Chapter 1 In the Darkness

In the darkness, the chaos grew, a cacophony of roars, cries, and sinister laughter, mingled with the gurgling of the Huang River and the rustling of summer breezes through the lush water plants, creating a strange sound akin to the shamanistic rituals of a sacrificial ceremony.

Amidst this din, flames rapidly engulfed the camp on the southern bank of the Huang River, triggering a collapse-like dispersal, as if the fire had just been lit but was immediately fanned by a strong wind, scattering embers everywhere.

Unquestionably, just as wind can only scatter ashes and leaves but cannot move true firewood, several distinct, brightly lit areas quickly formed on the southern bank of the Huang River, maintaining some semblance of order and mobility.

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Xiyin, Chancellor Qin… Minister Wulinda."

Elubu, clad in full armor, rushed into the central courtyard of the market where the emperor and empress were staying. Ignoring the minor officials, he saluted the dignitaries in the courtyard and addressed them solemnly. "This general received word from the Prince of Liao and immediately came to escort you… Unfortunately, I only managed to gather three hundred men in haste. The rest either fled on their own or were difficult to assemble in time."

"That's enough."

The emperor, Qin Hui, and Wulinda Zanmo remained silent, allowing Xiyin, standing below the steps, to take charge. "The enemy's bluster and reluctance to cross the river suggest they are short on troops. With the three hundred men you brought and the four hundred or so Heza Meng'an stationed here, we have enough to protect the emperor's safety… We shall await Heaven's decree."

These words served both as an affirmation of Elubu's support… after all, three hundred men were undoubtedly few, implying that he had left many behind to protect his family… and as reassurance to the emperor and empress, who were still reeling from the shock.

Indeed, Wanyan Hela, also armored and waiting on the steps, visibly relaxed upon hearing this. After a moment, however, the young emperor pressed his hand against the sword at his waist and asked a sensitive question:

"Chancellor Xiyin, is it truly General Ma Wu's troops across the river? If so, why didn't Taiyuan and Huolu surrender directly to the Song? Why didn't he rebel in Dading Prefecture? And why are they coming from across the river instead of pursuing us from behind…"

"Your Majesty, this is not the time to dwell on such matters."

Amidst the flickering flames, Xiyin, dressed as a common Confucian scholar, abruptly interrupted. "Perhaps Yelu Ma Wu has truly defected. Perhaps a small force of Mongols or Khitans arrived in Changning, then persuaded or coerced Yelu Ma Wu. Or perhaps some Khitans, driven by greed, acted without Ma Wu's knowledge. It might even be bandits or tribes wandering nearby who, upon hearing of Changning's events, took on Ma Wu's name… But none of that matters. Even if it is Yelu Ma Wu's troops across the river, they are far fewer than our own. Yet we collapsed and scattered without a fight… The problem lies not across the river, but on this side."

Upon hearing this, Qin Hui, Wulinda Zanmo, and Elubu almost simultaneously nodded in agreement.

After a moment of silence, Hela dejectedly nodded and released his grip on his sword.

"Chancellor is right. The enemy is not to be feared; the problem is within us… We nearly had a mutiny this evening, and now it has become this… Who knows what will happen when we reach Huanglong Prefecture?"

"What is the situation outside?" Xiyin diverted the topic, turning to Elubu.

"The camp is largely out of control, with widespread looting and desertion. Several generals are gathering their troops to hold their ground and await reinforcements, but some believe they know the remaining route well and, despite rallying troops, are actively deserting," Elubu quickly explained. "As for the enemy, as the Chancellor said, they are only making a clamor and have yet to cross the river…"

"Who is deserting? Who is holding firm?" Xiyin pressed.

Qin Hui's eyelids flickered, then silently took a half-step back into the shadows.

