Chapter 85 The Wolf Khan: One bragged boldly, the other sighed…
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, the bright moon hangs high in the sky.
The royal hunting grounds stretch for over a hundred miles and are home to rare and exotic animals.
This year's autumn hunting ceremony was specially set up to entertain the Great Khan of the Azure Wolf. The Yiluan Division set up hundreds of tents on the grassy slope, which were divided into gold tents, large tents, regular tents and small tents according to the status of the nobles and the rank of the officials.
The tents are lined up one after another on the grassy slope. As night falls, the campfires in front of the tents are bright. From a distance, it looks like a golden dragon coiled on the hillside, with thousands of golden scales shimmering in the night.
Inside a large tent that could accommodate more than ten people, the new Khan Erhe stood with his hands behind his back, his narrow, dark eyes slowly sweeping over the dazzling array of exquisite decorations inside: a gilded wine jug filled with wine, a silver platter piled with fresh fruits, a bronze lotus-shaped candlestick shaped like a lady, and a golden beast-shaped incense burner burning mosquito-repelling incense.
He gave a barely perceptible smile.
The accompanying general of the Azure Wolf clan grabbed a piece of fruit from the silver platter, took a big bite, and said with envy and hatred, "The Qi people certainly know how to enjoy life. We've never had such fancy things in our grassland tents!"
Another wolf-man tilted his head back and gulped down a mouthful of wine, laughing gruffly, "I heard that Empress Dowager Chu's golden tent is even more extravagant. There's a room specially set aside inside for washing and grooming, and even the bathwater is mixed with fresh flowers and milk. That woman is such a waste; she could just jump into the lake and splash around for a bit and be clean!"
"What do you know? This is called enjoyment. Empress Dowager Chu, who bathed in cow's milk, probably had skin that was whiter, more tender, and softer than a lamb's..."
This remark elicited mischievous laughter from the men in the tent.
"In my opinion, Empress Dowager Chu might be even uglier than the maid from Hugeji's family. Otherwise, why wouldn't their emperor have taken in a young widow who has lost her husband?"
"Nagur, you are incredibly stupid! The Emperor of Great Qi is only five years old!"
"I'm talking about another emperor, the one who killed our old Khan, Mangus!"
On the grasslands, "Manggus" means "demon" and is considered the most terrifying enemy.
Upon hearing this man's name, the generals of the Canglang tribe in the tent all changed color. One of the generals, with a full beard, slammed his wine flask on the ground and, fueled by alcohol, cursed loudly: "Hmph! The Qi people are just relying on their cunning and superior weaponry. If it were a bare-handed fight, whether it's Mangus or Maowusi, they would all become little devils in my hands."
“Nisger, you’re always boasting. Back then, when you encountered that man leading three thousand Buddhist soldiers, you clearly had four thousand cavalry. Why didn’t you dare to fight him head-on? Instead, you quietly slipped away from the canyon…”
"Bullshit... I didn't sneak away!"
When Erkh raised his hand, the arguing officers, their faces flushed, immediately fell silent and lowered their heads in submission.
He began, "These people of Daqi are very particular about etiquette and rules, so you should all behave yourselves better, and also..."
The man's hawk-like gaze slowly swept over the crowd, his voice deepening: "Remember the purpose of this trip. The blood of the Canglang tribe cannot be shed in vain. These Qi people must pay for their blood debts."
The crowd's expressions hardened, and they raised their iron fists, pounding them heavily against their chests with a dull thud. They shouted in unison, "Yes, let the Qi people pay for their blood debt!"
————
The roaring bonfire tore a crimson rift in the night, and directly above the firelight, two tiger-skin chairs were placed side by side, with the Emperor and Empress Dowager of the Great Qi Dynasty seated on them respectively.
At the lower left, the Regent's sandalwood desk and the Khan's wolf-head desk faced each other, while the remaining officials sat around the bonfire according to their rank.
Erhe was led to the dinner by the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.
During the banquet, the officials and their families all looked up and saw the new Khan leading his generals into the venue.
The Canglang people generally have large frames. Although this new Khan is tall, he is not like his generals, who are all broad-shouldered and muscular. Instead, he has an upright posture.
He wore an indigo robe, a silver crown with carved feathers, and a cloak made of snow wolf skin draped over his right shoulder. The wolf's head hung down in front of his chest, and the two sapphire-inlaid beast eyes gleamed with a cold, eerie light under the campfire.
