novelhk Chapter 423 He only has himself to blame
Chapter 423 He only has himself to blame
Princess Dolan was furious when she heard that she was to compete with Xiao Wan.
She was originally a princess of the Khitan tribe, of extremely noble status, but she was asked to compete with a maid, which she found unacceptable.
How dare you look down on me like that!
Qiu Ziyue smiled slightly, but her tone carried a hint of sharpness:
Where are people divided into high and low, noble and base?
"Dolan, if you don't even dare to compete with a maid, how can you claim to be noble? True strength speaks for itself."
These words pierced Dolan's heart like sharp arrows, making her face flush red, yet she was speechless.
At this point, Qiu Ziyue asked again, "I wonder what Yelü Khan's opinion is on this matter?"
Yelü Abaoji's gaze was as deep as the stars.
After a moment's hesitation, he spoke:
"Dolan, since the other party has already issued a challenge, why not give it a try?"
We Khitans have always prided ourselves on our bravery. If we lack even this much courage, wouldn't we be disgracing ourselves?
Hearing Yelü Abaoji's words, Duolan was unwilling, but she could only suppress her anger and nod in agreement.
Seeing this, Qiu Ziyue continued:
“Princess Dolan, then you and Xiaowan can fight. However, we will leave immediately after the competition, and ask Yelü Khan to be our witness.”
Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.
Everyone understood that Qiu Ziyue was putting pressure on Duolan while simultaneously handing the choice to Yelü Abaoji.
“No, if you lose, Qiu Ziyue, you will have to serve as my maid for three years,” Dolan said.
Qiu Ziyue pondered for a moment and said:
"Alright, if we lose, I, Qiu Ziyue, will serve as your maid for three years. If you lose, we will leave immediately."
Dolan laughed: "Qiu Ziyue, just wait to serve me."
Qiu Ziyue said to Yelü Abaoji:
"Yelü Khan, I respect you as a hero. Why don't you be my witness?"
After a moment's thought, Yelü Abaoji slowly nodded:
"Alright, then so be it."
The news spread, and the atmosphere inside the tent suddenly became tense.
The soldiers whispered among themselves; some were worried about Dolan, while others secretly hoped that the competition would be a spectacular showdown.
Xiao Wan stood in front of him, her expression calm and without the slightest fear.
Xiao Wan was once a top-notch martial arts expert in the household of the eunuch Yang Fugong, and her superb martial arts skills were beyond question.
At this moment, she simply gripped the steel whip tightly, waiting for her moment to arrive.
On the other hand, Dolan appeared arrogant, clearly not taking Xiaowan seriously.
"Don't worry, Dolan."
Yelü Abaoji seemed to sense her worry and whispered words of comfort.
"Just do your best. No matter the outcome, I will not cancel your engagement with the eldest prince."
Dolan raised her head and looked into Yelü Abaoji's trusting eyes, which eased her anxiety slightly.
She took a deep breath and secretly vowed to make Qiu Ziyue and the others pay.
As soon as they finished speaking, the two spurred their horses to accelerate, kicking up a cloud of dust on the grass beneath their feet.
In the blink of an eye, the distance closed, and the fighting spirit surged.
Dolan launched the first attack, wielding her scimitar and aiming straight for Xiaowan's face with lightning speed.
However, Xiao Wan was prepared and deftly raised her steel whip to parry. With a crisp "clang," sparks flew everywhere.
Using the force of the impact, Xiao Wan used the steel whip to wrap around Duo Lan's wrist, but Duo Lan reacted quickly and twisted her wrist to break free.
"Not bad, it seems the rumors are true."
Dolan gave a thumbs-up and then attacked again, this time with even more ferocious moves.
The scimitar sliced through the air, leaving afterimages as if it were about to tear everything around it apart.
Xiao Wan remained calm and composed, controlling the steel whip with the internal strength she had honed over many years, each strike precise and accurate.
Her moves seem simple, but they are full of hidden tricks. Sometimes she sweeps across, sometimes she pokes, making her unpredictable.
Round Two: Perilous Situation As the battle intensified, both sides gradually entered a heated phase.
Dolan discovered that Xiao Wan was no pushover; every move she made contained profound skill.
