Tan Hua - Chapter 67

Jun Qiyu raised his head, and the expressions on the bandits’ faces were varied, their mocking laughter piercing and unbearable.

 

He was so proud by nature, having always stood above others his entire life. Even in front of Emperor Xuan, he was rebellious and defiant. Jun Qiyu had always held life and death over others, never once humiliated by anyone.

 

This was undoubtedly an unprecedented disgrace.

 

“You didn’t kill me just to humiliate me?!” Jun Qiyu’s eyes blazed.

 

The bandit leader pointed at Song Liqing and said, “When you led the soldiers of Jing to seize our women, did you ever think that one day your Crown Princess would become a toy for so many to enjoy?”

 

Jun Qiyu looked at Song Liqing. He was in tattered clothes, like a frightened deer.

 

If it were just him, he would rather die than let others see him beg for mercy.

 

Only now did he realize how difficult it was to throw away one’s dignity.

 

Jun Qiyu’s mind flashed back to their wedding night. He had refused to complete the marriage ceremony with Song Liqing and had forced him to kneel.

 

Back then, Song Liqing was even willing to kowtow a thousand times, begging for his favor.

 

Now that he was facing humiliation before these bandits, this kneeling was no harder than what Song Liqing had endured. Yet Song Liqing hadn’t hesitated much.

 

Was it because Song Liqing lacked a backbone or didn’t understand dignity?

 

No, it was because Song Liqing loved him.

 

Because of love, he was willing to let go of his pride.

 

He was a scholar, someone who had never flattered or bowed down to anyone. His pride was no less than Jun Qiyu’s.

 

Yet, Jun Qiyu had trampled on it, crushed that pride into a ball, and tossed it to the ground, even spitting on it.

 

Some things you only understand after experiencing them yourself.

 

Jun Qiyu’s eyes reddened.

 

Song Liqing loved him so much that he tolerated everything.

 

Could he, for the sake of “dignity,” now watch Song Liqing be humiliated by these bandits?

 

No.

 

Jun Qiyu’s lips trembled, his voice hoarse. “Alright.”

 

The bandits cheered loudly.

 

For an enemy prince to kneel before them and kowtow, it was enough to make them ecstatic, as if finally avenging their past grievances.

 

“They say the Crown Prince of Jing is a terrifying demon, and I thought your backbone would be stronger. But it turns out you’re no different. You really care about this man, don’t you?”

 

The bandit leader held the small knife to Song Liqing’s forehead, then slowly slid it down his cheek.

 

“Then kneel properly. If I’m pleased, I’ll let him go. If not… well, it wouldn’t look so good if this pretty face turned ugly.”

 

“Stop!” Jun Qiyu gritted his teeth. “Isn’t all you want to see me kneel? Fine, untie me, as long as you don’t touch him.”

 

“Tsk tsk, no wonder you Central Plains people say that even heroes can’t resist the lure of beauty. The Crown Prince of Jing is no different.” The bandit leader didn’t immediately untie him. “I know you’re highly skilled. Are you trying to trick me into freeing you so you can escape?”

 

Jun Qiyu spat angrily, “A whole group of you is afraid of just one man? Cowardly rats! You want me to kneel and kowtow to you, but you don’t even have the guts to accept it!”

 

Provoked by Jun Qiyu’s words, the bandits started cursing loudly. The leader hesitated, but the bandits’ shouts became overwhelming.

 

“Kneel! Kneel! Kneel!”

 

The leader was more cautious than his men. He compromised by only untying Jun Qiyu’s legs, leaving his wrists still bound with rope.

 

“Kneel!”

 

“Make him confess to our fallen comrades!”

 

“Criminal!”

 

The bandits were roused into a frenzy, and Jun Qiyu was shoved in front of the leader.

 

Jun Qiyu’s throat tightened. If he knelt, his pride and dignity would be shattered to pieces.

 

One of the more impulsive bandits struck Jun Qiyu’s leg with a club. Caught off guard, Jun Qiyu’s knees sank into the sand.

 

“Whoa!!”

 

“Hahaha!”

 

“The Crown Prince of Jing has knelt!”

 

“Haha!”

 

The bandits were overjoyed, more excited than on a festival day.

 

Jun Qiyu, his hands still bound, was forced into a position of submission, supporting himself awkwardly on the ground. It looked as though he was bowing, which made the bandits act like a pack of hyenas in celebration.

 

Even the leader let down his guard. After all, they had captured Jun Qiyu alive only because he’d collapsed from hunger and exhaustion in the desert. No matter how skilled a man was, he couldn’t fight on an empty stomach.

 

No one expected that Jun Qiyu, in a sudden burst of strength, would break free of the ropes. When they saw the sand flying into the air, their first instinct was to cover their eyes.

 

The leader blinked, and in that instant, Jun Qiyu had already lunged at him, his eagle-like eyes locked onto the leader.

 

The leader reacted quickly, thrusting his knife forward, trying to force Jun Qiyu back. But now that Jun Qiyu was free, he moved with the speed and ferocity of a leopard that had been lying in wait. He grabbed the leader’s wrist and twisted it.

 

“Ah!!”

 

The bandit leader let out a scream as his neck was already in Jun Qiyu’s grasp, and the knife was taken from him.

 

By the time the other bandits grabbed their weapons and charged forward, howling, Jun Qiyu had already retreated to Song Liqing’s side.

 

The knife in Jun Qiyu’s hand had already pierced the bandit leader’s neck, and blood began to flow.

 

“I’ll kill him!”

 

Jun Qiyu threatened them in simple Western Region dialect.

 

The bandits hesitated, fearful of harming the hostage.

