Chapter 162: The Eve

“Worthy King of the Left, this is not General Wei,” Meng Jia repeated with obvious displeasure. “This is General Chunyu Meng, the Dulu King—the Chanyu’s biological son who recognized his ancestry and returned to the clan two months ago.”

He placed heavy emphasis on the final words.

Chunyu Luan let out an indifferent, soft chuckle. When he raised his eyes to sweep a glance over Wei Meng, a flash of murderous intent flickered across his gaze.

He sat down and said flatly, “General Meng Jia, please wait outside for a moment. I have some words to speak with the Dulu King in private.”

The situation was unfolding exactly as Meng Jia had anticipated. Showing no surprise, he gave Wei Meng a subtle look, turned on his heel, and exited the tent.

According to their pre-arranged plan, Meng Jia would leave first, then find a pretext to draw away Chunyu Luan’s guards outside the tent and replace them with his own men. Inside, Wei Meng would start an argument with Chunyu Luan. Meng Jia would then feign entering to break up the fight, pacify Chunyu Luan, and coax him into drinking poisoned wine. The immediate effect of this poison was merely deep sleep. Since Chunyu Luan was still recovering from a serious injury, they could easily claim he had simply collapsed from exhaustion and anger; no one would suspect a thing. Once the battle erupted in a few days, no one would have the time to care whether Chunyu Luan lived or died.

This was the lie Meng Jia had used to bait Wei Meng.

In his actual plan, once Chunyu Luan drank the poison, Meng Jia would immediately kill Wei Meng under the guise of avenging Chunyu Luan, then raise the alarm to draw the guards in. He would make Chunyu Luan’s trusted lieutenant, Cha’ergua, believe that Wei Meng had colluded with the enemy to assassinate Chunyu Luan, only to be slain by Meng Jia on the spot.

By doing this, he would effortlessly eliminate two major threats with one stone. Once the siege began, arranging for Cha’ergua to die in battle would not be difficult either.

In less than half a month, he would return to the capital with tidings of victory. Purging rebels internally and eliminating foreign threats externally—it was a flawless double victory.

As Meng Jia walked out of the main tent, his back was straight. Anyone looking at him would have immediately spotted the smug, victorious smile on his face.

Inside the tent, Chunyu Luan stared fixedly at Wei Meng. His right thumb, adorned with a dark jade ring, tapped rhythmically against the table.

“Whatever you’re plotting might fool others, but it won’t fool me,” Chunyu Luan said in a low voice. “The old Chanyu is aging and losing his wits, which is why he fell for your deception. Wei Meng, I know you. You and Pei Yuan put on a fine show—pretending to sever ties in public while secretly keeping in touch. You entered the Royal Court simply to stir up trouble and sow discord, hoping we would destroy ourselves from within so you could reap the benefits. Isn’t that right?”

“You misunderstand me,” Wei Meng replied smoothly as he sat opposite him. “You can ask General Meng Jia. During my two months at the Royal Court, I haven’t raised a finger. I have submitted to the Chanyu in earnest.”

“Do you take me for a three-year-old? Saving those transparent lies,” Chunyu Luan sneered in disdain. “I suggest you pack your bags and get as far away from here as possible. Otherwise, I will sever your head tonight and present it to Pei Yuan as a grand gift on the day the city falls.”

“You truly misunderstand. It’s true that a rift formed between Pei Yuan and me, which eventually led to our parting of ways, but it wasn’t for the reasons rumored outside,” Wei Meng lied with a perfectly straight face. “It was because I fell in love with the Princess of Jibei and tried to court her in secret. But she went and told Pei Yuan! Naturally, Pei Yuan couldn’t tolerate me, yet he was terrified of ruining the princess’s reputation…”

His words, a mix of half-truths and fabrications, made Chunyu Luan narrow his eyes.

“Have you seen the princess yet?” Wei Meng asked. Without waiting for a response, he continued with a look of feigned infatuation, “She is the woman of my dreams. And I’m not the only one—I discovered that General Meng Jia fell in love with her at first sight too. On the night before the army marched, he even defied the Chanyu’s displeasure to secretly spend a night of passion with her.”

Chunyu Luan’s eyes narrowed into slits. He felt Wei Meng was talking absolute nonsense, but the mention of Meng Jia made him hesitate. He deliberately ignored the bait, keeping his face cold. “Why are you telling me this? Do you think I care which woman you people sleep with?”

Wei Meng added, “Actually, the princess fancies me.”

Furious, Chunyu Luan barked, “Get out! I don’t want to hear this!”

