Dog-Dragon Duel
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Mist spread thickly through the forest, like ink spilled in water, shrouding the mountains, fields, and rivers in a vast, white haze. The heavy dampness transformed into tiny droplets that clung to clothes and stuck to cheeks, sticky and uncomfortable. Wei Sizhao concealed himself in the branches of a tree beside a trap. He had familiarized himself with the terrain before the hunt began but worried that Xia Yunhe’s suspicion—that Chen Haizhou would lie in ambush here—might be true or not.
Before dawn, the dense fog wrapped around Wei Sizhao, offering him no leverage. As he pondered, a noise came from beneath the tree. He quickly steadied his breath, crouched between the branches, and held his breath in silence.
One voice said, “Master Chen, hasn’t the Crown Prince already captured the Baize? What is the Fifth Prince up to now? With such thick fog, if the Fifth Prince really gains the upper hand, and His Majesty blames us... what are we to do?”
Wei Sizhao’s heart leapt. Slowly, he drew a dagger from his sleeve, inch by inch. His enemy was right beneath him; the Wei family’s long-held grudge was finally within reach of revenge!
But silence followed beneath the tree. He lowered his head to listen intently. After a while, Chen Haizhou spoke.
“There’s nothing in the trap. Whatever the Crown Prince says is none of your concern. The Baize is strong; the Fifth Prince must drive it into the trap to capture it. We stay here—once the Baize appears, we stop the Fifth Prince.”
Another asked, “And what about the Baize?”
Chen Haizhou replied, “Only stop the Fifth Prince; nothing else matters.”
The men all bowed in unison, then concealed their breaths, vanishing silently into the mist.
Wei Sizhao, having overheard their conversation, was stunned. Chen Haizhou’s words matched Xia Yunhe’s suspicions exactly.
Voices approached nearby, a raucous search for the Baize. Wei Sizhao sneered quietly, deliberately snapping a small twig, dropping it to the ground to make a noise.
The group beneath the tree froze. Chen Haizhou suddenly felt a chill at his neck. Without hesitation, he rolled aside, narrowly avoiding a dagger planted where he had been. It was short but sharp.
He threw three darts back into the shadows, then looked up. The fog was thick, the dawn not yet broken, but he caught a fleeting glimpse of a dark shadow flashing past.
It was the assassin!
“Chase him! Don’t let him escape!” Chen Haizhou shouted excitedly.
“This—Master Chen, what about the trap?”
He thought briefly. “Leave two here; the rest, come with me to pursue that thief. Don’t let him get away!”
Seeing Chen Haizhou’s determination, the secret guards obeyed, groping through the dark forest.
They hadn’t gone far before colliding headlong with the Fifth Prince’s men.
Wei Sizhao moved lightly, using the fog as cover, leaping through trees to silently blend into the Fifth Prince’s ranks.
The Fifth Prince was the first to speak. “Who goes there?”
Before anyone could respond, Wei Sizhao shouted loudly, “Ambush!”
Tensions rose; swords were drawn. The Fifth Prince ordered sharply, “Seize them!”
Before friend or foe could be distinguished, the clash of blades echoed in the fog, flashes of steel and splatters of blood. Several figures fell to the ground. Enveloped in mist, the two groups fought fiercely, turning the forest floor into chaos.
Chen Haizhou’s team, lightly clothed, stood little chance against the fully armored guards. They were quickly overwhelmed, retreating back toward their original path.
“Fifth Prince, stop! It is I!” Chen Haizhou shouted, clutching his injured forearm with all his strength.
But his voice was drowned by the clangor of battle. He raised his voice again, “Fifth Prince, I am Chen Haizhou, Left Vice Censor!”
Suddenly, he felt a chill at his back and heard a calm, icy voice: “You’re the one we’re looking for.”
Before he could react, someone kicked him from behind into the trap.
A scream rang out, then silence.
...
The Fifth Prince froze, commanded his men to halt, and ordered a search of the trap. Soon, a report came back: the Left Vice Censor was inside.
