MLMD -Chapter 64 Things Are Settled

Throwing the goat to the ground, Yue Yang finally exhaled in relief. At this point, surely Ao Bai had no reason left to attack him, right?

His guess was correct. Seeing Yue Yang stand before Zaisang and toss the goat into the circle, Ao Bai, who had been chasing him relentlessly, was furious enough to want to explode—but he no longer dared to make a move. If he insisted on attacking Yue Yang now, it would be tantamount to provoking the entire Khorchin tribe.

Seeing Ao Bai, who had been so persistent before, now obediently standing behind him with eyes practically shooting fire, Yue Yang’s heart finally settled. He lifted his head and shouted loudly to Zaisang on the platform, “Chieftain Zaisang, the winner has already been decided! Isn’t it time to announce it?”

Seeing Yue Yang win the goat-snatching contest, Daishan felt a surge of anger hit his forehead. This scene was far too staged. He didn’t dare claim his own eyesight was unmatched, but he could certainly tell the skill of a rider. To him, Yue Yang was barely competent on horseback, not someone who should even qualify for the contest—yet this guy had won the championship. Was this an insult to his intelligence?

Fuming, Daishan could no longer restrain his anger. In a dark tone, he said, “Beile Zaisang, is this how you treat your allies? Remember, the Khan is your relative by marriage!”

When Daishan said “Beile,” he deliberately raised his voice, a reminder to Zaisang that he still held a formal title as a Beile of Later Jin.

But Zaisang seemed not to hear him. Laughing heartily, he said, “Great Beile Daishan, as you can see, this is the will of Changsheng Tian. Changsheng Tian brought Young Master Yue to our Khorchin tribe, had him participate in the goat-snatching contest, and win the championship. As a faithful servant of Changsheng Tian, I naturally must follow the will of Changsheng Tian. Don’t you agree?”

“Changsheng Tian didn’t tell you to cheat!” Seeing Zaisang shamelessly use Changsheng Tian as a shield, Daishan almost bit through his own tongue.

“Cheat?” Zaisang feigned surprise. “Great Beile Daishan, where did you get that idea? Young Master Yue won this championship in full view of everyone—how could there be cheating? Do you have any proof?”

“Proof? Anyone with eyes could see what happened! Hundreds of riders helping that kid grab the goat—if he didn’t win, it’d be a miracle!”

Daishan finally realized that competing in shamelessness against this old man was an impossible task.

By now, he understood that he had failed the mission entrusted to him by Huang Taiji. Staying here any longer would only bring humiliation. With a grim glare at Yue Yang, who was still standing in front, he rose and left without a word.

Seeing Daishan leave in anger, Zaisang merely twirled his beard and smiled. He had no fear that Huang Taiji would retaliate for his refusal of the marriage proposal. Though he had accepted a title from Later Jin and was nominally their subordinate, Later Jin had no real control over the Khorchin tribe. Their relationship was purely an alliance.

The Khorchin tribe needed Later Jin for support—but Later Jin also needed the backing of the Mongol tribes. Otherwise, Huang Taiji wouldn’t have considered marrying his sister and daughter while still eyeing Hailanzhu. Ultimately, strengthening and consolidating ties with them was his goal. Zaisang knew as long as Later Jin still had the Ming as an enemy, he had nothing to fear.

“Hahaha…”

Zaisang laughed as he stood, walking up to Yue Yang, taking his hand, and leading him back to his seat. Addressing tens of thousands of onlookers, he proclaimed loudly, “People of the Khorchin tribe! This year’s goat-snatching contest has finally reached its conclusion. Young Master Yue from the Ming has won the championship! Before the contest, I promised Young Master Yue that if he won, I would give my beloved daughter Hailanzhu in marriage to him. Today, I fulfill that promise. Young Master Yue, before tens of thousands of Khorchin tribespeople, I ask you: do you wish to marry my daughter Hailanzhu?”

“Boom!”

As soon as Zaisang’s words fell, the crowd erupted. Hailanzhu, the most beautiful flower of the Khorchin tribe, was well-known by everyone and desired by countless young men. Yet everyone knew that a beauty like her was never meant to stay in the Khorchin tribe for life. So while they didn’t covet her inappropriately, the announcement of her marriage was a huge blow to many young men.

All eyes fell on Yue Yang as he walked forward. Even Yue Yang, who prided himself on his courage, felt chills down his spine. If these gazes had even a hint of lethality, he would have been reduced to pieces.

The short walk felt like thousands of years. Finally standing before Zaisang, Yue Yang glared at the old man. He knew this was intentional. Announcing his marriage to Hailanzhu before tens of thousands of people, forcing him to endure their scrutiny, was a fierce show of authority. Any man with weaker nerves might have collapsed.

Taking a deep breath to steady his racing heart, Yue Yang loudly declared, “Chieftain Zaisang, I am willing to marry Miss Hailanzhu, to remain by her side through life and death!”

His voice carried to nearly everyone around, prompting cheers as people celebrated their tribe’s most beautiful songbird finding her match.

“Miss, congratulations on finally finding your home, no more being an old maid!” Beside Hailanzhu, her close companion Xiaoman, eyes wet, congratulated her.

“Xiaoman, say that again and I’ll tear your mouth apart!” Hailanzhu, despite her bold nature, was too embarrassed to lift her head at her father’s public declaration. Hearing Xiaoman joke, she instinctively slapped her on the rear as a playful punishment.

Looking at the cheering tens of thousands and the young man standing before him, Zaisang’s smile carried a complex meaning. He believed this young man, bold enough to defy Daishan, was extraordinary. The exquisite unmarked salt in small transparent bags, the finely crafted iron pots, the standard tea bricks, and the remarkably protective armor his men wore—all were things Zaisang had never seen before.

These items also demonstrated the young man’s immense wealth and power. Certainly, marrying Hailanzhu to a man he had known only a few days was risky, but life itself is a gamble. If this bet paid off, the Khorchin tribe would gain tremendously in the near future.

“Respected Chieftain Zaisang, Great Beile Daishan and his men have already left our tribe and returned to Shengjing,” Udamu whispered.

Zaisang, as if expecting this, said calmly, “Let them go. As the Han say, a forced melon is not sweet. Hailanzhu was never destined for the Khan—this is Changsheng Tian’s will, and we cannot go against it, right?”

“Perhaps that’s not Changsheng Tian’s will but yours?” Udamu thought, but as Zaisang’s trusted aide, he dared not contradict his leader and bowed in agreement.

Zaisang then commanded, “Udamu, issue orders: tonight we slaughter cattle and sheep, and hold a bonfire feast to celebrate my beloved daughter Hailanzhu’s marriage!”

“Yes!”

That night, the Khorchin tribe lit countless bonfires. Tens of thousands of men, women, and children dressed in their finest, singing and dancing to celebrate their princess finding her match. Many young men and women also took this chance to find their own partners.

In a large tent, Zaisang, Udamu, and other tribal leaders hosted Yue Yang, the son-in-law from the Ming…