The bamboo leaves covered with white ice and the Mansion-house rooftop covered with white snow, a man is standing and staring far from the land of coldness and snowfall.
Yuwen Huai never truly appreciated life after he withdrew to his Zen Mansion. The luck he gained from past struggles seemed as random as a leaf falling from the sky.
He's content and has no desire to return to the political world or use his scheming skills.
But today, a letter made of paper snow, was delivered meant only for him, arrives, and Yuwen Huai sighs deeply.
Prince Yuan Song and his two spies from the Eyes of God, known as the Light team, and Prince Zaru with his three blackguard spies, called the Dark team, were receiving their final briefing from Yuan Che.
Yuan Che said, "This is a secret and dangerous mission. Do you both understand your roles?"
Yuan Song responded first, saying, "Brother, the instructions are clear: search and abduct."
For the dark team, the instructions were also simple, wrap up and destroy on his airy attitude, Prince Zaru raised his one arm and shook his head.
Yuan Che looked at them and asked, "What is the cardinal rule in the tributary hunt?"
Yuan Song quickly replied, "Tribute hunters must not fall into enemy hands."
Prince Zaru nodded in agreement.
Yuan Che was impressed by his brother's improvement. He had never seen Yuan Song so brave and knowledgeable. He realized that he had neglected his brother over the years due to his responsibilities at the Xioaqi camp, which was home to one of the largest and most elite military forces, made up of warriors from powerful bloodlineswho thrived in the sea of battlefields.
Yuan Che would have preferred to keep his younger brother out of this mission, but Yuan Song insisted. He threatened that if he wasn't included, the 13th Prince would cut his wrist in front of him. Yuan Song declared he was unafraid of death and warned that if he survived, he would make Yuan Che lose his royal status, end up in the streets of Wei, and be exiled like their sister Chuner.
Yuan Che laughed at his brother's dramatic threats, sensing that such an outcome might indeed be on the horizon if he didn't comply.
Yuan Song's fierce gaze made him look like a wolf ready to devour its prey.
With no other choice, the 7th Prince reluctantly agreed to let his brother join the mission. Prince Zaru concurred that they would be divided into two teams: the Light and the Dark.
That night, the three of them made a pact. They agreed to relinquish their royal jades, which symbolized their thrones and powers, and to forsake their princely titles to become tribute hunters.
The reward from the hunt would go to whoever captures the subject and achieves the mission's objective. Yuan Song aimed to capitalize on this opportunity, while Prince Zaru was interested in securing the prize and using it for significant deals as part of Wei's Protectorates, similar to how Yanbei was treated in the past before the Yan royal clan was annihilated.
Reflecting on history, the Wei Emperor had treated Yanbei differently from other Protectorates. Yanbei was once a crucial Tributary state and Protectorate, with the crown prince held captive in Changan as a ransom for Yan's loyalty to the Wei Royal family.
This allowed Yanbei to enjoy more benefits than other Protectorate states, as their crown prince, Yan Xun, had direct access to the Wei Emperor's court and was possibly regarded as a special son.
That night, with all weapons ready, Yuan Che's worries eased as he finalized his reinforcement plan. This plan was in place in case the 13th Prince of Wei faced danger. The same applied to the representative from the protected state in the remote northwest highlands, from which the Black Prince Zaru hailed.
While the Eyes of God is temporarily shut down, the Blackguards are actively on duty for the Wei state that acted as the shadow power and preparing for an imminent war of the States.
The Wei Emperor disapproves of the upcoming Liang-Yanbei wedding scheduled for next fall. He is unhappy about the prospect of his Confederate ally, King Tang of Liang, marrying into one of his tributary states. This union would involve his former rebel prince, who nearly became his son-in-law as a sacrifice for the Yanbei citizens.
Yuan Song, dressed in a ninja costume, was handed a ninja sword by Yuan Che. Yuan Song refused, saying, "For this mission, if I die, I want the Cheng Yin sword placed on my chest."
Yuan Che, understanding his brother's request, looked at him with pity. Turning away, his voice darkened as he said, "If you don't return, I will dethrone you even in death and declare myself the Crown Prince."
Yuan Song smiled at his brother's melancholic words, masking his true feelings with a touch of humor. He replied, "Then make sure you handle this well and look good, just in case I make a mistake."
And so, the two parted ways—one with a brave heart, the other with an anxious one.
Two teams, one high-risk mission. Many outcomes were possible: one might fall, the other might return. But one thing was certain: they must not break their cardinal rule. The Xuili troops were no longer as easy to handle.
Having learned from their past encounters, the Xuili forces had mastered Wei's tactics, arsenals, and weaponry. They had been commissioned by Prince Yuan Che and now served as a strategic, albeit risky, ally.
Recently, the Xiaoqi camp received an intelligence report about a serious threat: there was a plan to bomb the entire camp. The attack would be triggered by a mechanized switch, potentially plunging the camp into chaos and reducing it to ashes.
