Chapter 228: Showing Authority to Tame a Wild Nature

Even when the court was in such an uproar, the common folk still delighted in parroting whatever they heard. To them, even if the imperial court turned heaven and earth upside down in the great hall, they would still watch the show if there was one to watch—wasn't that the only pleasure life had to offer?

When Hada Tuoya's carriage procession entered the outer city of the capital through Yongding Gate, the first thing she saw was crowds of onlookers in all manner of dress pointing at her and chattering as if watching a monkey show.

Of course, she couldn't understand what they were saying—had she been able to make out those filthy, vulgar words, with that fiery temper of hers she would have rolled up her sleeves and charged out long ago.

Feng Quan walked at the front, looking at these idle commoners who had nothing better to do than watch the excitement all day, and felt deeply vexed. He mused that the outer city truly had all sorts of people—look at how filthy they were, and among them were quite a few rough types with hostile looks on their faces.

It seemed that after returning to report to His Majesty, he should find time to speak with the people of the Five Wards Troops and Horses Office—the streets really needed to be brought under control.

Tuoya's thoughts, however, differed from Feng Quan's. There had never been many people on the grasslands, and the folk of the Uriankhai main tribe weren't particularly clean in face or body either. This was the first time she had seen such a teeming crowd of people, and she pulled back the curtain to watch with great interest. These Han Chinese before her eyes were people one would never see beyond the Great Wall on ordinary days.

But seeing the streets outside, which were livelier than the Uriankhai main tribe by an immeasurable degree, Tuoya's curiosity was piqued once more.

The Han people seemed to outnumber those of Jianzhou by several dozen times over. Truly, as that Han Grand Secretary surnamed Feng had said, if every one of them spat a single mouthful of saliva, they could drown Jianzhou alive—so why, after all these years, had they always been beaten down by Jianzhou?

Thinking of this, she turned to look back at a squad of runners from the Shuntian Prefecture yamen passing by her carriage, and Tuoya grew even more curious about her future husband—the one who governed all of this, the Great Ming Emperor Zhu Youjian.

In the past, Hada Tuoya would have been most reluctant, but now that she knew what sort of goods that Zhuoxi truly was, her thoughts had changed.

To become an imperial consort of the Great Ming dynasty would be of great benefit to her people and to her own future.

Passing through the outer city, they then entered the inner city through the main gate.

Compared to the noisy, bustling outer city, the inner city was far more orderly. The people walking about here were clearly of a higher caliber overall—their clothing was more proper, many greeted one another with bows and pleasantries as they walked, and the runners patrolling had gradually shifted from Shuntian Prefecture yamen personnel to mostly those of the Troops and Horses Office.

On both sides stood row upon row of shops of every kind. Pedestrians strolled along, picking out goods that caught their fancy. Never mind the wares inside the shops—even the inferior goods on the stalls outside were, in Tuoya's eyes, a dazzling array of wonderful things she had never seen before.

Thanks to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's insignia, the carriage procession passed unimpeded all the way to the foot of the Chengtian Gate of the Forbidden City.

Upon arriving here, Hada Tuoya was so astonished that her small mouth formed a perfect "O" shape. This was simply too magnificent, too awe-inspiring—she had never in her life imagined that such a place could exist in this world.

The imperial city of the Great Ming had been built by Xu Da upon the foundations of the Yuan capital, and through continuous expansion and repair over the years, it had gathered nearly the essence of several thousand years of Han architectural culture. Its dominant colors were vermilion, golden yellow, and sky blue—imposing yet grand.

In Tuoya's eyes, this was the divine palace of Eternal Heaven itself before her—indeed, even the temple of Eternal Heaven in her heart could not compare to the Forbidden City of the Great Ming.

Before this, Tuoya had harbored some resistance in her heart. After all, this Son of Heaven of the Great Ming named Zhu Youjian was someone she had never even laid eyes on, and he was a Han Chinese—surely he couldn't be as mighty and fierce as the lasso-wielding men of her own grasslands.

But now, seeing all of this along the way, Tuoya's mindset was rapidly shifting. She began to feel somewhat inferior, afraid that this Son of Heaven might look down on her. Indeed, she who rarely bothered with makeup and grooming actually asked a maidservant for a bronze mirror to examine herself, feeling rather insecure.

