More than a dozen sergeants and seven or eight hounds were clustered in front and back, the torches illuminated Ai Yan's face red, and a pair of brown eyes reflected the firelight, shining brightly.

There are always many forks and turns in life. In many cases, one step to the left or one step to the right directly determines life and death, honor and disgrace. Right now, Ai Yan has just walked through such a fork in the road. Looking at the tent in Etun in front of her, she knew in her heart that she had already taken that step, and there was no possibility of turning back.

Maybe just a few days ago, she was just an innocent and ignorant little woman, fantasizing about having a vigorous love, marrying a handsome and martial man, and living a sweet and peaceful life like many women in the world.

But from the moment she took the Tang horizontal knife given to her by the moon slave, all the dreams in Ai Yan's heart were shattered. She seemed to wake up from a sound dream in an instant, and saw that she was standing on the edge of a cliff, and saw that a man-eating hurricane was really coming towards her, and there was a bloody wind all around her.

I can only go to a life path full of unknowns, dangers, blood and conspiracy without choice.

Who is to blame?

Ai Yan asked himself more than once, who made him give up the simple life he imagined and embarked on such a road of no return? Is it her deceased father, her father-in-law Fu Nian, who has raised her for more than ten years, or the people of Ashdwin Fu who launched a rebellion, or the moon slave who bewitched the people in her ear, or the strange man who has evil intentions - Xue Shao?

It seems that no one can blame it.

In just a few days, Ai Yan seemed to have changed a soul, or the veil that had been covered in front of his eyes was suddenly torn off. She suddenly figured out a lot of questions that she hadn't thought about before, and she saw a lot of real faces that she seemed familiar with before but never really understood.

It turns out that being awake can also be a pain.

Those clansmen who used to be kind and kind like relatives are now so philistine, cunning and cruel in Ai Yan's eyes, they do not hesitate to use bloody butcher knives to loot the cities of the Central Plains and even their own grassland compatriots for their own selfish interests; In order to invite the favor of their new master, Ashdwin Fufu, they did not hesitate to betray and betray the Khan of Funian, who had sworn loyalty to the gods for the rest of his life, and extended their claws to themselves. They desperately wanted to sacrifice the life of Princess Ashina in exchange for the strength and strength of the new master, so as to give them wealth and power.

Asteger, the little old man who was always smiling, was a model among these people!

Thinking of Asteger, Ai Yan couldn't help but pause, took a deep breath, and his eyes revealed a little rare sharpness, even mean and cold!

The Turkic guards who accompanied the escort were all stunned, obviously shocked by the fierce momentum emitted by Ai Yan Douran, and their faces invariably showed a look of consternation.

Due to the early death of her parents, Ai Yan has a deep affection for her own people, especially the familiar elders like Asteger, who have watched her grow up since childhood. In Ai Yan's eyes, Tege, like Fu Nian, is like her father.

The love is deep, the pain is deep. At this moment, Ai Yan's heart was churning like a stormy wave, with four big words - "Tege, damn it!" ”

Why should I be a victim of others?

Since I have such a special bloodline and identity, you all have to rush to use me, why should I be willing to be used by you, and why can't I use it for myself?!

My fate, why should I be at your mercy?!

"Tell the secret service that I'm coming!"

The Etun special service, who was gritting his teeth in pain and hatred on the couch, heard that Princess Aiyan was coming, and immediately pulled the medicine linen on his back, and jumped up and began to get dressed in a hurry.

Servants and healers came to stop them, and the Ettun agent shouted, "I must not be rude in front of Her Royal Highness!" ”

Before the words fell, Ai Yan came in.

Yongrong smiled, "You lie down." ”

Three words, as if it was magical, the Etun special service grinned twice and lay down obediently. The healers and servants on the left and right stepped forward to remedicate his back.

Ai Yan waved his hand to rebuke those people, sat down on the edge of the bed of the Etun special service, scooped up some black and slimy wound medicine with a wooden spoon, and gently wiped it on the back of the Etun special service.

The Etun special service was shocked, and suddenly turned around and held one of Ai Yan's hands with both hands, "My noble princess, please marry me!" ”

"Let it go." Ai Yan's voice was cold and irrefutable.

The Etun agent hurriedly let go as if he had been electrocuted, and buried his face between the mattresses as if he had made a big mistake, not daring to look directly at Ai Yan.

Ai Yan smiled coldly, still gently medicating his back.

For a long time, both of them remained silent.

"I'm not going to marry you." Ai Yan broke the silence suddenly.

Edun sat up suddenly, his eyes widened and he glared at Ai Yan in horror, "What is it for?" ”

"Because I'm a woman." Ai Yan said lightly.

The Etun special service was simply confused, "Of course you are a woman, and I happen to be a man!" Shouldn't a woman marry a man? ”

"Unfortunately, you don't have to be a man." Ai Yan smiled coldly and shook his head gently.

The expression of the Etun agent changed strangely, and the curves of the ugly and strange face were almost completely distorted.

Ai Yan stood up and paced two steps without hurrying, and said, "I am the most noble princess of the grassland, right?" ”

"Yes!" The Etun agent also stood up, looked at Ai Yan in dismay, and nodded with great certainty.

"The women of the steppe want to marry strong, brave men who can protect her, right?" Aiyan said.

"......" the Etun agent was silent.

