"That wretched woman! It’s all her fault! Lie'er actually wants to exile me for the sake of a lowly Han woman!"
The sounds of smashing dishes accompanied the sharp curses echoing from the "Mingluan Courtyard" where the princess resided. Servants were scrambling to avoid the princess’s wrath, not daring to make a sound.
"I can't accept this! I can't accept it!"
Princess De, having lost her usual polished demeanor, collapsed to the floor in exhaustion, her hair disheveled and her old age showing. Her fiery eyes burned even more intensely with anger.
"Delin! You must have a way to turn the tide, right?" She looked hopefully at her lady-in-waiting, knowing that without a solution, they wouldn’t be able to live comfortably.
The lady-in-waiting, trembling, replied, "No one can withstand the clan leader's fury. If we don't retreat to the De Clan for now and wait for the clan leader's anger to subside, we might never have a chance to return. Princess, after all, you are the clan leader’s mother. Once things have calmed down, you can appeal to his emotions and surely return to the manor. But if we confront the clan leader head-on, not only will we gain no wealth to bring back to the De Clan, but the clan leader might even marry off all of us female attendants to some poor commoners. We should retreat for now."
Princess De slammed the table.
"It’s all because of that witch! Who knows what spell she cast to make Lie'er disregard all decorum! Fine, we'll return to the De Clan for now; but we must find a way to get rid of that witch first. As long as she’s around, we can forget about coming back!"
"But we don't have any opportunity! I’ve heard that the clan leader plans to take her to Shangjing with him!"
"Hmph! He’s bringing shame to the Yelü family by taking that woman to the capital." Suddenly, Princess De’s face twisted into a sly, malicious smile as she looked at her lady-in-waiting. "But if that witch were to die in Shangjing, who would blame us? Right?"
The lady-in-waiting also smiled, thinking it was indeed a good idea. After what that woman had done to bring the De family to this point, a simple death would be too kind.
"But who should we send? The clan leader won’t let any of our people serve that witch."
Princess De confidently replied, "Call Kelihan here. After that trip to Helan Mountain, he was demoted two ranks and must be harboring resentment towards that witch. We’ve given him plenty of benefits before; if he doesn’t help us now, he can forget about living comfortably. Besides, I can tell he wants to lay his hands on that witch. Let him follow and do whatever he wants, as long as she doesn’t come back alive."
The lady-in-waiting added another suggestion: "We should also place a maid near that witch. If she can find a chance to harm her, all the better. Kelihan is brave but not clever, and since he’s been demoted, he might not be able to get close to the clan leader. With a dual approach, even if that witch had nine lives, she wouldn’t survive."
"Good, let’s do that!" Princess De laughed maliciously, her eyes filled with cold hatred. "Give that maid some poison; didn’t you mention that De Ping brought back some deadly powder that kills instantly without leaving a trace?"
"Yes, that poison is kept in our medicine room."
"It’s time to put it to use!" the princess muttered venomously, each word sending a chill down the spine.
No one could stand in her way! Years ago, she had easily disposed of the pregnant Consort Chang, securing her position as the legitimate wife of the prince and ensuring her son became the sole heir. Now, of course, she could eliminate any woman who posed a threat. Her son must marry a woman from the De Clan so that the wealth of the Yelü family would be shared with the De Clan for generations.
She feared this son of hers, which is why she had to eliminate him. Anyone she couldn't control would become a threat to her power. Once there was an heir, this disobedient son could be made to disappear.
* * *
"You should get going."
At dawn, the eastern sky lightened, gradually spreading toward midday, the frost turning to dew, clinging to the arched window. It was time for him to depart; the horses and men must already be assembled outside the manor.
He always woke up before her. On normal days, he would rise at the first light of dawn to practice his martial arts. But today, he deliberately kept her awake by teasing her.
He used his hands and beard to make her delicate neck and snow-white back uncomfortable.
She pushed him away and sat up, quickly adjusting her half-removed clothes and pulling the fur blanket over herself. The coals in the fire pit beneath the bed had burned out, and the cold was seeping in again. For him, this parting would last through the winter, but she knew that she would never see him again in this lifetime. If she didn’t take this opportunity to escape, she would forever remain his captive.
She would leave him—forever!
Last night, as he slept, she had watched him for a long time. No matter how hard she would try to forget this unbearable period of her life, she knew she could never forget him. This man had ruined her life; she wouldn’t forget that. But it wasn’t out of longing—no one would long for someone they considered a mortal enemy. The reason she would remember him so deeply was "hate"!
Yelü Lie propped his head with one hand, holding a strand of her hair with the other, gently inhaling its intoxicating fragrance. The soft morning light illuminated his strong, muscular, bare chest.
"Will you miss me?"
"No!" Absolutely not! She told herself firmly.
