Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Before Xiao Ce could speak...

Ling Chang explained somewhat nervously, "Your Highness, has there been anything we've done wrong lately that has upset you...?"

Seeing that Ling Chang had misunderstood, Xiao Ce interrupted her with a smile, "Ling Chang, what are you thinking? I've said before, I'm not a person who talks about abstract things... I prefer to talk about practical things."

"I'm leaving to learn more about your Shanshan Kingdom on my own. I promised to help you, and only by truly understanding this place can I help you."

Ling Chang nodded in agreement and then said, "Your Highness, that's no problem. However, I'll stay with you. After all, you're unfamiliar with this place."

Xiao Ce did not refuse. Originally, Xiao Ce had also been thinking of having Ling Chang find a guide.

Now, it would be best for her to volunteer herself.

Xiao Ce then instructed Ling Chang to speak with their Empress and instruct her to allow their main force to proceed as planned.

When Nanxi found out, he readily agreed, allowing Ling Chang to be accompanied by a burly woman.

This woman was 1.8 meters tall, with a robust build, and appeared to be covered in muscles.

However, she does have a very cute and pretty face.

Not only that, his voice is sweet and coquettish, creating a strong contrast in his overall demeanor.

Ling Chang introduced this female warrior with an angelic face and a devilish figure.

Her name is Dan, which has only one character.

She is the leader of the Nanxi Women's Martial Arts Corps, which was adopted and trained by Nanxi from girls who had been abandoned in the former Shanshan Kingdom.

Somewhat like assassins.

However, their female warrior group's training methods are completely different from those of the suicide squad.

Shanshan was not originally a country with a large female population.

Before Queen Nanxi took over, Shanshan was an extremely patriarchal country.

The girls born were either abandoned in mass graves or killed.

In the former Shanshan Kingdom, raising daughters was considered a sin.

However, it seems that God is taking revenge on the men in this country; the more they act this way, the higher the birth rate of girls becomes.

Perhaps it's fate, but on average, only one out of every ten children born here is a boy.

The rest are all girls.

Things changed when Nanxi's mother was a child.

Xiao Ce listened to this almost fantastical story.

Nanxi's mother was thrown into a ravine when she was a child and was carried away by a she-wolf. Not only did she not die, she survived.

Later, the mother wolf kept bringing Nanxi's mother more little girls, who were then fed by the mother wolf.

Meanwhile, on the mother wolf's side, there was an old woman who helped take care of the girls who had been brought there. The mother wolves had trained them to be female warriors.

The mother wolf taught them how to fight and hunt, and the old woman taught them to read and write.

When Nanxi's mother turned eighteen, she led the girls adopted by the she-wolves to fight their way out.

They overthrew the previous system of the Shanshan Kingdom.

Xiao Ce listened to this story as just another story.

After all, throughout history, anyone who wanted to become a king or emperor had to create some kind of story for themselves.

For example, Emperor Gaozu of Han was said to be the son of the Red Emperor, and Emperor Taizong of Tang was born amidst the legend of "two dragons playing outside the gate of the palace."

However, the fact is that Nanxi's mother was indeed raised by a she-wolf, who later overthrew the patriarchal system.

However, after she came to power, she did not promote women's supremacy.

Instead, they promoted equality, but despite it being equality, there was a certain magic in the Shanshan Kingdom.

The ratio of men to women in childbirth is such that only one in ten children is born.

Xiao Ce thought it might be due to their living environment and drinking water that made their bodies more acidic.

Scientifically speaking, an acidic body constitution makes it easier to conceive a girl.

Although it was supposed to be an equal society, the number of women in Shanshan far exceeded that of men.

Women have become a woman-led nation.

Although some patriarchal systems have been abolished in recent years, some old-fashioned people still secretly discard them.

Nanxi knew that such deeply ingrained ideas could not be changed directly.

So Nanxi sent people to find the abandoned baby girl, and later took her with him and had people teach her.

Later, due to the large number of participants, a women's martial arts corps was formed.

Later, female martial arts troupes were established throughout Shanshan Kingdom, and anyone who wanted to abandon their child was allowed to openly send them to the female martial arts troupes.