The man had deep-set features, a high nose bridge, and a pair of dark green eyes as sharp as an eagle's. He exuded the untamed wildness of a grassland man.
At the banquet, the noble ladies covered their faces with fans, curiously observing the new Khan of the Canglang tribe. They were surprised that this grassland overlord was so young and handsome, and their eyes secretly shifted between the new Khan and the regent, making comparisons in their hearts.
One was like a curved dagger drawn from its sheath, its cold light sharp and fierce; the other was like a precious sword sheathed, its majesty restrained and restrained. Comparing their auras, it was truly difficult to determine who was superior.
Erkh clasped his hands in a fist salute to Pei Muwei and said in fluent Chinese, "Several years have passed since we last met. Commander Pei has gone from being the ruler of Beiting to the ruler of Daqi. I, the Khan, am truly impressed."
These words immediately caused many officials of the Great Qi to frown, especially Prince Anxian, the leader of the royalist party, whose face was filled with displeasure. If it weren't for his leg injury not yet being fully healed and him still sitting in a wheelchair, he would have almost slammed his fist on the table and angrily denounced the new Khan for not distinguishing between the major and minor kings.
Pei Muwei raised his wine cup, his expression calm, and returned the greeting with a faint smile: "It has been many years since we last met. The Fourth Prince has grown from an eagle of Butchagan to a new Khan who rules the grasslands. I admire him just as much."
In the Canglang language, "Butchagan" means eagle.
There are many tribes on the grasslands, and the lineage of the Great Khan all originated from the "Butchagan" tribe, which was the most powerful and of the highest bloodline.
In other words, "Butchagan" is equivalent to the orthodox lineage of the steppe tribes.
In reality, Erhe was born into the humble "Bannar" tribe. If Pei Muwei hadn't assassinated the old Khan, turning the entire grassland into chaos and drastically weakening the "Butchagan" tribe, and if Erhe hadn't seized the opportunity to incorporate "Bannar" into the "Butchagan" tribe, using the legitimate title to eliminate his other brothers, he probably wouldn't have even been able to become the new Khan.
As expected, upon hearing this, the faces of the generals behind Erhe, who came from the Butchagan tribe, immediately stiffened.
The arrow that Erhe had fired had pierced his own body. His eyes darkened slightly, but his face remained expressionless. He smiled and accepted the wine cup offered by Eunuch Wang, drinking it down heartily.
"Mother, is the wolf you're talking about real?"
Xiao Yun was completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere at the banquet; he was only curious about the grimacing animal skin cloak that Erhe was wearing.
Chu Yueyuan raised her hand and stroked Xiao Yun's tiger-like head, saying softly, "Of course it's true. When warriors on the grasslands reach adulthood, they must go out alone to hunt wild beasts. Snow wolves' fur blends easily with the snow, and they are agile, making them the most difficult wild beasts to catch on the grasslands."
The woman's voice was soft and gentle, like a refreshing spring breeze on the grassland.
Erhe then turned his gaze to the woman sitting on the tiger-skin chair. His wolf-like dark green pupils suddenly contracted, as if he had spotted a blooming Tian Shan red flower in a vast snowfield. He was both amazed by the lush color and surprised that he had overlooked such a stunning beauty.
The woman wore a crimson robe embroidered with phoenixes and peonies, her black hair was tied up high, and a faint smile graced her fair and beautiful face. As the campfire flickered, the red agate earrings by her ears lit up and dimmed, like two dancing flames, reflecting the shimmering light in her watery eyes, exuding charm.
Erhe clenched his fist against his chest, leaned slightly forward, and the wolf-head cloak draped over his shoulders fell down with his movement. His dark green eyes reflected the campfire, and he smiled and said, "The Empress Dowager of Great Qi is indeed as rumored, more beautiful than the moon over Kunlun Mountain."
The men of the grasslands are known for their forthright and generous nature; when praising someone, they express their feelings directly and frankly.
Chu Yueyuan raised her cup in return, and smiled slightly: "The Khan has an extraordinary demeanor, and is even more heroic than the rumors suggest."
Upon hearing this, Erkh burst into laughter. He picked up his wine cup again, tilted his head back, and drank it down. His deep gaze remained fixed on the woman's bright face, as if the taste of this wine was worth savoring.
Xiao Yun reached out and gently tugged at Chu Yueyuan's hem. His dark eyes were bright, and his tone was innocent: "Mother, may I touch his cloak?"
Chu Yueyuan looked troubled.
