A yellow tent embroidered with a golden wolf head, and sixteen purebred Ferghana horses as the carriage. Looking across the vast grasslands, who else but the Khan of the Turks could have such an extravagance?!
The tens of thousands of elite Turks stopped in the middle of the grasslands, as though waiting for something. All around was silence, and only the rough breathing of the Hu people and the constant snorting of the warhorses could be heard. All the eyes of the Turks were fixed on the tall carriage, not daring to miss a single moment. Their eyes were filled with reverence.
"Brother Hu, is it true that no one in China has ever seen the Khan of the Turks?" Lin Wanrong asked in a deep voice.
Hu Bugui lightly nodded. "China has been at war with the Turks for many years, and there have been several Hu envoys sent to China. They were arrogant and disrespectful, committing all sorts of atrocities. They even tried to use their military superiority to extort land and money from us. They were angered by us, and we chased them back several times. And in the twenty years since their Khan Pijia ascended to the throne, the situation has become more and more intense. The border wars between the two countries are endless, and the extortion is endless. The Emperor is furious, so why would he send an envoy to the Turks to see their Khan? And the capital of the Hu people, Kizil, is deep in the heart of the grasslands, thousands of miles away from China. Apart from one or two bold Chinese merchants who risk their lives to do some business, no one else has ever been there. Even if there are Chinese merchants who come, given the relationship between the two countries, they can only sneak around to earn some money. Who would be able to see Khan Pijia?! "
This was indeed the truth. Given the pride of the imperial family of China, who would pay a visit to a barbarian Khan after suffering all kinds of humiliation?
Lin Wanrong thought for a moment, then said seriously, "That means that Khan Pijia is at least forty or fifty years old?!"
"Indeed. When I first went to the battlefield, I saw him personally leading the troops. I heard that he was only in his thirties at that time. Unfortunately, we suffered a crushing defeat in that battle. We did not even see the face of the Hu Khan before we were routed thousands of miles away. "Hu Bugui shook his head in shame.
Old Hu had been in the army for more than twenty years, and the Turks did not have very long lifespans. This meant that Pijia Khagan was already old and decrepit. A cold light flashed in Lin Wanrong's eyes, and he suddenly said, "Big Brother Hu, are you sure that Khan Pijia is still in power?"
"Should be. Unless he's already dead — "Hu Buhui suddenly exclaimed," General, do you suspect that the Turkic Khagan has changed? "
Lin Wanrong shook his head slightly. "I don't know either. But I had always wondered why Zhao Kangning had never seen the Turkic Khagan in all his time in Kizil. Given Pika Khan's ambitions for China, he would not give up on such a good chess piece for no reason. There's something strange about this. "
It was indeed strange. Hu Bugui furrowed his brows. "According to what I know, last spring when the Turks invaded, Khan Pijia even rewarded the warriors of the Hu tribes. In autumn, when the war was at its most intense, they had the clear upper hand, but suddenly retreated. It was said that they did not have enough provisions. Marshal Li was also quite surprised, and specially sent scouts to investigate. But ever since the grasslands, the Hu people have been on high alert. The scouts circled the grasslands, but could not find a way to break through, so they had to retreat. "
"That's the problem." Speaking of this, Lin Wanrong's memory was still fresh in his mind. When he and Xiao Qingxuan first met by Xuanwu Lake, they talked about this matter.
"How many years have the Hu people been fighting with us? It can be said that they are constantly preparing to invade the Central Plains, how would they make such a low-level mistake as not having enough provisions? In a situation where they have the upper hand, why would they retreat for no reason? "
Hu Bugui's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed in joy, "Could it be as general thinks, that something happened to Khan Pijia last winter, and the Hu people had no choice but to retreat?! In order to prevent us from taking the opportunity to counterattack, they deliberately concealed this news?! Heavens, if that's really the case, then wouldn't our China have missed out on a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity?! "
"Whether it's true or not will be revealed very soon." Lin Wanrong gave a faint sigh, his gaze falling on the golden wolf banner in the distance. There, the golden tent was gently fluttering, and the Turkic cavalry was slowly moving forward. The carriage carrying the Turkic Khan was slowly approaching.
Only now could he clearly see that the one leading the Turkic cavalry was the Turkic Right King, Tusozo, who had just disappeared. He rode on his Ferghana horse, dressed in armor. The disappointment on his face had been swept away, and he was in high spirits as he looked around.
"Paying respects to the Khan!"
"The Khan is with the god of the steppe!"
