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As Princess Jinyang arrived at Songzhou City, she reined in her horse, took down the Tang flag from her back, waved it three times, and then called out with a strong voice.
"I, Princess Jinyang of the Tang Dynasty, representing the Tang Heavenly Army, am here to discuss peace talks to avoid loss of life. May I ask if there is anyone in charge who can come forward?"
Princess Jinyang spoke with neither humility nor arrogance, not demanding an audience. If they were sincere, they would come to meet her; if not, they would inevitably face swords.
At that time, Qizong Nongsan held a deep admiration for the flourishing Tang Dynasty. In the eighth year of the Zhenguan era, he had sent envoys to Chang'an to establish goodwill with the Tang. The Sage also valued the first diplomatic mission to Tuguhun and dispatched envoy Feng De with letters of courtesy.
Qizong Nongsan was a far-sighted ruler. Besides forming ties with the Tang Dynasty, he also sent envoys to Lingguo Ni Polo (Nepal) to exchange goods and gather skilled craftsmen. Therefore, he placed great importance on sending envoys to the Tang Dynasty. Hearing that Turkic and the Tuguhun both valued princesses, he sent envoys along with Feng De to pay tribute and propose marriage. Unfortunately, the Sovereign did not grant this request, so he did not receive a title.
Today, seeing Princess Jinyang come alone, Qizong Nongsan was already displeased. Hearing her words that lacked any sense of inferiority but instead carried an air of arrogance made him even more indignant. He stepped onto the city wall and did not speak directly to Princess Jinyang but instructed the interpreter to act as a messenger.
"My King wishes to inform you: may I ask what your envoy seeks within Tuguhun's territory? Why do you not come to greet us with proper etiquette?" This interpreter was also a fabricated Tubo person whose command of the Tang language was quite poor and awkward. However, Princess Jinyang understood his meaning and could not help but retort.
"Under heaven, all land belongs to the king; along all shores, there are no subjects other than his. This city is part of my Tang Dynasty territory, blessed by Imperial Favor. Now it is maliciously occupied by you; how dare you claim superiority? One day when our heavenly army marches here, I will watch how you manage then!"
Xu Zhenxin wished he could avoid entering Songzhou City altogether. He had already scouted the route ahead and thought it would be good enough just to leave after dropping off a letter.
With this in mind, Princess Jinyang turned her horse around and left. Qizong Nongsan on the city wall felt a sense of awe at her presence. After many days without seeing her, she was no longer that young soldier from Tang but had transformed into a formidable general! Moreover, her demeanor exuded strong characteristics of Tang people—sturdy as a stag on the grasslands and sharp as an eagle in the sky!
Seeing Princess Jinyang leave made Qizong Nongsan anxious. He had only heard Murong Hanzhu mention that Goguryeo's power was crumbling and Liaodong was unstable; thus, he believed that the Tang Kingdom would surely send troops against Liaodong. If they attacked from behind Tang's borders, they could leverage their strength to coerce the Tang Kingdom into marrying off a princess.
The journey had gone smoothly; many garrisons in Tang Kingdom were surprisingly weak. Even Qizong Nongsan felt tempted to push deeper into Tang territory.
Murong Hanzhu was also a strategist adept at assessing situations. He knew that Longyou's defenses were weak because they had just defeated the Tuguhun. If it weren't for his secret instigation, Tuguhun would never have dared pluck feathers from a tiger's back.
However, now that the Tang Dynasty had boldly dispatched troops—though renowned generals had not yet arrived—the reputation of the Tang army was not something anyone could underestimate. Thus, seeing Princess Jinyang about to leave led both sides toward an imminent clash. Qizong Nongsan felt flustered and knew that the interpreter's skills were limited; therefore, he leaned out over the city wall to call out again.
"General Xu, it has been a while, yet your spirit remains undiminished!"
Hearing Qizong Nongsan speak in fluent Tang Language, Xu Zhen paused, cupped her hands on horseback, and smiled wryly, "Should I call you Songzan or Zanpu Qizong Nongzan?"
Qizong Nongsan laughed heartily, displaying the demeanor of a sovereign, and did not respond to Xu Zhen's words. Instead, he countered her earlier statement, saying, "Since General Xu has come with sincerity to reconcile, why would you want to leave? Since Songzhou is part of your Tang Dynasty's territory, how can General Xu not seek to advance?"
Xu Zhen initially intended to leave after dealing with Niu Jinda and preserving her own life. However, she was stirred by Qizong Nongsan's words. This Songzhou was indeed the land of the Han People; how could she allow these Tubo People to stand above her and speak condescendingly?