“On the night she spent with Meng Jia, around midnight, she slipped out to find me in secret,” Wei Meng continued, ignoring his protests. “Do you know what she told me?”

Chunyu Luan’s wounds had not fully healed, and he was naturally a hot-tempered man. Wei Meng’s shameless persistence in badgering him felt like a direct insult to his authority. Blood rushing to his chest, he stood up and violently flipped the table over. “I said, get out! If you don’t leave right now, I’ll—”

“Shh, keep it down.” Wei Meng glanced toward the entrance before turning back to Chunyu Luan. “The princess said that General Meng Jia is going to kill you.”

Chunyu Luan froze.

Wei Meng asked, “You don’t believe me? Actually, neither did I.”

He shook his head. “The princess told me that General Meng Jia, acting on the Chanyu’s orders, has prepared a flask of poisoned wine to trick you into drinking it. At the time, I told her it was impossible! The Worthy King of the Left has achieved great military feats. Even if the Chanyu has long been displeased with him, how could he possibly assassinate him right before a crucial battle? Even if he is eager to clear a path for his one-year-old youngest son, he wouldn’t be this impatient…”

Chunyu Luan had not expected Wei Meng to be so incredibly vexing. He wanted to denounce his insolence, throw him out, or even have him executed on the spot, but deep down, a seed of doubt had been planted. After all, he knew very well that the Chanyu had wanted to get rid of him for a long time.

“Words alone prove nothing. Why don’t you test it yourself?” Wei Meng coaxed. “If it’s a lie, you lose nothing and can continue to fight alongside General Meng Jia. But if it’s true, I’ve just saved your life, and you’ll owe me one.”

Chunyu Luan stared at him for a long time. “Why are you helping me?”

Wei Meng replied candidly, “Because I love a woman, and I want to run away with her.”

…What an absurd reason. Chunyu Luan was rendered speechless. After a brief silence, he asked, “How do we test it?”

“Simple. Pretend to have a fight with me,” Wei Meng said, arching an eyebrow. “Give me a punch.”

Chunyu Luan had always known Pei Yuan to be a cunning adversary who used highly unpredictable tactics, but he hadn’t expected Wei Meng to be just as bizarre. Give him a punch?

With a twitch of his lips, Chunyu Luan threw a vicious punch straight at Wei Meng’s face. The sudden movement pulled at his chest wound, forcing a muffled groan from his throat. Before he could recover, Wei Meng kicked him back, roaring at the top of his lungs, “You son of a dog, you’re asking for a beating!”

With fury burning in his eyes, Chunyu Luan took the kick, bellowed, and lunged forward to retaliate.

Hearing the sounds of a scuffle from inside the tent, Meng Jia’s face lit up with joy, thinking that Wei Meng had indeed taken the bait.

He instructed the soldier guarding the entrance, “When I call for you later, bring the wine inside and leave immediately. Unless I summon someone, no one is permitted to enter!”

The soldier saluted in acknowledgment. Meng Jia smoothed his robes, assumed a deeply anxious expression, and lifted the curtain. He rushed inside, crying out in alarm, “Worthy King of the Left! Dulu King! Why… why are you fighting? We are all brothers of the same clan! What cannot be resolved over a quiet talk that you must resort to violence?”

He pulled the two apart, guiding them to their respective seats, and coaxed, “Let a cup of wine wash away past grievances. I know there have been clashes between you in the past, but from now on, you are brothers bound to the same cause. On a day like today, we should share a drink. Wait here, I will order a table of food and wine to celebrate our upcoming victory in advance!”

Seeing that Chunyu Luan did not refuse, Meng Jia smiled and stepped out of the tent.

The moment the curtain fell, Chunyu Luan’s face darkened, his fists clenching tightly against his knees. Wei Meng slapped his thigh in feigned disbelief. “My goodness! I didn’t think the princess’s words would carry weight. Is there truly poisoned wine? Perhaps we are overthinking, and General Meng Jia simply has good intentions!”

Chunyu Luan remained silent. He reached into his high deerskin boot and drew a long dagger, holding it firmly in his hand.

His boots reached just below his knees, and the concealed blade was over a foot long. Wei Meng could not help but marvel inwardly.

He could not wait for the performance to begin.

Moments later, Meng Jia returned, followed by a line of silent camp courtesans carrying trays of food. They swiftly set the table upright, arranged the dishes and wine, and placed three crystal cups on the table. Once everything was set, they withdrew in silence.

Meng Jia sat at the table, first pouring a cup for Chunyu Luan, then for Wei Meng, and finally for himself.

