Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight - Chapter 153.1

By the time the sun set, the markets had long closed, and the bustling street gradually quieted down.

Inside the posthouse, however, the air was alive with music and revelry. The young prince Jin Bo had taken over the main hall, drinking heavily while watching Hu dancing girls perform.

In the bitter cold of deep winter, when even a drop of water would freeze, the Hu dancers wore gauzy, thin robes that revealed glimpses of snow-white skin as they danced, swaying and spinning to the music, their long skirts flying in brilliant whirls.

The royal city of Gaochang was under curfew at night, so the merchants staying at the inn couldn’t go out. They sat at a distance in the corners, watching the graceful dancers, and from time to time burst into loud applause. Those with quicker wits went forward to flatter Jin Bo, eager to curry favour and offer excessive praise.

Jin Bo was already dead drunk, his broad face flushed crimson. Smug and self-satisfied, he didn’t chase the merchants away, generously inviting them to drink with him.

The noise in the hall was deafening.

Yaoying, dressed in a short-sleeved brocade robe, her long hair braided and tucked neatly, leather boots on her feet, was in male attire. She stood in the shadows of the corridor, gazing down at the scene below. She turned to Xie Qing and the others beside her and said, “Keep a close eye on the young prince. If anything happens, protect his life at all costs. Whatever happens, don’t let him die.”

The others answered in unison. Xie Qing frowned and asked, “Who would want to kill the young prince? Yuchi Damo?”

Yaoying shook her head. “The people of Northern Rong.”

…

Previously, Yaoying’s repeated warnings had sown seeds of suspicion in Wakhan Khan’s heart toward Haidu Aling. The other young princes of Northern Rong had also begun to be wary of Haidu Aling, triggering internal conflict in the royal family ahead of schedule.

Jin Bo was the most favoured son of Wakhan Khan, spoiled beyond reason but, unfortunately, also the most impulsive, reckless, and incompetent. He was one with great ambitions but little talent. He had long resented Haidu Aling for stealing his limelight during the Divine Sacrifice Festival when they were fifteen, and ever since, he had clashed with him repeatedly, often speaking ill of him before Wakhan Khan.

Now that Haidu Aling’s ruse of feigning injury had been exposed, the royal family of Northern Rong was undoubtedly on the brink of open conflict, with undercurrents already surging dangerously.

Jin Bo had nursed his hatred of Haidu Aling for years, longing to eliminate him as soon as possible. Yet instead of staying at the Royal Encampment to join his brothers in beating a drowning dog, he had concealed his identity and travelled north to Gaochang. His motive was not hard to guess. He intended to seek troops from Yuchi Damo and the Turkic princess, Ina, to kill Haidu Aling.

In his youth, Wakhan Khan had been fiercely ambitious, leading his tribes to sweep across the grasslands and rise to power rapidly. But as he aged, he became cautious and conservative, especially after suffering a crushing defeat at the hands of Tumoroga, which left him riddled with self-doubt. Even though he knew Haidu Aling posed a threat, he couldn’t bring himself to kill the adopted son he had once cherished like his own in just a matter of months.

First, Wakhan Khan prided himself on being a descendant of the divine wolf clan. He was arrogant and self-assured, believing that it was only natural for the warriors of his tribe to challenge their leader, the weak are meat that the strong eat. As chief, he couldn’t execute a subordinate merely because of his suspicions.

Second, although Haidu Aling was not his biological son, over the years, he had followed him in battle after battle, earning great military merit. Ambitious, bold, and exceptionally skilled, his reputation far outshone that of the other princes. For now, Haidu Aling remained outwardly respectful and had shown no overt signs of rebellion. If Wakhan pushed him too hard, Haidu Aling might rally followers in defiance, and the outcome of such a confrontation would be far from certain. It was wiser to wait and strike at the right moment.

Third, any civil war within the Northern Rong royal family would inevitably fracture their unity. The subjugated tribes, long resentful, would seize the chance to rise up. Wolf smoke from their revolts would fill the skies of the grasslands. With the princes turning on one another, the hard-won territories claimed through years of bloody conquest would fall into enemy hands.

A father knows his sons best. Wakhan Khan understood that none of them could match Haidu Aling, nor did they possess the ability to lead the tribe to greater glory.

He wanted to protect his sons, but as the Khan of Northern Rong, if forced to choose between the continued strength and prosperity of the tribe or the survival of his children, he would choose the former.

Thus, even though he suspected Haidu Aling, Wakhan Khan could not bring himself to kill him.

The same could not be said for his sons. They had hated Haidu Aling for years. would gladly eat him alive. Frustrated by Wakhan Khan’s hesitation, they could no longer hold back.

Jin Bo had come to Gaochang for soldiers.

Yaoying arrived at this conclusion based on her understanding of the Northern Rong royal family. She also knew that the reason Haidu Aling would one day kill Wakhan Khan and his sons was precisely be justified as self-defense against their plots. The elite cavalry of Northern Rong were loyal to the Khan and rarely involved themselves in the princes’ internal feuds. Thus, the princes would be forced to seek outside help and Princess Ina, being close to Jin Bo, was the obvious choice.

Yaoying hadn’t even explained this fully to Sultan Gu, but he had instantly grasped her meaning and decided to go ahead and meet Yuchi Damo in advance.

Jin Bo, while hiding his identity, continued to indulge his guards, giving orders left and right. All along the way, he behaved with his usual arrogance and flamboyance. It was likely his movements had already been uncovered by Haidu Aling. That man was ruthless yet meticulous, and this coming turmoil within Northern Rong’s royal family was probably already an arrow on the bowstring, with various factions deeply entangled, only waiting for the spark to ignite.

They had to reach Yuchi Damo before Jin Bo entered the palace, and they had to keep Jin Bo alive. They also could not allow him to die at Haidu Aling’s hands.