Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

After speaking, she curtsied again, then took Han Cui's hand and left Yongshou Palace.

Looking at the gifts left by Consort Mei, Shen Zhinian said to Qiuyue, "Have Imperial Physician Tang examine them carefully. If there are no problems, then put them away for now."

"Yes."

……

grassland.

When the wind blows across the boundless sea of ​​grass, it stirs up layers of green waves.

The sun hung high in the clear blue sky, scorching the earth without any obstruction.

The light was blindingly bright, but once you stepped into the yurt, you could feel a chill that seeped into your bones.

This is the location of the royal court of the Xiongnu Chanyu.

Composed of countless felt tents of various sizes, it moves slowly with the water plants and the seasons.

The tall and magnificent tent at the very center, covered with thick white felt and decorated with black wolf head patterns, is the Chanyu's golden tent.

Beside the golden tent, there was a slightly smaller, yet still magnificent, felt tent belonging to Princess Yun'an, who had married into the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Inside the tent was a thick, soft woven carpet, furnished with furniture, brocade screens, a Boshan incense burner, and a guqin (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument) brought from the Central Plains.

We strive to create a sense of familiarity and elegance of our homeland amidst exotic locales.

However... no matter how she arranged it, the ever-present smell of mutton in the air constantly reminded her of where she was.

Princess Yun'an wore the attire of a Xiongnu queen, her hair was braided into an intricate style and adorned with ornaments made of turquoise and red coral.

This outfit made her skin appear even whiter, and the innate pride in her eyes, accentuated by the exotic attire, gave her a unique and radiant beauty.

The marriage system of the Xiongnu was completely different from that of the Zhou Dynasty.

The Great Zhou Dynasty practiced a system of one husband, one wife, and multiple concubines.

The emperor's harem was strictly hierarchical, with only one empress and the rest being concubines.

The Xiongnu practiced a polygamous system.

Here, the Chanyu could have multiple wives at the same time, and their status was roughly equal. They were all daughters of powerful tribes or nobles from the grasslands who needed to be won over.

Princess Yun'an, this princess from the Central Plains of the Great Zhou Dynasty, was naturally also one of the consorts of the Xiongnu Chanyu.

However, she was the one with the most distinguished status among them.

The Xiongnu people in the royal court always treated her with great respect, bowing with their hands on their chests and addressing her as "Your Highness, Great Queen!"

Their words were filled with reverence for the Celestial Empire and gratitude for the great favor bestowed upon the Zhou emperor.

The supplies provided to Princess Yun'an's tent, from silk and tea to jewelry and utensils, were always the best and freshest.

The Chanyu would visit her tent several times a month, asking about the customs and products of the Central Plains and chatting casually, his attitude being rather mild.

But Princess Yun'an was not blinded by the vastness of the grassland.

She keenly sensed that the Huns' respect for her was merely superficial.

They were always wary of her.

The Chanyu never discussed with her any tribal conflicts, the division of grasslands, or the trade of horses, let alone military movements.

The maids serving her in her tent, apart from Chunxiao and Xiayue, two trusted confidantes brought from the Great Zhou, were all seemingly obedient, but their mouths were as tight as clams.

Whenever Princess Yun'an asked about trivial matters of the royal court, they knew nothing.

She expressed her desire to visit other tribes and experience the grassland culture, but was always politely declined with reasons such as the long and arduous journey and the fear of wolves.

She was like a precious piece of porcelain that was being held in high esteem.

Recently, this feeling has become more and more obvious.

The atmosphere in the royal court seemed somewhat unusual.

The Chanyu visited her tent less often, and even when he did, he would quickly eat and then leave.

At the Golden Tent, leaders of various tribes often came and went late at night.

The number of patrolling guards has increased, and the checks are more stringent than usual.

Even the usually expressionless Xiongnu guards outside her tent showed a hint of wariness in their eyes.

Something must have happened!

And this is no small matter!

Princess Yun'an looked at Chunxiao and asked, "...A few days ago, I asked you to keep an eye out for which tribes were coming and going from the Golden Tent. Did you find out anything?"

Chunxiao was the most astute of the maids she brought from the Great Zhou. Upon hearing this, she stepped forward and said in frustration, "Your Highness, I have been careful and have also tried asking the shepherdesses I know."

"But...but those people were in a hurry, and the guards were very tight, so I couldn't see their faces at all."

"The shepherdess couldn't explain it either, only saying that the royal court's security had been tighter recently. But they didn't know why."

Princess Yun'an sneered inwardly.

They're really on high alert! They won't let even the slightest whisper of it out on her, the noble Great Queen.

Princess Yun'an stood up, walked to the entrance of the felt tent, and lifted the heavy curtain.

The sunlight outside was blinding, and the grass rippled like waves.

In the distance, scattered yurts of herdsmen and leisurely grazing cattle and sheep create a tranquil and peaceful summer scene on the grassland.

Her brother, the Emperor, was heartless. For the sake of so-called diplomatic relations between the two countries and peace in the north, he married her off like a gift to a harsh and unfamiliar grassland.

She married a man old enough to be her father, who had a harem of wives and concubines...

When she first arrived, Princess Yun'an felt resentment, hatred, and despair.

But she is the late emperor's daughter, the eldest princess of the Great Zhou! Tears and complaints will not change anything, they will only make people look down on her.

She admitted it.

Since fate has cast her here, she will live on here!

And... live the life that the eldest princess of the Great Zhou should live!

What was the mission of the princess sent for a peace treaty? It was not merely to be a symbolic figurehead, but rather to serve as the eyes and ears of the Xiongnu royal court, placed there by the emperor's elder brother.

When necessary... she can also become a sharp dagger!

If the Xiongnu behave themselves, abide by the alliance, and exchange goods with the Great Zhou, then she will do her best to mediate and maintain this fragile peace.

She will live up to the bloodline of the Nangong family flowing in her veins, and she will also live up to the responsibilities that come with the title of Princess.

But what if… these steppe wolf cubs, outwardly submissive, are secretly grinding their teeth and sucking blood, harboring grand ambitions? They might plot to once again march south, harass the borders of the Great Zhou, and plunder her people…

Princess Yun'an lowered the curtain, turned around, and snorted coldly!

Then...she will never let them have their way!

Even if her strength is meager, even if the road ahead is uncertain, she will always do something.

The wind and sand of the grassland may roughen her skin, but they cannot extinguish the pride that belongs to the eldest princess of the Great Zhou Dynasty in her bones!

……

Inside a palace.

A figure dressed in a plain blue palace dress sat in a chair.

The palace maid bowed and stood before her: "...Your Highness, the master sent someone to deliver a message saying that the woman in Yongshou Palace is getting bigger every day and will soon be full-term."

"His Majesty's favor towards her is evident to all the officials in the court."

"The Imperial Noble Consort is already a secondary empress, in charge of the harem. If she were to successfully give birth to a prince... that would be the icing on the cake, making her position even more secure!"

"My lord is worried, worried that His Majesty might use this opportunity to prematurely assume the position of Empress!"

"By then, all the effort Her Majesty has put in, the Master's efforts in court, and all our hopes... will probably be in vain..."