After the Alluring Beauty Was Forced into a Political Marriage - Chapter 27

These two were completely oblivious to each other’s thoughts, occupied entirely with mutual resentment. Shiqin Bari, in particular, was fuming with anger, yet he refused to be the first to lower his head and speak clearly to Lianzhi. Instead, he stubbornly let the tension simmer.

This standoff lasted for nearly half a month, stretching until the birthday of Princess Nuomin. Lianzhi went to the banquet tent with great reluctance, sitting beside Shiqin Bari with a sullen expression, though Shiqin Bari’s own countenance was hardly any better.

Su Rina had clearly spared no effort. While she called it a “family banquet,” she had summoned the kings of various Great Xia tribes, as well as the Kings of the Left and Right Guli.

The guests sat in a circle around the tent, leaving a cleared space in the center. Attendants wheeled in a whole roasted lamb, using a knife to carve off the most succulent piece of meat to present to the Chanyu on a lacquered tray.

Shiqin Bari sliced the meat and instinctively moved to push the tray toward Lianzhi. However, he suddenly remembered he was still angry with the Yanzhi, so he indignantly stabbed the meat with his knife and ate it himself.

Since taking his seat, Lianzhi had not spared him a single direct glance. Naturally, he was unaware of Shiqin Bari’s internal turmoil. His head was turned, watching Princess Nuomin who sat not far away.

Princess Nuomin was pretty with a slightly dark complexion. The two patches of red on her cheeks were as striking as the sunset. She was a woman of great charm. Lianzhi took one look and withdrew his gaze, thinking to himself that it was no wonder the little beast beside him wanted to take her as a concubine.

He had thought the young barbarian was a man of true character. Humph, it turned out he was just like his dead father, a lecherous man.

Once everyone was full of food and wine, the Great Xia musicians began to play. Beautiful Xia women started to dance to the music, and the lead dancer reached out her hand toward Princess Nuomin.

Princess Nuomin did not hesitate. With a graceful smile, she took the dancer’s hand and joined them.

The dark braids hanging at her temples swayed with her movements, and the silver bells tied to her body jingled rhythmically. The melodious sound of the konghou accompanied the crisp, jade like ringing of the bells, creating a truly intoxicating atmosphere.

When the music ended, Princess Nuomin stopped abruptly, the hem of her robe sweeping through the air like a crescent moon. She bowed slightly toward Lianzhi and the others on the high seats. “Nuomin has made a fool of herself.”

“There is no need to be so modest,” Su Rina said, clapping and smiling. “It is said that Nuomin’s dancing is unparalleled. Today, I have finally seen it for myself.”

Before Nuomin could speak, her father, Chagan, clutched his stomach and laughed loudly. He said with no small amount of pride, “In terms of beauty, my daughter might not be first, but in terms of dancing, no one on the grassland can rival Nuomin!”

Su Rina curled her lips in a satisfied smile and gave Chagan a meaningful look. Chagan understood immediately and asked loudly, “I wonder what the Yanzhi thinks?”

They were speaking the Xia tongue, so Lianzhi did not understand. It took him a moment to realize Chagan was addressing him. The translator leaned in and repeated their words in his ear.

Though surprised, Lianzhi maintained a faint smile. “It is, of course, extremely beautiful.”

“I have heard that the Great Zhou is a land of rites and music. If we compared Nuomin to the skilled dancers of the Zhou Palace, I wonder who would be superior?”

The translator leaned in again. Just as Lianzhi was about to speak, Su Rina cut in first, “Why mention the dancers of the Zhou Palace? Since the Great Zhou is a land of rites and music, surely the Yanzhi must have some accomplishments in this regard.”

“The Yanzhi has been in our Great Xia for a long time, yet we have never witnessed his dancing. It is truly a pity.”

She was speaking Han Chinese now, intentionally making sure Lianzhi understood. Lianzhi realized she was trying to use Nuomin to humiliate him.

He lowered his eyes and said calmly, “It is a pity indeed. To my shame, I know absolutely nothing about dancing.”

Su Rina narrowed her eyes, clearly not expecting Lianzhi to challenge her so publicly. Chagan, seeing her expression stiffen, knew she was displeased.

Chagan had already coordinated with her. Seeing Su Rina losing ground, he immediately chimed in, “The Yanzhi must be joking. Even if you cannot dance, you must know something else. Could it be…”

“That the Yanzhi excels at nothing at all?”

“Chagan.” Shiqin Bari, who had been silent until now, spoke up. His emerald green eyes swept over, his gaze sharp as a blade. “You are drunk.”

“You have completely forgotten the words I spoke before!”

The smile on Chagan’s lips faltered. He suddenly remembered the severed heads that had rolled among the meat and wine not long ago, and Shiqin Bari’s resounding order: “Kill without mercy.”

He shrunk back, tucking his hands into his sleeves, not daring to say another word.

Su Rina saw Chagan’s cowardly display. Although she did not show it, she cursed him in her heart for being useless.

The translator kept his head close to Lianzhi’s ear, whispering the translation. Lianzhi listened while looking at each of them in turn. He saw these Xia people clearly and knew Shiqin Bari was intervening for him.

If it were the past, he would have remembered Shiqin Bari’s kindness, but since he was currently at odds with the young barbarian, this “kindness” felt incredibly hypocritical.

Lianzhi grew stubborn, determined to go against Shiqin Bari. He spoke up, “King of the Karachin, you are mistaken.”

“Since today is Nuomin’s birthday, there is no harm in me performing a piece,” Lianzhi said with moderate poise.

“Great King, please allow your servant to go and change clothes.”

