into pieces and die a horrible death.” Concubine Mu insisted: “It is not that I don’t trust you but the consequences of this matter is too far-reaching. You must make a vow with a heavier penalty.” Ah Zi agreed: “All right! If I leak out your secret, may I… May I be killed by my Brother in law in one palm strike.” As she said this, her heart is filled with a bittersweet sensation.

Concubine Mu nodded: “Being killed by your loved one in one palm strike is definitely a hundred times worse than being hacked into pieces. I’ll trust you. My Good Sister, that esteemed monk has magical powers and he is able to perform miracles. After I kneeled and begged for his assistance, he presented me with two bottles of holy water. By sincerely praying and conveying my secret wishes to the water, I must covertly let my ideal partner consume a bottle. For his entire life, that man will only love me and me alone. Till his death, his heart will not waver one bit. I already made the Emperor drink one bottle. Now, I am left with this other bottle.” As she spoke, she retrieved a small, garnet-coloured porcelain bottle from her bosom. She held the bottle tightly in her hands, as if she is afraid that the bottle might drop. Actually, the ground is covered with a thick layer of carpet. Even if it really drops, the bottle will remain intact.

Ah Zi was delighted and surprised. She begged: “Good Sister, please let me have a look.” Since young, she has been a disciple of Xingxiu Sect; with regards to these kind of bewitching tricks, she had no qualms about their efficacy. Concubine Mu warned: “Taking a look is fine but please handle it carefully.” With both hands holding onto the porcelain bottle, her manner was serious and solemn as she handed it over. Receiving the bottle, Ah Zi pulled out the stopper and put the bottle to her nose for a quick sniff. The liquid carried a light fragrance. Concubine Mu reached out with her hand and took back the porcelain bottle. When she replaced the wooden stopper, she exerted some strength in pushing the stopper, as if she is afraid the holy water will evaporate. She remarked: “Initially, I don’t mind sharing this bottle with you. However, I am afraid that the Emperor will have a change of heart in the future so I’m reserving this holy water as a back up.”

Ah Zi quizzed: “According to what you mentioned, after the Emperor drank a bottle, he became wholly dedicated to you?” Concubine Mu smiled: “That is my experience so far; however, I don’t really know how long the effect will last. Otherwise, why did the esteemed monk give me two bottles? My bigger worry is this holy water falling into the hands of another concubine. If she secretly fed it to the Emperor, even if he still loves me, his love would be divided…”

At this point, from outside the tent, Yelu Hongji’s voice rang out: “Ah Mu, come outside to me, I have something to tell you.” Concubine Mu happily replied: “I’m coming!” As she swiftly rushed out, with a ‘ta’ sound, the little porcelain bottle dropped from her bosom without her knowledge.

Ah Zi was thrilled and excited. The minute Concubine Mu stepped out of the tent, she instantly dived to her front and picked up the porcelain bottle. Stuffing it into her bosom, she thought: I will quickly let Brother in law drink some of this. After that, I’ll add some clear water to it before returning it to Concubine Mu. After all, she is already the favourite pet concubine of Emperor and this holy water is currently useless to her.

Without any delay, she hastily made an opening at the back of the tent and quietly slithered out. Like a ninja, she returned undetected to the Southern Khan residence.

Observing the residence exterior overflowing with soldiers and riders, Ah Zi assumed the Southern Khan is formulating a military expedition. Walking into the main hall, she saw Xiao Feng pacing up and down the corridor of a water-feature wall with both hands behind his back. He appears to be bristling with impatience.

The second Xiao Feng laid his eyes on Ah Zi, he glowed with ecstasy and sighed with relief: “Ah Zi, it is great to see you back here. I fear that the Emperor might detain you and you are unable to get out of the predicament. Let’s begin our journey; any delays and we might not make it.” Ah Zi was puzzled: “Where are we going? Why are we in such a hurry? Why does the Emperor want to detain me?”

Xiao Feng hushed: “Listen for yourself!” As the two of them became silent, from outside the Khan Residence, there were sounds of hoof beats, the clanking noises of armour and the clattering sounds of weapons. Regardless of north south east or west, these noises were generated from all different directions. Ah Zi probed: “What is going on? Are you leading the army to war?”

Xiao Feng bitterly laughed: “These troops are not under my command. The Emperor is now suspicious of me and is planning to capture me.” Ah Zi cheered: “That’s excellent. We have not had a proper fight for some time. Let the two of us clear a bloody path out of here.” Xiao Feng shook his head and disagreed: “The Emperor has treated me extremely well. First, he conferred me as Southern Khan. Now, he personally travelled to see me and gave me an additional promotion. He is now suspicious of me because I am determined not to invade the south. If I injured his troops, it is a dent on our brotherhood and I will be ridiculed by all heroes under the sky, saying I, Xiao Feng, is an ingrate and have let my Brother down. Ah Zi, let’s leave immediately. By sneaking away without saying goodbye, he would fail to apprehend me and that is good enough.

