Rolling hills stand on the endless snowfield, and a clear river meanders out of the valley and flows across the plain.
Felt tents almost hidden in the snow were scattered along the river under the hills. Princess Wen Zhao, whom the Khan had married from Wei, arrived, and the people in the tents swarmed out in joy.
The tent was crowded with people, and laughter was heard everywhere.
But it was a strange language and a strange accent.
The Li siblings stood in front of the tent, looking at each other in silence.
Just like a few years ago, they discovered each other's identities, stood at the bow, and stared at each other silently.
At the top of the Red Cliff, there is smoke and waves everywhere.
The wooden door of the tent was opened, and Yelu Khan came out. His eyes fell on Yao Ying, who was exhausted and tired, but still showed her beauty. He rubbed his hands happily, and his old face was full of wrinkles. He patted Li Xuanzhen's shoulder and said with a smile: "Princess Wen Zhao has arrived safely, the crown prince can rest assured."
Having said that, without waiting for Li Xuanzhen to speak, he enthusiastically opened the curtain and invited Yao Ying into the tent.
Yao Ying walked into the tent without looking away, passing by the gloomy-faced Li Xuanzhen.
After Li De set the wedding date, Li Xuanzhen led his army to Liangzhou. He should have been guarding Liangzhou at this time, so why did he return to the Yelu tribe with Yelu Khan?
Does he have to see with his own eyes that she and Yelu Khan are getting married before he can feel at ease?
Yelu Khan followed into the tent, looking somewhat at a loss. He laughed dryly and said, "Princess, you have been exhausted all the way. Have a good rest tonight. We can hold the wedding tomorrow night."
He doesn't speak Chinese fluently and his pronunciation is slow.
Yao Ying lowered her eyes and said nothing, looking extremely exhausted.
Yelu Khan looked at the snow-white and tender skin exposed at her neck, and thought that it must be smoother than mutton fat. He wished he could taste it right away. Then he saw that her brows were full of fatigue, and he felt distressed. He thought that the Han princess was delicate and shy, and she was very particular about etiquette. She was still young, so he must not be too rough and scare her. He rubbed his hands and left with his people.
As soon as the tent door closed, Yaoying fell down on the felt carpet. Tali and Ayi knelt beside her and took off the heavy flower crown and brocade steps from her head.
Tali said sympathetically: "Princess, although the Khan is old, he is in good health and loves you very much. I heard from the people of the Yelu tribe that the Khan has never been so considerate to a lady."
Yaoying said nothing. She took off the hairpins and pearls from her temples, and let her black hair fall down.
Her whole body ached and she didn't want to think about anything. She lay down on the edge of the couch, closed her eyes and dozed off.
Just take a good sleep and have enough energy to deal with this strange environment.
There was a sound from the tent door, a crescent-shaped knife lifted the curtain, wind and snow poured in, and black leather boots stepped into the tent.
Yao Ying heard the noise, opened her eyes, glanced at the pair of boots, and signaled Hu Bi and Xie Qing to go out.
Only she and Li Xuanzhen were left in the tent.
Yaoying was still curled up beside the couch, her lush black hair cascading down like a waterfall, covering half the felt blanket, like a lazy cat.
"Brother, do you want to stay and watch the ceremony?"
This calm tone of voice made it seem as if she was not going to marry an old foreign leader.
The black leather boots moved in front of Yao Ying, Li Xuanzhen leaned over, grabbed her wrist, forced her to look up, stared at her without blinking, and said word by word: "Seventh sister, I will give you another chance to choose."
Yaoying raised her eyelids slightly, her eyes were clear.
"Okay, I choose the elder brother. Can the elder brother take me back to Chang'an?"
Li Xuanzhen was stunned.
Yao Ying smiled and said sarcastically, "Brother, at this point, you can't give me a chance to choose. The Yelu tribe has not broken any promises. Tomorrow is the wedding. Do you want to destroy the diplomatic relations between the two countries?"
"You are not that kind of person."
Li Xuanzhen would not do such a thing, nor would he offend the Yelu tribe or anger Li De just for her. She is not Zhu Luyun.
Yao Ying glanced in the direction of the tent door and said, "You don't have that ability either."
This is the Yelu tribe's territory and he can't take her away.
Li Xuanzhen looked at Yaoying silently, with undercurrents surging in his eyes.
"Brother, I have already chosen that year. I am Li Zhongqian's sister. If you harm my brother, I will be irreconcilable with you."
Li Xuanzhen clenched his fingers even tighter.
At that time, his fingers were tightly pinching Yaoying's fragile neck. If he exerted a little force, she would die in his hands.
She can only choose one between him and Li Zhongqian.
Either completely sever ties with Li Zhongqian and Xie Manyan and continue living as Ah Yue, or die with them.
