“My respected Highness, please allow humble Abdullah to carefully appreciate this beautiful treasure.” From the moment the Arab saw this pearl, it was as if he had been heavily punched in the stomach. His entire person immediately bent in half, and he no longer dared to look at Xiao Miao with his eyes. In his impression, only royalty could produce such priceless jewels.

Those Persians standing against the wall couldn’t help but straighten their bodies and throw off the tattered cloaks on their persons. They wore only thin linen short tunics, short skirts around their buttocks, standing barefoot on the cold earth as if without sensation. Their strong arms were exposed, displaying their formidable side to Xiao Miao.

Hei Feng looked up at the sky. He had no authority to comment on Xiao Miao’s methods of doing things and could only stay out of it. Xiao Miao pointed at those war slaves and once again spoke with difficulty to Abdullah in the newly learned Turkic language: “Open their shackles, give them weapons and armor.”

Having finished examining the pearl, Abdullah was so happy his mouth wouldn’t close. He repeatedly agreed to Xiao Miao’s instructions. A group of people surged forward to help those war slaves remove their shackles, bringing large shields and short swords, specially finding a pile of leather armor for these war slaves to choose from. In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a fully armed squad of war slaves appeared before Xiao Miao.

“Look at them—how fierce they are, how martial! With their protection, your property will certainly be very safe. My respected Highness, what other instructions do you have? Humble Abdullah will certainly serve you wholeheartedly.”

Xiao Miao nodded with satisfaction. Learning Yun Ye’s manner, she clasped her hands behind her back and prepared to walk out. Two young female slaves huddled in the corner suddenly rushed over and prostrated themselves at Xiao Miao’s feet, continuously begging Xiao Miao to take them away as well.

Xiao Miao’s finger pointed at the two female slaves at her feet and said to Abdullah: “And them too!”

Abdullah’s complexion looked terrible, but he still swallowed his saliva and agreed. Then he pulled out a thick stack of contracts and showed them to Hei Feng. At this moment, Abdullah was already very certain that Xiao Miao was the true master. As for Hei Feng in his black fox fur, he had been reduced to the sort of goods that were stewards, because nobility was something that couldn’t be faked. Xiao Miao’s action of showing no concern whatsoever for the priceless treasure had already proven the nobility of her identity. This was more useful than any family crest.

Returning to the large courtyard where they resided, after learning of Xiao Miao’s actions, Qu Zhuo had no time to blame Xiao Miao. He immediately made adjustments to their identities. He himself was a family retainer, Gou Zi was a family general, Hei Feng was the steward, the other Loulan people were servants. As for Xiao Miao, she could only be the family’s sole remaining princess…

Xiao Miao’s actions disrupted all of Qu Zhuo’s preparations and also caused all his previous efforts to come to nothing. The mainstream view in Suiye City was still preparing to advance westward, but the Bolu people, Tokharoi people, Sassanian people, and Arabs here were not panicking. They conducted business in Suiye City and got along very harmoniously with the Turks, Xueyantuo people, Tuyuhun people, plus the local Nine Surnames of Zhaowu and the Huihe people. This was not a normal relationship. Qu Zhuo could only sigh deeply while watching Xiao Miao play games carelessly with the two female slaves in the courtyard.

However, Qu Zhuo’s despondency lasted less than five days before his eyes immediately brightened. Although Xiao Miao’s action was rash, it gave them an excellent opportunity to break into high society, because he had received an invitation to a banquet.

Xiao Miao didn’t even look at it. With one sentence—”not going”—she made Qu Zhuo’s face turn black as the bottom of a pot.

“I’m an unmarried young lady. Why should I go mix with filthy, stinking Tubo people, Turks, and Arabs? If you want to go, you go. If you can’t investigate the problem, tonight I’ll go to the house of Suiye City’s lord. I refuse to believe I can’t get answers.”

“Aunt Ancestor, you remember now that you’re still a young lady? If you truly were a young lady from a great household, right now you should be hiding in the embroidery tower at your Chang’an home embroidering, not holding a long spear competing with these war slaves. If matters can be solved with wisdom, why should we go to the city lord’s house at night and create a city-wide commotion? Completing the mission quietly and without a sound is the best strategy.”

Qu Zhuo’s face contorted like a steamed bun. He wanted Gou Zi to help him say a few words, but discovered that Gou Zi at this moment had already been drawn into the battle circle by Xiao Miao’s long spear. Holding a horizontal blade, he was in constant danger amid the sky full of spear shadows, dodging left and breaking through right. After rolling on the ground twice while hugging it, he was struck on the back by Xiao Miao’s spear shaft and flew up, landing on a pile of fodder and playing dead.

The two newly purchased maidservants clapped their hands and cheered. Those war slaves were also full of admiration. They discovered that their group was actually unable to stop Xiao Miao’s charge. The long cavalry spear gripped in Xiao Miao’s hands was like a poisonous dragon, impossible to guard against. It turned out their new master was the invincible fierce general.

Xiao Miao pouted and planted the long spear into the ground. The bluestone slab immediately shattered, and the long spear obediently stuck in the stone slab, motionless.