“To the two princes, Meng Jia drinks first to show his respect!” With that, Meng Jia emptied his cup in one draft, turning it upside down to show it was empty. He had a broad smile on his face, expecting Chunyu Luan—a known lover of fine wine and hearty drinkers—to cheer. But after a long, heavy silence, Meng Jia’s smile began to stiffen.

“This… My lords, has Meng Jia done something to displease you?”

“Drink a cup using my glass,” Chunyu Luan said, sliding his crystal cup forward. The glass made a sharp clinking sound against the wooden table, and Meng Jia’s expression flickered for a fraction of a second.

Forcing a laugh, Meng Jia asked, “Worthy King, what is the meaning of this? Your cup, my cup—what difference does it make?”

“Of course there is a difference,” Chunyu Luan said with a cold, mocking smile. “Because the rim of my cup has been coated with poison. Isn’t that right, General Meng Jia?”

Meng Jia gasped in shock. His adam’s apple bobbed as his gaze snapped violently toward Wei Meng.

Before Meng Jia could fully comprehend what had gone wrong, his mind raced to find the quickest solution: kill Chunyu Luan right now. Chunyu Luan was severely injured, and his strength was heavily compromised. If he and Wei Meng struck together, killing him would be effortless. The plan could still succeed.

Meng Jia shot a sharp look at Wei Meng.

However, Wei Meng merely sat there with a cheerful, indifferent smile, completely unresponsive.

Panic seized Meng Jia. Realizing he could no longer rely on Wei Meng, he secretly reached for the hilt of the blade at his waist, intending to kill Chunyu Luan himself. But before his hand could even touch the hilt, a silver flash erupted before his eyes. Chunyu Luan leapt to his feet, roaring, “Audacious traitor! You dare attempt such treachery in my tent?”

He swung his blade cleanly across Meng Jia’s neck.

The blade was so sharp that Meng Jia didn’t even feel the pain. He only saw a spray of crimson before his head was severed from his shoulders.

His body slumped heavily to the floor, while his head rolled several feet away, his eyes still wide with disbelief and resentment.

His breathing ragged, Chunyu Luan stood over the body, his eyes bloodshot. In his rage, he hadn’t had the chance to piece everything together. But as his breath slowed, a sense of unease washed over him. Had everything unfolded far too smoothly? How had Wei Meng managed to obtain this intelligence so easily? Was he truly the lovesick fool he claimed to be? Impossible!

Furthermore, with Meng Jia dead, who stood to gain the most?

The faint clinking of armor sounded behind him. Chunyu Luan’s breath hitched. In a flash of realization, he understood he had been played—Wei Meng was the mastermind behind this entire trap! Glimpsing a shadow in his peripheral vision, Chunyu Luan spun around with a fierce roar, narrowly dodging a thrust from Wei Meng’s longsword. Leaping onto the table, he thrust his dagger downward, aiming straight for Wei Meng’s abdomen.

His reflexes were incredibly swift, but a dagger was inherently shorter than a sword.

Just as the tip of Chunyu Luan’s dagger sliced through the outer armor of Wei Meng’s abdomen, the point of Wei Meng’s sword drove cleanly through his back.

Chunyu Luan froze, a wet, rattling gasp escaping his throat. Within seconds, bright red blood began to spill from the corners of his mouth.

Wei Meng pulled his sword free, walked over to Meng Jia’s corpse, and forced the sword into the dead general’s hand. He then returned to Chunyu Luan, who had collapsed onto the ground, and pried the dagger from his grip.

Having completed his staging, Wei Meng casually plucked two slices of beef from the table, popped them into his mouth, wiped the grease from his chin, and strode toward the entrance. He threw open the curtain and screamed, “Disaster! Meng Jia has committed treason and assassinated the Worthy King of the Left! He was too powerful, and I couldn’t stop him in time! Quick, summon the physicians!”

At the time of the incident, Cha’ergua was occupied with organizing the newly arrived army of one hundred and fifty thousand. Flooded with administrative chaos, the sudden news of Chunyu Luan and Meng Jia’s mutual deaths struck him like a bolt of lightning.

He rushed back in grief, only to be met with Chunyu Luan’s lifeless body.

Wei Meng patted his shoulder, offering his condolences. “Brother Cha’ergua, you must restrain your grief.”

Cha’ergua violently brushed Wei Meng’s hand away, drawing his blade with a furious roar. “You Han dog! Was it you who killed the Worthy King of the Left?!”

