Inside the great tent where the Khan was hosting the banquet, the men were busy settling the matters that lay ahead.

“The wedding is tonight? And we break camp tomorrow?” the Fifth Prince said indignantly. “Isn’t this all rather rushed?”

The head official felt an enormous headache coming on.

Prince Shou was a wily old fox, perfectly clear that he was nothing more than a symbol of the Xie imperial clan with no actual function, and so he never spoke on any matter — he was very easy to deal with.

The Fifth Prince, however, was a brash young man who had to stick his nose and his hand into everything. And yet he had none of the ability to back it up.

“Your Highness,” the head official explained. “The khanate’s customs differ from ours. They observe no formal matchmaking procedures and no six rites. Their wedding ceremony is simple — just one great feast. The Khan has been camped here for several days in preparation, waiting only for us to arrive before the rites could be performed.”

Even though it had been explained thus, the Fifth Prince remained disgruntled. He felt the proceedings were too crude and simple, and showed insufficient respect for the Da Zhao imperial family.

The official, having no other recourse, resorted to frightening him a little: “Your Highness, this is not the true seat of the Khan’s court — it is merely the border between the two nations. It will still be a very long journey from here after the Khan takes the princess back with him. And it is already the twelfth month now — the coldest season of the year. The northern people say that a cold wave is on its way. Every additional day’s delay means more horses and cattle possibly freezing to death on the road — perhaps even people.”

The Fifth Prince was alarmed: “Is it really that cold?”

Prince Shou spoke up: “In that case, let us be the guest who follows the host’s lead.”

The Fifth Prince, though visibly displeased, pressed the matter no further. The head official exhaled a great sigh of relief.

In the other great tent, Xie Yuzhang was also discussing the night’s affairs with Zhadayali.

“All my maids must stay with me. My sleeping bed must be moved over as well.” She said with a perfectly straight face. “Otherwise I won’t be able to sleep somewhere strange.”

Zhadayali laughed: “Of course.”

She looked at this newly arrived young sister-wife. Though her beauty was striking, her eyes still held the freshness of youth, and she was even a year younger than her own son. Then she thought of the old Khan’s age, and her smile remained on her face while a quiet sigh settled in her heart.

Women such as they were mostly bound into political alliances — there was no point in entertaining any illusions about the notion of husband and wife.

She herself had come here in the bloom of her youth, to a husband still wetting the bed — and she had gotten through it all the same. She had never resented it. Her aunt had arranged this marriage for her; she was the wife of the steppe master’s son, and not only did she live in honor and dignity herself, but she had brought great benefit to her family’s clan.

It had all been worth it.

“Also my guards.” Xie Yuzhang said, still smiling. “They must stay and watch over me.”

Zhadayali naturally had no objection to any of this. She instructed the slave women to bring out food and introduced several of her sisters-in-law to Xie Yuzhang, among whom was Xia’erdan’s first wife.

Xia’erdan had lacked the ability to marry a princess of good standing from a great tribe. His wife, like himself, was the daughter of a chieftain and technically a princess of sorts, but her mother had also been a slave woman.

A slave woman’s child was considered of low standing not only because she brought no wealth in cattle and warriors, but also because her parentage might be of uncertain origin.

But the northern people were not as particular about bloodlines as the people of the Central Plains. Even if a child was not one’s own, it was simply another warrior to raise. Northern people had no use for those who ate without earning their keep — even princes were put into training from a young age, and by twelve or thirteen they were following their elders into battle and killing.

Xia’erdan was warped in spirit and malicious in temperament.

Because Xie Yuzhang came from a distinguished background, he imagined she looked down on him, and so he tormented her.

His own wife, born of a slave woman like himself, he despised as a humiliation to him, and tormented her too.

All his women were afraid of him. When he died, the women were all cheerfully off, taking their own private belongings with them as they went to nestle into the arms of new men.

After the great cuts of meat were served, Xie Yuzhang rinsed her hands, took out the small silver knife stored at her waist for cutting meat, and without the slightest hesitation sliced off small pieces of the roasted meat and ate it with her hands.

