9 Chapter 9

◎Kuritai?◎

An entire parchment scroll lay casually spread out on the table, and a finely sharpened charcoal pencil sketched the general topography of Silvermoon Valley. The lines were cold and hard, and the valley looked desolate, but Li Hengqing seemed intrigued. He showed Agula the blueprints of the fortress: "The rammed earth walls will be strong enough to protect against wind, and the roof structure will need to be reinforced so it can be reused in the future."

Beside her, Agula's face was as black as the dirt surrounding Silver Moon Valley, his brow furrowed, yet he looked intently. He stood with his hands behind his back, coughing twice after a long pause. "The wind in Silver Moon Valley is so strong," he said, "If we were to calculate the height based on the earthen walls of the previous greenhouse, four and a half feet wouldn't be enough. We need to go higher."

Li Hengqing took careful note and added, "If we build it on the foothills of a mountain that's sheltered from the wind, can we save on materials? If the master is free, it wouldn't hurt to go with me to check out the soil quality before making a decision."

Agula didn't say anything. He stared at her for a long moment with his eyelids drooping before confirming, "Princess, do you really have a way to deal with that poisonous weed?"

"Of course." Li Hengqing didn't take it as an offense. "Essence fertilizes the soil, and this kind of essence can also drive away poisonous weeds. By next year, the poisonous weeds will be gone, the soil will be fertile, and whatever you plant will have a good harvest."

Her eyes fell on the lead-gray lines of the parchment scroll, and through the monotonous symbols and clumps of black thyme, she saw another vibrant picture.

As a valley, Silver Moon Valley's interior isn't truly flat. A long river flows through it like a jade belt, naturally dividing the valley floor into two parts. The surrounding foothills are also well-proportioned, yet not overly steep, making them ideal for vertical agriculture. The only natural gap in the northwest is where additional windbreaks need to be planted. This will significantly reduce the valley's strong winds and produce delicious fruits, serving as a natural barrier.

Thinking of the sweet and sour taste of the apricots covered in a thin layer of snow-white frosting, she couldn't help but salivate. After coming to her senses, she smiled and said to Agula, "It's a big project, so I'll have to rely on Master Agula. Just tell me about any difficulties."

After hearing this, Agula still responded in a muffled voice: "Okay."

The Northern Di people valued force and horseback archery, and the social status of craftsmen was far inferior to that of warriors who fought on many expeditions. Therefore, although Agula was known as the best craftsman in the tribe, he was only given a small amount of respect, so it was better not to mention it.

The Princess of Nansheng, however, showed him great favor. Not only were the blueprints she produced all unprecedented designs, but she also took good care of his daughter, Naren. The sturdy craftsman turned and left, determined to put all the rumors behind him and devote himself to serving Li Hengqing.

Having reached an agreement with Agula, Li Hengqing still had other things to attend to. The system's tasks were still incomplete, and the progress of point growth had slowed considerably. She needed more manpower to move forward with the construction of Silvermoon Valley. This land reclamation would undoubtedly take considerable time, equivalent to a migration, and would inevitably require the participation of the tribal council.

She knew that many people in the tribe had opinions about her. A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. They say the people of the grasslands are rough and unrestrained, but in reality, the open and covert attacks are no less common than those in the Nansheng court. It's just that Helian Xiao can keep the situation under control for the time being, and the voices of opposition are still brewing.

Beidi advocates the use of force, and Li Hengqing opposes using force to solve problems. Therefore, her actions will inevitably arouse the hostility of vested interests, and she is well aware of this.

Arriving before Helian Xiao's tent with Lang Yue, she smiled at her personal guards, "Thank you, little brother, for passing the message to the Khan..."

The young guard blushed and stammered, "No, no need. The Khan has instructed you to go straight in."

Li Hengqing nodded, opened the curtain, and saw Helian Xiao sitting alone under the animal oil lamp, holding a dagger in his hand and concentrating on carefully handling a white tiger skin.