"That's good. I don't plan on giving you the chance to miss me," he whispered meaningfully, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes that hinted at some hidden scheme.
Jun Qiluo looked at him warily.
Yelü Lie sat up and called out, "Come in."
Immediately, six maids carrying clothing and breakfast entered from behind the curtain.
Yelü Lie helped her out of bed.
"It's cold outside; you should dress warmly."
Jun Qiluo’s eyes widened as she watched the three maids begin dressing her. These warm and luxurious furs were meant for travel—what was he planning?
"You..." She quickly turned to question him but saw that he was standing there, naked, waiting to be dressed. Blushing furiously, she turned away again, her action met with his hearty laughter.
She closed her eyes, commanding herself not to react to his mockery.
"Leave us!" He waved the maids away, leaving the room. Draping a half-donned fur robe over his shoulders, he encircled her with his arms from behind.
"Did you like what you saw?" he teased, nibbling on her earlobe.
"Shameless!"
"You're blushing!"
"I'm not!" She struggled, feeling her cheeks burn even hotter. Oh, this shameless man!
"Smart girl, do you really think I’d leave you alone in the manor for months?"
"What do you mean?" Jun Qiluo's pale face turned even whiter. What was he saying?
"Come on, it's time for us to leave." He handed her his clothes.
Automatically, she began to help him dress, but her eyes were full of uncertainty. Was he serious? But why would he bring her along for hunting and the Eight Chiefs competition? Was he planning to offer her as a prize? Could that be what he was thinking?
"Yelü..."
He pressed a finger to her lips, his gaze serious and dangerous.
"Don't say anything that will make me angry! Not a single word!"
"Then why are you taking me with you?"
"I want you with me every moment, wherever I am." He kissed her briefly and then guided her to sit at the table, where they shared a meal.
Had he figured something out?
If she planned to escape, it might be easier once they reached Shangjing, as it was closer to the Central Plains. However, she had no confidence that she could escape from Yelü Lie's grasp!
Jun Qiluo's beauty could undoubtedly start a war. But Yelü Lie was not worried. None of the Eight Chiefs would dare to provoke him directly, especially in Shangjing, under the Emperor’s watchful eye. Anyone causing trouble would not only face the wrath of the Khan but also lose any hope of becoming a Chief. He knew exactly what she was thinking, which was why he was determined to take her with him, no matter how much she hated him. He would never let her go in this lifetime! He wanted her, and he didn’t care how much she despised him!
And so, she was taken along.
With a formal send-off, Yelü Lie mounted his black horse, holding her in his arms as they led the procession eastward. Behind them followed Duo Luo Qi, five maidservants, and twelve guards.
Jun Qiluo's heart was in turmoil, unable to discern whether she felt despair, sadness, or perhaps a faint trace of joy!
The Khitan landscape was diverse.
In the northwest, bordering Western Xia, the region was predominantly pastoral, the birthplace of the Khitan people. The farther east they traveled, reaching the coastal areas, the landscape changed from vast plains dotted with white tents to settlements of yellow stone houses and wooden huts, where hunting and farming became the primary means of survival. The closer they got to Shangjing, the capital formerly known as Linhuang, the more evident it became that the people relied on both hunting and agriculture. Animal hides were hung out to dry outside every home, and while they did raise livestock, it wasn't in the vast numbers seen in the northern steppes. In the northeast, fishing and hunting defined the lifestyle, reflecting the mixed Hu and Han cultural characteristics of the region. This blend of cultures was likely a result of the extensive Sinicization policies implemented by the Liao dynasty.
Even with this cultural blend, it was clear that the Han people were still regarded as inferior. However, it wasn't as dire as Jun Qiluo had imagined—they weren't treated as completely without rights or akin to slaves.
Nonetheless, the Han people here were different from those in the Central Plains! They did not acknowledge the authority of the Song dynasty.
These Han people had lived in the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures for generations, enduring continuous wars and changes in dynasties. They were arguably the most persecuted group of innocent people. Although Zhao Kuangyin had conquered the Northern Han, he had failed to reclaim the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures, which meant that this piece of the Central Plains did not belong to the Song dynasty. Moreover, they had never received any protection or benefits from the Song. After the brutal looting and burning by Emperor Taizong of Liao, this land had been left leaderless, open to anyone's exploitation.
It wasn't until the current emperor, Yelü Longxu, ascended the throne that he began enforcing Sinicization, treating the Han people kindly, establishing the imperial examination system, and refraining from plundering these subjects. The creation of the Northern and Southern Courts, with Khitan officials overseeing the Khitan people and Han officials governing the Han people, helped to stabilize the population. This led the Han people to willingly align themselves with Liao, identifying as its citizens. Although the officials of the Northern Court still held higher ranks than those of the Southern Court, the Han people were grateful for such mercy in these times.
After six days of hard riding, they finally arrived in Shangjing.
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