The Young Swordsman of Dalu

On the northwestern border, Yuan Hui was sitting in his large tent when someone came to report.

"Reporting to the commander! The Western Regions army is advancing towards our northwestern border and will likely reach our opposite side by noon tomorrow."

“That means Nabul is going to war with us!” Yuan Hui said.

"Why should our 200,000 troops plus the 200,000 troops on the border, our 400,000 troops, be afraid of his 300,000 troops from the Western Regions?" Cao Yong said nonchalantly.

“Cao, Imperial Censor! Don’t you know that the Western Regions army is skilled in horsemanship? The 200,000 troops we brought were just hastily assembled; they would be no match for us in battle!” Yuan Hui said.

"Are we supposed to rely on these 200,000 border troops?" Cao Yong said.

“You’re right! These 200,000 border troops are our trump card! We’ll still have to rely on them when it comes to fighting!” Yuan Hui said.

"You mean you're going to release Li Linlie?" Cao Yong asked.

“This is a good idea in a crisis! After all, these 200,000 border troops only obey General Li’s orders!” Yuan Hui said.

"General! You are disobeying the imperial edict! Do you know that?" Cao Yong said.

"When you're out in the field, you may have to accept some things and not others; you can only play it by ear! When the time comes, I, Yuan Hui, will go before His Majesty to apologize! I won't implicate Imperial Censor Cao!" Yuan Hui said.

"You... you're utterly unreasonable! I'll submit a memorial to His Majesty right now!" Cao Yong said angrily.

"Do as you please!" Yuan Hui flung his sleeves and left the tent.

Cao Yong immediately submitted a memorial to the Emperor, and also sent a secret letter to Zhou Moyao.

"General! Imperial Censor Cao has written a memorial to His Majesty, and also sent a secret letter to the Imperial Mausoleum!"

“What a Cao Yong! He’s still up to no good! We must keep a close eye on him. If he does anything treasonous, we can execute him immediately!” Yuan Hui said.

"As ordered!"

Nabru Khan led his vast army from the Western Regions toward Ningcheng, and reports kept coming in from the front.

"Khan! We are still a hundred li away from Ningcheng!"

"Khan! We are still eighty li away from Ningcheng!"

"Khan! We are still fifty li away from Ningcheng!"

"Khan! We are still twenty li away from Ningcheng!"

"The army shall halt its advance and set up camp here!" Nabru Khan commanded.

Wen Fei secretly mingled with the Western Regions army. He took advantage of the time when he was setting up tents to find the location of Yu Chi Liang's tent and slipped into it when no one was paying attention.

Upon seeing Wen Fei, Yu Chi Liang exclaimed in surprise, "Wen Fei, you're still in the army?"

“I have been following your Western Regions army here all this way!” Wen Fei said.

"Where's Lao Shou?" Yu Chi Liang inquired outside.

“He didn’t come, I wasn’t with him,” Wenfei said.

"What should we do? The Western Regions army has already reached the outskirts of Ningcheng!" Yuchi Liang said.

“We won’t just sit here and wait to get beaten up!” Wen Fei said.

"I'm just worried about the safety of my sister and her family," Yu Chi Liang said anxiously.

“Prince Yuchi, I’ve come here to seek your help,” Wen Fei said.

“What can I do to help you? I can barely protect myself now. The day Bulu Khan conquers Ningcheng will be the end of me, Yuchi Liang,” Yuchi Liang said.

"Prince Yuchi, don't be too pessimistic! The battle hasn't even started yet, and we don't know who will win or lose," Wenfei said.

"Didn't you say that Li Linlie has been escorted back to the capital? Can your Northwest Border Army still obey orders?" Yu Chi Liang said.

"I think our Lord Yuan Hui knows what's important and will have a plan," Wen Fei said.

"Wenfei, what do you want me to do?" Yuchi Liang asked.

"I want Prince Yuchi to take me to see Bulu Khan!" Wenfei said.

"Can't you go by yourself?" Yuchi Liang said.

“It’s different. The prince personally escorted me to Nabru Khan. Nabru Khan believes that you have not betrayed the Western Regions, and he will rely on you in a critical moment. Then things will be much easier for us,” Wenfei said.

“But you’ll be in danger! No way! If something happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to Li Wei? I can tell that my niece likes you!” Yu Chi Liang said.

"A great battle is imminent! Your Highness, don't think too much about it! Let's act quickly!" Wen Fei said.

“I’ll do as you say!” Yu Chi Liang said.

"Khan! Prince Yuchi requests an audience!"

"Let him in!" said Nabru Khan.

Yuchi Liang brought Wen Fei, who was bound, into the tent of Bulu Khan. When Bulu Khan saw Wen Fei bound, he asked in surprise, "Yuchi, what happened? Why did you bring Wen Fei here bound?"

"Reporting to the Khan! This brat has repeatedly tried to sow discord between me and the Khan. I could no longer tolerate it, so I had no choice but to tie him up in front of the Khan!" Yuchi Liang said.

"Wenfei! I, the Khan, have already spared your life, what more do you want?" said Nabulu Khan.

"Is the Khan sparing my life? He's practically trying to silence me! Luckily I ran fast, or I would have really become a victim of the Khan's blade!" Wenfei said neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"If that's the case, why did you come back? Do you really think I, the Khan, won't kill you?" said Nabru Khan.

“Of course Bulu Khan can kill me, but killing me will do you no good!” Wen Fei said confidently.

"What benefit would I gain from killing you?" Nabru Khan asked.

“There are many benefits to not killing me! For example, we can become friends, I can reveal the information I know about the Great Lu Kingdom to you, and we can also form an alliance!” Wen Fei said.

"An alliance? How can we form an alliance? Why should I ally with you?" Nabru Khan was very interested.

“That Bulu Khan probably doesn’t know much about my background!” Wenfei said.

"Aren't you Wentao's son? What's so special about you? Does Wentao intend to succeed you as prince?" Naburu Khan asked.

“I am the son of a princess from the former Yuan Dynasty. You haven’t heard of Bulu Khan, have you?” Wenfei said.

"The son of the princess of the Great Yuan Kingdom! Which princess?" Nabru Khan asked curiously.

“You are the Feng siblings who have been entrenched in your Western Regions for many years! I am the son of Feng Yuwan and Wen Tao,” Wen Fei said.

"I never imagined your background was so complicated. What do you want?" Nabru Khan said.

“My mother and the others worked so hard for so many years but couldn’t shake the foundation of the Great Lu Kingdom. My mother even lost her life for it. I feel sorry for her! I want to complete the great cause they couldn’t finish, so I have no choice but to use the Khan’s Western Region army to make the Great Lu Kingdom disappear forever!” Wen Fei said.

"Is this your true thought?" Nabru Khan asked with some skepticism.

“I’ve thought this way ever since I learned about my origins, but I just haven’t found the right opportunity. Now that you, Khan Naru, are about to attack the Great Lu Kingdom, how could I possibly miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?” Wenfei said.

"Alright! I'll trust you for now! Yuchi Liang, untie him!" Nabulu Khan ordered.

"Khan! You must not believe what he says!" Yuchi Liang advised.

"I, the Khan, will untie you! Do you hear me?" said Nabru Khan.

"Yes, sir!" Yuchi Liang untied Wen Fei.

Wenfei said, "Thank you, Bulu Khan! Prince Yuchi is truly loyal to you; I admire him greatly!"

“From today onwards, Yuchi Liang, you will stay in my tent as an advisor!” said Nabru Khan.

"Yes, sir!" Yu Chi Liang finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Wen Fei looked at Yu Chi Liang, and the two smiled at each other.