In the grand tent, the Old Khan was drinking merrily with his sons and subordinates.
"The Great Yan Emperor wouldn’t dare wage war against our grasslands—I’ve said it all along," the Old Khan declared, taking a large gulp from his bowl before gesturing vaguely into the air. "After all these years, the Great Yan Emperor has grown complacent, and his people have softened. Their strength is nothing compared to what it once was!"
"Father is wise!" the Eldest Prince immediately flattered. "We originally intended to demand Yan Muling, the emperor’s most beloved daughter, but the Princess Muling has gone missing."
The Deputy Khan snorted. "Missing? Who knows if it’s true?"
The Second Prince chuckled. "Didn’t the Third Prince personally go to Great Yan? How could her disappearance be fake?"
The Old Khan waved a dismissive hand, annoyed. "That useless Third Prince… Bah. Never mind. I am a reasonable man. If Great Yan resorts to such a flimsy excuse, I’ll compromise—take another of his daughters instead."
"I hear this Princess Lingshuang is famously cold and aloof. Tonight, gentlemen, let’s enjoy the sight of her—no need to hold back."
The crowd erupted in laughter, though the Second Prince seemed disinterested.
He was about to excuse himself to drink alone outside when the dancers filed in before he could speak.
His gaze swept lazily over them—until it landed on one dancer, her lips pressed tight, her expression openly displeased.
The Second Prince settled back into his seat, his eyes fixed on her.
A cold beauty… So this was the Princess Lingshuang, sent for the marriage alliance.
That face would be even more stunning if she smiled.
What a shame—wait, no. The one in the middle was Princess Lingshuang.
His eyes brightened as he took in the woman at the center, her attire distinct from the others. Though veiled, her expression was unreadable, her gaze icy—lacking any liveliness.
He turned back to the dancer at the side—an unfamiliar face, likely a palace maid accompanying the princess from Great Yan.
A maid… If he asked his father for her, surely the Old Khan wouldn’t refuse?
The Second Prince was lost in pleasant thoughts when—
Without warning, the dancer looked straight at him, followed by another, slightly taller one beside her.
Their dark eyes gleamed with unmistakable hostility.
The Second Prince: "…"
His scalp prickled. His slouched posture instantly straightened, legs uncrossing as he stiffly faced forward, not daring to glance her way again.
…What in the world?!
Since when were Great Yan’s maids fiercer than their own grassland women?!
The Second Prince was baffled, questioning his life choices.
Wu Liang kept an eye on the Second Prince. At first, she thought he had noticed something—but his cowardly reaction suggested otherwise. Still, she remained vigilant.
Jiu Yue, however, had already looked away.
This man clearly posed no threat.
Her gaze swept left, then right, before settling on the Old Khan at the center.
Princess Lingshuang stood unwavering under the scrutiny of the crowd.
"Great Yan’s women may not be as robust as our grassland daughters, but I must admit, their delicate beauty has its own charm," the Old Khan mused, stroking his chin with a smirk. "Princess, you’ve traveled far. Tonight, let our men feast their eyes. Shall we begin?"
Princess Lingshuang lowered her eyes and gave a polite nod.
As the music swelled, the dancers moved in unison. Princess Lingshuang raised her arms, the sheer fabric at her sleeves fluttering with her graceful movements. Even her cold demeanor held a unique allure.
…Yet, beside the beauty, two figures utterly ruined the scene.
The Second Prince was the first to crack.
He was closest to them.
Watching the two stand stiffly, clapping and stomping half-heartedly—even nearly tripping the other dancers—his lip twitched uncontrollably.
What kind of maids had Great Yan sent?! Were they here to perform or to mock them?!
Other chieftains made no effort to hide their displeasure, some slamming tables and cursing openly.
The Old Khan had initially been pleased with Princess Lingshuang’s compliance—until the two clumsy dancers disrupted everything. Frowning, he glared at one of them—then froze when he saw her face clearly.
"Stop!" the Old Khan barked.
The music and dancing ceased abruptly. Confused murmurs rose as the Old Khan pointed at the woman. "You. Come forward."
Jiu Yue stiffened, panic flashing in her eyes as she glanced around before looking pleadingly at Princess Lingshuang.
Princess Lingshuang stepped protectively in front of her. "What is the meaning of this, Khan?"
The Old Khan ignored her, signaling two men to drag Jiu Yue before him.
Shoved to the ground, Jiu Yue fell hard. Princess Lingshuang’s expression darkened, but before she could speak, the Old Khan’s voice cut in, slow and deliberate.
"Princess Lingshuang, I recently learned that your father suddenly found his long-lost beloved daughter—born to the empress, no less. They say she surpasses even the late Princess Muling."
His gaze locked onto Jiu Yue’s face, the Old Khan smirked. "This maid of yours… bears a striking resemblance to the Yan Emperor in his youth."
"Could this be your esteemed elder sister—the Crown Princess?" The Old Khan’s eyes gleamed with triumph.
Princess Lingshuang’s pupils constricted.
The Old Khan burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Who would’ve thought Princess Lingshuang and the Crown Princess of Great Yan were so close?!"
Since she had delivered herself to him, the Old Khan had no intention of letting her go. After all, Great Yan hadn’t officially offered her—they could simply claim ignorance.
Humiliating the Crown Princess of Great Yan would be far more satisfying than tormenting a mere Princess Lingshuang!
That pitiful Great Yan was nothing to fear!
"So you really are the Crown Princess of Great Yan—Yan Zhaoning?" The Old Khan leaned forward, grinning.
Only a table separated them.
As his laughter boomed, Jiu Yue moved without warning—
Like a predator unleashed, she vaulted over the table, the waist-chain she’d torn off now coiled around the Old Khan’s thick neck.
Before anyone could react, she kicked his chest, using the momentum to flip behind him.
The chain tightened.
His laughter choked off mid-breath.
A dagger plunged into his heart.
The Old Khan’s eyes bulged—no sound escaped. In his final moment, a whisper grazed his ear.
"You knew I was Yan Zhaoning… yet you dared stand this close."
Jiu Yue smirked, then kicked him—along with the table—straight toward Princess Lingshuang. She raised her gaze, addressing the stunned crowd with genuine admiration.
"Your Old Khan… had quite the nerve."
Silence.
The Old Khan’s corpse lay in the center. Eyes saw it; minds struggled to catch up.
Then—
"Assassin! Guards!" someone finally screamed.
The tent instantly descended into chaos.
But they had already missed their chance.
As Jiu Yue sprang into action, Wu Liang simultaneously dealt with the men on the left.
Those present were all chieftains and princes of the steppe tribes—killing them all wasn’t an option—so Wu Liang prioritized taking down the guards standing behind their leaders.
Some, drunk and reckless, charged forward, only to be swiftly "censored" by Jiu Yue.
Others, slower to react, set down their wine bowls, their faces pale as the reality of the situation sobered them up.
In less than fifteen minutes, the once-raucous tent fell deathly silent.
The more pragmatic chieftains and princes were bound hand and foot. Wu Liang hauled them to the side, lining them up near the tent entrance under guard.
Yan Lingshuang had already positioned herself beside Jiu Yue, watching intently as the latter wiped her blade clean, her eyes gleaming with admiration.
Jiu Yue, meanwhile, lounged casually on the Old Khan’s seat, the barely breathing Ban Tu slumped at her feet.
Her gaze swept over the petrified dancers frozen in place. With a cheerful grin, she waved them on. "Don’t stop on our account! Keep the music playing, keep dancing! Today’s a joyous occasion, after all!"
The dancers: "…"
The chieftains and princes: "…"
Just where did the Emperor of Great Yan dig up this demon?!