"I cannot say for certain who has left or remained, but judging by the lights," Elubu, unaware of Qin Hui's movement, carefully answered Wanyan Xiyin, "General Jiagu Wulibu's area is dark, suggesting he has departed. General Pucha Huzhan's location at the rear is brightly lit, with shouts of command echoing from afar. General Heshelie Taiyu's encampment at the relay station is also well-lit…"

"Wulibu has actually collapsed," Wulinda Zanmo exclaimed, then, as if struck by a thought, abruptly asked, "What about Marshal Talan and Commander Yinshuke?"

"Though they have few troops, they have indeed built fires in their courtyard, making them quite visible… They are, after all, veteran commanders," Elubu replied cautiously. "They are actually adjacent to General Heshelie's camp."

Upon hearing this, Xiyin and Wulinda Zanmo abruptly fell silent, and a hush fell over the courtyard. The others, from the emperor to Elubu, were perplexed but remained patient.

Qin Hui alone remained silent, as always… He dared not utter a single word.

After another pause, Xiyin solemnly spoke beside the brazier, "Elubu, if you were ordered to take your men to burn or destroy the pontoon bridge on the river, how confident are you? How long would it take?"

"In the darkness, aside from knowing that the enemy's forces are likely small, the situation is unclear, making it difficult to say anything with certainty," Elubu quickly replied. "Even if militarily successful, it would take at least half an hour to complete the task and return…"

"Then there is no time," Xiyin said without changing his expression, then calmly asked another question. "In this situation, would you rather stay here to protect the emperor or return to protect His Highness the Prince of Liao?"

As soon as he said these words, whether it was an illusion or not, the already quiet courtyard grew even quieter, a stark contrast to the clamor outside.

After all, the question was vague, even absurd… Elubu himself had been ordered by Wanyan Wuben to escort the emperor.

Moreover, the emperor himself was standing behind him. Did they expect Elubu to declare in front of the eighteen-year-old emperor… Emperor or Prince of Liao, I choose the Prince of Liao?

Yet, these confused, absurd words were spoken by Wanyan Xiyin.

Who was Wanyan Xiyin?

He was the acknowledged first intellect of the Jurchens, one of the creators of the Jurchen state system, the inventor of the Jurchen script, one of the de facto administrators of state affairs in recent years, one of the pillars of the state, and, with the deaths of more and more famous Jurchen princes and generals, a key balancer for the future survival of the state.

At this moment, this chancellor, the Grand Crown Prince, the Prince of Liao Wanyan Wuben, and the emperor standing behind him were the fundamental symbols of the continued existence of the Jin dynasty's Jurchen Wanyan regime.

Therefore, Elubu was momentarily flustered and dared not answer.

Not only Elubu himself but also Wulinda Zanmo was somewhat flustered… Qin Hui hesitated, wanting to appear flustered to blend in with the others, but his performance was stiff, which only highlighted his actual nervousness… Indeed, after this question, Qin Hui finally felt a sense of instinctive disquiet.

The turmoil outside continued. A gust of wind scattered the already chaotic shadows and light in the courtyard, and now, the sound of battle faintly carried on the wind, indicating that the enemy had finally crossed the river.

Xiyin seemed to come back to his senses, then inexplicably gave a response, just as he had inexplicably asked that question:

"I understand… You will stay here and protect the emperor."

Elubu was even more baffled. However, when he nodded in agreement, his gaze swept past Xiyin, Qin Hui, and Wulinda Zanmo behind him, then landed on the silent emperor standing higher up, a glimmer of understanding dawned on him—these words were likely not just for him, or rather, not only for him.

If that was the case, did Wanyan Xiyin truly believe that there was some danger at the Grand Crown Prince's location?

A quarter of an hour later, Elubu's question was answered when he personally went outside to inspect the outer defenses and climbed onto the roof to assess the situation. He saw with his own eyes that after the so-called Yelu Ma Wu's troops crossed the river, their horses thundered and torches lined up, and very few of them were looting indiscriminately. Instead, they headed straight for the location of the Prince of Liao and the Grand Crown Prince Wanyan Wuben!