Nearby soldiers quickly intervened to hold him back. “Right General, we know you are grieving, but the Dulu King is innocent. We all saw what happened…”

Cha’ergua refused to listen, demanding to fight Wei Meng to the death. The garrison stationed at Feng County had always looked to Chunyu Luan as their sole leader; with him dead, they naturally followed Cha’ergua’s orders. However, the reinforcements Wei Meng had brought belonged to the old Chanyu. With Meng Jia dead, even if they did not truly respect Wei Meng, they would never align themselves with Cha’ergua.

Following several heated confrontations, the newly assembled Xiongnu army of three hundred and fifty thousand fell into absolute chaos. Splitting into two hostile factions, they erected a three-li-long barricade down the center of their camp, completely segregating themselves.

Pei Yuan received the news almost immediately.

Sitting opposite Su Wei, he could not help but clap his hands and laugh heartily. “Wei Meng did an exceptional job!”

“General Wei indeed never disappoints,” Su Wei agreed with a smile. “Once this war is over, we must find him a suitable match for marriage.”

Pei Yuan glanced at him, amused by the sudden shift in topic. Before he could speak, a guard called out from outside: “Reporting to Your Highness and the General! An urgent report has just arrived from General Qiu. He has successfully mobilized his troops and is currently less than a hundred li west of Dai County!”

“Excellent!” Pei Yuan and Su Wei exchanged looks of sheer delight.

Staring at the topographical map they had analyzed countless times, Pei Yuan picked up a red brush, pointed to Feng County, and said to Su Wei, “Look. Although the enemy claims to have three hundred and fifty thousand men stationed outside Feng County, their hearts are divided and their morale is shattered. In an actual clash, they will be lucky to perform with the strength of three hundred thousand. Our garrison inside Feng County stands at roughly one hundred and twenty thousand.”

He then pointed to Dai County. “Dai County has one hundred thousand.”

Su Wei pointed to the western sector and added, “And General Qiu is marching toward us with two hundred and fifty thousand men.”

“However…” Su Wei frowned slightly. “Should we wait to rendezvous with General Qiu before we strike? If we rely solely on the forces of Dai and Feng counties, we are outnumbered by the Xiongnu by one hundred and thirty thousand men—a full third of our strength.”

“We cannot wait,” Pei Yuan said, shaking his head. “Look, Dai County and General Qiu are both on the western flank. If we march east, the movement will be too massive. No matter how foolish the Xiongnu are, they will catch wind of it and immediately retreat eastward. Even if we have the numerical advantage by then, it will turn into a game of cat and mouse. The mice will escape, and we will have spent our strength for nothing.”

Su Wei tilted his head, asking tentatively, “So, we take a leap of faith?”

A sharp light gleamed in Pei Yuan’s eyes. After a brief pause, he met Su Wei’s gaze. “Yes. We take a leap of faith, we burn our boats! We will hurl our force of two hundred thousand straight at Feng County. It will be like throwing a massive boulder into a still pond, catching the Xiongnu completely off guard. In their state of chaos, they won’t be able to hold their ground. Their only option will be to retreat along this line.”

Pei Yuan drew a sharp red line across the map. “Because this is the fastest route back to the Xiongnu Royal Court.”

Su Wei slammed his hand on the table. “Excellent! We will lay an ambush along this route and cut them off!”

Pei Yuan made his decision instantly, summoning a messenger. “Send word to General Qiu. Tell him there is no need to come to Dai County. He must continue marching east, straight to the northeast side of Feng County, and establish a defensive line thirty li out to block the Xiongnu’s retreat. Have his men travel light—discard everything except weapons and rations. They must reach the designated location before tomorrow evening!”

He then called for another officer. “Pass the order to all commanders: prepare for battle immediately. We set out tomorrow after nightfall. Pack two meals of feed for the horses and one meal of rations for each soldier. Absolutely nothing else is permitted besides weapons! Tell the men to grind their swords and sabers until they are razor-sharp. Those without blades are to go to the kitchens and borrow axes, cleavers, whatever they can find. Every single soul capable of fighting must deploy. Tell them that this grueling war will end tomorrow night! Our goal is to wipe out the Xiongnu, so that from this day forward, the mere mention of our name will strike terror into their hearts, and they will not dare take a single step south for the next fifty years!”

As order after order was dispatched, the entire city of Dai County quickly sprang into action. Everyone had waited for this moment for far too long; they were like a bow drawn to its limit, the arrow notched and ready to fly.

Standing by the window, Su Wei watched the figures moving swiftly through the darkness, carrying lanterns that looked like a swarm of fireflies, painting the night with brilliant light.

