Mu Han didn't even glance at her, his gaze fixed on the depths of the stable, and strode inside.

The shed was quiet; the fire that had been lit last night was now just wisps of smoke rising.

Mu Han held his breath and looked at the horse in front of him, which Jin Shu had named Xiaobai, before slowly pushing open the stable door.

The next second, he saw Jin Shu curled up in the hay, sleeping soundly, with a jar of wine, a specialty of the grasslands, lying beside her.

At that moment, Mu Han felt as if the vast天地 (heaven and earth) had been condensed into the cramped yet warm four-sided stable before him.

The little girl in front of him had a rosy complexion, and there seemed to be wine stains on her lips. She was sleeping very peacefully. One hand was loose, while the other was still holding her beloved little horse's leg. Her beautiful eyes and brows were full of a calmness and gentleness that he had never seen before.

She looked like a little animal that had wandered into the wilderness, her black hair cascading down her back, her slender body hidden behind Xiaobai, making her almost unnoticeable unless you looked closely.

Mu Han slowed his pace, approached her gently, bent down, and pulled her into his arms.

Mu Han had fantasized about this scene many times, but she was even lighter and softer than he had imagined, as if she had no bones at all.

He held his breath and used all the slow movements he could muster in his life to wrap his arms around her with one hand and then draped his cloak over her with the other.

Fortunately, Jin Shu was fast asleep and showed no sign of waking up.

The little white horse in the stable glanced at him, as if it knew that Mu Han wouldn't hurt Jin Shu, and then it lowered its head to eat grass.

"You stayed here with her all night, didn't you?"

Xiao Bai's gaze was calm.

Mu Han patted its back.

"Good job. From now on, you must stay by her side no matter what happens, just like today. Got it?"

Xiao Bai glanced at him and shook her head, looking impatient.

Mu Han smiled helplessly, picked up Jin Shu, and turned to walk out of the stable.

At this moment, the maid kneeling outside saw what the king was holding in his arms, and her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

That's great, her life has been saved. Otherwise, given the king's cruel nature, if he really couldn't find Miss Jin, he would definitely have executed her.

Having found Jin Shu, Mu Han's aura calmed down considerably. He gently placed Jin Shu on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and did not leave immediately. Instead, he sat by the bed and silently watched Jin Shu for a long time.

After a long time, when Jin Shu opened her eyes again, it was already dark outside the tent.

She frowned and struggled to sit up. After finally managing to sit up, she took a deep breath, her throat feeling dry and sore as if it were about to burst into flames.

Looking around, she realized she was back in her tent. Regardless of who brought her back, one thing was certain: she couldn't just drink alcohol on the grassland, especially not in her body, which was so fragile that it would collapse at the slightest breeze!

No, I'm so drunk I feel like my soul is about to leave the house. If Jin Shu didn't know a little bit of soul-reviving magic, I might have died in the stable yesterday.

Hearing the commotion inside, the maids outside the door immediately came in in twos and threes, quickly preparing bathwater and refreshments for Jin Shu to soak in the tub, washing away the smell of alcohol while eating something to soothe her stomach.

The food and drinks were all pastries unique to the Central Plains; such exquisite pastries had never been seen on the grasslands before.

The maids would always whisper words of praise for Mu Han in Jin Shu's ear, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

"His Majesty has specially invited the most famous pastry chef in the Great Zhou Dynasty to prepare snacks for you for three meals a day, ensuring that each meal is different."

"I heard that the King sent your parents ten whole chests of gold and jade, which are priceless. You are so lucky, young lady."

“Young lady, you are asleep and do not know this. The princess who had a conflict with you yesterday has been punished by the king. Not only has she been stripped of her royal status, but even her parents have been implicated. The king is standing up for you.”

"Girl, there's nothing wrong with staying on the grasslands as a queen. As long as you win the king's favor, you only need to say a word, and the king will personally deliver whatever you want to you."

These maids had witnessed firsthand how kind Mu Han was to Jin Shu.

In all these years, when had they ever seen their king treat a woman with such devotion? Especially a woman of another race.

Jin Shu always let these words go in one ear and out the other.

She could see and feel that Mu Han was good to her, but she didn't have to repay everyone who was good to her with her body.

Jin Shu told Mu Han from the beginning that there was no possibility between them and that he shouldn't waste his time.

But Mu Han didn't listen to a word of what she said and continued to treat her well as he pleased.

There was no other way. Jin Shu couldn't keep wasting her time on him; she had many other things to do.

And she has to do this right away.

Even after getting drunk, life goes on as usual.

The only difference is that the people in the camp are becoming increasingly respectful towards Jin Shu.

During this time, Jin Shu sent several more letters back, and Mu Han personally sent people to deliver them, each time sending a lot of cattle, sheep and jewelry as usual.

In addition, Mu Han continued to expand his territory. Before spring arrived, he conquered one of the largest countries in the entire northern frontier, personally beheaded its king, and took over its people.

In the northern frontier, dynasties rise and fall quickly, and the people are used to it. As long as they have food and drink, they don't care who the king is or what the country's name is.

And so, the Great Mongol Empire finally rose to become one of the strongest nations in the northern frontier. They, who had always relied on tents for a living, finally had their own palaces and houses on this land.

On the eve of the royal family's arrival at the palace, everyone inside and outside the tent was busy.

Mu Han was also making preparations for today.

He massacred the entire royal family, ordered the blood-soaked royal palace to be washed clean with water, and then began a massive reconstruction.

Today, the entire hall is filled with unique Mongolian ethnic elements, wild and primitive.

Because of this incident, Jin Shu didn't see him for a few days, which was quite rare. When she saw him again, the man, who was usually inscrutable, had a face full of the excitement and arrogance of a victor.

“Ah Jin, I’ve reserved the largest palace for you, and I’ve also found you a craftsman. You can tell him however you want to modify your palace.”

Jin Shu remained calm as she focused on combing the horse's mane with a comb.

It seems that the imperial palaces and other things that countless people dream of are not as important as the horse she is grooming right now.

Mu Han was used to Jin Shu's indifference. In the past, he would have waited patiently until Jin Shu finished her work and then sat down to chat with him for a while. (End of Chapter)