The eve of the marriage
The news was of great importance, concerning the military situation. Dou Yao drafted a report and sent it to the capital by express courier, repeatedly instructing that it be personally delivered to the emperor. During the waiting period, the Keshenqin tribe successively annexed various small tribes on the grassland, their spearhead aimed directly at the You tribe, poised to strike. Their momentum was so great that even Losang, who stayed in the royal palace and did not leave his residence, heard some of the commotion.
Losang couldn't sleep at night, his brow furrowed with worry. As the prince of the You tribe, he held extraordinary feelings for his mother's people and was deeply concerned for their well-being. Losang also understood that the You tribe alone could not withstand the fierce attack of the powerful Keshenqin tribe; their only hope lay in waiting for a reply from the capital.
As time went on, the atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The Keshenqin tribe seemed to have learned of the You tribe's plan and, no longer waiting for an opportunity, organized its army to launch a full-scale attack on the You tribe's territory, determined to swallow up the last tribe and unify the grasslands.
The war horns could be heard across the Duoluo River; the thunderous hooves of horses kicked up mud, stirring the river to turmoil. The people of Lingzhou on the opposite bank felt a deep unease. They had been locked in a bitter struggle with the You tribe for decades, exchanging countless insults, both openly and secretly, but none of them truly hoped that Ke Shenqin would defeat the You tribe.
It's not that they're kind-hearted; it's just that Ke Shenqin's domineering and forceful nature is deeply ingrained in people's minds. After occupying the You tribe, they'd be separated from Lingzhou by only a river. How could they possibly have a peaceful life? It's better that their opponent was the You tribe, at least they've kept them in check for so many years without them making any major moves.
Everyone was filled with dread, fearing that one day they would open their eyes to hear the devastating news of the disappearance of the You tribe, or that the Ke Shenqin tribe would one day attack the gates of Lingzhou City.
“Even if you return to Youbu, it won’t help. You might as well stay in Lingzhou. At least Urentuya will know you are safe.” Jiang Yanhui stopped Losang again, who was carrying a bundle and wanted to return to Youbu. The poor guy’s eyes were swollen bigger than peach pits from crying. He hadn’t stopped crying for the past few days.
Losang rubbed his eyes, stubbornly rubbed them open, and started to walk out, intending to walk back to Youbu on his own two legs.
Jiang Yan grabbed Losang's arm, restraining Losang who was on the verge of collapse, and patiently persuaded him, "Wait a little longer. Lang Rong has already led troops to guard the banks of the Luoduo River. As soon as the imperial edict arrives, he will immediately send troops to reinforce them."
The fear of his homeland's impending destruction was deeply etched in Losang's mind, causing him constant worry about the safety of his people and Urentuya. Even though he understood the wisdom in Jiang Yanhui's words, Losang could not remain comfortably seated in the safe palace. Despite the fact that Youbu was now a dangerous place beset by fire and water, Losang still longed to return and protect his homeland.
Jiang Yan hugged the trembling Losang, pressing his back against the closed door, and stroked the back of Losang's head again and again. "Ke Shenqin's strength should not be underestimated, and the Youbu are by no means ordinary people. I know how capable Urentuya is. She can handle the current situation."
Losang, his mind still foggy, raised his head, looking pitifully at Jiang Yan Hui with his small, delicate face. Lately, he hadn't been eating or sleeping well, and had lost a lot of weight; his pointed chin made him look even more pitiful. Losang tugged at Jiang Yan Hui's sleeve pleadingly, his lips parted, but he couldn't utter a single word of request.
He could ask Jiang Yan Hui to send troops to support the You tribe first, and Luo Sang knew that with Jiang Yan Hui's strength and prestige, she had the right to send troops on her own. However, Luo Sang also understood that it was against the rules. Regardless of whether the emperor's edict agreed, Jiang Yan Hui would have to bear the crime of betraying her master afterward. Even if she was the beloved Jiangbei King, even if she was the emperor's trusted sister, she could not escape legal accountability.
Losang lowered his eyes dejectedly, knowing there was only one way to go: wait for the emperor's decree. He buried his face in Jiang Yanhui's arms, unable to bear seeing his tearful face, his shoulders trembling as he suppressed his sobs.
Jiang Yanhui tightened her arms around Losang's shoulders, exhaled a deep breath, and a shallow wrinkle appeared between her tightly furrowed brows.
Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from the courtyard, followed by three slightly excited knocks on the door. Aunt Pan outside raised her voice and said, "Your Majesty! Someone from the capital has arrived!"
Losang raised his face, his wet eyes looking at Jiang Yanhui with anticipation, his hands tightly gripping his clothes, revealing his unconcealed nervousness.
——
The emperor agreed and appointed Jiang Yanhui and Dou Yao to make the decision on her behalf.
Dressed in military attire, Jiang Yan Hui received the imperial edict. Her armor gleamed in the sunlight, highlighting her resolute face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luo Sang standing behind a pillar, his gaze following her. Time was of the essence; she had no time to comfort her worried lover. Without pausing, Jiang Yan Hui mounted her horse and rode straight towards the banks of the Luoduo River.
