Dan Prefecture.
The abandoned land of the Nine Provinces of the Central Plains.
The vast grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see. With the wind sweeping over the grass and cattle and sheep appearing within it, the scene from the textbooks had appeared before his eyes in reality.
Li Zhen, dressed in a plain black robe, rode a white horse. With a longsword hanging at his waist, he galloped across the grasslands.
His heart felt clear and his spirit refreshed!
This was the place he had always yearned for.
“Today, having broken free of the cangue, I finally know that I am myself!”
Li Zhen casually sprawled across the grass, stretching his body and savoring the feeling of being close to nature.
What did he care about the imperial court's endless turmoil? It could all get as far away from him as possible!
The dazzling sunlight shone upon Li Zhen's face. Its radiance was blinding, and he narrowed his eyes as he gazed into the sky.
Just as Li Zhen was admiring the blue sky and white clouds, a face wearing a brilliant smile entered his view. Her eyes sparkled with bright light.
She was very beautiful!
“Are you from the Nine Provinces?”
The girl blinked as she asked.
“Isn't it obvious?” Li Zhen sat up from the grass and turned to look at the girl who had suddenly appeared.
She wore tight-fitting short garments that clearly outlined her shapely figure. Unlike the bashful women of the Nine Provinces, she showed no hint of shyness.
The girl was completely unafraid of Li Zhen's gaze.
Her skin was a healthy wheat color.
Her face was lively and mischievous.
She was a typical Dan Prefecture girl, except that she was exceptionally beautiful.
“My name is Shuoyan Yu'er!” The girl openly displayed her smile.
“Li Zhen! Shuoyan? You are from the Shuoyan Tribe.” Li Zhen rose and gave a slight bow.
Dan Prefecture was vast. Although it consisted of only a single prefecture, it was equivalent in size to three of the Nine Provinces of the Central Plains!
In this world, the status of the north and south was completely different. The Nine Provinces and Six Kingdoms possessed powerful military forces, while the Dan Prefecture Grasslands in the north had not formed any particularly powerful force.
Only six major tribes and one royal court could be considered forces!
The Shuoyan Tribe was one of the six major tribes.
Since Great Yu bordered Dan Prefecture, he was familiar with these matters.
“Your name is Li Zhen? That's the same name as Great Yu's chancellor!” Shuoyan Yu'er replied to a different point.
“That's right, but people with the same name can have different fates. He is the chancellor, while I'm just an ordinary person!”
Li Zhen smiled and shook his head.
He had never expected that someone in Dan Prefecture would know his name.
“That Li Zhen surely isn't as handsome as you, is he? You came here to sightsee, right? Shall I take you to see our tribe?”
Shuoyan Yu'er's sincere smile infected Li Zhen.
“Sure. I was just worrying that I had no guide. In that case, thank you, Miss Yu'er!”
As soon as Li Zhen finished speaking, Shuoyan Yu'er grabbed his hand and led him, along with his horse, toward the distant place where cooking smoke rose.
Li Zhen's brows unconsciously furrowed slightly, then relaxed as a smile appeared once more.
Shuoyan Yu'er's hand was very soft—so soft that it hardly seemed like the hand of a Dan Prefecture girl.
The people of Dan Prefecture were fierce by nature. They tamed horses at six, drew bows at nine, and by thirteen or fourteen were already galloping across the grasslands!
Unfortunately, this way of life had not brought them great power. Instead, the Six Kingdoms of the Central Plains treated this place as a horse pasture!
Among the Six Kingdoms, Great Yu had a designated tribe here, the Xunfeng Tribe. They paid tribute to Great Yu in exchange for protection and subsidies of winter resources.
Li Zhen had once seen the tribal lord of the Xunfeng Tribe when they came to pay tribute.
Holding hands, the two strolled across the grasslands.
Li Zhen lightly inhaled the unique fragrance of the young girl. His heart felt clear and his spirit refreshed; how could he not be happy with such a beauty accompanying him?
Although he had once been engaged to Shao Xuxue, he had not even actually held her hand...
What a damn... joke!
Soon, they saw the tribe in the distance. Li Zhen's gaze focused, and astonishment appeared on his face.
Countless tents spread across the land, reaching toward the sky and stretching to the earth. Cooking smoke rose into the air, presenting a magnificent scene of a grassland herders' tribe!
