Finest Servant

Chapter 599 Seizing the Khan

At this critical moment, Tursun had swept across the plains, an unbeatable force who had defeated all tribes worthy of challenging him. He was the undisputed number one warrior. If the Great Khan approved of him, he would be granted the golden blade, securing his reputation and power, and forever becoming the unparalleled Khan of the plains.

At that moment, all eyes converged on Yujia. A single nod from her could rewrite the history of the plains and the Turkic Khanate. Tursun himself dared not blink, his fierce eyes locked onto her enchanting figure.

"Salmu, would you like Tursun to become my Khan?" Her melodic voice fluttered over the plains like a spring breeze, soft and comforting, landing gently in everyone's ears. Yujia smiled as she spoke to the young Khan beside her. Her jade-like cheeks glowed in the golden hue of the setting sun. Though she held real power as the Great Khan, the future of the plains belonged to Salmu. Her question was a gesture of respect for the future prodigy of the plains.

The young Khan pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, "The Right Prince is indeed a formidable warrior of the plains, very impressive. However, when it comes to archery, he doesn't come close to the Great Khan's skill!"

His crisp, youthful voice, tinged with a hint of regret, spread across the plains. The underlying meaning of his last sentence was clear to all.

The Turkic people began whispering among themselves. The young Khan was right. The Right Prince might have conquered all the tribes, but he had not conquered Yujia. At least not in the field of archery.

If Yujia were an ordinary Turkic woman, that might be acceptable. But she was the golden blade Great Khan—a sublime prodigy who combined beauty, wisdom, and martial prowess. A rare gem that emerged once in hundreds of years, who wouldn't admire her? The Right Prince surpassed her only in brute force; in both wisdom and archery, he was far inferior to the Great Khan. The idea of marrying her off to a man who couldn't conquer her was unimaginable, an insult to the Turkic warriors.

Salmu's words, neither light nor heavy, subtly shifted the mood among the Turkic people. The idea of selecting the most formidable Turkic warrior to pluck the most noble cotton flower should have been a timeless tale of the plains. But at this crucial moment, the Turkic people suddenly realized that Tursun, the so-called mightiest warrior, was flawed and incomparable to their noble cotton flower. This realization dampened their enthusiasm and diminished their admiration for the Right Prince.

"Brother Lin, this Tursun fellow is far more despicable than you!" the High Chief exclaimed, unable to restrain his irritation.

‘Am I despicable?!’ General Lin rolled his eyes in annoyance and indignation.

The young Khan was also angered. The Right Prince's actions were an extreme affront to his authority. Gripping his sister's hand tightly, he sternly yelled, "Tursun, have you looked at the records? Do you really think you've conquered all the tribes?!"

Upon hearing these words, Lin Wanrong was momentarily stunned. Suddenly, he slapped his hands together, his face changing dramatically. "Damn it!"

Hu Bugui looked puzzled. "General, what's wrong?"

Shaking his head in regret, Lin Wanrong said, "Brother Hu, among all the tribes that have won more than three battles, are we the only ones who haven't faced Tursun?"

"That seems to be the case!" Hu Bugui pondered, his face growing increasingly alarmed. "General, are you saying that because we've won three battles without fighting Tursun, people have started to notice us?"

It was a small oversight, but it had serious implications. Lin Wanrong felt regret he couldn't express. Winning three battles and then entering the city seemed like an unassailable strategy. The flaw was that they hadn't made any further appearances. While the average Turkic person might not find this suspicious, what about Yujia? She had shown herself to be cautious by hanging up the golden blade and keeping an eye on Tursun. She would surely notice the irregularity of their situation.

They had wanted to be the tribe that no one paid attention to, but now they were the center of attention. His regret knew no bounds. If he had known, he would've fought one more battle and deliberately lost.

Gao Qiu also realized the issue at hand. "That's easy to solve," he said hurriedly. "We'll just say we can't beat the Right Prince and surrender."

"That won't work," Hu Bugui shook his head vehemently. "Old Gao, you don't understand the Turkic people's character. They value martial prowess. No tribe, big or small, strong or weak, would choose to surrender without a fight. You've seen it yourself. Despite Tursun's overwhelming strength, countless people still challenge him. That's the way of the steppe. If we surrender recklessly, it will only arouse suspicion."

"So, we have to fight him?" Gao Qiu said carelessly. "Then let's intentionally lose to Tursun in a duel. That works too!"

Intentionally lose to Tursun? Even without throwing the fight, could you defeat him? Hu Bugui gave Gao Qiu a bemused glance before turning to Lin Wanrong. "What Old Gao is saying makes sense. We can't surrender outright, but we can choose to lose in a duel."

"As if it's our decision to make," Lin Wanrong said with a bitter smile, clearly exasperated. "Right now, we're just pawns in someone else's game."