She could hardly breathe, yet she chose Li Zhongqian without hesitation.
Over the past few years, he has repeatedly made things difficult for Li Zhongqian and forced her to make a choice. Even though he knew she would not give the answer he wanted to hear, he still asked again and again.
Li Xuanzhen's fingers were burning.
Yao Ying lowered her head and slowly pushed his fingers away with her cold fingertips.
She once thought she could reason with Li Xuanzhen, but later found that it was all in vain. In front of the strong, the reasoning of the weak is the most useless thing.
Tang's words "Kill them all" became Li Xuanzhen's inner demon. Xie Manyan, Li Zhongqian, Li De, the Xie clan members, and the Li clan members, whether they were innocent or deserved it, could not escape.
So she didn't want to waste any more words.
So what if Li Xuanzhen is the son of destiny?
Li Zhongqian would never abandon her, and she would never give up on Li Zhongqian. If they were really in dire straits, the worst that could happen was that she would die together with Li Xuanzhen.
Li Xuanzhen looked down at Yao Ying, saying nothing and standing still, his handsome features revealing a somewhat vicious look.
Yao Ying leaned against the edge of the couch, her chin resting on her arm, her expression indifferent.
"I'm tired, please do as you please, elder brother."
She closed her eyes, her thick eyelashes trembling slightly, and soon she seemed to have fallen asleep, breathing evenly.
Li Xuanzhen stood in the tent, his eyes full of emotions, and his hands slowly clenched into fists.
He shouldn't have gone to Chibi.
Then I would not have met her, would not have felt pity for her, would not have thought of taking good care of her, and would not have suffered between my mother's instructions and her.
He actually prayed for his enemy's daughter to choose him.
And she treated him with disdain.
Li Xuanzhen shuddered as if awakened from a dream. He turned around abruptly and strode away with red eyes.
After a while, Xie Qing came into the account and told Yao Ying that Li Xuanzhen had left.
Yelu Khan tried to persuade Li Xuanzhen to stay and asked him to attend the wedding before leaving, and said that Bemutie was waiting to drink with him. However, Li Xuanzhen said that he had military affairs to attend to in Liangzhou, so he left with his personal soldiers.
Yao Ying hummed lightly.
Xie Qing sat cross-legged beside the felt rug, his eyes fixed on Yao Ying's snow-white wrist, which had a few faint fingerprints on it.
"What happened between the princess and the crown prince?"
Yao Ying said slowly: "It's nothing... I have been in poor health since I was a child. That year, someone said that a miracle doctor with excellent medical skills appeared in Chibi, so my brother immediately took me to Chibi to seek medical treatment. At that time, Chibi was under the rule of Southern Chu, and the miracle doctor only saved the subjects of Southern Chu. My brother had previously followed Governor Pei to attack Chibi, and was afraid that his identity would be exposed. The miracle doctor was unwilling to save me, so he asked Shipu to take me to seek medical treatment..."
The dialects of Jingnan and Chibi are very similar, and Yaoying spoke authentic Chibi dialect. The miracle doctor did not doubt her identity, and seeing that she was only accompanied by a few old servants, he let her stay at his home and treated her carefully.
The miracle doctor's medical skills were indeed superb. Yaoying lived in his home for several months and her complexion became better and better.
It was there that Yao Ying met a seriously injured young man.
"He said his name is Yang Changsheng and he is from Southern Chu."
Yao Ying smiled.
When she was young, her legs and feet were not good and she seldom went out. Li Xuanzhen always resented Xie and never met her. He was often away on military campaigns. The brother and sister knew of each other's existence but had never met each other.
They all pretended to be people from Southern Chu. Li Xuanzhen had a wound on his face. She did not recognize Li Xuanzhen, and it was even less likely that Li Xuanzhen would recognize her.
The miracle doctor told Yao Ying to move around more often. She often ran errands for the doctor and helped take care of the patients. Seeing that Li Xuanzhen was all alone with no one to take care of him, she took the initiative to take on the job of delivering medicine to him.
After a few interactions, they got to know each other as A Yue and Yang Changsheng.
After the wound on Li Xuanzhen's face healed, Yaoying joked with him: "Brother Changsheng, your eyebrows and eyes are a bit like my brother, and your height is about the same."
Li Xuanzhen frowned and said, "Your brother left you alone in Chibi for several months. Aren't you angry?"
Yao Ying hit him lightly in dissatisfaction: "My brother is not ignoring me, he has important things to do, and I am grown up and can take care of myself!"
Li Xuanzhen smiled and lowered his head to make a clay figure for Yao Ying.
Yang Changsheng, whom Yao Ying knew, was a taciturn but righteous man. At that time, there had been heavy rains in Chibi for a month and floods were raging. He jumped into the water to save people despite his serious injuries and was almost swept away by the flood because of his weakness.
