The Ye Lan Duchy was located to the southwest of the Nu Lang Kingdom.
In the entire human world, it was one of the strongest powers second only to the four great kingdoms.
But tragically, it was sandwiched between three great powers: the Yan Empire, the Nu Lang Kingdom, and the Xiliang Kingdom. Therefore, it never had the opportunity to expand. Currently, it seemed the duchy was already the limit of its greatest development.
But fortunately, it was also sandwiched between these three great powers, so it would not be annexed either.
Originally, the Ye Lan Duchy possessed four provinces. Later, one province was seized by the rebellious Ash Family. Now it only had three provinces.
Twenty years ago, Rouran City was still part of the Ye Lan Duchy. Ash Shimo served as the governor of Rouran Province in the Ye Lan Duchy.
But for some unknown reason, Ash Shimo suddenly rebelled against the Ye Lan Duchy. At that time, although Ash Shimo was the governor of Rouran Province, only the core troops under his direct command followed him in rebellion, merely the territory of one quarter of a province.
Twenty years ago, the Ye Lan Duchy dispatched the entire nation’s army to suppress the rebellion, a total of three hundred thousand troops. At that time, Ash Shimo had merely over twenty thousand in his hands.
With no other choice, Ash Shimo sought aid from the Nu Lang Kingdom, declaring himself a vassal and pledging allegiance to the Nu Lang Zhi Clan.
At that time, the newly enthroned King Zhi Bian dispatched two armies led by Tu Lingtuo and Count Suo Long to save Rouran City.
Tu Lingtuo led the great army to attack the Ye Lan capital, while Count Suo Long led troops to relieve the siege of Rouran City.
In that battle, the Ash Family and the Nu Lang Kingdom achieved a great victory. From then on, the Ash Family’s Rouran City became a vassal of the Nu Lang Kingdom.
After experiencing that defeat, the Ye Lan Duchy was depressed and unable to recover for nearly a decade.
Ash Shimo took the opportunity to expand, the small bullying the large, constantly invading the Ye Lan Duchy, constantly expanding, until he occupied the entire Rouran Province.
Originally, Ash Shimo wished to continue expanding, even attempting to destroy the Ye Lan Duchy and replace it.
But the Xiliang Kingdom and the Yan Empire would not sit idly by and watch the Nu Lang Kingdom completely annex the Ye Lan Duchy. Even King Zhi Bian was unwilling for the Ash Family to expand so rapidly, and even more unwilling for the Ash Family to replace the Ye Lan Duchy.
The three great powers jointly suppressed him. From then on, Ash Shimo could no longer move, forced to halt his expansion. Afterwards, his obsession with the Dao of immortality was, how could it not be the dejection of unfulfilled ambitions.
As for the Ye Lan Duchy, it always regarded Rouran City as a national humiliation.
The entire nation regarded the Rouran Province as ancestral land, not a single day passing without thoughts of reclaiming it.
Using an analogy from Earth’s history, the Battle of Rouran City over a decade ago was for the Ye Lan Duchy no less than the Jingkang Humiliation of the Song Dynasty.
Because the ruler of the Ye Lan Duchy back then, Grand Duke Lan Mu, died beneath Rouran City. The Crown Prince Lan Xue died in the defence of the Ye Lan capital.
If not for the Xiliang Kingdom’s two hundred thousand strong army crossing the desert and threatening the Nu Lang Kingdom, I fear the Ye Lan Duchy would already have been destroyed.
In that battle, the Ye Lan Duchy lost two generations of rulers: the sovereign and the crown prince.
Not only that, but it also lost one quarter of its national territory, one fifth of its people.
This was far more than the pain of losing an arm. It was a national humiliation for generations upon generations.
From then on, relations between the Ye Lan Duchy and the Nu Lang Kingdom fell to freezing point. Even after the ceasefire, they remained enemy nations, halting all diplomatic exchanges.
And the Xiliang Kingdom became the Ye Lan Duchy’s greatest backer and saviour.
Through nearly a decade of sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall, the Ye Lan Duchy had restored its military strength to its peak period. The entire nation possessed four hundred thousand troops.
