Chapter 294 – Princess of the Prairie Rules the World – Autumn Hunt Part 2 (19)
Before the emperor and the tribal leaders arrived, the hunting grounds had already been arranged by the imperial guards.
To preserve the emperor’s dignity, the accompanying guards were not only responsible for his safety, but also for discreetly helping him hit his targets.
“Your Majesty, there’s a deer up ahead,” one sharp-eyed guard pointed out.
The emperor was delighted. The phrase “contending for the deer in the Central Plains” symbolized vying for supremacy over the land; the deer represented the empire itself—only the supreme ruler was worthy of claiming it.
The emperor drew his bow, aimed at the unsuspecting deer, and released the arrow.
But just as he let go, faster than one could speak, someone else acted even quicker.
Out of nowhere, an arrow flew past his, reaching the deer first and striking it down.
The deer fell to the ground with a thud. The emperor’s face darkened. He turned to the guards accompanying him, who were just as shocked. Who would dare shoot a deer right in front of the emperor? And not just any deer—but the very one he had set his eyes on.
It didn’t take long for the emperor to find out who had stolen his prey.
A tall figure on a red-brown steed slowly rode out from the trees. The emperor’s eyes widened—this was none other than Tuoba Jingyao, the head of the Xingluo tribe, who had always shown him not the slightest bit of deference.
Tuoba Jingyao looked at the emperor with a half-smile. “Your Majesty is here too? My apologies for the intrusion.”
The emperor suppressed the fury in his chest and forced a smile. “Chief Tuoba has impressive skills.” To dare snatch a target from under his nose—it was obviously intentional.
But so what if it was intentional?
The blatant disdain on Tuoba Jingyao’s face made the emperor’s heart ache with fury. How dare a mere tribal chief look at him with such insolence?
Tuoba Jingyao picked up the deer and tossed it to the bodyguard who had just caught up behind him.
This bodyguard wasn’t there to protect Tuoba Jingyao’s safety, but simply to collect the prey he hunted.
“I do indeed have some skill,” Tuoba said casually. “But Your Majesty need not worry. There are plenty more animals ahead. With Your Majesty’s riding and archery skills, catching a rabbit or two should be no problem.”
People in power never speak plainly—they always mock and ridicule between the lines.
Yes, there were many animals ahead. But how could any of them compare to a deer?
Tuoba Jingyao was clearly provoking him, mocking him for his incompetence—not just in martial skill, but in governance too.
“Chief Tuoba, you’ve got some nerve.” The emperor had reached his limit. There was no need to hold back anymore. With only their two parties present, and his side clearly outnumbering the other, if something were to happen in these dense woods, it could easily be passed off as an accident.
Never before had the emperor been so openly ridiculed. He decided to drop all pretenses and get rid of Tuoba then and there—to send a warning to all the other tribes under his rule.
He waved his hand, and the guards behind him stepped forward a few paces—when suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the side.
“What a coincidence, Chief Tuoba and His Majesty are both here!”
The newcomer was the chief of the Menghei tribe—a tall, strapping man of the grasslands. Not exactly handsome, but strong and skilled in martial arts.
With the arrival of a third party, the tense, confrontational atmosphere between the two sides quickly dissipated.
Tuoba Jingyao smiled. “Chief Menghei, it seems you’ve had quite a harvest.”
The burly man chuckled. “Not bad, not bad. What about you, Chief Tuoba? Bag anything?”
He turned to look at the bodyguard’s sack—inside was, unexpectedly, a deer.
“Impressive! Chief Tuoba truly lives up to your name as the number one Baatar of the grasslands.”
(The major tribal chiefs had once competed, but none of them could best Tuoba Jingyao—not even the seasoned veterans of many battles. All had to concede that the younger generation was indeed formidable. That’s why Tuoba Jingyao became their acknowledged leader.)
The two men chatted and laughed, completely ignoring the emperor standing beside them. The emperor’s fury flared again. He gave a cold snort, finally drawing Chief Menghei’s attention.
“Hey, Your Majesty, you’re still here?” he asked casually.
That single remark nearly made the emperor pass out from rage. One after another, they were all daring to disregard him. Were the grassland tribes planning a rebellion?
As emperor, he had to maintain his dignity. He forced a dry laugh. “Today is a hunting day—let’s save the idle chatter for the evening. If you two waste time here and end up at the bottom of the rankings, it wouldn’t look very good…”
Tuoba Jingyao replied, “Hunting won’t be a problem. Your Majesty can rest easy. Since I’ve already shot a deer, the rest is just icing on the cake.”
