The huge bonfire soared fiercely, and the blazing flames were more than ten meters high, lighting up the dark night and the sparkling lake.
Compared with the chaos by the lake, an ordinary lake watched everything faintly in the night wind, reflecting the stars and moon on the grassland and everything in the world.
Beside the bonfire, several dressed-up Turks looked at the people and horses getting closer and closer. They all showed vigilant looks and exchanged looks with each other, many with questions, but also with surprise and anger.
The crowd gathered, but there were not many men. The Aji men who could stay in the royal court were all royal guards, guarding the tribal royal family for generations.
As for the royal family of the Aji clan, only women are left shouting on horses. Recently, rumors have circulated that the princess has defected to the Tang Dynasty, which has a great impact on the hearts of the people within the clan.
In order to revitalize the tribe, re-electing the tribe leader has naturally become the most important and urgent matter for the tribe.
Seeing that the new clan leader has been selected, as long as the rituals reserved for generations are completed, the new clan leader will be confirmed.
Unexpectedly, at this critical moment, the princess who had taken refuge in the Tang Dynasty would come back.
"Guppa, you should give us an explanation. Didn't you say that the princess is dead?"
Beside the fire, a tall man wearing a wolf-head velvet hat had a solemn expression. He looked at the horses rushing left and right among the crowd in the distance and said solemnly: "What if we come back? The Aji tribe cannot tolerate traitors!"
As he said that, the man took a bow and arrow from a place. Others in the tribe did not dare to attack without authorization, but he didn't care. He just bent the bow and aimed the arrow at the crowd.
"Wait a minute!" Another Turkic man shouted and wanted to raise his hand to stop, but was quickly stopped by another person.
In an instant, a dozen Turks with high status in the tribe pulled each other around the fire, but no one stopped Gupa's arrow.
In the distance, Bai Song stared at the direction of the bonfire, and he could see a man bending his bow and setting an arrow.
"Hold on tight!" Bai Song warned, but before Ajibado could react, the arrow had already arrived!
Bai Song pulled the reins, and Xiao Hei suddenly changed direction, trying to avoid the arrow.
But this arrow is extremely fast, and the person who shot it is unusual, and I don’t know if he can avoid it.
Bai Song's forehead was covered with sweat. At the last moment, a shadow flashed in the darkness, and another arrow came out from nowhere, and actually shot down the arrow that was aimed at Bai Song.
There were too many people around, and Bai Song couldn't see who was secretly helping.
But beside the campfire, Gupa saw someone!
The man was standing at the entrance of the tent not far away, holding a bow, but his complexion was very poor, and he looked like he had not recovered from a serious injury.
Seeing this person, Gupa glared angrily. He wanted to shoot another arrow, but looking at the princess's position, he had no chance. He could only throw the bow and arrow to the ground angrily, and then shouted: "Catch him." Stay traitor!”
The next second, Bai Song had rushed to the bonfire. Ajibado jumped off the horse and held up the token in his hand: "Here is the patriarch's token. When I joined the army for my father, my father passed the patriarch's token to me. I, Aji. Baduo is already the next clan leader! Gupa, you don’t have the clan leader’s token in your hand, yet you dare to hold the clan leader’s succession ceremony without authorization?”
"Bado, you have defected to the Tang Dynasty, what qualifications do you have to serve as the leader of the Aji clan?"
"Nonsense! What evidence do you have?"
"What evidence is there? Two months ago, three thousand of our brothers sneaked into the Datang Army to rescue you, but you colluded with the Datang Army and planned an ambush in the Datang Army Camp, causing all three thousand men from our tribe to die in the Datang Army Camp. ! This is my personal experience, and several brothers who narrowly escaped with me can all testify!"
The entire royal court was in chaos, and everyone was talking.
It was Gupa and several soldiers who came back from the front line who made many people in the tribe extremely disappointed with the princess.
However, a large number of people expressed doubts about this. After all, it was just one-sided words from the other party. It was obviously too hasty to conclude that the princess was a collaborator.
It's just that there is no leader in the clan, and the clan members are scattered. Gupa united some people, and no one dared to rashly oppose them.
Therefore, the voice against the princess has always overshadowed other voices in the clan.
Now that the princess is back, those suppressed voices have gathered together. They are not in a hurry to take sides, they just want to listen to the story from the princess's mouth.
Mentioning the disastrous defeat two months ago, Ajibado felt guilty and lowered his head unbearably.
"Hmph! What? You are speechless? Because of you, three thousand of our men were killed. What qualifications do you have to be the leader of the clan?"
"It is our Turkic men's will to rescue the princess."
A sudden voice appeared, and a person familiar to Bai Song walked into the crowd. His abdomen was still wrapped with gauze.
Bai Song didn't know what they were talking about, but he remembered this person.
Seeing this person, Bai Song's pupils shrank. This was the Turkic man who escaped after being disemboweled by him.
Seeing this person means that he is very close to Shu Wang.
This person's presence means that Shu Wang is also there.
Bai Song looked around anxiously, trying to see some shadow of comfort among the crowd.
