The joy in Zhou Meng’s heart was beyond words. He used all his willpower to control the impulse to immediately rush toward Qin Yining and possess her.

No rush, no rush. Tonight she would be his!

“Quickly go tell the First Princess Consort, Second Princess Consort, Third Princess Consort, and Fourth Princess Consort to all get out immediately!”

Having achieved his goal, Zhou Meng began to earnestly please the beauty again. While instructing his attendants behind him, he looked at Qin Yining affectionately. “From now on, I will have only Miss Pang as my princess consort. I don’t want any of the other women!”

Qin Yining sneered inwardly. Women who had lived with him for so many years, bearing children for him – he could simply discard them at will. Especially the Fourth Princess Consort, who had just given birth to a little princess and was still in confinement, yet was to be driven out?

It was clear that Zhou Meng’s women were all pitiful creatures!

“Your Highness,” Qin Yining lowered her head shyly. “What I said before was merely to test whether Your Highness was sincere toward me. Now I can see that Your Highness is truly devoted to me. Actually, I don’t dislike getting along with the other sisters. Please don’t drive them away, Your Highness, or I’ll have no one to talk to in the palace.”

Zhou Meng was stunned at first, then began to laugh, his gaze toward Qin Yining becoming especially gentle.

“Miss Pang is truly learned and reasonable, very understanding. However, since I promised you, how could I go back on my word? Having said I would dismiss the harem for you, I must dismiss the harem.” He waved his hand, and the attendants immediately received the order and were about to withdraw.

Qin Yining quickly said, “Your Highness, please don’t do this. Since I’ve agreed to marry Your Highness, I’m accepting everything about Your Highness, including Your Highness’s family. They are all women who have helped Your Highness continue the family line. Some have borne children for Your Highness – they all have merit. If Your Highness does this and the Xiyue people find out, some might not understand Your Highness’s devotion and might gossip behind your back. That would make me like Daji or Baosi, causing Your Highness to bear a bad reputation. Please retract your order, Your Highness.”

As she spoke, Qin Yining knelt in salute.

How could Zhou Meng bear to let her kneel? He quickly stepped forward with both hands to help her up.

Qin Yining shyly dodged his hands, lowering her head bashfully and stepping back. “Could Your Highness agree to my request?”

Zhou Meng looked down at Qin Yining’s black hair, his affection growing even stronger. Suppressing a smile, he reluctantly agreed, “Very well, I’ll grant your request. But I still don’t know your given name. You’re about to marry me – surely you won’t wait until our wedding night to tell me?”

Qin Yining said sweetly, “Your Highness, please don’t say that. My given name is Xiao Xi – like the babbling brook.”

She had been found by her adoptive mother by a brook as a child, hence the name Xiao Xi. Naturally, she didn’t want to reveal her real name now, so she casually used this one.

“Xiao Xi? Xiao Xi…” Zhou Meng savored Qin Yining’s name, immediately feeling it was perfectly suited to her. “Gentle as water, a beauty like water – your name is as beautiful and gentle as you are.”

Qin Yining felt so disgusted she nearly vomited, but still “shyly” kept her head down, not wanting Zhou Meng to see her emotions.

While they spoke, Uncle Ar Han had been clenching his fists with a complex expression, several times wanting to rush forward and kill this lustful demon Zhou Meng.

But he worried that killing Zhou Meng would result in immediate execution for himself, Qin Yining, Su Ri Na, and Wu Lan, and their tribespeople would also face looting by the army and Xiyue people.

Qin Yining was making such a great sacrifice for the Minuo tribe’s people – could he really destroy it all because of his momentary impulse?

But if he did nothing, Uncle Ar Han truly couldn’t bear to watch. How could he let such a pure and virtuous young woman as Qin Yining serve such a scoundrel?

At this moment, maids entered carrying brand-new wedding attire and jewelry.

“Your Highness, we must help Miss Pang with her grooming. Please also go prepare yourself, Your Highness.”

Seeing it was getting late and the ceremony preparations had begun, Zhou Meng was in an especially good mood as he was about to win the beauty. He was particularly tolerant of the maids, immediately nodding and agreeing with a smile, going to change and groom himself.

On Qin Yining’s side, she gave Uncle Ar Han a meaningful look, then instructed the maids who had brought in the clothing and accessories, “You may all withdraw. I have people to serve me here.”

“Yes.” The maids dared not object and immediately bowed and withdrew.

Once there were no outsiders in the hall, Qin Yining quickly instructed Uncle Ar Han, “When the ceremony begins later, immediately take Su Ri Na and Wu Lan and quietly leave to return to our people.”

Uncle Ar Han asked anxiously, “What about you?”

He was too eager, making his voice a bit loud.

Qin Yining quickly placed her slender index finger to her lips, then whispered, “From now on, you must advance and retreat together with Lu Heng, finding ways to protect our people’s safety. Don’t worry about me anymore.”