Because of this large number, the female warrior corps provided many female soldiers and female generals for the army of Shanshan.

And the 'Dan' in front of us is one of the most outstanding people among these individuals.

This Dan bowed to Xiao Ce with great efficiency.

Xiao Ce didn't bring many people with him, just Da Lei and Hu Yidao. The five of them went to various places in Shanshan Kingdom.

Because the five of them were traveling light, they were quite fast.

Xiao Ce did not stay in one place for long; he merely glanced around.

So, seven days later, on the second day after Nanxi arrived in Ruoqiang, the capital of Shanshan.

Xiao Ce and his group also arrived at Ruoqiang City.

This Ruoqiang city was much more magnificent than Xiao Ce had imagined.

The towering city walls were made of rammed earth, and the city gates were wide open, with a constant stream of people coming and going.

Contrary to Xiao Ce's expectations, he had thought he would see very few men, but the male-to-female ratio here was not as exaggerated as he had imagined.

The men and women all had smiles on their faces.

The biggest impression Xiao Ce got along the way was that the people of Shanshan were very happy.

This isn't just the case outside Ruoqiang City; the small towns and even villages that Xiao Ce passed through all seemed to have a very high level of happiness among the people.

This forms a stark contrast to the people who lived in the Xiao Kingdom.

To put it simply, the State of Xiao was wealthy, but its people were poor.

The kingdom of Shanshan in the Western Regions was very weak, but its people were quite wealthy.

Xiao Ce believed the reason might be related to the institutional system of the Shanshan Kingdom.

There are no powerful or wealthy people here, no hierarchical system, and no rich merchants.

Without the exploitation of these social classes, it is clear that ordinary people can still be wealthy.

Upon entering the city, one sees that the ground is paved with bluestone slabs, and the buildings here are also very much in the style of the Western Regions.

The streets are clean, and the houses are arranged in a pleasing, staggered pattern, giving people a very comfortable feeling. The architectural styles along the street are unique and diverse, ranging from exquisite pavilions with carved beams and painted rafters, their flying eaves and brackets shimmering with an old glow in the sunlight, their intricate patterns seemingly telling tales of past luxury; to adobe houses full of exotic charm, their thick walls bearing the marks of time, standing silently.

It must be said that, in terms of the planning and architecture of the capital city.

The Ruoqiang Kingdom of Shanshan was slightly better than the capital of the Xiao Kingdom.

Most importantly, there is no smell of feces here.

In Kyoto, there are no special sewage treatment facilities, and the smell, especially in the residential areas during the summer, is unbearable.

However, there was none here, which made Xiao Ce quite curious about the sewage treatment project here.

After all, in the northern desert, the sewage treatment project was something he had repeatedly emphasized to them.

Xiao Ce was determined to make sure his territory was spotless.

Along the way, Xiao Ce looked at the people coming and going in the city, dressed in colorful and dazzling clothes, which was dazzling to the eye.

Due to the different customs of the country, people here often wear brightly colored clothes.

Moreover, the equality that Ling Chang told Xiao Ce about could be seen from the Western Region men on this street.

Most of these men from the Western Regions were physically strong. Some wore flowing robes, which made them look quite dashing as they walked. Others wore tight-fitting short clothes, which highlighted their competence and strength. Their eyes revealed their determination and courage. It was clear from their demeanor that they were not usually exploited.

The women on the street were graceful and charming. Some of them lightly covered their faces with veils, revealing only a pair of bright and mysterious eyes that sparkled with a lively light, making people want to explore the beautiful face behind the veil.

Some women boldly displayed their beauty, their clothes colorful, some bright and dazzling, others elegant and fresh, paired with exquisite jewelry such as necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, shimmering in the sunlight, exuding a unique charm with every gesture. Some even danced gracefully to the music on the street, swaying their beautiful figures.

As Xiao Ce watched this scene, he couldn't help but recall a saying that had been passed down through the ages: "Our ancestors certainly didn't attack the Western Regions for those raisins."

As they spoke, they passed through Ruoqiang City and arrived at a magnificent palace. The palace had a golden dome and its walls were built of unknown giant stones, making it appear tall and majestic.

It is also engraved with exquisite patterns and symbols.