They showed no hesitation, conducted no reconnaissance, and made no misjudgments—in the middle of the night, amidst the chaos, they crossed the river in haste and struck true.

At this moment, Jiagu Wulibu's forces had dispersed, his own troops had just arrived at the emperor's side, Pucha Huzhan's tribe was far away at the rear, and the Grand Crown Prince could only gather a few hundred men like himself in a hurry.

Seeing this, though it was early summer and even in the borderlands the night was warm with gentle breezes, Elubu felt a chill in his heart.

Another gentle breeze swept by. Elubu, slumped on the roof of the outer perimeter, ordered his men to report to Wanyan Xiyin and the emperor while being carefully helped down to return to before the throne. At the same time, he forced himself to regain his composure and quickly assess the situation:

The current situation was clear: regardless of who had come tonight—Yelu Ma Wu, a Khitan tribe from the west, local Xi bandits, or even Jurchen troops from the east—the key was that there must be an inside accomplice, even a mastermind, within today's fleeing court on the south side of the Huang River… And the target was very clear: the Grand Crown Prince, Prince of Liao Wanyan Wuben.

Why kill the Grand Crown Prince?

The answer to this question had been known throughout the fleeing group since Dading Prefecture (near Chengde). After the Song emperor killed the Fourth Prince, the new message was: first kill the Grand Crown Prince, then set new terms for peace… This was the most crucial issue for the Jin dynasty's exiled court!

Before, killing the Grand Crown Prince and a large number of powerful military figures had already caused such trouble in Yanjing; how much more so now?

However, according to Elubu and most others, this issue should have been discussed and acted upon after the group managed to reach Huanglong Prefecture. Unexpectedly, it was happening here, where Huanglong Prefecture was almost but not quite reached, and Linhuang Prefecture was almost but not quite left behind.

Of course, these were all faits accomplis, and dwelling on them was useless. The key was how should he respond?

Or, to put it more directly, should he try to save him?

Should he proactively suggest going to save him, or should he remain silent and wait for the emperor and Chancellor Xiyin to issue orders?

Or, should he simply advise the emperor and chancellor not to go to save him?

It must be known that the emperor and Chancellor Xiyin had already been very ambiguous in their attitudes. If this attack was indeed orchestrated by someone within the group, then they should not attempt to attack the emperor or others after killing the Grand Crown Prince, right? He could escape and seek a way out. After reaching Huanglong Prefecture, he would see how the peace talks went. At worst, he would plunge into the Changbai Mountains and end his days there!

But why were the emperor and Chancellor Xiyin also behaving this way? Were they also involved? Or, like him, did they have second thoughts at the last moment?

In any case, Elubu's mind raced, but it was only for a moment. He had descended from the roof and returned to the courtyard. On the other side, the emperor and empress, Chancellor Xiyin, Qin Hui, and Minister Wulinda Zanmo had just received word from the guards.

Then, Emperor Hela, his forehead slightly beaded with sweat, could not help but look at Xiyin. Clearly, he had also thought of Xiyin's strange question from before.

"Chancellor Xiyin…" Hela was momentarily anxious. "What is going on? Did General Yelu Ma Wu return under your orders?"

"It has nothing to do with me. I don't know who it is," Wanyan Xiyin replied, spreading his hands. His tone was calm and his expression composed. "It's just that with the departure of the Prince of Wei, the Prince of Liao became the greatest obstacle to peace. Moreover, this location is too precarious. Anyone could attack, and no one would truly send a large army here… Therefore, as soon as the chaos began, I suspected that someone had colluded from within, or that someone had done something foolish, essentially inviting the enemy in."

Hela was speechless upon hearing this, but he was still uneasy.

Originally, because they had fled too quickly, the death of his teacher Han Fang in Yanjing that night remained a mystery to Hela. On the contrary, Wanyan Digunai's words and actions had been confirmed by many, so that night's events were like a thorn deeply embedded in his heart. In recent days, this emperor had been wary and dissatisfied with the Grand Crown Prince and his son, and relied solely on Wanyan Xiyin in all matters.