Countless Turks squeezed forward, and from a distance, they reverently prostrated themselves on the ground and loudly chanted. Wherever the Khan's carriage went, the people would kneel on the ground. No one dared to look up, and they would constantly turn their bodies to worship the Khan from different directions.
After the establishment of the Turkic Khaganate, it had consolidated the tribes and built a capital. Gradually, it had formed a complete system of ceremonial officials and begun to take shape as an empire. This sort of pomp was not much inferior to that of the Emperor of China.
The arrival of the Turkic Khan had attracted almost everyone's attention. The cavalry left behind by Lu Dongzan and the garrison of Kyzil had all been mobilized to ensure his safety.
In that huge procession, no matter how you looked, you couldn't find Yu Jia. Even the girls who were choosing his bride were nowhere to be found.
The carriage slowly came to a stop in the center of the steppe. The wooden tents were covered with golden gauze, and the golden wolf banners were raised in all directions. Tens of thousands of Turkic cavalry were facing the east of the steppe, tightly guarding the sixteen Ferghana horses.
The valiant Tusozzo galloped his horse into the middle of the crowd. Suddenly, he pulled the horse's head and the divine steed neighed. Its front hooves rose into the air and turned around to face the Khan's convoy. They were about five hundred feet apart.
The Right King dismounted, his left hand on his saber and his right hand on his left chest. Kneeling on one knee, he said in a majestic voice, "The Right King Tusozo kowtows in salute to the Khan. May the god of the steppe be with the Khan! "
"May the god of the steppe be with the Khan!" The surrounding Turkic people had already respectfully prostrated on the ground, following behind Tusozo to pay their respects to the Khan.
These words were naturally translated by Hu Bugui. Lin Wanrong was completely confused by the Turkic language.
The Right King and all the Turkic people were kneeling on the ground. The steppe was so quiet that even the drop of a needle could be heard.
The Turkic Khan should be speaking next. But where was Yueya 'er and where was she? Lin Wanrong's heart suddenly began to thump, and he felt an indescribable nervousness. Turning his head, he saw that Old Gao and Old Hu were even more tense than him. Presumably, everyone was feeling the same at this moment.
"Right King, dukes, and Turkic people, please rise." Amidst the silence, a young child's voice seemed to descend from the heavens. It was clear and melodious, breaking the silence of the steppe and reverberating in everyone's ears.
This was the Turkic Khan?! Lin Wanrong's eyes widened in shock, while Gao Qiu and Hu Bugui were so shocked that their mouths could not close. This voice clearly belonged to a five- or six-year-old child. How could this be Pijia Khan?
"General, you're right. Something must have happened to the Turks. Based on the date, it should have been last winter or early this year. Damn it. Pijia Khan must have died. These Hu have been hiding this news from us. "Hu Bugui tugged at his sleeve, his lips trembling in agitation.
Lin Wanrong was speechless. Kizil was far from the capital of China, and a round trip would take at least two to three months. Coupled with the fact that the Hu had deliberately kept the news under wraps, it was difficult for ordinary Turkic people to know the truth. It was not surprising that China had been kept in the dark for several months.
What surprised him was the deep scheming of the Hu.
If it was as he expected, Pijia Khan should have been seriously ill last autumn. In the end, the Turks had no choice but to retreat even though they had the upper hand. Perhaps Pijia Khan's illness was a sudden incident, but everything that followed was carefully planned by the Turks.
From the preparation of the reason for the withdrawal of the troops, to guarding against the attacks and spies of the Great Hua, to the time when Lu Dongzan went to the Great Hua to ask for Khan Pijia's hand in marriage a few months ago, it was all meticulously planned.
Even though he knew that it was impossible to ask for a marriage, Lu Dongzan never got tired of it. He had two goals in coming here. One was to use Pijia Khan's marriage proposal to test whether China had already learned of the Turks' misfortune, and the other was to spy on the military situation of China and prepare for the attack this spring.
The fact that the Turks dared to attack Mount Helan on a large scale after half a year could only mean one thing: the Turks had already sorted out their internal relations, or perhaps it was Pijia Khan's final order. Regardless of the reason, China had truly missed a golden opportunity, and the Turks had already walked out of the chaos. Even if China knew that something had happened to Pijia Khan, it would be of no help.
The Hu could be said to be advancing at every step. Every move they made had been calculated, and behind them, there was bound to be a wise strategist. Just who was this strategist?!
A crescent-shaped face silently floated before his eyes. Beautiful, ethereal, and untouchable.
