Bend Over [ 折腰 ] - Chapter 161

[Chapter 159 Wei Yan]

Under the natural barrier of Yanran Mountain, on the south bank of the upper Kureen River and the upper Tula River, there is a vast land with lush water plants and picturesque scenery. This is the Shanyu Royal Court known as Dragon City.

Every autumn, the royal court holds the Zhulin Conference. Shanyu nobles with the same surname, prominent families with different surnames of the Xiongnu, and twenty-four vassal states including King Kunye, King Loufan, King Xiutu, etc., all led their tribes to gather here. During the conference, in addition to reporting to Shanyu to count the population and to pay tribute to livestock, a celebration party was also held. During this month, there were tens of thousands of yurts inside and outside the royal court, singing and dancing, and the bonfires stayed on all night.

This year’s Zinlin Conference was at the time when Zuo Xian Wang Wuwei led 300,000 cavalry to raid southward. According to the previous prediction, Yuyang should be destroyed within half a month at most.

If the wish comes true, then this news will be the most uplifting victory for the Xiongnu since the loss of the Hetao in the past two decades.

Therefore, everyone, including Shan Yu, are waiting for the arrival of the battle report.

Unexpectedly, after waiting for more than half a month, the bad news came that the attack on Shanggu was blocked, Wei Shao returned his troops, Uwei was defeated, and finally, together with the descendants, a total of nearly 100,000 troops were lost.

One out of every three people is not allowed to return.

Shan Yu was furious and stopped the banquet that had been held in the king’s tent every day.

The herdsmen who heard the news were anxious and uneasy, and they went around asking about the whereabouts of the men who participated in the war in their homes.

Although the Zhanlin Conference was still going on, the atmosphere dropped from the high point of celebration to the freezing point in an instant.

At night, Wei Yan was still pouring and drinking in the tent.

Several wine jugs in front of him were gradually empty, and when he was half drunk, the tent door was suddenly opened, and a wobbly figure broke in.

It is the Zuo Xian Wang Wuwei.

Wu Wei seemed to have drank a lot of wine, his face flushed, and he stopped in front of Wei Yan, staring at him with bloodshot eyes, gasping for breath.

Wei Yan seemed unaware and poured another glass of wine.

“Wei Yan! I have sent someone to investigate. You were not in the royal court during the days when I led the army south to attack the valley! Shan Yu didn’t send you out to do errands. Where did you go during those days?”

Wei Yan remained motionless, as if there was no such person in front of him.

Wu Wei sneered: “I knew you wouldn’t admit it! My plan to go south this time is well-planned and full speed ahead, and I will cross the Sanggan River in two days! If someone hadn’t informed the Han people in advance, how could the border city be able to travel in a short period of time? To make such a comprehensive response! After thinking about it, the more I think about it, the more suspicious you are! You are originally a Han Chinese. You came to my royal court and voted for me as the Huns on the surface, but in fact, you were a spy sent by the Wei family! If you didn’t tell me first, I lost the opportunity. Why can’t I attack a mere Shang Valley with 300,000 iron cavalry? Do you think I don’t know? You came to the royal court, and you have been disobedient to me, inciting the people of the Lan’s Huyan’s to not only oppose me, but even I’m going to kill you…”

He drew his sword and slashed towards Wei Yan. It’s just that he was so drunk that he slashed sideways, and the blade was deeply embedded in the case and could not be pulled out for a while.

In Wei Yan’s hand, suddenly there was a gold-wrapped dagger. Between the electric light and flint, before he could see clearly, a snow blade flashed past, and the dagger pierced into Wu Wei’s heart. A dagger hilt juts out.

Wu Wei’s pupils shrank suddenly, but his eyes were open like copper rings, his eyes emitting an unbelievable light, he fixedly looked at Wei Yan’s gray-black indifferent eyes that seemed to have no emotion at all, his mouth opened weakly for a few seconds. He went down, and finally his body “popped” and fell to Wei Yan’s feet.

Several Uwei’s guards rushed in when they heard the sound, were startled, and drew their knives one after another.

After Wei Yan returned to the wine case, he looked indifferently at the convulsing U Wei on the ground until he gradually stopped struggling.

He withdrew his gaze, raised his neck, and drank the wine in his glass, as if nothing had happened.

