Chapter 1323 - 999: Execution of Yu Wenye
Very soon, his men brought the envoy from Luoyang into the main tent.
That man stepped into the tent and, as he lifted his head, revealed a handsome face with a hint of sickliness, especially those slanting, predatory eyes, deep and cold—meeting that gaze for an instant was enough to stir a bad feeling in Ashina Zhuxie’s heart. But he remained motionless in his seat, watching this man stroll unhurriedly to the center of the tent and offer him a salute.
"I pay my respects to the Khan."
"And you are—"
"I am Wang Shaoqiu."
At the sound of that name, a sharp light flashed in Ashina Zhuxie’s eyes.
The name Wang Shaoqiu was not unfamiliar to him, though what he knew better was his elder brother Wang Shaoji. After all, the two sides had once conspired together to seize Dasheng Dynasty’s Dragon Raising Land, Taiyuan. Yet Ashina Zhuxie had never met this man; he had only seen the then Chief, Wang Shaoji, once. Even in that single meeting, he had taken a dislike to that venomous and cutting man, but from the other’s words he had faintly sensed that behind Wang Shaoji stood someone still more far‑sighted, whose nature and methods were even more ruthless than his own.
He had not expected that the envoy sent by Luoyang would turn out to be this Wang Shaoqiu.
He examined him closely. The man’s figure was thin, looking every bit like a frail scholar; though summer had already begun, his clothes were not at all light. Not a drop of sweat beaded on that pale face, his manner dejected and steeped in illness, as if he truly were weak and worn to the bone. Yet the sly gleam flickering in those eyes said something entirely different.
This man was like a coiled snake lying dormant, no one knew when he might suddenly spring and deliver a fatal bite.
Ashina Zhuxie said, "So you are Wang Shaoqiu."
"I never imagined the Khan would still remember me. I am greatly honored."
"Of course I remember you." Ashina Zhuxie narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing Wang Shaoqiu up from head to toe. Everyone thought he was about to bring up their past cooperation at Taiyuan, but instead he said, "You and your elder brother did something earth‑shattering in Jiangdu. In the words of the Han people, it would be called one of the ten unforgivable crimes, would it not?"
A furrow appeared between Wang Shaoqiu’s brows.
He had always stood behind Wang Shaoji; many matters were handled by that brother of his who liked to hog the spotlight—thus the fame went to him, and naturally the crimes as well. So to this day, he could still live, still cling to Liang Shide and escape censure from all the rebel army factions, in large part thanks to his forbearance back then.
He had not thought that upon their very first meeting, this Western Turkic Zhuxie Khan would immediately prod at his soft spot.
Yet his expression did not change; he merely smiled faintly and said, "Emperor Yang was devoid of virtue. What my brother and I did could be said to be following Heaven’s will and the times."
Ashina Zhuxie said, "Following Heaven’s will and the times—what a pity, only to make wedding robes for another man."
His words naturally referred to how they had slain Chu Yang, yet in the end the Da Ye Dynasty was left for the Yuwen Family to inherit; not only that, the Yuwen Family had defeated them at Taiyuan and even killed Wang Shaoji. Sensing the edge in Ashina Zhuxie’s tone, Wang Shaoqiu lowered his gaze in contemplation a moment, then raised his head again, smiling as he looked at Ashina Zhuxie. "Could it be that the Khan feels wronged on Emperor Yang’s behalf?"
At these words, Ashina Zhuxie’s brows knit together.
When Wang Shaoqiu had just said Emperor Yang was without virtue, he had not refuted it—first, there was no need to waste words on a fallen Emperor who had never gotten along with the Turks to begin with; second, Chu Yang’s wanton debauchery was known throughout the realm, and he had even less reason to speak up for him after his death. Thus, to launch an attack now on the grounds of the other’s crime of regicide, under Wang Shaoqiu’s single question of whether he felt wronged on the dead man’s behalf, became baseless and without standing. To press further would look like he was deliberately making things difficult.
Though that was precisely his intention.
When two sides negotiate, one must show courtesy to the envoy, yet also exert pressure, lest the other become wanton and unrestrained. After all, for Luoyang to send an envoy at such a time without warning meant either a request or a scheme.
Thus Ashina Zhuxie said coldly, "This Khan has no interest in beating the drum for a dead man."
"That is excellent, then."
Wang Shaoqiu smiled. "The Khan is wise and martial; one would not expect you to squander thought and words on a depraved and unvirtuous tyrant. The Khan’s mind should be spent on matters of real importance."
Ashina Zhuxie arched a brow slightly. "Oh? And what important matter is worth this Khan’s attention?"
Wang Shaoqiu lifted his gaze to him. "Putting Yu Wenye to the sword."
"...!"
Those five words came out of nowhere, like a cutting wind that snapped Ashina Zhuxie sharply to alertness. He frowned and said, "What did you say?"
Wang Shaoqiu said, "It seems the Khan has yet to hear: Dasheng’s King Qin Yuwenye has already led troops eastward. He is presently encamped near Cijian outside Luoyang City. However, the soldiers under his command are few, less than thirty thousand."
A fierce glint flashed twice across Ashina Zhuxie’s gaze.
But after a brief moment, his eyes grew calm again. When he looked back up at Wang Shaoqiu, there was a hint of chill in his gaze. "And that—what has it to do with me?"
When he had spoken those five words, "putting Yu Wenye to the sword," Wang Shaoqiu had already seen the murderous light in his eyes as plain as day. So hearing this question now, he only smiled faintly and said, "I heard that Yu Wenye once rode alone into the Western Turkic Yatai and then withdrew intact. Afterwards, the Khan ascended the throne. From what I know of him, he should hardly have lent the Khan a helping hand."
"..."
"On the contrary, he must have taken advantage of the perilous situation at the time of your accession in order to escape unscathed."
"..."
"Khan, such a—do you not wish to take your revenge?"
His sentence was clearly unfinished, and the two missing syllables were obvious to all: "humiliation."
After all, when Ashina Zhuxie had seized Shang Ruyi from Qi County, it had been with a sizable force. Yet in the end Yu Wenye had fought his way to the Turkic Yatai single‑handed and taken her away. Even if Ashina Zhuxie had not suffered real losses, in his heart it was indeed a scar.
Given a chance to repay such an affront, no one would refuse.
But Ashina Zhuxie sat in silent thought for a while, then looked at Wang Shaoqiu with an icy expression and suddenly said, "He leads thirty thousand troops to Luoyang—for what purpose?"
"...!"
Having watched the kill‑lust flicker in his eyes on and off, Wang Shaoqiu had thought he had successfully stoked the anger in this Western Turkic Khan’s heart. He had not expected him to remain so calm, not only refusing to take up the thread, but immediately spotting the flaw in his words.
Wang Shaoqiu fell silent for a moment, then forced a smile. "That... may not be of great importance."
Ashina Zhuxie slowly leaned forward. Though he still sat motionless on the throne, his expression and those sharp, lupine eyes made him seem like a wolf lying in wait on high, ready at any moment to spring down and clamp its jaws around a man’s throat, sending a chill down the spine.
He said, "If it were unimportant, why would Liang Shide have sent you here—to seek aid?"