"Puff! Puff! Puff!"
Three strong men swung their sharp knives, severing the heads of three sturdy bulls bound together. Blood spurted three feet high from their carcasses, splashing two of the men and dyeing them crimson.
Murong Chi, the eldest son of the Left Virtuous King and General Huiwu, King Qi Murong Sheng, and King Donghai Murong Hong, each holding their weapons, advanced. They dipped them into the bull carcasses, licked the blood clean, and then spat it into a large bowl before them.
This was known as "swearing blood as an oath."
"A poisonous woman controls the court, slaying the sovereign and harming loyal officials. We swear to the heavens to unite against the wicked! If we break this oath, may gods and men alike punish us!"
Murong Chi, Murong Sheng, and Murong Hong held the large bowls filled with blood wine and swore to the heavens in unison. Upon finishing the blood wine in the bowls, the alliance would be sealed.
"Second Uncle, Uncle, please enter the tent!" The three men then drank the blood wine in their bowls to the dregs. Murong Chi invited the two kings, Murong Sheng and Murong Hong, into the tent to discuss matters.
"Young Master, what are your plans?" Murong Sheng asked as they sat in the military tent.
"Catch that bitch and tear her body into ten thousand pieces," Murong Chi replied hatefully.
"And then what?" Murong Sheng asked, glancing at Murong Chi.
"What? What do you mean, King Qi...?" Murong Chi asked, confused.
"Alas, Young Master, that poisonous woman issued a false decree and enthroned her son as emperor. That cannot stand. King Qi means... after taking Youzhou, who will you support as emperor?" King Donghai Murong Hong asked on behalf of Murong Sheng.
The talk of loyal officials being harmed and the empress's faction monopolizing power was all false, mere pretexts. The fact that Murong Sheng and Murong Hong came together to form an alliance with Murong Chi was not for any reason other than the throne.
Regarding the throne, Murong Xiong had already seized the initiative. He had stormed the Left Virtuous King's mansion, captured all of Murong Bole's associates, and Murong Xiong had achieved the great merit of "restoring the state," thereby replacing Murong Bole as the chief regent.
Becoming the chief regent was, of course, the first step in Murong Xiong's plan. His ultimate goal was undoubtedly to ascend to that coveted throne, a fact known to all under heaven.
After Murong Xiong replaced Murong Bole as the chief regent, the first thing he did was declare the capital's unrest quelled and ordered Murong Sheng, Murong Hong, and others to return their armies to their respective fiefs.
This meant that Murong Sheng, Murong Hong, and the others had labored in vain, their efforts wasted. How could they be content?
It was well known that mobilizing armies incurred considerable expenses in terms of money and provisions.
Thus, Murong Sheng and Murong Hong came together and formed an alliance with Murong Chi to continue the struggle for the throne. As for their relationship as half-brothers... even full-blooded brothers would view each other as mortal enemies and fight fiercely for the imperial throne. The fact that there was only one throne made it even simpler: after killing Murong Qing, Murong Xiong, the puppet emperor, and others, Murong Sheng and Murong Hong could then scheme against each other and fight to the death. The strong would seize the position, and the weak would become stray dogs. Naturally, they would not consider Murong Chi.
"With the hatred in my heart resolved, Chi will obey the commands of my two uncles," Murong Chi said with sudden understanding, placing a hand on his chest.
At this moment, Murong Chi lacked ambition, or perhaps the timing was not yet right. Therefore, as long as Murong Sheng and Murong Hong helped him avenge his grievances, why would Murong Chi care about how they contended for the throne?
Besides, while the praying mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole is behind.
"Nephew, with these words, how can this king not offer his full support?"
"The Young Master's great revenge is my great revenge. I will surely help the Young Master avenge this deep hatred!"
Murong Sheng and Murong Hong were overjoyed. They spoke together and extended their hands to support Murong Chi.
"Brother Hong..." Murong Sheng said to Murong Hong.
"Brother Sheng..." Murong Hong retreated with a wry smile.
Hmph, let him revel in his temporary success. I will have my own clever plan later, Murong Hong thought coldly.
They had not yet attacked Youzhou, and the two were already scheming against each other...
...
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
"Capture the rebel Murong Xiong!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
In June of the first year of Yanjian, Murong Qing, in an effort to eliminate obstacles, attacked Murong Bole, the Left Virtuous King of Yan. Her troops stormed the Left Virtuous King's mansion, and a great fire turned it to ashes. Murong Bole's eldest son, Chi, raised an army of two hundred thousand to avenge his family. He successively attacked cities like Jizhou, Anping, and Zhongshan, repeatedly defeating several armies of the Yan court. His momentum grew, his advance was swift, and his attacks were fierce. He was on the verge of reaching Youzhou city. At this time, Murong Chi was joined by the armies of King Qi Murong Sheng and King Donghai Murong Hong, further strengthening his forces. Wherever he went, he was like a destructive force, overwhelming all resistance, as if breaking through rotten wood.
Murong Chi led his troops from the west and north, while King Qi Murong Sheng and King Donghai Murong Hong led their armies westward, threatening Youzhou.
