Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Not long after Ye Ba left, Ye Qi appeared outside the tent.
“Second Young Master, Marquis, this subordinate has returned.”
Xiao Che sensed someone outside the moment Ye Qi appeared.
Hearing Ye Qi’s voice, he gently woke Xiao Jingmo, and both slipped from the tent without making a sound.
“Ye Qi, what did you find?”
“Second Young Master, I investigated thoroughly. A plague struck the Vulture Tribe’s horses a month ago and killed or injured more than half. The news hasn’t spread, and Tie He doesn’t know.”
Xiao Jingmo had not expected such good fortune.
The tribes excelled at mounted archery, and cavalry formed their main strength. With half its horses gone, the Vulture Tribe’s fighting power had plummeted.
They would not need to remain long. While the entire Blackstone Tribe went to war, they could eliminate Zhou An and escape with their family.
Tie He was fickle and untrustworthy. Fleeing at the first opportunity mattered most.
“Father, here’s what we’ll do…”
Xiao Jingmo carefully explained his plan to Xiao Che and Ye Qi.
Both men nodded.
Xiao Che had intended to help defeat the Vulture Tribe and learn the balance of power among the tribes. But circumstances had changed. Their priority was reaching the Northern Frontier and stockpiling supplies for the Xiao Family Army.
They could not waste time on tribal skirmishes.
“Good. We’ll end this quickly. I’ll tell Tie He to launch a night raid. That will also catch Zhou An in the act. By the time Tie He reaches the Vulture Tribe, he should see Zhou An informing its chieftain. Tie He will kill him without our intervention.”
Xiao Jingmo agreed completely.
“Ye Qi, ready every Shadow Guard. Once Tie He attacks, escort the women away first. Father and I will catch up.”
Tie He would undoubtedly demand that Xiao Che and Xiao Jingmo accompany him. They would have to watch for an opportunity to escape.
Ye Qi accepted the order and vanished.
Xiao Che and Xiao Jingmo went to find Tie He.
“What? Is that true?”
Tie He was delighted, though suspicion remained. How had they learned a secret unknown even to him?
Father and son had already prepared an explanation.
“Chieftain, it’s absolutely true. When I rose during the night, I happened to overhear Master Zhou discussing it with his subordinate. If you doubt us, search his tent. He has secretly gone to the Vulture Tribe to discuss attacking you from within and without, so he will not be there.”
Tie He personally searched Zhou An’s tent.
Zhou An was indeed absent, and Wang Liu stammered under questioning, clearly hiding something.
Tie He erupted.
“You spies dared play tricks on me! I’m no fool. Tie them all up and hang them outside as an offering to Eternal Heaven!”
Wang Liu panicked. With no time to explain, he and the assassins drew their weapons.
Tie He’s face darkened further. They had come prepared.
“Surround this tent. Take them, dead or alive!”
Tie He shielded Xiao Che and Xiao Jingmo as they withdrew.
Blades clashed inside. Shadows flashed against the felt walls and blood sprayed across the fabric.
The warriors of the Blackstone Tribe were less skilled than Prince Cheng’s assassins, but they had numbers.
Within thirty minutes, Wang Liu’s party had either been captured or killed.
Tie He ordered the survivors hung from the altar at the center of the tribe.
Even if they were not killed outright, hanging from the altar without food or water for a few days would dry them into jerky.
But Xiao Jingmo had never planned to spare them. Before leaving, he had to see them die with his own eyes, leaving no future threat alive to report to Prince Cheng.
With those men handled, Tie He immediately mustered his warriors for a surprise night attack on the Vulture Tribe.
As expected, he demanded Xiao Che and Xiao Jingmo accompany him.
Xiao Che considered this, then advised, “Chieftain, I suggest leaving my son to guard the camp in case another tribe attacks your rear.”
Tie He hesitated, then assigned a hundred men to remain.
His tribe had fewer than two thousand warriors in total. He left a hundred only because Xiao Che’s warning made sense.
If he were not determined to crush the Vulture Tribe in one strike, he would never have taken such a risk.
Winter came early here. In another month, the grass would begin to yellow. Before the bitter cold arrived, they had to stockpile supplies. Destroying the Vulture Tribe would make winter much easier.
Xiao Jingmo and Xiao Che exchanged a glance. Then Xiao Che left with Tie He.
Once the main force departed, the Blackstone Tribe seemed hollow. Its patrols became lax.
An hour later, Xiao Jingmo abruptly opened his eyes.
Ye Qi slipped silently into the tent.
“Second Young Master, I’ve brought the men.”
Xiao Jingmo nodded. “Several assassins sent by Prince Cheng are tied to the altar. Kill them all. I’ll wake everyone and prepare to leave.”
Ye Qi bowed and withdrew.
The Blackstone Tribe was now an empty encampment to him. He moved through it unopposed.
Near the altar, he immediately saw three men tightly bound on top of it.
Only two guards stood watch nearby. Several blazing torches planted on the altar illuminated it brightly.
Ye Qi’s gaze darkened. He drew three Plum Blossom Darts from his waist and threw them simultaneously.
The prisoners died without a sound.
Each dart struck the center of a forehead and buried itself deep.
Xiao Jingmo quietly woke the bailiffs and his family.
Zhu Laosan was completely confused. Xiao Jingmo had told them nothing.
“Second Young Master, what are we doing in the middle of the night?”
“Running, sir. The Blackstone Tribe went to attack the Vulture Tribe. If we don’t flee now, Tie He will never let us go when he returns.”
Xiao Jingmo understood the darkness of human nature. If the Blackstone Tribe won a great victory, it would surely want to attack other tribes, and he and his father would become its best strategists. Tie He would do everything possible to keep them.
Given Tie He’s character, he might resort to extreme measures. It was entirely possible that he would threaten them with the lives of the Xiao Family’s women.
There was one other thing Xiao Jingmo remained uncertain about.
That was how much Tie He knew about Jin Bao’s identity.
Zhou An had surely not revealed her true identity, but Tie He was no fool. They had to leave at once.
Zhu Laosan moved even faster after hearing the plan.
Tie He’s men had already taken everything. Dressing was all the packing required.
“Second Young Master, we can leave, but Tie He took our official documents. We can’t pass through the cities ahead without them.”
“Don’t worry, sir. We’ll take every one of our belongings back.”
That was what Xiao Jingmo said aloud, but it was not what he truly thought. The Blackstone Tribe would surely swallow the Vulture Tribe this time, so there was nothing wrong with taking a little interest along the way.
His father was the valiant War God, personally commanding their battle. Making the Blackstone Tribe pay something in return was hardly excessive.