"Father! Are you just going to watch as this Han envoy humiliates me, humiliates our Xiongnu people like this? Can you really stand for it?"
"Li Aotian is already stomping all over our faces! He has become so arrogant that he’s even trying to snatch away your daughter-in-law."
Prince Wuwei was furious, his hand brushing against his flushed, stinging cheek.
Hearing this, Yizhixie sneered. He clasped his hands behind his back and lectured his son.
"Wuwei, you must learn restraint. Those who wish to achieve great things must know how to endure."
"Do you know why this Han envoy has been so arrogant since the moment he set foot in our lands? He is trying to goad me into rebellion, trying to force my hand so I have no choice but to kill him."
"Do you think I cannot see through his schemes? I saw them long ago, but… for the sake of the Xiongnu’s development over the next decade, both you and I must endure."
"Furthermore, we must learn to read our enemies. We cannot fathom the mind of Emperor Wu of Han, but surely we can fathom a mere envoy."
Wuwei was left stunned by these words. He sat down and slapped the edge of the bed.
"If I must endure, does that mean I have to stand by and watch while my woman is bullied and my property is stolen?"
Once the words had fallen, the Xiongnu Grand Chanyu patted his son on the shoulder and said earnestly:
"This matter is not yet settled. It is not as if we have no chance to strike back."
"Strike back? Father, do you have a plan?"
"I have no plan as of yet, but I suspect this Han envoy did not come to the Xiongnu solely for a woman. Perhaps he has other indulgences."
"If we can grasp his weaknesses, we can suppress this Han envoy."
"A man, after all, only truly desires two things."
"First, women."
"Second, gold."
"So, Wuwei, do you understand what you must do now?"
Those two pivotal words made Wuwei’s eyes light up. He stood up, shocked.
"Father, are you saying that as long as we bribe this Li Aotian, we can make him obedient throughout his diplomatic mission?"
"Heh, there isn't a man alive who can refuse gold!"
With that, Yizhixie, the Grand Chanyu, turned with an air of dominance, swept his sleeves, and strode out of the Royal Court tent.
...
After he departed, Prince Wuwei quickly summoned his personal guard and took one hundred taels of gold from his private treasury.
"Tuohu, take this hundred taels of gold to that Han envoy. Tell him that if he returns my princess to me, completely unharmed, then this gold is his."
The tall and burly Tuohu heard the command, immediately placed his palm over his heart, and offered a Xiongnu salute to Prince Wuwei.
"I will obey, my Prince."
...
Near the encampment where the Han Envoy stayed.
Tuohu arrived with the gold.
However...
He glanced at the hundred taels in the chest, chuckled, and pocketed half of it.
"Giving him the full hundred is too generous; fifty will suffice."
If Prince Wuwei had known of Tuohu’s actions, he likely would have coughed up blood from pure rage.
Soon after, Tuohu approached the Han delegation's tent and, after asking around, located Li Aotian’s quarters.
At that very moment, Li Aotian, who was busy inside the tent, heard footsteps outside and quickly wrapped Nalan Zi in the quilt.
"Someone is outside; I shall go see what the situation is."
Following that, Li Aotian heard a voice from outside.
"Honorable Han envoy, I am Tuohu, a guard under Prince Wuwei. I have come to speak with you about a matter."
Li Aotian smoothed out his robes, cleared his throat, and called out.
"Come in."
"Yes! I am entering."
Thereafter, Tuohu and Li Aotian conversed inside the tent. Regarding the bribe of gold, Li Aotian gave him only two sentences in reply:
"I, Li Aotian, an envoy of the Han, would never do anything to betray Emperor Wu. My integrity as a Han man would never allow it! Tuohu, leave! Go back and tell Prince Wuwei one thing..."
And just like that, Tuohu was driven away. Looking crestfallen, he returned to the quarters of Prince Wuwei.
...
"What!!"
"He refused? A penniless envoy actually dared to refuse my hundred taels of gold? Damn it!"
Prince Wuwei had been waiting for the return of his princess, only to be met with this news.
The Han envoy… Li Aotian had actually looked down on a hundred taels of gold and had dismissed Tuohu outright.
"What exactly is this Han envoy here for? If he is so arrogant, but not for the sake of gold, then what does he want?"
Wuwei was truly bewildered now.
But then, Tuohu took a drink of water, gulped, and whispered nervously to Wuwei.
"By the way... Prince Wuwei, Li Aotian also left you a message, but I think it sounds rather unpleasant. Perhaps it is best ignored."
"Speak! You must tell me! Does he want something? Is it land, or more gold?"
"Uh... it is neither."
"The message he left was..."
"Your princess... is very supple."
The word "supple" shocked Wuwei to his core!
In that moment, he understood!
To hell with loving women or loving gold! This fellow had come to the Xiongnu for only one reason: to humiliate him.
Humiliation. It was the greatest humiliation he had ever endured since birth.
Father! Is this the guidance you gave me?
I listened to your words, but they were useless!
Thinking of this, Wuwei’s expression turned fierce, and he shook his head.
"My father can no longer be trusted!"
"For the sake of the Xiongnu, he no longer cares about me. It seems I must go to my mother."
Having said this, Wuwei walked to the coat rack, donned his armor, strapped on his long blade, and stepped out.
That night, he arrived at the Golden Tent of the Royal Court to seek an audience with his mother.
She was the woman who loved him most, the mother he had always held in high esteem!
He barged into the Golden Tent and saw a tall, elegant woman dressed in green.
Such a woman, possessed of remarkable beauty and a noble bearing.
Just looking at her brought a single word to mind: *radiant despite her years.*
She was bowing her head, massaging the legs of the Grand Chanyu, who was already fast asleep in his golden tent.
The woman slowly turned her head, a flash of shock crossing her quiet eyes.
"Wei'er, why are you here?"
"Mother! My son has a grave matter for which I seek your justice."
At this moment, his mother, Zhang, looked puzzled. She slowly stood up and covered the Grand Chanyu with a blanket.
She took her son’s arm and led him outside the Golden Tent, where she asked:
"Wei'er, what grievance have you suffered? Tell your mother slowly!"
As soon as these words were spoken, Wuwei poured out the entire affair regarding the Han envoy, Li Aotian.
Upon hearing this, Zhang’s expression froze, and she frowned deeply.
"Do not worry, Wei'er, I shall obtain justice for you! To bully my son and snatch away my daughter-in-law! This boy is truly arrogant beyond measure!"