Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 428 The Hun Prince (1)

call!
He exhaled heavily.

The fight just now, though not very long, was fought with all his might, every punch and every draw of his sword, leaving Song Yan slightly exhausted. However, physical fatigue meant nothing to Song Yan; the mental exhilaration was what truly satisfied him.

When Song Yan first learned that a female corpse had been thrown into the ditch, his heart felt as if a stone had been placed on it, a heavy and oppressive weight... Although he knew very well that in such a large place as Pingyang Prefecture, under such conditions in ancient times, no one could achieve perfection.

There are always some evil thoughts in human nature.

Let alone in ancient times, even in modern society where cameras are everywhere, petty theft, molestation, robbery, defamation, false accusation, rape, and murder still occur from time to time.

Some things are simply unavoidable; after all, not everyone is a saint.

But he just couldn't get over that hurdle, especially after arriving at the Wind Inn and seeing another mangled corpse in the guest room. His chest felt instantly filled with a searing heat. He felt like a giant bomb, ready to explode at any moment.

Perhaps in this era where human life is less valuable than cattle and horses, it is hard to understand. It's just a few people who died, what's the big deal? But Song Yan was somewhat out of control. When Luo Tianyi and Zhang Yan were around, he could barely control himself. But once they left, this evil fire could no longer be suppressed and was released all at once.

A glance across the scene revealed utter devastation.

Of the five guards, not a single one was even in good condition. It must be quite a tragic situation. I wonder if such a miserable state and suffering can atone for the sins they committed.
That's probably not enough, because the women they persecuted have already lost their lives, while they... are still alive.

However, Song Yan was not in a hurry; he had plenty of time to settle scores with these people.

Song Yan felt that he was somewhat violent at heart, but this violence was mostly directed at foreign tribes such as the Jurchens, the Xiongnu, and especially the Xiao Rizi.

Recalling how Zhang Yan had buried her face in his arms and cried her heart out, Song Yan chuckled self-deprecatingly. He wondered if the girl would still feel safer in his arms after seeing him in such an out-of-control state.

Probably not.

Soft moans drifted into my ears.

"Mulan's family..."

"It hurts……"

It was a guard crying out in sorrow.

Song Yan was familiar with the term "mother's consort".

Eshi was the title of the principal wife of the Xiongnu Chanyu.

As for "mother's wife," it was a term used by the Xiongnu people to refer to their biological mother... So this is saying: "Mom, I'm in so much pain?"

She seemed somewhat pitiful, but there was not a trace of pity on Song Yan's face. Now she knew to call him "Mom"? But did they ever think about the people whose lives they had taken? They also had mothers.

So, all these people were Xiongnu?

Although he knew they were from different races, Song Yan couldn't quite tell whether they were Turks, Huns, or Jurchens. After all, these races all worship wolves, and it was difficult to determine anything useful based on just a wolf head tattoo.

However, the title "E'zhi" was unique to the Xiongnu.

The Xiongnu's worship of wolves was extremely fanatical.

The "Biography of Rouran, Xiongnu, Tuhe, and Gaoche" in the Book of Wei records: The Xiongnu Chanyu had two daughters, who were as beautiful as goddesses. The Chanyu built a high platform and placed the two daughters there to worship the heavens. An old wolf guarded the platform day and night, howling. The youngest daughter believed that the wolf was a divine creature sent from heaven, so she married the wolf and had children, who multiplied and became the Xiongnu tribe.

This is a widely circulated myth among the Xiongnu, accepted and acknowledged by most Xiongnu people, explicitly regarding the wolf as their ancestor. The Xiongnu even called their place of origin Wolf Mountain, also known as Wolf Dwelling Mountain, where Huo Qubing sealed the Wolf Dwelling Mountain.

The Records of the Grand Historian also records that the Xiongnu worshipped heaven, earth, sun, and moon... When they attacked, they often painted golden wolf heads on their banners and used "wolf curses" for divination before battle.

All of this proves the extremely sacred status of wolves in the hearts of the Xiongnu people.

