Inside the barbarian encampment near Xiashi Beach, an elder with a sable fur hat sat in the high seat. He was lean, vigorous, appearing to be in his fifties, with a hint of ruthlessness in the corners of his eyes, clearly a man of consequence.
To his left and right, several burly men sat below, all clad in barbarian general's leather armor, looking like seasoned warriors, exuding imposing auras.
Among them, two individuals stood out as particularly distinctive. One was the jewel in the palm of the Qiyuege tribe, the female general Ha Yuezhu. She was the beloved, late-in-life daughter and only child of tribal leader Ti Heya, doted upon since childhood and favored more than her several brothers.
Furthermore, Ha Yuezhu was not only radiant and graceful in appearance but also accomplished in both civil and martial arts. Her horsemanship ranked among the best in the tribe, and her archery was remarkably accurate, earning her the moniker "First Jewel of the Grasslands."
Ha Yuezhu had captivated countless barbarian warriors. When she reached marriageable age, suitors from various tribes flocked to propose, but Ha Yuezhu found none worthy.
The Qiyuege tribe was the third largest barbarian tribe, possessing immense wealth. Smaller tribes had little chance of a successful proposal. Ti Heya, doting on his daughter, agreed to let her marry whomever she pleased, without forced alliances.
After much deliberation, Ha Yuezhu set her sights on Manmuha He.
Manmuha He, amidst the crowd, was strikingly handsome. He was tall and slender, with relatively fair skin, presenting an air of scholarly refinement, a stark contrast to the robust, broad-shouldered appearance of most barbarians.
However, his past was well-known. Born prematurely and prone to illness, it was said he could barely walk at three years old. While others of his age were wielding blades against wolves, he was snatched by one.
Though he miraculously survived, his physique remained frail, lending him a scholarly demeanor, devoid of the typical barbarian recklessness and brute force.
Ha Yuezhu, in the bloom of youth, fell for him at first sight. However, Ti Heya was deeply displeased, even retracting his promise to let his daughter choose her own spouse.
Although Yalu Sangduo had a glorious past, it was now in decline, its tribal strength dwindling, effectively pushing it out of contention for the throne.
Manmuha He did not seem like a man capable of protecting Ha Yuezhu. Thus, Ti Heya vehemently opposed the marriage.
Ha Yuezhu resorted to tantrums and hunger strikes, becoming dangerously weak, yet her father remained unyielding.
Later, Ti Heya conceded slightly. Unable to bear the thought of his beloved daughter dying for a man, he proposed that Manmuha He marry into their Qiyuege tribe.
At the time, Ti Heya intended to sabotage the union, thus proposing an outrageously difficult condition. He believed no man would accept it. To his utter astonishment, Manmuha He agreed.
To marry into another family! What a disgrace. To abandon his own tribe, their totem. A man, instead of striving for achievement and restoring his tribe's glory, was willing to marry into Qiyuege for a woman. Even though this woman was his daughter, Ti Heya still felt this man was utterly lacking in ambition.
Of course, there was another possibility: this man was exceptionally ambitious, with grand designs, aiming to use the Qiyuege tribe as a stepping stone to reach greater heights.
If that were the case, such a person was not to be trifled with!
Regardless, the two tribes were still in negotiations. Future matters could be dealt with in the future.
"The scouts we sent out have made no contact. It's likely they've met a grim fate," Ti Heya said coldly. "The heavy snow will only melt with the spring thaw. Not to mention whether the people of the Honored Nation can hold out for two months, but can we ourselves endure it?"
The weather was dreadfully cold. Despite the thick tents and several braziers burning within, Ti Heya's words sent a shiver down everyone's spines, as if an icy wind was seeping into their very flesh.
"Father, why don't we send more people? As long as one person succeeds, this matter will be resolved."
Ha Yuezhu shot her fifth brother a disdainful look, thinking him a fool whose every suggestion was as worthless as cow dung, yet he himself remained oblivious.
"Father, in my opinion, we should just let them drag it out."
"I disagree," said a man with a full beard in a low voice. "Father, if the snow doesn't melt, we'll dig through it. We'll surely open a path. It's not that far. We'll reach the city walls before the second month."
Ha Yuezhu rolled her eyes. The combined capabilities of these men didn't even amount to a fingernail of Manmuha He's, yet her father couldn't see his worth.
Thinking of this, Ha Yuezhu could no longer sit still and immediately said, "Father, why not listen to Manmuha He's suggestion?"
"Oh?" Ti Heya's cold gaze swept towards Manmuha He. "Warrior of the Yalu Sangduo tribe, do you have any good ideas?"
Many chuckled condescendingly, the way he addressed him utterly devoid of respect.
Manmuha He, however, rose unhurriedly and said to Ti Heya, "I do have a plan, but I wonder if the chieftain has the courage to try it."
Oh?
Several burly men nearby roared, "How dare you speak to my father like that!"
"Do you know who is sitting up there?"
Ti Heya waved his hand, silencing the crowd.
"Oh, tell us what it is."
Manmuha He said, "I will go alone."
A silence fell upon the tent. No one had expected him to say that. Then, a wave of laughter erupted, as if threatening to blow off the tent's roof.
"What did you say? You'll go alone? To your death?"
"Ha Yuezhu, has he gone mad? Is this the pretty boy you've chosen?"
"It seems not only is your body weak, but your mind is also not quite right."
Was it really like that?
Ha Yuezhu's face turned red with anger, her eyes questioning Manmuha He. He merely shook his head slightly, his gaze exceptionally resolute, as if to say, you must believe me.
This time, even Ti Heya's interest was piqued. "Oh, you will go alone? That's indeed interesting. The city that my tens of thousands of cavalry cannot conquer, will it perhaps open its gates for you alone?"
"It will," Manmuha He replied with great confidence. "This matter is of grave importance. I request the chieftain to have others temporarily withdraw. I can only speak with you alone."
"How can that be?" the muddled-minded fifth son jumped out again. "What if you intend to do something treacherous to Father?"
"Brother, don't you see how many people are surrounding this tent? Manmuha He isn't foolish, would he really try to assassinate Father?" Ha Yuezhu rolled her eyes. "Besides, he isn't even a member of the Qiyuege tribe yet, and he's already thinking of sharing Father's worries. What about you? What can you do?"
Her words enraged the fifth son, and the siblings nearly came to blows within the tent.