Before long, the two of them arrived at the largest golden-topped tent in the tribe.
Lin Jiayan glanced back at the path she had taken. It really wasn’t far at all. How had she somehow failed to notice such an obvious tent earlier? Had she been blind?
“Thanks, Ajina.”
Before she had even finished speaking, the boy had already swung himself onto his horse, wheeled around, and galloped away.
“Second Aunt!”
Hearing A’ming’s voice, Lin Jiayan turned around.
“Second Aunt, why are you here?”
Dulan emerged from the tent holding A’ming’s hand.
Lin Jiayan immediately curtsied.
“Sister-in-law.”
Dulan first knocked A’ming lightly on the head with her knuckles and scolded him with a stern face.
“You should call her Mother.”
A’ming rubbed his head and stuck out his tongue.
“Mother.”
Dulan stepped forward and warmly took Lin Jiayan’s hand.
“No need for formalities. We Orikhe people don’t care much for all those complicated Central Plains rituals.”
Then she asked gently,
“I heard you’ve been feeling unwell since arriving here. Are you feeling better now?”
Leading her by the hand, Dulan brought her into the tent.
“I’m feeling better. I—”
The second half of her sentence died in her throat.
Because she saw Chahar sitting inside.
Beside him sat an older, broad-shouldered man. At the seat of honor sat an elderly man with a gray-white beard.
That must be the current Wolf King of the grasslands—
Bule Humu.
A thin layer of sweat appeared in Lin Jiayan’s palms.
The pressure in this tent was overwhelming.
If she had known, she never would have come.
Wouldn’t it have been better to remain quietly in the Cold Palace?
“This is Chahar’s elder brother, my husband, Zhana.”
Dulan introduced him.
“I told you yesterday, but there were so many people around that you probably didn’t remember.”
“Elder Brother.”
Lin Jiayan curtsied politely.
She couldn’t help taking a few extra looks at him.
Though he was more than ten years older than Chahar, he seemed overshadowed by his younger brother in every way.
Zhana simply nodded slightly, signaling that she needn’t be so formal.
“Khan.”
Lin Jiayan lowered her head and bowed respectfully toward the elder seated above.
“Hahaha!”
Bule Humu stroked his beard.
“The Princess has traveled a long way. It must have been difficult. I heard your health isn’t very good. Why aren’t you resting for a few more days?”
He appeared approachable and easygoing.
Nothing about him suggested he was the ruthless conqueror who had terrified the Emperor of the Southern Kingdom on the battlefield.
“Thank you for your concern, Khan. I’m feeling much better already.”
“Now that you’ve married into the family, you should call him Father.”
Dulan smiled and squeezed her arm.
Lin Jiayan’s face turned red.
“Father.”
She spoke so softly it was almost a whisper.
“Hahaha! Good!”
Bule Humu waved a hand grandly.
“Sit down.”
Servants immediately began bringing out dishes.
Lin Jiayan looked around.
The only empty seat remaining was beside Chahar.
Left with no choice, she forced herself to sit there.
A servant placed a fresh set of utensils before her.
Only then did she realize that the family had originally been preparing to eat together.
No one had expected another guest.
She had barged in and interrupted their family dinner.
The realization made her sit even straighter.
Now, mixed in with her nervousness was a healthy dose of embarrassment.
It was too late to leave now.
All she could do was hold her breath and pretend she didn’t exist.
Soon the table was covered with food, wine, and enormous chunks of roasted lamb.
Staring at the rustic feast, Lin Jiayan held her chopsticks helplessly, unsure where to begin.
The two brothers chatted back and forth with the Wolf King in Mongolian.
She couldn’t understand a single word.
So she lowered her head and began silently counting the grains of rice in her bowl.
“Yanyan.”
Dulan suddenly called her from across the table.
“Is the food not to your liking?”
For a moment, Lin Jiayan froze.
Only her mother had ever called her “Yanyan.”
The thought that she might never see her mother again made her eyes instantly sting.
“No… that’s not it. I’m just not very hungry.”