Because of its sacred nature, wolf tattoos are not something that can be done casually. There are extremely strict rules regarding where the tattoo is placed and which part of the wolf the design represents.

Ordinary civilians are not allowed to have any tattoos related to wolves on any part of their bodies.

Xiongnu nobles could have wolf claws and wolf teeth tattooed on them, while commoners who were warriors with military merits could be tattooed with wolf claws as an exception.

Only members of the Xiongnu royal family were permitted to have wolf heads tattooed on their bodies.

If a nobleman were to have a wolf's head tattooed on his head, it would be considered a crime of usurpation, just like a nobleman in the Central Plains dynasty wearing a dragon robe in private—a crime punishable by beheading.

Song Yan's gaze suddenly fell on the young man lying on the ground. Although he was covered in blood, the wolf head tattoo on his chest was still clearly visible.

Could it be that this young man is actually a member of the royal family of the Xiongnu?
A prince?
But what would a Xiongnu prince be doing in Pingyang?
It's important to know that Pingyang and Mobei are not adjacent; there's Anzhou in between.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through Song Yan's mind, and a voluptuous and graceful figure, especially with a very full bottom, flashed through his mind.

Gao Yang.

Could it be that Prince Fu and Kong Nianhan intend to sell their daughters to this Xiongnu prince?
There was no evidence whatsoever; it was purely Song Yan's speculation. After all, they had just learned that Gaoyang was going to be sold, and then a Xiongnu prince suddenly appeared in Pingyang City. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like a coincidence.

Song Yan was startled by his own conjecture. Had Kong Nianhan gone mad?
No, that's not right. The impact of this matter is far too great. A woman like Kong Nianhan can do some sneaky things in Ningguo, but this is something she simply cannot make decisions about... If the speculation is true, Prince Fu must also be involved.

However, Prince Fu had always stayed behind the scenes, and Kong Nianhan was more like a white glove pushed out by Prince Fu.

Song Yan's expression grew increasingly gloomy. Could it be that this Prince Fu wanted to use the power of the Xiongnu to plot against the Central Plains?
The Xiongnu, they were like wolves.

Cooperating with these people is tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin. Does Prince Fu not even understand this simple principle? The Jurchens want to rule the Central Plains, but the Xiongnu have an even stronger desire for this than the Jurchens. Or is the emperor's throne really that tempting?
Taking a deep breath, Song Yan forcibly suppressed the restlessness in his heart. In the end, these were just speculations in his mind. Whether these people entered Pingyang for Gaoyang or not was unknown. It was not appropriate to put all the blame on Prince Fu.

After venting his anger, Song Yan felt much better. He pursed his lips, and his expression gradually returned to normal. However, because he was covered in blood, the change in his expression was mostly undetectable.

His face was sticky.

Song Yan felt very uncomfortable. He wiped his face with his hand, but when he found it was useless, he ignored it. He looked around and found a horsewhip on the floor not far from the bed. He slowly walked over and picked up the horsewhip. Just as Jia Yifei had said, it had a handle made of ox horn and a whip made of animal hide.

It is quite heavy.

Even though it wasn't as tough as willow branches or vines, a whip like this would still hurt a lot. The whip was covered in blood, and Song Yan could roughly imagine the Xiongnu prince using this whip to repeatedly lash those two poor women.

This horsewhip will be given to Liang Qiaofeng when the time comes.

After all, Granny Liang was more professional than herself when it came to punishments, and she should be able to let this Xiongnu prince experience what true ecstasy is.

Inside, muffled groans, screams, moans, and writhing groans mingled together, accompanied by crimson stains, severed limbs, and flying bits of flesh. Even the eighteenth level of hell probably looked like this.

However, amidst the various voices, there was a discordant sound.

Those were heavy, labored breaths.

She pursed her lips and turned her head to look in the direction from which the panting was coming.

The next moment, their eyes met.

Then Song Yan laughed, preoccupied with these wolf cubs from the Xiongnu, forgetting that there was another guy in the room.

That middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man shuddered the moment he saw Song Yan's smile, almost screaming out loud; the smile was truly terrifying.