However, no matter what, Wanyan Wuben had shown him several years of foster care, and Hela never thought of sitting idly by and watching him die.

"Chancellor,"

After only a moment, Hela reached out and took Xiyin's hand. "I did not speak before because I was foolish and did not understand what you meant, but I truly do not intend to let my uncle die… He is my uncle, and he fostered me at home for several years. He is also a meritorious supporter and a ruling prince… If I deliberately pushed him to his death, what face would I have to be the ruler of a country?"

Elubu sighed inwardly but also felt relieved. After all, the emperor's attitude was better than remaining cold and indifferent. More importantly, he no longer had to agonize over what to do—he would simply listen to the emperor and chancellor's orders.

Wulinda Zanmo was also somewhat moved.

As for Qin Hui, he remained silent, only unable to help but glance at Wanyan Xiyin, as if he was recognizing this Jurchen first intellect all over again.

"Your Majesty speaks too late." Wanyan Xiyin did not look at anyone and his tone was indifferent. "The enemy has already crossed the river, and the only troops available to protect you are the three hundred or so men brought by General Elubu… It would have been fine to go and join the Prince of Liao earlier, but now, in the dark, are you not afraid that they will simply collapse along the way? And if General Elubu's troops also scatter, the enemy might dispose of both the emperor and the Prince of Liao together."

Hela was terrified and instinctively looked at the others.

His gaze swept past Qin Hui, Wulinda Zanmo, and Elubu. Only Wulinda Zanmo stepped forward halfway. Hela was just about to reach out to take Wulinda's hand, but he realized that he was still holding Wanyan Xiyin's hand, and he dared not let go. He could only lean forward slightly.

Seeing this, Wulinda Zanmo sighed inwardly, but he respectfully said from below the steps, "Your Majesty… Matters have reached this point, with the country ruined, the family destroyed, the earth collapsing, and the mountains crumbling. Things are beyond human control, so why say more?"

Hela slowly nodded, finally releasing Xiyin's hands. He stepped back and pushed open the half-closed door, just in time to see his empress standing behind the door. He took her hand and turned back inside.

But after only a moment, as the sounds of fighting gradually gathered and stabilized in the distance, this emperor rushed out again, coming to the courtyard and looking around. "Have they engaged? Are you sure they are going after the Prince of Liao?"

Wanyan Xiyin stood in the wind, silent. The others, seeing this, simply lowered their heads and remained silent, like Qin Hui.

After a while, Elubu received a summons from the eunuch and hurried back from the outer perimeter, reporting briefly: "Let Your Majesty know that the Prince of Liao is indeed surrounded and fighting has begun! But please rest assured, His Highness is holding firm…"

Wanyan Hela hesitated, looking at the unmoving Wanyan Xiyin. Finally, he nodded and turned back inside.

After waiting for another quarter of an hour, Hela hurriedly came out again, standing on the steps and asking, "Why is the sound of fighting getting louder?"

Xiyin still did not move. It was Elubu who rushed out again and, after a while, returned to report: "Your Majesty, after the Khitan bandits crossed the river, many looted and got lost. Now they are fighting, and their forces are gradually gathering, so the sound of fighting is getting louder."

Hela sneered, enraged. "Are you sure that all those gathering are stray bandits who crossed the river? And are you sure they are Khitans?!"

Elubu was speechless and could only look at Xiyin… In fact, Hela was half right. Elubu was, after all, a veteran commander and had roughly seen from the outside that those gathering were probably not stray elements of the attacking force. They were more like internal personnel from the camp who had been prepared to guide, assault, and command.

However, the situation was too chaotic, with fleeing families and defeated soldiers everywhere. Moreover, the matter was of great importance, so even if he suspected it, he could not say which faction had sent them.

As for the emperor, Wanyan Xiyin's attitude was so clear, and Elubu had survived the most difficult multiple-choice question at the beginning. Now, he was simply coping.

