"What is it?" Zhou Fugui asked Lin Yue.
As long as Lin Yue needed him, his life and that of the soldiers in his White Tiger Camp would be safe for the time being, and he might have a chance to escape, Zhou Fugui mused inwardly.
However, Lin Yue seemed to see through Zhou Fugui's thoughts. She looked at him and said coldly, "Zhou Fugui, you are as cunning as a fox. I cannot guarantee that you won't escape again. But all your subordinates are in death row. If you dare to make any rash moves, they will all die, and they will die in great agony."
"Captain Zhou..." Lin Yue then smiled charmingly, "You wouldn't care about their lives, would you?"
"Even the most cunning fox cannot outsmart the hunter," Zhou Fugui said with a bitter smile upon hearing this. "What do you need me to do? Just say it."
Lin Yue threatened Zhou Fugui with the lives of the White Tiger Camp soldiers, so Zhou Fugui had no choice but to comply. What else could he do? These were brothers he had lived and fought with day and night. Zhou Fugui had to save them, let them return to their homeland, and reunite with their families.
Thus, Zhou Fugui gave up his intention to escape and could only follow Lin Yue's arrangements.
"But let me be clear, if you ask me to do something unjust or improper, I will never comply, even if it means death," Zhou Fugui then said to Lin Yue.
"Heh heh..." Lin Yue let out a string of silvery laughter. "Don't worry, it will only bring you benefits, no harm."
"Only benefits, no harm? What do you mean?" Zhou Fugui asked, frowning.
"It depends on whether you have the courage," Lin Yue replied.
"I dared to go deep into the tiger's den, do you think I lack courage?" Zhou Fugui grinned and said.
"Hmm, your reputation, Zhou Fugui, must be known throughout the world now," Lin Yue nodded. She fanned herself with her hand, then frowned. "Why do you smell so bad? It's an overwhelming stench."
As always, Lin Yue was still afraid of bad odors, especially the smell of sweat, blood, or even urine and feces from human bodies. Lin Yue was almost overcome by the stench emanating from Zhou Fugui.
"This little lady..." Zhou Fugui chuckled awkwardly and said, "For the past few months, you have been chasing me like a rabbit, running all over the place. How could I possibly attend to such matters? Next time, heh, next time, next time I will definitely bathe and change, wash myself clean and fragrant, and welcome Your Highness, the Princess Consort."
"Guards, attend to Captain Zhou for bathing and changing," Lin Yue nodded.
"Bathing and changing again? Can't we talk without bathing?" Zhou Fugui asked, feeling both amused and exasperated.
"Don't you want to?" Lin Yue asked with a charming smile.
"Of course, I do. I haven't bathed in months. What's wrong with a comfortable bath? But..." Zhou Fugui raised his bound hands and said, "Before bathing, shouldn't you untie me first?"
If they untied him, he could perhaps take her hostage and escape, Zhou Fugui thought to himself.
"Hmm..." Lin Yue was about to agree, but she saw a trace of cunning in Zhou Fugui's eyes. She patted her chest, thinking how close she was to being fooled again.
"Captain Zhou..." Lin Yue said coldly afterward.
"What is it?" Zhou Fugui asked, raising his hands.
"Are you forcing me to do something cruel?" Lin Yue asked coldly.
"What do you mean by that?" Zhou Fugui asked in surprise.
"You are a fox, and a tiger and leopard," Lin Yue said coldly. "And here, to restrain a tiger, we use iron chains! Through your arm bones, your wrists and ankles, or sever your tendons, you, this tiger and leopard, will never be able to run again."
"Enough, enough," Zhou Fugui was immediately startled. If Lin Yue really did that, wouldn't he be crippled? Even if he survived, he would be a useless person, better off dead than alive. So, terrified, he quickly said, "I have to take off my clothes to bathe, right? Don't I need to be untied to take off my clothes?"
It seems I have to go along with her, Zhou Fugui thought to himself, otherwise this tigress is capable of anything.
"It seems you still haven't given up," Lin Yue shook her head, took a few steps forward, and took down a delicate short sword hanging on the wall.
"Clang!"
The blade and sheath collided with a crisp sound. Lin Yue walked towards Zhou Fugui, holding the sword.
"What do you want to do?" The flashing sword light startled Zhou Fugui, and he asked fearfully, looking at the short sword in Lin Yue's hand.
At this point, he had no fear of death. A single stab would be a quick end. Zhou Fugui was only afraid that Lin Yue would torture him slowly, cutting here and there, or even to the most vital part...
As Zhou Fugui thought about it, beads of sweat visibly appeared on his forehead and trickled down his cheeks.
"Pfft!" Seeing this, Lin Yue couldn't help but mock Zhou Fugui, "You're not afraid of death, are you? What do you fear from this little short sword?"
"Chop... chop... chop..."
Lin Yue then, without waiting for Zhou Fugui to speak, swung the short sword towards him. The sword light flashed, and Zhou Fugui's clothes fell to pieces.
What was astonishing was that while Zhou Fugui's clothes were cut into shreds and scattered on the ground, the ropes binding him remained untouched, and his skin was almost unharmed. With a slightly heavier stroke, a shallow cut appeared on his shoulder, and a few drops of blood welled up.