"In our Turks, I'm not the smartest person," Lu Dongzan's words were still ringing in his ears. Only now did he understand the deeper meaning behind those words. The heavens were fair, and they would not favor anyone over others. Every nation had many wise and outstanding people. China was like this, and the Turks were also like this.
The new Khan of the Turks was actually a child!!! We are actually fighting with a child?! This was an unbelievable piece of news. In the period of time that they had been in the grasslands, everything added up was not as tense and exciting as today. Old Gao licked his lips, his throat dry, and he hurriedly tightened his grip on the curved sword in his hand. "Brother Lin, what do we do now?!"
"What do you mean what do we do?!" Lin Wanrong smiled unhurriedly. "Let's just wait and see."
"But Crescent Moon has returned, with her intelligence, she must know that we are hiding here — —"
Before Gao Qiu could finish, Lin Wanrong lightly waved his hand, interrupting him. He was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Don't worry, the current Yujia does not recognize you, and does not recognize me. She is just a stranger who has nothing to do with us. Brother Gao, would you be afraid of a stranger?! "
Stranger?! Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu were shocked beyond belief. So many strange things had happened today. First, the Turkic Khan had turned into a child, and then Crescent Moon had turned into a stranger. The things that they had encountered in their lives were not as bizarre as today.
"General, this, what is going on?!" Hu Bugui scratched his head and asked in a small voice.
Lin Wanrong gently shook his head, his gaze falling on the yellow banner, and he remained silent. Old Gao glared fiercely at Hu Bugui, bared his teeth, and mouthed two words: Idiot!
After the Khan spoke, Tusozo stood up from the ground, and the surrounding Turkic people also quickly got up and stood respectfully to the side.
Tusozo crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Khan, there have been four rounds of the Sheep-Snatching Meet today, and four heroic tribes have won. These are your loyal people — where are the men?! Quickly report the good news to the Khan! "
"Roar, roar —" The warriors who had won in the previous rounds waved excitedly. Waving excitedly, he greeted the Khan and everyone else. Old Hu and the others had no choice but to wave twice.
"Good!" The young voice sounded. "Reward each of them with fifty sheep."
"Thank you, Khan." Tusozo bowed respectfully. "Please come on stage, Khan."
The golden curtains rustled slightly, and there seemed to be a few figures ascending the long canopy in the middle. It was hazy, and he could not see them clearly. The Right King had a smile on his face, and he looked at them affectionately. His mood was completely different from before.
It was the little Khan who had been speaking, but he did not hear Yu Jia's voice. He did not know where she was, and he did not know what relationship she had with the little Khan. Mother and son? What a joke, if Yu Jia was the little Khan's mother, then he was his father. Child bride? The Turkic people should not be into this. No matter how he guessed, he felt that it was pointless, so he decided to ignore it and wait and see.
The Turkic Khan had already ascended the stage, but for safety reasons, the surroundings were covered with yellow curtains, so the people inside could not be seen clearly.
Giggles could be heard, and the Turkic girls who had been surrounding Yu Jia turned out from behind the curtains. All of them were in high spirits, and some even had light makeup on their faces, which added to their beauty.
Tu Suozo's eyes widened, and he sized them up one by one. After looking for a long time, he did not see the figure he wanted to see. There was some disappointment on his face, and he looked behind the curtains a few times, and loudly said, "Tu Suozo, may I boldly ask, Khagan, if there are any other women participating in the marriage selection today?!"
With this question, the entire place fell silent. The Hu people scrambled forward to take a look, their eyes flashing with concern.
There was silence behind the curtains, and no one answered for a long time.
"Tu Suozo, may I boldly ask, Khagan, if there are any other women participating in the marriage selection today?!" The Turkic Right King took two steps forward to the long canopy, and with his head held high, he loudly asked again.
It turned out that the Turkic people were not united, and it was no wonder that Zhao Kangning would use this opportunity to sow discord! Lin Wanrong sneered, but he did not speak. This Tu Suozo was clearly forcing him to abdicate. He did not know the relationship between Yu Jia and the little Khan, nor did he know why Yu Jia did not come out to choose. But if he had to choose between Yu Jia and Tu Suozo, even a fool would know which one to choose.
The surrounding Turkic people's mouths were agape, and they looked anxiously behind the yellow curtains, clearly waiting for a result.
Tu Suozo asked twice, but no one answered. Just as he was about to step forward again, he heard a clatter, and the yellow curtains were parted halfway. A clear child's voice came, "Right King, are you asking me a question?!"
He finally saw the true face of the Turkic Little Khan. It was a boy of five or six years old, with thick eyebrows and big eyes that were bright and full of expression. He wore a golden beard robe, and a scimitar hung at his waist. He was frowning as he asked the Right King a question.
