Huangming

Chapter 309 The Grand Princess is Humiliated
At this moment, most of the Ming army had already broken camp and set off from the outskirts of Hetu Ala, retreating along the Suzi River by water and land, leaving only the distant smoke and dust and the still burning city behind them.

But it is twenty miles away from Hetu Ala.

Zu Dashou's five hundred cavalrymen arrived but remained stationary. Their iron armor gleamed coldly in the setting sun, like a sturdy iron gate, guarding the rear.

The warhorses ridden by these five hundred knights were all fine steeds captured from the city of Hetu Ala.

With its glossy coat and exquisite bone structure, it was originally the mount of the Jurchen nobles, but now it has become the mount of the Ming army.

The riders on horseback gripped the reins tightly, the spurs on their boots gleaming coldly, both rider and horse exuding a sense of pent-up energy.

With such speed and agility, even if pursuers came, they were confident they could escape unscathed. This was the source of their confidence to stay until the very end.

"General!"

A rapid sound of hooves came from the direction of Hetu Ala, breaking the brief silence.

A scout dismounted, his armor still covered in smoldering embers and dust, and knelt on one knee to report: "Reporting to the general, the Jurchen reinforcements have entered Hetu Ala City, but have not sent troops to pursue them. They are currently concentrating their forces to extinguish the fire."

"Oh?"

Zu Dashou reined in his horse, his eyebrows slightly raised, but there was no surprise in his eyes.

The two Jurchen reinforcements sent to Hetu Ala numbered only about two thousand men. With such a small force, they were barely able to put out the fire, let alone pursue these elite cavalrymen.

Moreover, the lessons learned from Gule Village and Maldun Village are still fresh in our minds.

Those reinforcements were all ambushed and wiped out.

Now that the Jurchens are unsure of the true situation ahead, how dare they rashly launch an attack?

Their decision to fight the fire at this moment, seemingly to save their homes, is actually the safest way to protect themselves.

This approach avoids the potential ambush that might result from blindly pursuing the enemy, and also allows them to rally support and stabilize the situation by putting out the fire.

After all, Hetu Ala was the birthplace of the Jurchens, and even though it was now in ruins, they still had to put on a show of "preserving their foundations."

With his worries gone, a sharp glint flashed in Zu Dashou's eyes. The long-planned scheme was finally ready to be implemented.

He reined in his horse and ordered his personal guards in a deep voice: "Pass down the order to set up camp on the spot and rest for an hour. Let the brothers feed their warhorses and check their armor."

The soldiers were somewhat surprised.

Logically, they should have taken advantage of the momentum to continue their journey and join up with the main force, so why did they suddenly stop to rest?

But military orders are absolute, and no one dared to question them. They unloaded their supplies and found a sheltered, flat spot in a nearby ravine to set up camp.

The warhorses were led to the stream to drink, the armor and weapons were carefully wiped clean, the campfire was lit, and the cooks began to distribute rations. The brief rest allowed the tense troops to relax a little, but it also revealed a calm that was about to bring a storm.

In less than a quarter of an hour, a simple yet imposing central command tent was erected.

The blue curtains fluttered slightly in the wind, and guards with swords were densely packed around the perimeter. On the open ground outside the tent, several warhorses pawed restlessly, as if they had a premonition of something.

Zu Dashou sat upright behind the table inside the tent, his fingertips lightly tapping the tabletop, his gaze fixed on the tent door.

The guards stood at attention, holding their breath; the tent was so quiet that the crackling of the candlelight could be heard.

"Bring it up."

With a low shout, the tent flap was flung open, and two burly soldiers escorted a woman inside.

Despite being imprisoned, the 31-year-old Abahai still possessed an undeniable charm.

She wore a brocade robe, the collar of which was torn and loose, revealing the delicate skin of her neck; her usually meticulously styled hair was now disheveled with a few strands sticking to her sweaty forehead, adding a touch of wretched allure.

Her voluptuous figure and shapely curves were the mark of a woman in her prime; even bound by ropes, her innate charm was undeniable.

This was Abahai, Nurhaci's most beloved principal wife, renowned for her beauty in the Jurchen harem.

Zu Dashou slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over her, finally settling on her eyes, which were filled with fear and stubbornness.

To convince Nurhaci that Tong Guoyao had "rescued" her, the scene had to be convincing, making Abahai truly feel despair and humiliation, so that her subsequent "escape" would seem plausible.

He stepped down from the main seat, his military boots making a dull thud on the felt carpet.

When he reached Abahai, Zu Dashou stopped and gently lifted her chin with his calloused thumb.

"Indeed, she is the apple of the eye of the Heavenly Mandate Khan."

