Having witnessed Li Ru's talent and learning, Tan Shihuai was extremely enthusiastic.

After discussing the alliance between the Xianbei and the Northern Wuhuan, Tan Shihuai also held a grand welcome banquet for Li Ru in the palace.

During the banquet, apart from Tan Shihuai offering toasts, Li Ru remained silent throughout, instead keeping his eyes fixed on the woman dancing in the center of the hall.

"What? Mr. Wen likes these kinds of women?"

Seeing Li Ru's entranced expression, Tan Shihuai couldn't help but ask.

Li Ru smiled. "Such a beauty, who wouldn't be attracted?"

"Haha~, Mr. Wen is indeed a straightforward person!"

Upon hearing this, Tan Shihuai burst into laughter, seemingly admiring Li Ru's attitude in this regard.

The worst thing for a person is to have no flaws. Now that he sees that Li Ru is interested in these women, Tan Shihuai also has some ideas in mind.

Seeing that Li Ru was watching intently, Tan Shihuai decided not to disturb him.

Li Ru's gaze, however, remained fixed on a figure at the very back of the group of dancers.

She was a woman with the appearance of someone from the Western Regions, with extraordinary looks and demeanor, unlike that of an ordinary dancer.

While Li Ru watched with fascination, he was also secretly pondering to himself.

Tan Shihuai, who had been secretly watching from the side, naturally noticed the figure Li Ru was staring at and couldn't help but smile to himself.

As night deepened and the banquet ended, Tan Shihuai immediately ordered someone to arrange a fine room for Li Ru.

Looking at the room filled with furniture and decorations in the style of the Han Dynasty, Li Ru couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

No wonder Tan Shihuai was able to succeed; his dedication alone puts him far ahead of others.

Just as Li Ru took off his coat and prepared to go to sleep, there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Mr. Wen, are you asleep?"

"not yet!"

Li Ru responded with a sentence, then put on his coat and walked towards the door.

Upon opening the door, they saw the Xianbei envoy standing in the doorway with a broad smile, and a woman following behind him with her head bowed.

"Young Master Wen, my chieftain said that it's cold on the grasslands, so he specially sent me to bring you this woman to warm you up!"

As he spoke, the Xianbei envoy gestured to the woman behind him, and the woman obediently walked up to Li Ru.

Upon closer inspection, Li Ru recognized the woman as the same Western Region woman from the banquet.

Seeing this, Li Ru immediately smiled with satisfaction and then bowed to the Xianbei envoy.

"I would never dare to refuse the great chief's kindness. Please convey my gratitude to the great chief!"

"Haha~, no problem, no problem. As long as Mr. Wen is satisfied, that's all that matters. It's late, sir, please get some rest!"

Seeing that Li Ru did not refuse, the Xianbei envoy also agreed with a smile and then took his leave.

The woman was quite sensible; after entering the room, she took the initiative to help Li Ru undress without being told.

While undressing, Li Ru asked in a low voice, seemingly unintentionally, "What's your name? Which country in the Western Regions are you from?"

"In reply to your question, sir, my name is A-Yue, and I am from the Wusun Kingdom. I have been here for two and a half years!"

"The Wusun people?"

A look of surprise appeared on Li Ru's face: "Wusun is very far from here, how did you get here?"

A-Yue replied, "I was originally a dancer in the household of a noble family in Wusun. Later, I was sold to a caravan. When that caravan came here, I was left behind."

Li Ru chuckled lightly: "Do you people from the Western Regions lack cattle and sheep?"

"There's no shortage of cattle and sheep, but I saw that the caravan took quite a few horses with them when they left!"

"horses?"

Li Ru raised an eyebrow: "Isn't your place quite close to Dayuan? Why go all the way here to change horses?"

"When I came here, I heard from the caravan that the horses here are cheap and can be exchanged for a lot of money in the Han Dynasty, which is more cost-effective than buying horses from Ferghana."

Li Ru chuckled lightly: "Heh~, you merchants from the Western Regions are really shrewd!"

"They've always been like this; they'll do anything as long as they have money!"

As A-Yue spoke, her hands continued to move, taking off the last piece of clothing from Li Ru and placing it aside.

Li Ru, naked, reached out and lifted A Yue's chin, asking with a laugh, "So what goods does your caravan carry? Are they all beauties like you?"

A-Yue blushed and said weakly, "The goods were all wrapped up, and I don't know what they are. As for the dancers, there are quite a few. In the past two years, more than forty women have been sent here."

"Heh~, it seems that women from the Western Regions are quite popular on the grasslands?"

Li Ru chuckled softly, his fingers gently stroking A Yue's cheek.

A-Yue lowered her head and said, "No, those women were all given by the chief to those scholars from the Han Dynasty."

"Hmm, I see!"

Li Ru nodded, having already made up his mind based on the conversation they had just had.

Although we don't know what goods the Wusun people brought, it's not hard to guess.

Since the Han Dynasty opened up the route to the Western Regions a few years ago, many countries in the Western Regions have begun to trade with the Han Dynasty. In addition to silk, porcelain, tea and wine, the traded goods also include grain, salt and some ironware.

Meanwhile, the Wusun could use the supplies they obtained from the Han Dynasty to sell at high prices to the grasslands, and then sell the horses back to the Han Dynasty.

No wonder that even with the Han Dynasty closing its trade routes, Tan Shihuai was still able to launch wars and complete the integration of the western Xianbei over the past two years.

Of course, what Li Ru cared about was not the trade between the Wusun caravan and the Xianbei people, but what he cared about was what was hidden behind the trade.

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