Turning back to the present, Hela was enraged but saw that no one answered. Helpless, he shook his head and could only return to the room once more.

The gentle breeze continued in the courtyard.

Elubu sighed inwardly and turned back out, continuing to watch the battle from the outer perimeter… He noticed that Pucha Huzhan had once made a move, but the troops he sent out scattered halfway and the lights went out completely. Finally, he did not redeploy.

This was to be expected, as Pucha Huzhan's nephew was married to the Grand Crown Prince's eldest daughter.

He also noticed that those bandits besieging the Grand Crown Prince quickly became organized after receiving support from scattered troops within the camp. They opened up the northwest corner of the Grand Crown Prince's camp, but then began to focus on setting fires from the southeast, trying to end everything with a fire attack.

Seeing the fire about to break out, Elubu knew that the emperor would soon come out again, and he would probably have to make the final decision.

Frankly speaking, until now, Elubu still wanted to save the Grand Crown Prince, provided it did not bring trouble upon himself. Therefore, after hesitating slightly, this Jurchen veteran, who was also a deserter, suddenly turned to his guard captain:

"Go on a trip. Two or three people will suffice."

"What can two or three people do?" The guard captain was baffled.

"There must be Khitans, but the key is to see if there are any Jurchens among them," Elubu explained seriously. "No matter the result, do not tell anyone. I am just curious and want peace of mind… Go quickly and return quickly."

The guard captain nodded and immediately led several quick-witted soldiers away, disappearing into the night.

To Elubu's surprise, he had just waited for the emperor's summons and was slowly coming down from the roof when his guard captain returned… Then, from afar, he nodded slightly in front of the young eunuch who had come to summon him.

Even if Elubu was slow-witted, he knew that there must be Jurchens involved, and probably acquaintances of his own guard, otherwise, they would not have returned so quickly.

Suspecting was one thing, but being sure of it still made this Jurchen veteran's scalp tingle.

"Reporting to Your Majesty."

Returning to the courtyard, the tingling on his scalp had not yet subsided. Elubu could only force himself to reply. "Just as Your Majesty guessed, the Khitan bandits used a fire attack. It is warm in the summer, with constant gentle breezes… Moreover, they deliberately opened a gap facing the river, creating a siege on three sides with one side open… His Highness the Prince of Liao is probably in real danger."

Hela, standing on the threshold, was struck by lightning. His body swayed and he grabbed the doorframe to steady himself. Then, he looked expectantly at Wanyan Xiyin's back.

But Xiyin remained unmoving.

He looked at Elubu, but Elubu only lowered his head.

He looked for Qin Hui, but the courtyard was filled with shifting light and shadows, and he could not find Qin Hui anywhere.

Finally, he looked for Wulinda Zanmo. Wulinda Zanmo finally met the emperor's gaze, but he shook his head slightly.

Seeing this, Hela was helpless, fearful, and heartbroken. Tears streamed down his face and he could only cover his face and return to the room.

In the courtyard, everyone, starting with the expressionless Xiyin, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But soon, a shrill female voice suddenly rang out from the room:

"What is wrong with you, Your Majesty? You were played in the palm of their hands in Yanjing, and now you can only cry in front of me? As the ruler of a country, even on the run, why are you so useless?"

Everyone recognized the Little Empress Peiman and knew that she was only fifteen years old. As for the emperor, with his wisdom and experience, he could understand something in his heart, but the Little Empress was just saying childish things.

But for some reason, knowing that it was the Little Empress's childish talk, everyone in the courtyard could not help but be slightly moved and listened intently.

Soon, the emperor's slightly choked voice came:

"You don't understand… This is not a matter of the emperor's face. I know that Chancellor Xiyin means well, and I know that the current situation is that we are the fish on the chopping block. It would be better for everyone if my uncle died… I just remember my uncle's nurturing and Master Han's teachings… and my Fourth Uncle's merit in supporting me… I didn't have time to save Master Han, and I didn't have time to save my Fourth Uncle… Now, I can't even save my last close uncle! I am not ashamed to be a ruler, but ashamed to be a nephew!"

