Chapter 364

Menggen silently watched Tuan Tuan bring Fanfan wandering around his Golden Tent, touching here and there occasionally.

Menggen withdrew his gaze, landing it on his son's face: "I want to ask you something."

Jifeng's heart jumped: "What is it?"

Menggen stared at him steadily: "If one day you must stand on the highest cliff, with a raging storm before you and an abyss ten thousand zhang deep behind you."

"Will you hold tight to the reins in your hand, or let go?"

Tuan Tuan heard it, turned her head with a puzzled look and said: "Great Khan Grandfather, Uncle Jifeng is surely riding his big horse fast!"

Jifeng looked at Tuan Tuan and laughed: "Tuan Tuan is right! Who would stay in a place like that? I'd definitely run faster than a rabbit!"

Menggen gazed at him deeply: "Even if the rabbits on the prairie run as fast as they can, they cannot escape the eagle's eyes."

Jifeng turned back to meet his father's gaze, grinning: "Back when, the old folks on the prairie used to say that when a person falls ill, they like to indulge in wild thoughts."

"Father Khan, you've just woken up; what you should think about is what tasty food to eat, and after you recover, where to go for fun."

"Don't keep pondering windy, rainy cliffs all day; just focus on getting better."

Tuan Tuan picked up Fanfan, who had been strolling on the ground, walked to the bedside, and placed Fanfan in Menggen's embrace: "Great Khan Grandfather, aren't you bored lying here?"

"I'll leave Fanfan with you to keep you company, okay?"

Fanfan sniffed around Menggen's body, nudging here and there; accidentally, its nose poked Menggen's nose, and Menggen couldn't help but startle.

Tuan Tuan leaned against Jifeng's embrace, and the two burst out laughing.

Even Aersi Leng, standing nearby in attendance, couldn't help but laugh.

Menggen cradled Fanfan, stroking its smooth fur, lifted his head to look at the two people beaming before him, and the corners of his mouth also curled up.

"Yes, being carefree is best. But some things, when it's time to think about them, you must think."

Tuan Tuan grew curious, lay on the bedside and lifted her little face: "Great Khan Grandfather, what are you thinking about?"

Menggen looked at her little face: "Tuan Tuan, does Uncle Jifeng treat you well?"

"Yes! Uncle Jifeng is the best!"

"Then will you always stay by his side?"

Tuan Tuan thought seriously: "No way! Great Khan Grandfather, my father and mother are in Lie Country; I miss them terribly, I want to go home to find them."

"But what's so hard about that? I can still come again!"

Jifeng looked tenderly at Tuan Tuan, his big hand once again touching her hair: "Yes, little Tuan Tuan, no matter where you go, you are the holy maiden of the prairie."

Menggen looked at them, then glanced at Fanfan in his arms.

This is the wolf king's cub—ordinary people couldn't even approach it, yet now it behaves like a domestic dog, accompanying this child.

He showed signs of fatigue: "I want to sleep a while; you all go out."

Jifeng's expression instantly tightened: "Father Khan?"

Menggen waved his hand: "Child, take it with you; it belongs to you."

"Oh." Tuan Tuan obediently picked up Fanfan, walked up to Jifeng, and said: "Uncle Jifeng, Great Khan Grandfather wants to sleep; let's go."

Jifeng bent down to hug her: "Father Khan, you rest well; we're leaving, and we'll come see you again after you wake up."

The tent flap lifted, and they came face-to-face with Bao'erchi, who had come to deliver the meal.

Bao'erchi's hand trembled, he lowered his head, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes: "Greetings, Second Prince."

Jifeng glanced at the food she held, all of which Father Khan liked, and nodded: "Attend to Father Khan's meal well."

Bao'erchi hurriedly nodded: "Yes."

Jifeng strode out.

Menggen watched them leave the Golden Tent, glanced at the meal Bao'erchi had brought, and said: "Set it down for now; I'll eat it later."

"Yes." Bao'erchi set down the meal and withdrew.

