As Chu Wen spoke, he presented a gold-embossed marriage certificate with both hands.
Princess Mingyue?
Lu Yan took the marriage certificate, a cold smile playing on his lips.
The Northern Xiang Kingdom is really willing to spend a fortune, even sending out Princess Mingyue.
However, he didn't believe that the Northern Xiang Kingdom would be so kind; there must be a trap involved.
"Lord Chu, this marriage is of great importance, and I need to think about it."
Lu Yan accepted the marriage certificate without showing any emotion, but in his heart he was already planning his next move.
"Of course, my lord, please take your time to consider. I, the king, have already affixed my imperial seal to the marriage certificate, and there is no room for joking."
Chu Wen still smiled, looking confident of victory.
Lu Yan said no more and instructed his servants to prepare a banquet to entertain Chu Wen.
During the meal, he subtly probed into the true intentions of the Northern Xiang Kingdom.
But Chu Wen was cunning and shrewd, leaving no room for error. He repeatedly emphasized the sincerity of the Northern Xiang Kingdom in seeking peace and that they had no ulterior motives.
After a few rounds of drinks, Lu Yan realized he couldn't get any more information out of him, so he stopped asking.
They only said that this matter needed time to be considered, and asked Chu Wen to stay at the government office and wait for a reply.
After seeing Chu Wen off, Lu Yan immediately summoned Li Kui, Zhang Xun, and others to discuss the matter.
"My lord, the sudden request for peace from the Northern Xiang Kingdom, along with the marriage proposal, must be suspicious!"
Li Kui spoke in a deep, muffled voice, gripping his broadsword tightly.
“Yes, sir, Princess Mingyue is a famous beauty in Beixiang Kingdom. They must have ulterior motives for sending her out.” Zhang Xun chimed in.
"In my opinion, the Northern Xiang Kingdom is trying to use a honey trap to lull you into a false sense of security, and then take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack on us!"
"My lord, I believe this matter should be considered carefully, and we should not easily believe the sweet words of the Northern Xiang Kingdom."
Tu Rong also expressed her opinion.
As Lu Yan listened to the discussions, he felt increasingly suspicious about the matter.
Princess Mingyue is not currently in Shannan Prefecture, but the Northern Xiang Kingdom has suddenly sent a marriage certificate.
There must be some conspiracy involved.
...
Lu Yan was still troubled by the marriage contract with the Northern Xiang Kingdom.
Meanwhile, 20,000 miles away, a weary procession was slowly making its way towards the royal court of the Xiongnu Empire.
These people were the remnants of the barbarian tribe who had been defeated by Lu Yan and fled in disarray.
They were dressed in rags, looked pale, and had numerous wounds on their bodies.
Along the way, I don't know how many hardships I have experienced.
At the very front of the procession, a burly barbarian man rode on a skinny horse.
He stared ahead with a solemn expression.
He was the leader of the remnants of the barbarian tribe, named Utu, and was once a renowned warrior on the grasslands.
Now, however, he had no choice but to lead the remaining members of his tribe to the Xiongnu Empire for protection.
They traversed towering, undulating mountains and rugged mountain paths.
We crossed the icy, swift-flowing river, its waters surging.
They were almost swept away. They traversed a dense, perilous forest, teeming with ferocious beasts and venomous insects.
After overcoming countless hardships, we finally arrived at this legendary land.
Looking out at the boundless, lush green grassland before me.
The barbarian people were extremely excited; they had finally seen hope for revival.
They were once the masters of this grassland, but now they have fallen to the point of being dependent on others.
They longed to reclaim their homeland and to live a free and unrestrained life once again.
The Xiongnu Empire of today is no longer the barbarian tribe they remember.
Under the leadership of the brilliant and ambitious Touman the Great, the Xiongnu Empire experienced unprecedented glory.
Touman, a legendary figure.
His story has been passed down by word of mouth on the grasslands, almost becoming a myth.
His background is shrouded in mystery.
It is said that he was born on a stormy night.
Born with superhuman strength, he could ride a wild horse and shoot down eagles from birth. (Eight)
At the age of 18, his tribe suffered a devastating attack from a coalition of other tribes.
Like locusts sweeping across the land, they burned, killed, looted, and left nothing but barren land.
According to the rules of the grasslands, children who are not as tall as a cartwheel are not killed.
However, the enemy's leader, a ferocious cyclops, scoffed at this rule.
He grinned maliciously, raised the giant axe in his hand, and wanted to wipe out the young Touman.
Just at this critical moment, a bolt of lightning ripped through the night sky.
It struck the Cyclops squarely, burning him to a crisp.
Touman, however, was completely unharmed.
He risked his life to protect his infant sister, who was crying loudly.
Its small body unleashes astonishing power.
He led the remaining members of his tribe, struggling to survive on the perilous grasslands.
They evaded enemy pursuit and searched for food and water.
To survive, he had to learn various skills, becoming proficient in hunting, tracking, and fighting.
He learned to heal his wounds with herbs, to find his way around, and to communicate with wild animals.
At the age of sixteen, his fame resounded throughout the grasslands, and people called him the "Eagle of the Grasslands".
Because he is like an eagle—brave, agile, and powerful.
He was brave and skilled in battle, possessing both wisdom and courage, and led his people to victory against powerful enemies time and time again.
They reclaimed the lost land and won the respect of everyone.
At the age of twenty, he unified the various tribes of the grasslands and established the powerful Xiongnu Empire.
It ended centuries of division and war on the grasslands.
After that, he fought in the south and north, and led the Xiongnu cavalry to conquer more than a hundred surrounding countries.
They established a vast empire.
It is said that the countries he conquered required camels to travel through for three days and three nights.
He enacted strict laws and standardized the language and script.
They established a powerful army, transforming the originally loose tribal alliance into a highly centralized empire.
Today, the Xiongnu Empire has over two million archers.
With a total military strength exceeding five million, its power was comparable to that of the Three Kingdoms period.
The barbarian envoys were housed in a simple and crude post station.
The air was filled with the strong aroma of mare's milk wine and roasted mutton.
It was completely different from the fresh, moist air of their hometown.
They anxiously awaited Touman's summons, as restless as ants on a hot plate.
A young messenger named Agu wrung nervously between his hands and asked in a low voice:
Will the Xiongnu Chanyu meet with us?
His voice trembled slightly, revealing his inner unease.
"Just to correct you, it's not 'Shanyu,' it should be 'Your Majesty'!"
The Xiongnu officials in charge of receiving them.
A burly man with a full beard corrected him impatiently.
He glanced at the barbarian envoys with disdain, as if they were lambs to the slaughter.
"Yes, yes, it's Your Majesty!"
Agu quickly changed his tune, a fine layer of sweat appearing on his forehead.
Will His Majesty see us?
He asked cautiously, afraid of angering the Xiongnu official.
"His Majesty is currently celebrating the eldest princess's birthday. He should summon you tomorrow. Please wait here!"
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