"Songzhou is naturally part of my Tang Dynasty. Once our imperial army arrives, you will be nothing but dust! Although I am merely an envoy, what difficulty is there in entering my own city?"
With her blood boiling, Xu Zhen unfastened her strong crossbow from her waist. The Tubo Soldiers on the city wall drew their weapons in response, but Qizong Nongsan restrained them. He was intrigued; could this Xu Zhen truly possess such extraordinary abilities?
With a cold smile in her heart, Xu Zhen aimed at the parapet and pulled the trigger. The projectile that shot out was not an ordinary arrow but a cross-shaped hook attached to a sturdy line made from tightly twisted fibers.
This device was meticulously crafted by Xu Zhen and Yan Lide before setting off and was named the Skyhook Crossbow. It could be equipped with various scouts and was a powerful tool for scaling walls.
The hook pierced through the parapet and caught onto the edge of the city wall. With a firm grip on the crossbow, Xu Zhen pulled the trigger again. The rope began to retract swiftly as she used the momentum to spring off her horse. With a few light touches against the wall, she gracefully ascended to the City Wall—truly a divine technique!
Qizong Nongsan and his companions watched in astonishment. They praised Tang for its skilled artisans but never expected such sharp ingenuity. Fortunately, Zanpu managed to stop this general called Xu Zhen; otherwise, if she returned unharmed, Songzhou might truly be unable to hold its ground!
Murong Hanzhu did not wish to confront Xu Zhen directly. Seeing her reveal herself, he hid among his many aides and communicated with Qizong Nongsan through his attendants.
Xu Zhen elegantly climbed onto the City Wall without paying respects to Qizong Nongsan. She merely raised her head slightly and smiled, saying, "Zanpu, let’s see how this unfolds. If you provoke my Sage, it may well lead us all the way to Lhasa!"
"What audacity!"
Qizong Nongsan admired Tang Feng; scholars practiced Confucius and Mencius among other teachings and had experts in Tang Language. Upon hearing Xu Zhen's words, he quickly spread the message around him. The surrounding military officials were enraged and prepared to strike down Xu Zhen!
However, the Xu Zhen, though alone in the tiger's den, had already cast aside her personal fears and focused solely on the might of the Tang Dynasty. At this moment, she felt as if she were a native Tang person, filled with a sense of national and ethnic honor that would not allow anyone to infringe upon it!
A Tibetan General furiously drew his sword. He was as tall as a bear, clad in heavy yak leather armor, with braids in his hair, swinging his large blade to strike at her waist!
"Stop! Do not offend the Tang Envoy!" Qizong Nongsan saw the murderous intent flashing in the Xu Zhen's eyes and felt an extreme sense of strangeness. He could not understand where this courage came from; clearly alone, she seemed to possess the bravery and boldness of thousands, showing no fear whatsoever!
Yet the Tibetan General could not halt his blade's momentum and indeed struck the Xu Zhen!
"Clang!"
The large blade struck against her Red Armor, which was already marked with numerous scars from previous battles, leaving another deep mark. The Xu Zhen slid back two steps but managed to steady herself, though her chest felt a wave of pressure from the impact!
Activating the Enhanced I Ching Cleansing Inner Power Manual, the Xu Zhen took deep breaths to regulate her internal energy. Suddenly lifting her head, her eyes burst forth with an unassailable fierceness like that of a lion!
"This... The Tang Kingdom's armor is surprisingly strong!"
"If their soldiers are all equipped with such armor, our blades and swords would be useless!"
Many Tubo people were equally astonished; they had not expected that the Tibetan General's strike would only leave a mark on the Xu Zhen's armor without injuring her in the slightest!
The Xu Zhen paid no mind to their discussions. Her eyes sparkled like lightning, and the stubble from her long journey gave her an even more seasoned and composed appearance. However, at this moment, she placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, causing the surrounding soldiers to feel an overwhelming killing intent!
"Zanpu, this is no way to treat guests... Let me teach you and your subordinates a lesson!"
Qizong Nongsan was also shaken; this Xu Zhen was not very old, yet how had she accumulated such a fierce aura?
The Tibetan General tensed up as well; however, he was not new to the battlefield. He puffed out his chest, gripped his large blade tightly, and fixed his gaze unwaveringly on the Xu Zhen!