It was a shame he did not have a phone, or he would definitely have captured a picture!
“This is our Shuoyan Tribe. Isn't it magnificent?” Shuoyan Yu'er asked with a smile as she looked back.
“It is magnificent. How many people are in your tribe?” Li Zhen asked as he tethered the horse to a dead tree.
“The entire tribe has sixty thousand people. There are twenty thousand able-bodied men; the rest are the elderly, the weak, women, and children!”
“Oh? You know that number very clearly!”
Li Zhen said jokingly.
“I'll take you to taste our delicacies.” Shuoyan Yu'er glanced away, then hurriedly changed the subject before she was about to leave.
Li Zhen grabbed her and exerted a little force. Caught off guard, Shuoyan Yu'er was pulled into his arms.
Eyes meeting.
“You...”
Shuoyan Yu'er's face instantly turned as red as a ripe apple.
“Hahahaha, I'm sorry! I was too forward!” Li Zhen slightly loosened his grip, and Shuoyan Yu'er darted away like a rabbit.
Li Zhen chuckled softly. Smelling the fragrance lingering in his arms, he wore an amused expression and followed her into the tribe.
Along the way,
countless people of the shuoyan tribe focused their gazes on the two of them, primarily on Li Zhen.
Facing those gazes, the latter lightly stroked the sword hilt with his right hand while continuously waving with his left.
Unfortunately, very few people responded.
Li Zhen swaggered into a tent in the center, and Shuoyan Yu'er lifted the curtain and invited him in.
“Please come in!”
A trace of amusement flashed between Li Zhen's brows. With a sweep of his robe, he strode inside.
Shuoyan Yu'er breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced at the surrounding herders, took a deep breath, and followed him inside before lowering the curtain.
Li Zhen sat grandly in the seat of honor.
“Young master, let me remove your sword. Otherwise, it may get in the way!”
Li Zhen lowered his head and glanced at the sword that was not obstructing him at all. He reached out, undid the clasp, and handed the sword to Shuoyan Yu'er.
Just as she was about to take it, he pulled her into his arms. His right hand instantly drew half the blade and lightly placed it against Shuoyan Yu'er's neck.
“Sweetheart, your act is far too obvious. How about older brother teaches you how to deceive people?”
Li Zhen gazed at the girl in his arms with a beaming smile.
Shuoyan Yu'er stared blankly at Li Zhen, who was mere inches away. Their breaths mingled, adding a strange tension to the atmosphere.
“How did you figure it out?”
Shuoyan Yu'er asked softly.
Li Zhen returned the sword to its sheath and tossed it aside. Hooking a finger beneath Shuoyan Yu'er's chin, he laughed loudly. “Hahahahaha, the people of Dan Prefecture may be open, but that doesn't mean they go so far as to hold hands with someone they meet for the first time.
A beauty trap isn't used like this. Besides, the herders outside are far too hostile toward me!
I'm not blind!
Half a year ago, a battle broke out in Dan Prefecture. The Xunfeng Tribe and the Shuoyan Tribe fought over a pasture, and the Tribal chief of the Shuoyan Tribe, Shuoyan Batu, was killed by the Xunfeng Tribe.
He had only one daughter, which should be you, right?
And when you realized that I was that Li Zhen, you wanted revenge against the Xunfeng Tribe? You must have had your eye on me for quite some time, right?”
Shuoyan Yu'er's eyes grew wider and wider as Li Zhen spoke!
In such a short time, he had actually connected so many clues. Was he even human?
Great Yu's chief minister, Li Zhen!
His reputation was well deserved!
“It seems I was completely right. As punishment, I have to teach you what a beauty trap really is.”
As Li Zhen spoke, he lowered his head and kissed her.
Shuoyan Yu'er's entire mind instantly went blank.
She had never had such an intimate interaction with a man before. In an instant, her entire body felt as though it had been struck by electricity.
Rustle.
Just as Li Zhen was thoroughly enjoying himself, the curtain was opened.
Two groups of burly men carrying long sabers rushed inside.
When they saw this scene, their eyes went blank with shock.
Sensing the commotion, Li Zhen raised his head. Shuoyan Yu'er instantly sprang up, covered her mouth, and stared at Li Zhen in disbelief.
“Hahahahaha, what exhilaration!”
Li Zhen burst into loud laughter.
This little wild horse was rather interesting.
He liked her very much!
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