In particular, the steel whip is flexible and versatile; it can be used as a long weapon or as a close-combat weapon.
After a violent collision, Dolan's mount was suddenly startled, its front hooves rising high, almost throwing her off.
In that instant, Xiao Wan seized the opportunity, and her steel whip shot out like a venomous snake, aiming straight for Duo Lan's throat.
At the critical moment, Dolan managed to dodge to the side, but her clothes were still torn by the tip of the whip, revealing a small bloodstain.
"Hmph, they are indeed not to be underestimated!"
Dolan was secretly alarmed, realizing that she had underestimated her opponent's strength.
Despite Dolan's adjusted strategy, she was ultimately at a disadvantage.
The continuous high-intensity combat had greatly depleted her physical strength, but Xiao Wan was still in full swing, her breathing as steady as ever.
Clearly, Xiao Wan is not only highly skilled in martial arts, but also possesses excellent stamina.
Finally, after a closely contested battle, Xiao Wan seized a fleeting opportunity.
She swung her steel whip sharply, using the horse's speed to create a tremendous impact that sent Doran's scimitar flying.
At the same time, the end of the steel whip came to a steady stop in front of Dolan's chest, just a hair's breadth away from touching his heart.
"You flatter me."
Xiao Wan smiled slightly, put away the steel whip, and spoke in a calm yet authoritative tone.
Dolan was stunned for a moment, and when she saw Xiaowan riding away on her horse, she was filled with rage.
She gritted her teeth, still unwilling to give up.
Immediately, she took out a gleaming dagger from her boot, flicked her wrist, and sent it flying swiftly toward Xiao Wan.
"Be careful"
Zhao Wanqing reacted quickly, raising her longsword and flicking the hilt away from the knife.
However, the knife veered back towards Dolan and instantly pierced her chest.
Princess Doran suddenly died, falling from her horse, plunging the entire audience into shock.
Yelü Abaoji frowned deeply, knowing that this matter was no small thing, as it not only concerned personal grudges but also involved the relationships between various tribes.
"What should I do? How can I explain this to the various tribes?"
Yelü Abaoji muttered to himself, his voice tinged with helplessness and anxiety.
Yelü Abaoji turned to Qiu Ziyue, his tone calm yet pleading:
"This matter has blown up and is difficult to handle. I would appreciate it if Miss Qiu could stay a few more days to clarify things, would that be alright?"
"Yelü Khan, although I am blind, I have already guessed..."
Dolan's death was her own fault and has nothing to do with us. Therefore, let's part ways.
Although Qiu Ziyue was blind, she already understood.
Upon hearing this, Yelü Abaoji's expression changed slightly, and he immediately instructed the soldiers around him:
"Don't let Qiu Ziyue and the others leave!"
Qiu Ziyue readily agreed:
"Yelü Khan, as you just saw, my magic power remains. Even if we clash again..."
You will only suffer losses, and besides, you already have the ambition to unify the tribes, so why waste your energy here.”
"How did Miss Qiu know that I have the ambition to unify the country?" Yelü Abaoji wondered.
"Yelü Khan, I not only know that you have the will to unify the country, but I also know that in the spring of 916 you will unify the eight tribes of the Khitan."
In March of the same year, you will ascend the throne and establish the Khitan state, later renamed Liao, with the reign title Shence.
Qiu Ziyue responded.
"How do you know these things, Miss Qiu?" Yelü Abaoji asked, even more puzzled.
Just then, Leng Feng rode out and said in a deep voice:
"Brother, do you still recognize me?"
Yelü Abaoji was taken aback and carefully examined Leng Feng.
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes:
"Are you Yelü Chengyuan? Where have you been all these years? It's been so long since we last met."
Leng Feng nodded and continued:
“Miss Qiu is now my master, and you saw what just happened.”
Although we are many years apart in age, I respect you as a hero of the grasslands, and I hope you can distinguish right from wrong.
Yelü Abaoji remained silent for a moment, then finally nodded, signaling the soldiers to withdraw.
He knew that at this moment, only by handling the situation calmly could he avoid a bigger crisis.
To be continued in the next chapter!