Everyone had something that he or she treasured most.

At this moment I recollected what my aunt had told me.

In his mind, a man, kind or evil, kept a most treasured thing. Once the thing was spoiled, he tried his best to protect it at cost of life. If I had seen my family or my love suffering such misfortune, I would have spared no pains to revenge for them.

Not only Helan Zhen but common people who suffered in war had their parents, sisters and brothers... To a forlorn and wrathful kid, his mother and sister were the only two persons who concerned him and kept him kind.

“Have you experienced it? Did you hate someone?” His cold gaze cornered me.

Hate, this word dazed me for long while.

“I have not hated anyone.” I looked up at him, giving a disappointing smile. “I can't hate them who even betrayed and deserted me because after all they are my parents and husband.”

He stared at me in the way of alteration between anger and appreciation, in which there was a trace of pity mixed.

“Helan Zhen, someday if you led army to war with Langya...” I looked into his eyes. “You would spare the old, women and babies there?”

Looking aside, he did not answer me.

I stared at him. “Today you hurt me. Isn't this the hurting of the innocent? Also, my parents and brother would grieve. Comparing with Xiao Qi, what is your doing today? He still fights for the kingdom while you did for private hatred. Helan Zhen. If what you do is right today, is what Xiao Qi did back then wrong?”

“Shut up!” He raged, wield his palm to me. His palm nearly hit my cheek and fell on a low table beside me.

The table broke and collapsed.

“Bitch, you spout off plausibly just for clearing Xiao Qi!” His eyes blazed with sudden fury and he had murderous impulse. “A bitch couple, dare say you are innocent! Someday, I will slaughter all south barbarians and raze it to the ground!”

Slaughter all south barbarians and raze it to the ground.

His words were so harsh and brutal.

He cornered me to wall while I bit lip and looked up at him.

Seeing his distorted face, I woke totally up to the fact:

Blood feud between two tribes lasted generation by generations and their slaughter went on.

In battles, only winner took all and there was not right and wrong.

We did not slaughter them and they did us.

Generals and soldiers who bled in battles won peace for millions of common people. Today I, just a single woman, was confined by Helan Zhen. Without Yu Zhang King and his soldiers fighting of decade for the kingdom, numerous women and kid would be killed and humiliated.

Eventually I came to realize it and held the king in great respect.

“Helan Zhen, you will regret.” I said proudly, “You will regret to be hostile to Xiao Qi.”

Helan Zhen widened his eyes and throttled me.

“He even can't protect his woman. Is he a hero?” He roared with laughter. “Xiao Qi is just a slaughterer.”

I struggled to escape his throttling and said, “He must rescue me!”

His hand tightened to throttle.

Seeing me closing eye painfully, he bent to sneer beside my ear. “Does he? You widen eye to see!”

Choking painfully and darkening my vision, I fainted... My breast suddenly cooled and his throttling faded. He tore off my clothes. I coughed fiercely. Each breath was like a knife to scrape my throat. With shame and pain, I broke in cold sweat which penetrated through my clothes.

His cold lips pressed on my ear. “Delicate beauty, I love you on seeing.”

I had strong blood flavor in my mouth, and I did not know if it resulted from my lip broken or throat bleeding, but I had not felt pain.

Pain on body was overwhelmed by humiliation and wrath.

He bent to press me on bed.

I did not struggle any more, not beating and kicking. I raised my head and sneered at him.

“Helan Zhen, your mother in heaven is watching you.”

He abruptly sank into stiffness, halting with chest heaving and face paling.

I could not see his eyes clearly.

It seemed that all halted.

The halting lasted for a while. He stood up and turned away.

He walked out of the door, not looking back at me.

A day has gone.

It was estimated that tonight they planned to act, but the groups of Helan Zhen and Xiao Qi had not signal.

None of them came in, nor sent meal to me. I was cooped in the room.

My lips, neck, wrists and breasts bruised with chafes.

Night fell and the room was full of darkness.

I cringed on bed and pulled sleeves and collar to cover the bruises and chafes that humiliated me.

However, though I pulled them in all ways, they could not cover the humiliating traces.

Biting lips hard, I could not hold tears back.

Light penetrated through the door.

Without any sound, Helan Zhen emerged at the door. He in all black trailed his cloak as black as the night.

Following him, a bearded man at doorway led eight armored soldiers in top-to-toe cloaks, who looked like ghosts.

He approached me and stared at me quietly.

“It is time?” I smiled and stood up, tidying messy hair.

Helan Zhen suddenly seized my wrists.

In the moonlight, his face was as white as snow, and fingers were cold, and thin lips trembled.

I was dazed without struggling.

“If you were not you, I...” He choked, drooling over me. His eyes were full of hesitation. He seemed reluctant.

I quivered, looking down. I realized a little but hated to believe it.

Eventually I had nothing to say and pull back my hands slowly.

His hands keeping still, he stared at me without distraction. His passionate gaze faded away.

The bearded man followed him and held a black box to Helan Zhen.

His eyebrows raised and a hand laid on the box. He hesitated before opening.