“You…” Uncle Ar Han wasn’t stupid. Seeing Qin Yining’s expression, he already guessed her intention and immediately shook his head. “No, no, you can’t do this.”

“We have no other choice now.” Qin Yining said calmly, “I always calculate the minimum cost and maximum gain in everything I do. Listen to me and don’t make things difficult for me.”

Looking at Qin Yining’s firm and resolute expression, Uncle Ar Han had words of persuasion on his lips but couldn’t speak them.

Because he knew Qin Yining was speaking the truth – there really was no better way to resolve the current situation. He also truly couldn’t bear to watch other innocent Minuo tribe members lose their lives over this matter.

Uncle Ar Han shook his head, fiercely despising himself in his heart. In the end, he was selfish – unwilling to sacrifice more tribespeople, he could only let Qin Yining, an outsider to the tribe, sacrifice herself.

The guilt in his heart was like stagnant water about to drown him.

Seeing Uncle Ar Han wouldn’t act, Qin Yining immediately said, “Back then you said whoever killed A’na Ri would be the Minuo tribe’s leader, which is how Lu Heng and I became your leaders. Won’t you listen to your leader’s words now?”

This was the first time Qin Yining used her status as leader to pressure someone, but she wasn’t doing it for herself – it was so all the Minuo tribe’s people could survive.

Uncle Ar Han’s eyes filled with tears as he gritted his teeth and nodded. “Yes, Leader. No matter what happens, we won’t forget you. You will always be our leader.”

Seeing him finally nod, Qin Yining smiled. “Good. Remember what you said, and tell Lu Heng what I said when you return.”

She then called Wu Lan and Su Ri Na to help her change clothes and arrange her hair.

The wedding dress prepared by the maids was bright red fine cotton festive attire. The style wasn’t very different from those of the Great Zhou and Great Yan dynasties, but the embroidery was quite simple – probably found hastily with no time for custom work. The jewelry was all gold and gems, with slightly crude craftsmanship, but the totemic patterns showed some unique tribal characteristics.

Qin Yining pinned up her hair, wearing only a golden phoenix hairpin in the center and using nothing else. She then applied makeup using a small mirror.

If all went as expected, this might be the last time in her life she would groom herself.

Even if she was to die, she should die with dignity.

Looking at the blurred reflection in the mirror, Qin Yining realized she had indeed lost considerable weight. Because of the weight loss, her eyes appeared even larger than before, and her complexion wasn’t good.

She applied makeup to herself, making her slender willow-like eyebrows slightly darker, using bright red for her lips, and appropriately adjusting her complexion with proper shading.

Although Wu Lan and Su Ri Na couldn’t understand what had been said earlier, they saw the sadness and determination that occasionally leaked from Qin Yining’s eyes as she drew her eyebrows in the mirror, and they both had some premonitions in their hearts.

Both felt very sad.

At this time, beneath the mud-brick palace walls, the tightly closed palace gates slowly opened. Palace servants came out and quickly began decorating the high platform in the square outside the gates.

Some passing Xiyue people, not understanding what was happening, curiously inquired. The palace servants joyfully replied, “The Prince is marrying the goddess!”

“Really? Is it true!”

The people all showed joy on their faces, because according to the holy book of the Xiyue religion they worshipped, when the goddess came, she would bring abundant grain and seeds and become their king’s consort.

Now that the goddess was willing to marry the Prince, it meant the Prince was truly Xiyue’s rightful king, and those seeds were really meant for them!

This news spread from one to ten, ten to a hundred, and soon many people gathered around the square to watch the excitement.

Meanwhile, the Minuo tribe people still surrounded by soldiers in their camp noticed the surrounding civilians calling friends and leaving, feeling puzzled.

Lu Heng frowned with worry, having a bad premonition.

For the Xiyue people to be so ceremonious, with everyone looking as if they were celebrating New Year, meant something was about to happen that was great news for the civilians.

What did the Xiyue people lack here? Wasn’t it precisely the grain and seeds they had brought?

So many civilians believed they were about to receive the seeds and were happy about it? What event could give them these things?

Lu Heng couldn’t help but think of the prophecy in the Xiyue religious holy book.

With this thought, all color drained from his face.

“Could it be…” that Qin Yining had agreed to marry that Zhou Meng!

Thinking this way, Lu Heng quickly analyzed the current situation and Zhou Meng’s character, immediately guessing that Zhou Meng must have used the Minuo tribe as a threat.

Qin Yining was both intelligent and kind – she would never harm others for her own selfish reasons. So Qin Yining had agreed for the survival of the Minuo tribe people!

Were these people now going to attend some ceremony?

As Lu Heng’s thoughts raced, he had analyzed the general situation. Suppressing his anger and anxiety, he smiled at the leading Xiyue soldier, “I see many people going somewhere happily. Is there some festival here today?”