My stepsister tried to steal the prince's hand in marriage, but little did she know I had been

"These commoners of Dali are going too far!" Huyan Tu's eyes were sinister. "Not only do they not give way to our Northern Di caravan, they even spit on us! If we don't teach them a lesson, they'll really think we Northern Di are pushovers!"

The woman inside the carriage spoke in a sweet voice, yet with an unyielding domineering tone: "Don't forget why we came to participate in the Thousand Autumns Gathering?"

There was a hint of humiliation in her voice: "That's because we suffered a crushing defeat in our last major battle!"

"Put your knife away," she commanded in a low voice. "Don't let me see this again!"

"They were the ones who bullied us first!" Huyan Tu said indignantly, glaring again at the group of people who had left.

Even so, he still sheathed his longsword.

Of all the people in the caravan, there was only one person whom Huyan Tu respected so much—Yelü Dan, the third princess of the Northern Di.

Yelü Dan was the most beloved daughter of the Northern Di King. In the Northern Di royal court, her status was even higher than that of her brothers.

The fact that the Northern Di delegation came to Dali to participate in the Millennium Gathering was something she requested from the Northern Di King.

To protect his most beloved daughter, the Northern Di King even ordered his general, Huyan Tu, to escort the entourage.

Yelü Dan's favorable treatment in the Northern Di was not only due to the favor of the Northern Di king, but also largely due to her own intelligence and wisdom. In many previous battles against the Dali, she was able to turn defeat into victory through her strategies.

Of course, excluding the detestable King Jing of Dali!

Huyan Tu said resentfully, "This time I've come to the capital of Dali, I want to see just how powerful the legendary God of War of Dali really is! I want to duel him!"

Inside the carriage, Yelü Dan's laughter rang out: "I also want to see if Xie Jinghan is as handsome as he is in the portrait."

Huyantu laughed heartily: "I have been marching at the front lines, yet I have never seen him. He must be a coward! With such courage, even if he is handsome, he is not worthy of Your Highness!"

Yelü Dan smiled, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

This time, the Northern Di people who came to the capital of Dali were not like those vassal states; they had truly surrendered.

However, the most important of these plans is to eliminate Xie Jinghan, this major threat.

The Northern Di caravan arrived at the city gates of the capital in a grand and ostentatious manner.

The Dali Dynasty lasted only a hundred years, but this capital city existed for over a thousand years as the capital of several dynasties.

Even a single brick in a city wall carries the weight and weight of time and weather.

Upon seeing this magnificent gate, Yelü Dan's mind was momentarily stunned.

This is the Central Plains that the Northern Di people have longed for for generations.

As expected of the prosperous Central Plains, the cities they had seen along the way were already extraordinary, but this capital city before them possessed a unique and majestic aura.

Yelü Dan lowered the carriage curtain, let out a cold laugh, and revealed the ambition in his eyes.

……

The envoy from the Northern Barbarians has arrived!

This is the biggest news of the day!

Whether it was the previous dynasty or the Dali, the Northern Di were a formidable opponent.

In recent years, in particular, the Northern Barbarians' tactics have become increasingly sophisticated, and they no longer possess the brute force of their past, causing repeated disturbances to the border.

Over the past decade or so, if it weren't for the efforts of the Chu family and Xie Jinghan in turning the tide, the border cities would probably have already fallen into the hands of the Northern Di.

The Northern Barbarians were not a threat in the past, but now they have the qualifications to make the Great Li wary.

The Northern Barbarian caravan was blocked outside the city for a full hour before the officials from the Court of State Ceremonial finally arrived.

"Unfortunately," the official from the Court of State Ceremonial wiped the cold sweat from his brow. "Too many people are entering the city today, causing a traffic jam among carriages. I'm afraid your delegation will have to get out of their carriages and walk."

Under Huyan Tu's almost murderous gaze, he recited his superior's instructions word by word.

At this moment, he was already prepared to have his head cut off by the Northern Di people.

Huyan Tu indeed thought so too. Although he was a brute who only knew how to fight, he also knew that the hypocritical Dali people would never make him lose face like this unless it was done intentionally.

The official's words were clearly a deliberate insult to them.

Their noble princess from the Northern Barbarians had to walk into the city just like these ordinary commoners.

This is impossible!

The Northern Di are not pushovers to be easily manipulated!

Huyan Tu sneered, and before he could speak, the soldiers around him had already drawn their long swords.

At the same time, the soldiers defending the city were on high alert, their eyes watching the every move of the Northern Di soldiers.

This is the capital! It's the heart of their Great Li, how could they allow the Northern Di to run rampant here?

“Since the city is congested, the carriage must be entering the city very slowly.” A soft female voice came from inside the carriage. “In that case, I will walk to the post station.”

As she spoke, a maid lifted the carriage curtain.

Yelü Dan slowly stepped out of the carriage. She was exceptionally beautiful, with an exotic charm, and she was the most eye-catching person outside the city gate.

The two things she was most proud of were her mind and her appearance.

She was certain that even in Dali, she was the most dazzling woman in the crowd.

She was quite pleased with herself, as those around her gasped in astonishment at her beauty.

Since it was Da Li's deliberate attempt to make things difficult, she might as well use her intelligence to turn this difficulty into the first step for her to make a name for herself in the capital.

As soon as Yelü Dan spoke, the tense Northern Di troops instantly became peaceful.

The official from the Court of State Ceremonial wiped the cold sweat from his face and greeted the man with a smile.

Upon seeing how beautiful the Northern Di princess was, some of the people began to whisper among themselves.

And that was exactly the effect Yelü Dan wanted.

Yelü Dan was destined to become the first queen in the history of the Northern Di, so naturally she needed to spread her fame first.

Da Li's difficulties are nothing to fear.

She walked into the capital with her head held high, the Northern Di soldiers behind her her strongest support.

……

"The Northern Di princess is so beautiful? Could it be that the Northern Di king sent her here to choose a consort?"

"Choosing a consort? Doesn't the Northern Di have no one left?"

"What do you know? This is a marriage alliance! If the two countries form a marriage alliance, there will be no more war at the border."

The moment the appearance of the Northern Di princess was revealed, rumors of an impending marriage between the two countries spread throughout the capital.

For some scheming individuals, this marriage alliance, if used properly, could be their greatest weapon.

Inside the post station, Yelü Dan had just sat down when a cold laugh came from Huyan Tu's side: "This man's letter is timely. When we were being harassed by the Dali officials outside, we didn't see him step forward to help us."

Upon hearing this, Yelü Dan remained remarkably calm: "If he were to step in and help us, our relationship would likely be exposed."