The whole courtyard was momentarily saddened.

"If you are ashamed, why don't you go to save him?!" The Little Empress's shrill voice rang out again. "The country is already like this, what else is there to worry about?!"

"Chancellor Xiyin won't let me divide the troops…"

"You are the direct descendant of Emperor Taizu, skilled in horsemanship and archery. If Chancellor Xiyin does not allow the generals below to go, can he stop you from personally leading the troops? Didn't you put on armor at the beginning of the night? Were you just putting on a show?!"

Almost everyone in the courtyard looked at the half-closed door at the same time, causing a stir. Even Xiyin was slightly startled.

But soon, Wanyan Xiyin returned to his previous state—calm, natural, as if nothing had happened.

Almost at the same moment, the Little Empress Peiman's voice rang out again:

"Last time in Yanjing, I was startled and hid behind you, and I also felt ashamed… If you truly remember the Prince of Liao's nurturing, then lead the remaining Heza Meng'an to save him! At that time, not to mention saving the Prince of Liao, even the soldiers in the camp will be inspired to gather together!"

Xiyin had already returned to normal, Qin Hui was pale, Elubu was covered in sweat, but Wulinda Zanmo could not help but step forward, seemingly preparing to say something.

Almost without stopping, the Little Empress Peiman urged again from inside the room:

"I just heard clearly that the Prince of Liao is about to be burned to death. His eyes are already diseased, and with the fire and the night, it will be difficult for him to escape… If you dare to go, I will go with you… Save him if you can, and come back if you can't. Even if the chaotic soldiers are fierce, our horsemanship is so good that we can ride away… At worst, we will go downstream along the Huang River…"

Before the words were finished, Hela, in armor and holding a sword, suddenly pushed open the door and appeared in the courtyard again. He took a deep breath, forcibly stopped his tears, and then looked around, gritting his teeth and saying:

"I will personally go to save my uncle! This is not a ruler saving a subject, but a nephew saving an uncle! Chancellor Xiyin, I will take three hundred Heza Meng'an with me!"

"These few hundred Heza Meng'an and the few hundred Heza Meng'an with His Highness the Prince of Liao are the last foundation of the country." Wanyan Xiyin's expression was almost cold. "During the day, with proper armor and warhorses, they can be one against ten, but in this chaotic night, they will easily lose their lives, lose their discipline, and lose their way… Does Your Majesty want to bury the last Heza Meng'an together with the Prince of Liao?"

"I am the direct descendant of Emperor Taizu."

Hela was silent for a moment, gathering his courage to respond. "These two Heza Meng'an were originally the private property of the Wanyan clan… Chancellor need not interfere."

Xiyin nodded, stepping aside halfway, then still stood with his hands behind his back in the gentle breeze.

The meaning was simple—if the emperor wanted to seek death, then he should go. He would not stop him, but he would never participate or agree.

The surrounding civil and military officials, seeing this, were uneasy… Some were indignant at Wanyan Xiyin's coldness and strength, while others were angry and confused by the emperor's impulsiveness.

The current situation was that the country had actually collapsed, but the Jin dynasty of the Jurchen Wanyan clan could maintain its political system entirely because Emperor Hela, Chancellor Xiyin, and Grand Crown Prince Wuben formed a symbolic union.

Tonight's events were essentially that everyone wanted the Grand Crown Prince to die so as not to delay the humiliating peace talks.

But now, the emperor was desperately trying to save the Grand Crown Prince, the greatest obstacle to peace, and Xiyin, whose fundamental position was to be a minister and an administrator, was actually breaking away from the emperor!

From this, it could be seen that the Jin dynasty was truly doomed!