So, when they took a boat back to Wei County together and saw Li Zhongqian and the Tang family waiting on the shore, and realized each other's identities, Yao Ying did not immediately avoid Li Xuanzhen.
She always felt that if a person could save a stranger at the cost of his own safety, he should also be able to sort out hatred.
Li Xuanzhen's reaction was much greater than Yao Ying's. He stood at the bow, looked at Li Zhongqian on the shore, then looked at her. The smile on his face gradually became stiff and cold, his eyes were filled with dark clouds, and he suddenly grabbed her and strangled her neck.
Yao Ying almost died in his hands.
To this day, she still remembers the feeling of Li Xuanzhen's rough, cold fingers strangling her neck.
Xie Qing commented expressionlessly: "The prince is too stubborn."
Yao Ying rubbed her wrist and smiled, "Okay, let's not talk about this anymore."
She put her mind back on her own situation: "Ah Qing, what on earth did the eldest prince do that night?"
Xie Qing came to his senses and said, "I have inquired about it. The eldest prince looted several carts of goods that night."
Yao Ying frowned.
After the meeting that day, the eldest prince said that he had robbed several herdsmen. She observed carefully and found that the eldest prince and his followers had changed into new saddles and harnesses. How could ordinary herdsmen afford such expensive saddles?
"I suspect the eldest prince robbed and killed the royal caravan."
Xie Qing looked surprised: "The people of the Yelu tribe said that no one dared to rob a caravan flying the Buddhist flag."
Yao Ying twitched her lips and said, "Others don't dare to do that because they know the current situation and know when to advance and when to retreat. The eldest prince is not that kind of person."
She had always wondered why the powerful Yelu tribe collapsed so quietly?
The reason is most likely here. The eldest prince is greedy and cruel, and has angered too many tribes. Now he may have plundered Tanmaraka's subjects. Even if the royal court does not retaliate, the surrounding tribes will use this as an excuse to attack.
Yao Ying pondered for a while, then told Xie Qing: "Find a chance to see what's in those trucks."
Xie Qing should be.
The next morning, before daybreak, noisy voices could be heard outside the tent.
Tali helped Yaoying to wash and dress, and told her that the people of the tribe were preparing for the wedding in the evening. A bonfire would be lit in front of the big tent at night, and men and women of the tribe would come to congratulate them.
Yaoying changed into her wedding dress, and Tali tied up her long hair and braided it for her.
She looked at her slightly pale face in the bronze mirror, ignoring the fear and anxiety in her heart, and encouraged herself again and again.
Xie Qing entered the tent, signaled Tali and Ai to go out, and walked behind Yao Ying: "Princess, I found this."
Yao Ying turned around and saw him taking out a flag stained with blood from his arms.
Delicate golden patterns can still be vaguely seen on the dirty fabric.
As expected, the eldest prince was still unwilling to accept the defeat and robbed the caravan.
Yao Ying's mind raced, "We have to tell Yelu Khan about this... I can't tell him because Yelu Khan might not believe me and would think I was trying to sow discord. Also, if the news gets out, the eldest prince will definitely take revenge... Ah Qing, find some more evidence and tell the second prince about this."
Tali said that the eldest prince and the second prince have always been at odds.
Xie Qing nodded and turned to leave.
The second prince lived up to Yaoying's expectations. After hearing the news, he immediately reported it to Yelu Khan.
Yelu Khan was furious and sent someone to call the eldest prince: "You actually robbed and killed the Buddhist caravan, you are bringing disaster to our Yelu tribe!"
The eldest prince was not panicked when he saw that the matter was exposed: "I have killed all the people and even the livestock. Who would know that it was me who did it?"
Seeing his eldest son being so ignorant, Yelu Khan became even more furious: "God of Zoroastrianism, if the wrath of Buddha descends upon the Yelu tribe, you will be the sinner of the entire Yelu tribe!"
The eldest prince said nonchalantly: "The Buddha is far away in the Western Regions. He can't suddenly show his magical powers and drop from the sky! Besides, what if he comes? If he has the guts, fight me for three hundred rounds!"
Yelu Khan was so angry that his face turned purple. Just as he was about to draw his sword, he heard footsteps outside the tent.
"Khan, Biemutie is back!"
Yelu Khan immediately said, "Biemutie, come in quickly."
Biemutie stepped into the big tent, frowning slightly: "Khan, why did the crown prince of Wei suddenly leave? Didn't he agree to have a drinking contest with me?"
Yelu Khan was extremely worried at this time, and said nonchalantly: "He and Princess Wen Zhao were not born of the same mother, so there is no affection between them. He said a few words to Princess Wen Zhao and then left..."
Biemutie's eyes, which were gleaming with a faint golden color, flashed twice, and a hint of viciousness flashed across his eyes.
