After being rejected repeatedly, Zhou Meng felt extremely displeased in his heart. The officials seated on both sides who were familiar with Zhou Meng had already noticed that their Prince was on the verge of anger.

In Xiyue, Zhou Meng had always been someone who brooked no opposition, especially when it came to women. All the women in Xiyue would never resist becoming his woman.

But here with Qin Yining, he had been repeatedly thwarted, which truly made him feel suffocated with anger.

His original gentle demeanor had also lost its patience due to his failure to successfully coax her into submission. At this moment, Zhou Meng was once again that domineering commander who issued orders.

“Since you don’t want to drink wine, then don’t drink. However, the reason I invited you to tonight’s banquet is because I have something that needs to be explained to you in front of all these ministers.”

As soon as Zhou Meng finished speaking, the hall fell completely silent. The family members of the officials sensibly filed out one after another, leaving only Zhou Meng and more than ten Xiyue officials in the room, plus Qin Yining and the three people she had brought. The twenty-odd soldiers Zhou Meng had brought earlier still kept their hands on their sword hilts, forming a semi-circle around Qin Yining, with a faint tendency to strike at any moment.

Qin Yining’s bright eyes turned to assess the situation around her, then she smiled slightly and said, “Please speak, Prince.”

Zhou Meng didn’t beat around the bush and spoke directly: “Your arrival indeed matches the description in the holy book of the Xiyue religion we worship, so everyone believes you are the goddess who can bring grain and harvest. I don’t deny this claim, but you and your people indeed entered that desert in the no-man’s land due to some unavoidable reason – this is a fact that any intelligent person cannot refute. Am I right?”

Qin Yining chuckled softly and said, “Whatever the Prince wants to say, please speak directly.”

Zhou Meng said, “Good, then I’ll speak plainly to you. We Xiyue people have been here for over a hundred years. We have always worried that the resources in this oasis are limited, and sooner or later there will come a day when everything is exhausted, so we have been constantly exploring ways to leave. In these hundred years, we have never found the right direction, let alone you who just arrived? So let me say something I shouldn’t say – you and your people will probably have to stay here for the rest of your lives.”

Qin Yining’s heart jumped violently.

Actually, Zhou Meng was speaking the truth. From the moment she was forced into the no-man’s land by the Tatar pursuers, she already knew she probably couldn’t get out. To see her family again would probably be impossible in this lifetime. But although she understood this in her heart, having someone say it to her face was another matter entirely.

These past days, Qin Yining had been numbing herself. Since waking from her coma, she had forced herself not to think wildly about these things. She forced herself to take each day as it came, living day by day.

But when Zhou Meng mercilessly revealed this obvious truth, the despair that Qin Yining had hidden so well still surged out uncontrollably, as if her body had suddenly been thrown into icy seawater. The surrounding cold and suffocation made her wish she could simply die and be done with it.

Although Qin Yining felt intense sadness and despair in her heart, she could not show it at this moment, nor would she give anyone any advantage during negotiations.

Qin Yining smiled lightly and said, “The Prince’s analysis is one-sided. What you cannot do, we may not necessarily be unable to do.”

Zhou Meng, however, laughed mockingly, “Stop pretending to be calm! No one here is a fool – you cannot walk out of this desert!”

Standing up, Zhou Meng strode down the steps, then suddenly turned around. His wide robe was swept by his movement, spreading behind him. He opened his arms excitedly and said, “You say you can walk out of the desert? If you really could, how would you have wandered aimlessly to arrive here? Let me tell you! That no-man’s land claims at least a dozen lives from our Xiyue people every year! Those fortunate enough to escape back have said that the terrain and landscape of the outer desert changes in an instant – a place that was flat ground one moment might have a sand dune blown up the next!

“Moreover, the environment there is extremely harsh, with sandstorms striking without warning, so thick they blot out the sun and you can’t distinguish the colors of heaven and earth! You might close your eyes when blown by the wind and sand, and when you open them again, you can no longer tell which direction you came from, completely losing your bearings!

“No food, no water, harsh environment, unable to distinguish direction, wandering aimlessly in the desert – aren’t you afraid? You’ve already experienced it once and nearly lost half your life, yet you still have the courage to boast that you can leave the desert. I truly admire you! Haha!”

Zhou Meng actually burst into loud laughter as he finished speaking.

Everyone present heard Zhou Meng’s words clearly. Except for Su Ri Na and Wu Lan who couldn’t understand what he was saying, everyone else had grave expressions, especially Uncle Ar Han, who had personally experienced that desert and naturally knew that everything Zhou Meng said was true.

Qin Yining’s expression remained unchanged, but her hands hidden beneath her cloak were tightly clenched into fists, her nails digging several pale crescents into her palms.

Precisely because Zhou Meng was speaking the absolute truth, she felt every word and sentence piercing her heart. Her claim that she could leave the desert was indeed boastful, and also a way of encouraging herself.

