Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Wanyan Tiesa sneered, "Dream on!"

Xiao Ce glanced at Axe Ox: "Axe Ox, do you still have the little axe you used to chop off Mos Ashina's finger last time?"

Axe Ox nodded and pulled a small axe from his waist.

With a hint of excitement on his face, he said, "Your Highness, I'm here. I haven't had a chance to let it drink some blood while following you around these days."

"Now's your chance! Go ahead, cut off his fingers first, then his toes, until he's willing to cooperate."

Xiao Ce took a sip of tea and said calmly.

Wanyan Tiesa swallowed hard, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Mos Ashina had one of his fingers cut off by Xiao Ce, although no one in the Turkic tribes openly talked about it.

However, everyone knew about it secretly.

Wanyan Tiesa gritted his teeth: "You dare! I am the third prince of the Tiesa tribe...you..."

Before Wanyan Tiesa could finish speaking, Axe Bull stepped forward, grabbed his hand, and pressed it firmly to the ground.

He brandished a small axe in his hand, and with a snap, it cracked.

Wanyan Tiesa cried out in pain, tears streaming down his face.

As Axe Bull watched his little finger being chopped off, a bloodthirsty excitement flashed in his eyes.

Without lingering any longer, he brandished the small axe in his hand.

Another axe blow.

"Ah... I didn't say, I didn't want to say! Ask away... I'll tell you... I'll tell you! Just ask away!" Wanyan Tiesa looked at the axe-ox without stopping.

They showed absolutely no intention of stopping, which terrified me.

No sooner had he finished speaking than the axe-wielding bull brought down another blow, chopping off another of his fingers.

Wanyan Tiesa was on the verge of collapse, howling in agony, his voice hoarse, tears streaming down his face.

"Why are you still chopping... I've already told you... I'll talk... I'll talk..."

Axe Ox awkwardly put the severed middle finger back and looked at Xiao Ce: "Your Highness, I'm sorry... I was too quick."

"What are you apologizing for? He was the one who spoke too slowly!"

Xiao Ce took another sip of tea: "Why did you back down so quickly? I was thinking, you were so tough just now, it only took you a hand to be stubborn."

Wanyan Tiesa looked at his hand, which now only had two fingers left, and his face twitched. Only his ring finger and little finger remained.

These two are the only ones left, and they don't really have any function anymore.

Although he harbored resentment, he dared not say anything.

"What do you want to know?"

Xiao Ce asked, "Where did you come from, those foreign girls?"

“I obtained it through some merchants from India,” Wanyan Tiesa said.

Xiao Ce was stunned. Tianzhu must be the Indian Kingdom of later generations.

"You still have trade relations with India?"

Wanyan Tiesa clutched his hand, nodding with a pained expression: "Of course, the lands of Tianzhu (India) and our Turkic lands share a border. Previously, your Xiao Kingdom closed itself off, preventing us from trading with you, while we traded cattle and sheep with Tianzhu..."

According to Wanyan Tiesa, many of their possessions were brought to their Turkic country through India.

"Then why do you always think about attacking Xiao Kingdom? Why don't you attack Tianzhu Kingdom?" Xiao Ce asked Wanyan Tiesa.

Wanyan Tiesa said, "Firstly, although we border India, the roads to the border are rugged mountain paths, unsuitable for our cavalry. Secondly, India is not as fertile or wealthy as Xiao... Moreover, the Indians are skilled warriors. At least, they are easier to defeat than your Xiao people..."

Xiao Ce was speechless after hearing this. This Xiao Kingdom was at least a great and powerful nation, yet it had been treated like a pushover.

Emperor Xiao Dingbang, the cheapskate father of the emperor in Kyoto, somehow became emperor.

With internal troubles unresolved and external threats unaddressed, they are constantly preoccupied with infighting.

How could a country not perish under the leadership of such an emperor?

Thank goodness he came.

After listening to Wanyan Tiesa's words, Xiao Ce realized even more how right it was to let Zhang Yunqing establish the Urgen Kingdom in the Turkic Kingdom.

He could also act as a buffer should India have any ideas it might have.

It can also serve as a shield for the Xiao Kingdom.

After receiving this information from Wanyan Tiesa, they still did not learn anything about the origins of those foreign women.