Yelu Khan told him about the eldest prince's robbery of the caravan: "Biemu Tie, what do you think we should do? You are from the Western Regions. Can the saying of heaven's judgment really work?"
Biemutie looked at the eldest prince and smiled. "Although the eldest prince is reckless, he is right. The Buddhist disciples are far away in the Western Regions and have never left the Holy City in these years. The eldest prince just killed a few guards of the Hu merchants. The Buddhist disciples will not make a big fuss over this."
Yelu Khan glared at the eldest prince fiercely and sneered: "I hope so."
The wedding is still going ahead as planned.
Starting from noon, the men and women of the tribe began to dance to the sound of drums and music, laughing and making noises. By the time night fell, most of them were already half drunk. A blazing fire was lit in the camp, and Yaoying was helped out of the tent.
Countless eyes fell on her, and the gazes of several young princes were more undisguised than the last.
Yaoying noticed again the gaze that once made her shudder.
She glanced over and saw a tall and strong young man standing beside Yelu Khan. He had an eagle nose and deep eyes. His gaze was as sharp as a torch. The firelight illuminated his light golden pupils.
The smiling look in his eyes at this moment made Yao Ying feel even more uneasy.
She calmed herself and completed the prayer under Tali's guidance. Just as she was about to stand up, Yelu Khan opposite her suddenly made a few vague sounds in his throat and fell on his back.
Everyone was shocked. Bemuti rushed forward and hugged Yelu Khan, saying with a smile: "The Khan is drunk!"
Several princes looked at each other, rushed forward, and helped Yelu Khan back to his tent.
Before the eldest prince turned around, he took a deep look at Yao Ying, and said with a slanted smile: "My beauty, don't worry. If my father Khan can't recover from this illness, I will take good care of you on his behalf. Tonight, you should have a good rest in the tent."
As he spoke, his face suddenly darkened and his eyes flashed with ferocity, "The princess's guards are no match for the Yelu warriors, so don't act rashly later."
He wiped the corner of his mouth, laughed and walked into the tent.
Yao Ying stood in the crowded crowd, feeling cold all over, and looked around.
Yelu Khan's personal guards were not there, and the personal guards of several princes had already dispersed. The bonfire was still burning, but the cheerful atmosphere had long since dissipated, replaced by a tense and oppressive atmosphere as if a storm was about to come.
Yao Ying returned to the tent, immediately took off her wedding dress, and asked Xie Qing to count the people.
"Yelu Khan doesn't look drunk. Something bad is bound to happen to the Yelu tribe tonight."
She thought that by reminding Chief Ye Lu he would be prepared early, but she didn't expect something to happen in the evening. It seemed that the eldest prince had already made preparations.
No wonder the eldest prince dared to tease her so blatantly along the way.
In the eyes of the eldest prince, she had long been in his pocket.
Xie Qing quickly summoned his personal soldiers, and dozens of them stood in formation, firmly protecting Yao Ying's tent.
No one else came to inquire. Several elders of the tribe went to Yelu Khan's tent surrounded by the second prince, the third prince and other adopted sons.
After a while, shouts and screams were heard from the tent.
The knights who were lying in ambush in the dark drew their swords and rushed in to fight. Several of the princes' personal soldiers roared in the melee, with flashes of cold light and flying blood and flesh.
Tali and Ai huddled in the corner of the tent, shivering.
An hour later, the eldest prince, covered in blood, strode out of the tent holding the heads of several of his brothers in his arms: "They wanted to assassinate my father Khan while he was sick, but they have been killed by my father Khan's personal soldiers!"
The Yelu tribe respected the strong, and when they saw the eldest prince killing the other princes, except for a few of the prince's personal soldiers, everyone else knelt down and prostrated themselves at the feet of the eldest prince.
Biemuti walked out of the tent, stood beside the eldest prince, and respectfully invited him in.
The eldest prince threw away his head and turned to pocket.
The others stood up one after another and began to clean up the mess in an orderly manner. The heads of several princes and elders were thrown into the fire, burning with crackling sounds.
Xie Qing stood in front of the tent with a tense expression, "Princess, what should we do?"
Yelu Khan is not dead yet, but he is not awake either. The eldest prince has killed the other princes, and now everyone in the tribe obeys the eldest prince's orders. Yao Ying will fall into the hands of the eldest prince sooner or later.
Yao Ying had no time to think about when the eldest prince had poisoned Yelu Khan's wine bowl. She was wary of the eldest prince, but she did not expect him to be so cruel.
"We have too few people..." Yao Ying closed her eyes, "Let's wait and see what happens."
The author has something to say: It is necessary to write these in the beginning. With Yaoying's personality, it is impossible for her to rush to the monk for help as soon as she saw him in the Western Regions. She had no choice but to defile the monk...