Ah Zi inquired: “Mm, let’s get out of here. But Brother in law, where are we heading to?” Xiao Feng answered: “To Piaomiao Peak Lingjiu Palace.” Ah Zi’s face turned gloomy at once. She swore: “I am not going to meet that ugly freak.” Xiao Feng ordered: “We are in the middle of a crisis now; after we leave this danger zone, we can then decide if we are going to Piaomiao Peak or not.”

Ah Zi thought: Since you have the intention to escort me to Piaomiao Peak, it clearly demonstrates your lack of consideration for my feelings. It is better to let you drink the holy water as early as possible and make you fall in love with me; when you love me, you will naturally listen to me. If I drag any longer, I fear that Concubine Mu will make her way here and demand the return of her porcelain bottle.

As a result, Ah Zi immediately replied: “That’s a good idea too! Let me get some spare change of clothes.”

Rushing to the back hall, she got herself a bowl. Emptying the holy water from the porcelain bottle into the bowl, she added plenty of wine. In her heart, she chanted a secret prayer: Bodhisattva, please hear me. I wish that after Xiao Feng has consumed this holy water, he will love me, Ah Zi, whole-heartedly; he will marry me as his wife and never think about Sister Ah Zhu again!

Back at the hall, she offered: “Brother in law, have this bowl of wine to increase your alertness. Once we leave, we will never come back again.”

Receiving the bowl of wine, under the candlelight, Xiao Feng noticed Ah Zi’s hands were trembling slightly and her eyes are shimmering with an unusual brilliance. Her expression displays both joy and tenderness. He cannot help but was moved, thinking: That year, when Ah Zhu was completely devoted to me, she had this similar expression on her face! Ai, it looks like Ah Zi is fully dedicated to me too!

Finishing the large bowl of wine, Xiao Feng checked: “Have you packed your clothes?” Seeing that he has consumed the holy water, Ah Zi was overjoyed and exclaimed: “Forget the clothes, let’s go!”

Xiao Feng carried a bundle on his back; inside the bundle are some clothes and gold ingots. He whispered: “They are preventing me from fleeing to the south. I shall travel northwards instead.” Holding Ah Zi’s hand, he quietly opened a side door. Scanning the exterior, he observed two sentries patrolling side by side towards his direction. Xiao Feng hid behind the door and coughed once, causing the two sentries to rush over and investigate the noise. His fingers flashed out and the two sentries were immobolised. Dragging them into the shadow of some nearby trees, Xiao Feng whispered: “Quickly change into their armour outfit.” Ah Zi was thrilled and praised: “Excellent plan!” Xiao Feng and Ah Zi rapidly plucked the armour from the sentries and wore it on their own bodies. Each of them holding a long pike, they began their escape by marching side-by-side away from the residence. Ah Zi wore her helmet in a low position and it was pressing on her eyebrows. Peeping at Xiao Feng, she noticed him trying to shrink his body and is walking in a bent posture; she was secretly humoured at his antics. After taking twenty over steps, they encounter a 10-men sergeant from the Imperial Encampment on patrol with his entourage of ten Imperial troops. Moving to the side of the path, Xiao Feng and Ah Zi raise their pikes and saluted the sergeant.

The 10-men sergeant nodded his head and was about to walk past them. Under the illumination of the fire torches, he caught sight of Ah Zi’s ill-fitting body armour that was almost touching the ground. Aroused, he inspected her closely and noticed that the sabre sheath hanging from her waist is dragging on the floor. Annoyed, he threw a punch towards her shoulder and roared: “What are you wearing?” Ah Zi knew their ruse has been exposed; flipping her hand for a hook, she managed to hook his wrist and kicked his waist with her left foot. The sergeant yelled ‘Ayo!’ and collapsed at once.

Xiao Feng shouted: “Let’s go!” Pulling her wrist, he sped away from the scene. Unaware that the two disguised sentries are Xiao Feng and Ah Zi, the remaining ten Imperial troops raised the alarm, shouting: “There are spies here! There are spies here!” After they covered some distance, Xiao Feng and Ah Zi saw ten over riders approaching them from the front. Lifting the long pike, Xiao Feng executed a horizontal sweep and all the riders were cleanly knocked off their horses. With a lift from his right hand, he sent Ah Zi up a horse while he himself flew onto the back of another horse. Turning their horses around, they raced towards the Northern city gate.

