Love Lock

Chapter 334 I hope you will remember the oath you made today.
Behind Boru Khan, a man had appeared at some point.

The man was dressed in ordinary Turkic clothing, and had a hideous scar on his face that ran diagonally from his brow bone to his jaw, looking particularly terrifying in the flickering candlelight.

His eyes were as cold as the snow on the grassland, and he gripped a scimitar stuck in Bolu's back.

"Scarface... General Scarface?!" Tang Xiaotong exclaimed in surprise. Scarface's appearance filled him with a surge of joy, as if he had escaped from a desperate situation.

But then, a wave of fear washed over him—if he had been less resolute and wavered even slightly, he might be the one stabbing himself in the back right now.

The two Turkic warriors also recognized Scarface. He was one of the first people to brave the wind and snow last winter to deliver food and supplies to them in a three-wheeled vehicle, and he was also a personal guard of the King of Cangzhou.

But now, Scarface has stabbed their Khan.

The two Turkic warriors reacted with shock and anger. They immediately released Tang Xiaotong, drew their curved swords with a clang, and were about to pounce on Scarface.

With a flick of his wrist, Scarface yanked the curved blade that had pierced Boru's body out again, spraying a cloud of blood.

"Ugh—!" Boru Khan let out a shrill scream, his body convulsing violently, blood gushing out from the two wounds in front and behind him, instantly staining the carpet beneath him red.

Scarface actually pulled out the scimitar he had used to stab the Khan again?
This maneuver caused the two Turkic warriors to pause for a moment. But it was only for a brief moment, and they immediately pounced on Scarface again.

"Stop!" Scarface roared, raising his blood-dripping scimitar. His voice was like thunder, shaking the entire tent.

It was a magnificent curved sword with a large emerald inlaid on the hilt! In the candlelight, the emerald reflected a cold, eerie light, and the blade exuded an invisible majesty.

Upon seeing the knife, the two Turkic warriors froze as if struck by a spell, their attacks halted abruptly, their faces filled with shock, confusion, and awe.

They recognized the knife—it was a token passed down through generations of Turkic Khans, symbolizing supreme power on the steppe, and was the personal sword of Boru Khan!

Scarface drew his scimitar, a symbol of Turkic royal power, and the two Turkic warriors were at a loss as to how to handle the situation. At that moment, Boru Khan, clutching his chest, turned his head with difficulty to look at Scarface behind him, his eyes filled with pain, anger, and utter bewilderment.

"You...you...how could you...be here?" Boru asked with difficulty.

Scarface remained expressionless as he presented the jeweled scimitar that belonged to Boru to him, his voice icy and devoid of emotion, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself: "Boru, do you still recognize this knife?"

Boru stared at his scimitar, a symbol of supreme royal power, his eyes unfocused and filled with resentment.

Scarface continued, “Last winter, Marshal Pingchuan and I were ordered to deliver provisions to you. You personally presented this knife to Marshal Pingchuan. What did you say at the time? You swore to the heavens that the Turks were willing to form an alliance with Dajing forever and abide by the trade treaty. If they violated it, you would take my life with this knife without complaint.”

Scarface paused, his gaze sweeping across Bolu's pale face like a blade: "Today, you have broken your promise, attempting to take advantage of the weakness of my Cangzhou forces to invade my territory and harm my people. Your promise still echoes in my ears; now, you are reaping the consequences of your actions. I, Scarface, am acting on the orders of the Prince, in place of Marshal Pingchuan, to carry out this agreement!"

Boru Khan opened his mouth as if to say something, but large mouthfuls of blood gushed from his mouth, and he could only make a "hoarse" sound. The light in his eyes also quickly dimmed.

Scarface stopped looking at him and turned to the two bewildered Turkic warriors, brandishing his jeweled scimitar: "Your Khan broke his oath and has been executed! Do you still wish to remain obstinate and be buried with him?"

The tent was deathly silent, save for Boru Khan's dying gasps and the crackling of the burning candles.

The two warriors looked at the curved sword in Scarface's hand, a symbol of power, and then at Boru lying on the ground, their faces filled with struggle.

They remembered Tang Xiaotong's words, the benefits brought by the trade, the helpless and desperate looks in their people's eyes in the cold winter, and their wives and children waiting for their return home...

