marriage alliance

Early in the morning, Adele delivered the secret letter to Silverlohar.

When Yin Luoha took the secret letter, his eyes swept over her. Today she was wearing a bright green skirt with clusters of plum blossoms embroidered on it with dark blue silk thread.

Her snow-white collar was adorned with plum blossoms of the same color and style, which made her fair face appear even more radiant and her eyes bright and black.

"You're all dressed up so nicely today, where are you going?" He naturally began to check up on her.

Adele blinked, her heart pounding restlessly at his words, but then her eyes dimmed. "Today is the day we enter the palace."

It's also time to announce the princess chosen for the marriage alliance. After today, he will have his own queen.

The thought of this made her heart clench with pain.

It hurt her more than any injury she had suffered during training and missions.

Yinluoha seemed to have just remembered this and let out a soft "Ah".

He stood up and said, "Let's go then."

Adele looked at him in shock: "You're going to wear this?"

"What's wrong?" Yinluoha looked down at himself. "It's pretty clean."

Adele: "No matter what, this is your first meeting with the princess, shouldn't you dress up properly?"

Yinluoha scoffed: "What princess? I don't even know her. This trip is just to complete a mission."

He grabbed Adele's wrist and scolded her as they walked: "And you, dressed so beautifully, what if the emperor of the Great Li Dynasty, blinded by lust, takes a fancy to you?"

Adele: "...You're overthinking it."

Sunlight streamed through the wind-blown carriage curtains, shimmering on the eyelids of the sleeping man.

Zhu Qinghe frowned and slowly opened her eyes.

After pausing for a moment, he squinted and muttered, "What a dog."

Under duress and coercion from Prime Minister Shen and the Emperor of the Great Li Dynasty, Zhu Qinghe was forced to sign an unequal treaty, so her current identity is—

"Princess Jialing, you're awake."

A round-faced little girl lifted the curtain and sat down, her round eyes gleaming with joy: "Would you like some water?"

Zhu Qinghe said in a hoarse voice, "...Yes."

The grainy, duck-like voice startled the little girl, who quickly picked up the teapot from the small table beside her and poured water: "Princess, what happened to your voice?"

Zhu Qinghe looked around the carriage. It was quite spacious, with cushioned seats, and could accommodate more than ten people.

There's a small coffee table on the right, and even a small floor-standing bookshelf opposite, filled with books.

Zhu Qinghe: "It's alright. Where are the others?"

The round-faced maid handed her a water cup, saying, "Everyone else is in the carriage behind."

Zhu Qinghe downed a glass of water, lifted the curtain and looked back; behind her was a convoy of cars.

Wow, so many! Could they all be Princess Jialing's dowry?

"The princess is truly blessed; she must be very favored in the Great Li Dynasty."

That's nonsense. She was captured and used as a spy.

Zhu Qinghe glanced at her. What was this girl's identity? She seemed rather naive and innocent. Was she here to keep an eye on her?

"Are you from the palace?"

The round-faced girl waved her hand in embarrassment: "How could that be? I am a newly entered palace maid this year. I was banished to the Cold Palace because I caused trouble. It just so happened that the princess was getting married, and I was chosen to serve the princess."

Zhu Qinghe nodded and continued, "What's your name?"

"Wang Daya".

Zhu Qinghe almost lost her composure: "Da Ya?"

For some reason, a memory came to mind, and a familiar voice called her with a sly smile, "Da Ya."

She shook her head. "Who gave you such an awful name?"

Wang Daya lowered her head: "I'm the eldest child in my family. My parents don't like me. They just gave me a name randomly. Later, I got used to it and didn't think it sounded bad."

"If you don't mind, I'll call you Ya'er from now on. Ya means sprouting, what do you think?"

"Ya'er..." Wang Daya murmured a few times, her eyes filled with joy and emotion, and she nodded vigorously, "Okay, I will be called Ya'er from now on. Thank you for bestowing this name upon me, Princess."

Even a tiny sprout must strive to absorb nutrients and reach for the blue sky.

The carriage finally stopped, and it was time to rest.

Adele watched Silverlohar leisurely roasting a pheasant, her gaze drifting towards the most exquisite and ornate carriage in the back.

A fragrant chicken leg was offered to her, and Yinluoha called out to her, "Adele, what are you looking at? Eat up, this chicken leg has lots of meat."

Adele sighed, "You haven't paid any attention to Princess Jialing the whole way, not even a glance?"

Yinluoha: "What's there to see? Getting back to the Yinshan tribe is the most important thing. After handing over with the old geezer, what else is it to me?"

Adele was shocked. She looked around and said in a low, serious voice, "Prince, how can you address the King like that? What if someone hears this..."

Yinluoha: "Don't worry, I have people all around here. I've already placed those spies in the back."

Adele was still worried: "It's pitiful for Princess Jialing to be married off alone. Even if the prince doesn't like her, he should at least show proper etiquette. The princess hasn't eaten anything along the way."

Yinluoha was starting to waver when he heard someone behind him say, "What are you roasting? It smells so good!"

The two turned around together, and their expressions froze when their eyes met.

Zhu Qinghe didn't react much, but Yin Luoha was so shocked that he stood up abruptly and shouted, "How is it you?!"

Zhu Qinghe was still lost in thought, "Oh, it's roast chicken! No wonder it smells so good," when he startled her and abruptly pulled her gaze away from the roast chicken and onto his face.