The guards looked at each other with a look of fear on their faces, slowly backed away, reached the entrance of the tent, and quickly backed out.

Outside the tent, the autumn wind from Yanran Mountain was bleak and bleak, blowing over the tops of the tents one after another. I don’t know where in the distance, there is a faint sound of a nocturnal flute being played by someone unknown, whimpering in a distant, low-pitched melody, as if full of thoughts and nowhere to send.

A gust of wind suddenly rolled open the tent door, the night wind rushed in, and in the light and shadow of the candle flickering in the tent, a beautiful girl dressed as a noble lady rushed in.

She was wearing a bright green, red and purple waistcoat with fine embroidered patterns and gold threads, an eight-petal silver chisel hat with a huge ruby inlaid on the forehead, and pointed boots. of luxury.

It was Wei Yan’s former concubine Lan Yun.

The Lan clan was originally a Hun aristocrat of the opposite sex, and was one of the twenty-four divisions. In the past, this division was convicted and exiled by Shanyu. In the past few years, the Lan clan has risen again due to military exploits. Yun was also named Juci (Princess), because of her beauty, she won the reputation of the Pearl of the Prairie. There were countless suitors in the twenty-four chapters, but she rejected them all.

Lan Yunju’s love for Yu Jian’s general Wang Hutu Kun has long been known in the royal court.

Lan Yun rushed in and saw Wu Wei, who was lying dead on the ground with a dagger stuck in his chest, his expression changed greatly, and he threw himself in front of Wei Yan, trembling: “You really killed him? You actually killed him like that. ?”

Wei Yan, as if he had never heard of it, poured another glass of wine on his own.

Lan Yun grabbed his wrist holding the wine glass and said in an anxious tone, “My brother came after him when he learned that Wu Wei was looking for you drunk. Guard! Before Shanyu knows it, go away!”

Wei Yan withdrew the wrist that was caught by her, still not looking at her, and said indifferently: “It’s better for me to return to Lanbu as soon as possible. I don’t need to be here. your memory.”

Lan Yun stared at him in a daze, with a look of sorrow in his eyes, and knelt down beside him slowly: “I know your heart is in pain. Back then, King Rizhu always wanted you to return, so he sent me to your side. Serving you is also waiting for an opportunity. My use of Qiao Nv made you unable to face the Wei family, and finally made you return to the Xiongnu. Now in the royal court, although everyone calls you Hutu Kun, I know that you have always been unable to get rid of it in your heart. Get rid of the mark of the Han people…I’m sorry for you. I’m just a lowly person. I was so grateful that I didn’t kill you. I knew that I was not qualified to stay by your side to serve you, and I didn’t have the face to bother you again. Originally, he slandered in front of Shanyu, saying that it was you who reported the news to the Han people, and that the Han people had to be on guard before making his southward defeat. I am afraid that Chanyu has already become suspicious of you, not to mention that you killed Wuwei like this! I beg! You’re done, let’s go…”

“Go away.”

Wei Yan’s eyes were red with bloodshot eyes, the smell of alcohol was suffocating, and he squeezed a word out of his teeth.

“I beg you… That Qiao girl is your inner demon, please stop torturing yourself because of her! Don’t you know that even if you were not forced back to the Xiongnu, you would not be able to get her in your life? The— ”

“Get out of here!”

Wei Yan suddenly became furious, and threw Lan Yun away heavily, and he kicked the table in front of him, and the golden cup and silver cup fell to the ground.

His strength was so great that Lan Yun’s wrist was broken.

Lan Yun’s face was pale and fell into the corner of the tent. He slowly got up, gritted his teeth, and said in a trembling voice with tears in his eyes, “If you killed me, I have to say it! You are no longer Wei Yan from Han! You are Hutu Kun from the Huns! Hutu Kun’s name is now gaining popularity in the royal court. I beg you, from now on, make a clean break with your past, and be a good Xiongnu…”

Wei Yan suddenly took a piece from his waist. With a golden dagger wrapped around the handle, he hurried forward, bent down and grabbed Lan Yun’s collar, gritted his teeth and said, “If you say one more word, I’ll kill you!”