At this time, although the Nu Lang Kingdom had not fallen into civil war, the succession struggle between Zhi Yan and Zhi Li, and King Zhi Bian’s paralysis, meant that the Nu Lang Kingdom possessed formidable national power yet was completely unable to deploy it.
And Rouran City had, in a single night, lost two generations of masters, being at its weakest point.
This opportunity came once in a thousand years. The Ye Lan Duchy immediately mobilised the entire nation’s army, invading Rouran to reclaim its ancestral land.
Crown Prince Lan Tu had almost issued a military pledge before the Ye Lan subjects and Grand Duke Lan Shi. This battle must be victorious, with no possibility of defeat. If he did not reclaim Rouran City, he swore not to withdraw his troops.
And Grand Duke Lan Shi had also issued an edict. This battle was to wash away national humiliation. No one was permitted to hinder the Crown Prince. If anyone dared obstruct or sabotage this battle to wash away national humiliation, regardless of how high their status or how great their power, they would certainly be immediately executed without mercy.
…
Helan Pass was the gateway to Rouran.
The southwestern part of Rouran Province bordered the Ye Lan Duchy. Most of it was high mountains and great rivers, the terrain perilous.
To enter Rouran, one must first seize Helan Pass.
And after over a decade of construction, Helan Pass now far exceeded the Suo Clan’s Tianlang Pass and the Savage Wilderness Canyon. It was one of the world’s rare fortified cities and perilous passes, easy to defend and hard to attack.
Rouran City’s usual garrison at Helan Pass exceeded thirty thousand. And now, facing the Ye Lan Duchy’s national invasion, the troops within the pass exceeded fifty thousand.
The two sides had been battling for several days and nights.
In truth, the Ye Lan three hundred thousand strong army had already invaded Rouran City several days prior. The southwestern border city Helan Pass had already been surrounded for several days. The two great armies had already been fiercely fighting for several days and nights.
Several days ago, Ash Liren had already dispatched messengers, sending letters by flying kite to the royal capital Zhi Du seeking aid.
But now, King Zhi Bian was merely alive, no longer capable of managing any governance matters.
Princess Zhi Yan acted decisively, borrowing King Zhi Bian’s jade seal to issue an edict ordering the kingdom’s great army to rescue Rouran City.
But apart from Tianshui City’s several tens of thousands of troops, and the palace guard defending the royal palace, Zhi Yan could not mobilise a single soldier.
The palace guard could not be moved. Tianshui City’s ground troops did not exceed twenty thousand. They needed to defend Tianshui City, and also defend Tianlang Pass. Rescuing Rouran City was also completely beyond their power.
Of course, Ash Liren could also seek aid from the Dongli Kingdom.
The Dongli Kingdom possessed over a million troops. But unless these troops could fly over, they would need to pass through the Yan Empire, which was fundamentally impossible.
Moreover, the King of Dongli could personally rush over to save his own disciple, even absenting himself from his own son’s wedding.
But he could not mobilise a single soldier to save Rouran City.
As the sovereign of a nation, public and private must be clearly distinguished.
Therefore, currently the only person who could save Rouran City was Zhi Li.
He had obtained the allegiance of all the Nu Lang Kingdom’s nobles and vassals. The troops he could mobilise exceeded a million. Rescuing Rouran City would be effortless.
He also did not disappoint expectations, putting forth an extremely harsh demand. Ash Liren must resign from the City Lord position and marry him as a concubine.
…
A quarter of an hour ago, Ash Liren had just received Prince Zhi Li’s special envoy, Ling Ao.
She formally received Zhi Li’s attitude and personal letter. In it, Zhi Li used all possible language to express his adoration for Liren.
Immediately, Ash Liren tore Zhi Li’s letter to shreds, throwing it in Ling Ao’s face.
For anyone else, exchanging oneself for Rouran City’s foundation would be as it should be.
But Ash Liren was an obstinate person, completely preferring death to submission. Even more, she would not sully her own purity for Rouran City’s sake.
She had already decided to immediately personally lead troops to Helan Pass and engage in a decisive battle with Crown Prince Lan Tu’s three hundred thousand strong army.
If she could not protect Helan Pass, could not protect Rouran City, she would use her own life as a burial sacrifice, still preferring death to submission.