In terms of words, the emperor was no match for Tuoba Jingyao—and now the chief of Menghei tribe had joined in as well, almost driving him to a fit of apoplexy.
“I’ve said all I have to say. We’ll see the results at tonight’s tally,” the emperor snapped, throwing out those words before turning on his heel and leaving with his guards.
“The emperor really has a narrow heart,” the Menghei chief remarked. “Just a few words and he gets that angry.”
Tuoba Jingyao’s bodyguard thought silently: Sir, have you even listened to what you and the chief just said? The fact that the emperor didn’t die of rage on the spot is already a miracle.
The encounter had been purely by chance. After a brief conversation, the two chiefs parted ways again to continue the hunt.
Tuoba Jingyao rode on, his eyes scanning for prey—but his thoughts were back in the tent, with the young man he had left behind.
I wonder what Tang Tang is doing… He’s caught a chill lately and been coughing. I hope he drank the medicinal broth at noon…
Time passed quickly, and soon evening arrived. The evening was reserved for tallying up the day’s hunted game—and for the main event: the alliance banquet.
The eunuch raised his voice and announced, “Your Majesty, total number of game: thirty-seven.”
The emperor sat at the head of the banquet, beaming with pride. So far, according to the eunuch’s reports, he had hunted the highest number of animals.
But in the next second, his smile froze at the corners of his lips.
“Chief Tuoba—total number of game: forty-nine.”
Forty-nine—twelve more than his own.
The emperor’s expression turned sour as he glanced at Tuoba Jingyao. The latter, calm and composed, graciously accepted the congratulations from the other chiefs.
“Young and capable—Chief Tuoba truly deserves his title as the number one Baatar of the grasslands,” the emperor said, forcing a compliment through clenched teeth.
“Since Your Majesty has praised me repeatedly, I shall no longer be modest. Many thanks for the compliment,” Tuoba Jingyao replied.
What a shameless response! The emperor ground his teeth. Praise him twice and he really thinks he’s something.
The banquet for the tribal alliance required the chiefs to attend with their families. The wives of the various tribal leaders arrived in procession, and the empress stepped forward from the rear to join the gathering.
Bai Tang arrived at the banquet accompanied by Rong Ningjing.
As soon as the carriage bearing the Xingluo tribe’s emblem appeared, Tuoba Jingyao immediately stood up from his seat. Without even informing the emperor, he strode quickly toward the carriage.
Chief Menghei’s tone was filled with envy. “Chief Tuoba really dotes on his ‘little consort.’”
Tuoba Jingyao arrived at the carriage just as Rong Ningjing lifted the curtain and stepped down. When Bai Tang was about to follow, a pair of large, calloused hands appeared before him.
“Ah Yao~” Bai Tang placed his hand in Tuoba Jingyao’s, letting him help him down from the carriage.
The autumn hunting alliance was a key turning point in the original plot. Bai Tang didn’t want the female lead to be taken hostage by the emperor of Aixi—being held hostage was no easy fate. In the original storyline, Rong Ningjing suffered a great deal in the Aixi palace. But she endured it all through her strong will to live. Finally, three years later, Tuoba Jingyao led an army to attack Aixi, overthrowing the emperor and rescuing her.
Bai Tang turned to Rong Ningjing and said, “Sister Ningjing, you’ve worked hard. The front is full of rough men—it wouldn’t be proper for an unmarried young lady like you to go there. Why don’t you stay here by the carriage? I’ll have someone bring you some good food.”
Tuoba Jingyao had already discussed the plan with the tribespeople. The past year of military training in the tribe had taught Rong Ningjing many things. She now understood that in high-level political gatherings, things were fine as long as nothing went wrong—but if they did, those without status, like her, would be the first to die.
Given the tension between the tribe and Aixi, there was a strong chance that something could happen during the banquet. Bai Tang was clearly trying to protect her.
Rong Ningjing was touched by Bai Tang’s concern. “Alright, I’ll stay here. If anything happens, I’ll run back and call for reinforcements.”
Tuoba Jingyao led Bai Tang back to the banquet. Most of those present had seen Bai Tang before, so they weren’t particularly surprised.
But for the emperor, this was his first time seeing him.
Though the young man was dressed in the distinctive attire of the grasslands, he had rosy lips and white teeth—a striking, eye-catching beauty.
Without realizing it, the emperor found himself staring. The empress noticed and couldn’t help but shoot Bai Tang a sharp glare.
Tuoba Jingyao, displeased, moved to block Bai Tang from view. Only then, prompted by the empress’s reminder, did the emperor snap out of it. He invited Tuoba Jingyao and his consort to take their seats—but couldn’t help sneaking glances at the youth. Still, with Tuoba Jingyao keeping a close guard, he saw little more than the color of Bai Tang’s robes. That delicate, handsome face remained completely obscured.
