Chapter 343

"Cough——!" Xiao Ningxun couldn't hold back; he turned his head and gave a light cough.

Xiao Ran flopped onto the low table, feigning drunkenness.

Lu Qi and Xiao Er's mouths twitched.

Prince Mu Ren kept his head bowed low, his ears turning red.

Wu Ya widened his eyes, looking at Tuan Tuan, then at his own elder brother whose face was ashen, so shocked his mouth fell open.

Bateer was choked by this utterly naive yet cutting question, his chest tightened and his vision darkened.

His face burned hot, feeling as if he were being roasted over a fire, and the gazes of those around him became piercing.

"I... I didn't mean it that way!" he shouted, veins bulging at his forehead, hastily turning to Menggen Great Khan and dropping to one knee.

"Father Khan is wise! My reverence for Father Khan is like that for Heaven itself—utterly without disrespect!"

His frantic defense only made him look guiltier and more flustered.

Menggen's smile faded; he silently watched his kneeling, agitated eldest son.

He also glanced at the utterly innocent Little Princess of Zhongyuan, who had no idea what she had said, and a faint shadow of disappointment and weariness crossed his eyes.

"All right," he waved his hand, his tone returning to calm, "children speak their minds—why take it so seriously? Get up, don't lose the dignity of a crown prince."

Bateer's chest heaved violently; he barely suppressed the surging anger and humiliation, rose, and sat back in his seat, his gaze dark as it swept over Tuan Tuan, almost seeming to condense water.

Xiao Ran gave Xiao Ningxun a subtle wink and whispered in his ear: "Tuan Tuan is a divine weapon—she can anger people to death."

Xiao Ningxun helplessly yet affectionately ruffled his sister's hair and pulled her back to sit.

Tuan Tuan picked up a piece of mutton with a bit of fat, held it to the constantly nuzzling Little Rice's mouth, and murmured: "Little Rice, are you hungry? Want to try this—does it taste good?"

Little Rice eagerly opened its mouth and bit down, its tiny milk teeth straining to tear, a satisfied "wu-wu" coming from its throat as the tip of its tail lightly wagged.

Wu Ya's eyes lit up.

Prince Mu Ren also stared fixedly at Little Rice—no wonder it's called Little Rice, it smells delicious when it eats!

In the Golden Tent, the lilting strains of a horsehead fiddle rose at just the right moment, as servants bearing freshly roasted meat and warm milk tea filed in, adding wine and laying out dishes for the guests.

Menggen raised his cup and began conversing with several of the elder tribal chiefs.

Bateer's complexion eased, but he lost all interest in small talk, silently drinking his wine.

The atmosphere in the Golden Tent was relaxed and harmonious.

Just then, a Royal Court guard clad in sturdy leather armor and wearing a saber at his waist silently approached Menggen's side.

He was about forty, with an ordinary face, but a dark brown mole on the right side of his nose was quite noticeable.

He bent close to Menggen's ear and whispered a report.

Menggen's brow furrowed slightly.

Many gazes in the tent quietly turned toward him.

What happened? Is this something to be said at a banquet honoring foreign guests?

Menggen fell silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping the tent, just about to speak.

"Great Khan——!" a hoarse shout came from outside the tent.

"Great Khan! Esteemed chiefs! Please, decide for us, the Azure Wolf Tribe——!"

Tuan Tuan, who had been intently feeding Little Rice, jerked his head up, face bright with surprise, and blurted: "Grandpa Hasen!"

The silver cup in Bateer's hand clanged "clang" onto the low table, and his face drained of color.

The Azure Wolf Tribe's people!

They actually came to the Royal City?

They even barged right up to the Golden Tent's exterior! How dare they!

Menggen looked at Tuan Tuan: "Princess Jiayou, do you know the person outside?"

"Yes!" Tuan Tuan nodded, raising the Little Rice in her arms, still chewing on mutton.

"My little wolf was a gift from Grandpa Hasen, the Wolf King!"

An uproar broke out in the tent.

"What? The Wolf King gave away a cub?"

"How is that possible?"

"That's the Azure Wolf of the steppes!"

Tuan Tuan pouted unhappily, holding Little Rice higher: "You don't believe me?"

"The white fur on its head is exactly the same as its father, the Wolf King's!"

"Grandpa Hasen knows too! Great Khan, just let him come in and ask him—then you'll know!"

Menggen gave her a deep look, pondered briefly, then said: "Let Hasen enter the tent and report."

