Chapter 71: The Fake Princess and His God of War Prince (Part 28)
Facts proved that Na Ren had celebrated too early.
Just as the grey carrier pigeon flew over the outer wall of the Prince’s Manor, it collided head-on with an aggressively charging Brown Shrike.
Although the Shrike was small and round, that didn’t stop it from being a bird of prey.
It knocked the pigeon over with a headbutt, pecked at the pigeon’s leg to injure it, pulled the paper scroll from the message tube, and fluttered its wings to fly toward the manor’s study, landing on Xiao Ji’s shoulder.
Xiao Ji reached out, took the paper scroll from the Shrike’s beak, and handed it to Xiang Yinnian.
Xiang Yinnian opened the scroll, frowned at it for a long while, and tossed it to Lin Heng.
“What kind of bird language is this? You read it!”
Lin Heng couldn’t make heads or tails of it and passed it to the subordinate commander beside him. The commander couldn’t read it either, scratched his head, and passed it back to Xiao Ji.
Seeing this, Lin Heng slapped the commander on the back of the neck. “I told you to read more books! Apart from eating, all you know is sleeping. Go get the strategist.”
Xiao Ji looked down at the string of characters. “No need.”
“Na Ren is sending a message to the Khan, saying the matter has been exposed and telling him not to act rashly.”
Hearing this, Xiang Yinnian raised his hand and slapped Lin Heng. “Did you hear that? You regret having read too little when books are needed! Read more when you have nothing to do!”
Lin Heng whispered, “But you don’t recognize this bird script of the Northern Di either, do you?”
Xiang Yinnian replied self-righteously, “My wife recognizes it. Do you have a wife?”
Lin Heng was speechless and could only skip the current topic. “What should we do next?”
Xiang Yinnian looked at Xiao Ji.
Xiao Ji rolled up a fake formation map, cut a piece of paper, wrote a line of text, rolled it up, and stroked the Shrike’s small head.
“I’ll have to trouble you.”
The Shrike shook its head but didn’t pick up the small paper scroll.
Xiao Ji then said to Xiang Yinnian, “Have someone bring some millet. It needs to ask a friend for help.”
Xiang Yinnian first ordered someone to get the millet, then looked at the Shrike on Xiao Ji’s shoulder. The more he looked, the more familiar it seemed. After a long while, he hissed, “Is this the same bird that helped me deliver letters back in the Great Yue Palace?”
Xiao Ji nodded.
Xiang Yinnian was amazed. “I didn’t see it on the journey here.”
Xiao Ji said indifferently, “It isn’t particularly clingy and won’t stay by my side all the time, but wherever I go, it follows.”
Xiang Yinnian extended a hand to the Shrike. “Come here, let me have a look.”
The Shrike tilted its head, looked at Xiang Yinnian, then flew into his palm, tilting its head to stare him down.
Xiang Yinnian was delighted. He cupped the Shrike in his hands and went to the side to whisper to it.
After the servant brought the millet and placed it on the table, a grey carrier pigeon flew in through the window a moment later. It looked almost identical to Na Ren’s.
The pigeon pecked furiously at the millet on the table, then stood dazed and motionless by the edge.
Xiao Ji took a thin thread and tied the message tube to the pigeon’s leg.
Just as he released the pigeon, he turned around to see Xiang Yinnian with his mouth wide open, having stuffed half of the Shrike’s body into his mouth.
When their eyes met, Xiang Yinnian hurriedly and awkwardly pulled the Shrike out, laughing dryly.
“I was just joking with it.”
The Shrike, terrified out of its wits, escaped the demonic maw and frantically hid inside the lapels of Xiao Ji’s robes.
Xiao Ji patted the small bulge in his clothes and said to Xiang Yinnian as if nothing had happened:
“I have already told the Khan to deploy his troops. Barring any accidents, war will break out within two days. Are you ready?”
Hearing this, Xiang Yinnian immediately became serious.
“If the Rong Di people can’t get enough to eat, it’s because there are too many of them. This time, I’ll help them thin the herd properly. I guarantee the survivors will have enough to eat and drink every day.”
Xiao Ji nodded. “The Prince is indeed kind-hearted.”
Military orders were dispatched to every corner of the camp that very night.
Everyone knew the Rong Di were impatient, but no one expected they wouldn’t wait even a single day. The very next morning, before the sky had even brightened, the horn of war sounded from atop the city walls.
Beacon fires illuminated the darkness before dawn.
The Rong Di army pressed against the border, intending to breach the city gates in one breath and catch the Northern Frontier off guard. They never expected that what awaited them would be countless arrows ablaze with raging fire.
Heavy boulders wrapped in oil and gunpowder were hurled beyond the city walls.
Within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the Rong Di vanguard had suffered heavy losses.
However, all of this was, for the moment, within the expectations of the Northern Di generals.
Because the formation map they had received a few hours ago included this very phase.
The ferocity of the people on horseback was not just talk. The Northern Di had been conserving their strength for over three years, aiming to conquer the Northern Frontier cities in one fell swoop to secure a lifeline for their people.
They were all strong and able-bodied. The arrows did indeed wash away many men and horses, but countless Northern Di soldiers dodged the arrows, erected long ladders, and used various tricky methods to scale the city walls.
Xiang Yinnian, clad in battle armor and wielding a great saber, led thousands of troops charging out of the city gates, severing several heads with every swing of his blade.
Lin Heng followed closely behind, a heavy mace swinging wildly in his hands, quickly carving out a path of blood.
Yu Qing stayed by Xiang Yinnian’s side, guarding him and clearing away the enemy troops swarming around them.
Hu Zi swung his two massive meteor hammers until they became a blur of afterimages; wherever he went, blood and flesh flew.
The deafening sounds of slaughter and war drums pierced the dawn, reaching straight into the clouds.
After catching a breath, Lin Heng seemed to suddenly remember something. Looking at Xiang Yinnian, whose eyes were red with bloodlust, he panted heavily:
“Master, where is the Princess Consort?”
Ever since Xiao Ji released the pigeon in the manor study and Xiang Yinnian took Lin Heng to the military camp, no one had seen Xiao Ji.
As soon as the words left his mouth, Xiang Yinnian nearly swung his saber around to chop at Lin Heng’s helmet.
Fortunately, Lin Heng was prepared and raised his heavy mace to block Xiang Yinnian’s strike.
The bloodlust in Xiang Yinnian’s eyes gradually faded. After a long time, he said, “If nothing goes wrong, the Princess Consort will perform a great merit today.”
…
Far away, within the Northern Di territory.
Messengers had come and gone three times. Xiang Yinnian’s troops were getting closer and closer to the Northern Di city gates.
The Khan was furious.
“Who said the Northern Frontier’s training has been lax in recent years and that arrogant soldiers are bound to lose? We followed the formation map and still got beaten back! A bunch of useless trash!!!”
A table of wine and food was overturned. The officials looked at each other in dismay, none daring to touch bad luck at this moment.
Just as the atmosphere reached a stalemate, another soldier shouted from outside the large tent:
“Report! informing the Khan, Princess Na Ren has returned!”
The Khan’s eyes bulged with rage. “What is she doing back here!”
The messenger’s voice carried a hint of excitement. “Princess Na Ren has taken the Northern Prince’s Consort hostage!”
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