A moment later, Menggen said: "Aersi Leng, summon Ke'er, Bieqi, and Yekezhaluhuchi."

"Yes." Aersi Leng's heart jumped—these few were all important ministers of the Royal Court.

He turned and departed to carry out the order.

Jifeng sent Tuan Tuan back to her tent, then spurred his horse onto the prairie.

After galloping for a while, he reined in his horse to a stop, and the wind tousled his hair.

He understood Menggen's question—it was asking whether he wanted to inherit the khanate.

Fortunately Tuan Tuan was there, he made a diversion to get past it.

Father Khan, you should rest and recuperate well; what Ermuqi said isn't necessarily all correct; if you take good care of yourself, you might still live another twenty or thirty years.

By then, Muren will have grown up; the one who inherits the Khanate need not necessarily be chosen from between you and Bateer.

He pulled out his wineskin, gulped a few mouthfuls, and shouted, "Giddyap!" The horse bolted again.

In Tuan Tuan's grand tent, Xiao Ningxun heard his sister relay the Great Khan's question to Jifeng, and instantly understood its meaning.

He walked to the edge of the tent, gazed into the distance, and murmured, "Brother Jifeng, I also hope you will forever be the freest eagle on the steppe."

Inside the brand-new Wolf-head Tent.

Bateer paced back and forth anxiously.

"Mr. Jiang, Father Khan has awakened, he saw Jifeng, saw the Holy Maiden, and even saw the elders and senior officials! Why won't they let me go see him?"

"Could it be that he truly, because of Eji's matter, no longer acknowledges me as his son?"

"You idiot! Father Khan isn't seeing you at this time for your own good—can't you even understand that?"

It's obvious: the Khanate is now Jifeng's to take; the better he treats Jifeng, the colder he is toward you, and only after Jifeng ascends will you stand a better chance of being treated well.

"At a time like this, he wants to see you? You and Jifeng share a blood-deep feud—isn't that just rushing to seek death?"

Jiang Heng looked at the anxious Bateer and couldn't help wondering how the Great Khan and Wurenna, such remarkable people, could have produced a fool like you.

He patiently said, "Your Highness, you still don't get this?"

Great Khan, he's already making preparations to pass the throne to Jifeng!

The first person he saw upon waking was him; he must have already spoken with him, intending to pass the throne to him.

The Saintess is Jifeng's greatest support; having them meet together is to get them to join forces!

As for summoning the elders and senior officials, that too is naturally to pave the way for Jifeng's succession.

Bateer stopped in his tracks, his eyes flickering.

He kept recalling what Wurenna said last night.

He stepped forward, staring fixedly at Jiang Heng's face: 'Mr. Jiang, what are we still waiting for? Let's get moving!'

Jiang Heng was taken aback; it seems even the stupidest person knows what to choose at a matter of life and death.

He couldn't help but chuckle: 'We've already taken action; we just need a few more days.'

Bateer was extremely anxious: 'A few days! What if, in these few days, the khanate goes to Jifeng? What if Father Khan falls ill tomorrow...'

'Crown Prince,' Jiang Heng interrupted him, 'it won't happen; stay calm. What we're plotting isn't just to obtain the khanate legitimately.'

More importantly, we will cast Jifeng into an abyss from which there is no return, so that everyone on the steppe will despise him.

Otherwise, even if you, Crown Prince, sit on the khan's throne, you must always be on guard and worry about everything.

Bateer nodded: 'Exactly, you're right, Jifeng! As long as he remains on the steppe, even if I become Great Khan, I won't be at ease.'

Jiang Heng let out a breath, finally having soothed this Crown Prince.

'Crown Prince, the Great Khan won't see you, but you cannot avoid going to visit him.'

'Even if he doesn't let you enter the Golden Tent, you must each day send the finest supplements to the entrance of the Golden Tent, so that everyone sees your filial devotion to him.'

'Right! Right! I'm going now!' Bateer shouted, 'Bring the ginseng soup in! I, the Prince, will send it to Father Khan!'