as a father begging his son—please, come home!”

This sudden, dramatic display left not only Wei Meng, but Pei Yuan and Meng Jia thoroughly stunned. Meng Jia threw himself off his horse in deep distress, rushing forward to help the old man up. “Chanyu! Why must you degrade yourself to this extent?!”

Wei Meng’s expression remained hard as stone, but a slight tremor in his jaw betrayed the turbulent emotions raging within his chest.

Pei Yuan had remained entirely silent throughout the exchange. After a long pause, he finally spoke, his voice cutting through the night: “I don’t believe you.”

“You don’t believe me? Are you truly going to place your trust in those Han people who share absolutely no blood with you—those who secretly despise you?” Nazhu’s clouded eyes gleamed with a faint, knowing light as a soft smile touched his lips. “Meng’er, you must remember this at all times: even if you swear your absolute loyalty to the Han Emperor, you are not a Han Chinese. The blood of the nomadic tribes flows through your veins, and they will never truly accept you as one of their own. You will be relegated to this small, dusty border town for the rest of your days, unable to achieve true greatness, let alone ascend the ranks of officialdom to enjoy the exalted life of nobility. Yet that is the exact life you were born to possess; you are a prince, a noble by birthright. Your father truly cannot comprehend why you insist on turning your back on the royal court just to court suffering.”

“But it matters not. If that is the path you wish to experience, your father will support you.”

“You currently serve the Fourth Prince of the Zhou dynasty, correct? Allow your father to offer you a word of counsel: do not pour your entire heart and soul into his service, for a day will inevitably come when he disappoints you. Once the cunning hares are caught, the hounds are slaughtered and boiled. For a minister serving a crown, a day of complete eradication always awaits—especially for those whose achievements overshadow their masters. Furthermore, your eyes are not black. No matter how much blood and sweat you dedicate to his cause, on the day he secures ultimate power, he will only ever need a single excuse to eliminate you: ‘He who is not of our race must harbor a different heart.’ “

Nazhu stood upright before Wei Meng’s horse, his hands hanging loosely at his sides, his gaze fierce with sincerity. “In your father’s heart, you will always be my child. A child may be playful and wander far, but whenever you grow weary of the world, the gates of the royal court will always stand wide open for you. I know you find me tiresome; from this night onward, I shall not seek you out again. I will simply await the day you grow tired of your games and return home, where your father shall personally pour you a cup of wine.”

Wei Meng’s throat bobbed heavily, but from start to finish, he did not utter another syllable. He locked eyes with the old man for a tense moment before suddenly wheeling his horse around, shouting a sharp “Jia!” as he galloped away into the darkness without looking back.

Pei Yuan spurred his horse to follow. Watching Wei Meng’s heavy cloak billowing wildly in the night wind, he could roughly gauge the profound internal shock his companion was experiencing.

Pei Yuan reflected that Nazhu certainly proved himself worthy of his four decades of iron-fisted rule. Every single word had been carefully weighted, striking directly at a man’s deepest vulnerabilities. He had eschewed brute force, opting instead for a soft, insidious combination of threats and incentives, wrapping it all in the unconditional embrace of a father offering a broad, indulgent invitation for his child to return home.

It was the kind of appeal that was almost impossible for any man to refuse.

The two rode back in absolute silence. A short half-hour later, they pulled up outside the entrance of the Prince’s manor.

Wei Meng looked up at the four glittering gold characters emblazoned across the black plaque above the gates. After a long pause, he tilted his head toward Pei Yuan. “Nothing to say?”

“Nothing,” Pei Yuan replied. Then, sensing the abruptness, he added, “Actually, I have one thing.”

Wei Meng asked, “What?”

“I can pour you a cup of wine too,” Pei Yuan said with a faint smile. “My wife knows how to cook, and her dishes will undoubtedly suit your palate far better than his chefs ever could.”

There was no use in over-explaining or aggressively declaring his loyalty at a time like this; it simply wasn’t necessary. Having fought side-by-side for so many years, their mutual understanding ran deeper than that of brothers or parents. Pei Yuan knew with absolute certainty that Wei Meng was not a man to be swayed by a few pretty words; he would ultimately make the choice he believed to be right.

Sure enough, a genuine laugh escaped Wei Meng’s lips. “Look at you, bragging like a wealthy magnate when you barely have a few coppers to your name. Pour me a cup of wine? Do you even have the funds for it?”

Pei Yuan adopted an expression of absolute seriousness. “On the eastern bookshelf in my study, second shelf from the bottom, hidden inside the porcelain vase on the right side… lies my private stash of silver.”