Xu Zhen took a deep breath, her legs powered like strong steel springs, her body moving like a shadow, leaving no trace as she executed the stealthy assassination technique taught by Caesar.
The Tibetan General had just raised his blade when he felt a sharp pain in his hand; the wide, heavy sword was unexpectedly sliced into two by Xu Zhen's long knife!
One half of the blade flew away, embedding itself in the ground, startling a group of Tubo Army soldiers as if they were wooden chickens or foolish dogs!
However, Xu Zhen was not yet finished. With a cold smile, she said, "You struck me with your blade; let me return the favor! This is the principle I teach you—reciprocity!"
Qizong Nongsan was greatly shocked and quickly shouted, "Spare him, General!"
The long knife of Xu Zhen transformed into a flash of cold light, slicing through the extremely tough Yak Armor of the Tibetan General, tearing it apart along with the sheepskin lining underneath. It was only a hair's breadth away from cutting open his chest!
She swiftly sheathed her knife and did not provoke the already pale-faced Tibetan General any further. The latter's legs went weak, and he was helped down by his attendants, truly a sight of disgrace!
Qizong Nongsan sighed deeply. Although he lost face, he saved the general's life. He was not like the Tang People, who valued face so highly; instead, as someone from the plateau, he prioritized the lives of his people.
Standing tall, Xu Zhen presented a letter with both hands and addressed Qizong Nongsan: "Zanpu, well-versed in classics, should know that when an ordinary man is enraged, two bodies may fall; when an emperor is enraged, millions may die and blood may flow for miles. Whether it concerns me or my family’s Sage, this matter will not end well. I hope Zanpu considers this carefully..."
Though Qizong Nongsan had read some poetry and literature, he only partially understood Xu Zhen's words. Just as he was about to inquire further, news came from behind him that Murong Hanzhu had decided to release Xu Zhen!
With a cold laugh, Xu Zhen glanced back at the crowd behind Qizong Nongsan, her gaze landing on the smiling face of Murong Hanzhu. The two exchanged nods as if greeting each other!
Observing how Xu Zhen had come alone and left alone after displaying her might left Qizong Nongsan feeling uneasy. He turned to ask Murong Hanzhu.
Murong Hanzhu shook her head lightly with a smile, seemingly lamenting for Xu Zhen, muttering to herself: "In the end, she just isn't ruthless enough... If she were a bit harsher, things might have turned out differently..."
After repeated questioning from Qizong Nongsan, Murong Hanzhu finally replied: "Zanpu now owes Xu Zhen a life..."
Qizong Nongsan was puzzled and recalled the actions of Xu Zhen. He ordered someone to investigate the classic source of the furious man's words, and eventually, someone found the origin in Warring States Strategies. As he read through the lines, Qizong Nongsan couldn't help but break into a cold sweat, feeling immensely relieved. If it weren't for Murong Hanzhu intervening to release Xu Zhen, this matter would not have ended well!
This passage describes how Qin Wang desired the land of Anling Jun, but Anling Jun was unwilling to relocate their ancestral land. Qin Wang sought advice from Tang Ju, who replied, "The land was granted to Anling Jun by their ancestors, and they guard it fiercely. Even if it is a thousand miles away, they would not easily part with it; how could they agree to exchange for just five hundred miles?"
Qin Wang was enraged and asked Tang Ju, "Have you ever heard of the anger of the Son of Heaven?" To which Tang Ju replied, "I have not heard of it." Qin Wang declared, "The anger of the Son of Heaven can result in millions of corpses and rivers of blood!"
Qin Wang was narrow-minded, implying that if Anling Jun did not agree to exchange territories, his fury would lead to war between both sides, resulting in countless deaths and bloodshed.
However, Tang Ju remained composed and countered, "Have you ever heard of the anger of commoners?"
This made Qin Wang sneer and inadvertently say, "The anger of commoners is merely a matter of them going bareheaded and barefoot to fight for land."
But Tang Ju responded earnestly, "That is the anger of fools, not that of scholars. The assassinations by Zhuan Zhu, who killed Wang Liao; the comet striking the moon; Nie Zheng, who assassinated Han Kai; the white rainbow piercing the sun; and Leave, who attacked Qing Ji; these three men were all commoners. They harbored their anger without expressing it. When calamity descends from heaven, they will rise up with me as four men. If scholars were to be angry, there would be two corpses lying down and blood flowing five steps. The world would be draped in mourning today; thus I shall draw my sword!"
(Note: Zhuan Zhu, Nie Zheng, and Leave are all famous historical assassins.)
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