"You're Princess Jialing?!"

“It’s obvious.” Zhu Qinghe stretched out her arms to show them.

Yin Luoha's expression twisted for a moment. He was doomed; Shen Wumei would not let him go.

Adele's expression grew more serious: "Miss Zhu was clearly from Licheng before, how could she be a princess?"

Zhu Qinghe: "To be honest, my mother was the eldest princess of the previous dynasty, so by all accounts, I am indeed a county princess. This is the document of her investiture."

Upon seeing the document in his hand, Yin Luoha's features twisted even more: "Your Great Li Dynasty emperor is truly something else."

“Obviously,” Zhu Qinghe agreed wholeheartedly.

"What about Shen Wumei? Aren't you two in love?" Yin Luoha asked anxiously.

Zhu Qinghe: "...Give me the chicken, and I'll tell you."

"..."

After finishing her chicken, Meimei took a handkerchief from Ya'er to wipe her mouth. Seeing Yin Luoha's gloomy face, she coughed lightly: "Chen Wumei probably doesn't know about this yet."

After all, he was betrayed by his own father, and he's probably still wandering around in jail.

It still hurts to think about it.

Forget it, I should take care of myself first.

After exchanging a few words with Yin Luoha and the others, Zhu Qinghe went to the second carriage to find someone.

If I remember correctly, Bai Qiuru and the others came along too.

Apart from the carriage she was in, all the other carriages were guarded by people from the Silver Tenon tribe.

Only after she displayed the airs of a princess would they let her in. Once inside, all three of them were there.

Zhu Qinghe breathed a sigh of relief: "It's good that you're all alright."

Liang Youan's lips twitched down, on the verge of tears: "...Waaaaah, it's too scary, I want to go home..."

Mu Chengwen quickly covered her mouth: "Keep your voice down, or people outside will hear you."

Bai Qiuru's expression was also not good. She originally just wanted to find an opportunity to get in touch with Prime Minister Shen to seek justice for her father, but she did not expect to get involved in such a complicated matter.

As expected, the old fox is the old fox; no one can outsmart him.

After Zhu Qinghe sat down, she said, "Your current status is that of my dowry maids. Once we arrive at the Yinshan tribe, we will discuss and decide on things together. Do not act rashly on your own."

After all, they didn't know much about the Silver Tenon tribe, but the fact that His Majesty and Prime Minister Shen were so wary of them meant that the people there were no pushovers.

The road ahead is long, and who knows what awaits them.

Shenfu.

A light incense burns in the study, a cup of tea sits nearby, and on the snow-white Xuan paper, the outline of a woman in a primrose-colored dress is gradually taking shape.

A loud crash shattered his concentration as he painted. Prime Minister Shen paused, his brush still, and said calmly, "Not only did you not knock before entering, but you were also so rude. Who taught you such vulgar manners? Was it that Zhu Qinghe?"

Shen Wumei was furious and strode to the table: "You dare mention her again? Where did you put her?"

"It's a secret operation; you don't need to know anything about it. Just do your job."

"Stop giving me those high-sounding words. I knew it. Why did you suddenly ask me to come back? I thought you were different from before."

"Looking back now, I was so ridiculous to think that someone who abandoned his wife and risked her life for a career change would change!"

"Insolence!" Prime Minister Shen slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacup to tremble.

Prime Minister Shen's hand, holding the writing brush, trembled slightly as he shouted sternly, "Get out!"

"Fine, get out! I will find her and bring her back, unlike you!" Shen Wumei stormed out of the door, the door swaying violently as he rammed through it.

Prime Minister Shen looked at the painting on the table; the gentle figure was ruined by the spilled tea and ink, making it unrecognizable.

He closed his eyes in anguish, carefully folded it, and placed it in the hidden compartment of the bottom drawer, where there was a stack of paintings, all depicting the same woman.

The handwriting in the lower right corner is bold and clear.

My wife Wanwan.

After traveling for several days, they finally arrived at the Silver Tenon Tribe.

The terrain of the Yinshan tribe is very different from that of Dali. It is mostly grassland with a clear blue sky and changeable weather. The people here live in tents and make a living by nomadism.

Horses and sheep were very common, and there were more people riding horses than walking along the way. From sixty-year-old men to five- or six-year-old children, riding horses was as common a habit as sleeping and eating.

The horse was also plump and strong, and the people here were all physically robust, with slightly dark skin, high noses, and deep-set eyes.

She went with Yinluoha to see the king of the Silver Tenon tribe. He was truly a burly man with a booming voice, and his rough and hearty laughter almost deafened her.

After a long explanation, Zhu Qinghe clutched her pounding heart and finally understood that there would be a welcome banquet that evening.

Putting aside the messy tasks and the sword hanging over her head, she was quite curious about what the Silver Tenon Clan's banquet would be like.

There should be lots of delicious food.

After finishing their business, Zhu Qinghe and the others stepped aside, and the maids of the Yinshan tribe arranged a place for them to rest.

Yinluoha was about to leave with Adele when the king stopped him.

"Adele, stay here, I have something to ask you."

Yinluoha frowned: "Ask me if you have any questions."

"Get out."

Yinluoha was still worried and wanted to say something more, but Adele tugged at his sleeve and shook her head at him, telling him not to worry.

Yinluoha walked away, turning back every few steps.

"I didn't realize he cared about you so much," the king scoffed.