Lin Yue's swordsmanship was indeed quite remarkable.
Zhou Fugui stood there like a tightly bound suckling pig.
The skin exposed to the sun and rain on Zhou Fugui's body had become bronzed, but the parts usually hidden from view were, of course, white. Thus, at this moment, Zhou Fugui could be considered a "white pig."
However, because he hadn't bathed for a long time, Zhou Fugui's body was a patchwork of white and black. The white was his usual hidden skin, while the black was the dirt and grime on his body. It was a mix of black and white, like a zebra on the plains.
With his clothes gone, the foul odor from Zhou Fugui's body became even more intense, filling the enclosed room and making people feel nauseous, like a gas bomb with its casing removed.
Even the several female slaves in the room covered their noses and mouths, their faces showing expressions of fear.
Even the real pigs in the sty didn't smell as bad as him. It was an unimaginable, rare foul odor. The women wished they could immediately throw Zhou Fugui into the pigsty and let him mingle with the actual pigs.
With a "plop," Lin Yue tightly bound her mouth and nose with a silk scarf. Coupled with the veil on her face, this double layer of protection made the situation slightly better. She waved her hand, and four female slaves carried the completely naked Zhou Fugui, bound like a large white pig, and threw him into a pool of water. The four female slaves then used brushes to scrub the dirt off Zhou Fugui's body, just like scrubbing a pig.
...
"Commander Hailieku, why have you come here?"
Late at night, outside the palace where the Xiongnu Prince Bian and Princess Consort Lin Yue resided, Hailieku, a commander under Great Chieftain Duoyongjian, suddenly arrived with his men. A guard captain guarding the entrance drew his saber and shouted loudly, signaling his subordinates to prepare for battle.
It was clear that Hailieku's visit was not friendly. Hailieku was sent by Duoyongjian to monitor Lin Yue, so the two were like sworn enemies.
"I have an urgent matter to seek an audience with His Highness and the Princess Consort," Hailieku said, approaching with a few men, a smile on his face.
"His Highness and the Princess Consort have retired for the night. Any matters can be discussed tomorrow. Commander Hailieku, please return," the guard captain said to Hailieku.
"Alas, is that so..." Hailieku sighed and said, "But there is an urgent order from the Great Chieftain, and I dare not delay."
"What order is it? I will relay it," the guard captain said to Hailieku, not daring to be negligent upon hearing it was an urgent order from the Xiongnu Great Chieftain.
"Hmm..." Hailieku nodded and reached into his embrace, seemingly for a letter. However, he pulled out a sharp blade and, with lightning speed, slit the throat of the guard captain blocking his way.
The blade was incredibly sharp, slicing through the guard's trachea as if it were tofu.
The guard captain's eyes widened in fury, glaring at Hailieku. Blood bubbled from his throat. He opened his mouth, but could not speak. He slowly knelt to the ground, his body twitching, his death imminent.
"Puff! Puff! Puff!"
"Ah..."
As Hailieku acted, his subordinates simultaneously drew their weapons and cut down the several guards at the gate. The sound of blades cutting into flesh echoed continuously, and the shrill screams pierced the quiet night, reverberating above the palace of Prince Bian and Princess Consort Lin Yue of the Xiongnu.
With a "bang," fortunately, the guard captain had given a warning in advance. As the situation suddenly changed, the guards inside the gate desperately closed the large door. The guards outside were all killed by Hailieku and over a thousand Xiongnu soldiers. Their bodies lay scattered everywhere, and blood stained the entire staircase.
The so-called palace where Prince Bian and Princess Consort Lin Yue of the Xiongnu resided was actually just a slightly larger stone building complex, with more than ten rooms, and the highest point was no more than three stories, far from being a true palace complex. The palace gate was also the same, not as sturdy as a gate made of thick wood encased in copper and iron. Therefore, the palace gate of Prince Bian and Princess Consort Lin Yue could only hold them back for a while.
"That slut Lin Yue is colluding with rebels and plotting rebellion! Kill! Kill your way in! Capture that slut and the rebel leader, and the Great Chieftain will surely reward you handsomely!"
Hailieku raised his saber and shouted loudly, ordering his subordinates to kill their way into the palace.
Hailieku had taken advantage of the fact that Lin Yue's army had left the city to capture Lin Yue and Zhou Fugui and present them to Duoyongjian for merit. Therefore, they were well-prepared.
Several burly men carried a battering ram and rammed it against the palace gate.
The battering ram struck the palace gate, making loud noises. The thin palace gate, almost like that of an ordinary wealthy household, was quickly smashed open. Hailieku's over a thousand Xiongnu soldiers then rushed into the palace, brandishing torches.
How could the dozen or so guards outside the gate withstand the Xiongnu soldiers surging in like a tide?
The over a thousand Xiongnu soldiers were only delayed for a moment before they rushed into the stone building where Lin Yue resided, divided into two groups, brandishing torches and weapons. Inside the palace, there were more than a dozen corpses.
At this moment, a "white pig" on the third floor of the stone house happened to witness this scene and was so shocked that his mouth fell open. He was speechless for a long time.
Over a thousand Xiongnu rebels poured into the palace like a tide. The leader was Commander Hailieku, a subordinate of Duoyongjian. The "white pig" recognized him.