Chapter 236 Not Threatening
“What do you mean?” Yasu was nervous at Qin Yunuan’s appearance, “Also, who are you? Why are you telling me this?”
Qin Yunuan was not petrified, “Didn’t you just said it? I am only the guest that Fourth Prince brought here.” Qin Yunuan said as she observed Yasu’s expression. “It’s only that I am an acquaintance of your sister, Princess Saichun.”
“Are you from Qi?” Yasu asked with her eyes wide open. “What happened to Saichun? Is she dead? She used to write to me all the time, but one day the letters suddenly stopped coming. My father refused to talk about it. Then I turned to His Highness, but he just coaxed me. I just wanted him to find out about Saichun for me, but he refused. Men are all liars. He had promised my father to take good care of me forever.”
Qin Yunuan stared at Yasu for a long time. She opened her mouth and said slowly, “Yes, Princess Saichun is dead, with the child of her and the Grand Prince of Qi.”
Yasu was prepared, but she couldn’t stop her tears from streaming down when she heard the word “child”. “She had a child. Saichun liked children very much. She shouldn’t go to Qi. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have died.”
“It would be hard to save Princess Saichun’s life even if she had stayed.”
“What do you mean?” Yasu questioned.
“It’s very simple,” Qin Yunuan carefully analyzed to Yasu, “Prince Ray of Qi has an eye on the throne, but he can’t get what he wants by himself. He could only cooperate. The man Sima Ray had chosen was Wanyan Ba, the Grand Prince of North Di. However, your father, Khan Bochaerji has been dissatisfied with the atrocities of the Grand Prince. His frequent letters to the emperor made himself resented by Wanyan Ba. Bochaerji was regarded as a thorn in the Grand Prince’s eye, and one day he will want to pull it out. There was a saying in our Central Plains. When a bird’s nest is overturned, no egg can remain intact. If Bochaerji was overthrown, what do you think would happen to you and the entire northern grassland? Can you still be safe and sound?”
“Grand Khan won’t tolerate bumptious deeds of that boorish fellow.” Yasu called Wanyan Ba boor. It was obvious that she was also very dissatisfied with this fierce and violent prince.
“It would have been done if only Grand Khan could,” Qin Yunuan looked straight into Yasu’s eyes, “If he could have realized that Wanyan Ba had been way too indulged, how could he agree to send Princess Saichun to the imperial matrimony for peace with Qi?”
“What you said was that?”
“Also, why was she married to the long-time rival of Prince Ray, the Grand Prince Sima Ruo?”
Yasu was in haste, but she still strove to persuade herself, “There’s no way. God bless my Grand Khan. He was so brave and wise in leading the seven tribes and clearing up the remaining evils of the northern Liao. He would not have made such a low-level mistake. He would not have believed in this incompetent boor.”
“But he is old.” Qin yunuan’s light words were enough to defeat her hearts. “Just like the emperors of Qi, they were once extremely brave, but they are old and would like to lie in comfort. Their views on things have changed a long time ago. Don’t compare them with their past, because they are not the hot-blooded youngsters they were anymore,” Qin Yunuan stopped for a moment, then she said to Yasu in a charming tone, “Today’s world is of the younger generation. You always want to avenge Princess Saichun. Have you ever thought about what to do for Fourth Prince?”
Yasu hesitated for a moment. She was silent, staring at Qin Yunuan. After a long time, she said, “what do you need me to do?”
Qin Yunuan smiled, “A ruse of self-injury to win.”
The next day, the Khans of the Seven Tribes entered the capital, making the capital bustling with rare excitement. Different from the street farce of Wanyan Ba and Wanyan Su yesterday, the seven Khans had all fought along with Grand Khan in those days. Although there were inevitably conflicts of interest and disagreements between the seven tribes, at least their faces were full of greetings and concerns.
Yasu’s father Bochaerji, the Khan of the northern grasslands, was the tallest of them all. He had a sturdy back and a strong back, and his arms were as thick as a bowl mouth. It was said that he killed a black bear with his bare hands when he was fighting with Grand Khan. He was a great hero of North Di. It was just that in recent years Grand Khan heard some rumors and had alienated from this hero of North Di. If not, Bochaerji’s reputation and status in North Di would never make the matter of imperial matrimony for peace fall onto his daughter’s head.
The one who came out of the city to greet them was Prince Regent, who was most favored by the Khan, except for the Grand Prince. He was only in his early thirties but already very outstanding. However, in front of those leaders of the seven tribes, he was a junior after all. He couldn’t be more respectful and moderate in his speech.
All the news was informed by Yaqi to Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi resting in the Fourth Prince’s Mansion.
Leng Changxi used herbal aromatherapy to smoke Qin Yu Nuan’s eyes, while quietly listening to the little maid Yaqi’s reply.