Trying to hide the redness in her eyes, she grabbed the nearest cup and took a large gulp.
The next second—
Her face changed dramatically.
It was strong grassland liquor.
The alcohol shot straight into her nose and throat.
“Cough! Cough! Cough—!”
She erupted into a violent coughing fit.
Dulan hurried over and patted her back.
“Are you alright, Yanyan? This liquor is very strong. Drink slowly.”
“Cough… cough… I’m fine. I just wasn’t paying attention.”
Using the opportunity, Lin Jiayan wiped away the tears that had formed from coughing and concealed her earlier loss of composure.
Just then, A’ming suddenly jumped to his feet.
“Mother was sick, and Second Uncle still made her live all alone at the foot of the mountain! Second Uncle is bad!”
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Lin Jiayan nearly choked to death.
The coughing fit that had just subsided came roaring back.
At that moment, all she wanted was for nobody to have heard what A’ming had just said.
One of Chahar’s eyebrows lifted.
The previous night, the female physician had needed to examine her injuries and apply medicine. Since it wasn’t convenient in his own tent, he had arranged temporary lodging for her elsewhere.
Did she actually think he’d thrown her out?
Had she even complained to a child about it?
The corners of Chahar’s mouth curled upward.
Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Lin Jiayan cough until she could barely straighten her back.
“Oh?”
Bule Humu narrowed his hawk-like eyes.
“That happened? Chahar, what’s going on here?”
“N-No—cough—there’s nothing like that.”
Still struggling to breathe, Lin Jiayan hurriedly spoke up.
“It’s all a misunderstanding. Just a misunderstanding.”
Immediately, every eye in the tent turned toward her.
Not only Chahar’s.
Everyone’s.
Lin Jiayan patted her chest, forced herself to calm down, and spoke with as much composure as she could manage.
“I’ve only just arrived and haven’t adjusted to the environment yet. The Taiji was concerned about my health and worried that I wouldn’t get enough rest, so he kindly arranged a quiet place where I could recover.”
Chahar raised an eyebrow.
Understanding dawned on him immediately.
It sounded like she was explaining things on his behalf.
In reality, she was cleverly finding an excuse not to share a tent with him in front of his father and elder brother.
And she had wrapped it in such perfectly reasonable logic that no one could object.
How sly.
“Oh…”
Bule Humu nodded.
“That’s reasonable. Conditions on the grasslands are harsh. Since your health is poor, you’ll need some time to adapt.”
Seeing that everyone had nearly finished eating, he signaled for the servants to clear the table.
This was her chance.
Lin Jiayan immediately stood up.
“Father, Elder Brother, Sister-in-law—you all still have matters to discuss. I won’t disturb you any longer. I’ll head back first.”
Without waiting for anyone to stop her, she turned and left the tent.
The meal had been utterly nerve-racking.
Only after stepping outside did she finally release a long breath of relief.
Slowly, she followed the path back.
“Princess.”
Suddenly, Chahar’s voice sounded from behind her.
Lin Jiayan froze and turned stiffly around.
“What is it, Taiji?”
Hearing the formal title, Chahar rubbed his nose with an amused smile.
“Nothing. I’ll walk you back.”
“Huh? No, no need.”
Lin Jiayan waved her hands hurriedly.
“You should stay and keep Father company. I can return by myself.”
After all, she had just secretly outmaneuvered him at dinner.
There was no way she wanted to be alone with him right now.
“I’d better escort you.”
Chahar’s smile widened.
“What if you get lost again?”
Lin Jiayan stared at him in shock.
So he had seen her wandering around in circles earlier?
Not only had he seen it—
He hadn’t helped at all.
He had simply stood by and watched her make a fool of herself?
If Ajina hadn’t happened to pass by, who knew how long she would have kept wandering?
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.
This man had clearly enjoyed watching her embarrass herself.
With an irritated toss of her head, she turned and marched forward without another word.
“Hey!”
Seeing her suddenly angry again, Chahar scratched his head in confusion and hurried after her.