His lips twitched, knowing in his heart that his survival depended on this moment. With all his might, he finally suppressed the fear in his heart, supported his already aching legs, took a deep breath, clasped his hands together, and bowed to Song Yan: "This humble citizen, Tang Shenghai, greets Your Excellency."

“Tang Shenghai…” Song Yan pondered for a moment, but couldn’t recall him. He probably wasn’t a particularly famous person in Ningguo. “Are you from Ningguo?” “Yes.” Tang Shenghai replied immediately, a slight smile on his face. “Your Excellency is right. I am a native of Ningguo.”

Tang Shenghai had long heard that the Marquis of Champion hated foreign tribes, but only today did he truly understand how ruthless Song Yan was towards them. Given the current situation, severing ties with the Xiongnu was probably the best option. Perhaps, out of consideration for their shared Ningguo heritage, the Marquis of Champion would show him mercy?
Tang Shenghai held this hope in his heart. He secretly glanced at Song Yan and saw that Song Yan's face was covered in blood, but he couldn't tell what his expression was. He couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Song Yan lowered his eyelids, his fingers stroking the handle of the riding crop: "Are you the guide for these wolf cubs?"

crunch.

Tang Shenghai's face suddenly stiffened, and a bad premonition arose in his heart. He struggled to speak, saying, "My lord, please understand that this is not what I wish for. It is my master's order, and I have no choice but to obey."

Song Yan ignored him, his tone flat, almost devoid of any inflection: "So, you just stand by and watch the women of my Ning Kingdom be defiled by these beasts? Or are these women women you captured? After all, it's quite inconvenient for a pack of wolf cubs to move around in the cities of the Central Plains, and they risk exposing their identities if they're not careful."

Tang Shenghai's face turned deathly pale, his eyes glazed over, and his pupils darted around rapidly. Beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. "My lord, I..."

"Do you know what kind of people I hate more than these wolf cubs?" Before Tang Shenghai could finish speaking, Song Yan interrupted him, his eyes darting around, his body covered in cold sweat. In this state, most of what he said was a lie, and it was meaningless to listen to. He raised his scarlet eyebrows: "Traitors."

"Traitor?"

Tang Shenghai was slightly taken aback. It was the first time he had heard such a term, and he couldn't understand it for a moment. He just subconsciously started to think about it.

Suddenly, he seemed to understand something. He looked up abruptly, about to speak, when the bloody horsewhip lashed out at Tang Shenghai's head.

As if by instinct, Tang Shenghai subconsciously tilted his head to the side to avoid being struck directly in the face by the whip... He dodged it, but not completely.

With a sharp crack, the whip struck Tang Shenghai hard on his left ear.

With this whip, Song Yan held nothing back, using almost all of his strength.

The poor ear was instantly whipped into a shred of flesh, and then the whip continued to fall, striking Tang Shenghai's shoulder.

The cotton-padded coat was torn, and cotton lint flew everywhere.

Half of his face was covered in blood beads. Tang Shenghai was covering his ear, and his face was contorted with pain as he desperately gasped for air.

Perhaps knowing that this was a critical moment for his life and death, Tang Shenghai, unusually, hardened up and suppressed the scream that was about to come out of his mouth, desperately enduring the waves of pain coming from his ears: "My lord, as long as you promise to let me go, I will tell you everything I know."

"Believe me, this is a major event that could affect the entire Ning Kingdom, and even the entire Central Plains."

"You won't lose out by trading these secrets for my life."

His voice was hoarse, and his ears were in so much pain that his voice was trembling.

Song Yan smiled and slowly walked up to Tang Shenghai. He placed one hand on Tang Shenghai's shoulder, and in the next instant, Tang Shenghai felt a brute force as strong as a mountain coming from Song Yan's palm.

Tang Shenghai couldn't withstand the force at all; his legs snapped and he knelt on the ground, his leg bones breaking in the middle.

"what……"

A long, mournful cry tore through the night sky and soared into the heavens.

Tang Shenghai was kneeling on the ground, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, his forehead covered in beads of sweat, and his face as pale as paper.