Scarface didn't look at them again, but instead turned his gaze to Tang Xiaotong, who had just gotten up from the ground and was still in shock. He nodded slightly as a greeting.

At that moment, upon hearing the screams, Princess Yujia, who had rushed over, grabbed an outer robe and threw it on, then abruptly lifted the tent flap.

The tent was brightly lit, but the scene it illuminated almost froze her blood—

Her younger brother, the noble Bolu Khan of the grasslands, lay in a pool of blood, his body writhing in agony, the carpet beneath him stained dark red. Not far away, her newlywed husband, Tang Xiaotong, sat slumped on the ground, his hair ornament askew, his clothes disheveled, and his face pale with shock.

"Bolu! Bolu, what's wrong?!" Princess Yujia's voice was choked with sobs as she rushed to Bolu's side like a frightened little bird.

She reached out her hands, trembling, but didn't know where to touch.

Boru's eyes were half-open, his pupils dilated, as if he sensed his sister's arrival.

His lips moved with difficulty, as if he wanted to say something, but when he opened his mouth, only large mouthfuls of thick blood gushed out, instantly staining his front and Princess Yujia's sleeves red.

His unspoken words, along with his last breath, were swallowed up in the despairing blood and foam.

The commotion here had already alerted the entire royal camp.

The sound of hurried footsteps grew louder as the screams drew nearer, and the tribal chief and his people, awakened by the screams, rushed over.

When they saw the scar lying in a pool of blood and suddenly appearing there, they all gasped in shock, their faces filled with horror and disbelief.

He Shu, the old chief who had personally escorted Princess Yujia to the Great Jing for a marriage alliance, tremblingly pushed through the crowd.

He was old, and upon seeing this tragic scene, he swayed, then managed to steady himself, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "What...what has happened? Khan! Prince Consort! This..."

All eyes were focused on Scarface, who stood with his knife, and the disheveled Tang Xiaotong. The atmosphere inside the tent was so heavy it was almost suffocating.

Scarface had a cold and stern expression, his gaze sharp as a knife, sweeping over everyone present before finally settling on Boru Khan's two Turkic guards.

He gestured towards the two Turkic guards, his voice deep and resonant, "You know best what happened. Speak in front of all the leaders and the princess!"

The two warriors were deathly pale. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with struggle and fear.

Under Scarface's piercing gaze, and amidst the doubtful and anxious looks of the crowd, they hesitated for a moment, but ultimately could not withstand the immense pressure.

One of them lowered his head, his voice hoarse, and he spoke haltingly, explaining the situation:

"It's because the Dongming Empire suddenly attacked Dajing... The King and Queen of Cangzhou have led the main force of Cangzhou to reinforce Dongguan, and now Yong'an City is vulnerable... The Khan... The Khan forced the Prince Consort to use his position to cooperate from within and without, and take this opportunity to capture Yong'an City in one fell swoop..."

"what?"

"Oh my God!"

The tribal chiefs inside the tent all exclaimed in surprise and looked at Boru lying on the ground.

How could Bolu do such an ungrateful thing?

At this moment, another Turkic guard chimed in, his tone tinged with lingering fear.

"It was the prince consort who resolutely refused, saying... saying he couldn't break his promise, that he would be letting down the princess, and also betraying the trust of the Great Jing. The Khan was furious, saying... saying that since the prince consort's heart was with the Great Jing and he was unwilling to serve the Turks, he would... he would sever the prince consort's Achilles tendons, making him a cripple forever, so that he could never... never be with the princess again..."

At this point, he secretly glanced at Princess Yujia, who was pale and swaying, and lowered his voice even further: "The Khan... he was about to strike the prince consort's ankle... when General Scarface... appeared, and in order to save the prince consort, he... he assassinated the Khan."

After hearing the Turkic guards' account, a deathly silence fell over the tent. Only Princess Yujia's suppressed, broken sobs and the occasional crackling of the embers in the brazier mingled in the bloody and cold night.

The tribal chiefs exchanged glances, all understanding the unspoken message. Chief He Shu, in particular, patted Princess Yu Jia on the back reassuringly, then sighed heavily.

They believed the description given by the two Turkic guards because Boru had a criminal record.

What does betrayal mean to someone who can kill his father to seize power?