The beast-head cloaks of the Canglang tribe are equivalent to the purple-gold fish-shaped pouches worn by officials of the Great Qi Dynasty; they are symbols of status and are not easily touched.
Just as she was about to distract Xiao Yun with the delicious food on the table, Erhe simply and neatly took off his cloak and tossed it into the tray held by Eunuch Wang.
"If the Emperor of Great Qi likes it, he may keep it for his enjoyment."
The wolf's head, with its gaping maw, came face to face with Eunuch Wang. Its menacing fangs were about to touch the tip of his nose. Eunuch Wang's powdered face cracked instantly, and he cried out in pain, staggered back a few steps, and fell down.
The wolf-men present immediately burst into laughter.
The beast-head cloak was large and heavy, and it took several palace servants working together to lift it to the young emperor.
Xiao Yun stretched out his chubby little hand and curiously touched the sharp fangs and smooth fur. His bright black eyes were filled with admiration. After a moment, he reluctantly let go and said in his childish voice:
"My teacher taught me that a gentleman does not take what belongs to others. Since this cloak was obtained by you, Khan, through your own hunting, then I do not need it."
After saying this, he turned his head to look at the regent on the lower right, his childish voice clear and bright: "Regent, you will come with me to hunt tomorrow. I want to hunt the fiercest... um... wolf king, so that I can make a wolf fur cloak for my mother."
Pei Muwei nodded slightly, a smile playing on his thin lips: "Your Majesty's arrows never miss. With my assistance, we will surely capture the Wolf King and return safely."
The two people who usually didn't get along the most with Chu Yueyuan were now on good terms, with one of them boasting freely and the other calmly praising her.
The Canglang people present gradually stopped laughing. They saw that the young Emperor of Daqi had shown a spirit that was no less than that of the men of the grasslands. It was as if they had seen a newborn wolf cub showing its sharp fangs. They couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive.
A sharp glint flashed in Erhe's eyes, but vanished in an instant. Maintaining the air of a ruler of the steppe, he praised loudly:
"Your Majesty is exceptionally courageous. If you were to personally take the field, I would gladly accompany you, capture the most ferocious prey of the Great Qi, and present it to the most beautiful woman of the Great Qi."
After saying that, he winked at the woman sitting on the phoenix chair.
Chu Yueyuan's bright eyes curved slightly as she replied gracefully, "With the Emperor and Khan on my side, it seems I won't lack clothes this winter."
The tense atmosphere eased slightly after the young empress dowager teased them.
Upon seeing this, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies immediately took over the conversation, praising the emperor's filial piety as moving Heaven and the Great Khan for his thoughtfulness and courtesy. He then went on to sing praises of the harmonious neighborly relations between the Great Qi and the Canglang tribe, hoping for their long-lasting existence.
After making the polite remarks, Erkhli raised his hand, and his generals behind him took their seats.
The flames crackled in the bonfire, and the glowing embers illuminated the whole roasted lamb, making it gleam with oil. Palace servants, wielding silver knives, sliced off pieces of the crispy, juicy lamb and placed them on platters, garnishing them with exquisite dishes and spicy Tusu wine, before presenting them to the guests one after another.
Twelve Hu dancers, dressed in exotic costumes, danced around a bonfire while beating small drums at their waists. The drums, adorned with silver bells, swayed gracefully with their movements, producing a crisp rhythm.
For a moment, the atmosphere was harmonious. The two tribes toasted each other in the glow of the fire, temporarily setting aside their deep-seated hatred, and devoured meat and drank wine in large bowls.
Chu Yueyuan didn't like drinking strong liquor. After eating her fill, she watched the show while holding a hand warmer, her delicate cheeks flushed slightly by the night breeze.
She was staring intently at the dancers' flowing skirts when she suddenly heard someone call out, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager..."
She slightly raised her gaze and saw Erhe standing behind the table, holding a wine cup.
After removing the menacing wolf-head cloak, the man's imposing aura lessened somewhat. The flickering campfire illuminated his sharply defined features. He looked directly at the woman's charming face and smiled, "This Khan offers Your Highness a cup of wine."
Chu Yueyuan gave Jin Tong a look, and the other immediately understood and stepped forward to pour her a glass of fruit wine.
Erhe glanced at the clear wine in the cup, slightly curled the corners of his lips, and said casually, "In the North, this kind of sweet water is for little children. Your Highness is the most noble woman in the Great Qi, so naturally you should drink the strongest wine."
