in2ebook Chapter 301: The Marriage Team
Chapter 301: The Marriage Team
More than ten days after the war, the Daxia coalition forces were stationed on the banks of the Onon River.
Inside the medical camp, the groans of the wounded gradually became less frequent, replaced by the footsteps of the recovered patients returning to the camp.
Liu Rusi remained busy with the medical camp, but the pressure had eased. She made her daily rounds, carefully examining the recovery of each wounded soldier. Watching the gradually regaining color in each face, a rare sense of peace welled up within her. A sense of almost leisurely relaxation permeated the medical camp.
The last stop of the routine work was still the tent of King Kang Chu Shikun.
His injuries had healed well, and he was able to perform simple activities with the help of his personal guards. However, Liu Rusi knew that the arrow wound near his heart was serious, and coupled with the massive blood loss and inability to receive a blood transfusion, his health was ultimately weakened, so rest was the best option.
She nodded expertly to the guards stationed outside the tent, then lifted the curtain and entered. Inside the tent, the light dimmed slightly, but Prince Duan Chu Shiyu was also there, conversing quietly with Prince Kang, who was reclining on a soft couch. Both of them looked solemn, and the air was filled with a lingering awe, evidently discussing urgent military matters.
"Your Highness Prince Kang, Your Highness Prince Duan," Liu Rusi bowed slightly, "I'm sorry to have arrived at such an inopportune time. Will you come back later to take my pulse?"
"No need, I've just finished talking." Chu Shiyu said, but he glanced at Chu Shikun coldly. He didn't like Liu Rusi's respectful and distant attitude towards him... Although he understood her cautiousness and didn't want to give people a chance to criticize her etiquette, the distance she deliberately maintained still made him unhappy.
Chu Shikun caught his third brother's cold gaze, and a look of suspicion crossed his face. It was clearly a hint of blame... but why? He was completely bewildered and puzzled.
Chu Shiyu ignored his brother's confusion, stood up almost immediately, reached out and held Liu Rusi's wrist very naturally, and pulled her out of the tent.
Behind him, Prince Kang Chu Shikun's lips parted slightly, his brow furrowed... Men and women are different, even married couples shouldn't hold hands like this in public. The words reached his lips but he swallowed them back. With Chu Shiyu's temperament, it was futile to give him any advice.
But... were they doing this on purpose? Every time they came to him, they would hold hands... Chu Shikun couldn't help but feel ashamed.
The curtain fell, blocking King Kang's inquiring gaze.
Chu Shiyu dragged Liu Rusi to a secluded spot a little further away, where he unloaded the latest news as a topic of conversation. "I just received news from the capital that my father, despite popular opinion, has dispatched a contingent of princesses to the northern desert! Princesses Chu Xin and Chu Rou, along with Princess Changning Qin Zhen, will be marrying three princesses. They are being personally escorted by General Weiyu, Qin Shuangyu, and are already on their way. The contingent will stop at Saiyinshanda, north of the Yin Mountains."
"Marriage for a foreign alliance?" Liu Rusi's eyebrows furrowed in a sudden frown. In the stories she knew, women who married for a foreign alliance rarely had a happy ending. Qin Zhen was only fourteen... This girl might be a little spoiled, but she wasn't a bad person...
Her almond eyes were immediately filled with confusion: "Who to marry?" Now that the Oirat Mongols were defeated, the Tatars were scattered, and the Jurchens were far away in the northeast... In this vast northern desert, what kind of person was worthy of the emperor sending two princesses and a princess?
Chu Shiyu narrowed his eyes, pondering the deeper meaning of his father's move as he replied, "It will be decided by a martial arts competition. First, there will be a multi-player melee, and in the final stage, they will have to overcome the difficulties set by their fathers and brothers. The final winner must be a child of the noble Northern Clan."
Liu Rusi's mind raced, immediately grasping the suspicious point in his sentence structure: "Why not first confirm the candidate's background? If we find out after the competition that he doesn't meet the requirements, wouldn't it be a waste of time?"
