Priceless: A widow with a baby asks the prince to marry again

The tent curtain was lifted again, bringing with it a gust of the sharp chill that was unique to the early morning on the grassland, and also brought in several haggard and staggering old men of the Northern Tribe - the Northern Tribe leader who claimed to be from the Altai tribe.

They were wrapped in threadbare fur robes, their cloudy eyes shrouded in deep doubt and a hint of anticipation. Leading the group was an old man with white hair and a face riddled with wrinkles. He bowed deeply and spoke in broken Chinese, "Your Excellency, the Great Xia Prince, we... only want to see with our own eyes the legendary returning bloodline."

Prince Kang Chu Shikun, supported by his personal guards, was sitting upright on a makeshift soft chair, covered in a thick fox fur coat. His face was still pale, but his eyes swept over the group of people sharply.

Their sorrowful expressions, the aura tempered by wind, frost and suffering, even the appearance of some of them seemed familiar... In a flash, a picture flashed in my mind - the northeastern border, the wind and snow, the mess left behind by the Tatar army's collapse, and the old, weak and sick who were driven to the front to act as human shields, with numb eyes!

"You..." Chu Shikun's voice was a little low due to weakness, but it was filled with unquestionable majesty: "But the Tatars who were captured outside Luoyan Pass at the end of last autumn?"

The leading elder from the Northern Tribe shuddered, a flicker of surprise flashing through his cloudy eyes before turning into a deeper bitterness. He lowered his head, remaining silent...

But the fact that so many northern tribesmen arrived at the Saiyinshanda base so quickly had already made King Kang suspicious. But now he was convinced that if they came from the northeast and set out after the marriage team, they would naturally be able to "arrive" quickly.

At that moment, the curtain was silently lifted by a large hand, and the tall figure of Chu Shiyu appeared at the door. He wore no armor, and was dressed in a dark casual uniform, which made his face look even colder. His eyes, like a cold pond, swept across the people in the tent, finally landing on Chu Shikun. He nodded slightly, then walked over to an empty chair beside Chu Shikun and sat down, his posture relaxed, as if he had just come to watch a show.

Chu Shikun glanced at him, feeling even more helpless, but he didn't bother to care. He looked back at the old men and said, "Are you really the so-called Altai tribe? I remember ordering you to be settled near the border town. Why are you here?"

"Your Highness, please allow me to report!" The leading elder raised his head eagerly, a glimmer in his eyes. "We...we heard that the Crown Prince of the Holy Dynasty has returned! He is here with Your Highness! We old bones have grown up listening to the legends of the Golden Family! Please, Your Highness, let us take a look, just one look! As long as we can confirm that he has that...the divine mark of the flaming bull head on his back, we...will die with peace of mind!"

The old people behind him also looked pleading, and some even sobbed softly.

Chu Shikun frowned. These people had arrived too quickly, and their goal was so clear—directly targeting the mark on the last crown prince! This was definitely not just "hearsay."

He was about to ask more questions when Chu Shiyu beside him sneered softly, his voice cold: "Oh, it seems that father has foresight and has already prepared a 'backup plan'."

He turned his gaze to Chu Shikun, with a sharp insight: "Regardless of whether the old Taoist priest is alive or dead, as long as the 'mark' is there, with these 'witnesses' present, the drama of tracing one's ancestry and passing on the family tradition can continue. Aren't these... the ready-made, most 'suitable' audience?"

Chu Shikun's heart was shaken! Chu Shiyu's words were like thunder, instantly splitting the fog in his heart!

Yes!

The Tatars had originally used these old, weak, and sick men to attack Daxia in order to deceive the Oirat and, moreover, to rid themselves of a burden on their tribe. Attacking Daxia was their final destination of honor—for the northern tribes, it was shameful for a man to avoid battle, and dying in battle was an honor.

These captured people would be useless to Daxia if they were kept as a waste of food...but my father ordered them to be "resettled"...it turned out that it was not out of mercy, but a long-term calculation!

These people who were abandoned by the Tatars and regarded as a burden were precisely the ones who had witnessed the glory of the Golden Family!

The Tatars have now replaced the Golden Family with a new one, squeezing them out of the ruling class. The remaining Golden Family have become mascots. The tribe must have Golden Family bloodlines to show its orthodoxy, but they have no real power... Even among these abandoned old, weak and sick, there are branches of the Golden bloodline who are considered redundant and need to die with honor in battle!

Let these elders of the northern tribes come and "witness with their own eyes" the sacred mark on the last prince. Their "testimony" may be more important in the hearts of the lower-class herdsmen on the grassland than the declaration of any noble leader!

My father…had actually laid this hidden plan for today's situation half a year ago! Regardless of whether the last crown prince could survive until the ceremony was complete, as long as these "witnesses" confirmed the authenticity of the previous dynasty's royal tattoos, Daxia would have the righteous cause of "supporting orthodoxy"!

"Take them to see the last crown prince." Chu Shikun suppressed the turmoil in his heart, his voice returned to calm, and he ordered his guards, "Escort them carefully and don't disturb them."

