Chapter 84.

Xue Shu gave the horse a firm pat on its rear, sending it off with the Wolf King on its back into the snow-laden forest. He turned and made his way to Yin Chengjing's tent with purposeful strides.

The drug powder worked like a charm—Yin Chengjing was out cold, completely oblivious when Xue Shu slipped inside. To ensure the man wouldn’t wake prematurely once the drug wore off, Xue Shu delivered a swift and precise chop to the back of his neck. Once Yin Chengjing was thoroughly unconscious, Xue Shu slung him over his shoulder, carried him out of the tent, and secured him to a horse much like he had with the Wolf King.

Not stopping there, Xue Shu moved to Princess Uju’s tent. Using the same method, he snatched her up and tied her to the same horse alongside Yin Chengjing.

The winter night dragged on, the sky remaining an inky black even after the fifth watch had passed. The faint flicker of campfires in the rear camp was the only source of light in the vast darkness.

Xue Shu lit a torch, took the reins of both horses, and started retracing his steps. Along the way, he recalled a large, deep pit he’d come across earlier—a hunter’s trap, from the looks of it. Conveniently, it would now serve his purpose.

With a sharp memory guiding him, Xue Shu found the pit without trouble. He tied the horses near the edge and used a rope secured to a tree to lower Yin Chengjing and Princess Wuzhu into the pit.

The pit was spacious and relatively flat at the bottom. Xue Shu tossed the unconscious pair to one side and turned to strip Yin Chengjing. Piece by piece, he peeled off the man’s clothing, tossing them onto the ground to use as makeshift bedding. Once Yin Chengjing was laid bare on top of the spread-out clothes, Xue Shu shifted his attention to the princess.

His brow furrowed in disdain as he undressed her, removing her outer and inner garments but leaving her underclothes intact. He shoved her half-clothed body into Yin Chengjing’s arms, making sure the two were uncomfortably close.

Once satisfied with the setup, Xue Shu stood back, pacing in thought. Memories of Yin Chengjing’s underhanded schemes made his blood simmer with unresolved anger. Killing him wasn’t an option, though, so Xue Shu considered other ways to vent his frustration. After a moment, he pulled a thin wire from his belt.

As someone who had lived as a eunuch, Xue Shu knew precisely where to strike. Gritting his teeth, he looped the wire around Yin Chengjing’s most vulnerable part, tightening it just enough to cause future agony. He then took the remaining length of the wire and wound it securely around Princess Wuzhu’s wrist.

It was all set. The sharp wire, nearly invisible to the eye, would guarantee an interesting scene when the two woke up in shock and pain.

For good measure, he draped some clothing over their bodies and built a fire to keep them from freezing to death. His work was methodical, and by the time everything was done, the pit looked like a scene set for chaos.

Before leaving, Xue Shu remembered the remaining drug powder in the small burner he’d used. He dumped the rest of the powder onto the fire, letting it burn away entirely, and discarded the burner carelessly to the side.

Climbing back up using the rope, Xue Shu yanked it free and took it with him. Mounting his horse, he grabbed the reins of the second one and rode off at a brisk pace, heading straight back to camp with cold determination.

*

Yin Chengyu had long prepared for the wolf pack's attack, setting up a well-coordinated pincer move with his men, swiftly eliminating the entire pack without a single casualty.

Zhao Lin and He Shan were busy counting the wolf carcasses, their voices so charged with excitement that it could have startled the birds in the trees.

Yin Chengyu, carrying a young tiger, took a quick look around. Seeing the soldiers already putting out the fires and cleaning up the battlefield, he relaxed. But his eyes scanned the area a few more times—he still couldn't spot Xue Shu.

Where the hell was Xue Shu?

Yin Chengyu furrowed his brow slowly, turning to Ying Hongxue. "Where’s Xue Shu?"

He hadn’t given Xue Shu any specific orders.

Ying Hongxue paused for a moment, her hands faltering, before answering, "He wasn’t with us. He said he was going to track down whoever was behind the ambush. There was a faint noise coming from the southwest when we were hunting the wolves. He must have gone after it."

