After the Alluring Beauty Was Forced into a Political Marriage - Chapter 8

“What did you say?” Shen Lianzhi’s face turned deathly pale. He grabbed Xiao Anzi’s sleeve. “Say that again!”

He gripped it so tightly that Xiao Anzi’s wrist ached from the bunched fabric. Enduring the pain, Xiao Anzi repeated somberly, “Your Highness, it is absolutely true!”

“The Great Chanyu Siqin Bari wants you to be his Consort. The wedding day,” Xiao Anzi swallowed hard, “is tonight.”

It was too absurd! Shen Lianzhi felt the strength drain from his body instantly. He collapsed back onto the couch, his palms brushing against the soft, smooth fur. He shook his head in a panicked daze.

“How can this be? How can it?” Shen Lianzhi hunched over, his hands pulling forcefully at the hair by his temples. This news was a bolt from the blue. He had thought, he had thought he would surely be able to go home.

After the funeral rites for Suhe Chanyu, Shen Lianzhi had waited here for two days. During those two days, he had watched expectantly, only wishing for Siqin Bari to drive him away quickly, yet there had been no movement at all.

Anxious, Shen Lianzhi had sent Xiao Anzi to the Minister of Rites to gather information, only to receive such a result.

“Does he not hate me? Does he not loathe me?” Lianzhi said sorrowfully. “Then why does he want to keep me?”

“Your Highness”

Shen Lianzhi sat stunned on the couch. His great expectations had vanished, and the dream he thought would come true had been ruthlessly shattered. He turned his head to look at the animal skins covering this dome-shaped tent. The unfamiliar surroundings made him feel as if he could hardly breathe.

He took a few deep breaths. The immense grief left his mind in chaos. Shen Lianzhi actually ran outside regardless of the consequences. Seeing things take a bad turn, Xiao Anzi hurried after him.

However, after running a few steps, Shen Lianzhi suddenly stopped. He had only recently awakened, and his loose hair was blown wildly by the wind. Lianzhi gazed at the vast, boundless grasslands covered in snow. His lips parted slightly, and the sadness in his eyes was almost overflowing.

“Your Highness,” Xiao Anzi cried. He lowered his head and wiped his tears. “The grasslands are too big.”

“Where can you possibly run to?”

They had run once before, fueled by a bit of foolish impulse, only to be chased by a pack of wolves and nearly becoming meat in their mouths.

Lianzhi looked up at the pale blue, misty sky. He closed his eyes, and the image of the broken jade bracelet that had been swallowed by the wolves suddenly came to mind.

The wind was too strong. His legs trembled as he stood in the snow. Slowly, Lianzhi could no longer stand. His knees bent, and he knelt in the snow. Xiao Anzi knelt down to support him, and as he leaned closer, he heard Lianzhi say one thing.

“Forget it,” Lianzhi said. “Let it be.”

Xiao Anzi supported Lianzhi as their feet left a trail of footprints in the snow. They returned to the felt tent. When the felt curtain was lifted, they found the room filled with people.

Siqin Bari was there too. He was tall and stood in the very center. Shen Lianzhi saw him immediately and then silently looked away. Siqin Bari paused, then strode over and grabbed Lianzhi’s jaw with his hand.

He did not use much force, but his palm was so hot that it made Lianzhi frown slightly. Shen Lianzhi turned his head slightly, trying to escape the restraint, but he was unsuccessful.

“Where do you want to run to now?” Siqin Bari looked down at him, his voice cold and deep.

Shen Lianzhi was still a little afraid of him and said tremulously, “I did not.”

Siqin Bari leaned down slightly, pulling Lianzhi’s messy hair to one side. The action was intimate, but his words were as cold as ice. “Do not think I do not know what you are thinking.”

“Do you remember what I told you when you first tried to escape the marriage?” Siqin Bari smiled at him, revealing two sharp, cold white canine teeth. “In Great Xia, those who run away will be stripped naked, have a rope tied around their necks, and be locked in a sheepfold. Anyone can do anything to you.”

Shen Lianzhi’s hair stood on end, and his legs shook.

“So, stay quiet.” Siqin Bari saw his fear clearly and curled his lips in satisfaction.

The young Chanyu raised his hand and lightly patted his future wife’s face. “Be good, Consort.”

Siqin Bari turned around, raising his head to speak coldly to the people in the tent: “Dress the Consort.”

Shen Lianzhi came out dressed in traditional Xia clothing.

His dark hair had been braided into a thick plait adorned with various gemstones. Around his forehead, he wore a thin silver chain also studded with jewels.

Shen Lianzhi looked at himself in the mirror and wanted to lose his temper immediately. He felt he looked hideous, more hideous than he had ever been. The clothes were ugly, and his face was covered in thick powder and strange markings.

He felt like a madman who had fallen headfirst into a pile of flour.

Angrily, Shen Lianzhi drove out all the Xia people who had dressed him. He took his handkerchief and wiped his face clean. Once finished, Lianzhi felt much better.

Although he still felt he looked bad, at least the clothes were the only problem.