Lan Yun stared at his red eyes with a grim look, With a sad smile: “The years I was by your side in the past, now I think about it, is my happy time. If you want to kill, you will do it. This life of mine was originally left by you back then.”

She closed her eyes.

Wei Yan stared at her, panting violently, her eyelids twitching.

Suddenly there were rapid footsteps outside the tent, and a valet voice came in: “Master, there is someone coming from the king’s tent, Master Shan Yuchuan, go quickly!”

Lan Yun suddenly opened his eyes: “Don’t go! Wu Wei died by your hands. Although the news about you was temporarily intercepted, but Chanyu suddenly spread to you so late at night, it must be to your disadvantage! My brother, the Huyan Ministry and the Qiu Lin clan all support your father and king! No one wants to endlessly Fight with the Han people! Hurry up and discuss with them…”

Wei Yan stood up straight, his angry expression gradually recovered, pushed Lan Yun away, turned around, opened the tent door, and bent out.

Several of his guards wanted to follow, but they were stopped by someone from the king’s tent.

“Master!” The guard looked at him.

Wei Yan said: “You stay here, you don’t have to follow me.”

Lan Yun got up from the ground and chased after him and called out, but Wei Yan didn’t look back. The huge king tent, like a mountain bag, hurried away.

The figure soon disappeared into the dark night.

Lan Yun knelt on the ground feebly and muttered: “…he’s crazy…doesn’t he want to live…”

She was frightened by the thought that popped out of her mind, like a needle pricked her. He jumped up from the ground suddenly, pushed away the maid who was chasing after him, got on the horse’s back, and hurried away.

…

In the center of the king’s tent, there is a huge fire pit with blazing flames, reflecting the splendor of the four walls.

In the middle of the night, Shan Yu had not rested yet, sitting in a golden chair inlaid with gems and covered with white tiger skin, his eyes narrowed slightly, staring at Wei Yan.

Shan Yu is already dying. This former prairie hero who ascended to the throne of Shan Yu by killing his father when he was young, can’t escape the baptism of the years now, and has become old-fashioned, especially after the news of the defeat in the Shanggu Battle. Mental state is even worse.

The twenty-four kings who came to participate in the conference have not seen him for several days, and are secretly suspicious.

But even so, at this moment, Shan Yu’s gaze towards Wei Yan still carried an incomparably impressive power.

“Where did you go during the days when Uwei led the army to the south?”

Shan Yu asked coldly.

Wei Yan stared at Shan Yu on the seat, and knelt down slowly toward him: “I’m going up the valley.” The light in Shan Yu’s

eyes flashed, and the palm that grabbed the seat ring of the throne slammed back, and the voice was loud: “Wu Wei said that it was you who tipped off the Han people, and this made him frustrated when he went south?”

“Indeed.” Wei Yan said calmly.

“Not only that, but just now, Wu Wei came to my tent to kill me, but I killed him. His corpse should still be in my tent at the moment.

” He opened his mouth wide and pointed at Wei Yan, breathing quickly, and suddenly, with a clanging sound, he pulled out the treasured saber around his waist and walked down the stairs towards Wei Yan.

“You have since returned to the Xiongnu. I asked myself whether I treated you badly. I didn’t distinguish you because you were superior to the Wei family! I also know that Wu Wei is incompetent. Thought about abolishing his crown prince position, but why did you retaliate with your kindness and revenge, first pass the Han people, and then kill my son today?”

Chan Yu asked sharply, the knife was heavily placed on the side of his neck, and he pressed down sharply.

The sharp blades cut open the skin immediately, drawing a stream of bright red blood, rustling down the neck, instantly dyeing the front of the shirt red.

Wei Yan seemed to be unaware, his eyes were fixed on a cluster of flames jumping in the fire pond, and he was lost for a moment, and said, “I was born in this world, and I am superfluous. Thanks to the kindness of knowing and meeting with Chanyu, it is neither human nor ghost, not as good as a pig or a dog, it is only right and proper for Chanyu to kill me.”

After he finished speaking, he bent his knees, knelt down slowly, closed his eyes, and looked calm.