His vision darkened. Taking a deep breath, he ordered Chen Haizhou to be pulled out.
The Fifth Prince inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. The Crown Prince had lined the trap with barbs to catch the Baize. But the Baize was a sacred beast—would it present a dead creature to the Emperor? Fortunately, he had secretly had those barbs removed... Originally intending to capture the Baize alive, he hadn’t anticipated Chen Haizhou falling in instead. The man was lucky; with the barbs intact, death would have been certain.
Chen Haizhou lay in the three-meter-deep pit, his right leg bone broken. When lifted out, he remained conscious.
Scanning the crowd, his gaze fixed on the Fifth Prince’s face as he struggled to speak, “Fifth Prince, there’s an assassin among your men.”
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“Assassin?” Hearing this, the Fifth Prince flared with anger. “Where would an assassin come from? Master Chen, your words are baseless—are you accusing me of harboring an assassin?”
The forest fell silent. Chen Haizhou gritted his teeth, resenting the little thief who had troubled him repeatedly but dared not raise his voice openly because of the prince’s authority. He lowered his gaze and voice. “I dare not say more.”
“Hmph,” the Fifth Prince sneered, glaring at those around him. “Take Master Chen back. I am busy.”
“Wait!” Chen Haizhou struggled again.
“Hm? Master Chen, what is it now?” The Fifth Prince looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you here instead of attending His Majesty?”
The atmosphere stiffened. The secret guards exchanged glances, lowering their heads in silence.
“You,” the prince pointed at one man, “you follow Master Chen—what are you doing here? Speak.”
Chen Haizhou quickly interjected, “Fifth Prince, today’s chaos was deliberately stirred to cause conflict between us.”
“I think it’s you causing trouble. Since that incident at Xiahe Village, you’ve been opposing me. Is today some provocation?” The Fifth Prince clapped his hands sharply. “You want the Baize, don’t you? Guards, take them to camp.”
“Who dares!” The secret guards drew their blades.
The Fifth Prince laughed coldly twice, gripping his sword sheath. “Such arrogance—a mere censor dares disrespect a prince.”
Before dawn, the thick fog lingered as both sides stood in deadlock.
At that moment, a clear, melodious cry shattered the silence, echoing through the valley.
It was the Baize.
Everyone was momentarily stunned. The Fifth Prince reacted first, scoffing, “Ignore them. Let’s go. Once we catch the Baize, we’ll request a reward from His Majesty.”
He gathered his forces and headed toward the sound.
Wei Sizhao, hidden in the forest, listened to the conversation. Seeing Chen Haizhou still alive, he felt reluctant but helpless as the secret guards took him away.
The trap had once been lined with barbs but was now cleared, sparing Chen Haizhou’s life. Wei Sizhao’s heart grew heavier—the family’s 633 grievances, when would they be avenged?
...
Inside the camp tent.
Xia Yunhe faintly heard the Baize’s long, haunting call amid the outside commotion. The cries of “Baize! Baize!” rose repeatedly. She stepped out to ask the guards and confirmed it was no illusion—the Baize truly had appeared.
Returning inside, the Seventh Prince had awakened, lifting his sleeve to tear off the bandages and scratching at his exposed wound in a daze.
Xia Yunhe grasped his wrist firmly, stopping him from touching the injury. Xie Yi pressed his forehead against her palm, sobbing quietly—still just a child. She said gently, “Your Highness, rest now. Nothing serious here.”
Xie Yi opened his eyes, looking at her and clutching her hand tightly. She coaxed him to lie down and changed his wet cloths repeatedly. Feeling the heat subside from his forehead, her anxious heart finally eased.
Just as she sat down, a horse’s neigh outside drew her attention. A sharp voice called out, “His Majesty has arrived.”
It was Emperor He Hui.
Rising to greet the imperial presence, Liu Rongshan accompanied the emperor, still smiling politely as he greeted her.
Emperor He Hui touched the Seventh Prince’s forehead and looked toward Xia Yunhe. “Yi Zhi, you are truly blessed and fortunate. Thank goodness, thank goodness.”