Wanyan Hela also seemed unable to understand why Wanyan Xiyin was behaving so coldly. In his impression, Xiyin was not like this… But things had come to this, and he was, after all, an emperor, an eighteen-year-old boy, with a burst of anger in his heart. How could he stop here?

Therefore, he cupped his hands slightly to Xiyin: "Please, Chancellor and General Elubu, protect the empress here. I will go and return."

After saying this, Wanyan Xiyin only nodded. Hela could no longer bear it, and directly descended the steps with his sword. Three of the Heza Meng'an, the Moke, looked at each other. Finally, three of them chased after him, but the remaining ones, like Elubu, had once moved their feet but ultimately did not follow.

Xiyin just stared at the other's back, without any extra expression.

As for the Little Empress Peiman, she was about to chase out with only a helmet on, but with a wave of Wulinda Zanmo's hand, she was directly pushed back in by the eunuchs.

At the moment when Wanyan Hela remembered that he was the direct descendant of Aguda and went into battle in armor, his uncle, Wanyan Wuben, had completely despaired.

"Digunai, you go!"

Grand Crown Prince Wanyan Wuben was disheveled, holding a hot knife in one hand and covering his constantly watering eye with the other. He stared at his son with his other eye. "They just want to kill me alone to make peace. You are still small and will not be deliberately hunted down… Break out from the northwest, and take your two younger brothers to find Pucha Huzhan… He is your sister-in-law's uncle. Although he didn't save me just now, he is still trustworthy… I can't go in this state."

Digunai cried bitterly, hugging his father's arm that covered his eye. It took him a long time to recover. "Your son can go… But please tell your son… Who is it today? Even if your son has to endure for ten or eight years, he will avenge you."

"I don't know."

Wanyan Wuben shook his head repeatedly upon hearing this. "I don't know… Anyone is possible, too many people want me dead! Everyone wants peace!"

"Is there not even a guess?" Digunai was even more grieved. "You have to give your son something to think about!"

"Perhaps it was the Heshelie tribe's doing, or perhaps Talan and Yinshuke, or those civil officials around the emperor… Xiyin, Qin Hui, Wulinda Zanmo… Maybe even Hela (the emperor)… Anyway, it can't be Ma Wu," Wuben said with a wry smile. "But after my death, you can't temporarily touch Xiyin and Heshelie. Within ten years, don't look for people to inquire about this matter, but insist that Ma Wu did it… Understand?"

"Understood!"

Digunai wiped away his tears and finally let go.

Wuben sighed.

Digunai was about to turn back and put on his helmet to break out when he turned back and grabbed his father's arm again. He struggled forward, biting his father's ear through his hair, but because he had been crying for a long time, he could not exert any strength and only bit out blood.

Wuben understood, and directly pulled out a dagger from his waist, cutting off his ear in his son's mouth. Digunai held his father's ear in his mouth, and without taking the opportunity to make any blood oath, he kowtowed repeatedly on the spot, then put on his helmet, turned, and broke out with several guards towards the opening they had deliberately left in the northwest.

There, his two young brothers were already waiting.

Beside the fire, Wuben, covered in blood, black ash, and dirt, watched his son leave with his ear in his mouth, and breathed a sigh of relief. He then put on his hot helmet, turned around, and charged towards the east, which had not yet been swallowed by the fire but was heavily surrounded, and shouted Yelu Ma Wu's name, demanding that he come forward for a confrontation.

What greeted Wanyan Wuben was a burst of cheers and a shower of arrows… Clearly, someone on the other side recognized his voice.

But he could not worry about these things at all. After roughly estimating that his son had escaped, Wanyan Wuben turned around and rushed into the core area of his camp, acting like a madman. He continuously wielded his knife and killed his two younger daughters and several concubines… But when he rushed into his main wife Tudan Wangfei's room and found that his wife and Digunai's biological mother Dafei had already committed suicide, he finally woke up.

Then, he directly dragged bedding and silk, and before the fire came, he first added a fire to the room himself. Then, he felt his ribs and stabbed his heart with all his strength, enduring the pain, and lay down on his back beside the two concubines.