He was dressed casually, with the hem of his robe loose. Looking from above, the well-trained muscles on his chest were clearly visible, slightly engorged and tense due to movement.

Li Hengqing inexplicably recalled the soft and elastic touch he felt from behind on the day they rode together. He turned his eyes away as if to avoid looking at something inappropriate and whispered, "Khan."

She sniffed and smelled a faint scent of chive sauce in the air for no reason.

Helian Xiao looked up and saw her. His hands paused, and he quickly grasped her collar, but did not bind it. After all, he was still holding the lute, leaving only a shallow cleavage that aroused people's reverie: "...Princess?"

"Serve the princess tea. She doesn't need to come over." Helian Xiao pointed to the newly added tea table in the distance. He suddenly realized the ambiguity in his words and explained, "The animal skins haven't been processed yet. I'm afraid they will stink the princess's nose."

Li Hengqing said, "It's okay, let me take a look."

Untanned animal skins are not very soft and feel average, but the amazing thing about this white tiger skin is that it is quite complete. It was killed with one blow and there is almost no extra damage.

If it were to reach the Nansheng market, it would be priceless. She showed it to the system and was amazed: "Khan is really good at this. This animal skin... what are you going to do with it?"

Helian Xiao looked at her profile, which was softened by the light of the animal oil lamp, and unconsciously lowered his voice: "If the princess likes it, you can take it away tomorrow."

"Khan, you're joking." Li Hengqing subconsciously waved his hand, "This item is valuable. How dare I take it away from someone else."

She had heard a lot of such polite words from the host, but they were just casual compliments, so she guessed that the other party was not really saying goodbye.

These words had a different meaning in Helian Xiao's ears. A light of expectation flashed in his eyes, then dimmed. He picked up the dagger again, and with a "hmm", the sharp blade once again cut through the fat and fascia.

The atmosphere was slightly tense for a moment. Li Hengqing just thought that he had disturbed him and did not want to make himself bored anymore. He immediately brought the topic back to the main business.

"Khan, I'm here today for another matter." She cleared her throat and returned to a businesslike tone. "This matter concerns the future of the tribe. I'm afraid it must go through the Kuriltai."

Kuriltai is the tribal council.

Speaking of official business, Helian Xiao raised his head, his sharp eyes as usual: "I heard that the princess has been in Silver Moon Valley these days."

"That's exactly what happened." Li Hengqing, who loved to talk to smart people, unfolded the previously annotated map. "I have a way to eradicate the poisonous weeds, but it will require a significant number of people to settle in Silvermoon Valley for a while. I've already arranged a new camp. Chief Burke hasn't replied, so I'm afraid I'll have to mobilize the forces of the tribe's headquarters."

"You want to open a kuritai?" Helian Xiao frowned, "The timing is not good."

Li Hengqing looked up at him: "Oh?"

There was also a map hanging in the tent. Helian Xiao wiped his hands clean and pointed to several different areas. "Look, this is the Wuzhigen tribe. I'm sure you've heard about the unrest in the tribe. Now that the white plague and poisonous weeds are over and there's no imminent danger, he won't condone more deviant behavior. With this shaman stirring up trouble, it's hard to unite the people."

"The Alatan tribe and the Black Eagle tribe have been related by marriage for generations and have long been engaged in trade. They have always advocated exchanging cattle and sheep for salt. Since you have thwarted their attempts, they will inevitably be hostile to the princess."

Helian Xiao also briefly introduced the remaining tribes that were fence-sitters.

Li Hengqing listened, silently taking note, and suddenly asked Helian Xiao, "If I can make them fight each other, will the Khan give me credit for it?"

The young wolf king had clearly long been dissatisfied with the old forces entrenched in the tribe. He nodded upon hearing this and said, "Of course."

Li Hengqing raised his eyebrows, a cunning look flashing in his eyes: "Let's wait and see."