"No, please, don't kill me!"
Facing the last of the Golden Guards, who was begging for mercy, Li Aotian cast a casual glance back and swung his blade once.
The sharp edge sliced through the air, dispatching the final man.
Fresh blood stained the silver tent red, splattering the Chanyu Consort Zhang, who sat cowering on the bed.
The night was as dark as ink.
In the Xiongnu military camp, a patrolling soldier heard the sounds of slaughter emanating from the tent of the Han Envoy. He and several others grabbed their long sabers and rushed over, only to be met with a soul-shaking sight.
Death.
Inside the Han Envoy's quarters, they peered through the gaps in the tent flap to see thirty-two bodies lying in pools of blood.
"This is a disaster! Who killed our Golden Guards?"
They exchanged alarmed glances and then turned to see the Han envoy, Li Aotian, standing proudly in the moonlight, gripping his three-foot blade.
His pure white robes were soaked in blood, and droplets of red dripped from the tip of his sword. This scene made one thing clear to them: the Han envoy had slaughtered the Xiongnu soldiers.
Even more terrifyingly, they saw Li Aotian holding his blade against the throat of the Chanyu Consort.
"What... what is happening here?"
"Isn't that the Chanyu Consort? And those are our Golden Guards—the guards of the Golden Tent!"
"Never mind that, hurry and report this to the Grand Chanyu!"
"Tell him the Han envoy has lost his mind and is trying to kill the Consort!"
With those words, they turned and sprinted toward the residence of the Xiongnu Grand Chanyu.
...
"Report to the Grand Chanyu!"
"Something has happened in the camp! We implore the Grand Chanyu to come and take control of the situation!"
They reached the exterior of the Grand Chanyu’s tent and shouted urgently.
Yizhixie, the Grand Chanyu, who had just been lulled to sleep by his consort, was startled awake. He looked around and discovered that his consort was nowhere to be found in the Golden Tent. He threw on his royal robe, stepped out of the tent, and frowned.
"Something happened? What could possibly go wrong in the camp?"
"Why are you all in such a panic? It’s not as if the Han or some other dynasty is attacking us."
After chiding the soldiers, he listened to their report. By the time they finished, cold sweat was pouring down the Grand Chanyu's back.
"What?!"
"My Zhang went to the Han Envoy’s tent with the Golden Guards?"
"And Li Aotian killed the Golden Guards? My... my Consort!"
Consumed by rage, the Grand Chanyu waved his sleeve and ordered his officers to follow him. Along the way, he summoned several Xiongnu nobles and ministers.
In an instant, they arrived at the scene.
"The Golden Guards... they're actually dead?"
"Grand Chanyu, I fear the conflict between us and the Han envoy has reached a point beyond reconciliation."
"Indeed. If news of such a major incident reaches Emperor Wu of Han tonight, our Xiongnu people may face a great calamity."
"I see no solution other than to deal with the Han envoy himself, though I suspect our future exchanges with the Han will come at a heavy cost."
The one who spoke was the Right Guli King, an astute Xiongnu noble in charge of foreign affairs. He bore a slight resemblance to the Han people, with long black hair and handsome features; a bone flute hung at his waist, which appeared to be his weapon. Among the Xiongnu, he was known for his beauty, but beneath that calm expression lay a devious and ruthless mind.
Over the years, almost every foreign envoy who had negotiated with him had suffered greatly. The Xiongnu’s diplomatic victories were largely due to his personal charisma.
"You are right, Right Guli King. If we want to calm this, we will likely have to make concessions in our diplomacy—we may even have to pay a heavy price to protect the Xiongnu," the Left Guli King agreed with a nod.
He looked toward the silhouette of the embassy in the dark and sighed. He hoped Li Aotian wouldn't escalate things further. The Xiongnu were powerful, but they were terrified of the ruthless Emperor Wu of Han, who could turn the very sky and earth cold with his wrath.
...
Inside the silver tent, Li Aotian sheathed his blade. He looked down at the panicked Consort with a playful expression.
"Chanyu Consort, you saw it yourself! I wasn't the one who wanted to kill. Your Golden Guards tried to seize me—this was just... an accidental slaughter!"
Consort Zhang had lost all reason. She threw back her hair, her face twisted into a look of pure malice.
"Accidental? You call this accidental? Who accidentally kills thirty-two people? Li Aotian, prepare to die! Just wait until the Chanyu executes you!"
Li Aotian sneered. He suddenly grabbed her by the throat, his expression chilling.
"Chanyu Consort, do you really think I’m giving you face? Breaking into another man’s room in the middle of the night—I have to wonder if you’re committing adultery with the Han envoy!"
"You! You bastard! How dare you insult me! I won't let you get away with this!"
Li Aotian let out a low laugh and tossed her onto the bed. He pointed to the closed entrance of the silver tent.
"Fine! You can get out now! But afterward, I will tell the Chanyu that you seduced me—the Han envoy—and I will tell all of Mobei that I took his woman!"
"When that happens, let's see how you hold your head up! Let's see how you manage to have me killed!"
After speaking, Li Aotian straightened his posture and sat on a chair near the bed. He leaned on his sword, letting the blood from the blade drip onto the floor.
The woman inside the blood-stained silver tent was stunned. Consort Zhang had never expected Li Aotian to be so vicious; he was ready to destroy her reputation completely. She had started as a servant to a common Xiongnu merchant and had clawed her way to the Chanyu’s bed through sheer resilience and effort, bearing him two sons. She could not allow her reputation to be ruined.
She lowered her head, gritting her teeth.
"Envoy Li! I beg you, let me go. I will give you whatever you want, just don't destroy me!"
Seeing the Chanyu Consort so humbled, Li Aotian felt a surge of satisfaction. This woman had come in here barking orders and trying to lord over him, but now? Now she would kneel!
"Kneel!"
"You... what are you doing?"
The Consort was terrified; she didn't know what Li Aotian planned to do next.
But Li Aotian didn't care about her feelings at all. He gripped her throat again and said, "If you don't listen to me, you have only one outcome: total ruin. Make your choice."
"Kneel, or don't kneel—the choice is yours!"