“Young master!” the bearded man's gaze blazed.

Helan Zhen's face became paler. With fingers quivering, he eventually opened the box.

In the box was a common jade belt.

He carefully took it out and fastened it on my waist.

I flinched to ward off his fingers touching my waist.

“Don't move.” He grabbed my hands, looking serious. “This belt holds the fiercest poisonous bomb of phosphorous. When it is triggered, fire spouts to set all on fire in big scope.”

I was dumbfounded. At the moment my breath froze.

“You had better pray for my killing Xiao Qi without difficulty. Thus you will be kept alive.” Helan Zhen caressed my face and his smile faded.

He wrapped a black cloak with a dark yellow ribbon around me. By moonlight, the red tiger-shape tally pattern on the cloak burst into my eyes. It was familiar to me.

The red tiger-shape tally was the label of the Ministry of Military and dark yellow was the color of imperial envoy's uniform.

Do they try to act as attendants of the imperial envoy from the ministry?

It startled me when I thought quickly of the fact. A dim terrible idea occurred to me.

Before I analyzed it, Helan Zhen had held my shoulder and warned me. “Follow me. Remember, a wrong step would cause a poisonous blazing of your body.”

My hands and feet were cold and without any response, I followed him to step out.

Chilly wind in north border made my loose skirt and sleeves billow. Dull light of the barracks was seen in the distance.

It was midnight when all reposed, and I already hit the road to death, not being able to return.

Helan Zhen had started while Xiao Qi seemed still.

In the compound, his underlings had awaited him.

To my astonishment, Xiao Ye, whose face was pale, was among them. She was held by two strong men and looked seriously wounded as she was so week.

Surprisingly she changed her clothes: a pink and gaudy attire and high bun full of jewelry.

The scene reminded me of something.

I looked around and found surrounding light of barracks that spread far.

The bearded man went ahead, followed by Xiao Ye and the others. Guarded by Helan Zhen, I walked in the rear. Our eight persons passed barracks after barracks. The patrolling soldiers gravely gave way to us when they saw us from far. At each checkpoint, the bearded man showed the soldiers a red tally and we passed without scrutiny.

I bet that it was the sealed tiger-shape military tally issued by the Ministry of Military to its envoy.

To show the tally was to meet the envoy himself.

At all the passes, there were dark yellow flags of the ministry hanging beside the flags of the king. On the flag of the ministry, the pattern of red tiger was vivid in light of torches.

The whole camp was built against mountain. Beyond the last checkpoint was the wide woodland stretching to the foot of the mountain.

A beacon terrace was set up in the camp. Thirty Zhang away was a rostrum where the chief general would deploy for military parade.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

When the envoy inspected the military affair in border, the army was to perform drilling of formation, which indicated the emperor leading the army to war.

My uncle ever told me the situation of the parade: it began from five o'clock in the morning; all services and arms presented themselves at drilling ground; chief general ascended the rostrum to call the roll; the beacon was lit to daunt enemy. The chief general led all soldiers and generals to drill for displaying the great power of the kingdom.

I looked up. A big pile of firewood was stacked on the terrace, high as a tower.

A line of people walked head-on, who also wore face-covered and black cloak with dark yellow ribbon.

“Stop! Who are you in important drill ground?”

“Ordered by the envoy, we are here to inspect the drilling.” The bearded man showed the tally and said in solemn voice, “Here is the tally.”

The chief of his counterpart received the tally and checked it. The chief asked in low voice, “Why late?”

The bearded man said, “Now it is three o'clock, not late.”

The chief had eye contact with his partners, nodding and receiving the tally.

“Are you Helan Princess?” The man bowed and asked.

Standing beside me, Helan Zhen disguised himself as common guardian, wearing face-covered cloak and keeping silent.

“My master has other important business. He had left.” The bearded man whispered. “We act as planned.”

The chief nodded. “Our men are ready. Once you act, we immediately back you up.”

“Thank you!” The bearded man bowed with hands folded.

The counterpart walked past me. In light of torch, I clearly saw the red tiger-shape pattern on each cloak.

Without surprise, they were sent by the envoy.

No wonder it was easy for Helan remainders to escape from Huizhou and to enter Ning Shuo camp in open and formal way.

In the first place, I thought that Helan Zhen really had extraordinary power, not realizing a hidden hand behind him.

Who dared ganged up with Helan remainders in secret?

Who dared abduct consort of Yu Zhang King and try to assassinate the king?

Who could manipulate the envoy so sneakily as to have cheated my father?

I felt my blood getting cold. Threads of chill penetrated into my each pores.

They forced me out of the camp to the woodland behind the camp.

In the woodland, there were many stakes and blockages. Additionally I saw weird battle facilities unknown to me, which I guessed that they were used for drilling of battle formation.

It was over four o'clock. The soldiers in woodland bustled for patrolling and provision and nobody noticed us.

Helan Zhen took me a nook behind blockage, acting as guardians, and other followers scattered.

When soldier patrolled past us, as long as I moved a little, Helan Zhen reached out to the jade belt around my waist.

