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After the banquet, everyone went to their assigned rooms to rest. Lin Enzhe, Lin Cheng, and Lin Ning were arranged to stay in one room together. After a long day of travel, they all fell into a deep sleep. In the middle of the night, Lin Ning suddenly felt the urge to use the restroom. He got up, put on his outer garment, and pushed open the door to step outside. As he passed by one room, he noticed that it was brightly lit inside. Although the doors and windows were tightly shut, he could still clearly hear voices coming from within. The sounds of Princess of Yue Ming County and others shouting and drinking echoed in Lin Ning's ears as he quickly walked past her room.
After returning from the restroom, Lin Ning passed by Princess of Yue Ming County's room once more and heard a young man's voice coming from inside: "This exquisite golden phoenix hairpin was obtained by this prince during a recent expedition with the Great Khan at the home of a local wealthy merchant. This merchant had countless treasures, and the Great Khan selected a few items to reward some loyal subjects while ordering the rest to be hidden away." Upon hearing this young man's words, Lin Ning's sleepiness vanished instantly. He recalled what Lin Enzhe had told him a few days ago about Nurhaci hiding a large stash of treasures. Now that he suddenly heard this young man mention treasures, he immediately paid close attention to the conversation inside.
Lin Ning thought about how this young man referred to himself as "this prince," suggesting that he was likely a relative closely associated with Nurhaci, just like Princess of Yue Ming County. He wondered if they knew the location of the hidden treasures. How could he probe these two individuals? After pondering for a moment, he came up with an idea. He gently knocked on the door of Yue Ming County's room, and a servant inside asked, "Who is it at this late hour?"
Lin Ning replied, "I am Lin Ning, the second son of the Lin family who came today to visit His Highness with my father."
The door creaked open as a servant let him in. Lin Ning saw a small table on the kang in the room where a young man dressed in fine garments was sitting cross-legged, drinking and eating heartily. Princess of Yue Ming County sat on the edge of the kang near the table, playing with a golden phoenix hairpin. Upon seeing Lin Ning, she expressed mild surprise: "You must be Master Lin's second son! Why are you still awake at this hour? Did you come here to ask for a drink?"
Lin Ning thought to himself how she underestimated him; if he wanted a drink, he wouldn't need to come here to beg for one. Suppressing his anger, he smiled and said, "Yes, I couldn't sleep earlier and decided to take a stroll. I noticed that Princess of the County's room was still lit and smelled delicious food and wine inside, so I thought I might ask for a cup of wine."
Princess of Yue Ming County instructed her servant to bring out some utensils and invited Lin Ning to join them for drinks. She introduced the young man beside her: "This is my uncle Hong Taiji's eldest son, Hao Ge."
Lin Ning performed a respectful gesture towards Hao Ge but was met with a disdainful glance from him followed by a cold snort—his way of acknowledging Lin Ning. Although Lin Ning noted Hao Ge's arrogance, he maintained his composure. He glanced at the beautifully crafted golden phoenix hairpin in Princess of Yue Ming County's hand and feigned surprise as he asked, "This hairpin is so beautiful! It must be worth quite a lot of silver!"
Princess of Yue Ming County proudly replied, "Of course! This hairpin is made from top-quality gold and is among the finest jewels." Noticing that Lin Ning was staring at the hairpin in awe as if he had never seen anything like it before, she decided to show off further. Clearing her throat, she said, "While this hairpin is lovely, it pales in comparison to the treasures collected by the Great Khan!"
Lin Ning's mind raced: "Is she referring to Nurhaci's treasures?"
"Indeed," Princess of Yue Ming County confirmed. "There are many treasures in the Great Khan's palace; if you were to see them, you would surely be amazed!"
Lin Ning had expected the Princess of Yue Ming County to share some valuable secrets, but instead, she merely informed him that there were treasures within Nurhaci's palace. After Nurhaci established the Later Jin regime and made Hetuala his capital, it was only natural for his palace to house rare and exotic treasures. However, it was impossible for him to hide his treasures within his palace. This thought left Lin Ning feeling quite disappointed.
Then Lin Ning reconsidered; he realized that only those whom Nurhaci trusted would know the location of the treasures. There was no way he would disclose such sensitive information to a young girl like the Princess of Yue Ming County! Even Hao Ge, despite being Nurhaci's own grandson, might not be privy to such confidential matters. With this in mind, Lin Ning sighed, "Ah, how could I possibly have the fortune to admire these treasures in the Great Khan's palace?"