"Heh." Chu Shiyu sneered, his meaning unclear, and then threw out an even bigger thunder: "Because, we must first help the returning last prince of the previous dynasty to recognize his ancestral roots, and then adopt him as the direct descendant of the previous dynasty..."
Her eyes suddenly widened! Although she couldn't fully grasp the whole situation at the moment, she could already see that the emperor's move was definitely a grand one that would benefit future generations! However... the last crown prince... Qin Shuangyu, who knew the Qin family's origins... if he wasn't careful, the Qin family would be doomed! If the clues led to Qin Hao being implicated... Liu Rusi didn't dare to think any further!
This sudden marriage decree was like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples of doubt in the hearts of the two.
The last crown prince's return to the grasslands was no secret. In fact, for the emperor's purposes, this matter needed to be widely publicized, ideally to attract all the grassland tribes that missed the previous dynasty—although he knew this was almost impossible, he could only do his best.
This arduous task naturally fell on the shoulders of Prince Kang and Prince Duan in Mobei. They also needed to travel south as soon as possible to preside over the "suspicious" martial arts competition to win a bride...
The two armies packed up their luggage and slowly set out on the long journey north of Yinshan Mountain, carrying the seriously wounded soldiers, including King Kang, who were unable to move violently.
……
After a long journey, the army finally arrived at Saiyinshanda at the northern foot of Yinshan Mountain.
The marriage team escorted by General Wei Yu Qin Shuangyu has arrived first.
On the evening of the reunion, Prince Kang and Prince Duan summoned some important figures in the marriage team for a meeting.
Prince Duan, Prince Kang and the three women, especially the two imperial sisters Chu Xin and Chu Rou, asked their father if he had any other secret orders or detailed instructions. The atmosphere in the central area of the tent was solemn. Although the two princesses tried to remain calm, they could not hide their uneasiness about their unknown fate between their brows.
Princess Qin Zhen of Changning, at her father Qin Shuangyu's side, was filled with curiosity. It was her first time out of the frontier, experiencing completely different customs and cultures, and glimpsing such a vast world! As for unease? Her father, Qin Shuangyu, was here, as was her brother, Qin Tao. The final stage of the martial arts competition required her to pass both father and brother's test—so she could choose whomever she pleased.
General Qin Shuangyu remained silent, like a guardian stone statue, listening to his son Qin Tao excitedly whispering about his experiences to his daughter Qin Zhen, while Fang Qiu, the legitimate daughter of the Fang family who had come with him, boasted about her military achievements. Qin Shuangyu only occasionally cast a glance in the direction of the last crown prince, his eyes complex and difficult to decipher.
Elsewhere, Liu Rusi, seemingly absorbed in a medical discussion with Li Chunfu, Zhu Hengzhen, and the others, kept an eye on Qin Shuangyu. Seeing that, despite his turbulent emotions, he remained restrained and hadn't overstepped his bounds, Liu Rusi felt a little more at ease.
When Liu Rusi first saw the last crown prince, her heart couldn't help but tighten. Even though his presence here might bring unpredictable dangers, this old man was still an elder who had saved their lives and who truly cared for Qin Hao...
The last crown prince—or rather, the old Taoist priest—was in a worse state than when they last met in the capital. Liu Rusi even wondered how such a frail body could have managed to hold on until now.
He was haggard, his face pale, his breath barely perceptible, and he lay on the couch like a soulless puppet. Clearly, even with the skilled acupuncture of the white-haired genius doctor Zhu Hengzhen, the flame of life had long since faded, like a candle in the wind, dwindling. The long, bumpy journey had only exacerbated his condition. He was now exhausted, relying solely on the power of medicine and acupuncture to cling to life. As a physician, Liu Rusi knew at a glance that this was a last gasp of life, beyond the reach of all medicine.
