Xiao Wenyao's curiosity about the King of the North had grown considerably after hearing Wu Yuan's explanation.
Over the past few weeks, her father had been actively planning an attack on Beijun, and during that time, she'd often heard various rumors circulating about the so-called "King of the North." These whispers, half-truths and speculation, were part of what initially sparked her interest in him.
On one hand, the constant mention of his name naturally piqued her attention. On the other, she had been growing increasingly bored and wanted a new toy—a refined and elegant slave. A beautiful one. Preferably a noble one.
In her mind, there was no pleasure in conquering a slave of low birth or common status. Such a person would lack the thrill of resistance, the sense of victory she craved when breaking them in. But the King of the North—he was different. A waste prince, they called him. Useless, discarded, living lavishly in his own pleasure-filled mansion.
Perfect.
She had imagined him as just another noble brat with soft hands and a soft spine, someone who drowned in wine and women. But after listening to Wu Yuan speak, her impression began to change. This so-called 'waste' seemed to have done something useful after all. Especially those perfumes and soaps—she loved them.
She had long become addicted to them.
The perfume masked the musk of fur and leather that clung to her from hunting and riding. The soap washed her skin cleaner than anything she'd ever known. Since acquiring them, she had become utterly dependent on both.
And to think, they had all been created by the very man she'd set her sights on.
Her desire to claim the King of the North as her personal slave only grew stronger.
"So," Xiao Wenyao said with a sly smile, "the King of the North isn't a total waste after all."
A flicker of curiosity lit up her expression. "By the way, what exactly is scented soap?"
Wu Yuan immediately responded, "It's something specially made for bathing. After a person uses it, their skin is left with a long-lasting fragrance."
Xiao Wenyao blinked. "Isn't that just like perfume?"
Wu Yuan patiently explained, "Your Highness, perfume can be applied to the body at any time, but it doesn't actually clean the body. Soap, on the other hand, removes dirt while leaving behind a light fragrance."
"Oh… So it's the same as soap?" she asked again, frowning in confusion.
Wu Yuan sighed inwardly and replied, "Your Highness, regular soap is mainly used for washing clothes, not for bathing."
But Xiao Wenyao wasn't listening. She waved her hand dismissively. "Whatever. It cleans me, and that's all that matters."
Seeing her stubbornness, Wu Yuan gave up trying to correct her. As long as she was happy, it didn't matter.
As they chatted, they eventually arrived at Wu Yuan's caravan.
The caravans were loaded with various goods exchanged from Great Xia—salt, tea, and increasingly, even weapons and armor. What had begun as minor trade had turned into a booming business. Ever since Yelu Nanyan had begun bribing Great Xia merchants, commerce between the two cultures had grown frequent and profitable.
The prosperity of the Heavenly Wolf King Tribe owed much to this flow of goods.
Wu Yuan sifted through a few carriages before retrieving a neatly wrapped piece of scented soap. He walked up to Xiao Wenyao and presented it with both hands.
"Your Highness, this is the real soap meant for bathing," he said respectfully. "Please stop using the regular soap. It's not meant for the body—it can damage your skin."
Xiao Wenyao took it with curiosity. Before she even brought it to her nose, a delicate fragrance tickled her senses. Surprised, she quickly lifted it closer and took a deep sniff. Her eyes lit up with delight.
"It actually smells wonderful!"
A devious glint crossed her eyes as she smirked, "This King of the North seems unusually talented at crafting things for women. If I capture him and make him my slave, who knows what else he might invent for me?"
Wu Yuan nearly interjected to say that the soap wasn't gender-specific, but he held his tongue. Let the princess enjoy her fantasy—it wasn't worth arguing.
Just then, a tall man approached Xiao Wenyao and bowed slightly. "Your Highness, the King requests your presence."
She froze for a moment, blinking in surprise. "What does Father want from me?"
"I do not know," the man replied. "But he asks that you come immediately."
Xiao Wenyao turned to Wu Yuan and handed him the soap. "Send all these things to my quarters."
"Yes, Your Highness," Wu Yuan replied, bowing.
With that, Xiao Wenyao set off toward the king's yurt, the largest tent in the entire Heavenly Wolf Tribe camp.
The moment she stepped inside, she was met with an unfamiliar scene. Several people she had never seen before were seated in a semicircle around the center.
At the head of the gathering sat a towering man with a broad chest and a rugged face, marked by a prominent forehead that glinted under the lamplight. This was Xiao Hongbo—the current ruler of the Heavenly Wolf Tribe and her father.
Seeing his daughter enter, Xiao Hongbo opened his mouth to speak, but she beat him to it.
"Father, why have you called for me?"
Without any preamble, Xiao Hongbo responded, "Yaoyao, you've grown up. It's time for you to marry."
His words dropped like a hammer, shaking Xiao Wenyao to her core. For several seconds, she could only stand there, dumbstruck.
Then the panic set in.
"No, Father, I… I'm still young! I want to stay by your side! I want to continue accompanying you…" she stammered, her voice trembling.
Despite her usual spoiled demeanor, Xiao Wenyao wasn't naïve enough to misunderstand what this meant.
She knew exactly what kind of marriage awaited her: a political one.
She had seen it happen before.
Just look at the Princess—married off to an old man in his death bed. Yelu Nanyan had fared better only because she held real power, but others weren't so lucky.
Xiao Wenyao still remembered the stories. Women who had been married into powerful tribes, only to be abused, discarded, or worse—tortured to death by their husbands. And if Yelu Nanyan had been married to the previous Heavenly Wolf King when he was still healthy, her fate might not have been much different.
Xiao Wenyao was terrified of ending up like them.
But her father was unmoved. "Yaoyao," he said sternly, "you're no longer a child. All women your age on the grasslands marry. Even though you're my daughter, you're no exception."
Xiao Wenyao's heart sank. She knew, from that tone, that no matter what she said, it would be useless.
"…I understand, Father," she whispered, resigned.
Instantly, Xiao Hongbo's stern face softened, replaced by a rare smile.
"Good," he said. "Then once I conquer Beijun, you will marry the King of the Lion Tribe and become his queen."
It felt like the ground was yanked from beneath her.
Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.
"No! Father—I don't want to marry the King of the Lion Tribe!" she cried.
The Lion Tribe was one of the seven new tribes that had emerged after the fall of the old barbarian empire. The unity of the barbarians had splintered, and each tribe now had its own king, its own royal court.
But Xiao Hongbo had greater ambitions.
He planned to use the conquest of Beijun to launch a new era—one where he would unite the tribes and crown himself the Great Khan. And to do that, he needed political alliances—marriage included.
The King of the Lion Tribe, though, was no ordinary barbarian ruler.
His tribe was isolated, poverty-stricken, and steeped in brutal traditions—some so savage they still practiced cannibalism. He himself was known for his cruelty and appetite for violence.
Xiao Wenyao could barely imagine the horror of becoming his queen.
Her voice trembled as she knelt. "Father, please… I beg you… don't make me marry him…"
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