 

Jun Qiyu was somewhat relieved. He hadn’t been mistaken—this young man, who had become the leader among such fierce bandits at a young age, clearly held a special status, further evidenced by his blue-eyed lineage. Jun Qiyu was confident of this.

 

The bandits had underestimated Jun Qiyu’s natural strength and had even dared to untie his legs.

 

“Thanks to the food you fed me for saving my life,” Jun Qiyu said fiercely. “In your Western Region, there’s also a saying: don’t provoke a starving wolf, because it’ll be even more ferocious than a lion. It seems you haven’t studied your own traditions well.”

 

The bandit leader realized he’d been tricked and had no room to resist. He acted as if he didn’t understand Jun Qiyu’s words, though his eyes burned with hatred.

 

“Liqing,” Jun Qiyu said softly, “There’s a horse two zhang (about 7 meters) to your right. Can you still mount it?”

 

Song Liqing wasn’t sure what exactly had happened, but he knew the situation was urgent. He got up from the ground, staggered to the horse’s side, and with the last of his strength, climbed on.

 

Jun Qiyu picked up a piece of rope and tied it directly around the bandit leader’s neck. Then, he mounted the horse and rode off at full speed.

 

The bandit leader, tethered by his neck, could only clutch the rope tightly to avoid being strangled. He had no strength left to resist and was dragged along the sand.

 

Fortunately for him, the sand was soft; otherwise, even if he wasn’t strangled, he would’ve lost his life.

 

With their last horse stolen, the bandits could only pursue on foot, as camels weren’t of much help in this situation.

 

Before long, Jun Qiyu had left the bandits far behind. Losing his trail, they were left with nothing but angry curses.

 

…

 

Dawn arrived late.

 

When the first light appeared on the horizon, amidst the vast, desolate yellow sand, a hint of another color finally appeared.

 

It was a lake, its waters frozen beneath a layer of snow and ice, yet still revealing a mysterious blue beneath.

 

Majestic snow-capped mountains stood on the other side of the lake, appearing both near and far, like ancient deities, eternally watching over all living beings.

 

“Liqing, we’ve arrived at Silimu Lake! The sacred mountain is right across—can you see it?”

 

Jun Qiyu was so overjoyed that he momentarily forgot about Song Liqing’s blindness.

 

A bit of wind and snow brushed against his face, moist and cold, and a slight smile of relief appeared on Song Liqing’s lips.

 

“I can see it—white and blue. It must be beautiful.”

 

“Yes, you would definitely like it,” Jun Qiyu whispered in Song Liqing’s ear.

 

“Help me see how tall the sacred mountain is,” Song Liqing asked.

 

“It must be a thousand zhang tall.”

 

Jun Qiyu was delighted that Song Liqing could speak to him so calmly, even talking about such trivial things like ordinary lovers. It meant that, at least for the moment, Song Liqing didn’t see him as an enemy.

 

“Liqing, wait a moment.”

 

Jun Qiyu dismounted and dragged the half-dead bandit leader up.

 

The bandit leader, after being dragged all night, was in a pitiful state, with several cuts on his face. He opened his eyes weakly, looking as lifeless as a broken sack in Jun Qiyu’s hands.

 

Jun Qiyu stared at him, his eyes full of malice, not because of his own humiliation, but because the bandits had nearly defiled Song Liqing.

 

“You’re of no use now.”

 

Jun Qiyu’s words were filled with killing intent as he squeezed the bandit leader’s neck, needing only a bit more strength to snap it.

 

The bandit leader showed a look of fear.

 

“Please… don’t kill me.”

 

He croaked the words out in a rough voice.

 

Jun Qiyu hesitated for a moment because the bandit leader had spoken in Central Plains dialect.

 

“You can speak the language of the Central Plains.”

 

The bandit leader admitted, “Yes…”

 

“That’s not a reason to spare your life.”

 

Jun Qiyu, known for his brutality in the Western Regions, wouldn’t let go of someone who had not only humiliated him but had nearly harmed Song Liqing.

 

Jun Qiyu lifted him up again. The bandit leader’s feet dangled, and he struggled to breathe, his face turning red, veins bulging on his forehead. He kicked desperately, but it was useless.

 

“Jun Qiyu.”

 

Song Liqing suddenly spoke, and half of Jun Qiyu’s hostility dissipated instantly.

 

“Liqing, you know I won’t let go of anyone who’s hurt you. These Western Region barbarians are nothing but untamed beasts. If I let him go now, he’ll turn around and bite you later.”

 

Jun Qiyu always eliminated threats completely, which was why he had made the people of the Western Regions tremble in fear.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Song Liqing didn’t oppose his approach. Showing mercy to enemies was definitely not the best choice.

 

“For now, keep him alive. With him in hand, we won’t have to worry about encountering more of his kind in this region.” Song Liqing took a breath before continuing, “He used to be part of the royal family of the former Ilik Kingdom, likely a relative of Hunu’er.”

 

Upon hearing this, the bandit leader’s eyes widened in shock, full of fear.

 

“How do you know…?! How do you know?!”

 

“His real name is Uyghur, and his surname is Yilan. I may not understand the Western Region language, but I heard one of your subordinates call your surname once. I may be blind, but my ears can still hear. I don’t think I misheard… Uyghur is your brother, isn’t he?”

 

Song Liqing coughed lightly, the cold air stinging his throat.

 

—

 

**Author’s Note:**

 

First of all, I’ve never written Jun Qiyu as some incredibly cunning person…

 

He’s supposed to be a young man who still needs to grow.

 

Also, I like clueless semes, haha…