The rumor spread rapidly, endangering the camp's security and its thousands-strong army. Even the 7th Prince of Wei, with the tightly controlled Wei Valve border, could scarcely imagine how such an attack could be carried army of hundreds is just like ants biting the giant's feet.
Chu Qiao orchestrated the whole scheme as part of her psychological warfare. She knew she couldn't defeat the massive army of the Imperial Palace directly, but she could certainly inflict mental damage.
She used this tactic to halt the killing of innocent children and the mutilation of the poor, aiming for a cease-fire. Her goal was to allow aid to reach the small town of Chang'an, providing food and shelter amid the winter storm to save any locals who were still alive.
As the violent snowstorm whipped against her face and her faux fur hood, Chu Qiao's gaze fell upon a man in a ninja suit, his arms severed and lying in the snow.
Chu Qiao holds his pulse, and on her pity, he ordered the troops to take the man and put him in the carriage. They complied with her instructions. Despite searching the town, Chu Qiao found no survivors, not even a single child—only this man, who was then transported in the carriage.
As Chu Qiao heard a clanging noise, she looked around but saw no immediate threats or suspicions among her brigade. With everything seeming to return to normal, they proceeded back to the Meilin Border Pass camp.
The Xuili troops had taken over the Meilin Border Pass after Yuwen Yue's death at the frozen lake. The 13th Prince of Wei, on the brink of danger, was protected by the ex-afterlife camper assassins. He refused to let his brother Yuan Che secure their hold on the Yan-Wei border due to Yuan Song's plea for peace. This costly decision led to Yan Xun, driven by revenge, violently reclaiming the Meilin Border Pass with the Xuili army.
Here, the last Cheng Yuan, a fierce advocate of revenge, fueled by deep-seated anger, inspired the prince to restore Yanbei in their past warring state.
When Cheng Yuan died, Yan Xun did not hold any mourning rites but instead honored him with a memorial, celebrating him as a hero of Yanbei. Yan Xun burned Cheng Yuan's body in the center of Meilin Mansion as a symbol of victory and to grant his spirit peace. One of his closest generals aimed to help Yanbei secure the Meilin Border Pass as a foothold for revenge against Wei.
This marked the first of many victories for Yan Xun. He commissioned the Xuili army to guard the pass around the clock with minimal resources. This costly but strategic move increased his fame and further insulted the Wei Throne.
Chu Qiao ordered the decapitated ninja to be treated at the camp's medical facility. He pretended to be frail and unable to move, and Chu Qiao, moved by pity, took him under her care.
The Xuili corpsmen transported him, accompanied by some Xuili soldiers in uniform.
By nightfall, the ninja, who had appeared weak earlier, regained his strength. The accompanying Xuili soldiers turned on the facility, killing almost all the personnel inside. They then undressed and dressed in the facility's team garments: white and black ninjas.
Yuan Song had earlier detached his arms to feign weakness and mercy. Now, with his arms reattached, he moved with full functionality.
Wearing a white ninja suit and a white headband adorned with an expensive jade, he looked every bit the handsome killer prince. One of the Eyes of God spies handed him the Cheng Yin sword.
This was Yuan Song's first time using the sword. Legend had it that the Cheng Yin sword performed best at night and dawn. It was said to be an invisible weapon that cut through light and shadow with unparalleled precision, severing heads cleanly and silently.
Viper sensed a familiar energy and told Chu Qiao, "I must come out."
Chu Qiao asked, "Is there a grave threat?"
Viper replied, "I sense a familiar presence—a light and shadow that cuts invisibly and offers no promise of life for tomorrow."
Chu Qiao asked again, "Can you sense any breach?"
Viper responded, "I sense both dark and light power simultaneously in this place."
Chu Qiao, initially dismissive of the warning, suddenly recalled the children's rehabilitation facility. Deep in thought, she decided to act despite the late hour. She put on a light garment and ventured out. Viper, resembling a bat, flew from corner to corner, inspecting the camp and ensuring everyone was asleep.
When Chu Qiao arrived at the children's rehab facility, she found the guards awake and they bowed to her. As she entered, Chu Qiao suddenly threw a knife behind her, sensing someone following. The two Xuili guards, startled by her action, froze in fear, imagining they were the ones struck rather than the nearby tree.
Chu Qiao checked on the children, finding them peacefully asleep on their pillows. Her heart felt at ease as she returned to the generals' quarters. Viper still had not come back.
Under the starry night, with the ground blanketed in white snow and everything quiet, five men moved stealthily within the camp. Three of them, dark figures, dug holes along the perimeter and planted destructive devices, a sinister gift from the Blackguard spies.
Connect toChapter 44 Iron bones encounters the White prince
Lookback toChapter 40 Buried in the Snow