Chapter 682 Conditions
After everyone entered the royal tent, the massive tent doors slowly closed.
Immediately, the howling cold wind was blocked out, but the sound of the wind outside, like a thousand troops and horses, could still be clearly heard in the tall and spacious royal tent. This sound only made the silence inside the royal tent seem even more pronounced.
Ashina Shali sat on the throne as always.
He was still very robust, although everyone knew that since that arrow in Yanmen County, his health had been deteriorating year by year, even day by day. But even a sick tiger has some power. He sat there, even without moving, and gave people a strong sense of awe.
Meanwhile, the Western Turkic officials, seated to his left and right, though harboring their own thoughts, dared not utter a word and simply waited quietly.
Ashina Shali scanned the crowd with his remaining eye. Ashina Yiasu, who stood before him, had a solemn and complex expression, with conflicting emotions clashing in his eyes. He tried to look up and say something several times, but was met with a frown and glare from Lady Jiayuan, who stood behind Shali Khan, and could only remain silent. Lei Yu, who stood beside him, also knew the importance of this meeting. She had been silent since entering the royal tent, but her whole body was tense.
Finally, Ashina Shali's gaze fell on Prince Zhu Xie.
The eldest prince of the Western Turks was a strong and imposing figure standing in the center of the tent. Even without armor, he exuded a majestic aura. Compared to Iasu, this son was actually more like him.
Unfortunately, he was the last surviving member of the Zhu Xie tribe.
Even though it was his own son, Shali Khan could still sense that the child was cautious and cunning, and that he could hardly control him. If he continued to do so for some time, he would be even less able to control him.
The only way to stop him is to cut off his claws, which symbolize power.
Thinking of this, Ashina Shali took a deep breath and then said, "Zhu Xie."
Prince Zhu Xie immediately stepped forward, bowed his head, and said, "Father Khan."
Have you thought through what I told you yesterday?
"...Yes, I've thought it through."
"oh."
Iasu, standing to the side, also turned to look at his elder brother. He saw that Iasu's face was calm and expressionless, as if they were not talking about something as important as taking away his heavy cavalry. However, Iasu could see a hint of sorrow in his calm eyes.
Ashina Shali's eyes flickered slightly as he leaned forward: "So, what's your conclusion?"
Prince Zhu Xie raised his head, meeting his bloodshot eyes, which were red from long-term sleep deprivation due to injury, and said calmly, "My father asked me for heavy cavalry, and I could not refuse. But this cavalry unit has followed me for many years, fighting in the south and the north, and has never slackened."
"..."
"When I was conquering the Bow Moon tribe, it was thanks to them that I was able to come back alive."
"..."
"You could say this team is my savior."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Ashina Shali frowned slightly, his gaze becoming complex and serious.
If Ashina Zhuxie said that this army was the only memento left to him by his mother's clan, Ashina Shali, while missing his old friends and feeling heartbroken, would inevitably feel a bit wary, because Zhuxie's mother's clan was once the biggest obstacle to the unification of the Western Turks. In fact, all the officials here, including the princes and nobles, would feel unhappy.
However, what he said was that this army fought in the north and south during the later unification of the Western Turks.
This is an undeniable fact.
In fact, among all these campaigns, the one who shed the most blood, besides Shali Khan, was Prince Zhu Xie, who led this heavy cavalry. As he said, when he was conquering the Gongyue tribe, he was attacked and almost lost his life. It was the strength and skill of this army that saved his life.
This team is not only effective, but also deeply emotional.
To forcibly take such a team away from him is tantamount to tearing a piece of his heart out—not only bloody, but also incredibly painful.
As a result, Ashina Shali's aura softened a bit.
But Lady Jiayuan, standing behind him, immediately sensed this change. A cold glint flashed in her gentle eyes, and she immediately smiled and asked, "Does Prince Zhu Xie have any conditions?"
"...!"
Upon hearing this, Ashina Shali also became wary.
He narrowed his eyes slightly: "What, you have conditions?"
Prince Zhu Xie replied, "Yes."
Ashina Shali frowned, his eyes showing even greater wariness, and asked, "What do you want?"
Prince Zhu Xie looked up at him and said clearly, word by word, "I want Father Khan's whistling arrow!"
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The biting wind was like an invisible giant hand, slapping against the people in the tents in gusts. Shang Ruyi listened to the whooshing sound of the tents being blown by the wind, as if the entire grassland was about to be lifted up and blown to the sky, but she remained standing at the tent entrance, gazing at the huge royal tent on the high platform, without moving.
The wind had already chilled her to the bone.
I wonder what the situation is like inside the royal tent now, and whether Ashina Zhuxie has agreed to Shali Khan's request.
If things go smoothly, will Prince Iasu be able to take over the position of Khan of the Western Turks someday?
But that's all in the future.
The most pressing issue is the matter of Shali Khan's proposed attack on Chang'an. Although this war currently appears to be a means to force Ashina Zhuye to hand over his heavy cavalry, given Shali Khan's character, he must genuinely intend to wage this war since he has brought it up.
Chang'an...
Uncle and aunt... so many people...
besides--
Just as her thoughts were in turmoil, a strange sound suddenly broke the howling wind. The Turks around her were more familiar with the sound than she was. Several patrolling soldiers immediately stopped in their tracks, some standing on tiptoe to look in the direction the wind was blowing.
On the vast horizon, a black dot slowly appears.
With just a few blinks, the black dot drew closer and closer, its outline becoming clearer and clearer. It was a Turkic cavalryman. As he crossed the Cangtou River and galloped for a while, the guards of the camp had already spotted him, and a group of men immediately went to meet him.
Shang Ruyi immediately recognized that the person who had come was a soldier who had brought a message!
Although this grassland belonged to the Western Turks, it was still vast. The military headquarters was set up here, and not only were there patrolling soldiers inside the city, but also hidden sentries were set up within a radius of more than ten miles outside the headquarters to observe the movement of this grassland and isolate any lurking dangers.
This soldier was one of the hidden sentries!
He exchanged a few words with the soldiers who came to greet him, and they immediately let him pass. He then spurred his horse and galloped toward the royal tent, as if he had some urgent news to report to the king!
Shang Ruyi couldn't help but frown.
What happened?
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