“Prince Regent?” Qin Yunuan’s eyes remained close, but her brain acted quickly, “What was he like?”
Yaqi thought for a moment and said, “He is a wonderful man.”
Qin Yunuan laughed, “What is a wonderful person? To be honest, are there no bad people in your little brain, Yaqi?”
Yaqi was young and lived in a simple environment. During her time with Yaqi, Qin Yunuan deeply felt that Yaqi’s temperament was just like her mother’s. They saw everyone as good and kind.
“Of course not,” Yaqi argued. “All the people in the capital say so. Prince Regent organizes donations every year to provide funds for the herdsmen in the southernmost area invaded by Qi. He not only talks about it, but also withdraws from his salary. In North Di’s sacred temples, Prince Regent gives the most sacrifices every year.”
Leng Changxi listened and just smiled faintly. In order not to scare them, Leng Changxi wore a mask that covered his entire face when there was a human skin mask on his face, revealing only two eyes. These two eyes were so deep as if all the secrets in this world were hidden in those eyes. Sometimes, Yaqi would forget that this man was an extremely ugly person.
“Qi has never taken the initiative to invade the people of North Di, let alone occupy your land. Why would they move? Your Regent is lying.”
“It’s not like that.” Yaqi tried to persuade Leng Changxi but was interrupted by his cold words, “Don’t look at the surface. Sometimes, the real may not be true. The false was, however, mostly false.”
At this moment, the side concubine sent people to inform Qin Yunuan, saying that the Khan Bochaerji had arrived at the Fourth Prince’s Mansion, and Yasu was specially informing Qin Yunuan to ask if she needed to meet the Khan.
In North Di, the communication between men and women was much more open than that of Qi. Many women eloped with others after seeing a certain man, but Qin Yunuan only tied up the white gauze again and said indifferently, “There’s no need.” She didn’t need to meet the Grand Khan. She just needed to wait for the competition.
Three days later, they were in the largest competition arena in the capital. The surrounding colorful flags were fluttering in the wind, and new red ribbons were wrapped around the arena of the competition. Qi took Mid-Autumn and New Year’s Eve as the nation’s biggest festival, while in North Di, the nation that was wild and advocated force, only the competition could attract the attention of the people all over the country.
On this day, all alleys are empty, and the bustling crowd had long surrounded the martial arts arena. The Khan of the seven tribes and most of the nobles had all been seated, and standing behind them were those warriors carefully selected from countless of fighters. They only hoped that these warriors would shine in the competition and thus put some gold on their faces.
There were still a few princes between Wanyan Su and Wanyan Ba. It was maybe because Wanyan Su was half-blooded, other princes didn’t like to see this brother very much. They speak coldly. After knowing the ugly monster named Tuoba Wukui standing behind him was beaten up on the street by Wanyan Ba’s warrior with a few strokes, they even looked more down upon Fourth Prince.
Grand Khan came a little late. He used to be a hero of the army, but he was now over 70, and the hair around his temples had already turned white. Even with the help of the maids, his steps seemed a bit staggering.
“Grand Khan.”
Seeing Grand Khan entering the arena, everyone stood up. Qin Yunuan had been quietly waiting behind Wanyan Su. She could not see clear but could still hear Grand Khan’s heavy footsteps and his weak breathing. Although he was old, he was seventy years old with a ninety-year-old body. People like Grand Khan of North Di had always paid great attention to exercising and riding horses when young. He should not have such bad health. It took less than half a cup of tea for Qin Yunuan to conclude that Grand Khan must have been given the medicine that made his body weak and empty.
Qin Yunuan moved her steps gently and heard a strong heartbeat immediately. Not to mention that this body was strong, it was terrifying that this person had deep internal strength and extraordinary skills. He followed Great Khan closely. He would be too powerful being a personal guard.
“Uncle.”
Wanyan Su and those princes stood up. The strong inner strength Qin Yunuan felt was from no one else but the great Prince Regent that Yaqi mentioned about.
Qin Yunuan turned to the side and felt Leng Changxi’s right hand. He must have felt the same inner strength.
Prince Regent was handsome, beaming and buoyant in spirits. He had the look of Grand Khan when he was young. As the youngest brother of Grand Khan, he was very much loved.
But how could a high-ranking prince have such a powerful internal strength? Qin Yunuan frowned slightly, and the courtesy officer beside Grand Khan of North Di had announced the start of the contest.
The competing order was based on the draw which the masters select for their warriors. Number one would compete with number two, number three with number four, and so on. Qin Yunuan listened to the sound of the bamboo sticks clawing on the wall inside the bamboo tube. She knew that those sticks had already been tampered with. The corner of her mouth rose slightly as she heard the courtesy officer reporting the serial number.
“Number one, a warrior of Khan Bochaerji.”