Unfortunately, the plot that Bai Song expected did not appear.
The Turks were still quarreling among themselves. Gupa pointed the finger at Bai Song and sneered at Badu: "If you didn't defect to the Tang Dynasty, how would the Han people around you explain it?"
There are too many issues to explain, and Ajibado cannot explain them at all.
Ajibado had a sullen face and suddenly stopped talking. After a moment of silence, he suddenly raised his head and pointed at Gupa: "Don't you want the position of clan leader? Then why bother? The explanation is superfluous, why not just Under the witness of Yuehu, let’s have a fair duel!”
duel!
The entire royal court was in an uproar instantly.
Turks admire the strong, and dueling has been the best way for Turks to fight for power since ancient times.
It's just that as the Aji tribe believes in the moon god, duels to compete for the clan leader rarely happen.
But this does not mean that the Aji people do not approve of this approach.
Duels are sacred, and any result produced by a duel must be accepted unconditionally.
There is nothing more direct than a duel to resolve disputes and bring people together.
But the princess is a young girl.
And Gupa is a famous warrior in the clan.
What's the point of such a duel? Doesn’t this mean the princess must die?
If this duel was proposed by Gupa, no clan member would agree with it, because the premise of a duel is fairness, and this obviously unfair duel would become a shame.
But it is different that the request for a duel is made by the weak. The Turks believe that only the weak who possesses the truth can defeat the strong.
And between the princess and the warrior... between the woman and the man...
The disparity in strength is huge, and everyone is a little confused after hearing such words.
Gupa was stunned for a while, and then laughed: "Hahaha... Your Highness, you are not joking, are you? Do you really want to die in a duel with me?"
"Are you scared?"
Gupa's expression changed: "Are you serious?"
"The Turks are the best at riding and shooting. Let's fight to the death on horseback! I believe that the Moon God will make a choice and know who is suitable to lead the Aji tribe."
Gupa shouted to everyone: "Did everyone hear it? This is the princess's request. I accept the princess's challenge!"
The scene was boiling, and many people wanted to rush in, but were stopped.
Bai Song didn't know why, he didn't know what happened. He just saw that many people gradually calmed down after being crowded, and the crowd around the bonfire dispersed little by little.
After a while, a large open space appeared beside the moon lake and the bonfire.
Badu returned to Bai Song, and Bai Song quickly asked: "What is this for?"
Badu said solemnly: "I want to duel with him!"
"Duel?!" Bai Song's heart skipped a beat and his expression changed.
"Don't worry, I'm confident."
When Bai Song heard this, he suddenly thought of the crossbow. With this thing, the duel would be much easier, so there was no need to worry.
Thinking about it, Bai Song took out the crossbow and handed it to Baduo.
Unexpectedly, Badu actually refused, and then said seriously to Bai Song: "This is a fair and sacred duel. I have to rely on my own ability to defeat my opponent. This bow belongs to you, not to me. I I have my own way.”
"Are you kidding?!" Bai Song was shocked and angry, "How can you fight with others without a crossbow?"
Badu ignored it and stubbornly took the bow and arrow from a tribesman and prepared to mount his horse.
Seeing Badu's firm eyes, Bai Song didn't want to shake her confidence anymore, so he pulled her back again: "It's okay without the crossbow, but this little black guy can help you."
Bai Song pulled Xiao Hei to Baduo.
Badu and Xiao Hei have also been getting along for a long time. The horse also has some feelings for Badu and rubbed Badu's face with half-closed eyes.
Badu touched Xiao Hei's mane, and a smile appeared on his lips: "This is a unique horse. With it, I will never lose."
With that said, Badu turned over on the back of the little black horse, turned around and smiled at Bai Song: "Thank you for the horse!"
"drive!"
In the open space, the two duels stopped facing each other ten feet apart. The crowd held torches to form a huge fire ring, surrounding the two in the middle.
The giant bonfire in the center was still burning brightly, burning hot in the cold night.
The Turks shouted slogans loudly, adding a lot of sacred color to this ancient ceremony. Everyone was very nervous and could not hear a sound of discussion.
Badu held out his chest, like a warrior holding up the patriarch's token, and shouted loudly: "Tonight, under the witness of the Moon God, I, Aji Badu, and Aji Gupa will duel at Moon Lake. The winner will inherit the position of patriarch. Please Blessed by the moon god!”
After saying that, Badu put the token around his neck, held the bow in one hand and the rope in the other, ready to go.
Opposite Gupa was lazy and didn't pay attention to Badu at all.
A little girl, even if she has learned horse riding and shooting since she was a child, is still a woman. How can she be so good?
Badu saw Gupa's contempt, and felt happy. He knew it was his chance, so without saying anything, he drove Xiao Hei forward to speed up, took out an arrow, put it on the bow, and shot it out.
Badu is a princess, but a Turkic princess is not a wealthy lady like the Princess of the Tang Dynasty. Her bones are extremely ruthless. The arrow went straight to Gupa's eye, and the shot was extremely accurate.
Gupa didn't move at all. When the arrow came, a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth. He grabbed it with one hand and actually caught the arrow in the air!
