Chapter 344: Patience, My Prince

A death-like silence filled the tent.

Everyone's gaze was fixed rigidly on Tuan Tuan and the wolf cub in her arms.

Riding the Wolf King?

Leading the pack?

Turning the tide of battle?

That little wolf cub really was given to her by the Wolf King?

Either way, it was enough to leave people gaping.

But when these words came from the venerable old chief Ha Sen, the crowd could not help but doubt them.

Wu Ya and Mu Ren's eyes widened again.

Isn't Fan Fan from Zhongyuan?

Is she a descendant of our Grassland Wolf King?

Riding the Wolf King into battle! How magnificent!

Xiao Ningxun and Xiao Ran exchanged a glance and rose together.

Xiao Ningxun clasped his hands and said, "Great Khan, Chief Ha Sen's words are all true."

"That day we passed the Azure Wolf Tribe, witnessed the pack being poisoned, and also saw the ensuing brutal battle with our own eyes."

Xiao Ran interjected, "Indeed! When Tuan Tuan rode that massive Wolf King charging forward, we could not believe it either! Yet the facts are exactly so."

Menggen's complexion had grown as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

He slowly looked at Bateer, "Is what Ha Sen said true?"

Bateer fell to his knees, "Father Khan! The son is wronged!"

"I, the son, am willing to swear before Heaven of Longevity that I have never issued such an order!"

"It must be that dog thief Chi Na, coveting the holy mountain's golden veins, who, under the son's name, committed this treasonous act!"

"He intends to slander the son; his heart deserves execution! Father Khan! Please see clearly!"

The guard who had just entered the tent to deliver a message walked up to Ha Sen, took the roll of Sheepskin Paper, and presented it with both hands before Menggen.

Menggen unfolded it and scanned the text.

A moment later, his tightly knit brows visibly relaxed.

He looked at Ha Sen, his voice returning to calm, "Ha Sen."

"This Sheepskin Paper bears no golden wolf-head seal of Bateer."

Ha Sen's body shivered, and he snapped his head up, "Great Khan! It was Chi Na who said it himself…"

Menggen raised his hand, halting his words, his gaze deep as he glanced at Bateer.

"Chi Na forged the royal decree, framed the prince, coveted the holy mountain, poisoned the Azure Wolf, and even plotted to annihilate the Azure Wolf Tribe; such crimes cannot be tolerated by heaven or earth."

Menggen's voice echoed through the Golden Tent, clear and cold:

"According to the Great Zasa Code, the blood flag must be offered as sacrifice, and the proper canonical punishment applied!"

"The Red Mountain Tribe shall, from this day, be disbanded and divided into thousand-man squads."

"From today onward, on the Xilu Grassland, there will be no more Red Mountain Tribe!"

A deathly hush fell inside the tent; everyone was as silent as cold cicadas.

Such is royal authority! A single understated sentence erases an entire tribe.

Menggen's gaze fell on Ha Sen, "The Azure Wolf Tribe, guardians of the holy mountain for generations, have served Xilu well. This baseless massacre must have caused tremendous loss."

"We hereby grant a hundred taels of gold, a thousand heads of livestock, to compensate the wounded and dead, and to rebuild the tribe."

"Ha Sen, with this handling, are you still satisfied?"

Ha Sen knelt deeply, "May Heaven of Longevity protect, Great Khan, you are wise! On behalf of all the tribe's young and old, Ha Sen bows in gratitude to the Great Khan!"

"As for you, Bateer," Menggen said, looking at Bateer, "After you return, shut yourself in for three days to reflect, think carefully."

"The son accepts the command! Thank you, Father Khan!" Bateer bowed heavily.

He secretly felt relieved; fortunately Mr. Jiang had already arranged in advance that the Sheepskin Paper bore no seal, so as long as he denied it to the death, even Father Khan could do nothing.

Menggen gave one last glance at Tuan Tuan and the wolf cub in her arms, waved his hand, and said, "The feast ends here today; disperse."

The group walked out of the Golden Tent.

Xiao Ningxun whispered to Xiao Ran, "Menggen saved the Great Prince but eliminated his henchmen. He pacified the Azure Wolf Tribe yet did not investigate fully. He warned Bateer but left room for maneuver."