By now, the generals and soldiers surrounding the Southern Khan Residence have received word about their activities and are in pursuit from all over the city. Xiao Feng rode like the wind. As he predicted, 80% of the Liao Imperial troops are stationed along the southern route in order to prevent him from escaping towards the Southern dynasty. On his northern route, the troops were scattered and limited in numbers. When these soldiers encounter Xiao Feng, their hearts are secretly cowering. Although they are forced by military orders to approach and hinder him, whenever Xiao Feng roared and rode towards them, the soldiers would involuntarily make way for him. Ultimately, all they could do is to chase after Xiao Feng and shout at him to stop. By the time Imperial Encampment Commander Du has arrived with reinforcements, Xiao Feng and Ah Zi are long gone.

As Xiao Feng arrived at the north gate on horseback, he saw that the city gates have been tightly secured. Before the city gate, more than a hundred troops were clustered closely together, brandishing their long pikes and blocking the road. If Xiao Feng chooses to kill his way through, these hundred odd Liao soldiers are not his match. However, he only seeks to escape with his life and does not wish to injure any more of his fellow countrymen. Stretching out with his left hand, he grabbed Ah Zi and brought her onto his own horse. With a light tap of his right foot on the stirrup, both his legs are now standing on the back of the horse. Taking a deep breath, he flew (using Qing-gong) towards the city gate. Under normal circumstances, this leap is insufficient to propel him to the top of the city wall. However, he was well prepared for this. When his body started to fall, he stabbed the wall with the long pike in his right hand. Using the embedded pike as a stepping-stone, he easily landed on top of the city wall.

Scanning the external northern surrounding of the city, Xiao Feng observed that it was wholly pitch black and no fire torches were lighted. It is evident that no one expected him to flee the city in the northern direction and no soldiers were dispatched to secure this area. Projecting his voice, Xiao Feng announced to the soldiers in the city: “Please report to the Emperor, saying Xiao Feng has offended Your Majesty and dare not resign in person. Xiao Feng will never forget the immense kindness and goodwill of the Emperor.”

Seizing Ah Zhi by the waist, he turned around. Once he jumped off the top of the wall, he would be a like fish in the open sea or a bird in the open sky. All his worries would be gone forever.

Slightly excited, he was about to leap off the wall when suddenly, his abdomen was hit by a bout of pain; followed by both his arms aching and turning numb. Even his left arm that was holding Ah Zi’s waist automatically loosened. Next, both his knees turned soft and he half-fell half-sat onto the floor. In his stomach, he felt such excruciating pain, as if a thousand small knives were cutting and slicing the organ. He cannot help but snorted ‘humph’ once. Ah Zi was terrified and exclaimed: “Brother in law, what happened to you?” His entire body convulsing and his teeth chattering, Xiao Feng stuttered: “I… I… was… was badly… badly poisoned… Wait… I’ll activate… activate my internal energy to force out the poison…” He immediately circulated his energy to ‘Dantian’ point and wanted to force out the poison from his abdomen. If he did nothing, it is not so bad. The moment he activated his internal energy, his four limbs and his hundred odd bones were instantly seared with agonizing pain. The ‘Dantian’ energy was barely activated before it subsided again. In between, Xiao Feng could hear loud sounds of hoof beats as thousands of riders rode northwards from their southern positions. As he tried to activate his energy again, he realised he cannot feel his four limbs at all. Acknowledging the incredible potency of this poison which cannot be purged out by internal energy, Xiao Feng urged: “Ah Zi, you better leave quickly, I… I cannot accompany you any more.”

By reassessing the situation, Ah Zi had a huge revelation, realizing that she herself was being scammed by Concubine Mu into serving Xiao Feng with holy water. That was no holy water but a strong poison instead. Alarmed and filled with regrets, she hugged Xiao Feng’s neck and wept: “Brother in law… it is my fault. I was the one who fed you the poison.” Xiao Feng was shocked and puzzled. He questioned: “Why do you wish to harm me?” Ah Zi sobbed: “No! No! Concubine Mu gave me a bottle of water. She lied to me, telling me that if you drink it, you would love me forever and will… will marry me as your wife. I am so stupid. Brother in law, I will die together with you. We shall never be apart again.” As she spoke, she whipped out her waist knife and is about to slice her own neck.

Xiao Feng yelled: “Hold… Hold it!” His entire body felt as if he is being barbequed alive and being cut opened by steel knives. With both his internal organs and external body wretched by pain, he could barely organize his thoughts. After a long while, he finally comprehended Ah Zi’s explanation. He assured: “I will not die and you need not commit suicide either.”

‘Zhazha’ the noise generated by the opening of the heavy city gates entered their ears. Hundreds of cavalry soldiers dashed out of the northern gate and assembled into military formation among sounds of loud shouting. As tons of troops rushed over from the south of the city in relentless waves, they poured out of the city. Sitting on the top of the city wall, Xiao Feng glanced to the north and could see fire torches lighting up the city exterior for several kilometres, resembling a few fire dragons zigzagging towards the north. Turning his eyes southwards, nearly half the city is lighted by fire torches. He thought: In order to catch me, a single person, the Emperor went to the extent of activating every single soldier from the Imperial Encampment.

