Chapter 331: Why Is Everyone Lying There?

"Huh?" Ha Ri Cha Gai let out a low startled cry.

Qing Qing's complexion turned ashen.

Tuan Tuan's little face hardened.

Sa Ren paused briefly: "In the second year, the saintly maiden gave birth to Jifeng."

"Another year passed, and the saintly maiden died in sorrow."

"Therefore, although Jifeng bears the title of Second Prince, he has no support in the Royal Court."

"The Great Khan, having annihilated his mother's clan, harbors resentment toward him, and those elders treat him as a spoil—courteously on the surface but contemptuous behind his back."

"He grew up traveling abroad for years, rarely returning to the Royal Court. Until now, he was suddenly imprisoned."

Silence fell inside the tent.

Xiao Ningxun said slowly: "That's why Jifeng has no ambition for the throne, and precisely because of that, he became a thorn in the Eldest Prince's side."

Sa Ren twitched the corner of his mouth: "How could someone whose father destroyed his mother's clan ever want to sit on that blood‑stained seat?"

She slowly took an object from her bosom and placed it before them.

It was an old leather case, its edges polished to a shine from constant handling.

She drew an empty Dagger sheath from within.

Hanging from the sheath's tail was a tassel woven from multicolored silk threads.

The threads had long lost their vivid hue, yet their intricate craftsmanship remained evident.

Sa Ren gently stroked the silk on the tassel, his movements as delicate as if touching a dream.

"I wove this for him," she whispered, as if to herself. "Inside, I even mixed in strands of both our hair."

"When we part, he took the Dagger and left this empty sheath."

"He said, 'May this protect you completely.'"

She gently pushed the Dagger sheath toward Xiao Ningxun: "He is now in the Royal Court, serving as the Chief Guard beside the Great Khan, named Aersi Leng."

Xiao Ningxun was startled.

Qing Qing and Ha Ri Cha Gai jerked their heads upward.

Royal Court Chief Guard!

That position is extremely important! He guards the Great Khan up close, commands all the guards, and can access countless secrets.

Tuan Tuan asked curiously: "Is this uncle a friend of the clan matriarch?"

Sa Ren was momentarily stunned, looking into her innocent, clear eyes: "Yes, he is a very good friend of mine."

"He is... a member of the White River Tribe."

Sa Ren spoke in an even tone, as if not referring to himself: "The White River Tribe is the mother clan of the Eldest Prince Bateer, and it has a centuries‑long feud with the White Deer Tribe."

"Their mutual hatred has stretched over generations."

She lifted her gaze, and finally a hidden pain and sarcasm showed on her face: "As for me, I was once a maid to the saintly maiden of the White Deer Tribe."

"He and I were supposed to be enemies."

"Yet in our youth we met by chance, and somehow we fell for each other."

"Facing family disapproval and tribal prohibition, he vowed to the Eternal Heaven to never marry, to protect me, and thus became a guard of the Royal Court."

"And I, because of that, left my tribe and escaped that massacre."

She looked around the simple yet warm felt tent:

"Later, I met many women."

"Some refused to remarry after their husbands died, some fled broken engagements with nowhere to go, and some simply did not want to spend their lives revolving around men."

"I gathered them all here; this is how the Black Indigo Tribe began."

"I remain unmarried for life, and the Black Indigo Tribe does not allow men to enter," Sa Ren said, looking at them. "It is to tell everyone that prairie women can live just fine without men."

The others looked at her, admiration welling up.

She looked at Xiao Ningxun: "When you reach the Royal City, if you encounter trouble, you can take this sheath to find him; he will understand everything."

"But you must be cautious; the Eldest Prince's power is immense, lest you drag him into trouble."

Xiao Ningxun extended both hands to cradle the Dagger sheath: "Thank you, Chief Sa Ren." He carefully tucked it into his bosom.

Sa Ren waved a hand, his expression slightly weary: "Go then, the Black Indigo Tribe never lets men linger. If you set out early, you won't become fodder for gossip."

She stood up and personally lifted the tent curtains for the few.

Sunlight surged in, illuminating the floating dust inside the tent.