One of the Xia women who had been driven out burst back in. Seeing that Lianzhi had wiped away the makeup, she cried out in exaggeration, speaking rapidly in the Xia language.

Shen Lianzhi could not understand what she was saying. With a dark expression, he walked past her. The Minister of Rites was waiting outside to accompany Lianzhi to the banquet area near the royal tent.

As they drew closer, Lianzhi suddenly reached out and grabbed the Minister’s sleeve. Tugging him, they both stopped. “Your Highness?”

Lianzhi was silent for a moment, then raised his hand to rub his eyes hard. “Master Chen.”

“I must trouble you to bring a message to my cousin and my Imperial Aunt,” Lianzhi choked out. “Tell them that I am doing well here.”

“Tell them not to worry about me.”

The Minister of Rites sighed deeply. “Yes, Your Highness.”

With that, he led Lianzhi forward. Near the royal tent, numerous low tables were arranged in a large circle. The circle had a small opening, and in the middle was a wide, empty space.

A bonfire blazed in the center of the space, the flames leaping upward and illuminating the darkening sky.

Shen Lianzhi walked to Siqin Bari’s side. He watched as the Minister of Rites gave a formal bow to Siqin Bari and said something in the Xia language. Siqin Bari gave a slight nod and replied with a few brief words.

“Then, this humble official shall depart.” The Minister of Rites turned and spoke to Lianzhi. “Your Highness.”

“Take care.”

Seeing the Minister of Rites walk further away, Shen Lianzhi suddenly called out to him: “Master Chen!”

Lianzhi watched him from a distance, his eyes reddening slightly. “Do not forget. Do not forget to tell him.”

The Minister of Rites nodded. With his final departure, the last glimmer of hope in Shen Lianzhi’s heart was completely extinguished. He followed behind Siqin Bari, allowing his nominal husband to lead him by the hand toward the main seats of the banquet.

Siqin Bari’s grip was very strong, making Shen Lianzhi’s hand ache. Lianzhi heard him ask, “To whom did you ask him to deliver a message?”

Shen Lianzhi’s expression changed slightly, but he quickly returned to normal. He said softly, “Just someone of no consequence.”

Siqin Bari took Lianzhi to their seats. The seats for the Chanyu and his Consort were directly opposite the opening of the circle. Sitting beside Shen Lianzhi was a woman who bore some resemblance to Siqin Bari.

The woman’s gaze fell on Lianzhi’s clean face. She frowned slightly but said nothing.

Siqin Bari raised Lianzhi’s wrist high and spoke in a booming voice: “Ee (Consort)!”

Everyone stood up. These people who made Lianzhi feel afraid raised their bronze cups and drained the fragrant, spicy mare’s milk wine in one gulp. They shouted in unison: “Ee!”

Lianzhi’s legs felt as soft as noodles. The gazes from the Xia people made him feel an inexplicable chill. He felt like a sheep that had fallen into a pack of wolves, destined to be devoured sooner or later.

The Xia people were also watching Lianzhi. Their Consort was a man with a physical anomaly. Everyone had thought the new Chanyu would drive this strange man away and marry the most beautiful young woman on the grasslands, yet the Great Chanyu had kept him and married him.

The bonfire burned. The men and women of Great Xia finished their songs and dances. Lianzhi took a sip of the mare’s milk wine and was immediately dazed by its pungent, spicy taste. He looked at the large chunks of roasted mutton, still streaked with blood in the silver bowl, and pushed them aside with distaste.

Lianzhi had a healthy appetite and was already very hungry, but his palate was too refined; he would only eat food that was meticulously prepared.

Siqin Bari noticed his actions and let out a cold sneer. “Pretentious.”

In truth, when Shen Lianzhi was young, he could swallow dry steamed buns with water. As he grew older, he was pampered by Lu Jingce. But now that he was in the grasslands and his cousin was thousands of miles away, who would pamper him anymore?

Halfway through the wedding, Lianzhi claimed he was unwell and returned with little interest. He had intended to return to his own tent, but on the way, he was “invited” to the royal tent by servants sent by Siqin Bari.

The royal tent was very spacious, covered everywhere with furs, making it warm and soft. Shen Lianzhi sat on the couch and saw the servants bring in several buckets of steaming hot water.

The servant said, “The King requests the Consort to bathe first.”

Shen Lianzhi silently took off his Xia clothing, unbraided his hair, and settled into the hot water with a pale face. The rising steam did not bring much color to his complexion. His face remained deathly white, and his lips trembled.

The servant kept urging him: “Consort, Consort.”

Lianzhi ignored her. He dried his body with a silk cloth and stepped out from the corner. He casually put on his light undergarments and tried to put the heavy Xia clothing back on, but as he reached out, the servant stopped him.

The servant clapped her hands, and another servant entered. In her hands, she held a garment that Shen Lianzhi recognized well; it was the wedding robe he had worn when he arrived.

The wedding robe seemed to have been washed, but it had already been torn to pieces by him earlier. Lianzhi looked at the garment and asked blankly, “What is the meaning of this?”

The cold servant called him in her broken Han language: “Consort.”

“The King says he hopes you will wear this garment when you consummate the marriage with him.”

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