Chu Yueyuan noticed that although Erhe spoke fluent Chinese, he always liked to use a bunch of fancy prefixes, such as "most beautiful," "most noble," "most magnificent," etc.
As the hostess, she felt bad about refusing the guests who had come from afar, so she asked Jin Tong to replace the Tusu wine with fresh wine.
The spicy liquor burned her throat like fire as it entered her mouth, and she unconsciously furrowed her brows, a blush rising to her cheeks.
The evening breeze carried a faint, sweet fragrance from the woman. Erhe gazed at the blush spreading beneath her snow-white skin and suddenly recalled how, not long ago, his subordinates had teased the Empress Dowager Chu, comparing her to a little lamb.
Yes, what wolves love to eat most are tender and delicate lambs, which leave a sweet scent on the grass even when they escape.
He picked up the wine pot, poured the amber-colored Tusu wine into the cup, and said with a smile, "Let me offer Your Highness another cup, wishing that the friendship between the Great Qi and the Canglang Kingdoms will be like the snow in the sky, never to melt."
Khan Canglang spoke sincerely, and Chu Yueyuan could not find a reason to refuse. Just as she was about to take the wine cup from his hand, a hand with distinct knuckles took it away first.
Pei Muwei lifted his eyelids, his clear, dark eyes looking at Erhe, and said in a calm tone: "The Empress Dowager is not a good drinker, so I will drink this cup of wine on her behalf."
Erkh narrowed his eyes like a wolf whose prey had been stolen, his gaze sweeping between the man and woman before a half-smile suddenly appeared on his lips:
"The Regent has been guarding the border in Beiting for many years, so he should know the rules of our grasslands. The only person who can drink for a woman is the man in her tent. Could it be that Your Highness and the Empress Dowager are sleeping in the same tent now?"
In the traditional view of the Canglang tribe, the continuation of offspring is more important than any other etiquette. When the Great Khan dies, the new Khan can inherit his wife and daughters, which is a very common thing on the grassland.
Erkh had always looked down on the Qi people's elaborate rituals, but he also knew that they valued reputation and innocence the most. He pretended to have only a superficial understanding of the etiquette of the Central Plains, and a cunning look, like that of someone teasing their prey, flashed between his brows.
He had expected the Empress Dowager Chu to be ashamed and blush with embarrassment by his words, but the woman raised her chin, her voice still soft, yet with a hint of arrogance:
"If the Khan is able to invite me to the grasslands as a guest in the future, then bring out your own set of rules. Now that you are standing on the territory of my Great Qi, you should abide by the rules of Great Qi."
Erhe raised his thick eyebrows slightly, and his gaze toward the woman held not only amazement but also a hint of amusement.
Tsk, interesting, so she's a little she-wolf in sheep's clothing.
Unfortunately, his view was quickly and completely blocked by the man's figure.
Pei Muwei raised his hand and placed it on Erhe's shoulder, his handsome features softened by a gentle smile: "If the Khan is not yet satisfied, I have a few men under my command who can drink."
The man's movements appeared casual, but his palms contained immense power. His five fingers gripped the other's vital points tightly. Although he didn't crush the bones, the force penetrated deep into the bone crevices. If it had happened to an ordinary person, they would have screamed in pain long ago.
Erhe was a ruthless man who could endure anything. His handsome face twitched slightly twice. He then put his arm around Pei Muwei's back, patted him lightly, and laughed heartily.
"It would be impolite of me to refuse the Regent's kind invitation!"
The Canglang people are bloodthirsty and warlike. They dislike the drinking games played by civil officials and prefer to drink and play drinking games with military generals, their fists, as big as sandbags, pounding the tables with loud thuds.
The campfire crackled and popped, the leaping flames reflecting the tipsy faces of the men from both tribes. Stacks of wine bowls piled high on the table, the battles on the battlefield transformed into a contest over drinks.
Through the flickering firelight, Chu Yueyuan gazed at the man.
On ordinary days, she was used to seeing him calm and composed as he reviewed memorials in the Hall of Diligent Governance. But now, his hand holding the vermilion brush held a rough earthenware wine bowl, and his cool and aloof features were tinged with a touch of brilliance by the aroma of wine. His demeanor was unrestrained and elegant, making him stand out even more among the rugged and bold grassland men.
Suddenly, she was completely mesmerized.
Pei Muwei seemed to notice the woman's gaze and suddenly turned to look at her. His exceptionally beautiful eyes were like an arrow piercing straight into her heart.
