General Mu Man was somewhat taken aback by Yu Lin's arrival.
He had devised a meticulous plan before Yu Lin arrived, but not a single part of it could be implemented.
Whether it was hanging the remains of the Ji family members at the city gates, or letting the Yu Lin royalty witness the tragic state of Luòyì's citizens, none of these seemed to provide him with an opening to conquer Yu Lin.
Tonight's banquet, to put it politely, was a welcome feast, but to speak frankly, it was a battlefield for the power struggle between the two nations.
He had assumed that the Yu Lin prince, unprotected by the Ji family, would be an easy catch. Yet, the princes of Yu Lin had all checked into the inn, and he had gained absolutely nothing from Yu Lin.
The culprit behind all of this was none other than the Ronghe County Princess of Yu Lin.
That is, the eldest daughter of the Ji family.
General Mu Man narrowed his eyes, recalling every word and action of Ji Zizhao that day.
He had to admit, this eldest daughter of the Ji family had truly exceeded his expectations.
Mu Shizhen pushed the door open, a smug expression on his face. "Uncle, you should have seen it. Yu Lin's soldiers were terrified by our might. I heard they were all clamoring to go home."
General Mu Man's thoughts briefly returned, and he looked at his spirited son. "Yu Lin's soldiers are young, their eyes are clear. They are likely recruits. Even if they all died here, it wouldn't shake Yu Lin in the slightest."
Mu Shizhen was stunned, then gritted his teeth. "I never expected the Emperor of Yu Lin to be so cunning and wily."
"An emperor who can rule over a territory, how could he be a simple man? Look at the Ji family. Yu Lin's royalty murdered all the male members of the Ji family, yet the women of the Ji family still serve the Emperor of Yu Lin."
If their Khan possessed even half of the Yu Lin Emperor's skill in managing people, the Turkic people wouldn't still be confined to the grasslands, known as a barbarian nation.
Mu Shizhen pondered his father's expression. "Since Uncle values that Ji family member so highly, why not simply take her as a concubine? If Uncle wins Luòyì for the Khan this time, he will surely permit it for a mere woman."
General Mu Man looked at his only son, disappointment in his eyes.
If the Khan truly trusted him this much, he wouldn't have sent the princess to monitor him.
It was such an obvious matter, yet his son, whom he had cherished since childhood, failed to grasp it.
"The Khan sent Princess Ashiya here because he has already decided to take a Yu Lin prince as a hostage. Tonight, at the banquet, pay close attention to every move of that Ronghe County Princess of Yu Lin and learn from her. That is your primary objective." If his son could be as composed as the Ronghe County Princess, he could die without any regrets.
Mu Shizhen was surprised that the princess, with whom he had always had a good relationship, was actually sent by the Khan to monitor him. He was even more surprised that his father wanted him to learn from a woman of Yu Lin.
However, no matter how many grievances he had, Mu Shizhen did not dare to openly defy his father's orders.
"General, the Yu Lin delegation has arrived at the banquet hall," a soldier's report sounded from outside the door.
General Mu Man collected his thoughts and signaled Mu Shizhen to accompany him.
As they stepped out of the room, they bumped into Princess Ashiya, who was approaching them.
Princess Ashiya walked over with a smile and greeted him warmly, "General Mu Man."
General Mu Man bowed, maintaining a distant yet courteous demeanor, and continued on his way towards the banquet hall.
Mu Shizhen followed closely behind, not even glancing at Princess Ashiya.
Princess Ashiya watched Mu Shizhen suddenly turn cold towards her, her anger ignited.
Upon returning to her room, Princess Ashiya overturned the round table in the room.
The maid, terrified, knelt on the ground. "Your Highness, please calm your anger."
Princess Ashiya turned to her personal maid, her teeth clenched. "Haven't I treated him well enough? How could he treat me like this! If it weren't for wanting to see him, do you really think I would have listened to my father and traveled all this way?"
The maid gently persuaded, "Yesterday, Young General Mu quietly asked this servant if Your Highness had felt unwell on the way. He said there are doctors in Luòyì city, which shows that Young General Mu still cares about Your Highness."
Hearing this, Princess Ashiya's anger finally subsided somewhat.
However, Mu Shizhen's coldness towards her just now was something she had clearly felt. If nothing had happened, how could things have changed so drastically?
As if struck by an idea, Princess Ashiya looked at the maid again. "I heard that it's not just a few princes of Yu Lin who have arrived in Luòyì, but also a County Princess?"
The maid dared not lie. "It is the Ronghe County Princess of Yu Lin. Perhaps the one who will stay is not a Yu Lin prince, but the Ronghe County Princess might be married to one of us Turks."
At this point, Princess Ashiya understood everything.
How old were the Khan and her father? How could they still have the energy to marry a county princess from an enemy country?
It was obvious that the county princess had come to marry Mu Shizhen.
The thought of Mu Shizhen getting married filled Princess Ashiya with both pain and anger. "Is that Yu Lin county princess beautiful?"
The maid knelt on the ground, not daring to speak.
Faced with the maid's silence, Princess Ashiya became even more flustered.
She had only ever liked Mu Shizhen since she was a child. If she were to truly watch Mu Shizhen marry someone else...
"Someone! Help this princess change and adorn herself!"
This banquet was held in the backyard of the inn.
What was called a banquet hall was, in reality, just an empty hall.
One had to admit, the Turkic people truly knew how to enjoy themselves. They had even brought dancers. Su Dan Novel Network.
It was a scene of singing and dancing, accompanied by the clang of bells and drums.
Ji Zizhao looked at the graceful dancers, her heart as cold as ice.
The Turkic people didn't treat themselves as outsiders, enjoying themselves on Yu Lin's territory.
This act not only slapped Yu Lin in the face but also trampled on the dignity of the Ji family men who had sacrificed their lives for Luòyì.
A chilling aura gradually spread, and even Xie Jingqi, sitting beside her, could feel it.
The Tenth Prince's face was pale, and he had barely touched the food in front of him.
On the contrary, Xie Jingxi, sitting far away, was in a good mood.
The continuous journey had already worn him out. Now, with fine wine and beautiful women, he was naturally overjoyed.
General Mu Man observed the stark contrast within Yu Lin's delegation and subtly lowered his gaze.
It seemed that Yu Lin was not as peaceful as it appeared on the surface.
A wave of fragrance suddenly wafted from the entrance. Everyone looked in confusion and saw a beautiful young woman slowly entering.
This woman had a slender waist and extremely charming eyes. Especially the skin exposed by the thin veil, all of which attracted the gaze of the men present.
Especially the Second Prince, Xie Jingxi, whose eyes widened just by looking at her from afar.
General Mu Man looked at the newcomer and his expression changed drastically. He quickly got up and bowed. "Why has Princess Ashiya come personally?"