After hearing Xiao Wenyao's words, Yelu Nanyan smiled faintly and said, "Yaoyao, that's not appropriate. After all, he is the Prince of Great Xia. If we capture him, we can use him to negotiate with Great Xia. He still has his uses."
Xiao Wenyao pouted, but didn't say anything else.
After all, the princess was the one who held true power in the Heavenly Wolf King Tribe. Her words carried immense weight.
The current strength of the Heavenly Wolf King Tribe, including their access to advanced weapons, was all thanks to her.
She had proactively learned from Great Xia, bribed many officials of the dynasty, and built secret trade connections. Wu Yuan, the man kneeling before her now, was one of those officials.
Under her leadership, the Heavenly Wolf Tribe had flourished to the point where it could rival—or even surpass—the other major branches of the barbarian tribes.
Even the idea of founding a nation in Beijun was her proposal.
She had observed that the northern grasslands were growing colder and poorer year after year, while their barbarian population was rapidly increasing. The land could no longer support them.
Even when they raided Beijun for supplies, they returned with very little.
That wasn't a sustainable way to live.
She believed that the only long-term solution was to adopt the agricultural model of Great Xia. With proper farming, they could feed a far greater number of people.
She had even heard that Beijun had a type of crop that could produce over 1,000 jin per mu.
If they could conquer Beijun and establish a kingdom there, their people wouldn't need to roam with the herds and rivers anymore. They could settle and lead better lives.
The Heavenly Wolf King Tribe's current prosperity was inseparable from her strategic foresight and wisdom for tye betterment for people.
Yelu Nanyan held immense power in the tribe.
Even the current Heavenly Wolf King, Xiao Hongbo, treated her with great respect.
But she didn't always wield such influence.
When she was young, she had married the previous Heavenly Wolf King.
At the time, the old king was bedridden and paralyzed, no longer able to lead. It was Yelu Nanyan who stepped forward to handle all major decisions in his stead.
After the king's death, the throne was empty and it needs to be fill to not create chaos among general populace.
Yelu Nanyan had orchestrated the selection of Xiao Hongbo, a rising warrior among the tribe, and supported him in becoming the next Heavenly Wolf King.
In truth, it was her influence and backing that secured Xiao Hongbo's position.
Yelu Nanyan was an exceptionally intelligent woman.
She gave Xiao Hongbo the title and authority, allowing him to stand in the spotlight and handle most major decisions. From the outside, it seemed like she had stepped back from power.
When Xiao Hongbo expressed his desire to marry her, she didn't reject him. She simply set a condition: once he achieved a certain goal, she would consider the marriage.
Although she had been married to the former Heavenly Wolf King in her teenage years, she had never truly become his wife in any meaningful sense.
She had remained untouched.
It was unrealistic to expect her to remain a widow for life. Remarriage was inevitable.
In Xiao Hongbo's mind, she was already his woman.
He had always trusted her deeply.
To him, conquering Beijun wasn't just a matter of expanding territory—it was a gift to the woman he admired and loved.
Inside the yurt, Yelu Nanyan looked at Wu Yuan, who was still kneeling, and said softly, "Wu Yuan, you've worked hard on this trip to Great Xia to gather information. You may go and rest now."
Wu Yuan responded respectfully, "Thank you, Princess."
With that, he got up and exited the yurt.
The moment he stepped outside, Xiao Wenyao followed behind and called out, "Wu Yuan, wait."
Wu Yuan turned around and asked, "What is it, Princess?"
Xiao Wenyao walked closer and asked directly, "Did you bring the perfume and soap I asked for?"
Wu Yuan smiled and said, "Of course. Since it was your order, Princess, I made sure to bring them. They're still in the carriage—I'll have them sent over right away."
Xiao Wenyao waved her hand dismissively. "No need. I'll go with you. Tell me about what's been happening in Great Xia along the way."
Xiao Wenyao had always been curious about everything in Great Xia.
Maybe it was due to Yelu Nanyan's influence, or maybe she simply liked exotic things.
Every time Wu Yuan returned from the south, she would ask him countless questions—what was going on in the capital, what gossip surrounded the imperial court, and especially about the Prince of Great Xia.
As long as something interested her, she would pry for details.
Wu Yuan smiled and said, "Of course, Princess. Ask away."
As they walked together, Xiao Wenyao asked, "I heard that the King of Great Xia is very handsome. Is that true? Just how handsome is he?"
That question caught Wu Yuan off guard.
He was momentarily stunned and didn't know how to respond.
Seeing him hesitate, Xiao Wenyao frowned slightly. "Why aren't you saying anything?"
Wu Yuan thought for a moment before replying, "It's hard to describe His Highness the Northern Prince with just words."
"From the perspective of the women in Great Xia, he's undoubtedly very handsome. But if we use the standards of our northern tribes, where women prefer strong and muscular men, then the Northern Prince might seem a bit slender. He's not a warrior—his frame isn't that broad."
Xiao Wenyao's eyes lit up. "Good! I don't like men who are too brawny anyway. They're just a bunch of bulky muscle-heads. What's attractive about that?"
Wu Yuan laughed and said, "Princess, you should know—the Northern Prince is also famous for his love of beautiful women. If he ever sees you, he definitely won't be able to look away."
"If Your Highness is truly interested, this campaign into Beijun might just be your chance."
Xiao Wenyao sighed. "Didn't you hear what the princess said? The Northern Prince still has his uses. Even if they capture him, they won't hand him over to me."
Wu Yuan smiled faintly but said nothing more.
He had originally considered using Xiao Wenyao's infatuation to lure her toward the south, perhaps even toward Beijun. But in the end, he dismissed the idea.
The current situation was too sensitive. If anything went wrong, it would only invite suspicion. The risk wasn't worth it.
He simply said gently, "Princess, don't worry. Sooner or later, you'll get a chance to meet the Northern Prince in private."
Xiao Wenyao curled her lips. "Forget it. Let's not talk about him anymore."
She paused for a moment and then asked, "By the way, do you know how to make perfume and soap?"
"I always have to wait until you return from Great Xia to get more. It's so inconvenient. Why not make our own?"
Wu Yuan shook his head. "Apologies, Princess. The formulas for perfume and soap are exclusive to the Northern Prince's Residence. They only sell the finished products—never the recipes."
Xiao Wenyao blinked in surprise. "The Northern Prince's Residence?"
Wu Yuan nodded. "Yes. It's said that both the perfume and the soap were invented by the Northern Prince himself."
"Not only that—this time, I also brought something new for the princess: scented soap. It's also from the Northern Prince's Residence. It's even better than regular soap. Once you try it, I'm sure you'll love it."
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