She glanced at Yin Chengyu with a subtle, cautious look, then added, "Xue Shu is always sharp. You don’t need to worry, Your Highness."

Yin Chengyu gave her a quick, unreadable glance, catching the uncertainty in her eyes. But the tangled relationship he had with Xue Shu wasn’t something he had fully figured out, so he couldn’t exactly share anything with Ying Hongxue.

He merely hummed, pretending not to notice, and carried the tiger back to the main tent to rest.

Yet, despite returning to his tent, he couldn’t sleep. The night was thick with darkness, the air heavy as if soaked in ink. At first, there was some noise outside as soldiers cleaned the camp, but it gradually faded into silence.

The battle with the wolves had drained the soldiers, and after clearing the battlefield, they had all fallen asleep.

Most of the tents had been burned to create fire breaks, leaving only two or three standing, with everyone crowding into the remaining shelter.

The tents were close enough that the sound of snoring could be heard between them.

Yin Chengyu sat by the brazier, bored, propping up his chin and teasing the young tiger with a thin stick.

The drugged smoke had dissipated, and the tiger, now fully awake, pounced at the stick, growling softly.

He played with it for a while, silently counting the time in his mind.

By the time it was almost the third watch, the sound of hooves finally reached his ears, followed by hushed voices of the night watch.

Xue Shu had returned.

Yin Chengyu narrowed his eyes, tossing the stick into the brazier, waiting for Xue Shu to come in and report.

Without the stick, the young tiger gave a low whine of dissatisfaction and curled up at Yin Chengyu’s feet, gnawing at his robe.

When Xue Shu lifted the tent flap and entered, he saw Yin Chengyu casually lifting the tiger by the scruff, frowning as he pulled his robe away from its mouth.

"This tiger wasn’t Zhao Lin’s to raise, why is it always bothering the Prince?" Xue Shu stepped forward, grabbed the squirming tiger, and held it firmly by the neck, keeping it still.

Yin Chengyu glanced at the wriggling furball on the ground and asked, "Did you catch up? Why are you back so late?"

"You were right, Your Highness," Xue Shu replied in a low voice. "The ones behind it all were Yin Chengjing and Princess Uju."

He quickly recounted his pursuit, then paused before adding with a sly smirk, "As for those two... I’d rather not soil Your Highness’s ears with the details. Just wait for tomorrow’s show."

From the way Xue Shu said it, it was clear he had already handled things. Yin Chengyu didn’t press further. "If everything’s settled, get some rest. There aren’t enough tents, so take a blanket and find a place to crash for the night."

Traveling was never easy, and there was no comfortable bed to sleep in. Even someone as high-ranking as Yin Chengyu had to make do with a low cot, covered with thick blankets as a makeshift bed.

The cot was narrow, only enough for one person.

As Yin Chengyu lay down, feeling a little cold, he noticed the young tiger trying to climb onto the bed. After a brief hesitation, he pulled it up, tucking it into the blankets at the foot of the bed.

This young tiger, still covered in baby fluff, all soft and warm on its belly, was pressed against Yin Chengyu's bare foot. He was drifting off, utterly satisfied, the warmth seeping into him. It was a picture of pure, innocent comfort. But Xue Shu's arrival shatters that illusion.

He strides in, radiating raw masculinity, carrying fresh bedding. He sees Yin Chengyu already half-hidden under the silken covers, but those eyes… those damn eyes are visible, framed by thick, dark lashes that cast shadows on his face. He looks deceptively soft, almost angelic. But Xue Shu knows the truth. He's witnessed the fire in those eyes, the way they can burn right through you, leaving you breathless and craving more. He knows how those eyes can turn liquid with desire, capturing your soul and demanding surrender.

Xue Shu is intimately familiar with the power of Yin Chengyu's gaze, how it can cut deeper than any blade, a weapon of seduction, a potent addiction. He forces his gaze away from that tempting face, but a flash of yellow catches his eye. It’s the tiger cub’s ear, poking out from under the covers. The little beast is out cold, exhausted from playing, twitching in its sleep.