Shiqin Bari’s eyes widened. Shen Lianzhi never referred to himself as “your servant” in front of him, usually just using “I,” and Shiqin Bari had never felt anything was wrong with that. Now that Lianzhi was being so formally respectful, he felt a sense of unease.

However, he could not worry about that now. He instinctively reached out and grabbed Lianzhi’s wrist, pulling him closer. He hissed under his breath, “Hey! What are you doing? What could you possibly know? Do not push yourself. Come back!”

Lianzhi gave a low laugh, his long eyelashes fluttering. Shiqin Bari actually saw a hint of mockery in those willow leaf eyes. Lianzhi pulled his wrist away and said formally, “Your servant will return shortly.”

Su Rina was also stunned, but she quickly regained her composure. She thought with disdain, “What could a man like Shen Lianzhi possibly have to show off?”

Thinking this way eased her mind. She assumed Shen Lianzhi had simply been provoked into a foolish decision. Humph, overestimating himself, he was just digging his own grave.

Each person harbored their own hidden motives until Lianzhi walked back in from outside the tent.

Attendants pulled back the curtains for him. Lianzhi had changed out of the tight Hu clothing and into a set of emerald green robes with wide sleeves. He had unbraided his hair, and his dark tresses were held up only by a single jade hairpin.

Lianzhi was slender and tall. Holding a crooked neck pipa in his arms, he stood solitary and graceful, like a pure lotus emerging from the dust or a fairy from a painting.

He sat on the couch in the center of the tent, one hand placed high on the pipa’s frets. As his wide sleeves fell back, they revealed his snowy white forearms. Lianzhi’s slender fingertips casually plucked the strings, and the music poured out like a gurgling stream. He sang softly:

“Guan guan go the ospreys, on the islet in the river. The modest, retiring, virtuous, young lady: For our prince a good mate she.”

“Seeking her and not finding her, day and night he thought of her.”

When Lianzhi finished singing, he stood up holding the pipa and walked toward Princess Nuomin. The princess could not take her eyes off him, the blush on her face deepening. “Yan… Yanzhi…”

“This is part of my dowry.” Lianzhi pulled the jade hairpin from his hair, and his dark tresses cascaded down instantly like a splash of ink on a landscape. He tucked the jade pin into Nuomin’s braid, leaning in slightly, making her head spin.

“I no longer have a use for it. I give it to you as a birthday gift, a small token of my regard.”

“Thank… thank you, Yanzhi,” Nuomin whispered, her face red.

Seeing this scene, Su Rina nearly fainted from rage.

What kind of sorcery was this Shen Lianzhi using to make everyone revolve around him! This abomination did not just charm men; he charmed women too. Look at Nuomin, she clearly had no more intention of competing with him!

As for Shiqin Bari, it went without saying. From the moment that creature entered the tent, his eyes had not left Shen Lianzhi for a second.

What concubine? What was the point of taking a concubine now?

Shiqin Bari had indeed thrown any thought of a concubine to the back of his mind. Seeing Nuomin looking shyly at his Yanzhi, he felt quite jealous. He pulled Lianzhi back and began carving meat and pouring wine for him again.

Lianzhi curled his lip downward, ignoring him.

Shiqin Bari felt slighted and annoyed, but his desire for closeness eventually won out. Having finally endured until the end of the banquet, he dragged Lianzhi all the way back to the Royal Tent and kissed him passionately.

“What song was that?” Shiqin Bari looked down at Lianzhi’s lips, which were bright red from his kissing. “Tell me.”

Lianzhi was being held so tightly he could hardly breathe. He spoke dizzily, “Guan… Guan Ju…”

Shiqin Bari then asked earnestly, “Yanzhi, what else can you sing? What else can you do?”

Shen Lianzhi held too many secrets. Every time Shiqin Bari thought he understood him, it turned out otherwise. He thought he was a coward, yet Shen Lianzhi could resist with a whip. He thought Lianzhi had no talents, yet he was skilled with the pipa.

In his urgency, Shiqin Bari stripped away the layers of clothing on Lianzhi’s body as if peeling away layers of mist. Only when the mist vanished could he see his Yanzhi clearly. Their bodies pressed together, Shiqin Bari held him tightly and panted, “What else are you hiding from me?”

“Tell me everything, Yanzhi,” Shiqin Bari murmured, nuzzling against Lianzhi’s neck.

He looked up, his long, sharp eyes staring deeply into Lianzhi’s.

That intense gaze was too bold. Lianzhi instinctively turned his head, only to notice the pipa leaning nearby. His pupils suddenly contracted as he remembered that he still harbored his greatest secret.

“Yanzhi, Shen Lianzhi.” Shiqin Bari reached out to pinch his chin. Amidst his heavy, passionate breathing, there was a trace of a fierce threat. “You must stay by my side forever. Be my Yanzhi obediently… Yanzhi…”

Those words burned Lianzhi’s heart like fire. He no longer felt any pleasure; instead, an invisible fear enveloped him. His entire body turned cold. He pushed against Shiqin Bari. “Great King…”

“Great King… I am tired,” Lianzhi said.

Shiqin Bari was unexpectedly easy to talk to today. Although he did not pull away completely, he stopped his movements. He wrapped his arms around Lianzhi’s waist and said sincerely, “I never intended to take a concubine. That was only to appease my sister.”

“I will not take a concubine. I will only have you…”

If Lianzhi had heard these words a few days ago, he would have been overjoyed. But now, Shiqin Bari’s burning affection only made him terrified, leaving him unable to face it honestly.

What should he do?

Lianzhi thought blankly, “What should I do?”

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