The empress forcibly suppressed her jealousy. Three thousand women in the harem were already enough of a headache—now there was a new little seducer to deal with. And the emperor had a history. A few years back, he had taken a liking to the wife of a newly promoted minister, gave her a false identity, and brought her into the palace, where she enjoyed his exclusive favor for two to three years. And this boy—he was far more beautiful than that consort had ever been. The emperor would definitely be tempted.
In fact, the empress’s guess wasn’t wrong. The emperor truly had the idea of bringing Bai Tang into the palace. But stealing a tribal chief’s consort was a far greater affair than taking a minister’s wife—it came with far more political consequences. Still, just to satisfy his lust, the emperor had started treating Tuoba Jingyao with uncharacteristic courtesy.
Tuoba Jingyao played diplomatic games with the emperor while signaling to the other chiefs. They quickly picked up on his cue and shifted the conversation to other topics to distract the emperor. Taking the opportunity, Tuoba Jingyao withdrew from the discussion and turned his attention to Bai Tang.
“Tang Tang, did you drink your medicinal broth like a good boy today?” Tuoba Jingyao leaned in close and asked softly.
“I did. I drank it all. If you don’t believe me, ask Ningjing—she watched me drink it,” Bai Tang replied in a small voice.
When a little squirrel lies, it can’t look people in the eye.
At that moment, Bai Tang’s gaze darted downward, fixating on the jade pendant at his waist.
“Really?” Tuoba Jingyao narrowed his eyes. “If I ask Rong Ningjing later and find out you didn’t finish it… I’m going to spank your little butt.”
Bai Tang wasn’t completely lying. Though he hadn’t finished it, he had drunk about half. “I drank some—just… just couldn’t finish the last bit.”
“The last bit?”
“…Fine. Half.”
Under Tuoba Jingyao’s “threat,” Bai Tang finally confessed, sulking as he tried to earn some leniency. “But I’m not coughing anymore. I’m completely fine now. So you can’t spank me.”
If the situation allowed, that little squirrel would have gladly clutched his backside and run for it.
Tuoba Jingyao knew exactly how big the bowls they used were. As for Bai Tang’s appetite—aside from eating nuts, where he tended to overindulge—he ate very little of anything else. Being able to finish even half a bowl of the medicinal broth was already pushing his limit.
“Alright then. Since Tang Tang drank some, I’ll let it go this time. But don’t make it a habit. If you skip covering up during your nap again, you’ll have to finish a full bowl next time.”
The little squirrel nodded furiously like a pecking chick, relieved to have escaped punishment.
While the emperor was chatting with the other tribal chiefs, his eyes never left Bai Tang.
And he wasn’t the only one staring—another person was also watching Bai Tang intently.
That man looked overwhelmed with emotion. If the emperor hadn’t been sitting up on the dais, he might’ve already dropped to his knees in front of Bai Tang, crying out “Young Lord!”
The man was a subordinate of the Southern Cloud King. Last year, he had been sent by the king to investigate a rebel plot. But when he returned, he found the rebels had launched an assault on the southern city. The Southern Cloud King sacrificed himself to protect the citizens. His palace was overtaken. The queen and other members of the household committed suicide to preserve their honor. The king’s only heir—the Southern Cloud heir—vanished without a trace.
Although the emperor later dispatched troops, captured all the rebels, and absorbed the remaining Southern soldiers (this man among them), he had never believed that the rebels had truly targeted the Southern City.
The Southern Cloud King had loved his people like his own children. He frequently offered aid to poor citizens in neighboring cities. Even when the emperor grew arrogant and oppressive with his harsh taxes, sparking some uprisings, the Southern Cloud King remained widely loved and respected. The people would never have turned on him.
As the king’s popularity among the common folk grew, it naturally provoked the emperor’s jealousy. The so-called rebel attack had been quelled too quickly by the emperor’s forces—and no further questions were allowed. The vice general had every reason to believe the entire event had been orchestrated by the emperor himself.
After their marriage, the Southern Cloud King and Queen had been stationed in the southern city. Since their son, Bai Tang, was born frail, he had never been brought along on their annual trips to the capital to pay respects. So it made sense that the emperor had never seen him before.
The vice general clenched his fists as he watched Bai Tang whispering closely with Tuoba Jingyao. Once the banquet was over, he was determined to stop him and speak with him.
Author’s Note:
Identity reveal incoming. The vice general has appeared—reinforcements are here.