Xiao Ce waved his hand and stood up: "Axe Ox, give him a quick death. Finish him off."

The axe-ox bowed and agreed.

Wanyan Tiesa was utterly terrified.

"King of the Northern Desert...you can't do this...I've told you everything you wanted to know! Please don't kill me...please...don't kill me."

He had no doubt about Xiao Ce's words.

Xiao Ce was completely different from the people he knew. The people he had met before could scare him for a long time, but they wouldn't dare to kill him.

And this Xiao Ce truly embodies what it means to be a man of few words.

Xiao Ce ignored him and walked straight outside.

Wanyan Tiesa completely broke down in the face of death.

He kept kowtowing to Xiao Ce, pleading, "Don't kill me...don't kill me...I'm useful to you! Our Tiesa tribe has connections with India! King of the Northern Desert, you've occupied our Turkic rear, you'll inevitably have to do business with India...I have connections, I have resources! I..."

Xiao Ce remained unmoved and said to Xiao Jiu beside him, "Go and bring those foreign girls over."

Xiao Jiu nodded.

Upon seeing this, Axe Ox dragged the man out and glanced at Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce said, "Wait a minute!"

A short while later, Xiao Jiu arrived with Boudica and several other foreign girls.

Xiao Ce then asked Boudica and the others, "Did he capture you?"

A group of foreign women looked at Wanyan Tiesa, who was already pale with fright and had soiled himself, and nodded.

They looked at Xiao Ce with questioning eyes, not quite understanding what he was going to do.

Seeing their nods, Xiao Ce said to the axe-ox, "Chop it down."

Seeing this, the axe-wielding ox brandished its large axe.

Even in his dying moments, Wanyan Tiesa screamed hoarsely, "Xiao Ce, you bastard! You killed me...you'll regret it! You'll regret it!"

Before he could finish speaking, Axe-Bull cleaved him in two with a single blow of his axe.

This really scared the foreign girls.

Xiao Ce walked up to Wanyan Tiesa and kicked him twice.

Once he was sure the body was dead, he said to the corpse, "I would regret it if I didn't kill you."

Turning to Boudica and the other foreign women, he said, "I've avenged you!"

The foreign women looked at Xiao Ce with fear on their faces, not daring to utter a word.

Boudica was the calmest of the foreign women, and after a long pause, she managed to stammer out, "Thank you."

Xiao Ce instructed Xiao Jiu to take the person back.

Da Lei then said to Xiao Ce, "Your Highness, did you kill him for those foreign women?"

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "What are you thinking? I was just doing a favor. From the moment I cut off Wanyan Tiesa's finger, we were definitely on opposite sides. No matter how humble he acts, it's just a means for him to survive. If I leave such a person alive, he will turn around and attack me if he has even the slightest chance."

"Why would I keep him around? What good are his worthless connections? Merchants are all about profit. As long as I have good products and plenty of money, these merchants will naturally come to me!"

Da Lei's expression softened after hearing Xiao Ce's words.

"I can rest assured that."

Xiao Ce looked at Da Lei with a wry smile and said, "What? Are you afraid I'll be blinded by women?"

Da Lei gave an awkward smile: "This is what Uncle Zhong told me. Uncle Zhong said you're good in every way. It's just that you might not be able to control yourself when you see a woman."

"As Uncle Zhong said, since ancient times, beauties are like knives, each one fatal. Beauties are like poison, bewitching the soul."

Xiao Ce raised an eyebrow: "You still don't understand me. However, you're right to remind me!"

"I have a great use for those foreign girls."

With that, Xiao Ce went back and learned about the situation in India.

He wrote another letter to Zhang Yunqing that very night, saying that India had all sorts of spices, which were quite good.

He wanted Zhang Yunqing to set up a caravan.

Wanyan Tiesa was unaware that Zhang Yunqing's benefactor was also a merchant from the Tiesa tribe.

It's the same if he takes over this line and gets all those spices; then he can recreate the spicy hot pot.

...

In the four prefectures of northern Mongolia, they all opened their cities to welcome the Turks.

After entering the city, these people engaged in burning, killing, and looting.

These are their inherent flaws.

In just a few days, there has been widespread discontent.

The common people were already impoverished and alone, and the Turks robbed them, only to find they had nothing to show for it.

They set their sights on those prominent and powerful families!

