Tulu's eyes were practically overflowing with murderous intent, each word he spoke bitten out with venom.
"One isn't enough, choose two. Two aren't enough, choose three. Line up ten of them, for the princess to pick from!"
That sentence flashed in his mind again.
If Qinghe were lying here today... No! He wouldn't allow it! Wouldn't allow it!
"Ah—Brother King, you've gone mad!"
Mei Duo scrambled off the bed, dodging wildly.
Tulu, like a madman with bloodshot eyes, swung his saber at the bed, the bedding, the table, the walls.
Wherever the saber passed, sparks flew.
Huodu rushed over to stop him. Mei Duo hid behind him, screaming in terror.
"Brother King has gone mad, he's gone mad!"
"Princess, please stop talking. You should go out first!"
Huodu pushed Mei Duo out the door, then closed it, blocking the prying eyes from outside.
"Great Prince, please calm down!"
"The princess has always been like this, you know that. Besides, the matter of the political marriage is already settled. Why are you so angry?"
"Our Turkic women aren't as conservative as those from Great Jing. She's a princess, seeking novelty by finding a few male courtesans. She didn't cause any trouble. What's gotten into you?"
Had he been too repressed?
Speaking of which, why had the Great Prince become so abstinent? He hadn't seen him seek out women on this journey. Even the two beauties the Emperor of Jing sent last time were gifted to them.
What was going on?
Could it be true, as the former queen had said, that he was impotent?
Huodu broke out in a cold sweat.
He felt he had stumbled upon the truth.
Tulu, after hacking the room to pieces, finally stopped, panting heavily.
But the smell in the room still made him feel dizzy with disgust.
"Don't you find it disgusting?" he asked Huodu.
"Uh, a little, but, just pretend the princess isn't a woman, but a man. Wouldn't it be easier to accept then?"
A man.
One man and three women.
Tulu's body trembled, his eyes widening.
He understood.
He knew why Qinghe found him dirty.
It wasn't that he hadn't washed properly, or that the smell of riding had clung to him. It was him, having many women.
While Xiao Shan only guarded one divine maiden.
Therefore, he was clean.
No matter how dark his face, his body was clean.
Qinghe was a woman who couldn't tolerate even a speck of dust in her eye. He was dirty.
But this was how they were in the Turkic tribes. He hadn't known he would fall in love with her.
After falling in love with her, he hadn't touched anyone else. He truly hadn't. Was this still not enough?
Tulu slumped to the ground, dejected.
He was indeed very dirty, very disgusting. No wonder she had called him a "stud."
So that's what it meant.
He had originally thought she was calling him powerful!
"Huodu, you be responsible for negotiating with Great Jing. Negotiate as Father King said."
Huodu was already supposed to be in charge of the negotiations. Tulu had only caught up midway.
"Yes, Great Prince."
This matter had already been delayed for too long. For some reason, the Great Prince had suddenly agreed, which also relieved Huodu. He quickly went to make arrangements.
The Turkic homeland was unstable. To avoid any unforeseen changes, it was best to conclude negotiations quickly and return.
................
Xiao Shan led Ling Yao back, his eyes occasionally glancing at her.
"Why do you keep looking at me?"
She felt a little shy.
Xiao Shan was thinking, five years ago, she was only 13. Could she have truly understood feelings? It was probably just curiosity about him.
But his heart still itched, wanting to ask for clarity.
"I heard that when you were little, you liked to inquire about me a lot?"
"Mm?" Ling Yao blinked her eyes. He knew? It must have been Qinghe who told him.
"Why inquire about me? A mere martial man, more attractive than the young lords in the capital?"
His gaze was fixed on her, not missing any expression on her face.
"I just felt you were very formidable. The Turkic people are so ferocious, and you could defeat them. I wondered if you had extra hands or feet to be so powerful."
Was it just that?
As expected, he had overthought it.
"If Great Jing had more people like you, Father wouldn't be frowning all day, and he would have more time to spend with me."
"Oh." Xiao Shan's interest waned.
"Those young lords are all show and no substance. They rely on their fathers' influence to be so dazzling. They can't compare to true heroes like you."
Xiao Shan thought, well, at least she was flattering him a bit.
"Later, after hearing more, I increasingly wanted to meet you. Qinghe said martial men like you must look terrifying, otherwise, why would they call you a malevolent god? I didn't think so. Even if you weren't good-looking, you must have been tempered on the battlefield. Even someone as beautiful as an immortal, after a stint on the frontier, would surely become dark and rough. You are a hero, one shouldn't just look at the appearance."
Xiao Shan nodded vigorously. Yes, he had indeed been a bit fairer before, and not ugly.
His wife wasn't those superficial people; she saw his inner beauty at a glance.
"Qinghe said you don't get close to women. Perhaps there's something wrong with you. At your age, with vigorous blood, that's impossible."
This Qinghe, who the hell had a problem? He was merely chaste and self-respecting.
Actually, it was a bit of a problem, a cleanliness obsession. He found those women to be dirty.
"I don't know why, but I felt quite happy."
Xiao Shan gazed at her. "Happy?"
"Yes, quite happy." Ling Yao nodded emphatically. "I even had a dream that night..."
Ling Yao blushed. She felt very shy, having such indecent dreams at such a young age.
"What dream?" Xiao Shan felt something was up and began to press.
Ling Yao wouldn't say.
"My little darling, tell me quickly." Xiao Shan breathed into her ear.
Ling Yao couldn't stand it, blushing as she whispered, "I dreamed a great general in battle armor was holding me, and it was you."
"You hadn't met me before, how did you know it was me?"
"I knew in the dream, I knew in my heart." Ling Yao didn't say that in the dream, the great general had also kissed her.
"When I woke up, I drew a picture, just as I remembered from the dream."
"The drawing?" Qinghe had mentioned this.
"It's in a box under a shelf in the study on the third floor of the main hall. I haven't been up there since returning, so I'm not sure if it's still there."
"Wait a moment." Xiao Shan went to the end of the corridor, changed into a guard's uniform, and gave a few instructions.
He soon returned, holding a packet of orange candies.
"I bought these when the envoys entered the city that day. But then Princess Highness stopped me at the palace gate." He said, with a hint of teasing. "Here, open your mouth."
Seeing the orange candies, Ling Yao remembered her time in Bozi Village. Her eyes sparkled, and she showed a look of satisfaction as she ate them.
"So sweet, tastes the same."
"You eat one too." She picked up a candy and put it in Xiao Shan's mouth.
At that time, she kept that packet of orange candies by her bed and ate them for a long time. When she felt bitter inside, she would eat one.
Thinking back now, it was quite good.
Xiao Shan smacked his lips. They were indeed very sweet.
Du Ling had said to revisit their village memories often, to make her think more of his good qualities. These were memories only they shared, where no one else could intrude.
It seemed true now. Most importantly, she seemed very happy.