Lose and that’s a problem too? What kind of logic is this? Who's moving us like pawns? Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui exchanged puzzled glances.

Lin Wanrong sighed, "I should have thought of this. After the failure of the Batur tribe, Yujia will certainly devise a new strategy. And we, having won three battles without making another move, will not escape her scrutiny. All the previous winners have been defeated by Tursun. She has no other options now."

"But even if we do enter the battlefield, it doesn't mean we'll win," murmured Hu Bugui.

"We may not win, but Yujia will certainly not lose! I don’t know what method she’ll use. All I know is that this time, we're headed for a disastrous confrontation with the Right Prince!" Lin Wanrong shook his head in utter regret.

Gao Qiu, however, seemed unfazed. He chuckled, "If it's a decisive battle, then so be it. Let's take the opportunity to bring down Tursun, make you the Khan of Yueya’er, have a dozen sons, and pick one to be the Khan. That way, we can unify the steppe in peace!"

Hu Bugui burst into hearty laughter, evidently agreeing with Old Gao's opinion. But they had forgotten one crucial detail: even if they did win, at tonight’s grand feast, Yujia would unmask them in front of everyone. The ensuing clash of swords and daggers was easy to imagine.

Lin Wanrong gave a bitter smile. "Is winning really the best outcome? We would only be sewing wedding garments for Yujia. At that point, Tursun would despise us to the bone, while Yujia could easily announce that she never had any interest in the victorious warriors. This would endear her to Tursun, and the issue of Right Princec forcing a marriage would naturally resolve itself."

Caught between a rock and a hard place, victory and defeat both unpalatable, this was proving to be a tough battle. Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu exchanged glances, shocked that a single misstep could lead to such a massive chasm between outcomes.

"Forget it, there’s no point in overthinking. We'll play it by ear when the time comes. Fight if we must, flee if we have to. The most important thing is not to reveal our identities or let our brothers suffer," General Lin gritted his teeth, finalizing the plan.

At these words from the young Khan, Tursun paused for a moment. A member of his tribe rushed forward, presenting him with a list of victorious tribes.

Scanning through the pages, Right Prince laughed loudly. "Only the small Yuezhi tribe remains. They've already lost their nerve, they won’t even dare to enter the arena—"

"Who says we won’t dare to enter? Charge!” Hu Bugui roared in the Turkic language, leading a dozen riders into the arena like a whirlwind. He raised his head high and locked eyes with Tursun.

Cheers erupted from the Turkic people. To their surprise, someone had mustered the courage to challenge Tursun at the last moment, and it was from the weakest tribe on the steppe.

The young Khan Salmu announced loudly, "People of the Yuezhi tribe, you have won three rounds and now display immense courage to challenge Right Prince. This spirit is commendable. I will gift you five hundred fat sheep, and if you win, a treasured steed from my own stable!"

The mention of the treasured steed made the surrounding tribespeople green with envy. Of course, all of this was predicated on defeating Right Prince. The Yuezhi’s three wins, despite being brutal, had not been particularly impressive and seemed somewhat opportunistic. Could they possibly defeat Right Prince?

"Excellent!" Tursun roared with laughter. "Since you dare to come, I will take care of you just the same. Young Khan, it seems you won’t have to part with that treasured steed! Ha ha ha!"

Hearing Right Prince’s uproarious laughter, Old Gao sneered, "No wonder Yujia doesn’t like him. This Turkic pretty boy has such an ugly laugh, sounds like a drake!"

Now, only the Yuezhi and Right Prince’s tribes remained in the competition. Both parties took their positions at the starting line, the tension palpable. Yujia sat calmly in the pavilion, her expression impassive.

‘Why hasn’t she made a move? Did I misjudge the situation?’ Lin Wanrong wondered to himself.

As both sides readied themselves, cheers from the crowd rose once again. This time, however, the cheers were clearly divided: one side cheering for Right Prince, and the other for the Yuezhi tribe.

The priest was about to blow the horn to signal the start when a crisp voice rang out, "Hold on!"

Everyone looked up to see the beautiful Great Khan standing, offering a gentle smile to all present.

The Right Prince had already grown impatient and blurted out, "What are your orders, Great Khan?"

Yujia spoke slowly, "Since this is the final round of the sheep snatching competition, and so many brave warriors are watching, I think it's time to raise the stakes."

Tursun, who had previously been criticized for his inferior archery skills compared to Yujia, was delighted at the chance to silence his critics. He laughed and said, "As you wish, Great Khan."

Yueya’er looked over with expressive eyes, and Hu Bugui declared, "The Yuezhi tribe fears nothing."

Nodding, Yujia slowly descended from the viewing platform. She clapped her hands forcefully, and a few sharp neighs rang out. From the distance, a majestic, dark steed galloped toward her, its form extraordinary.