Standing beside him, Pei Yuan spoke slowly but with absolute resolve: “This will be a brutal, merciless battle, but we will be the ones standing victorious in the end.”

Meanwhile, inside the Xiongnu camp outside Feng County, Wei Meng sat with his legs crossed, leisurely sipping wine.

As he was enjoying his drink, the soldier he had sent to fetch firewood burst into the tent, bruised and battered, crying out, “Dulu King! We did as you instructed and went to the other side to ask for firewood, telling them our march was rushed and our supplies were low. But they refused, and they beat me!”

“They dare?” Wei Meng bolted upright, smashing his wine cup to the floor. “We cannot let this slide! Gather more men and go back. If they won’t give it to you, take it by force! They dare lay a hand on our men? Beat them back! Beat them to hell!”

Receiving the order, the soldier quickly assembled a small band of twenty to thirty men. Brandishing their blades, they smashed through the barricade, forcibly seized over a hundred catties of firewood, and even slashed the arms of two resisting soldiers from the opposing camp.

When Cha’ergua heard of this, he was furious. However, keeping his wits about him, he knew that internal conflict on the eve of battle was highly dangerous. Suppressing his anger, he ordered, “Forget it. Let them have it; we are not short of that much firewood. Secure the barricades and make sure they don’t cross over again.”

When Wei Meng received this news, he laughed uproariously. “He is terrified! Go and gather even more men. How is a hundred catties of firewood enough? Go and seize another five hundred! Let’s teach them a proper lesson!”

Having served alongside Pei Yuan for many years and fought in countless battles of all sizes, Wei Meng had already deduced Pei Yuan’s probable strategy. Pei Yuan was not one to sit idle and let an opportunity slip away. But when the clash occurred, Pei Yuan’s forces would still be at a numerical disadvantage. What Wei Meng could do now was stir the pot within the Xiongnu camp, making the waters muddier and muddier.

Cha’ergua endured this treatment for an entire day, hoping Wei Meng would eventually stop. But on the second day, Wei Meng’s faction grew even more insolent. Not only did they demand firewood, but they also came to raid their beef.

Unable to tolerate it any longer, Cha’ergua ordered his men to fight back.

The two sides turned on each other over a few hundred catties of firewood. Brandishing weapons, a small-scale skirmish erupted. What began as a petty dispute between a few hundred men quickly escalated, drawing in more and more soldiers. Soon, three to four thousand men were embroiled in a chaotic brawl, resulting in casualties on both sides.

Once blood was spilled, the conflict could no longer be contained. More and more soldiers joined the fray, and the internal rift reached its absolute peak.

Just as the fighting raged, the ground suddenly began to tremble. Cha’ergua was the first to notice, looking toward the horizon in sheer shock. Beneath the rumbling of the earth, the distant, haunting sound of war horns echoed. He listened closely twice to confirm he wasn’t mistaken. As the sound drew nearer, he realized with horror that the enemy was launching an assault.

“Stop fighting! The enemy is here! Stop at once!” Cha’ergua scrambled onto a high platform, shouting desperately.

The men below did indeed halt their brawling, but instead of rallying to form a defense as he had hoped, they fell into a panic, exchanging bewildered glances, completely lost on what to do.

Cha’ergua slapped his thigh in sheer frustration. “Fall in! Form ranks! Prepare for battle!”

But the army marching from the direction of Dai County was already less than ten li away. The Xiongnu forces were in complete disarray; Cha’ergua’s frantic shouting fell on deaf ears, and the camp dissolved into a chaotic, screaming frenzy.

On the high stone walls of Feng County, Qian Feng took in the chaotic scene unfolding below. His eyes lit up as he realized the opportunity had finally arrived.

Just as the princess had predicted, reinforcements had indeed arrived.

He immediately ordered the war drums atop the wall to be beaten, summoning the garrison to assemble and prepare to charge out of the city gates.

As the news spread, cheers of joy erupted throughout the fortress. In less than half an hour, every battalion was fully armed and in formation.

Below the walls, Pei Yuan’s army surged forward like a sweeping black tide, while Cha’ergua’s forces resembled red reefs caught in the waves. As the tide crashed against the reefs, the red began to shatter and retreat. With eyes burning bright, Qian Feng roared, “Open the gates! Charge!”

In the Prince’s estate, the lights were fully lit.

Just like the last time, Bao Ning sat quietly by the table, waiting for the reports to be brought in one by one.

But this time was different. She was no longer anxious; her gaze was calm, and her heart was filled with a deep, unwavering peace.

Support Sansukini on Ko-fi

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here