Xiao Ningxun and the others saluted, took their leave, and turned toward the carriage.

Sa Ren watched them depart.

Tuan Tuan stuck her small body out of the carriage window and waved vigorously: "Aunt! You protected the sisters so wonderfully! I'll come visit you again next time!"

A warm current washed over his heart, and Sa Ren smiled, waving back at her.

The few silently boarded the carriage and continued onward.

Xiao Ran couldn't hold back: "Qing Qing, haven't you been following Jifeng all this time? Didn't you know any of this?"

Qing Qing shook her head: "I don't know. Jifeng never takes anything to heart; I only realized today that it's because of his background."

"All I know is that his birth mother fell ill and died shortly after giving birth to him."

"No wonder he possesses excellent martial skills and is close to the generals, yet the Royal Court elders never value him."

He said softly: "It's also no surprise; whenever there's an external assignment, he rushes to take it."

"I used to think he was restless, but actually, he wouldn't stay even a moment longer in that place."

Xiao Ningxun sighed lightly: "Jifeng... is also pitiful."

Tuan Tuan walked up to Qing Qing, leapt into her arms: "Qing Qing, don't worry, we will definitely rescue Uncle Jifeng!"

Qing Qing hugged her, patted her head: "Yeah, today if it weren't for you, helping the Wudai Tribe solve the problem, the Salin clan chief wouldn't have told us this."

Thanks to you, Tuan Tuan.

Tuan Tuan smiled sweetly.

The carriage continued onward; three days later, Ha Ri Cha Gai raised a hand and pointed: "Just ahead is the Blue Wolf Tribe!"

The carriage went up the gentle slope, and a gray-brown mountain range appeared on the horizon ahead.

The mountain isn't high, nor even steep; it's just undulating, standing out conspicuously on the endless plain.

"That is the holy mountain guarded by the Blue Wolf Tribe for generations." Ha Ri Cha Gai pointed at those mountains, "No one on the plain dares to approach it lightly."

Xiao Ran poked his head out of the carriage window: "Why?"

"Because there are wolves in the mountain, not ordinary wolves, but the legendary 'mountain guardian god wolves.'"

Qing Qing nodded: "On the plain there is a legend that a few hundred years ago, the ancestors of the Blue Wolf Tribe were pursued by enemies, fled to this wasteland, and were about to be wiped out."

"Suddenly a pack of silver-gray giant wolves surged out of the mountain; they didn't attack them but instead led them to hide in a secret valley in the mountain, escaping the pursuit."

Another story to hear!

Tuan Tuan looked at him with sparkling eyes and asked, "What happened next?"

Qing Qing looked at her curious little expression and smiled: "Later, the Blue Wolf Tribe settled down here."

"Those wolves never left, accompanying their tribe generation after generation."

"The Blue Wolf Tribe regards the wolf pack as guardians sent by Eternal Heaven, never hunting them nor allowing outsiders to harm them."

"The wolf pack has always guarded the holy mountain. It is said that there lies a 'Golden Vein' bestowed by Eternal Heaven there."

Xiao Ningxun asked: "So the Blue Wolf Tribe has always coexisted with the wolves here?"

"Yes." Ha Ri Cha Gai pondered, "But there have been rumors on the plain that every few years the Blue Wolf Tribe exchanges gold with caravans for salt, iron, and cloth."

"But no one knows where that gold comes from."

As the carriage gradually approached, the sight before them made everyone's hearts sink.

The Blue Wolf Tribe was shrouded in a deathly stillness.

There was no cooking smoke, no pastoral songs, not even the usual neighs of horses or bleats of sheep.

Dozens of felt tents stood silently, their flaps tightly closed.

In the central clearing, dozens of wolves lay side by side, covered in white felt blankets, only their huge heads exposed.

The tribespeople of the Blue Wolf Tribe sat around in a circle, softly singing a mournful chant, their voices rising and falling like sobs.

Tuan Tuan poked her little head out of the carriage window: "Why are all the wolves lying there? Are they covered with blankets?"

Xiao Ran furrowed his brows: "Is this... a funeral?"