The personal guards received the order and led this group of excited and nervous Northern elders, stumbling but extremely determinedly towards the heavily guarded tent deep in the camp.

Inside the tent, the light was dim.

The last prince lay on the couch, as withered as a rotten wood, while the white-haired genius doctor Zhu Hengzhen stood beside him with a solemn expression.

When the elders from the Northern Tribe were ushered in and saw the body lying on the couch, which looked almost like a withered corpse, their eyes revealed an unconcealable sadness...

However, when the personal guards followed the instructions and carefully assisted Zhu Hengzhen in half-removing the old man's luxurious and exquisite shirt, revealing the strange blue and red tattoo on his skinny back that looked like a burning bull's head, time seemed to freeze.

The old man in the lead suddenly widened his eyes, turbid tears instantly gushed out, and a gasp came from his throat, as if he had seen some miracle.

He stretched out his hand tremblingly, wanting to touch it, but stopped in awe mid-air. Finally, his knees gave way and he fell heavily to the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold earth. He let out a sob that had been suppressed for decades, "Eternal Heaven... It really is... It really is the Holy Prince!"

The elderly men behind him also prostrated themselves on the ground, their suppressed cries filling the silent tent. That tattoo, that legendary sacred mark, was etched into the depths of their souls like a brand. No words were needed; their reactions spoke volumes.

Soon, the confirmed news spread from Saynshanda like the wind on the grassland.

half a month later.

All the calls made by Saiyinshanda were responded to, and people from the northern tribes came one after another, making this originally desolate northern land gradually lively.

At the site where the city of Saynshand was built, dust was flying, and the sounds of shouts, ramming earth, and chiseling stones intertwined into a sea of noise.

The construction workers were as dense and busy as an ant colony. For ease of management, the new wall was divided into several sections, all worked on simultaneously. Their identities were clearly defined: on one side were the four thousand Oirat captives, dressed in prison uniforms and toiling under strict surveillance; on the other side were free citizens, who enjoyed relaxed supervision and could leave after completing their work and receiving their day's wages.

The so-called free people were what Liu Rusi and Chu Shiyu called them. Their composition was very complex, but some of them were captives that the Oirat had exchanged for Sun Zhizhao and the deposed Khan. After experiencing a life of hard work and rewards, they could never go back to the days of being exploited. When they failed to resist the suppression of the nobles and were desperate, they received the recruitment news from Saiyinshanda.

So they took the Daxia copper coins they had earned before and left the control of the Oirat without looking back... Not only did the original captives escape themselves, but like a snowball, they were also accompanied by more pastoral slaves and untouchables who were cruelly exploited to the brink of despair after the severe winter and war.

These people don't want to think about Daxia's intentions at all. They have nothing but their lives which may fall on the grassland at any time. But now Daxia is stationed in Saiyinshanda, which gives them hope of survival!

And they hoped to see it on the day they arrived! The former captives who had defected from the Oirat Mongols saw the construction site that had already begun, and when the prisoners were given money to sell food, they went over and tried to buy food with the copper coins they had saved up!

After successfully buying the food, they were ecstatic - the Daxia soldiers who sold the food had mixed feelings. This was something that His Royal Highness Prince Duan had already instructed them about long ago. Copper coins were originally Daxia's currency, so they would naturally accept them. However, the prices here were much more expensive than in Daxia.

Then these former captives asked if they could return to the ranks of prisoners in Daxia and continue to live a life where they earned according to the work they did.

At this time, the soldiers publicly announced the system established by Prince Duan. They did not need more captives, and those who came to work were free people!

They only need to register for the job at noon every day, and follow the assigned supervisor in groups of fifty. The job will end after the afternoon, and their wages will be settled according to the work records recorded by the supervisor.

As a result, the construction site in Saiyinshanda became increasingly bustling!

In a corner of this busy scene, Liu Rusi and Chu Shiyu were absorbed in an experiment. A heavy boulder, needed for the foundation of a wall, was being entangled in a complex system of ropes and wooden pulleys.

"Check the knot and pulley fixing points again." Liu Rusi frowned slightly and carefully examined every detail.

Chu Shiyu stood beside her, his towering figure imbued with an invisible sense of oppression. But his gaze was now fixed solely on Liu Rusi and the device, his expression focused, even with a subtle hint of indulgence. He followed his instructions and gestured to the craftsman beside him to check again.

The gazes of the freedmen of the Northern Tribes working nearby were occasionally drawn in, peering in from behind the cordon of Prince Duan's personal guards. Most of them were newcomers who had made the arduous journey only to hear the news, their faces still etched with the fatigue of a long journey and the bewildered curiosity of arriving in a strange land.

"Get up!" Liu Rusi gave the order.

A dozen craftsmen pulled the ropes together, and an astonishing scene unfolded: the heavy boulder, which had originally required dozens of men shouting and using rolling logs to pry it up, was now lifted off the ground with relative ease thanks to the ingenious operation of the pulley system. The ropes were taut, the pulleys creaked, and the huge stone moved steadily in mid-air as everyone watched with bated breath.