Seeing Lin Ning's forlorn expression, the Princess suddenly slammed her hand on the table and exclaimed, "I have a great idea! Tomorrow, I’ll go to Hetuala with Hao Ge to pay respects at our Aisin Gioro family's ancestral tomb. You should come with me! We can first meet the Great Khan at his palace, and then the day after tomorrow will be the actual day for our ancestral rites. You can disguise yourself as my personal guard, and that way you’ll get to see those rare treasures in the Great Khan's palace!"
Lin Ning thought this was indeed a good idea; he would also have a chance to see Nurhaci. Just as he was about to respond to the Princess of Yue Ming County, Hao Ge interjected from the side, "Yue Ming, you’re being foolish again. How can you take this barbarian to meet the Great Khan?"
The Princess pouted unhappily and replied, "What’s wrong with that? I want to take him to meet the Great Khan; it’s none of your business!"
Hao Ge sighed in resignation, "Fine, let it be your way. But you must tell this barbarian that when he meets the Great Khan, he needs to understand proper etiquette and not speak out of turn."
The Princess of Yue Ming County cheerfully told Lin Ning, "It’s getting late; you should head back to your room and rest. We’ll set off for Hetuala early tomorrow morning."
Upon returning to his room, Lin Ning found Lin Enzhe waiting for him. Noticing that Lin Ning had been gone for quite some time, he asked what had happened. Lin Ning recounted everything that had taken place in the Princess’s room. After a moment of contemplation, Lin Enzhe said, "Ning'er, going to Hetuala alone is very dangerous. Perhaps you should let Uncle Xiong accompany you."
Lin Ning replied, "Uncle Xiong can't come with me to Hetuala; that would raise suspicion. If I go alone, I won’t attract their attention. I will act according to circumstances and see if I can find any clues about the treasure's location."
Lin Enzhe thought that apart from following Lin Ning's plan, there really wasn’t a better option available. He told Lin Ning, "Alright then, just make sure to stay safe and return quickly so we can regroup."
Lin Ning nodded in agreement. They both glanced at Lin Cheng who was sound asleep nearby and soon felt drowsy themselves. Like Lin Cheng, both Lin Enzhe and Lin Ning fell into a deep slumber.
Early the next morning, Lin Ning set off towards Hetuala with Hao Ge, the Princess of Yue Ming County, and others. Miao Shuyan, Xiong Yanbi, and the others learned that Lin Ning was going to Hetuala alone, and they were quite worried. However, all they could do was silently pray for Lin Ning's safe return.
Hetuala was over three hundred miles from Shengjing. Hao Ge, the Princess of Yue Ming County, and their companions rode excellent horses and reached Hetuala in less than half a day. Upon arriving at the palace of Nurhaci in Hetuala, the guards reported to Nurhaci that Hao Ge and the Princess of Yue Ming County requested an audience with the Great Khan.
After Nurhaci granted permission for Hao Ge and the Princess of Yue Ming County to meet him, the three entered the grand hall. Lin Ning noticed that the hall was magnificently constructed, exuding an imposing aura. As they stepped into the main chamber, Lin Ning saw a robust man in his sixties seated on the dragon throne. He had a commanding presence with a broad face, deep-set eyes filled with wisdom, and an air of great ambition and capability. It was clear that this man was Nurhaci, who had caused much trouble for the Ming Dynasty. After bowing in respect to Nurhaci, he ordered seats to be provided for them.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Ning glanced around at the hall's decor. To the left of Nurhaci's dragon throne stood a round table made of redwood, upon which rested a large cabbage intricately carved from a single piece of jadeite. Between its two leaves lay a massive luminous pearl that illuminated the entire hall with a golden radiance. On the eastern wall of the hall hung a banner woven from red satin, embroidered with golden threads forming a seven-character poem that read:
Jurchen Heroes emerge from Jianzhou,
Thirteen remnants of armor rise like dragons.
Heavenly timing, geographical advantages, and harmony among people assist.
The Eight Banners march with iron steeds.
For forty years in the military life,
No one can stand against their might.
The foundation of the Sweat King’s great enterprise is laid,
Unprecedented turning the world upside down!