Chu Yueyuan lowered her head in a panic, pretending to touch the hand warmer in her hand, and said softly, "Jintong, the silver charcoal in my hand warmer is almost gone, let's go back."
Before leaving the banquet, she reminded Xiao Yun not to be greedy and to be careful not to eat too much, lest he make his dwarf horse unable to run during the hunt the next day.
Xiao Yun quickly put down the half-eaten lamb leg, pouting his shiny little mouth, and said, "Then Mother should also tell the Regent not to drink so much with the Khan, or he might fall off his horse tomorrow."
Chu Yueyuan's cheeks were flushed red in the firelight as she muttered in a low voice, "His affairs are none of my business."
————
The campsite was not far from the bonfire feast, and torches were set up every ten feet along the way, illuminating the path underfoot.
Chu Yueyuan carried the hand warmer forward. When she reached the changing tent, she could vaguely hear two women talking inside.
"Strange, why didn't I see Sister Lin tonight? Even Young Master Shen is here. She's the soon-to-be daughter-in-law of the Shen family, so why didn't she attend the banquet with him?"
"Your information is really outdated. The marriage between the Shen and Lin families is already like autumn leaves that have been withered by frost, completely yellow."
"Oh no! This... how did such a perfectly good wedding fall through?"
"It is said that the Lin family took the initiative to break off the engagement. I don't know what the Lin family was thinking, but they dug up a collateral descendant who was a sub-prefect in Jizhou and said that this person and Lin Yuzhen were a perfect match, a match made in heaven. Ten days ago, Madam Lin took Lin Yuzhen and left the capital for Jizhou."
"Has Lin Yuzhen gone mad? Why would she give up being the wife of a prince and go to some desolate place to be the wife of a prefect?"
"If you ask me, the most pitiful person is still Prince Shen, who has been rejected twice in a row. Madam Shen even went to Tanzhe Temple to draw lots because of this. The monk who interpreted the lots calculated that Prince Shen is cursed with three peach blossom curses, and is destined to stumble three times over with women. He will not be able to get married before the age of thirty."
"That's still four years..."
"Hey, what are you plotting now, girl? Be careful that you don't spend four years becoming the Crown Prince's wife and end up in a nunnery instead."
"I...I didn't mean that..."
The two noble ladies, having tidied their appearance, emerged from the tent, laughing and joking. Upon seeing the radiant woman standing in the firelight, their expressions changed slightly, and they hurriedly bowed their heads in greeting.
"This humble woman pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."
Chu Yueyuan remained calm, excused the two from the formalities, and sent guards to escort them back to the banquet.
The two noble ladies breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her profusely.
Jin Tong spat in the direction the two had left, and said indignantly, "What do they know? Last time, it was clearly the Shen family who broke their promise first! Why should the woman who suffered injustice bear the reputation of being cursed with bad luck, while the heartless man becomes a pitiful figure that everyone pities!"
Chu Yueyuan stroked the embossed patterns on the brazier, frowning as she fell into deep thought.
That day at the Prince's birthday banquet, with her secret guidance, the Lin family took advantage of Tao Yuanheng's exile from the capital to kill him on the way.
From then on, the Lin family and the Tao family became enemies.
The Lin family cherished their precious daughter, so they decisively broke off the engagement with the Shen family and quickly arranged for Lin Yuzhen to marry far away to Jizhou, in order to protect their daughter's reputation before the Tao family could smear her.
If she hadn't interfered, Shen Zizhan and Lin Yuzhen's marriage might still have gone through.
Could she be Shen Zizhan's destined love nemesis, ruining his two marriages in succession?
The two walked for a while longer when Jin Tong suddenly clutched her stomach and whispered, "Your Highness, I...I think I'm having my period..."
Chu Yueyuan came to her senses and asked with concern, "Can you still hold on? Why don't you let Captain Jing carry you back first?"
Jin Tong blushed and glanced at the guards around her. She shook her head and said, "It's alright. I have a handkerchief in my purse. I'll go into the woods to tidy up so I don't get my clothes dirty."
Chu Yueyuan instructed, "Alright, this forest isn't deep. It was inspected by the Imperial Guards during the day, so there shouldn't be any wild animals. But don't go too deep into it."
"I remember."
Jin Tong strode into the woods, while Chu Yueyuan stayed behind to wait for her.
Before long, Jin Tong came running out of the woods in a panic, her words slurred: "Your...Your Highness...this servant just stumbled upon...Lord Shen and Princess Nianyi having a secret rendezvous in the woods!"
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