Her face only displayed the usual compassion of a doctor, and she didn't approach him, much less let anyone notice her special concern for the old Taoist priest. She only accompanied her master, Li Chunfu, and under the guise of discussing medical skills, she briefly spoke with the white-haired genius doctor Zhu Hengzhen, using this opportunity to understand the old Taoist priest's true condition.
Zhu Hengzhen looked solemn and whispered, "If it weren't for His Majesty's strict order, I would have held on until the 'adoption' inheritance was completed... According to his original pulse condition, he would have reached his limit before the beginning of spring. Now... I have tried every possible means to keep him alive." His words revealed the helplessness and heaviness of a doctor.
The day after the meeting, the process began rapidly. The last prince was dying, and they had to hurry.
Prince Kang Chu Shikun and Prince Duan Chu Shiyu were the supreme commanders of Great Xia in this area and held high status, but how to distinguish between the primary and the secondary became a delicate issue.
The base was naturally divided into two areas, north and south, by the "Xia" flag symbolizing Daxia.
Then, Chu Shikun took the initiative to meet with Chu Shiyu to discuss the division of power and responsibilities.
He reclined on the couch, his face particularly pale from his injuries and the long journey. His voice was a little weak but clear, "Third brother, the affairs at hand are complex, involving a marriage alliance, the last crown prince's recognition of his ancestors, a martial arts competition to win a bride, and even negotiations with various tribes. I'm still seriously injured and lack energy, so I'm afraid I won't be able to handle everything. Regarding the logistics and military operations of the Northeast Army, as well as the many other matters entrusted by the court, how about you take care of them for the time being? You and I merged our logistics responsibilities a while ago, so there's no need to be so formal now."
His attitude was humble and his reasons were reasonable. He also made a clear division of the sensitive military command, entrusting only logistics and government affairs, appearing to be frank and taking the overall situation into consideration.
When Chu Shiyu heard this, his eyebrows did not move at all. He just said "hmm" lightly, as if he agreed.
However, in the next few days, Prince Kang Chu Shikun discovered to his amusing and helpless surprise that the tent where he was recuperating had become the center for handling official business!
Various documents, military reports, requests for logistics dispatch, letters from leaders of various tribes, and even discussions on the details of the ceremony for the last crown prince... were delivered directly to Chu Shikun's bed by Chu Shiyu's personal guards like snowflakes!
Chu Shiyu himself was nowhere to be found. He would only occasionally send someone to ask, "Does your Majesty have any instructions?" or casually say, "This matter is of great importance and requires your Majesty's decision."
Chu Shikun initially thought that his third brother came to discuss things with him, but later he completely understood that this Prince Duan was a complete hands-off boss!
He piled all the matters that required thinking, thinking, and responsibility on the desk of his brother who needed to recuperate, and he himself was happy to have some free time. He didn't know what he was planning in secret, or he simply hid away from Liu Rusi.
Looking at the mountain of affairs and the officials of all levels waiting to be summoned outside the tent, and feeling his still aching wound, Chu Shikun rubbed his forehead with a wry smile, looking at the worried guards beside him and said, "This third brother of mine... is really not polite at all."
Was Chu Shiyu treating him like an ox or a horse?! But since this matter concerned the future of Daxia, someone had to handle it. He could only steel himself and grit his teeth to deal with the overwhelming amount of tasks. He had a deeper understanding of Chu Shiyu's laziness and calculations, but he could do nothing about it.
However, Chu Shiyu and Liu Rusi are not really free.
The seeds of thought of "Are there any kings, princes, generals or ministers who are not born with special status" that they had sown during the previous exchange of prisoners with the Oirat have already taken root and sprouted.
On the way to Saynshand, we received news: the 16,000 captives who had been exchanged, those who had once belonged to the lower classes of herders and slaves, could no longer return to the miserable lives of exploited slaves and herders! The tribal nobles used even more brutal means to suppress them, only to provoke an even stronger wave of resistance. Some "former captives" even openly declared that they would rather return to Daxia as captives!