Chanyu glared at him, his eyes gradually became hideous, and at this moment, Wu Zhuqu, who was disheveled, rushed in from outside the king’s tent. With a panicked expression, he hurried to Chanyu, knelt down with a thud, and kowtowed: “Brother Wang! Everything! It’s all my envoy! It’s because I don’t want to sit back and watch Uwei do the work, so I ordered him to report the news! It’s also because I can’t bear Uwei’s always provocation to me, that’s why he finds an opportunity to get rid of Uwei! Wang If brother wants to kill, kill me, it has nothing to do with him!”

Shan Yu stared at Wu Zhuqu and sneered: “He committed such crimes, he should have been divided into five horses, but you should take it all in order to exonerate him. Thinking that he is also a descendant of the Clan, I will spare him the punishment of dismembering his body by five horses and leave him alone.”

He sternly shouted at the warriors to enter.

Amidst the sound of chaotic footsteps, the door of the king’s tent was suddenly opened, and a roaring dysprosium came towards Shanyu’s lightning-like breaking wind. One broke out.

Shan Yu’s eyes widened, his body stiffened, and after a while, the treasured saber in his palm fell to the ground and fell straight backwards.

Huyan Lie and Lan Ti had already killed all of Shan Yu’s cronies outside the king’s tent, and led the guards from outside to swarm in, killing all the guards in the king’s tent, and then stepped forward and helped Wu Zhuqu up.

Wu Zhu Qu glanced at his brother who was dead but still had his eyes wide open. He closed his eyes and looked at Wei Yan, whose clothes were covered in blood. He took a step forward and said in a trembling voice, “My son, are you all right?”

Wei Yan opened his eyes, stared at the nearby Shan Yu’s corpse for a moment, got up, and left the crowd.

That night, Wu Wei was afraid of being blamed by Shanyu for his defeat, so he killed him, and the news that he was counterattacked by the guards quickly spread in the royal court.

The twenty-four noble vassal kings in their sleep were shocked to hear the accident, and they came one after another from their respective tents. After a period of chaos and discussion, at the suggestion of King Huyan, King Qiulin and others, everyone unanimously recommended Wuzhu Qu Deng Yu. position, no one objected.

Dawn is light in the east, and the autumn dew is still heavy, drop by drop, like rhinestones condensed on the tip of the blade of grass. In the distance, the morning mist is dense and blurred, like a white floating yarn, floating on the boundless wilderness.

Wei Yan rode his horse, crossed a pile of bonfires that had not been extinguished last night, and galloped forward alone.

Horseshoes swept white ashes, fluttering in all directions, and blown away by the wind in an unknown direction.

He also didn’t know where he was heading, and where he was going, he was at a loss, like a lost person.

Once upon a time, the desire for power also made his soul burn and sleep at night.

Now, he is only one step away from the top of the peak he once had blood boiled with.

This vast and beautiful land can be stepped on by him as much as possible, and even the land to the south, if he desires, may not be without the possibility of a fight.

But he was not in the mood, and there seemed to be a missing corner that couldn’t be filled.

No matter where, this life may not be his stop.

He was just a deserter, he knew in his heart.

In the morning mist behind him, a line of fast horses caught up, getting closer and closer. With the sound of eager calls, Wei Yan in front finally stopped his horse and stopped.

Wu Zhuqu drove the horse to his side, Hu Yanlie and the Lan brothers and sisters stopped their horses and waited quietly.

“Yan’er! Why do you have to leave? The king wants you to stay!”

Wei Yan smiled lightly: “I have helped you get your wish and ascend to the position of Chanyu. What’s the use of me staying?” Wuzhu Qu Dingding looked at him: “When the royal court is settled, the father and the king want to cultivate the Han people and stop fighting. If you decide to leave, the father and the king cannot force it to stay. It is only the position of the Zuoxian king, which will definitely be reserved for you. Waiting for you. When you figure it out, you’ll come back, okay?”

Wei Yan said nothing, turned his horse’s head, and galloped forward, his figure dissipating a cloud of mist.

Lan Yun shouted at the torn fog, “Wei Yan! I have been your woman in one day, and I have been your woman in my whole life…”

Before he could finish shouting, as if in the blink of an eye, the front One person and one horse in the fog disappeared from sight.

“He will come back, won’t he?” Lan Yun covered his face and cried bitterly.

“Give him some time, he will slowly understand.”

Lan Ti said, looking ahead.

[End of This Chapter]