The plains grew quiet, and everyone knew that whatever test the clever Great Khan was about to propose would be a gamble of the utmost importance.

Yueya’er mounted her horse and gave the reins a sharp flick. The dark steed sprang forward like a bolt of lightning, galloping across the grassland. The Turkic crowd erupted in a wave of applause, cheering her on.

‘This young lady's horse-riding skills far surpass mine,’ General Lin Wanrong thought. ‘When I return home, I must train hard with my wives so as not to fall behind!’

Yujia sped to the center of the grasslands, then gradually slowed her horse to a stop. She smiled and announced, "Today's final contest will start from here. I, along with my horse, will stand in this place and not move. Both sides are free to fight. However, you are not allowed to touch me or my horse, nor apply any violence. Within the limit of three hourglasses, whoever manages to lead both me and my horse to the finish line will be the winner!"

The Turkic crowd hesitated for a moment, then broke into thunderous applause. Yujia's version of "raising the stakes" was for the beautiful Great Khan to personally join the game, replacing the goat. This was a hundred times more exciting and stimulating than simple combat. It was the kind of challenge that all men would relish.

Euphoric shouts filled the air, inflaming everyone's passions. The prospect of capturing the beautiful Great Khan was thrilling beyond measure. Even Tursun couldn't help but feel invigorated; it was clearly Yujia giving him a chance. If he could be the first to lead Yujia and her horse to the finish line, his prior shame in archery would be fully redeemed.

‘Humanity becomes foolish when they are crazy, and this holds true even for the most intelligent among us. Yujia has perfectly grasped the weaknesses in human nature,’ Lin Wanrong thought, watching the elated Right Prince with a discerning eye, as if looking into a clear mirror.

"What kind of rule is 'capturing the Khan?'" Hu Bugui was puzzled.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Capturing the Khan? It's hard to say who's capturing whom. This isn't a rule; it's a trap! We've been thoroughly played this time!"

Gao Qiu shook his head, clearly not understanding Brother Lin's words.

Lin Wanrong smiled, "To put it plainly, this 'capturing the Khan' game is just an excuse Yujia has found to personally participate in the sheep snatching. She has disguised it so well, making it irresistibly tempting for the Turkic people. Even I am somewhat enticed."

Hearing about it was one thing; fully grasping it was another. General Lin was right. Unbeknownst to everyone, Yujia had already actively participated in the sheep-snatching contest, and yet no one had noticed. Hu Bugui was both shocked and perplexed, "How did we end up being played?"

General Lin sighed, "Now I understand. It doesn't matter which tribe Yujia chose. She didn't need us to win for her; she simply needed a platform to partake in the contest herself and prevent Tursun from winning. She didn't need any assistance. In other words, whether it's the Yuezhi, Maozhi, Gouzhi, or Taiyangzhi tribe, as long as you qualify to challenge Tursun, you are the same in the eyes of Yujia. Sadly, we are the least ambitious tribe on the plains, naively saving ourselves for last. And in this final round, Yujia had every reason to change the rules of the game. No one had a counter-argument, and we walked right into her trap, becoming her pawns."

Upon hearing this, everyone understood that Yujia's wisdom far exceeded their imagination.

"Brother Lin, what should we do for the final round?" Gao Qiu cautiously asked.

"Look at these three hourglasses; the longest time it would take is just an hour. We certainly can't handle Yujia's horse, nor should we think of Tursun. At a stalemate, the Right Prince will definitely unleash devastation upon us to secure victory. Yujia aims to sacrifice the Yuezhi to thwart Tursun," Lin Wanrong hummed, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Since we're already caught in this, we might as well fight ferociously. Strike first, Brother Gao. Show no mercy, aim directly for Tursun, and hack him down!"

"Alright!" Hearing Lin Wanrong's orders, Gao Qiu rubbed his palms together in excitement. This was the most dangerous and thrilling battle they'd encountered since entering the plains, despite being the least in number.

The Golden Blade Khan became the bait, and the surrounding Turks had already encircled her. A chance to snatch the Khan was a rare event in a millennium on the plains! Everyone had but one thought; they wanted to see who would cross the finish line with this unparalleled beauty.

Tursun and his warriors were rubbing their hands in excitement, holding their restless horses, ready to set off at any moment.

Yujia sat atop her dark-colored horse, standing silently in the middle of the plains. Her eyes were as deep as water, and her golden cheeks were adorned with a captivating smile.

"Woo!" The priest blew a short horn, and the plains suddenly began to churn like rolling water. All the nomads surged forward frantically. The ultimate battle, intensified by Golden Blade Khan's personal involvement, became increasingly enigmatic.

"Charge!" Lin Wanrong roared from the depths of his throat. He and the dozen or so warriors behind him had already turned into unsheathed swords, aiming straight for Tursun and shooting forward like arrows.

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