In the lower right corner of this poem, the golden threads clearly weave the words "Yehe Brother Dong gifts to Great Khan." Lin Ning's heart raced, and her mind raced even faster: My father told me that the Yehe old woman, Brother Dong, gifted a poem to Nurhaci, and the location of the treasure is hidden within this poem. The first line mentions the Jianzhou Jurchen. Although the Jianzhou Jurchen had a vast living range, their origin lies in Hetuala. Hetuala is also where Nurhaci was born. The second line of the poem mentions "the dragon rises," which generally indicates that a family's ancestral grave is located where that family flourished. The ancestral grave of the Aisin Gioro clan is indeed in Hetuala. Could it be that this treasure is hidden in Hetuala? Inside the ancestral grave of the Aisin Gioro clan? With this thought, Lin Ning suddenly felt enlightened. Yes, the treasure must be within the ancestral grave of the Aisin Gioro clan in Hetuala!
Lin Ning never expected to obtain this poem so easily, nor to effortlessly decipher the location of the treasure. While he appeared calm on the surface, his heart was racing with excitement.
At that moment, he heard Nurhaci asking Hao Ge, "The Ming army has three strongest defensive points in Liaodong: Kaiyuan, Shengjing, and Liaoyang. We have already taken Kaiyuan. If I wish to attack Shengjing and Liaoyang to the west, which city do you think we should strike first?" Without hesitation, Hao Ge replied, "I believe we should attack Liaoyang first. The current commander of the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong is Yuan Yingtai, a mere civilian official who knows nothing about warfare. Our only concern is that old man Xiong Yanbi. With a civilian official guarding Liaoyang, our army can easily capture this city. Once Liaoyang falls, Shengjing will be ours!"
After speaking, Hao Ge looked at Nurhaci, hoping to see approval on his face. Nurhaci smiled but remained silent. He then turned to the Princess of Yue Ming County and asked, "Do you agree with Hao Ge's opinion?" The Princess shook her head and said, "Kaiyuan, Shengjing, and Liaoyang form a triangle and create a network of defenses. Now that Kaiyuan has fallen, we can attack either of the remaining cities and take them down. However, we must maximize our troop efficiency. Liaoyang is the political and economic center of the Ming Dynasty in the northeast and is heavily fortified; it is known as the strongest city in Liaodong. If we directly assault this hard target, while we might succeed, we would suffer heavy losses ourselves—something that military strategists avoid at all costs. Therefore, I suggest that the Great Khan first attack Shengjing, where their forces are relatively weaker."
Lin Ning listened to the Princess's response and couldn't help but admire her insight; he hadn't expected this delicate little princess to analyze the pros and cons of the war so accurately. Nurhaci nodded approvingly at the Princess of Yue Ming County and said, "Good child, your thoughts are excellent. The Great Khan knows what to do now." Hao Ge had intended to show off in front of Nurhaci but found himself outdone by the Princess. He shot her an annoyed glare.
At that moment, Nurhaci reached out his right hand to take a teacup from a wooden tray held by a nearby maid and took a sip of tea. The Princess's eyes brightened as she noticed a jade ring on Nurhaci's right thumb that was a vibrant green and seemed almost to glisten with moisture. She loved rare treasures and thought to herself, "That jade ring is simply beautiful; how wonderful it would be if the Great Khan gifted it to me."
Nurhaci continued speaking, "Tomorrow I will personally attend the ancestral worship ceremony. After this ceremony, there will be a martial arts competition for young warriors from your generation; your fathers and I will not participate. The ultimate victor will become the first warrior of our great Jin Dynasty."
After meeting with Nurhaci, Hao Ge, the Princess of Yue Ming County, and Lin Ning each had their own thoughts. Hao Ge pondered how he could become the first warrior of the Jin Dynasty. The Princess had her eyes set on Nurhaci's jade ring. Lin Ning was thinking about how he might find the specific entrance to the treasure site near the cemetery while accompanying the Princess for ancestral worship tomorrow.
Early the next morning, at the hour of the Rabbit, the Aisin Gioro family set off in grand procession towards their ancestors' mausoleum. The mausoleum was located at the southern foot of Qiyun Mountain in Yongling Town, northwest of Hetuala City. It was backed by mountains to the north and bordered by water to the south, making it a rare feng shui treasure. This would later become known as one of the three major mausoleums of the Qing ancestors, the Qing Yongling.
As they approached the mausoleum from a distance, Lin Ning saw a dense mass of soldiers stationed around the area.
Seeing such a formidable presence, Lin Ning felt a surge of anxiety. He thought to himself: There are at least tens of thousands of soldiers guarding the Aisin Gioro family ancestral tomb. Even if this is a treasure site and I know the entrance to the treasure, how can I deal with these thousands of soldiers?