A playful smile curled at the corner of his lips. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undisguised aggressiveness.

"The reputation of Hetu Ala for its beauties is well-deserved after seeing it today."

Abahai trembled all over, the places touched by his fingertips felt like they were on fire.

She abruptly turned her head, trying to break free, but the soldier held her shoulders firmly, preventing her from moving.

"You...what are you going to do?"

Her Mandarin was heavily accented with Jurchen, yet every word conveyed anger and fear, and deep in her eyes was a profound hatred for the man before her.

Zu Dashou chuckled, withdrew his hand, and slowly began to untie the straps of his armor.

"What?"

He looked up at Abahai, his gaze fierce and predatory.

"A beauty as charming as you would be a waste to kill. If you were taken back to the capital and presented to His Majesty, what chance would there be for us border soldiers?"

"presumptuous!"

Abahai shouted sternly, his chest heaving violently.

"I am the Grand Consort of the Heavenly Mandate Khan! Whether to kill or punish me should be decided by your Emperor. How dare you, a mere border general, be so disrespectful to me?"

Although her words were firm, her voice was trembling.

Even when she was captured, she had anticipated that the Ming army would not treat her well, but when the humiliation was about to befall her, the deep-seated shame and fear still made her feel cold all over.

She finally understood why Zu Dashou had let all the other women leave with the main group first, but left her behind alone.

It turns out that from the very beginning, he never intended to let himself go.

He had been plotting against me for a long time!
Zu Dashou looked at her forced composure and sneered inwardly.

The more fierce she is, the more genuine her "shock" will be later, making it easier for Tong Guoyao to act.

He stepped forward, deliberately bringing his breath close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe: "His Majesty is far away in the capital, but you are now... in my hands. I think you should just accept your fate. Since you can't resist, then enjoy it."

Abahai abruptly closed her eyes, and tears of humiliation finally streamed down her face, soaking her makeup.

But after a moment, Nurhaci's principal wife still managed to maintain her last shred of dignity, glaring at Zu Dashou: "How dare you! I am the principal wife of the wise Khan, of noble status. If you dare to touch me, aren't you afraid of being punished by your Ming emperor?"

Her voice trembled with fear, yet she still tried to use her imperial power to intimidate others.

Upon hearing this, Zu Dashou suddenly burst into a cold laugh, his laughter filled with disdain.

He turned to his guards behind him and raised his voice, "Did you hear that? She's asking if you dare!"

The guards inside the tent were already aroused by Abahai's fearful yet angry appearance. When they thought of her usual noble status as the Grand Consort of the Jurchens, a desire to conquer her exploded in their hearts.

Someone suddenly thumped his chest and roared, "The general has ordered that we dare to venture into any danger, not just a Jurchen concubine, but even a dragon's den or a tiger's lair! Soldiers must obey orders above all else; there's nothing we wouldn't dare!" "Yes! Please give the order, General!"

Another soldier stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with a savage light, clearly unable to contain himself any longer.

Zu Dashou looked around at everyone, then suddenly his face darkened, and he scolded his guards, "You all rush around like you've never seen a woman before!"

He paused, then changed the subject, his tone becoming deliberately vulgar.

"However, I dislike waste the most. Listen up, all of you, go out and line up, one by one."

"what?"

Abahai was struck dumb, and all color drained from her face instantly.

She originally thought that Zu Dashou was the most insulting person to him, but she didn't expect it to be more than that.

This humiliation was more unbearable than death for her. Abahai's vision went black, and she nearly collapsed to the ground.

However, before she could recover, Zu Dashou had already begun to act.

After he finished, he walked out of the tent.

Zu Dashou stood outside the tent, watching the guards come and go, silently counting their numbers.

When the tenth soldier stepped out of the tent, he knew the time was right.

The performance was so realistic that it drove Abahai to utter despair, and it also gave Tong Guoyao, who "coincidentally" arrived later, the best opportunity to "save the master."

Zu Dashou waved to someone not far away, and Tong Guoyao immediately understood. She crouched down and quickly approached, her face showing a deliberately feigned fear.

"Do you know how to proceed from here?"

Zu Dashou lowered his voice, his gaze sweeping over the obsequious face, and solemnly gave the order.

Tong Guoyao nodded hurriedly, his forehead almost touching the ground: "General, rest assured, this servant remembers everything and will not make the slightest mistake."

Zu Dashou said no more, only giving him a wink.

Tong Guoyao understood, quietly took a few steps back, and disappeared into the shadows of the dense forest outside the tent, waiting for the signal to sound.

A moment later, a shrill cry suddenly pierced the silence of the camp from outside the tent: "The Jurchens are here! The Jurchens are here!"

