Chapter 214: [Khan’s Story 6] I don’t hate him

Chu Jiao stepped on the stirrup and exerted a bit of strength in her hands.

Not mentioning that the original owner had already learned about the six etiquettes1 when she was younger and that Chu Jiao had successfully defended herself against the wild beasts in the cultivation world, riding a horse was simply beneath her.

However, this time, she deliberately struggled for a long time but still couldn’t get on.

“Beardie, don’t you know how to lend a hand to this princess!”

Seeing the man merely cross his arms and watch coldly at the side, Chu Jiao called him out in exasperation.

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Hu Luoyan raised a brow but ultimately didn’t move a muscle. This girl made him concede defeat several times now, so this time, he wanted to see how she would make a fool out of herself.

Getting no response from the hard-headed man, Chu Jiao turned her head away in seething anger and suddenly pointed to a soldier standing beside Hu Luoyan, “Hey you, come and help this princess get on the horse.”

The soldier was only 18 or 19 years of age. His face was young and tan, and upon hearing her command, his pair of eyes brightened in an instant. While travelling with the group, he had already harbored deep admiration for this fairy-like princess, and now that the princess has ordered him to approach her, it simply felt like a gargantuan honor to him.

“Gp vbl rakdnlpp nsxxydep!” Tkp qynl bye iwknjzu vwadle kdvs y ellr pbyel sq ale yp bl tsv sqq bkp bsapl yde ayd vsoyaep Ubw Kkys’p pkel, kdvldekdt vs nsxl vs bla yke.

Jwv, kd vbl dlmv xsxldv, yd knl-nsze yaxsa nyxl swv sq dsoblal yde czsnjle bkx.

“R’zz es kv.” Tw Nwsuyd sdzu pyke vblpl vball osaep yde vbl pszekla eked’v eyal xyjl ydu xsal xshlp, sclekldvzu okvbeayokdt cynj vs bkp saktkdyz rzynl.

Mbl uswdt tkaz’p pzkx oykpv oyp nsxrzlvlzu nshlale okvb sdl sq bkp bydep, yde okvbswv Tw Nwsuyd dllekdt vs tlv esod qasx bkp bsapl, bl pkxrzu cldv bkp yax yde zkqvle bla wr, blzrkdt Ubw Kkys pkv sdvs vbl qkzzu.

“Zsw lhld eyal saela xu rlsrzl!” Tkp qkdtla nswzed’v blzr cwv pzktbvzu pvasjl bla oykpv clqsal alvaynvkdt bkp byde.

“Kky!”2

Ubw Kkys eked’v lhld tkhl vbkp fwhldkzl xyd y zssj, pokdtkdt sdl qssv shla vbl bsapl’p alya clqsal qsanlqwzzu rwzzkdt sd vbl alkdp yde awddkdt qsaoyae.

“Mblal’p ds dlle vs ynnsxrydu wp,” Tw Nwsuyd vwadle bkp blye yde qkaxzu kdpvawnvle bkp pwcsaekdyvlp obkzl xshkdt yblye, “Mbkp tldlayz okzz rasvlnv vbl rakdnlpp.”

Great Chu’s Ministry Official initially wanted to stop him but didn’t dare do so. He only prayed in his heart that the spoiled princess wouldn’t cause any more trouble and watched as the princess’s figure went farther and farther away, the fierce Xianbei general quickly catching up to her and riding along with her.

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※

“Beardie, what kind of place is Outer Mongolia?”

Chu Jiao spurred her horse to create several meters of distance between the group before gradually pulling the reins back, allowing the horse to slow down its pace.

They were currently within the borders of the river and were passing through a peaceful plain, surrounded by forests that were verdant and lush, flowers blooming, birds chirping, making it look as though they were in the Land of Peach Blossoms3.

“Outer Mongolia ah…” Hu Luoyan rode beside Chu Jiao and thought of the prosperous towns in Great Chu, his eyes growing dim, “The desert is cold and desolate, while the grasslands are vast and hazy. There’s nothing interesting there, and you’ll suffer a lot.”

As of today, he no longer regretted choosing this particular princess to serve as the queen by his side. The simple thought of being together with her inexplicably lifted his spirits without his awareness. However, seeing her pretty little face, Hu Luoyan suddenly thought that bringing her back to Outer Mongolia wouldn’t make the best home for her.

This kind of beautiful canary belonged in the most sumptuous cage, drinking the freshest dew and eating the most exquisite food there was.

Of which his Outer Mongolia wouldn’t be able to provide for her.

“Cold and desolate desert, vast and hazy grasslands…” Chu Jiao repeated Hu Luoyan’s words, lost in thought, “If it’s that hard, then he must’ve suffered in that place for 30 more years than I have.”

Her tone was light and insipid, but it carried a wisp of concern and distress in its undertone.

Hu Luoyan instantly knew who Chu jiao was referring to as ‘he.’ It was none other than himself!

Ever since before, when he was ruthlessly bullied by his brothers to the point where he was badly bruised all over, nobody had ever shown the least bit of concern for him. Even when the servants looked down on him and didn’t serve him enough food, nobody cared for him. And, now that he had finally stepped on a mountain of corpses to assume his throne alone, everybody feared him without a second thought.

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He was regarded as the most ruthless wolfking of the land, but not a single person knew that in the very beginning, what he desired for the most was to merely receive the slightest hint of warmth.

His whole life had been ice-cold, and later on, the only sensation of warmth he had learned was from freshly spilt blood.

All his life, Hu Luoyan never imagined that after living for 36 years, he would receive a twinge of warmth from a princess of an enemy kingdom.

And at this moment, Chu Jiao not only thought of the bitter hardships he had suffered the past 30 years.

But, also how each time she transmigrated into another world, she would be well-protected by these strong male leads. Yet, before she had transmigrated, how much suffering did this man go through while waiting for her?

Thinking of this, her heart started to ache for the male lead.

“Cough, you’re an unwilling party in this marriage. How could you speak on his behalf?… Do you not hate him?” Hu Luoyan didn’t know what Chu Jiao was pondering about. And as such, he could only continue pretending to be his younger brother in embarrassment and ask casually.

“Hate him for what?” Chu Jiao slowly lifted her head to look at him, smiling brightly, “Everyone has their own calling. As a princess of Great Chu, my kingdom needs me to marry the khan and that shall be my calling.”

“Just like you… Just like your brother, as Xianbei Khan, his people need him to expand his campaigns and grow his influence to be able to secure more food to eat and warmth. That is his calling.”

“I don’t hate him just as I don’t hate myself.”

I only hope that he would be able to love me as I love him.

But, Chu Jiao didn’t utter these words, because she knew that it still wasn’t the right time yet.

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Right at this moment, in Hu Luoyan’s heart, Chu Jiao’s casual yet serious response evoked a significant ripple, his heart skipping a beat.

He was wrong. His princess was not a canary.

But a swan.

Beautiful and noble, bright and warm.