Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight - Chapter 154.1
The fire blazed fiercely, thick smoke billowing into the sky.
Judging by the ferocity of the flames, the entire posthouse had already been reduced to ruins. Amid the inferno, people could be heard screaming and howling, voices filled with terror and despair, bordering on hysteria.
Yaoying thought of Xie Qing and the other personal guards left behind at the posthouse. Her head spun, and a cold sweat seeped down her back.
A cold gust of wind swept past. Her body shivered uncontrollably.
Just then, a voice sounded near her ear: “The people at the posthouse have left the city. The fire was set to warn us. Someone launched a night attack.”
The tone was calm and detached, utterly devoid of human warmth, yet it carried a tranquillity that could somehow soothe the heart.
The tight knot in Yaoying’s chest suddenly loosened, and she exhaled slowly. She trusted Sultan Gu. He was a man of few words, but if he had said this, then he must be at least seven or eight parts certain.
He must have arranged some kind of secret signal with the guards beforehand.
Yaoying gradually gathered her composure. “The people who attacked were coming after us? Could Yuchi Damo have leaked the news?”
Sultan Gu shook his head.
In the depths of her mind, a bolt of lightning flashed. Yaoying jolted in realisation. “They’re targeting Jin Bo! Could it be that Haidu Aling is already here in Gaochang?”
Yuchi Damo only knew they were envoys sent by Tumoroga and was unaware of their true identities. He was a smooth and flexible man, adept at reading the wind. Every year, he dutifully sent tribute letters to the Royal Court, his words always humble and conciliatory. He wouldn’t risk offending Tumoroga without reason, at least not before their secret meeting. The attack tonight must have been orchestrated by someone else.
The only person Yaoying could think of was Haidu Aling.
Sultan Gu murmured, “It may not have been his own hand.”
Yaoying nodded, recalling those arrogant and brash guards around Jin Bo. An idea swiftly took shape. “Perhaps when Jin Bo set off, Haidu Aling had already planted assassins among his retinue. Once Jin Bo arrived in Gaochang, the killers could strike immediately. Haidu Aling, still in Northern Rong, could wash his hands of suspicion but also pin the blame on Yuchi Damo.”
Wakhan Khan cared deeply for the honour of the Wolf Clan and loathed striking from the shadows. Haidu Aling, however, held no such scruples. Besides, Jin Bo and his brothers had tried time and again to entrap and assassinate him—if not for his extraordinary martial prowess, he would have died at their hands long ago.
A flicker of horror passed through Yaoying’s eyes, and she murmured, “If Haidu Aling has planted assassins at the side of every prince…”
The princes, conspiring behind Wakhan Khan’s back to borrow military aid and eliminate Haidu Aling, would find themselves outmanoeuvred. Haidu Aling, remaining in Northern Rong, could secretly dispatch assassins to infiltrate the princes’ entourage.
In this way, not only could he eliminate his rivals without gods or ghosts noticing, but he could also use the resulting chaos to force men like Yuchi Damo to join forces with him. By the time Wakhan Khan realised what was happening, it would already be too late.
The more Yaoying thought about it, the more her heart pounded in alarm.
Haidu Aling was a man of boundless ambition. If he succeeded in replacing Wakhan as the new Khan of Northern Rong, he would undoubtedly march his armies to crush the Central Plains. She could only hope Xie Qing had remembered her orders and saved Jin Bo. No matter how foolish he is, he’s still Wakhan’s own flesh and blood, he might still prove useful.
Sultan Gu turned his horse, carrying Yaoying through a maze of deserted alleys. His reactions were swift and always managed to avoid the patrolling city guards.
From the direction of the posthouse, the sound of the inferno raged on ceaselessly. The flames lit up half the night sky. The snow on the rooftops and walls glowed crimson, as if reflecting the distant firelight. Yaoying could almost feel the heat of those distant flames on her cheeks.
Her thoughts spun chaotically. Half of her mind worried for Xie Qing’s safety, and half pondering on whether Haidu Aling harboured other schemes. Dazed and unfocused, she didn’t know how much time had passed when the sound of hooves finally came to a halt.
They stopped before a secluded courtyard. Two lanterns hung from the eaves.
In the flickering glow, a man stood in the shadow beneath the porch. At the sound of approaching hooves, he rushed forward. It was one of the guards who had stayed behind at the posthouse.
The guard bowed respectfully and then murmured a few words in Sanskrit.
Sultan Gu acknowledged with a hum and dismounted first.
He and Yaoying were sharing the same horse. The moment he moved, the support at her back vanished. Her body swayed, then suddenly toppled forward, falling straight off the saddle.
The guard’s eyes widened in astonishment.
Yaoying felt groggy, her limbs weak as water. She tried to steady herself, but had already slipped. In the muddled haze of her mind, she thought vaguely: The snow’s so thick… falling shouldn’t hurt much…
Suddenly, her arm was gripped tightly. A pair of gloved hands seized her shoulders, halting her descent.
Yaoying felt the strength in Sultan Gu’s lean fingers on her shoulders as he steadied her, his chin brushing the top of her head. That faint, cool scent of medicine clung to his body.
The next moment, she collapsed into his embrace.
Sultan Gu, assuming she’d slipped again, helped her stand up and immediately moved to withdraw his hands from her shoulders. But she swayed with the motion, her delicate frame pressing fully into his chest. She struggled to rise but was soft and boneless, unable to muster any strength.
Su Dan Gu’s brows furrowed slightly. He looked down at Yao Ying, meeting her flushed eyes.
Her cheeks were rosy, her gaze misty, her shoulders trembling faintly, like a pear blossom drenched in spring rain, evoking pity.
The guard stole a glance and stared, dumbfounded.
“Regent… Princess Wenzhao, she…”
Without another word, Sultan Gu swept Yaoying into his arms and strode quickly into the courtyard.
“She’s ill.”