The Son of Heaven of the Great Ming was chosen by heaven itself, his status and position higher than even the Khagan of the grasslands. With his supreme imperial station, commanding all of this that she so admired—how could he possibly be a useless good-for-nothing?

In the eyes of the future Noble Consort Rou, the current Chongzhen Emperor had already become a great figure in no way inferior to her own father. Indeed, Tuoya even began to worry—she had heard that the Great Ming Emperor's harem was filled with beauties like clouds. Could she measure up to those consorts and concubines? What if she was isolated once she entered?

And if he didn't want her, where would she go, what would she do?

The Chongzhen Emperor was completely unaware that, without even appearing in person, he had already thoroughly conquered this Mongol woman from the grasslands in the depths of her heart.

In truth, Tuoya's way of thinking was only natural. The grasslands had always revered the strong. In Tuoya's eyes, Zhuoxi's fierce appearance was one thing, but beyond that, he was the young master of the Ujiyed tribe who would one day inherit the entire tribe—that had played a very large part as well.

Compared to the Great Ming Emperor, however, all of that was hardly worth mentioning.

Her future husband was so vastly superior to that bastard Zhuoxi, commanding ten thousand li of rivers and mountains, with even her father bowing in submission. The Jianzhou people beyond the passes were said to have once been subjects under the Great Ming Son of Heaven's rule as well. One who commanded such awe across the four seas was naturally worthy of Tuoya's devoted admiration.

"Who goes there? State your name!"

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's carriages could travel unimpeded through the capital, but upon reaching the Chengtian Gate, now guarded by imperial troops, they were stopped by a mere Company Commander.

Feng Quan understood well the impact that the relentless string of assassination attempts and conspiracies last year had on His Majesty, so he did not dare act presumptuously. Dismounting from his horse, he said with a smile:

"So it's Company Commander Song! Your shift today still has quite a while to go, doesn't it?"

"It's Grand Secretary Feng!" The Company Commander surnamed Song had spotted Feng Quan's sharp-featured, monkey-faced appearance from a distance and hurried forward with a smile, saying: "The one inside—that must be the future Noble Consort Rou, I take it?"

"This old man received His Majesty's decree to venture beyond the passes on official business. I can say I have not disappointed His Majesty's expectations, but the journey was fraught with hardship!" Feng Quan did not elaborate, a helpless expression surfacing on his face.

Seeing this, Company Commander Song proved quick-witted and directly stepped aside to clear a path, waving his hand and saying:

"Come, come—clear the way, everyone!" With that, he turned back with a simple, honest smile and clasped his fists, saying: "In that case, this humble officer will not detain Grand Secretary Feng any longer."

"Mm."

Feng Quan chuckled, mounted his horse again with movements that were not particularly practiced, and led Tuoya's carriage procession through the small side gate beside the Chengtian Gate into the Forbidden City.

By the time Hada Tuoya had passed through the intricate maze of halls, terraces, and pavilions and arrived at the Jiaotai Hall to meet the Chongzhen Emperor and Empress Zhou, she had long since lost any trace of her carefree grassland manner, appearing docile and well-behaved indeed.

"This old minister is fortunate to have not failed his mission—I have brought the Noble Consort Rou back to Your Majesty." Feng Quan had long since lost the smile he wore outside the city walls. His face was streaked with tears and snot as he spoke with great bitterness.

The Chongzhen Emperor smiled and deliberately ignored the anxious Hada Tuoya, saying to Feng Quan: "I understand. This journey was not easy for you. Your merit shall be recorded—go below and collect your reward, then rest."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! This minister withdraws!" Feng Quan immediately put on a look of profound gratitude and turned to leave the hall.

Throughout the journey, Hada Tuoya had at least grown familiar with Feng Quan's face, but after he left, the hall fell into utter silence, filled entirely with unfamiliar faces, making her even more nervous.

Watching Hada Tuoya below, who kept twisting her own fingers and was clearly nervous to death, the Chongzhen Emperor—even as his thoughts drifted to the wedding night not far off—kept a perfectly indifferent expression on his face.

No way around it—these grassland women were wild and untamed. If I don't give her a show of authority right from the start, how can I expect her to wholeheartedly become a meek little woman behind me in the future?