In no time, their group arrived at the entrance of the mausoleum. Everyone dismounted and walked into the grounds. Lin Ning noticed that inside the mausoleum were tall pines and cypress trees, creating a solemn atmosphere. Along the bluestone path, there was a soldier armed with weapons standing guard every five or six steps. The entire mausoleum covered an area of about ten thousand square meters but was densely packed with soldiers; it was so tightly secured that not even a fly could enter, let alone dig for treasure.
Lin Ning followed closely beside Yue Ming County, constantly observing every detail within the mausoleum. However, after inspecting every corner, he found no clues regarding the entrance to the treasure.
After Nurhaci and his grandchildren burned incense and prayed to their ancestors, they arrived at an open space outside the mausoleum. Nurhaci addressed the young warriors, saying, "Currently, our Jin Dynasty is engaged in fierce battles against the Ming army. The Jin Dynasty needs a large number of brave warriors to fight for our country and expand our territory. The winner of today's contest will be honored as a Batulu! The Batulu will lead the army as the vanguard of the Jin Dynasty to attack Shengjing and Liaoyang!"
Upon hearing Nurhaci's speech, the young warriors raised their weapons and shouted in unison, "Batulu! Batulu! Batulu..." Nurhaci raised his hands to quiet them, and the cheers gradually subsided. He then announced, "The contest officially begins. Who among you will be the first to challenge?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Du Du, the eldest son of Chu Ying, stepped into the arena. He clasped his fists and said to the young warriors, "Which brother dares to compete with me?" Dai Shan's second son, Shuo Tuo, stepped forward and simply replied, "Please!" In an instant, the two began exchanging blows.
Both were skilled fighters; Du Du was a few years older than Shuo Tuo and had accumulated considerable combat experience while following his uncles on various campaigns since Chu Ying was executed by Nurhaci. His martial arts were steady and solid. Although Shuo Tuo was younger, he was particularly fiery and wild in temperament. They exchanged dozens of blows without a clear victor. Shuo Tuo launched a fierce attack with his left palm slicing through the air towards Du Du's neck. Du Du sidestepped to avoid the wind from Shuo Tuo's palm but leaned back slightly to create an opening. Seizing the opportunity, Shuo Tuo concentrated all his strength into a kick aimed at Du Du's abdomen. Before Shuo Tuo's leg could reach him, Du Du sprang up and delivered a powerful kick to Shuo Tuo's right leg. Shuo Tuo fell to the ground and did not get up for a while. His personal guard helped him up, and he limped back into the crowd with their support.
With his first victory secured, Du Du felt pleased and clasped his fists again, saying, "Which brother will challenge me next?" The Princess of Yue Ming County thought to herself during their fight: "No matter who wins or loses between them, I will challenge the victor. I don't want to be a Batulu; if I win the contest, I only want Great Khan to reward me with that jade ring on his hand." Resolute in her decision, she stepped forward and said to Du Du, "I would like to test your skills."
With that, she swiftly approached him and launched an attack. Du Du was prepared and calmly received her first strike. As their arms crossed, the Princess felt the strength behind Du Du's blows; being a young girl, she knew she would be at a disadvantage in a test of strength. Therefore, she relied on her agility to maneuver around him instead of confronting him directly. She struck at his back one moment and kicked at his calf the next. After a stick of incense had burned down without either side gaining an advantage, suddenly Du Du swung a punch towards her face. The Princess retreated but stumbled over a stone with her left foot. Letting out an "ouch," she pretended to fall.
Du Du shouted and swung his fist down towards her. As she lay on the ground, she lifted her right leg and thrust it upward into Du Du's chest. He was knocked back several meters by the force of her kick. Seizing the moment as he stumbled backward, she sprang up and rushed towards him, locking her index and middle fingers around his throat. The crowd erupted in applause as Du Du regained his footing and blushed as he squeezed back into the crowd.
The Princess of Yue Ming County wore a triumphant expression after defeating Du Du. At that moment, Hao Ge stepped out from the crowd and declared loudly, "Let this king experience the martial skills of the little princess of the county." The Princess, having interacted with Hao Ge frequently, knew of his formidable abilities and did not dare to be careless. Earlier, she had relied on her agility to gain the upper hand, but Hao Ge was already well-acquainted with her techniques. Consequently, her moves were ineffective against him, and after a few exchanges, she found herself at a disadvantage. Hao Ge was determined to win and gave her no opportunity to counter, forcing her into a defensive position. With a powerful punch, he struck her right shoulder hard, causing her to cry out in pain and stagger back several steps. Lin Ning rushed forward to support her. The Princess wanted to continue fighting, but the pain in her shoulder was unbearable, and she ultimately had to concede.