“Junior Martial Sister’s spear technique is truly formidable. This foolish senior brother couldn’t last ten moves under your spear. I admire it, I admire it!”

“It’s Martial Aunt! You’re Master’s grand-disciple, I’m his disciple. I’ve beaten you countless times over this form of address, and you still haven’t learned your lesson, have you? If you dare say you want me to attend some banquet, I’ll continue beating you. Don’t think I don’t know what scheme you’re plotting. You just want to marry me off, right? Stop dreaming. In this matter, I only listen to Master and the Marquis. Where could you possibly find a good family?”

After Xiao Miao finished her tantrum, the two maidservants hurriedly came over to cluster around Xiao Miao to wash her face and change clothes. That old war slave walked over and said to Qu Zhuo: “Lord Retainer, for a family to prosper, it cannot rely on simple marriage alliances. That will only let those greedy families drain every drop of our blood and sweat. This old slave has served the Aghutai family for thirty years and has seen countless such examples. Her Highness’s spear technique is the finest this old slave has ever seen. With such spear technique, naturally on the battlefield she can win glory for the family. There’s no need to depend on anyone.”

Qu Zhuo rolled his eyes at the old war slave and said: “What do you know? If you don’t know, then don’t speak out of turn. Remember, in this household you’re not permitted to call yourself old slave, old slave at every turn. There are no slaves in this household. These are your contracts—take them and burn them.”

A thick stack of sheepskin contracts was slapped onto the old war slave’s chest by Qu Zhuo, who then angrily went into the house to continue thinking of solutions. If it really didn’t work, he could only take Hei Feng himself to attend the banquet.

The old war slave stood dumbfounded in place for a long time without speaking. His habitually bent back gradually straightened. He placed his hand on his chest and spoke a sentence in Persian, then went to the room where the war slaves were to tell everyone about this impossible occurrence.

This was a land most without law and order, and also a land most concerned with contracts. All the nobles, in order to ensure their interests would not be damaged, jointly formulated contracts and swore to uphold them. They would trample royal authority, but they would not trample contracts, because on the most primitive contracts were their ancestors’ blood seals.

The war slaves’ room was filled with the smell of burning. “Vashti, Xerxes, Ahasuerus…” The old war slave recited each name and threw a contract into the fire basin. After all the contracts had been completely burned, he said with a smile to everyone: “We are free.”

Having finished speaking, he pulled out a dagger, grabbed a piece of flesh on his neck and cut it off, throwing it into the fire basin. Although blood flowed profusely, he smiled with extreme happiness, because on that piece of flesh was a brand. He didn’t want that piece of flesh anymore.

When dinner began, Xiao Miao looked strangely at the gauze on the war slaves’ necks. She wanted to ask but held back. She thought this might be a Persian ritual, just like how Turkic people would cut their faces with knives when someone died. Since their relatives had died, she’d better not ask.

The Yun family had a common characteristic—when conditions permitted, they never shortchanged themselves. Xiao Miao and Gou Zi were like this. Qu Zhuo also seemed to have this tendency. Therefore, the food on the table was very abundant. There were many flatbreads, radish and mutton soup, large chunks of cheese placed on the table, and raw onions that would make you cry when you took a bite…

“Your Highness, please allow Moarth to kiss the tip of your foot.”

After finishing the meal, the old war slave stood up. While Xiao Miao was at a loss, he prostrated himself on the ground and kissed Xiao Miao’s shoe. Then those war slaves also announced their names and then lay on the ground kissing her shoes.

“Why?” Xiao Miao looked down at her own shoes and asked the old war slave.

“There is none more benevolent in this world than you, my noble Highness.” Moarth bowed respectfully, then led that group of war slaves to begin distributing their guard post assignments.

“What are they doing?” Xiao Miao asked the maidservant who had just cleared away the remaining food. Qu Zhuo, Gou Zi, Hei Feng, and those Loulan people were unwilling to mix with the Persians. Only Xiao Miao felt that these Persians were brought by her, and it wasn’t quite right for the master not to accompany them. Although she very much disliked eating flatbread mutton and those onions with their strong odor, in order not to make those Persians feel upset, she still forced herself to eat these hard-to-swallow foods.

“Your Highness, they are pledging their loyalty to you. You are the first queen I have seen with so many warriors loyal to her.” The maidservant answered respectfully. In their view, everything was reasonable. Qu Zhuo and those retainers avoiding them was giving Her Highness and the warriors a chance to be alone. Her Highness treated these warriors so well and even gave them the most delicious food. Obtaining their loyalty was perfectly natural and right. The two of them also came from great families. It was only because their families were defeated in war that they were sold. Being able to encounter a master as powerful and wealthy as Xiao Miao was their greatest fortune.

Xiao Miao wrinkled her nose and thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out what relationship kissing shoes had with pledging loyalty. Her nature was rough and careless. Although she understood those strange killing methods, she was unwilling to think too much about these chaotic matters. Her favorite thing to do was, after practicing martial arts, to take a nice hot bath, then sit in her small tower with her embroidery frame and embroider flowers accompanied by the setting sun.