The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 587 - 585 My lord, you might as well punish me too (first update)
Chapter 587: 585 My lord, you might as well punish me too (first update)
Li Xianyun and her party arrived at the main tent, and just as they reached the entrance, they saw several tall and robust soldiers walking out of the tent, all with deathly pale faces, bowing their heads and looking away in shame upon seeing Li Xianyun.
Li Xianyun recognized them; they were the Hidden Guards covertly protecting her.
To conceal their identities and facilitate their movements, these Hidden Guards had disguised themselves as soldiers from Huofu Camp.
These days, the military camp had been peaceful, and with the Queen situated in the heart of the Khitan main camp, surrounded by Khitan soldiers, what danger could there be?
These Hidden Guards, therefore, had let down their guard.
What they had not anticipated was that the Queen would almost come to harm within the safety of their own encampment.
The Khan’s prestige in the army was immense; he ruled not by virtue alone, for it would never suffice, but by decisive acts of punishment and an iron fist, cold-blooded and resolute.
Since that grand wedding personally orchestrated by the Khan, there was no one in the world who didn’t know how dearly the Khan cherished the Queen, willing to break conventions for her again and again.
The Queen was the Khan’s ultimate limit.
Should anything happen to the Queen, countless people would lose their lives, blood would flow like rivers, and they, without doubt, would be among the first to forfeit their meager existence.
At the moment, the Khan had only fiercely reprimanded them and ordered that each receive thirty heavy beatings; that he did not execute them on the spot was already a tremendous mercy.
The royal guard at the entrance of the main tent saw Li Xianyun coming and hurriedly pulled the thick curtains apart, one on each side.
Li Xianyun stepped inside and immediately saw Yelu Yan’s handsome face, still not devoid of anger.
Yelu Yan’s complexion was as dark as a cloud of piled ink, ominously foreboding, but when he lifted his eyelids and saw that it was Li Xianyun, his expression softened slightly.
He rose from the desk and strode to Li Xianyun, extending a long arm to wrap around her slender, rounded shoulders, and pressed her tightly to his chest.
Li Xianyun grasped the sides of Yelu Yan’s robe and softly called, "Husband."
Yelu Yan grunted in response from his nasal cavity and pressed his head tightly against Li Xianyun’s, closing his eyes, focusing on feeling her warmth, her breath, and the light elegant fragrance emanating from her.
Only by holding Li Xianyun like this, at this very moment, could he calm the fearful and anxious agitation in his heart.
Yelu Yan had already learned the details of the incident from the guards.
Those two wretches had been so close to his Xianxian, and they had attacked from behind; had Xianxian not been so alert, had she not had poison on her hands...
The consequences were unthinkable.
A sudden stiffness seized Yelu Yan’s heart; he dared not continue that thought.
His Xianxian was fragile, like a lush and delicate flower blooming radiantly.
He coddled her tenderly in his heart—when had he ever allowed her to experience the slightest fright or injustice?
And yet those two wretches dared...
Beheading them and feeding their bodies to the wolves on the grassland would be too lenient; he wanted to tear them into pieces, letting them endure every agony imaginable in this world before killing them.
In fact, while the guard had gone to summon Li Xianyun, Yelu Yan had paced the main tent agitatedly, changing the punishment for those vile criminals from a public beheading to lingering death and dismemberment.
To outsiders, military figures symbolize the utmost authority—commands are obeyed without question, they stand tall and majestic, awe-inspiring and formidable.
Yet, in reality, soldiers are the most cold-hearted and ruthless of beings.
A vigilantly guarded military camp is an Avici Hell for the enemy.
The soldiers have methods to make the enemy endure torments beyond what the common man can fathom.
Yelu Yan wanted to show those two villains what Avici Hell was and make them regret ever being born.
The main tent was warm and sweet.
Meanwhile, at another end of the camp, in a crude and filthy tent, the two soldiers who had sought to harm Li Xianyun were tightly bound to thick iron posts studded with sharp barbs.
The executioner soldiers were using sharp, delicate blades, as thin as bee wings, to slice the two bodies as if they were peeling potatoes, not knowing how many cuts they had made.
Blood streamed and flesh blurred under the ceaseless trembling and the wails and howls of ghosts and wolves.
The heavy stench of blood gushed out of the tent, turning the small encampment into Avici Hell.
On the other side, within the large and warm main tent.
Li Xianyun pressed her small face against Yelu Yan’s sturdy chest, feeling his strong and steady heartbeat.
She was still shaken by the events that had just occurred.
Now, in Yelu Yan’s broad and warm embrace, Li Xianyun felt especially secure.
Yelu Yan always gave her a tremendous sense of safety.
This towering man seemed capable of anything, while also treating her with utmost care and affection, making her want to indulge in his tender love, unwilling to extricate herself.
Yet, she also knew soberly that indulging in his affection and living under his wing would only become a burden to him, whereas she aimed to stand by his side as an equal, to shape each other into the persons they liked.
To support each other, to love each other, and to join hands towards a shared future.
Thinking this, Li Xianyun tightened her grip around Yelu Yan’s strong waist even more.
After a while, Yelu Yan embraced her, saying from above, "Xianxian, I apologize for the troubles you’ve faced."
"It’s nothing. They didn’t get the better of me."
Li Xianyun tried to speak lightly to ease the self-reproach in his heart.
He had done very well already; this incident had nothing to do with him.
Yelu Yan’s expression remained dark.
The thought of Li Xianyun being bullied by two scoundrels made his chest swell with anger.
If it weren’t for his desire to stay beside Li Xianyun, he would have surely tortured those two evildoers himself to quench his fury.
Li Xianyun slightly withdrew from Yelu Yan’s embrace, still holding tightly to his waist, and looked up at him.
"Husband, I’m not as delicate as you think; I can protect myself. You don’t have to worry," said Li Xianyun, "In fact, those Hidden Guards..."
It wasn’t entirely their fault.
She had let her guard down and had even allowed Bater to leave her side. She was also at fault.
Yelu Yan interrupted in a cool voice, "You needn’t plead for them. They were negligent in their duties; they nearly allowed you to come to harm. I must punish them severely, so they learn their lesson and dare not repeat their mistake."
Knowing his anger was far from subsiding and that it was impossible for him to hold back, Li Xianyun said no more.
Besides, as a commander, the most important thing is to enforce strict discipline and clear laws. Yelu Yan had his own way of controlling people; what need was there for her to say anything?
If Yelu Yan succumbed to her compassionate pleading, it would only cause chaos.
Yelu Yan then said, "I will also strictly punish your personal maid, Jinwu, and Bater."
The three of them had actually left Li Xianyun alone, putting her in an isolated and helpless situation, which was truly detestable.
Clearly, Yelu Yan had learned of Jinwu meeting with Youlan and Bater helping her retrieve things.
Li Xianyun’s eyes flickered, and she nestled weakly into Yelu Yan’s embrace, looking up at him.
"Husband, you might as well punish me too."
"Xianxian, you..."
Li Xianyun raised her hand, gently stroking Yelu Yan’s chest, calming him.
"Husband, I wasn’t involved with the Hidden Guards’ affairs, so let it be, and you can punish as you wish. However, it was I who asked Youlan to meet with Jinwu, and it was I who sent Bater to fetch herbs from my carriage. I am the Queen; how could they dare to disobey my orders? When all is said and done, the fault is mine. If there is to be punishment, husband, you should punish me."