Scarface, still seething with anger, snorted and coldly addressed the crowd in the tent: "His Highness had long heard of Bolu's patricide and usurpation of the throne, and his treacherous nature, and was wary of his ambitions. Therefore, after the trade market opened, I was ordered to infiltrate here and secretly monitor him. As His Highness predicted." A wolf is a wolf after all; you can't tame it!
But Scarface didn't say those words aloud. After all, not every Turk had the ambition and despicable methods of Boru Khan; most Turks were only concerned with their immediate survival.

However... Your Highness is right, we still need to be on guard.

Seeing Princess Yujia immersed in grief, Chief Heshu quickly came out to speak.

He stepped forward, his imposing aura commanding: "Now that the chief culprit has been eliminated! Are you two willing to follow the will of Heaven and the people, support the new Khan to continue maintaining peace between the two countries, and allow your people to live a good life? Or do you want to follow in Bolu's footsteps and plunge the entire tribe back into war and poverty?"

Seeing Princess Yujia immersed in grief over the loss of her loved ones, Chief Heshu sighed, stepped forward, patted her back reassuringly, and then turned to Scarface, a cautious and earnest smile on his face.

"General Scarface, please calm down." Chief He Shu's voice, though rough and rugged like that of the steppe people, was now extremely low and full of appeasement. "Today's events were entirely the fault of Khan Bolu. We...we truly knew nothing about his ambitions and methods. He dared to force the prince consort to commit such a treacherous act; he...he deserves to die!"

As Chief He Shu spoke, he glanced at Bolu's corpse, his eyes filled with complex emotions, but his tone was resolute.

He glanced around at the other leaders, and seeing that they all nodded in agreement, he continued to speak to Scarface: "Bolu is dead, and he got what he deserved. Please believe me, General, that the hearts of our tribes are set on peace, and we sincerely want to be friends with Da Jing and the King of Cangzhou. We absolutely do not want to see war again, or for our people to suffer from hunger and cold, returning to the days of hunger and cold we lived in the past."

At this moment, the young General Batel also stepped forward and said, "Yes! General Scarface. We had no prior knowledge of Boru's actions!"

Batel was once Boru's friend and also an accomplice in Boru's patricide and rise to power. He had long been aware of Boru's ambition.

Scarface's face remained cold and hard, but the sharpness in his eyes softened slightly. He swept his gaze across the faces of each chieftain present and asked in a deep voice, "If you want to be friends, words alone are useless. Chief He Shu, and all of you present, now that the chief culprit has been eliminated! I ask you, are you willing to follow the will of Heaven and the people, support the new Khan, continue to maintain peace between the two countries, and allow your people to live in peace and prosperity? Or do you want to follow in Bolu's footsteps, plunging the entire tribe back into war and poverty, returning to the days when not being able to get food meant starvation?"

His voice wasn't loud, but every word struck like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart.

A subdued murmur arose inside the tent as the leaders whispered amongst themselves, their expressions grave.

No one wants to go back to the past. The salt, iron, and grain brought by trade with Cangzhou made last winter less unbearable, which was a tangible benefit.

Boru's ambition nearly ruined everything.

The commotion quickly subsided.

Chief He Shu spoke first, his tone firm: "General Scarface is wise! We firmly support border trade and hope for lasting friendship between our two countries! Boru's actions are absolutely not what we wanted!"

"Yes! That's what we think too!"

"We must never fight another war!"

Having tasted the benefits of trade, other leaders also expressed their opinions, and the tent was filled with a desire for peace and an expectation for the future.

Seeing this, Scarface nodded, but his tone still carried an unquestionable air of authority.

"Very well! Since you all want to continue living a good life, then show some sincerity. Selecting a new Khan is an internal matter for your Turks, but on behalf of the King of Cangzhou, I must make this clear—the new Khan must genuinely uphold peace and must not be a second Bolu! If another person is chosen whose personal interests outweigh the lives of his people, then don't blame me for immediately reporting to the King and halting all border trade! Then you can spend the winter with cold swords in your hands!"

These words were like cold water poured into a hot oil pan, instantly putting immense pressure on the leaders.

Should the border trade be suspended?

That would be tantamount to cutting off the tribe's path to survival.

The group began to discuss the matter in hushed tones again. This time, their objective was much clearer.

A moment later, Chief He Shu looked at Princess Yu Jia, who had barely stopped crying and was nestled in Tang Xiaotong's arms, but whose eyes were still red. His eyes revealed admiration and sincerity.