Dismounting his horse, Wei Meng tossed the reins to the sentry who had rushed out to welcome them. He shot Pei Yuan a look of pure amusement. “Then you had better keep it well hidden. If your lady ever confiscates it, you’re going to catch an absolute earful.”

Pei Yuan dismounted as well, offering a soft chuckle. “No need to trouble yourself on my account.”

As they stepped through the gates and walked down the corridors, just as they were about to part ways toward their respective courtyards, Wei Meng stopped in his tracks. Keeping his face turned slightly away, he muttered, “That man is an absolute old fox. That is the exact web of lies he spun to deceive my mother all those years ago. If you believe even thirty percent of what comes out of his mouth, you’re already being foolish. He almost certainly has more moves prepared. Keep your eyes sharp.”

…

Over the following two weeks, life within Feng County proceeded with relative tranquility.

However, a critical military dispatch soon arrived from Shiyang Pass, reporting that a massive Xiongnu army numbering in the hundreds of thousands was massing at the border, threatening to breach the fortification. Shiyang Pass was the westernmost stronghold in the northern frontier, named for the twin mountain peaks flanking it that resembled a pair of ram’s horns. Guarded behind this single pass were three entire prefectures encompassing a population of over seven hundred thousand souls. Should Shiyang Pass fall, a massive breach would be torn open along the western flank of the northern frontier, plunging the entire region into catastrophic peril.

Upon receiving the dispatch, General Qiu Mingshan immediately led an elite force of one hundred thousand troops to reinforce the pass, leaving Valiant Cavalry General Zuo Fang behind to garrison Gaoshan Town with eighty thousand men. The westernmost Dai County also dispatched fifty thousand troops, while Commander Su Wei remained to hold the town with seventy thousand men.

A battle of this scale had occurred once before a decade ago, concluding in a crushing defeat for the Xiongnu.

Qiu Mingshan was an exceptionally brilliant strategist with decades of seasoned battlefield experience. Pei Yuan maintained absolute confidence in his abilities; this battle would not be lost.

As the siege at Shiyang Pass commenced, the only noticeable change in Feng County was a slight tightening of security patrols; otherwise, daily life remained entirely unaffected.

Wei Meng and Minmin had been getting along remarkably well, their lives gradually falling into a comfortable rhythm. Though he still couldn’t verify with absolute certainty whether the child she carried was truly his, he found himself no longer caring much about the answer. Minmin possessed a lovely countenance and a gentle, dutiful temperament, spending her days washing his clothes and preparing his meals. Experiencing this sweet taste of domestic bliss for the very first time in his life, Wei Meng was practically floating on cloud nine every single day. He slowly lowered his guard around her and no longer restricted her movements, allowing her to go out for walks every few days, merely ensuring a few extra guards accompanied her for safety.

Bao Ning’s pregnancy had now crossed the three-month mark, her belly showing a very slight, delicate swell—resembling the soft curve of someone who had simply enjoyed a hearty meal. Once she bundled up in her thick, padded winter robes, it became completely imperceptible.

Minmin was also expecting, and because Wei Meng had strictly forbidden her from leaving the estate in the early days, she had frequently sought out Bao Ning to chat. However, every single time she approached the courtyard, the massive mastiff guarding the door would lung forward, barking so furiously that strings of saliva flew through the air. Terrified of the beast, Minmin eventually stopped visiting altogether.

When Pei Yuan walked back into the room, he found Bao Ning sitting snugly beside the charcoal brazier, working alongside Nanny Liu to rip open the seams of a heavy winter quilt. When a cotton quilt was slept under for too long, the cotton batting inside would inevitably become hard and compressed; it needed to be unpicked so the raw cotton could be taken to a specialized craftsman to be fluffed out. Once the old cotton was re-fluffed, it would become just like brand-new batting—incredibly soft, lofty, and comfortable.

Holding a crisp pear in his hand, Pei Yuan strolled over and offered it to Bao Ning’s lips with a grin. “Want a bite?”

Bao Ning stole a quick glance at it, then turned her head away with a look of pure disdain. “You’ve already bitten into it. I don’t want it.”

Pei Yuan let out a soft click of his tongue. “Fussy, aren’t we?”

Nanny Liu let out a soft, knowing chuckle. Being an exceptionally perceptive woman, she smoothly rose to her feet and manufactured a quick excuse: “This servant will head over to the kitchen to see if the bone broth has finished simmering.” Pei Yuan offered a nod of approval, and she slipped out of the room, taking the rest of the serving maids along with her.

The moment the heavy wooden doors clicked shut, Pei Yuan polished off the remaining pear in a few massive bites, tossed the core aside, and scooped Bao Ning up into his arms with a hearty laugh. He began rubbing his face against her cheek, teasing, “So you think I’m dirty now? Refusing to eat something just because I took a bite? Our child is practically ready to enter the world, and you’re only choosing to develop a fastidious streak now? A bit too late for that, don’t you think?”