Upon hearing the news, Prince Duan Chu Shiyu immediately resorted to the same old trick, summoning the Northwestern Army and the remaining 4,000 prisoners who were still stranded in the Gobi Earth City of Mandalay, and once again replicated the "pay for work" model. He used local materials in Saiyinshanda and began to build a simple city with stones and mud.
Along with the breaking news that "the last crown prince of the previous dynasty has returned and will publicly adopt a son to carry on his bloodline", he issued a recruitment order to the entire Mobei in the name of Prince Duan of Daxia: regardless of their background, those who come to Saiyinshanda to participate in the construction of the city will receive fair wages and food!
Although the city itself was not the primary goal, everyone in Daxia, including King Kang, agreed: the Daxia army was better at defending cities than the northern tribes. Building a city here would give Daxia an additional strategic advantage in controlling this place.
Of course, the four thousand captives left behind were carefully selected, mostly from the "upper class of the grasslands" of noble status and lineage—many of them from the Golden Family. Liu Rusi and Chu Shiyu both believed they were unlikely to be swayed by the idea of equality, and were merely serving as a sample, allowing subsequent arrivals to witness the existence of "fairness" with their own eyes.
These 4,000 captives also served another important purpose. When Prince Duan of Daxia exchanged 16,000 captives with the Oirat at White Bone Hill, the Oirat later discovered that the most important person they wanted to get back was not among them! They subsequently sent letters to negotiate repeatedly, hoping to get back the 4,000!
Prince Duan didn't refuse, but he always politely declined the Oirat's offers, claiming they "didn't meet expectations"—after all, their last offer was for their deposed Khan! The Oirat were well aware of Prince Duan's high standards, so the negotiations never reached a consensus. Because of this, the Oirat maintained a delicate, relatively peaceful relationship with Prince Duan.
At this moment, Prince Duan took this as an opportunity to formally send a letter to Wala, inviting them to come and participate in the grand event of the last prince of the previous dynasty returning to his ancestral home and the marriage of the princess and princess of Daxia, and to discuss the prisoner exchange in person.
The hustle and bustle of Saynshand seemed to be separated by an invisible barrier.
In the big tent where Prince Kang Chu Shikun was recuperating from his injuries, he was still sitting on a soft couch with a sickly pale face, but the small table across the couch was piled with layers of reports, and there were a lot of matters that needed to be dealt with by him - this was because someone had gone there to have some free time.
The curtain was lifted, and another of Chu Shiyu's personal guards came hurriedly, delivering a new report.
However, there were several officials in the account who assisted King Kang in handling official business. They classified the matters according to their importance and then handed them over to King Kang for decision.
After reading the news, the subordinate immediately reported, "Your Highness, over a thousand northern tribesmen have arrived outside the camp, claiming to be from the Altai tribe. They want to meet with the 'so-called' last crown prince of the Holy Dynasty to verify his authenticity."
Chu Shikun's brows suddenly furrowed. This was too fast. They had just arrived in Saiyin Mountain for only three days, and the news of the last prince's return had probably just spread to the northern tribes. How come so many northern people had arrived?
"Send their leader over here. I will meet him first and confirm everything." Chu Shikun said, and then signaled the attendant to move the small table away and stand up to prepare for the meeting...
Prince Kang's personal guard immediately stepped forward to support him, and asked with concern, "Master, why not let Prince Duan handle these chores?"
Chu Shikun paused slightly, his expression becoming complicated. Now he didn't know what to think of Chu Shiyu. Chu Shiyu was now a hands-off boss, leaving the affairs to him to handle. It could be said that he was being used like a beast of burden, but it could also be said that he was being given the dominant power... and he had just been saved by Chu Shiyu.
Shaking off his complicated thoughts, Chu Shikun stood up and instructed his attendant, "Tell Prince Duan about the visitor from the Northern Tribe. Whether he wants to meet him or not is up to him."