"Don't worry, I won't ask anything." Having finally vented, the pent-up emotions in his chest weren't as intense anymore, and Song Yan had no intention of torturing Tang Shenghai for the time being... Besides, Tang Shenghai would probably tell him some information in order to survive, but who could guarantee that this information was true, or that it was all of it?
If this intelligence is truly important, Tang Shenghai might use it to manipulate him and make other demands... Song Yan ultimately has no intention of letting such a traitor go.

When it comes to torture, Liang Qiaofeng is the real expert.

Professional matters should be left to professionals. Liang Qiaofeng has enough means to make Tang Shenghai understand what it means that even death is a luxury.

His gaze swept over the blood and scattered limbs in the room, and Song Yan blinked... Compared to Liang Qiaofeng, he should be considered the merciful one.

I looked outside; it was already late at night.

Song Yan yawned, ignoring Tang Shenghai who was kneeling on the ground screaming in pain, and walked downstairs step by step.

Upon arriving at the inn's lobby, everyone inside and outside fell silent upon seeing Song Yan's blood-soaked appearance. Judging from her condition, it was clear how horrific the scene upstairs had been.

Even Zhang Ci's face paled.

He lived to be seventy-nine years old.

This is truly the first time I've seen someone with such a bloodthirsty nature as Song Yan.

Song Yan was completely oblivious to how terrifying she looked. She even wore what she thought was a kind smile as she walked straight up to Zhang Ci and patted him on the shoulder.

Zhang Ci's wrinkled old face became as stiff as the floor.

"Don't worry, it's okay."

Only after hearing these words did Zhang Ci finally relax completely. He pursed his lips, and despite his advanced age, he still bowed deeply to Song Yan: "Thank you, Lord Marquis. That person..."

"I'll go to the governor's mansion later." Song Yan stepped aside. He reiterated that a sixteen-year-old boy shouldn't accept such a grand gesture from a seventy-nine-year-old; it would shorten his lifespan. Although he had saved Zhang Yan this time, Zhang Yan was also a citizen of Pingyang City, and this was simply his duty.

They instructed Zhang Ci to bring Zhang Yan away from the governor's residence, and to the outside world, they would say that Zhang Yan was a guest at the governor's residence. With the governor's residence's endorsement, this would preserve Zhang Yan's reputation to the greatest extent possible.

Song Yan waved his hand again, and Zhang Han came over with several personal guards: "The people upstairs are still alive. Take them away and send them to the governor's mansion. Put them in the dungeon and don't let anyone near them. I will arrange for someone to interrogate them."

Zhang Han accepted the order and immediately led dozens of black-armored soldiers upstairs.

Song Yan waved and called the shopkeeper over. He took two taels of silver from his pocket and stuffed them into the shopkeeper's hand: "The floor upstairs may need some repairs, and it may also need a thorough cleaning."

The shopkeeper tremblingly accepted the silver, feeling as if he wanted to cry but couldn't.

Before long, Zhang Han led a group of incomplete people downstairs, and the black-armored soldiers also withdrew.

Hearing the commotion of the soldiers leaving, the merchants who had stayed at the Fenglai Inn cautiously poked their heads out from under their blankets and carefully peered out the window. Seeing that the soldiers were already far away, the entire Fenglai Inn became lively in an instant.

One by one, the guests, with unprecedented speed, quickly put on their clothes, grabbed their luggage, and rushed down the stairs to the bewildered innkeeper.

"Shopkeeper, I need to check out! Hurry up, I need to check out!"

"Oh my god, you scared me to death."

"I would rather die than live here again."

"Wind Inn, I'll remember that."

Even worse, some people refused to pay the room fees they had been paid in advance for the next few days and ran away. Although the soldiers had already withdrawn, who knew if they would come back to attack?

This place is really a bit scary. Compared to my life, that deposit is probably nothing.

The cacophony of sounds assaulted his ears, and the shopkeeper could no longer hold back his tears, which streamed down his face.

woo woo woo woo!

It’s over.

This inn can't stay open any longer.

(End of this chapter)