Xiao Ran nodded, "This Great Khan of Xilu is far more formidable than I imagined."

Tuan Tuan rushed toward Ha Sen, "Grandpa Ha Sen! Look! Did I feed Fan Fan well?"

Ha Sen was stunned, "... Fan, Fan?"

Xiao Er smiled faintly, "Yes, Chief, that's the name Tuan Tuan gave the wolf cub."

Ha Sen could neither laugh nor cry, "That name... is wonderful."

Tuan Tuan swayed her little head proudly, "Right!"

Xiao Ningxun invited Ha Sen to return to the tent together, but Ha Sen needed to collect the rewards and bring them back to the tribe, politely declined and took his leave.

The party returned to the tent.

Xiao Ran, upon entering the great tent, flopped onto the ground, "Finally back! This meal is something else."

Qing Qing hurriedly asked what had happened, fearing she would be recognized and daring not to attend, so she had stayed here all along.

Tuan Tuan chattered about the banquet, and Qing Qing laughed heartily, scooping her up, "Thank you, Tuan Tuan!"

"Today you have completely embarrassed the Great Prince, giving Jifeng a proper sigh of relief!"

Tuan Tuan looked at him, "Everything I said is true!"

Everyone laughed.

Xiao Ningxun rubbed his sister's little head: "Yes! Our Tuan Tuan is the most well-behaved, everything she says is the truth!"

At the same time, inside the Crown Prince's luxurious Wolf-head Tent.

Bateer let out a wounded beast-like roar, then kicked over the low table in the tent that was filled with gold vessels and fine wine.

"Clang—clatter!"

Exquisite gold cups and silver bowls tumbled and collided, fragrant wine splashed onto the luxurious carpet, a mess everywhere.

The two personal guards standing inside the tent trembled with fear, lowered their heads deeply, and dared not breathe.

"Trash! All trash! Chi Na, that useless idiot! Ha Sen, that damned old dog! And also! Also that little beast from the Central Plains!"

Bateer's eyes were bloodshot as he paced anxiously back and forth inside the tent.

He gritted his teeth: "That little brat! How dare she! How dare she speak to me like that on the Golden Tent!"

"And those Central Plains people! They all deserve to die! Every last one of them!"

He recalled Father Khan's final icy glance, and the scrutinizing gazes of the tribal chiefs and senior officials inside the tent, half-hidden.

He recalled how he had been made to look like a clown, embarrassed beyond measure by a child's words.

He recalled losing the Red Mountain Tribe, that important right arm.

Boundless humiliation and panic engulfed him.

He continued smashing and throwing things in the great tent until everything inside fell to the ground, then he stopped, panting heavily.

Jiang Heng waited quietly for him to vent his anger, then said softly: "Your Highness, please calm your anger."

"Sir!" Bateer rushed over a few steps, saying: "You're right, they came here to clear Jifeng's name!"

"Those Central Plains people not only made me lose face before Father Khan and everyone!"

"They even made Father Khan believe them a little!"

"Today I, the Prince, have suffered utter humiliation! If I do not avenge this, I, Bateer, swear not to be a man!"

Jiang Heng listened quietly: "Please restrain yourself, Your Highness."

"Restrain yourself?" Bateer almost jumped up: "How can I restrain? The Red Mountain Tribe is gone, and Father Khan suspects me!"

"Those people of the Fierce Kingdom are probably hiding in the tent laughing at me! And that audacious Ha Sen—he actually dares..."

"Your Highness," Jiang Heng interrupted him, "today's loss may not be without tomorrow's gain."

Bateer stared: "What do you mean?"

Jiang Heng's lips curled: "The Great Khan orders you to reflect in seclusion for three days."

"Just right."

"Just right?"

"Exactly." He said softly: "Your Highness, while you reflect in the tent, the ensuing matters will have nothing to do with you."

Bateer was no fool; after a moment of stunned silence he said: "Sir, are you going to take action?"

Jiang Heng nodded: "For the next few days, Your Highness, you only need to peacefully 'reflect'."

"What you have lost, Your Highness, is merely a useless hunting dog."

"What we will gain is the chance to completely eradicate the hidden threat and ensure they never recover."

"Be patient, my lord."