Murong Qing and her faction were in imminent danger.
Murong Xiong, the King of Runan and the chief minister of the Great Yan, led an army of one hundred thousand to confront them. Eighty miles south of the Lugou River, he encountered Murong Chi's army.
Murong Xiong arrogantly believed that his hundred thousand troops would easily defeat Murong Chi, a junior. However, he never expected that the Runan army would be defeated in a single battle by the Changshan army.
Murong Chi, as always, led the charge, leading five thousand cavalry in an assault that threw the Runan army into disarray and routed them. At this moment, the shouts of the Changshan army filled the air.
Murong Chi was even more valiant, brandishing his saber from horseback, closely pursuing Murong Xiong, vowing to kill him.
When enemies meet, their eyes burn with hatred!
Murong Xiong, with his hair disheveled, fled on his horse, while Murong Chi pursued relentlessly. The two, one in front and one behind, gradually separated from the main force.
"Boy, why are you chasing me?" Murong Xiong asked as he fled, looking back.
"The hatred of a father imprisoned and a brother murdered is irreconcilable!" Murong Chi replied through gritted teeth, holding his long saber.
"Everyone has their own woes, and debts must be paid! I too was forced and manipulated!" Murong Xiong shouted again.
"I will kill you first, then that bitch!" Murong Chi said through clenched teeth.
Murong Xiong galloped away at an extremely fast pace. At this critical juncture, he unleashed the full extent of his horsemanship skills, learned since childhood, and fled wildly on his steed. Behind him, Murong Chi kept pace and gradually caught up.
Murong Chi spotted Murong Xiong's back and raised his long saber, thrusting it with all his might. Murong Xiong, in shock, turned and parried with his saber.
With a loud clang!
Their weapons collided, producing an ear-piercing sound of metal striking metal.
Murong Chi forced Murong Xiong's saber aside and leaped from his horse, swinging his saber at Murong Xiong.
Murong Xiong's saber was knocked away. In haste, he spurred his horse forward.
With a rip! Murong Chi's saber missed Murong Xiong by mere inches, slicing off half of Murong Xiong's back armor and the clothes beneath. Murong Xiong, exposing his bare back and buttocks, galloped into a dense forest.
Murong Chi kicked the shattered armor in frustration, then remounted his horse, intending to pursue. However, the forest before him was exceptionally thick, and fearing an ambush, he hesitated.
"Boy, dare you pursue?" To his surprise, Murong Xiong turned back and taunted him.
"Villain, do not flee!" Murong Chi, enraged by the provocation, drew his saber and spurred his horse, chasing after him.
Murong Xiong believed Murong Chi would not dare enter the forest, but Murong Chi, fearless, galloped in at great speed. Murong Xiong, terrified, urged his horse into the forest and shouted, "Scoundrels, appear quickly and save me!"
Murong Xiong's ambushers were indeed in the forest. However, Murong Xiong's panicked shouts alerted Murong Chi, and Murong Chi did not venture deep into the woods, lest the consequences be dire.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!" As Murong Chi entered the forest, two arrows flew rapidly towards him on horseback. Startled, Murong Chi nimbly dismounted, dodged the fatal blow, touched the ground with his toes, and effortlessly flipped back onto his horse. He then swung his saber, felling two men, and galloped out of the forest.
No matter how brave Murong Chi was, he could not fight off so many attackers. Even a fierce tiger fears a pack of wolves. At this moment, escape was his only option. He would have to seek Murong Xiong's life another day.
"Screech... screech... screech..."
Murong Xiong regretted it immensely. He ordered his men to pursue, and the sound of whistling arrows filled the air as the pursuers shot them as they chased.
"Puff... puff... puff..."
The arrows were extremely dense, knocking Murong Chi's horse down. Murong Chi tumbled to the ground, and several more arrows struck him. He limped away.
The pursuers rejoiced. They stopped shooting arrows and galloped after him, intent on capturing Murong Chi alive.
Capturing Murong Chi alive and presenting him to Empress Dowager Murong Qing for merit would earn far greater rewards than killing him.
"Young Master!"
At this critical juncture, Murong Chi's personal guards finally arrived, swarming forward and repelling Murong Xiong's troops.
Severely wounded, Murong Chi was returned to his camp under the protection of his guards.
Although Murong Chi defeated Murong Xiong's Runan army in this battle, he was also seriously wounded. He retreated fifty li to set up camp. After recovering, he would attack Youzhou city and exact his revenge.
Murong Xiong, though defeated, had wounded Murong Chi. Thus, he returned to Youzhou city in high spirits, boasting of his achievement before Empress Dowager Murong Qing.
...
"Hahaha, where is my little sister-in-law?"
Murong Xiong returned to Youzhou in high spirits, strutting into the Yan Imperial Palace and shouting as he entered the hall.
In recent days, Murong Xiong had been staying in the Yan Imperial Palace, treating the magnificent palace of the Great Yan as his own bedroom. He had also molested palace maids, and others dared not speak out despite their anger.
"Has the rebel been captured?" At this moment, the surprised voice of Empress Dowager Murong Qing of the Great Yan came from within the palace.