To be honest, Xiao Ce was very satisfied with Ruoqiang City after arriving here.

The entire Shanshan Kingdom gave Xiao Ce a very comfortable feeling, and he even didn't want to disrupt the situation on his side.

After all, using his methods will inevitably bring about significant changes here.

After all, money can be blinding and corrupting.

Upon reaching the main entrance of the palace, Xiao Ce was somewhat surprised.

At this moment, Nan Xi was already waiting at the palace gate. After seeing Xiao Ce, she stepped forward.

“Your Highness, I originally intended to greet you at the city gate. However, Ling Chang said you don’t like that… so I’ll have to wait for you here.”

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "Your Majesty Nanxi, you are too kind... and there is no need for you to use such an honorific title when addressing me."

Nanxi shook his head: "Your Highness, King of the Northern Desert, you will be the hope of our entire Western Regions. In truth, no matter what words I use to express my feelings..."

Xiao Ce was somewhat puzzled: "Your Majesty Nanxi, I have also traveled around your Shanshan Kingdom during this period of time. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to describe your Shanshan Kingdom as a paradise... The country is peaceful and prosperous. How come in your words, your country seems to be on the verge of collapse?"

Nan Xi gave a wry smile, and seeing that there were too many people around, she didn't continue.

He gestured to Xiao Ce, saying, "Your Highness, King of Mobei, let's talk after we enter the palace. I have prepared a banquet for you."

Xiao Ce nodded and, surrounded by his entourage, entered the palace.

After entering the palace, we arrived at a large hall, which had clearly been prepared.

Nanxi reserved the seat of honor for Xiao Ce.

Xiao Ce did not overstep his bounds; at Nan Xi's insistence, he sat in the seat closest to him.

Xiao Ce didn't beat around the bush and continued to get straight to the point: "Your Majesty Nanxi, why are you so eager for change? The people of your Shanshan Kingdom live in peace and prosperity. Although I haven't been to other countries, I dare say that their people are far less comfortable than those of yours."

Nanxi said with a wry smile, "Your Highness, the King of Mobei, you are right. If these things could be maintained indefinitely, I naturally would not change them. However, this momentary peace is achieved by us bowing and scraping and constantly selling out our own country's interests."

“Previously, our Shanshan Kingdom had more than thirty cities, but now only twenty-four remain. This is because we know that our national strength is weak. Even if we fight, we will not only lose the battle, but we will also lose the cities we are destined to lose. Therefore, if others want to take them, we have no choice but to give in.”

"Over the years, I have managed to survive by mediating between three other countries and keeping them in check. But it is no exaggeration to say that our current peace is the result of compromise and appeasement."

"The reason I haven't taken any action is because I have no other choice. In truth, how could our people not know this? They are merely seeking immediate gratification, or perhaps making the best of a bad situation! When we people from Shanshan go to other places, whether for business or anything else, we are easily bullied and humiliated."

"Your Highness, the King of the Northern Desert, you should know that peace bestowed upon you by others is not true peace!"

After hearing Nan Xi's words, Xiao Ce suddenly realized how naive and simple he had been.

"I've been oversimplifying things! So, you want things to change now, right?"

Xiao Ce stared at Nan Xi and asked.

Nan Xi nodded firmly, his whole body trembling with excitement.

"Indeed, Your Highness, the people of Shanshan are merely finding joy amidst hardship. I understand them. They yearn for change more than anyone! After all, while we may appear to enjoy peace and prosperity, a sharp blade always hangs over our heads... If the other countries decide they no longer wish to cooperate with us, they could wipe us out completely within a month, leaving us with nothing..."

"The reason we are not yet a fallen nation is, without exaggeration, entirely due to their charity. We beg Your Highness, the King of the Northern Desert, to guide us through this predicament."

As Nan Xi spoke, he walked directly in front of Xiao Ce and, without warning, knelt down before him, performing the grand salute of the Xiao Kingdom.

"We beg Your Highness, the King of the Northern Desert, for help!"

After Nanxi did this, all of Nanxi's confidants present knelt down.

"We beg Your Highness, the King of the Northern Desert, for help!"

Seeing this, Xiao Ce quickly stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, there's no need for this. I've come here to help you!"