Hao Ge surveyed the crowd and asked, "Are there any brothers willing to challenge me?" Many among the nobles were unwilling to back down; one after another, Yue Tuo, the eldest son of Dai Shan, Sa Ha Lin, the third son of Dai Shan, Ni Kan, the third son of Chu Ying, and E Bi Lun, the eldest son of Mongolia Er Tai all stepped up to challenge him but were defeated without exception. The crowd feared Hao Ge's might, and soon no one dared to step forward again.
Just as Nurhaci was about to declare Hao Ge as Batulu, a startled horse suddenly charged into the arena, kicking and thrashing at the crowd. The horse came in fiercely, and for a moment no one dared to approach it. Seeing this, Hao Ge chuckled and dashed forward to grab the reins. However, the horse twisted its body and kicked its hind legs towards his chest. He couldn't dodge in time and was knocked down by the blow. The horse turned around with a neigh, ready to stomp on him again. In that critical moment, everyone saw a figure leap from the crowd onto the horse's back. It was Lin Ning. He seized the reins and forcefully pulled the horse's upper body to the right, causing its front hooves to miss their target and land beside Hao Ge instead. Startled, Hao Ge turned pale as everyone finally regained their composure and erupted in cheers.
Nurhaci was just about to announce Hao Ge as a Batulu when an unexpected event occurred. Even a fool could tell that Lin Ning's martial arts were far superior to Hao Ge's. Nurhaci sighed, "Indeed, there are mountains beyond mountains and people beyond people. Young man, I recognize you; you are the attendant who came to see me yesterday with Maoge and Yue Ming. What is your name, and under which banner do you serve?"
Lin Ning replied, "In response to the Great Khan, my name is Lin Ning. I am not one of your Jurchens; I am a subject of the Ming Dynasty."
Nurhaci was slightly taken aback. "How can you not be one of the Jurchens? But it doesn't matter; regardless of where you come from, in my presence, you are a hero. Would you be willing to become my Batulu and follow me to conquer the world?"
Lin Ning shook his head and said, "Great Khan, in the eyes of your people, you are a great hero. However, in the eyes of us Han people, you are a villain. You have occupied city after city, leaving the common folk homeless and destitute. They have lost their homes and their means of survival, struggling in pain while you and your soldiers take pleasure in this—competing over who captures more cities, who seizes more wealth, or even who kills more... Great Khan, even if you conquer all the lands in the world, will your heart ever find peace?"
Hao Ge angrily retorted, "What do you think you are, Lin? How dare you lecture the Great Khan?"
Before Hao Ge could finish his sentence, the Princess of Yue Ming County angrily interjected, "Even if Lin Ning is wrong, it is not for you to reprimand him. Have you forgotten that he just saved your life?"
Lin Ning thought to himself that the Princess of Yue Ming County was right. Hao Ge was narrow-minded and obstinate; it would be best to keep as far away from him as possible! With that in mind, Lin Ning said, "The ancestral worship ceremony has concluded; let us take our leave from the Great Khan and return to Shengjing."
Hao Ge advised Nurhaci, "Great Khan cannot let him go. This man is associated with Lin Enzhe from Zhongyuan Wu. Allowing him to return would be inviting trouble; he will surely pose a threat to our Jin Dynasty in the future."
Nurhaci frowned slightly and replied, "Hao Ge, this is where you are mistaken. Lin Ning is still your savior. Our Jin Dynasty values loyalty and knows how to show gratitude! Lin Ning, I will let you go now, but I hope you will consider what I just said. If you change your mind, feel free to return to me. I hope we can become friends rather than enemies in the future."
Lin Ning responded to Nurhaci, "Thank you, Great Khan. We shall part ways here; may we meet again!" With that, Lin Ning and the Princess of Yue Ming County mounted their horses and galloped towards Shengjing.
The two traveled west for about a hundred miles when suddenly they heard the sound of hooves pounding behind them. They turned to look, and Lin Ning silently cursed his luck. A large group of soldiers, armed with bows and arrows, was pursuing them, with Hao Ge leading the charge on horseback. It turned out that Hao Ge was furious that Lin Ning had not allowed him to become a Batulu and was determined not to let him escape. As for Lin Ning's life-saving grace, it was completely forgotten by Hao Ge.