"General Scarface, fellow leaders, if we were to name someone who truly cared for their people and was willing to sacrifice themselves, it would undoubtedly be Princess Yujia! To obtain winter supplies, the princess resolutely traveled to the Great Jing for a marriage alliance. Although the alliance ultimately failed, the princess always kept her people in her heart, doing everything in her power to procure supplies for us. We remember her benevolence! We elect Princess Yujia as our new Khan, and we believe she will lead us to a lasting alliance with Cangzhou!"

"Yes! We should elect Princess Yujia!"

"We accept the princess as Khan!"

Various voices echoed in agreement.

Upon hearing this, Princess Yujia abruptly raised her head, her face filled with astonishment and panic.

She waved her hands repeatedly, her voice still trembling with tears, yet unusually clear: "No! Absolutely not!"

She glanced at her brother lying in a pool of blood, a flicker of pain crossing her eyes. She took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down.

"My lords, has there ever been a woman as Khan in the history of the Turks? This precedent must not be set. Furthermore, I... I am but a woman, what virtue or ability do I possess to shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"

She turned to the crowd, her gaze finally settling on the pale-faced Prince Consort Tang Xiaotong, who had been standing silently beside her.

Princess Yujia's eyes softened: "Everyone, fighting and killing are not a long-term solution. The one who truly brings peace and winter supplies to our Turkic people is the Prince Consort! It is he who worked hard to facilitate trade; it is he who, under pressure from his brother, remained steadfast and upheld his principles! He is the one who truly hopes for peace between our two countries and for our Turkic people to live in peace and prosperity! If we are to elect a new Khan, I, Yujia, will first recommend the Prince Consort, Tang Xiaotong! I believe he will surely lead our Turkic people to a better life!"

The tent fell silent again, and all eyes were focused on the young prince consort, Tang Xiaotong.

Tang Xiaotong was clearly not expected that Yu Jia would recommend him, and was at a loss for words.

The leaders looked at each other and exchanged opinions in hushed tones.

Princess Yujia's words were both reasonable and logical.

Although Tang Xiaotong was young and a native of Dajing, his status as a prince consort was legitimate. More importantly, he had indeed brought tangible benefits to the tribe and demonstrated admirable character at crucial moments.

Compared to the potentially controversial choice of a woman named Han, nominating Tang Xiaotong seems to be a safer and more acceptable option for all parties.

After discussing in hushed tones with several other respected elders, Chief He Shu turned to Scarface and the crowd and said loudly, "The princess is wise and righteous, and what she says is absolutely right! The prince consort is benevolent and trustworthy, has made great contributions to the Turks, and was personally recommended by Her Highness the princess! We all agree to elect the prince consort as our new Khan of the Turks!"

"Yes, let's elect the Prince Consort as Khan!"

"Please lead us, Your Highness!"

Voices of support rang out from inside the tent.

Seeing this, Scarface finally showed a barely perceptible hint of relaxation on his tense face.

He strode into the tent, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before finally settling on Tang Xiaotong. He said in a deep voice, "Very well! Since this is what everyone wants, then please let the new Khan step forward!"

Tang Xiaotong looked at everyone, unsure of what Scarface was up to, but he still released Princess Yujia and timidly stepped forward.

Scarface lifted the hem of his robe and haphazardly wiped the scimitar inlaid with emeralds, a symbol of the highest power of the Turks, on his clothes.

Then, holding the knife in both hands, he walked steadily to Tang Xiaotong and solemnly handed the scimitar to Tang Xiaotong under the watchful eyes of all the tribal leaders.

"Khan Tang," Scarface's deep and powerful voice echoed in the silent tent, "I hope you will remember the oath you swore today, uphold integrity and righteousness, govern your people with benevolence and virtue, forever maintain peace on the border, and live up to the trust of the Prince and Princess, as well as the expectations of the Turkic people!"

Tang Xiaotong took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and with trembling hands, he resolutely accepted the heavy curved sword.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over Princess Yujia's encouraging eyes, over the expectant faces of the tribal leaders, and finally meeting Scarface's sharp and deep gaze.

He nodded slowly, a sense of responsibility and determination rising in his heart like never before.

I'll continue shamelessly begging for comments, votes, and everything else! Only with a thick skin can you get enough.