The three-month-long tug-of-war severely damaged the Keshenqin tribe and pulled the You tribe back from the brink of death. The greatly weakened Urentuya was forced to back down again, signing a treaty to become a subordinate tribe, but in return, she gained control of the entire grassland.
The following year, the King of Jiangbei wrote a letter, stating that for the sake of peace and friendship between our dynasty and the You tribe, the You tribe leader, Urentuya, was willing to marry her only younger brother, Losang, to the King of Jiangbei as a sign of loyalty.
The news caused a sensation in the capital. The Jiangbei Prince, whom they had guarded against so carefully, had ended up marrying a prince from a different race. In order to maintain the purity of the royal bloodline, Jiang Yanhui and her descendants would no longer be able to compete for the throne, which reassured the officials in the court who had been worried that Jiang Yanhui would plot to usurp the throne.
The imperial decree granting the marriage was sent back to Lingzhou, along with many rewards to appease Jiang Yanhui. Unless one witnessed it firsthand, no one would believe that the mute servant who once followed the King of Jiangbei was actually the missing prince of Youbu, and would only say that Jiang Yanhui had made great sacrifices for the long-term peaceful coexistence between the two sides.
When the imperial edict reached Losang's ears, he finally understood what Jiang Yanhui meant when he said he would suffer some injustice. It turned out that Jiang Yanhui, as the King of Jiangbei, could not announce to the outside world that he had married the man he loved, and Losang would be subject to gossip because of his status as a prince of the You tribe.
However, Losang felt that Jiang Yanhui had underestimated him. He never cared about how others judged him; all Losang wanted was the safety of the You tribe's people and to spend the rest of his life with Jiang Yanhui. With all his wishes fulfilled, Losang was overjoyed.
News of the Jiangbei King's impending marriage to the You tribe prince quickly spread throughout the country. Due to the long journey back to the capital and Losang's special status, the wedding was held at the Jiangbei King's Palace in Lingzhou. Unlike other places, the people of Lingzhou were at peace. The friendly relations between the two sides meant that there would be no need to worry about war for decades to come. Lingzhou, which had been quiet for a long time, ushered in a new dawn, and even the streets were a hundred times more lively than before.
The Jiangbei Prince's Mansion was arguably the most bustling place in Lingzhou, with everyone in high spirits preparing for the Prince's wedding. Since the mansion was built, it had never hosted any major events, and this was the first such occasion, so everyone was putting in their best effort to make the most of it.
Among them, Uncle Ban was the most attentive, busy with all sorts of things and taking charge. Because he often had a gentle smile on his lips, his aloofness was greatly reduced, and he actually gave people a friendly feeling.
Everything was arranged in an orderly manner according to the wedding ceremony. Unexpectedly, a dusty carriage drove into Lingzhou City, heading straight for the Jiangbei Prince's Mansion.
Aunt Pan, who was assigned by Uncle Ban to oversee the servants' decorations, heard the sound of horses' hooves. She glanced outside and was terrified when she saw who it was.
"Young Master Dou! What brings you to Lingzhou?" Aunt Pan instantly imagined all sorts of scenarios of Dou Yu sneaking away. Then, seeing a well-dressed young master following behind Dou Yu, she secretly thought to herself that something was wrong. Could it be that he had brought some young master from the capital to Lingzhou on his way here?
Dou Yu rolled up her sleeves aggressively, looking every bit the part of someone ready for a fight, and with a fierce look on her face, she declared, "I want to see my cousin!"
"Wang Zun is out and won't be back until evening. Let's arrange for you to rest first." Aunt Pan didn't know why Dou Yu was so angry, so she instinctively comforted her and made sure she was settled in before going to arrange for someone to notify Wang Zun.
"Alright then." Dou Yu glanced at Song Wenxuan behind her, and seeing him nod, continued, "You must tell me as soon as my cousin gets back! I have something important to ask her!"
Upon hearing Aunt Pan agree, Dou Yu couldn't help but yawn. The journey had been exhausting, and the carriage ride had nearly knocked him off his feet. He desperately needed a soft bed to soothe his wounded body.
Following the servants towards the guest room, Dou Yu, still indignant, raised his fist and said to Song Wenxuan, "I want to see who this You tribe prince is! Daring to steal Ah Chou's position! He's simply not taking me seriously!"
Patting his own chest and then Song Wenxuan's heart, he reminded him, "We agreed before we came that although we can't stop that Youbu prince from marrying my cousin, which is a major event for both countries, we can't let our good friend Achou suffer in vain!"
In contrast, Song Wenxuan appeared much more composed. He withdrew his gaze from observing the surroundings and nodded, saying, "I understand."
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Author's Note: Dou Yu, the master of courting death.
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Sorry, babies (kneels down)
I forgot my period was due and ate crab and watermelon the day before, which made it impossible for me to get out of bed. Plus, I had to get my cat spayed, so I couldn't keep an eye on her for a second, and it got delayed for several days. [Please!]
This book is almost finished! Thank you so much for waiting, everyone! [crying emoji]
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