Zhadayali and her sisters-in-law discovered that the noble Da Zhao princess was beautiful in appearance but gentle and easygoing in manner, and they all took a liking to her.

Xie Yuzhang sat among them and had what turned out to be a rather pleasant meal.

When the meal was done, Zhadayali said: “You’ve had a long journey and must be tired. Rest for a while — toward evening I’ll come to rouse you, and we’ll dress you up and hold the wedding.”

She also pointed to the other women in the tent and told her that these slave women were now hers to command — if she needed anything, she was to give them orders, and whatever could not be resolved, she should have them come to find Zhadayali.

She also made particular note that two of the slave women were of Central Plains descent and could speak the Central Plains tongue.

Xie Yuzhang thanked her and saw them off, and quietly let out a breath of relief.

She returned to her seat and found the slave women were all stealing glances at her. It had been like this before — whether high or low in station, seeing that she was young, people always thought to coax her or take advantage of her.

Xie Yuzhang let her gaze sweep across them.

Without the listlessness and inward resistance she had carried before, her bearing as a Da Zhao princess emerged quite naturally and without effort. The slave women quickly bowed their heads.

“Who is in charge here?” Xie Yuzhang asked.

A middle-aged slave woman stepped forward.

Xie Yuzhang then asked: “Which of you can speak the Central Plains tongue?”

Two younger slave women stepped forward — three women now kneeling before her.

“Rise,” Xie Yuzhang said with a slight incline of her head.

She assigned each of them tasks. To the woman in charge, she said: “You will accompany my maid to find National Preceptor Abazha. Ask him whether what I requested is ready. If it is, bring it to me.”

She then called out: “Wan Xiu — go with her. Tell the National Preceptor it is the antidote to wine that I asked him for before.”

Wan Xiu accepted the task and left with the middle-aged slave woman.

Xie Yuzhang then assigned the two Central Plains slave women to accompany two of her maids — one to go and check on how the wedding procession’s camp was being set up, and one to go and urge Wang Shitou to come.

Wang Shitou arrived fastest. Xie Yuzhang sent the slave women and maids away and spoke with Wang Shitou alone.

“Your Highness, what are your orders?” Wang Shitou said, clasping his hands in salute.

Xie Yuzhang asked: “Is everyone settled in?”

Wang Shitou answered: “All settled. We’ve done this enough times along the way that everyone moves quickly and efficiently.”

“Have the patrol and watch arrangements been made?” Xie Yuzhang asked again.

“General Li says that until the return journey begins, he will handle all of that. He says we only need to attend to matters on Your Highness’s side,” Wang Shitou said.

Xie Yuzhang lowered her eyes. Her silence stretched on so long that Wang Shitou began to feel uneasy and stole a glance at her.

Xie Yuzhang raised her eyes. Her beautiful face was taut, and there was not the faintest trace of the smile she wore when dealing with others.

“Wang Shitou, listen carefully.” She said in a low, firm voice. “Tonight the wedding ceremony between me and the Khan will be held. Leave everything else to Li Gu and Ma Jianye. Tonight, you have only one duty.”

“Tonight, I will be sleeping in this tent.” Xie Yuzhang said. “Bring a team of men and stand guard over me. Do not allow anyone who is drunk to enter my tent. Have you understood?”

Wang Shitou said: “Understood.”

Xie Yuzhang said: “Good. Then repeat it back to me.”

Wang Shitou, puzzled, glanced at Xie Yuzhang and repeated: “Guard Your Highness’s tent alone. Allow no one who is drunk to enter.”

Xie Yuzhang nodded: “Remember — no matter who it is, if they are drunk, they are absolutely not to be allowed into my tent.”

Wang Shitou nodded: “I’ve got it.”

Xie Yuzhang ultimately felt it was not safe enough and spoke plainly: “And if the one who is drunk is the Khan?”

Wang Shitou paused, and sure enough hesitated just as she had feared.

Xie Yuzhang let out a quiet inward sigh, and said in a low, firm voice: “I will say it once more — no matter who it is, Khan or prince — if that person is drunk, you may not allow them in. Do you understand?”

“Understood, understood.” Wang Shitou nodded.