Hao Ge had chosen the finest horses to chase after Lin Ning and the Princess of Yue Ming County. Seeing that they were still about a hundred meters away, Hao Ge shouted, "Shoot! Whoever kills this brat will be rewarded with a hundred taels of gold. Make sure you aim well and don’t hurt the princess!" The Princess of Yue Ming County shouted back from her horse, "How can you still think about me? Lin Ning is my companion; if you kill him, it’s a slap in my face! If you want to kill him, you’ll have to go through me first!" Despite her cries, the soldiers ignored her and began firing arrows at Lin Ning.
Lin Ning drew his Xuanning Sword and turned his body to sit backwards on the horse, swinging the sword to protect himself. However, one arrow struck the horse's hind leg, causing it to stumble and fall. Lin Ning rolled off and quickly got back on his feet. Seeing this, the Princess of Yue Ming County reached out to grab him and shouted, "Get on my horse!" With her assistance, Lin Ning leaped onto the horse in front of her. At that moment, none of the soldiers dared to shoot because the princess was directly behind Lin Ning; any arrow fired would likely hit her first.
Just then, a soldier shouted, "Capture him alive; he can't escape now!" With both Lin Ning and the Princess of Yue Ming County riding on one horse, their speed slowed significantly. Soon after, Hao Ge led his soldiers to surround them completely. Drawing his dagger, he declared, "The Great Khan has issued an order to execute the rebel Lin Ning on the spot."
Lin Ning responded with a laugh instead of anger. "You clearly want to kill me; why pretend it's at the behest of the Great Khan? If you want my life, I doubt you have what it takes." Without further words, Hao Ge swung his blade toward Lin Ning. Lin Ning met him head-on with his Xuanning Sword. The two weapons clashed with a loud clang, and Hao Ge's steel blade shattered into two pieces, with one half flying into a poplar tree.
The soldiers were intimidated by the sharpness of Lin Ning's sword and hesitated to challenge him. Hao Ge waved his arms and shouted, "Everyone attack together! Whether dead or alive, there will be heavy rewards!" Under such temptation, some reckless soldiers charged forward but quickly learned the power of Lin Ning's Xuanning Sword as more than ten soldiers fell dead or injured in an instant.
Lin Ning knew that this was Nurhaci's territory, and Hao Ge could call for reinforcements at any moment. The longer they delayed, the more disadvantageous it would be for him. He swung the Xuanning Sword, striking left and right, taking down another twenty or thirty soldiers. Nearly half of the soldiers had been injured or killed. Some of them, sensing the danger, attempted to mount their horses and flee. But Lin Ning's Xuanning Sword struck out, injuring the horses' legs and causing them to fall.
Seeing that continuing the fight would yield him no advantage, Hao Ge also considered fleeing. However, Lin Ning was not about to give him the chance to summon help. With a flick of his wrist, he launched an attack with the Xuanning Sword, quickly bringing it to rest against Hao Ge's neck, who was now unarmed. The remaining soldiers dared not make a move.
Lin Ning turned to the Princess of Yue Ming County and said, "Use my black gold dagger to injure the legs of these horses; we only need to leave two good ones." He handed the black gold dagger to her. Following his instructions, she selected two tall and strong warhorses while injuring the legs of the remaining horses with the dagger, rendering them unable to run after them. Lin Ning withdrew the Xuanning Sword from Hao Ge's neck. He and the Princess of Yue Ming County swiftly mounted their horses and continued galloping toward Shengjing.
By the time the martial arts competition concluded, it was already past the afternoon hour of Shen. Delayed by Hao Ge and his men for another two hours on their journey, they arrived at Min's home in Shengjing just after midnight. Lin Ning said to the Princess of Yue Ming County, "Now that I am being pursued by Hao Ge, he will not give up easily and will come after us. The best course of action is for my family and me to leave here immediately."
The Princess nodded in agreement. "It seems we have no choice but to do so. We must leave while it's still dark."
Lin Ning added, "But if you let us go, how will you explain it to your father?"
The Princess furrowed her brow slightly and replied, "I have a good idea. I have a pouch of sleeping powder here; we can use a blowpipe to spray some into each room. Once everyone is incapacitated by it, you can leave safely." With that, she took out the pouch of sleeping powder from her bosom.
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