But before departing for Helan Pass, she came to see Suo Lun one last time.
Firstly, Suo Lun had performed too many miracles. Although this crisis appeared completely unsolvable, she still harboured a final hope in coming to Suo Lun, hoping for a strategy of salvation.
Secondly, she came to entrust her orphan. If Rouran was destined to be destroyed, then she asked Suo Lun to send Ash Shiyuanba and Ash Shi Nan back to Tianshui City.
Therefore, she asked almost without hope whether Suo Lun had a way to save Rouran City.
Unexpectedly, Suo Lun directly and straightforwardly answered yes.
This instantly made her unable to believe it. Facing an invasion of three hundred thousand troops, Suo Lun could not produce a single reinforcement, yet said he had a way to save Rouran City.
When she asked the condition for saving Rouran City, Suo Lun actually said that if he successfully saved Rouran City, she must let him strike back one slap, and moreover upon her bottom.
“Say that again.” Ash Liren said.
Suo Lun said, “If I save Rouran City, your bottom shall let me strike one slap.”
During this period, Ash Liren did not know how many times Suo Lun had teased her.
But never had half a sentence involved physical intimacy. And now, it directly escalated to striking her bottom.
This was far more than teasing. It was practically raping her with words.
Instantly, Suo Lun felt the air turn cold!
Then, his entire body immediately lost control, directly pressed against the tabletop.
“Pa pa pa pa…”
Ash Liren used the sword hilt to fiercely strike Suo Lun’s buttocks and thighs several dozen times.
Instantly, Suo Lun’s lower half was struck completely numb.
After striking a full thirty to fifty times, Ash Liren released Suo Lun, then stared at his face and said, “Very well, it is a deal!”
At this time, Suo Lun was in such pain he could not even stand steadily, yet still grinned and said, “It is a deal!”
Ash Liren said, “I will lead all of Rouran’s elite troops to Helan Pass and fight to the death with Ye Lan Crown Prince Lan Tu.”
Suo Lun said, “Do not! You cannot command these troops at all. Moreover, these years your father neglected governance, military discipline deteriorated, and Rouran City’s military strength has greatly declined. This battle you will certainly lose.”
Ash Liren said, “Once Helan Pass falls, three hundred thousand troops will enter Rouran like entering uninhabited land. Therefore, the pass lives with me, the pass dies with me.”
Suo Lun frowned and said, “Why must you be like this? You should remain defending Rouran main city. Even if Rouran main city falls, you can still go to Tianshui City.”
Ash Liren said coldly, “I would rather die. I will not retreat, nor will I flee. Anyway, you all force me like this. Death would settle everything once and for all.”
Having spoken, Ash Liren turned and departed.
“Ah Li…” Suo Lun endured the pain and chased after her, directly grabbing her jade arm.
Perhaps this call was filled with concern. Liren’s heart trembled, and she did not flare up because Suo Lun grabbed her arm.
Suo Lun still did not release his grip, gazing into her eyes, saying, “Shi Nan could tell at a single glance that I am a bad person. To make you pledge allegiance to Zhi Yan, I used shameless tactics to entangle you, even attempting to conquer you through romantic feelings. Who told you to only speak of feelings, not benefits?”
“Indeed, everything I do is to obtain your allegiance and support. But protecting you and Ash Shiyuanba is more important to me than making you pledge allegiance to Zhi Yan.”
“You refuse to openly support us for the sake of Rouran City’s safety, for the sake of Ash Shiyuanba’s future. I cannot guarantee that Zhi Yan and I will certainly win. And if you openly stand on our side, and in the future we lose, your Rouran City will also suffer calamity of utter destruction.”
“I dare not guarantee that we can win, but I can guarantee that I will die before you.”
I will die before you!
These words made Ash Liren’s heart tremble.
Because there was another person who had died before her. That was her younger brother, Ash Shiluo.
Suo Lun continued, “Moreover, I make no political transactions with you, nor do I force you to agree to any political conditions. Whether to openly support Princess Zhi Yan completely depends on your own free will. Regardless of whether you openly pledge allegiance to Princess Zhi Yan, I will do my utmost to save Rouran City.”
