Ning Chen came up to Yue Congyun's tent.

Seven or eight bodies lay on the ground, and almost every wound was at the throat.

Several more assassins had been taken alive.

"We greet my lord prince!"

The men saluted.

Ning Chen waved a hand, and his eyes settled on Yue Congyun.

Yue Congyun was in full armor, holding the silver spear with a red tassel, and she cut a fine, dashing figure.

"You killed them?"

Yue Congyun nodded. "Yes. They were trying to seize that box."

"Have you ever killed anyone before?"

"Reporting to my lord prince, no!"

Ning Chen said, smiling, "That's good spear work. Clean and quick, and the first man you've ever killed. That took courage... So. The first time. How does it feel?"

Yue Congyun thought about it. "It turns my stomach a little."

Ning Chen smiled. The first time a man killed, it did turn the stomach.

He walked over to the assassins who had been taken. "Talk. Who sent you?"

Not one of them made a sound.

Ning Chen glanced at Yuan Long.

Yuan Long said, low and hard, "You are in front of my lord prince. Tell the truth, now."

The assassins still said nothing.

Thud!!!

Yuan Long brought his rebar down on one assassin's neck, and with it came a harsh crack of bone. The man's neck snapped, and he died where he stood.

The other assassins shuddered violently, and fear came up in their eyes.

Yuan Long set the rebar in his hand against another man's throat. "Talk. Who sent you?"

That one finally opened his mouth, throwing his head up and shouting, "Kill me if you mean to kill me. We are warriors of Xiliang, and we have never been afraid to die!"

Yuan Long was taken aback. "You're from the Xiliang Kingdom?"

"Yes!"

Yuan Long looked at Ning Chen. "My lord prince, it looks as though Xiliang couldn't stomach being played by you, so they sent men to kill you."

Ning Chen laughed coldly. "Xiliang's people are more capable than I thought. To get into the Western Frontier Army's…