With the morning sun shining brightly behind him, Prince Dzhambul faced the city wall of Nue-Li City. A simple wooden carved chair had been placed directly behind him. Dzhambul smiled and sat down, his gaze fixed on the wall. He knew in his heart that if he and his soldiers were to strike now, Nue-Li City would not hold; the automatic arrow machines had already been destroyed by Chinua's own forces.
As much as he desired to destroy Nue-Li City to seek revenge for his past failures, today was not the day. His objective was singular: Chinua's head, and the biggest opportunity to completely destroy his brother Battsaikhan's chance at the throne.
Dzhambul settled into the chair, the silence of the standoff confirming the Hmagol leadership's compliance with his unexpected siege. He had successfully taken the headquarters hostage and forced a confrontation, all without shedding a drop of his own blood.
Dzhambul slowly waved his hand, pushing it forward, and Altan, one of his captains, stepped swiftly toward the wall. He looked up at Od, who stood among the Eastern Military camp soldiers on the rampart.
Altan raised his head high and said loudly, "Soldiers of Hmagol, with a royal decree in Prince Dzhambul's hand, he is ordered for the Eastern General to be taken into question for treason."
"Treason?" The voices of the soldiers on the city wall muttered in unison, a mixture of shock and outrage.
Siqi looked at Od, disbelief etched on his face. "I don't believe it."
Od gritted his teeth, his grip tightening on the rampart stone. "Who in their right mind believes this."
Altan continued, pressing the political advantage. "Open the gate now, or else you will also be charged with treason alongside the Eastern General."
"Then charge us with treason!" Many soldiers shouted angrily down at Altan, their loyalty to Chinua overpowering their fear of the royal decree.
Altan shouted down at the defiant soldiers, "You are soldiers of Hmagol, you are all abide by Hmagol Military Law. If you disobey, your punishment is death!"
"We are soldiers of Hmagol! We abide by the law of the brothers and sisters that fought alongside us to protect those we are sworn to protect!" shouted one soldier.
"We are soldiers of Hmagol," another soldier shouted. "Therefore, we will not be a piece of chess in your political war that will hurt the very people we swore to protect!"
"Well said!" shouted many soldiers.
Lixin turned to Dzhambul and smirked. "It seems like these soldiers' loyalty is no longer with the King, but with Chinua."
Dzhambul scoffed. "A whole bunch of useless dogs." He sighed angrily. "Altan!"
Altan quickly walked back to Dzhambul.
"Tell them that within the hour, if they don't open the door, or if Chinua refuses to step out of Nue-Li City, we will attack them with our full force," Dzhambul sneered.
Altan nodded and stepped forward, facing Nue-Li City again. He raised his voice loud and clear, "Within the hour! If you still refuse to open the door, or if the Eastern General is still refusing to step out of Nue-Li City, we will come in with our full force!" He turned away and walked back to stand beside Dzhambul.
On the city wall, Siqi looked at Od and asked, "What are we going to do? Are we going to open the gate or have Chinua step out to meet Prince Dzhambul?"
"This... let's wait to see what Chinua has to say," Od said, desperately trying to buy time.
"There is no need to wait," Khunbish's voice sounded from behind Od and Siqi.
"What do you mean?" Od asked, turning to face Khunbish.
"Chinua is not in the city," Khunbish stated flatly.
The soldiers turned to look at Khunbish in shock.
"If she is not in the city, then where is she?" Zhi asked.
Khunbish sighed, knowing the terrible truth had to be revealed. "Chinua is in Zoaging," he said worriedly.
Khawn spoke up. "How come we don't know of this?"
"The only people who knew of Chinua leaving are Khenbish and myself—not even Hye or General Batzorig," Khunbish admitted.
"No wonder Prince Dzhambul chose this time to come asking for Chinua," Zhi realized.
"Is there a difference, Father?" Siqi asked.
"Absolutely," Muunokhoi interjected, now recovered from his panic.
"A general who left their post and aided an enemy soldier without a royal decree from the King is an act of treason," Zhi said, giving the young soldiers a grim lesson. He knew that their current action only further supported that treason charge now that Dzhambul and his soldiers were at their doorstep.
Drystan stood with his arms crossed across his chest. "But what I don't understand is why Chinua would be charged with treason if we haven't received a decree from the King yet," he said, focusing on the core political lie.
"There is only one explanation," Khunbish said gravely. "Prince Dzhambul must be holding the decree right now."
Drystan scoffed. "I don't believe for a bit that the decree he holds is legit," he said, annoyance giving way to recognition. "Hey, do you remember what happened in that rest area down south?" He looked at Lixin across the open ground.
"Yes," Zhi said, eyes narrowing.