Ash Liren laughed coldly, “Merely a technique to capture the heart.”
Suo Lun smiled, “Correct, this is the difference between courtship and rape. Rape is forcing oneself upon another. Courtship is coaxing and deceiving. But the ultimate goal is still to get into bed.”
Hearing him speak so crudely and disgustingly, Ash Liren stirred once more, wishing to beat him half to death.
But now, Suo Lun was already beaten half to death.
At this time, Suo Lun’s expression turned serious, “Ah Li, do not exit the pass and engage Lan Tu’s great army in a decisive battle. Sit and defend the fortified city. Hold out for as long as you can.”
Ash Liren shook her head and said, “Cannot hold out for long.”
Suo Lun closed his eyes and calculated, saying, “Six days. Can you hold out for six days? Within six days, I will make Lan Tu’s three hundred thousand strong army withdraw.”
“How is that possible?” Ash Liren could not believe it, “Reclaiming Rouran City is the will of the entire Ye Lan Duchy. Lan Tu cannot withdraw his troops. Once he withdraws, it means his political failure. Grand Duke Lan Shi would rather die than fail to reclaim Rouran Province and wash away national humiliation.”
Within six days, making the Ye Lan Duchy’s three hundred thousand strong army withdraw was truly harder than ascending to heaven.
Even, it would take Suo Lun two days just to travel from here to the Ye Lan capital.
Suo Lun said, “Ah Li, if I accomplish it, and save Rouran City within six days, I will not only strike your bottom, but strike it with your trousers down, how about that?”
Ash Liren paid him no heed, directly departing.
Only after her figure was no longer visible did her voice drill into Suo Lun’s ears once more.
“It is a deal!”
Just these words alone made Suo Lun feel faint, his nosebleed nearly spurting out.
This was Ash Liren. The Blue Enchantress. A woman with skin of ice and bones of jade.
Her bottom was completely like congealed snow and creamy fat, round and pert, enchantingly beautiful to the extreme.
I fear before even beginning to strike, Suo Lun would directly die of a burst blood vessel!
…
Half a shichen later, in the night!
Ash Liren led several thousand cavalry, galloping swiftly towards the southwest, heading to Helan Pass.
Suo Lun, alone on a single horse, galloped towards the east, taking a detour towards the Ye Lan capital.
Along the way, one Shadow Pavilion expert after another converged with him.
Fifty li outside Rouran City, an incomparably beautiful figure, riding a snow-white steed, waited by the road. It was Princess Zhi Yan.
After Suo Lun joined with her, they continued galloping towards the southeast.
Two days later!
Suo Lun and Princess Zhi Yan, disguised and travelling incognito, entered the Ye Lan Duchy.
At this time, four days remained until the six-day deadline Suo Lun and Liren had agreed upon to save Rouran City.
Tomorrow, Suo Lun would formally commence his plan to save Rouran City!
…
Inside an inn in the Ye Lan Duchy!
Suo Lun bit a towel, writhing in pain.
This woman Ash Liren, her strikes were truly vicious. She had beaten Suo Lun’s buttocks and thighs until the skin split and flesh gaped.
Added to two days and nights of ceaseless galloping on horseback without sleep or rest, the wounds on Suo Lun’s buttocks and thighs had completely split open, a bloody mess, his trousers stuck to the blood.
Princess Zhi Yan was using strong spirits to clean his wounds, and picking off the cloth strips stuck to them bit by bit.
“Ahh…” Biting through the towel, Suo Lun cried out in pain.
“Do not shout. People will hear and take notice.” Zhi Yan said.
“It hurts terribly. Why don’t you try being struck?” Suo Lun said, “If you want me not to shout, give my bottom a kiss.”
After speaking, Suo Lun regretted it!
During this period, teasing Ash Liren had become habitual for him. Facing Princess Zhi Yan, he had instinctively teased her as well.
Zhi Yan slightly furrowed her brows, yet her gaze stirred with movement.
Then, on her absolutely beautiful face, her petal-like fragrant lips planted a kiss upon Suo Lun’s bottom wound.
Instantly, Suo Lun was stunned.
She, she actually kissed it!