"Yes!"

Bateer's complexion grew even worse.

The tent flap was lifted again.

The chieftain of the Azure Wolf Tribe, Hasen, strode into the Golden Tent.

His robe was covered in dust, his face pallid, his lips chapped, his eye sockets deep-set, one arm suspended in front of his chest by a rough hemp bandage, dark red bloodstains clearly visible on the cloth.

He knelt before the high platform where Great Khan Menggen stood: "Chieftain Hasen of the Azure Wolf Tribe, I pay my respects to the Great Khan!"

Menggen's voice was calm: "Hasen, why have you barged into the Golden Tent?"

Hasen jerked his head up, his blood-red eyes sweeping over the familiar and unfamiliar faces in the tent.

Finally, his gaze locked onto Bateer, whose face was ashen.

"Great Khan! Esteemed chiefs!"

With grief and indignation he began his accusation: "My Azure Wolf Tribe has guarded the holy mountain's gold veins for generations, faithfully fulfilling our duty, never overstepping!"

But the chief of the Red Mountain Tribe, Chi Na, having received orders from the Great Prince Bateer, intends to forcibly seize our Blue Wolf Tribe!

Inside the tent, an uproar broke out instantly.

Everyone looked shocked at Bateer, then at the Great Khan.

"The Red Mountain Tribe is forcibly seizing the Blue Wolf Tribe?"

"Why?"

"Could it be that they want to seize the golden vein?"

"Or is it the Great Prince's doing?"

Bateer flew into a rage, pointing at Hasan and roaring: "Hasan! You're spouting nonsense! When did I ever issue such an order? What evidence do you have?"

Hasan showed no fear, locking eyes with him, then drew a sheepskin paper scroll from his bosom and held it high: "This is the evidence!"

"Chi Na personally led his troops that day, storming into the Blue Wolf Tribe's camp! He held this order, claiming to act on the Great Prince's command, to take control of the Holy Mountain and drive our Blue Wolf Tribe away from it!"

He paused: "In order to drive us out, they first used poisonous tactics, employing ghost-eye grass to poison and kill thirty-seven guardian wolves!"

"The person who administered the poison and the tainted mutton have been captured by our people, right outside the tent! Please, Great Khan, examine them!"

"Poisoning the guardian wolves?"

A chorus of gasps rang out inside the tent.

The guardian wolves of the Holy Mountain's golden vein hold an exalted place in the hearts of the steppe peoples; poisoning them is a grave sin, desecrating the Holy Mountain and provoking the wrath of Eternal Heaven!

Hasan continued: "Seeing that the poisoners did not return, Chi Na mustered the full strength of his tribe and launched a night raid, aiming to exterminate my Blue Wolf Tribe!"

Another wave of gasps rose.

"Exterminate the tribe? What audacity!"

A tribal chief couldn't help but speak, his tone doubtful: "Hasan, if the Red Mountain Tribe is indeed as strong as you say and truly launched an attack to wipe out your entire clan……"

"Then how could you, the chieftain of the Blue Wolf Tribe, still be standing here?"

Hasan, hearing this, turned to his right, his gaze landing on Tuan Tuan, who was anxiously watching him.

He felt warmth in his chest, raised his hand and pointed at Tuan Tuan: "It is because Eternal Heaven shows mercy! A fortune star has descended!"

"When our Blue Wolf Tribe's youths suffered heavy casualties, and we were on the verge of being slaughtered and exterminated by the Red Mountain Tribe…"

He suddenly raised his voice: "It is she! The Little Princess of the Fierce Kingdom!"

"She rode the Wolf King, like divine troops descending from heaven, leading over a hundred guardian wolves into the battlefield!"

"The wolf pack, to avenge their comrades and to protect us, shattered the Red Mountain Tribe's cavalry!"

"Only then could we seize the moment to counterattack and preserve the lives of our entire tribe!"

"I, Hasan, am only able to stand here today, enter this Golden Tent, and explain the truth to the Great Khan and all the chieftains!"

He looked at the Fan Fan in Tuan Tuan's arms: "The Wolf King, grateful for her aid in avenging our kin's blood feud, gave his own cub to this little fortune star."

"This wolf cub's white forehead fur is exactly like the Wolf King's! This is a divine sign!"

"Eternal Heaven be my witness! If I, Hasan, utter even half a falsehood, may I be despised by Eternal Heaven and have my soul scattered at once!"