"It's moving! It's really moving!"

"Oh my god, what is that?"

Among the onlookers, those working purely to survive, bursts of suppressed exclamations and incredulous comments erupted. Their eyes gleamed with surprise and excitement, as this refreshing experience directly impacted their senses.

A weather-beaten man, who used to work as a coolie in the Wala tribe, murmured, "This... this is easier than the dozens of us pulling the cart..." His equally ragged companions around him nodded one after another, looking at the pulley device with hope - this magical tool means that they can earn enough food to survive more easily!

Chu Shiyu watched the boulder move steadily, then glanced sideways at Liu Rusi, who was concentrating on directing the operation beside him. Dust clung to her temples, but she was oblivious. Her calm, almond-shaped eyes were filled with the joy of a successful experiment.

A smile flickered in his phoenix eyes, and the corners of his thin lips curved upwards. He then instructed his guards, "This method is feasible. Pass the word, make more pulleys according to this pattern and distribute them to each construction site."

The test was completed and the pulley system performed satisfactorily.

However, Chu Shiyu and Liu Rusi did not leave immediately. Instead, they strolled slowly in the busy, noisy and dusty city under construction, scanning the working people.

It was during such a "stroll" the day before that Liu Rusi observed the difficulty of moving huge rocks and came up with the idea of a pulley system.

Most people worked hard, their clothes soaked with sweat, just to earn the wages and food they needed to survive.

However, Liu Rusi's gaze quickly caught sight of some unusual people. They were also working, but their movements seemed absent-minded, and their gazes kept drifting involuntarily toward the sprawling Great Xia camp not far away—where the army was stationed, and further in, where the last crown prince rested in his tent.

Liu Rusi and Chu Shiyu exchanged a glance, understanding each other. These people did not come here to make a living, they were seekers who came here with a "pilgrimage" heart.

However, Saiyinshanda is located north of the Yin Mountains, a desolate land where food and water are extremely scarce. The Daxia army can provide them with food and water, but it is not free and requires purchasing with Daxia currency.

In order to obtain these basic supplies for survival and wait for the "pilgrimage" time scheduled for Qingming Festival five days later, some of these pilgrims had to temporarily join the labor team in exchange for copper coins to purchase supplies.

While the total number of pilgrims was far less than that of the laborers, they still numbered several thousand. Clearly, there were many of higher status among them, though only a minority actually engaged in physical labor. Many more chose to stay outside the three-li radius permitted by the Great Xia Army, setting up yurts, some simple and some ornate, and quietly waiting.

Liu Rusi's eyes were particularly drawn to the area of ornate yurts, some of which, inlaid with gold and silver ornaments or covered with expensive felt, gleamed in the sunlight.

An idea suddenly popped up in her mind. She stopped and turned her head to Chu Shiyu beside her and whispered, "I think we can open a pawnshop here, or... a bank."

Chu Shiyu paused, his gaze fixed on her. He instantly understood her deeper intentions—this was more than just a convenient measure to meet the pilgrims' material needs. His mind raced, and he immediately followed her lead: "Are you planning to... promote Daxia's currency?"

"Exactly!" Liu Rusi nodded, her eyes gleaming with insight. "The pawnshop allows them to use their jewelry, valuable furs, and even livestock as collateral in exchange for much-needed cash to purchase supplies."

"As for the banks, we can absorb their gold and silver, and even issue Daxia silver bills. These can be used to purchase supplies from Daxia in the future. In the future... don't you hope to establish a trade led by Daxia? As long as we use Daxia's currency, Daxia will naturally dominate. After all, if we are separated from Daxia, those silver bills are essentially just pieces of paper!"

Chu Shiyu's eyes suddenly lit up, and he instantly grasped the enormous strategic value behind this proposal! Not only would it solve the dilemma of pilgrims carrying valuables but lacking currency, it would also allow them to deeply embed Daxia silver notes into the economic bloodline of Mobei!

However, a practical question immediately surfaced in his mind. He frowned slightly and said gravely, "This is a brilliant plan! However... the smallest denomination of banknotes issued by the official banks of Daxia is fifty taels. This is far too much for ordinary herdsmen, or even pilgrims, to pay for daily food and water."

He looked at Liu Rusi, his eyes sharp as he sought a solution. "If we want to implement this, we must simultaneously introduce small-denomination silver notes. Silver notes of ten taels, five taels, or even one tael, can meet the needs of daily small transactions and truly circulate."

Liu Rusi smiled slightly, but then frowned and said, "But I'm afraid we won't be able to print these small-denomination banknotes in time."

Chu Shiyu smiled calmly and said, "There's no rush. Let's eat one bite at a time... Let's open the pawnshop first. With the support of Daxia's base in Yinshan Mountain and the Daxia army stationed there, even if the banknote issue is put on hold, there will be no actual loss."