From inside and outside the city, the generals and troops shouted in unison: “Rebel Xiao Feng, surrender at once!” His abdomen undergoing another round of unbearable pain, Xiao Feng whispered: “Ah Zi, you must quickly find a way to escape.” Ah Zi uttered: “I personally fed you with a fatal poison, how can I live a lonely life by myself? I… I… I will die together with you.” Xiao Feng bitterly smiled: “This is not a fatal poison but a poison designed to weaken my body and incapacitate me.”

Ah Zi was instantly cheered and quizzed: “Really?” Turning around, she pulled Xiao Feng up so that she can carry him on her own back. However, her figure is rather petite and Xiao Feng is exceptionally burly. Although with Ah Zi’s support, Xiao Feng managed to stand up, however, both his feet are still planted on the ground. At this point in time, ten over Khitan warriors have already scaled the city wall. Holding their sabre in one hand and a fire torch in the other hand, they remained fearful of Xiao Feng and dare not get too close to him.

Xiao Feng advised: “Resistance is futile. Let them come and take me prisoner!” Ah Zi wailed: “No! No! If anyone dares to touch you, I will kill him on the spot.” Xiao Feng reasoned: “You must not kill because of me. If I am willing to take any more lives, I can simply adhere to the decree and lead an army to invade the south. We would not have landed in our present circumstances.” Raising his voice, he commanded: “By cowering in fear, how can you call yourself a Khitan warrior? Come, let us meet the Emperor together.”

The group of warriors were utterly stumped. Bowing in unison, they respectfully obeyed: “Yes! We are only acting in accordance with the errand in the decree; if we are discourteous to Khan, we seek Khan’s understanding!” Although Xiao Feng was appointed as the Southern Khan for a limited time, he treated his subordinates well and his fame has spread throughout the Northlands, earning the deep respect of all the Khitan warriors. Among the crowd, everyone is shouting ‘Rebel Xiao Feng’ because everyone else is doing the same. But when they come face to face with him, the natural respect they had for him swelled up and they immediately halted their insolent behavior.

Supported by Ah Zi’s shoulder, Xiao Feng struggled to stand up. His five viscera and six bowels are hurting as if they are being grappled and bitten. The troops stood a few metres away from him and have sheathe their weapons, watching him as he slowly took one step after another down the stone steps from the top of the city wall. When Xiao Feng reached the bottom of the steps, all the generals and soldiers instinctively flipped down their horses (in a mark of respect). Whether inside or outside the city, the tens of thousands of troops suddenly became absolutely noiseless.

By the light of the fire, Xiao Feng witnessed these sincere, solemn and respectful expressions. His heart bursting with a gush of warmth, he thought: If I invade the south, among the tens of thousands of troops here, I believe less than half would be able to return to the Northern country alive. If I were able to save these countless lives, even if the Emperor sentences me to death, I would die without regrets. My only fear is that after the Emperor has executed me, he would get another general to lead the army to attack the south.

As he thought up to this point, his chest area is experiencing another bout of severe pain and his body is tottering on the verge of collapse. A general led his own horse towards Xiao Feng and helped him onto the steed. Ah Zi got onto another horse as well and followed him from the back. Surrounded by escorts, they headed south back to the Khan residence. Although the generals and troops captured Xiao Feng and have accomplished a difficult mission, no one felt any joy or pleasure. The air is filled with sounds of metal armour going ‘qiang qiang’ and tens of thousands of iron horse shoes striking the stone street steps. Besides these sounds, no happy cheers or celebratory wishes were heard.

As the row of riders and escorts went through the North Avenue and came to White Horse Bridge, Xiao Feng rode his horse up the bridge. Out of nowhere, Ah Zi flew up from her seat. By springing both her feet from the saddle, she took a far leap. With a light ‘chi’ sound, she dived into the river. Witnessing this occurrence, Xiao Feng could not help but was alarmed, but his shock was swiftly replaced by delight. He recalled the first time he encountered this cheeky lady. That time, she pretended to drown to death by submerging herself in a small lake. Her water abilities are extraordinary and ultra rare, allowing her to even deceive both her parents. This time round, by using the river to escape, it is the best possible outcome for her. Thinking that he would not have the chance to see her again in the future, he felt a tinge of disappointment. Xiao Feng hollered in a loud voice: “Ah Zi, why did you commit suicide? The Emperor will not make things difficult for you, why did you choose to drown yourself?”

Listening to Xiao Feng’s words and noting that Ah Zi did not resurface after sinking into the river, the generals and soldiers assumed she really committed suicide. The Emperor’s decree is for the capture of Xiao Feng only. Whether Ah Zi is dead or has escaped, nobody could be bothered. After a brief wait on the bridge and unable to detect anything from the river, everyone continued riding with Xiao Feng in the lead.