My life was at the mercy of him. I dared not ask for help nor had chance to escape. I had to await the chance.

It was dawning and campfires were fading. The drilling ground became clear.

Suddenly, a low and long horn resounded through all directions.

The land quivered. In morning mist, dust billowed around the drilling ground.

The last night dark faded out. Sunshine pierced cloud to vast land.

Lines and rows of armored soldiers drilled in formation, marching orderly. Footsteps were loud to quiver the terrace and to stir up yellow clouds of dust.

On the rostrum rose a fluttering flag with a golden dragon pattern.

After three grave sound of drum, chief general ascended the rostrum.

Battle drums sounded for perking up and horns blared out. Morning glow shone and pierced clouds which billow in wind. What a sublime scene.

Under the billowing flags of chief general, two persons riding horse, flanked with two lines of armored cavalries, ascended the high terrace.

The leading man still wore black helmet with a white feather atop and black armor with golden dragon pattern. He held rein and carried sword. His figure was straight and proud and his red cloak billowed windward. Beside him, a person riding purple horse wore dark yellow robe with serpent pattern and high headdress, carrying sword.

The familiar figure thus came into my view while my sight was obscured by spouting tears.

The horn sounds long and loud. The soldiers and generals shouted in unison so resounding as to quiver the woodland.

Nine generals in thick armors and with swords galloped their horses to the front to the terrace. Pressing down their swords, they greeted and spoke aloud in chorus. “Welcome chief general to be present.”

Xiao Qi overlooked the soldiers and generals and raised his hand slightly. The troops stopped shout to be solemn and silent.

His voice was majesty and resounding, spreading far. “On behalf of His Majesty, Grand General Xu Shou visited Ning Shuo in person to hunt. He does the hard and royal work to pacify the border. Today he inspects our drilling. You all must perform under my orders to display our prestige in return for the mercy of His Majesty!” Here, hunt is a euphemism of battle.

Dozen thousands of soldiers held their spears aloft, shouting. My ears buzzed. The scene excited me.

Drum sound hit my heart.

Four heralds on the terrace faced four directions and waved fluttering order flags.

In chorus, horn and drum sounded. The drums are beaten quicker and quicker.

A line of cavalry in black armors galloped their horses into the drilling ground, marching and retreating under the orders of flag sign that generals waved.

Following them were thick-armored troop, infantry-cavalry troop, mechanical weapon troop, and Siege Hammer Troop... Each troop led by a general drilled skillfully in formations.

Disguised as outside-camp guardians, Helan Zhen and his underlings lurked at the edge of drilling group. Helan Zhen and I stood on the woods-covered slope which commanded the ground. We were near the drilling formation. At the moment, dust swept around the ground and flags waved and fluttered. Shouts rose to heaven.

Thought it was not real battle, I was shocked enough. Strength of the troops was great and daunting. It much eclipsed the one in the event of feasting the army in the capital, shocking each viewer.

Beside me, Helan Zhen was silent, clenching handle of his sword. He looked nervous and murderous.

The drilling climaxed. Dust cloud enshrouded the ground; flags moved and waved; saber and spears glistered. On the high terrace, Xiao Qi jerked up his cloak. “Fire the beacon to inform around!” Smoke of the beacon rose the sky; horn sounded again and skyward.

Generals and soldiers shouted simultaneously so loud as to shake mountains.

The black horse gave a long neigh and trotted to stand still.

Xiao Qi pulled out his glistening sword, pointing skywards.

It stirred my excitement and halted my breath.

The last step of the drilling was that the chief general and the envoy themselves entered the formations to lead soldiers to complete the drilling.

The soldiers retreated sideward to leave a wide passage.

Xiao Qi rode in the lead and Xu Shou followed. The black and purple horses trotted inside.

Xu Shou was the envoy who ganged up with Helan Zhen!

Now I saw the envoy following Xiao Qi closely. I was very worried, dying to dash to warn him. However it was about ten Zhang far from him. Even I could escape, I could not approach him. Nothing could be done.

Helan Zhen snorted and pressed on my waist. He whispered beside me. “If you don't want to die with him, keep still.”

I gave him a cold glance, saying nothing.

He lowered his voice again and smiled sinister. “Watch it carefully. You will become widow soon.”

I turned my sight to the ground. Xiao Qi already reached the center part, followed by nine generals.

A herald behind him waved a black order flag with golden dragon to signal approaching to a line of black armored cavalry. The cavalries dashed in.

Xiao Qi suddenly turned left to gallop away from the formation. The armored cavalries behind him moved into a row and thick-shield soldiers cut off the way of Xu Shou. They moved so quick like a deft snake and separated Xiao Qi from Xu Shou in the formation.

Xiao Qi led his right-side guardians to gallop to the edge of woodland where we hid.

Xu Shou was besieged in left side of the formation. He drew rein to stop and turned around to find way out. Surrounding him, the thick shields came close like tide to force him to stay the center. Xu Shou reined to retreat but no way out.

“Shit, it is a trap!” Helan Zhen blurted it out in low voice.