The Young Swordsman of Dalu

After Wenfei finished his meal, he waited for General Hulun to finish the shredded potatoes on his plate. General Hulun even finished the soup and licked the plate clean with his tongue.

"It can't be that bad!" Wenfei thought to himself, watching General Hulun's eating habits.

"I'm done eating! I'll take you to see Prince Yuchi." General Hulun got up and walked outside the tent, and Wenfei quickly followed behind him.

General Hulun led Wenfei on horseback past many large tents before finally arriving at Yuchi Liang's tent.

"This is Prince Yuchi's main tent. Let's go in!" General Hulun said.

Wenfei followed General Hulun into the tent, and what he saw before him was completely unexpected.

Yuchi Liang was bound hand and foot to a wooden frame, his body covered in wounds, and his disheveled hair obscured his face. Without careful observation, one would not recognize him as Prince Yuchi.

A man was whipping Yuchi Liang repeatedly, and Yuchi Liang groaned in pain.

"Why is General Hulun doing this?" Wenfei asked, puzzled.

“Yuchi Liang colluded with the northern tribes of the Gobi Desert, causing great losses to our various tribes in the Western Regions. Not only were many of our herdsmen killed by the northern tribes, but they also seized our livestock, women, and land. All of this is the result of Yuchi Liang’s betrayal of the Western Regions, so the Khan of the Gobi Desert must punish him! He deserves it! Young man, do you still dare to join him?” General Hulun said.

"Is there some misunderstanding?" Wen Fei didn't believe that Yu Chi Liang had done anything to betray the Western Regions.

“Everything is clear, is there any need to doubt?” General Hulun said.

"Can I speak with Prince Yuchi alone?" Wenfei asked.

“No! You only have two choices: become my cook or become a soldier. Choose one,” General Hulun said.

"What if I don't choose any of them?" Wenfei asked.

"I'll kill you right now!" General Hulun's face immediately turned fierce.

“I’ll be the cook!” Wenfei said.

"You're smart to know what's good for you! You've seen the person, let's go!" Hulun walked out of the tent.

Wen Fei looked at Yu Chi Liang, who saw Wen Fei through his hair. He shook his head at Wen Fei, his mouth open but no sound came out. Wen Fei really wanted to go up and ask him what was going on, but outside the tent, General Hulun urged, "Let's go! Staying any longer will arouse suspicion."

Wen Fei had no choice but to leave the tent and follow General Hulun. He was pondering how to come back to Yuchi Liang and hear the truth from him.

On his way back, Wenfei kept looking up at the hillside, but he didn't see Li Wei anywhere. He thought to himself, "I wonder how Li Wei is doing? I have to find a way to get out of here."

General Hulun dismounted outside the main tent and had Wenfei follow him into the tent.

"Sit down!" General Hulun said.

Wenfei sat down and looked at General Hulun, wondering what General Hulun was up to.

"Thank you, General!" Wen Fei said politely.

"Tell me about the situation where you are," General Hulun said.

"What's the situation where we are?" Wenfei asked.

“Wasn’t your tribe occupied by the northern desert tribes? Tell me, what’s the situation now?” General Hulun asked.

“Oh! Yes, General.” Wenfei said uneasily, “When I came here, our territory had already been occupied by the Northern Desert. They stole our livestock, killed my parents, and they continue to burn, kill, and plunder southward. It doesn’t look like they will stop.”

"Is the situation on your end that serious? Why hasn't anyone sent a message?" General Hulun asked.

“Our leader has been killed by the northern tribes. The others were either killed or captured and enslaved. They have no personal freedom at all, so how can anyone pass on messages?” Wen Fei said.

“I must report this situation to Bulu Khan!” General Hulun said.

"Is the royal court of Bulu Khan also here?" Wenfei asked.

General Hulun said warily, "You shouldn't ask about that."

"General, please go as soon as possible. Our people are still suffering. Please, Bulu Khan, send troops to rescue them!" Wenfei said, kneeling before General Hulun.

"I'm going now! You stay here and behave yourself." General Hulun walked out of the military tent.

Wenfei stood outside the tent and watched General Hulun leave. He saw that when General Hulun left, he whispered something in the sentry's ear. Before leaving, General Hulun turned back and looked at Wenfei, who nodded to him.

After General Hulun left, the sentry let Wen Fei into the tent. Wen Fei entered the tent and was restless. He wanted to find a way to get close to Yuchi Liang, find out the truth of the matter, and also find a way to tell Li Wei the news.

Wenfei paced back and forth inside the tent. He lifted the curtain to go outside, but saw a sentry standing outside giving him a sharp, warning look. Wenfei could only give the sentry an awkward smile and return to the tent.

Wenfei was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, while Li Wei waited on the hillside until the flowers withered.

At this moment, Li Wei had no idea what Wen Fei's situation was. "He's been gone for a long time and there's still no news. I'm afraid he's in danger," Li Wei thought.

Li Wei knew she couldn't just sit there and wait to die, so she decided to take action. As darkness fell, she planned to quietly enter the Western Regions military camp below to investigate its strength.

As night fell, Wenfei became even more restless in his military tent. He wanted to find a way to leave. Wenfei got up and lifted the curtain. The sentry immediately looked at him. Wenfei waved to the sentry, and the sentry came to Wenfei.

"It's getting dark; we need to light oil lamps inside the tent," Wenfei said.

The sentry entered the main tent, took out a tinderbox to light the oil lamp, and was about to leave when Wenfei, who was behind the sentry, reached out his right hand and struck the sentry on the neck, causing the sentry to fall into a deep sleep. Wenfei hid the sentry in the tent, took off the sentry's clothes and put them on himself, then picked up a plate of mutton and swaggered toward Yuchi Liang's main tent.

Wen Fei arrived outside Yuchi Liang's tent. The sentry outside asked him what he was doing. Wen Fei held up the mutton in his hand and said, "General Hulun asked me to bring some food to Yuchi Liang."

The sentry lifted the curtain and gestured for Wen Fei to enter. Wen Fei went into the tent and saw Yu Chi Liang hanging his head. Someone next to him was holding a whip and was about to lash Yu Chi Liang. Wen Fei put down the mutton in his hand, stepped forward and grabbed the whip.

"Let him eat first!" Wen Fei said to the executioner, his eyes wide.

The man was intimidated by Wen Fei's aura, and he obediently put away his whip and walked out of the tent.

Wenfei rushed forward, "Prince Yuchi! Are you alright?"

"I'm not dead yet," Yu Chi Liang said weakly.

"What happened here? How did you get arrested as a traitor?" Wenfei asked anxiously.

"Give me some water first! These bastards won't even give me a drop!" Yu Chi Liang cursed.

Wen Fei turned around and saw a water bag on the table. He picked it up, held it to Yu Chi Liang's lips, and lifted it up. Yu Chi Liang then drank it down with a "gulp! gulp!"

"The water is so sweet!" Yuchi Liang exclaimed.