She refused to believe that she would be permanently separated from her parents and family like this, spending the rest of her life in this oasis living in isolation from the world.

Seeing that Qin Yining’s expression remained calm, as if unmoved, Zhou Meng immediately continued, “You are the leader of your people. You must be responsible for your people’s lives, right? Since you can no longer leave and are destined to spend your lives here, why don’t you consider my previous proposal?

“The best way for two peoples to merge is through marriage. If you want my people to accept your people and share the resources of this oasis with them, we must first marry – this is the only way. You surely wouldn’t ignore your people’s lives and deaths for your own selfish reasons, would you?”

As he spoke, Zhou Meng suddenly gave a meaningful look to the soldiers behind Qin Yining.

Those twenty-odd men immediately drew their gleaming swords and sabers, assuming an attack-ready stance.

Wu Lan and Su Ri Na cried out in alarm and shielded Qin Yining, while Uncle Ar Han took a defensive position, preparing to seize a weapon – his weapons had been confiscated when entering the palace earlier.

“You’d better agree now. Otherwise, my soldiers will flatten your people’s camp, and these three people beside you will also become corpses under their blades.” Zhou Meng stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Qin Yining proudly.

The cold gleam of blades surrounded them. Looking at Zhou Meng who was already in a frenzied state, Qin Yining’s heart actually calmed down.

“The Prince means for me to marry you?” Her voice was gentle and her tone peaceful, completely at odds with the tense atmosphere in the hall.

Zhou Meng’s face brightened with joy, and he nodded, “Exactly. You marry me and become my princess consort. Your people and my people intermarry. From now on, our two tribes will merge into one, living and reproducing together in this oasis, working together to find a way to leave. This way, we won’t need to guard against and suspect each other anymore, and all resources can be shared. Even if we can’t leave here, the grain seeds you brought are enough for us to cultivate here, becoming self-sufficient. Wouldn’t this be good?”

If Qin Yining had never married and didn’t have Pang Xiao in her heart, such an arrangement would indeed maximize her interests, because she had always believed that marriage had always been arranged by parents and matchmakers since ancient times. There were many women who didn’t know whether they were marrying a talented man or a fool before marriage. If unlucky enough to marry a scoundrel, they could only accept their bad fortune. So she hadn’t cared whom she married.

But the problem was, she now had someone in her heart. A good woman doesn’t serve two husbands – how could she possibly marry someone else?

Qin Yining didn’t immediately answer, but asked instead, “What the Prince says certainly has merit. But you already have four princess consorts. What the Xiyue religious holy book says about the goddess definitely becoming the Prince’s consort should refer to the legitimate wife and primary spouse, right?”

Seeing that she seemed to be softening, Zhou Meng immediately said joyfully, “That’s easy! If you’re willing to marry me, I’ll get rid of all four of those women along with the rest of my concubines – I won’t want a single one of them. How about that?”

As soon as these words were spoken, all the officials in the hall gasped in unison.

They never expected the Prince would make such a large investment for one woman! He was actually willing to dismiss his entire harem!

Qin Yining looked at Zhou Meng’s burning gaze full of desire, and for a moment got goosebumps all over, barely restraining herself from showing her disgust.

Seeing Qin Yining’s silence, Zhou Meng suddenly sneered coldly.

“You can refuse. Let me tell you the truth. Around your people’s camp, I have already arranged ambushes and prepared large amounts of oil to burn everything! Otherwise, why do you think I arranged for them to be in the most remote location?

“If you agree, then fine. If you refuse, I will immediately spare no cost in eliminating your people. I was born never having to endure any grievances – whatever I want, I must be able to obtain! I won’t humble myself repeatedly for one woman. I’d rather not have your grain and supplies, I’d rather pretend you never appeared at all!”

At this point, Zhou Meng stepped forward several paces, placed both hands on the table in front of Qin Yining, leaned forward close to her and said, “If you don’t believe me, you can try!”

The soldiers standing behind Qin Yining thrust their swords and sabers forward again, almost touching Wu Lan and Su Ri Na’s bodies.

Uncle Ar Han broke out in a cold sweat from anxiety and angrily said, “You’re simply bullying people too much! I’ve never seen such shameless forced marriage!”

“You better watch your mouth! All of your lives are in my hands!”

Uncle Ar Han was about to speak again when Qin Yining stopped him.

She was calmly analyzing the current situation.

Zhou Meng was temperamental and behaved in a domineering, tyrannical manner. He must have been spoiled and pampered, growing up with everything going smoothly. Such people were the most self-centered. From their interactions over the past two days, she could see that he really was the type who, for momentary willfulness, wouldn’t consider the bigger picture at all.

That is to say, he really might order the grain supplies burned just to obtain her. Because even if the common people suffered, he as Prince would still live high above others, living the good life – he wouldn’t care about other people’s lives and deaths.