The powerful and wealthy were all robbed.

Not only were they robbed, but their beautiful concubines were also violated on the spot by the Turkic soldiers who took their eyes on them.

These Turkic beasts insisted on dragging the head of the household to watch.

This infuriated them.

The heads of various prestigious and powerful families all went to Cai Yong's Chanda City.

In Cai Yong's mansion, the heads of the four new great clans were all there, serving the Turkic leaders.

So the powerful and influential families from various counties and cities came and blocked Cai Yong's residence.

The heads of the four new powerful families had no choice but to meet with them.

“You clan heads, we didn’t want to listen to you before. We all wanted to listen to that useless prince! You insisted he was a grasshopper in autumn. You told us to surrender to those Turks, and we did. And what happened? Those Turkic beasts not only robbed us of our grain, but they also…they even slept with my wife and daughter…Tell me! It’s utterly shameful, utterly shameful!”

"Yes, they said they'd stay for two days, but it's been four days already. They show no sign of leaving. You have to stand up for us..."

"The people are already full of complaints; if they don't leave... there's a risk of a popular uprising..."

The heads of the four new major clans stood up: "Gentlemen...gentlemen...please be careful what you say...be careful what you say. Be careful, walls have ears! If the Turkic lords hear this, you will all be beheaded!"

One of the prominent families said, "So what if we die? Before, we listened to the King of the Northern Desert, thinking that even if we died, we would die a worthy death. But now... we've disgraced our ancestors! If you don't resolve this, I'll lead my people and fight the Turks to the death!"

Seeing the crowd growing increasingly agitated, Kan Shanyue said sternly, "What? Are you here to attack us? Do you think we want this? You suddenly think that useless Northern Desert King is good? Are you all blind?"

"When that King of Mobei fled from Yanbei City, did he think of you? He has now retreated to Lingxiao City. Do you believe that even with a large army pressing in, he can still run away? He can escape back to the capital. At that time, he will have King Zhen, Xiao Dingshan, protecting him. What about you?"

"This time, the Turkic army has come out in full force! They have the momentum to change the world. So what if you suffer a little grievance now! Your concubines and daughters have been favored by others, that's your honor. When those soldiers go south and become generals, you can secretly laugh then."

One of the young men from a prominent family couldn't stand it any longer and pointed at Kan Shanyue, cursing, "Kan Shanyue, look at yourself! Are you even speaking human language? You should send your daughter and concubines to sleep with those Turkic dogs! You can get protection from them later!"

Kan Shanyue's face darkened.

"Say that again and see what happens. Believe me, I'll hand you over to the Turkic leaders! Go ahead and insult them!"

No one dared to speak; they knew that the heads of these powerful families had all become the dogs of the Turks.

They really are capable of doing these things.

Cai Yong then stepped forward, laughing and saying, "Gentlemen, gentlemen! I understand how you feel. We're just as pathetic as the third grandson here. But what can we do? That good-for-nothing Northern King talks a good game, but he's the fastest runner around!"

"Didn't you cut off their supplies? Otherwise, would they have been able to retreat? They fought so fiercely at the beginning!"

"Yes, don't treat us like fools. How many years has it been since the Turks suffered a defeat in the Turkic lands? Yet they suffered two defeats in Yanbei City, losing tens of thousands of men! If you hadn't cut off their supplies, the Turks wouldn't have been able to breach Yanbei City at all."

The heads of prestigious families spoke with considerable resentment.

Kan Shanyue's face darkened: "Are you blaming us? You are all incredibly foolish. If that good-for-nothing had truly secured his position in the four prefectures of Mobei, everyone here would have suffered a far worse fate than if the Turks had come. That good-for-nothing King of Mobei is only concerned with those lowly commoners! Are you lowly commoners?"

"Moreover, do they really think that good-for-nothing can be a match for the Turks? The Turkic army was just underestimating them. Once the battle really started, their northern troops would be no match at all."

"Alright, if you want to go find that good-for-nothing Xiao Ce, he's hiding in Lingxiao City. Go ahead and go... we don't care about you anymore!"

The group looked embarrassed and said nothing more, since even if they wanted to leave, they couldn't.

Seeing that no one spoke, Kan Shanyue said arrogantly, "If you don't want to leave, then stay here, listen to us obediently, and don't cause trouble!"