"It's a pity you can't." Ai Yan shook her head with a smile, "Even the most ordinary grassland woman wants to marry a man who can protect her, as the princess of the grassland, am I not as good as an ordinary grassland woman?" Etun Agent, I know your heart for me. However, I can't entrust my life and the bloodline and glory of the Ashina clan to a cowardly man who can't even protect himself. ”

"Who said I couldn't!!" Etun Secret Service jumped up, and Dou Ran took two steps forward and hugged Ai Yan tightly, "My horse is the fastest on the grassland!" My scimitar has cut off the most heads! My arrows can make the eagle that soars for nine days also let out a miserable wail! I am recognized as the bravest warrior on the steppe, who dares to disobey?! ”

Ai Yan didn't struggle, let him hold him savagely, and smiled coldly, "The courage of the horseman!" ”

More than a dozen sergeants who came with Ai Yan suddenly rushed into the tent and drew their swords neatly, "Etun Special Service, let go of Kedun!" ”

"Kedun?!" The Etun special service suddenly felt like a lightning strike, let go of Ai Yan and took two steps back, glaring at Ai Yan as if he had seen a ghost.

Kedun, the Khan's main wife, means the same as the queen of the Central Plains!

"That's right, I have agreed to your father Khan's marriage proposal, and I will soon become your concubine, the Kedun of the Turkic tribe!" The smile on Ai Yan's face was even colder, and even full of bewitching provocation, "Your father Khan is the one who is strong enough and the only one who can protect me!" ”

"You! …… Yes! The Etun special service suddenly screamed and collapsed on the ground, spitting blood from his mouth, and the wound on his back also burst out, and the blood flowed for a long time.

"Please take care, Etun Agent." Ai Yan still stood in the middle of the tent in the same Yongrong posture and said, "I hope you will recover soon and attend my wedding to your father Khan." I came today to formally warn you, in front of me in the future, please be sure to pay attention to proportions and courtesy. I am no longer your beloved princess, but—your mother-in-law, your Koldun! ”

With that, Ai Yan turned around and strode out of the tent.

The Edun agent trembled violently all over, and spat out a few mouthfuls of thick blood again, which frightened the doctors and servants into a mess.

After walking out of the tent for more than ten steps, Ai Yan stopped, looked up at the bright full moon above his head, and said in a silent heart: "All-knowing God of Light, please forgive me for my viciousness and cruelty. I'm just trying to survive, to get out of the mercy and fools of others...... In the world of power, men have always been galloping. I don't have a single soldier, a sword, and I have no power to fight and compete with it. Therefore, I have to use the only weapon that God has given me...... I am afraid that it will not be long before my holy body will become as vicious and vile as my soul!

I ask for your forgiveness and deliverance, the all-powerful God of Light!

Looking up at the moonlight and praying, Ai Yan closed her eyes and finally burst into tears.

……

Behind him came the roar of pain and anger from the Edun agents, and Ai Yan wiped away her tears and strode forward, leaving all of them behind her, and walking directly into the Great Khan tent of Ashdwin Fu.

Ashwin, who rarely takes a bath once a year, has just finished bathing and changed into a new dress after bathing, and even trimmed his beard neatly.

Seeing Ai Yan go and return, Ashdwin Fu opened his arms with a smile, "My noble and beautiful princess, you are finally back!" ”

Ai Yan put his hands on his lower abdomen and stood with Yongrong in his arms, not responding to Ashdwin's request for a hug, but said lightly with a smile: "I have already told him personally." ”

"Oh, that's good." Asdwin Fu Zhi smiled triumphantly and nodded, his eyes narrowed into a slit.

Letting the princess of the Ashina clan marry his son was once a dream of Ashwin Fu. But today, he suddenly realized how simple and stupid his previous thoughts were—wouldn't it be better to marry the princess himself?

"Khan rest early, I'm going back." Ai Yan gave a salute and wanted to leave.

"Wait!" Ashdwin Fu hurriedly stopped in front of Ai Yan and covered her hands, "For you, I specially bathed and changed clothes today." ”

Ai Yan smiled, but shook his head affirmatively, "Your Majesty the Khan, I am the princess of the Ashina clan, not a lowly slave girl who can be exchanged for two sheep. Please respect the noble lineage of the Ashina clan and the clan rules handed down from our ancestors. I must keep my holiness until I have a grand wedding and receive the blessings of the gods! Otherwise, the gods will be angry and will befall the grasslands! ”

"......" Ashdwin Fu let go of Ai Yan's hands with a hint of astonishment, his expression was dull for a moment, and suddenly he smiled, "Yes, the princess is right!" Tomorrow, I will send 800 fast horses to inform all the chiefs of the steppe tribes, and let them go to Tengger Sacred Mountain to attend our grand wedding! ”

"Okay." Ai Yan smiled slightly, and promised very surely.

Asdwin Fu, the heart is full of joy!

"I take my leave, wise and great Khan!" Give another salute, and Ai Yan is gone.

Ashdwin Fu sat down, muttered alone for a long time, and called the two sergeants up, "Tell me, when Fang Cai Kedun went to see the special service, he said something and did something—no details should be omitted!" ”

……

For the next seven days, Xue Shao didn't even see the shadow of Ashdwin Fu, let alone talk about peace talks. His range of activities was also strictly controlled within a stone's throw around the tent, and it was clear that he was under house arrest.

Except for the Moon Slave and the Turkic maids sent to serve the food and daily necessities, Xue Shao had no contact with anyone else. But Xue Shao obviously felt that the Turks had been very busy in recent days, running in and out of fast horses, endlessly. Many craftsmen and servants were also busy, as if they were planning some major celebration.

Xue Shaozhi said that Ashdewin Fu had no intention of making peace at all, so naturally he would not be preparing for peace talks. Then the busy work in front of you is likely to be for something else.

It seems that it is still a "festive" thing!.

[Ask for a certain reading, ask for a ticket! ] 】