"This lad has the head of a tiger and the brain of a tiger, and he does have the demeanor I had in the past," Old Gao muttered to himself.
The Turkic people scrambled to kneel and bow to the Khan, but Tu Suozo showed no fear. He shook his head and loudly said, "Little Khan, may I boldly ask, if there are any other women participating in the marriage selection today?"
This Tu Suozo was really bold. He actually dared to call the little fellow 'Little Khan' in front of so many people. If this was not bullying the young man, what was it? A typical treacherous official! Lin Wanrong snorted.
On the other hand, the Little Khan had a calm expression, and his words were watertight, but he was still too young. Under Tu Suozo's interrogation, he unconsciously sat back, and his eyes showed some fear.
A small hand reached out from behind and grabbed the Little Khan. A golden sleeve was slightly revealed on the fair wrist, and the color of the clothes was even brighter than the Little Khan's.
"Tu Suozo, who are you talking to?!" A clear voice drifted over unhurriedly. The voice was not loud, but it was clearly poured into the ears of everyone on the grassland.
"It's Yu Jia!!!" Old Gao was so shocked that he almost jumped up. He hurriedly covered his mouth and secretly sized up Brother Lin. Lin Wanrong's eyes were indifferent, and his expression was calm as if he did not hear him.
A deafening cheer erupted from the crowd. Although they had not seen Yu Jia's face, countless people had already knelt down devoutly. It was much more passionate than when they worshipped the Little Khan earlier.
Tu Suozo knelt on the ground and hurriedly bowed. He was a hundred times more respectful than before. His expression was calm, no longer as arrogant as before. Instead, there was a deep sense of surprise.
Could it be that Yu Jia's status was higher than the Little Khan's?! The shock in Lin Wanrong's heart could not be described with words. He suddenly remembered the times when the two of them were together, the deep and cheerful face. His heart was in a blur, and he could not help but feel a sense of disbelief.
When he recalled An Biru's needle, he could not help but sigh. Sister An's eyes were truly ruthless.
"Look, Yu Jia is coming out!" Gao Qiu pointed to the front and shouted in shock.
The gauze curtain was slowly pulled open, and the high platform was completely exposed to everyone.
A huge red carpet was laid in the middle, and a tall and wide Turkic throne was placed in the middle of the carpet. The throne was covered with a few pieces of golden tiger skin. It was incomparably wide and dazzling. The strangest thing was that the throne was divided into two levels. The upper level was an ankle higher than the lower level.
The Little Khan sat on the lower level, but a beautiful woman sat on the throne on the upper level.
She had already removed her veil. Her skin was as translucent as a snow lotus, and the gentle edges and corners of her face gave her a faint gentleness from the side.
From the front, her beautiful hair was coiled up high, and she wore a golden hollowed-out silk hat on her head. Two strands of tassels fluttered gently, making her look elegant and noble. Her nose was tall and delicate, and her red lips were slightly upturned. There was a faint smile on her face, just like her stubborn and unyielding character. Her eyes were as deep as the autumn waters, and there was a faint hint of blue hidden in the darkness. There was a faint flash of cold light.
Her face was covered with a thin layer of golden powder. It was coquettish and peculiar, and it sparkled under the sunlight. The faint eyebrows at the corners of her eyes suddenly thickened, and she bent upwards, like a scimitar that was unsheathed, with an unquestionable coldness and dignity.
A golden skirt reached the two sides of the throne, like a cloud, and more dazzling than the sunlight.
Hu Bugui murmured, "It's Yu Jia, it's really Yu Jia!!! She's sitting higher than the Little Khan! "
Yu Jia had a smile on her face. Her right hand held the golden knife, and her left hand held the Little Khan's hand. The two slowly stood up.
"Hoo — —" The surrounding Turks rushed forward as if they had gone mad, shouting and kneeling on the grass beneath their feet to worship. There was a frenzied crowd all around, shouting madly, and the grassland was like a pot of boiling water.
"Crazy, they've all gone crazy." Old Gao shook his head in confusion.
Hu Bugui's expression was dumbfounded, his eyes widened to the size of eggs, and his mouth opened and closed as he mumbled something.
There were shouts all around, so loud that one's ears were almost deafened. Lin Wanrong could not understand a single one of the Turks' slogans, so he slapped Old Hu and yelled, "Brother Hu, what are they calling Yu Jia?!"
Hu Bugui's face was pale, and he shook his head vigorously, murmuring, "Unbelievable, unbelievable. They call her — — Great Khan! "
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