The emperor faked his death? Never mind, I will ascend the throne directly!

When the heavy curtain was opened, a wave of heat hit his face, dispelling the chill from Li Chengfeng's body.

It was as warm as spring inside the tent, in stark contrast to the ice and snow outside.

The fire pit in the center was burning brightly. The crackling wood gave off the aroma of pine resin, and the firelight reflected on everyone's faces, making them all red.

Several plump rabbits and pheasants were sizzling on the grill, and the fat dripping into the fire gave off an enticing aroma.

Several sheepskin lamps were hung on the ceiling, illuminating the interior of the tent as bright as day.

The floor was covered with thick woolen blankets, which were soft and comfortable to step on. Low tables and cushions were placed around the tent.

The leaders of various tribes had already sat around the table, which was filled with various fruits and dairy products, as well as several jars of locally brewed liquor.

Seeing Li Chengfeng come in, the leaders of various tribes stood up and saluted.

"See Your Majesty!"

"No need to formalize, leaders."

Li Chengfeng smiled and gave a light support, his eyes sweeping over the crowd, lingering on each person's face for a moment.

He had only seen the names and portraits of these leaders in memorials, but now that he saw them with his own eyes, he felt the rough and heroic aura they embodied.

"Your Majesty, you have come a long way and must have worked hard on your journey!"

A leader spoke first and greeted them warmly. He was the patriarch of the Wuhuan tribe, named Tuoba Hong.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this damn weather is so cold that it makes my bones ache."

Another leader, Murong Xiong, the patriarch of the Xianbei tribe, who was short and fat but had a pair of shrewd little eyes, also echoed the sentiment.

Li Chengfeng nodded slightly, indicating that they didn't need to be polite, and then sat down in the main seat.

Xiao Liuzi followed closely behind and diligently poured a cup of steaming hot milk tea for Li Chengfeng.

"Thank you for your hard work, leaders."

Li Chengfeng picked up the milk tea, took a sip, and said with a smile.

The Wusun leader stood up and said, "It is an honor for us to have Your Majesty here in person. Upon hearing that Your Majesty is personally leading the expedition, we have specially prepared some wine to welcome Your Majesty."

"I've heard that the tribes of the Northern Territory are always brave and good at fighting. Seeing it today, I can see that their reputation is indeed well-deserved."

Li Chengfeng nodded slightly, agreeing to the Wusun leader's proposal. When Emperor Jianwu was still alive, he had a very pleasant conversation with the leaders during the annual meetings in Shengjing.

It can be seen that the Qian Dynasty had very good relations with the surrounding tribes, and at the same time it also played a role in restraining them.

Another leader, lean and slender with sharp eyes, took over the conversation: "Your Majesty, you are too kind. We are just a few rough men, no match for the elite soldiers and generals in the capital."

Tuoba Hong personally cut off a piece of golden roasted rabbit meat and handed it to Li Chengfeng, "Your Majesty, please try some game from our grassland. This is specially hunted by my brothers this morning."

Li Chengfeng took the rabbit meat, put it in his mouth, and praised: "Mm, it tastes good, fresh and juicy."

"As long as Your Majesty likes it, the game from the grassland is much better than the delicacies from the mountains and seas in the palace!"

Murong Xiong interrupted.

Li Chengfeng waved his hand, signaling them to talk while eating.

He first picked up the dagger and cut off a piece of rabbit leg meat, and then the other tribal leaders followed suit.

Li Chengfeng said, "I have not come here to show off my military might, but to discuss state affairs with you and to ensure peace on the borders of Daqian."

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Everyone echoed in unison.

However, Li Chengfeng keenly noticed that although these leaders appeared respectful on the surface, there was a hint of inquiry and suspicion in their eyes.

These tribes, who had lived in the frontier for many years, did not have much trust in the imperial court. In the early years, they were law-abiding and relied entirely on Emperor Jianwu to conquer the world, so they were afraid of him.

Now that the Qian Dynasty has experienced many upheavals, the surrounding tribes have also become somewhat concerned.

Especially for this new emperor, maybe he has already started to make some small moves where he can't see.

"I know that you are more familiar with the previous emperor, and you may have some doubts about me, the new emperor."

Li Chengfeng spoke directly, "However, I can assure you that, like the late emperor, I am committed to protecting the country and ensuring the safety of the people, so that they can live and work in peace and contentment."

Tuoba Hong laughed heartily, cleverly concealing his inquiring gaze, and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. We naturally believe in your sincerity."

"only……"

He paused, then looked at Li Chengfeng again, "I wonder what your Majesty thinks of the situation in Northern Xinjiang?"

Li Chengfeng observed everyone's reactions calmly. As soon as the word "Northern Frontier" came out, everyone had different expressions.

The game's introduction mentioned that the Northern Frontier tribe had strong soldiers and horses, and like many other tribes, they conquered the world on horseback.

But they are not as content as other tribes. The King of Northern Frontier is also an ambitious man.

If one had to compare him with someone else, Li Chengfeng would think he looked like the Overlord of Western Chu.

Realizing that his thoughts had wandered off, he quickly pulled himself back, cleared his throat, and continued.

"The King of Northern Frontier has sent me a memorial, saying he's ill. I'm here to bring you some supplements. After all, the peace of the Northern Territory depends on you, the leaders. We can't do without any of you."

"What your Majesty said is absolutely true."

The Kucha leader said, "In recent years, many small tribes have been repeatedly invaded and are suffering terribly."

"We once fought back, but they were too strong and we were no match for them..."

He deliberately didn't point it out, staring at Li Chengfeng, as if waiting for his response.

Li Chengfeng understood what he meant. He was testing his understanding of border affairs and his attitude towards handling problems.

It is clear without much thought that the invader must be the King of Northern Frontier. He is taking advantage of the fact that the new emperor has no time to take care of the areas outside the Great Wall, so he can make big moves without being noticed.

Li Chengfeng was previously busy dealing with the civil unrest, so he inevitably neglected the affairs of the Northern Territory. Besides, it was not the time for them to cause trouble.

Unfortunately, the King of Northern Frontier miscalculated Li Chengfeng, as the people who traveled through time knew the entire situation well.

"I know that the court's previous support for the various ethnic groups was insufficient, causing you all to suffer."

"I came here this time to make up for my previous mistakes."

"Your Majesty is too polite. You are the Son of Heaven and simply do not have the time to deal with trivial matters. How can this be considered a mistake?"

Murong Xiong was the first to speak up for Li Chengfeng, causing Li Chengfeng to look at him twice more.

The leader of the Xianbei tribe, his tribe was not large, but it seemed to have always stood on the side of the Qian Dynasty. During Murong Xiong's reign, he was very active in paying tribute to the Qian Dynasty and maintained friendly relations with the Central Plains.

Unfortunately, he died too early, and his son started to behave dishonestly after he came to power.

Li Chengfeng’s view on this is: make good use of it when the father is in power, but destroy it when the son comes to power.

However, the compensation I just mentioned is still necessary.

Li Chengfeng smiled slightly and said, "I have already ordered the allocation of large quantities of food and military equipment to support the various tribes."

When everyone heard this, their faces showed joy.

This is exactly what they have been looking forward to. There are already countless small tribes in the Northern Territory, and they are no match for the iron cavalry of the King of Northern Frontier.

If we have the Daqian court's sophisticated weapons and food supplies, we can greatly enhance our strength.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Tuoba Hong spoke first, and the other leaders echoed him.