The fire came completely in a moment. The last ruling prince of the Jin dynasty, in the end, retained one ear without turning into ashes.

On the other side, Wanyan Hela rushed out of the core camp where he was staying, full of pride and anger at first, only wanting to save his uncle and then turn back to see Wanyan Xiyin and others.

However, the huge camp was full of chaotic soldiers, looting, and killing. He carried the emperor's banner and led several hundred Heza Meng'an, but no one heard his words and no one could see his banner clearly.

Not only that, the chaos and darkness seriously stimulated and affected his troops.

People were losing their way every moment… It was not necessarily intentional desertion, but more often than not, they were confused and fell behind, or they could not return after taking a wrong turn, or they suddenly encountered small groups of chaotic soldiers and did not know where they were after a hasty battle.

Wanyan Hela quickly understood the meaning of Xiyin's previous reminder, but because the anger in his heart was difficult to calm, and because he really wanted to save his uncle, and because although the camp was chaotic, Wanyan Wuben's fire was burning, it was not as if he did not know where to go.

The price for this was that when he approached the burning camp, he had only a hundred or so men left.

However, even so, because of the emperor's identity and the blatant announcement, it still caused panic and loss of control among those 'Khitan bandits'.

Of course, Hela soon noticed the strangeness in this so-called Khitan bandit army… And like Elubu's reaction before, although he had guessed it, he still felt his scalp tingle and his feet soften when he saw some people by the fire, and he swayed on his horse.

"It's the emperor!"

Someone turned around in panic in the chaos and found his comrades. "What do we do? He saw me, I wasn't wearing a mask!"

"In that case, we can't let it go this time… We killed Wuben, which is like killing his father… Can we still think of other things?!" Someone always maintained a certain ruthless calmness. "Tonight is not Yanjing!"

"My son is right."

Another person gritted his teeth and then put on a mask and wanted to meet him.

"Father, please wait a moment. A son hides for his father, please let your son do the regicide for you, Father!"

The person who had been slightly calmer took the initiative to pull his father back and then took the other's helmet with a mask and galloped forward in light leather armor.

"Emperor!"

After a while, Hela was trying to shout and drive away those bandits, and promised to pardon them if they put out the fire, when suddenly, a slightly familiar voice came from behind him. He looked back and saw that the acquaintance was waving a war hammer and coming towards him.

The two sides crossed each other, and the war hammer struck with the force of the horse. Hela blocked it with his bow in a hurry, but still fell off his horse on the spot.

Then, the person fled in a panic, disappearing into the night.

In the greater chaos, Hela stared at the familiar figure in the distance, still unable to believe it… But he did not need to believe it… Just as several Heza Meng'an tried to get off their horses to save the emperor, dozens of riders, who had been prepared, rushed forward, scattering the rescue troops. At the same time, several of them, in order, did not hesitate to pull up the reins of the warhorses in front of Hela, raising the warhorses' front hooves high, and then stomping down heavily.

They did this continuously, again and again, and then fled.

The fire was flying, the wind was blowing, the dust was flying, and the Huang River flowed black.

Before dawn, the Khitan bandits shouted that they had killed Wanyan Hela and Wanyan Wuben and fled upstream.

And from dawn, Jin Chancellor Wanyan Xiyin waited for many people and many news in turn.

First of all, Heshelie Taiyu and his son, Wanyan Talan and Wanyan Yinshuke came with their 'remnants'. These people stated that they had worked hard to assist the Grand Crown Prince in the battle last night, and proposed the news that Wanyan Wuben was likely to die in battle, and then subtly inquired about the emperor's whereabouts.

Secondly, soldiers brought the corpse of Emperor Hela… The corpse had been trampled into mud and could only be used as a reference from the helmet and some other characteristics of the candidate.

To this, although Xiyin was silent for a long time, he did not show much sorrow, and even allowed the first group of people to doubt