Bao Ning let out a startled shriek, slapping at his chest to drive him off. “The juice from your lips is smudging all over my face! It’s completely sticky and absolutely disgusting!”

Pei Yuan leaned in even closer. “How about I lick it clean for you then?”

“No! Get away from me!” Unable to match his physical strength, Bao Ning found herself ruthlessly tickled instead, her posture turning completely soft and helpless as she collapsed into his chest, giggling uncontrollably. “Why must you be so incredibly annoying…”

Amused, Pei Yuan gathered her securely into his lap, leaving Bao Ning sitting face-to-face across his thighs with her hands resting against his shoulders. Pei Yuan extended his neck forward to press a firm kiss against her lips.

His lips were still slick from the fruit juice, resulting in a loud, distinct smack with every kiss. Finding the sound thoroughly amusing, Pei Yuan planted a few more in quick succession. Bao Ning’s eyes curved into lovely crescents as she asked with a bright smile, “Am I sweet?”

“Sweet enough to rot my teeth,” Pei Yuan murmured, cradling her as he swayed gently from side to side. “Where on earth did heaven find such a delicious piece of candy to drop right into my arms?”

After holding her tightly for a while, Pei Yuan leaned back slightly to create some space between them, his large palm sliding downward to rest against her belly. “Let me feel. I heard Nanny Liu mention that it seems to have grown a bit larger. Let me see exactly how big our little creature has gotten.”

“You won’t be able to feel the baby at all. I just ate an entire roast duck; the poor thing is buried completely underneath it,” Bao Ning said, guiding his hand with her own to press against her side. “It has grown a bit, but that’s not the baby—it’s pure fat. Look, you can literally pinch it.”

Following her guidance, Pei Yuan gave it a gentle squeeze, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. “Well, look at that. You really have filled out quite a bit, haven’t you?”

Thoroughly displeased, Bao Ning shoved his chest away. “I only ended up this way because I am carrying your child! When I say I’ve gotten fat, that is merely me being modest. How could you actually agree and call me fat out loud?”

“My mistake, absolute oversight,” Pei Yuan conceded smoothly, a broad grin spreading across his face. “You just polished off a roast duck, and now you’re about to have a bowl of rich bone broth… maintaining you is turning out to be quite an expensive endeavor. You had better start eating a bit less, or I might truly run out of funds to support you.”

Bao Ning teased back playfully, “In that case, I must make an absolute point to eat even more, just in case a day comes when you lose your fortune and can truly no longer afford me!”

Pei Yuan feigned an expression of deep outrage, gently pinching both her cheeks. “Can you please say something pleasant for once?”

Giggling joyfully, Bao Ning threw herself back into his embrace. “Fine, fine, I’ll say something nice: Pei Yuan is hands down the most stunningly handsome man under heaven.”

Pei Yuan arched an eyebrow self-assuredly. “An objective fact.”

Just as they were laughing together, a sharp knock rattled the door. Their intimate moment thoroughly shattered, Pei Yuan’s expression darkened with irritation. He whirled his head around and barked, “Come in.”

Nanny Liu pushed the door open, stepping inside to hand over a sealed letter. “The gatekeeper just delivered this. He mentioned it was brought by a young girl dressed in absolute rags—looking like she hadn’t washed in months. She claimed her name was Ah Chou and insisted this letter must be delivered directly into your hands. The gatekeeper asked her to wait a moment, but then someone else rushed over to find her, muttering something about a patient’s condition suddenly taking a turn for the better—something about someone’s eyes miraculously regaining sight. The moment she heard it, that girl literally leapt half a story into the air with joy. Without waiting a second longer, she spun around and sprinted off with the messenger.”

Bao Ning hesitated for a moment. “Could it be the exact same girl we ran into at the tofu stall? The description fits her perfectly. But didn’t she have a severe limp? How on earth could she leap that high into the air?”

She nudged Pei Yuan eagerly. “Hurry up and open the letter to see what it says.”

Pei Yuan tore the seal open. As his eyes scanned the first few lines, his expression suddenly turned deadly serious. As if unable to process the contents, he read through the brief text repeatedly.

Anxious, Bao Ning pressed, “What is it? What happened?”

“We have a solid lead… on my Eldest Brother.”

Bao Ning’s eyes widened with delight. “Truly?”

“I cannot verify its authenticity just yet; I need to investigate this personally.” Pei Yuan stood up immediately, grabbing his heavy outer cloak as he hurried toward the door. “I’ll be back late tonight. Go to bed early and don’t stay up waiting for me.”

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