Immediately afterwards, the sound of rapid hoofbeats grew louder as they approached, as if a large army was indeed charging in.

The Ming soldiers in the camp instantly became agitated, their already tense nerves snapping.

"Withdraw! Quickly withdraw!"

The guards shouted at the top of their lungs, and the break camp moved with lightning speed.

Even the soldiers surrounding Abahai inside the tent panicked. They no longer cared about matters between men and women. They hurriedly pulled up their trousers, grabbed their weapons, and rushed out, not even having time to fasten their disheveled robes.

In an instant, the noisy camp was emptied, leaving only the abandoned campfire still crackling and the figure curled up on the couch in the central tent.

Abahai's hair was disheveled, her clothes were torn to shreds, and tears of humiliation mixed with dust streamed down her face. Her eyes were as empty as still water.

She was completely unaware of the chaos and shouting just now, as if her soul had already been ripped away.

Just then, a figure emerged from behind the tree; it was Tong Guoyao.

He rushed into the tent and, upon seeing the scene before him, his face immediately showed shock and regret. He then knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly to Abahai: "This servant, Tong Guoyao, has arrived too late to save Your Majesty, causing the Grand Consort to be humiliated. I deserve to die! I deserve to die!"

While crying and shouting, he nimbly got up, untied the ropes binding Abahai, picked up a relatively intact outer robe from the side, and carefully draped it over her body.

When the rough fabric touched her skin, Abahai shuddered violently, as if waking from a nightmare, and her empty eyes finally regained some focus.

She...was saved?

After such heart-wrenching humiliation, someone actually came to save her?
Abahai stared blankly at the kneeling servant before her, a hoarse sob escaping her throat, tears welling up again, this time mixed with a sense of dazed relief.

“You…you are…” Her voice was dry, like sandpaper rubbing.

"This servant is Tong Guoyao! I am a bondservant of the Bordered Yellow Banner. I met the Grand Consort in Hetu Ala before!"

Tong Guoyao hurriedly introduced herself, her face displaying just the right amount of grief and indignation.

"Upon hearing that the Grand Consort had been captured, this servant risked his life to follow her and finally made it in time!"

Abahai barely recognized him then, her eyes instantly igniting with a flame of revenge. She grabbed his arm, her nails almost digging into his flesh: "Where are those Ming dogs? Now that you've caught up with them, why don't you slaughter them all?! Quickly! Go and kill them, avenge me!"

Tong Guoyao looked troubled and sighed, "Your Highness, please calm down. I have already sent men to chase after them. We will not let those Ming dogs escape. However, we are still some distance from Hetu Ala. The main force of the Ming army may be nearby. We should return to the city first. Only by seeing the Great Khan can we ask him to do our best!"

Upon hearing this, Abahai regained some of her composure.

She knew how disheveled she looked, and that staying here would only bring more misfortune.

She took a deep breath and tried to get up, but her legs felt as heavy as lead, and the slightest exertion brought excruciating pain, making it impossible for her to even stand.

The ordeal she had just endured had completely exhausted her strength.

Upon seeing this, Tong Guoyao immediately stepped forward and adopted a respectful posture: "Your Highness, the ground is cold. This servant will carry you."

Abahai hesitated for a moment, but ultimately the humiliation could not overcome her instinct for survival. She nodded and let Tong Guoyao carry her on his back.

The man's shoulders weren't broad, but they carried a reassuring strength that eased her tense nerves slightly.

"What happened today..."

Abahai lay on his back, her voice as low as a whisper.

"If you dare to utter even a single word to a third party, I will have the Wise Khan skin you alive!"

"This servant would never dare!"

Tong Guoyao quickly agreed.

“This servant’s life belongs to the Great Queen, and I will naturally obey her every command. Once we return to Hetu Ala, this servant will certainly ask the Great Khan to avenge you.”

Abahai was very satisfied with Tong Guoyao's reaction. She immediately said, "You are a good servant. When we get to the Khan, I will speak up for you and you will be rewarded."

"This servant thanks Your Highness!"

Having said that, Tong Guoyao didn't delay any longer. Carrying Abahai on her back, she ran wildly towards Hetu Ala, stumbling along the way.

The campsite behind us gradually receded into the distance, leaving only the campfire flickering in the wind, eventually turning into a tiny spark and disappearing into the vast night.

……

One day later.

Under the urgent dispatch of the messenger, which traveled 800 li (approximately 400 kilometers)

News of the fall of Hetu Ala quickly reached Nurhaci, who was commanding the battle of Shenyang from Fushun...

……

PS:
The bonus chapter for reaching 400 monthly votes will be released tonight, and it might be quite late.

(End of this chapter)