Xue Shu's possessiveness flares. He stalks over to the bed, grabs the cub roughly by the scruff of its neck, and yanks it off the bed. The cub wakes with a furious snarl, snapping and twisting, trying to sink its teeth into him. Xue Shu just scoffs, a dismissive snort, and throws the cub onto the bedding on the floor.

The commotion wakes Yin Chengyu. He looks up at Xue Shu, his voice laced with annoyance and a hint of something deeper, something that ignites a fire in Xue Shu’s belly. “What the hell was that for? It was sleeping perfectly fine,” he murmurs, the warmth of the cub still lingering on his foot.

“If Your Highness needs warmth, you have me,” Xue Shu retorts, his voice thick with possessiveness, a low growl rumbling in his chest. “Why have a filthy animal in your bed? Who knows where it’s been?” The implication is clear: only he is worthy of touching Yin Chengyu.

Yin Chengyu recognizes that familiar possessive streak in Xue Shu. He’s in one of his moods, jealous of a baby tiger. After a long, demanding night, Yin Chengyu is too exhausted to deal with it. “The bed’s too small anyway,” he mutters, trying to brush him off.

But Xue Shu only hears what he wants to hear. He kicks off his boots, slides onto the edge of the bed, and strips off his outer robe, revealing the powerful lines of his body beneath. Then, he reaches out and takes Yin Chengyu's still-warm feet, cradling them in his hands, his touch possessive and intimate. “I’ll keep you warm,” he murmurs, his breath hot against Yin Chengyu’s skin.

Xue Shu’s hands are indeed warm, a steady heat radiating through Yin Chengyu's feet and into his core. But it’s a different kind of warmth than the cub’s soft fur. It’s harder, more insistent, more… demanding. It’s the warmth of a man who desires, who possesses.

Yin Chengyu is too tired to resist. He lets Xue Shu hold his feet, the sensual touch lulling him back into sleep.

Xue Shu watches him, a slow, predatory smile spreading across his face. He caresses the smooth skin in his hands, his touch almost reverent, then glances down at the cub curled up on the floor. His eyes hold a mix of triumph and something darker, something possessive and fiercely protective. He's staking his claim, loud and clear. This is his territory, and Yin Chengyu is his.

*

The next day was the final day of the hunt.

Xue Shu returned with the wolf king, and had already hunted down forty-three prairie wolves. Victory in the winter hunt was practically his. So, Yin Chengyu decided to stop wasting time in the hunting grounds, rested up, and ordered the withdrawal of the encirclement.

Nearly every horse was carrying a wolf carcass, slowing the pace of the procession. By midday, they had finally reached the edge of the encirclement.

The sight of the large group leaving immediately drew attention from those in the stands.

“Which team is this? Why are they leaving so early?”

“Must be some young masters who couldn’t handle the harshness of the hunt, decided to bail early.”

“Can’t even last half a day? That’s pretty delicate.”

In the past, even if a team didn’t win the top prize in the winter hunt, they’d still be recognized for bringing down enough prey. So, it was unheard of for teams to leave early. Usually, they only came out after the horn signaled the end of the hunt.

Now, with a team pulling out ahead of schedule, it was sparking quite a bit of gossip.

The Tatars and the Oirats had lost face a few days ago and, seeing this, couldn’t resist taking a jab at the situation, eager to regain some dignity.

Aharu chuckled, “As expected of the Great Yan, their noble sons are raised much more delicately than our prairie folk. They can’t even endure the cold for a few days in the hunting grounds.”

The Oirat envoys, no longer holding back, chimed in, “The northern tribes live by the water and grass, their children are hardened to this kind of cold. The Great Yan is rich, and even their sons are raised more finely.”

Their back-and-forth stung, and the faces of the Great Yan officials began to darken. It was one thing for them to talk amongst themselves, but hearing these words from the Tatars and Oirat was another matter entirely.

Just as the atmosphere in the stands grew tense, a messenger suddenly galloped back, shouting with excitement, “Report! His Highness the Crown Prince has caught the wolf king!”

———Author’s Note: Big Dog: Fate strings us together from a thousand miles away.

Big Dog: No need to thank me.

Yin Chengjing & Uju: …What? Thank you, my ass!