"That man," Drystan continued, pointing at Lixin. "The one standing beside that so-called Prince Dzhambul."
"What about him?" Zhi pressed.
"He is the one who hired me to kill Chinua and steal General Mönkhbat's supply," Drystan revealed, feeling an urge to throw one of his axes at Lixin's head. "After I failed to kill Chinua and destroy the supply, I believe he ordered the guards to kill me. Luckily, I survived."
"You didn't tell Chinua this?" Khunbish asked.
"Since then until now, this is the first time I saw that man's face," Drystan protested. "But if we are really going to war with them..." He pointed at Lixin. "He is mine."
"You got it," Khunbish said, nodding to the deadly Drystan.
"Soldiers of the Eastern Military Camp!" Zhi's voice roared across the city wall rampart. "Without Chinua's order, you are to defend the city and the citizens within at all cost! Understood!"
"Understood!" The soldiers shouted in unison.
"Kair, " Khunbish said.
"Yes," Kair turned to Khunbish.
"You ride out and bring the news to Chinua," Khunbish commanded. "Since there is no news from Zoaging, it must mean that Chinua was successful in her mission. You must take the fastest route and tell her the trap has closed."
Zhi sighed, his heart heavy with the weight of the predicament. "We must try every possible way to hold them out of the city as long as possible. I'm afraid that once they storm in, they will begin to kill the civilians and the surrendered soldiers."
"What are you thinking?" Drystan asked, his focus sharp, looking at Khunbish and Zhi.
"Most of our soldiers are still out of the city with Haitao, but right now Haitao and the others are being held captive," Zhi explained. "If we have a chance to hold this city until tomorrow morning, we are going to need help from the Ginmiao soldiers. This is their city, and the people who are going to be killed are their brothers and sisters. Besides, they know this city better than us."
Khunbish turned around, looking resolute. "Zhi, you know more about military strategy than I. The fate of this city will rest on your shoulders."
Khawn asked, "Where are you going?"
Khunbish replied, "I am going to meet with Mayor Dae." He quickly disappeared down the stairwell.
"Zhi, what does he mean?" Khawn asked, confused.
"He is going to seek Mayor Dae's help to convince the surrendered Ginmiao soldiers to fight for us and help us defend the city."
At the northern gate of Nue-Li City, Khair halted her horse and quickly dismounted, looking around for Jeet and Naksh, who had the authority to open the gate for her desperate mission.
She got the attention of a nearby soldier. "Soldier," she said. "Where are Captain Jeet and Naksh?"
The female soldier replied, "I don't know where Captain Naksh is, but Captain Jeet is up there." She pointed toward the city wall.
Khair quickly rushed up the stairwell, and when she reached the top, she found that the soldiers were settled down, having their breakfast.
"Captain!" she called, as soon as she saw Jeet having breakfast with Kaj.
Jeet wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. He looked up at Khair and asked, "What is the rush, soldier?"
"I need to go get Chinua," Khair said, catching her breath. "She is in Zoaging, and right now Prince Dzhambul is at the southern gate demanding to see Chinua, as Chinua was being charged with treason."
"Treason?" Jeet's loud, deep voice sounded angrily, making the soldiers beside him stop chewing and look at their captain.
"On what ground?" Jeet demanded.
Khair shook her head. "I don't know, sir, but Zhi had ordered the door closed, and Prince Dzhambul will attack the city within the hour if we don't open the gate or if Chinua does not voluntarily leave Nue-Li."
"Outrageous!" Jeet crushed the piece of bread in his hand. He stood up, his voice loud and commanding. "Open the gate!"
"Do you know your way to Zoaging?" Kaj asked, her voice steady and concerned.
Khair was in such a hurried state that she hadn't even asked for directions. She shook her head. "Captain, is there anyone who can draw me a map?" she pleaded.
"You don't need one," Kaj said. "I will go with you."
"Are you sure?" Jeet asked, knowing the danger.
"I am sure," Kaj said with a smile. "Besides, Chinua had saved me, and if the Northern soldiers are going to attack us, our fate will not be the same as when Chinua took over the city." She understood the difference between a merciful conqueror and a political purge.
Jeet leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on his newlywed bride's forehead. "Be careful," he said.
Kaj seized Jeet's rough hands in both of hers, her gaze locking fiercely onto his. A reassuring, profound smile broke across her face. "I will," she vowed, the words a sacred promise. Without a wasted breath, she spun away, following Khair in a desperate scramble down the winding stairs.
From the highest point of the old city wall, Jeet remained rooted, his heart a raw knot in his chest. He watched as the two women galloped away, leaving the desperate hope of the city behind them, shrinking fast into the distance, devoured by the path toward Zoaging.