Wang Shitou withdrew. Xie Yuzhang sat alone in the tent, her hand resting on the dagger at her waist, lost in thought.

Wan Xiu returned after the time it takes an incense stick to burn. She brought back what Xie Yuzhang had asked for.

“The National Preceptor remembered it well. He says he specially had his student bring it over — it was just freshly prepared for Your Highness. Three doses in all,” she said.

On the road, Xie Yuzhang had already asked Abazha for this wine-counteracting remedy, but several of the ingredients were plants unique to the steppe, and Abazha had not had them on hand. When the messengers were going back and forth between the wedding procession and the Khan’s court, Abazha had sent word to his student to bring the ingredients along when he came with the Khan’s party to receive the Da Zhao princess.

“Their people here mostly leave illness to heaven’s will — their medical knowledge and medicines are generally poor. But the secret formulas passed down through generations by this great shaman are remarkably effective. Drink it and you are guaranteed to stay sober. There will certainly be drinking tonight — brew it now.” Xie Yuzhang said.

Wan Xiu acknowledged the instruction and went off to brew the remedy.

Xie Yuzhang’s personal belongings had been brought over, and Nanny Xia, refusing to give in to her illness, had also come.

Xie Yuzhang rose to welcome her: “Didn’t I say Nanny should rest? Why have you come again?”

Nanny Xia covered her mouth and nose with her sleeve and waved her hand: “Don’t come too close, Your Highness — don’t let me pass on the illness to you.”

She had awoken that morning with a headache and a fever. Though she had taken medicine, she was old and frail, and her spirits were very low. Even so, she refused to set her mind at ease without coming to check in person.

The maids who had served in the palace under Lin Fei’s oversight had long since been put into proper order, their conduct methodical and disciplined. All along this journey, Nanny Xia had personally watched over them, weeding out those who would not do and elevating those who would, so that by the time they arrived, all who remained close by Xie Yuzhang’s side were capable women.

Nanny Xia supervised as they settled everything in order, and only then was she somewhat at ease.

“The only pity is that I won’t be able to see Your Highness wear our wedding clothes…” She said with regret.

When Xie Yuzhang married into a foreign people, she would wear Mobei wedding attire at the ceremony — this had been made clear from the beginning.

Xie Yuzhang smiled faintly: “Married to a rooster, live like a hen; married to a dog, live like a hound.”

Nanny Xia was gratified by her composed and steady manner.

She coughed a little, and being afraid of passing the illness to Xie Yuzhang, kept a distance even when speaking. She watched as the whole household of mistress and servants settled into order and calmed her heart, then gave a few more instructions and departed.

The maids helped her remove her hairpins and accessories, washed her face, and rinsed her mouth. She lay down for a short rest in preparation for the evening.

Of course Xie Yuzhang could not sleep soundly. Before long she was awake again, and it was not yet dark outside — still afternoon.

Unwilling to try to sleep again, she called for one of the Central Plains slave women: “Go and tell Princess Zhadayali that I am ready.”

The slave woman left. The maids helped Xie Yuzhang into her outer robe.

“No need to do my hair.” Xie Yuzhang said. “It will need to be washed again later.”

Sure enough, Zhadayali came directly — bringing strong slave women carrying heated water with her.

“I was going to let you rest a bit longer — I didn’t expect you’d be up so early,” Zhadayali said with a smile. “Come, let’s get you ready — have a bath before the wedding.”

Xie Yuzhang was by nature fastidiously clean. Back in Yunjing she had bathed every day, as regularly as eating. But bathing in the steppe in winter was a luxury. Many herdsmen didn’t bathe at all throughout an entire winter. Even nobles went many days at a time without washing.

The Da Zhao princess Xie Yuzhang had come to be known across the steppe as one whose body carried an unusual fragrance, said to grow richer and more potent after three days without bathing.

That was all nonsense. It was because they themselves smelled so foul.

As Xie Yuzhang soaked in the hot water scattered with fragrant herbs, her mind kept turning over: this time, could she stop Ashina from forcing his way into her tent?

The people of her homeland — all they would say was: but he is your husband.