Xia Yunhe hurriedly expressed gratitude to His Majesty and exchanged some casual words. The emperor then asked about Wan Canjun of the camp and the whereabouts of Minister of Works Wan Jing.
Wan Canjun knew nothing of Minister Wan’s location and stammered incoherently.
Liu Rongshan said, “I saw Minister Wan not long ago. It rained heavily, and then he disappeared.”
“A report!” A messenger holding a wooden tablet arrived outside the tent.
Upon receiving the order and entering, the messenger announced, “General Wan’s body has been found on the hillside.”
“Which General Wan?”
“Wan Wubai, General Wan.”
Emperor He Hui fell silent, then snorted coldly, face darkening. “First a guard who protected Xia Yi Zhi dies, now a General Wan. Someone, bring Minister Wan here.”
Xia Yunhe lowered her gaze. If not for Wei Sizhao’s rescue, she too would have been left to perish in the wilderness.
In this moment, Liu Rongshan looked at Xia Yunhe and deliberately asked, “Yi Zhi, did you see who pushed you off the cliff?”
“It was dark and stormy; I couldn’t see clearly. Luckily, the Baize helped me, or I would never have seen His Majesty again.”
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“But that person had a sword wound on their throat. The Baize is a beast—can it wield a sword?” Liu Rongshan stroked his graying beard and pressed further.
Xia Yunhe shook her head. “I don’t know. Perhaps the person who sent him wanted to silence the witness?”
Her mind raced. She looked at the emperor and bowed. “I petition Your Majesty to investigate this thoroughly. Who dares be so bold as to attempt murder during the autumn hunt?”
Liu Rongshan quickly interjected, “I volunteer to handle this matter. Yi Zhi, rest assured—whoever harms you will be the first I punish.”
Emperor He Hui remained calm. “So be it, as Minister Liu says.”
With that, the group followed the emperor to the central command tent.
...
Meanwhile, in the forest, the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince’s forces searched for the Baize, guided by its calls.
The sacred beast was close ahead; the trap was rendered useless.
“Baize is right there!” one shouted.
“No, over there!”
“No, no, it moved to the right!”
The two groups twisted and turned in the fog, colliding face to face.
Both understood each other’s intentions; they met like fire and water, instantly clashing.
The Fifth Prince cursed, “The Crown Prince controls the four seas—why care so much about one Baize?”
“Younger brother, some things cannot be yours.” The Crown Prince smiled but did not yield an inch.
The Fifth Prince drew his long sword. “There are too many people—what if we startle the Baize? Crown Prince, why not have your men stand down, and we, as brothers, settle this ourselves? Winner takes the Baize.”
The Crown Prince had grown up alongside the Fifth Prince, knowing his fondness for bravado and fighting. He was unwilling to engage in combat.
Just then, someone shouted, “The Baize is trapped!”
Both sides hurried toward the trap, amid renewed scheming and rivalry.
...
At the site, dawn brightened and the mist cleared. The trap was empty, leaving all shocked.
They questioned one another, each pushing blame, chaos reigning—much like the state of the Crown Prince and Fifth Prince’s hearts.
“Yo—”
A clear, resonant voice rang from the horizon.
All turned to look.
On the guiding cliff, just as the red sun rose, a snow-white creature with long horns and four hooves stood silently, gazing at them.
It radiated majesty. Bathed in golden light, its origin was impossible to discern.
Everyone stood dumbfounded.
The Baize exhaled mist in the sunlight, its vertical pupils coldly surveying the crowd. Then it galloped away, golden light trailing, disappearing over the mountaintop.
Only two mocking “roars” lingered on the wind.
The Fifth Prince collapsed, shouting, “My Baize!”
He notched an arrow and fired several times—“swish, swish”—all missing as expected.
The sky was clear and blue; the mountain air fresh and clean. For the Fifth Prince and Crown Prince, only dust remained.
The Fifth Prince wiped his nose and said to the Crown Prince, “Let’s go! We’ll seek Father’s judgment!”