"What a coincidence—" Xiao Jin greeted with a beaming smile, while muttering to himself, "This humble official is truly blessed, meeting both the Heir and Prince of Pingding. Well, it's just Luyi Mountain, isn't it? Of course, we're bound to run into each other, hahahahaha... I... I'll take my leave." With that, he winked a few times at Xin Yi and darted into the maple forest like a rabbit, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Xin Yi suppressed a laugh, "Seeing you is like a cat seeing a tiger."

"If he were truly scared, he wouldn't have come," Bai Jiu said, raising an eyebrow slightly. "Xiao Yan has made him quite bold; now he fears no one, and he's as nimble as a monkey, impossible to catch." He then came over, took Xin Yi's hand, and said, "A batch of grapes was sent from the estate. Let's go back and try them."

Xin Yi went with him.

Who knew they would encounter Xiao Jin again in the afternoon? Xin Yi was speechless, watching him dart around on the courtyard wall as if on flat ground. "Are you really planning to keep staring at me?"

"Of course not," Xiao Jin said, sitting on the wall. He pulled out a fruit from his bosom and crunched on it. "I'm a capital official, after all. How can I keep staring at you? It's just a coincidence that I've been around Luyi Mountain lately, so I'm making the most of my time." He then leaned his head forward and said mysteriously, "I'll tell you a secret. Do you want to hear it?"

Xin Yi simply turned and walked towards the corridor. Xiao Jin, unable to maintain his composure, could only force out a few hearty laughs. "Oh, I'll just say it directly. Do you know why Lord Bai chose this time to bring you to Luyi?"

Xin Yi looked back, gazing at Xiao Jin with a profound expression. Before Xiao Jin could even start, he flinched and laughed, "Eh, what a coincidence again, Prince of Pingding, hahahahaha..."

Bai Jiu rested his head on the study window, feeling a little lazy from the sun. "The word 'coincidence' isn't easy. How about this, I'll give Lord Xiao a gift."

"What gift?"

Bai Jiu smiled gently. "Come down first."

Curious, Xiao Jin slid down from the wall. Before he could even stand steady, Bai Jiu called out to Old Qu. Old Qu responded, and then all the surrounding doors opened. A pack of strong dogs burst out, instantly surrounding Xiao Jin and sniffing him furiously. Xiao Jin's face turned pale. He bolted away, chased by the dogs, running in circles until he reached the corridor. He swiftly climbed up a pillar, clinging tightly to the beam, eyes closed, and shouted, "What grudge do we have?!"

Bai Jiu casually said, "The grudge of peeking at my wife."

"When did you—cough, I, you, oh my heavens." Xiao Jin was sweating profusely from the dog barks. "I won't look, won't look, won't look at him!"

Bai Jiu ignored him and leaned on the windowsill, waving at Xin Yi, who was still laughing below. Xin Yi took a few steps, looked up, and smiled at him. "If you tease him anymore, he might cry."

When he looked up like that, his eyes curved into crescents, his dimples were deep, and Bai Jiu's eyes darkened at the sweetness. Bai Jiu watched for a long time, then simply said, "He annoys me."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin immediately shouted, "I'm leaving!"

Xin Yi then went upstairs. Bai Jiu was sitting on the couch by the window, propping his head, watching Xiao Jin scale the wall and run off in an unconventional way, just smiling. Bai Jiu patted the empty space beside him. Xin Yi went and sat down. Before he could even get comfortable, Bai Jiu had already leaned lazily against him.

"Is His Lordship reading a book or observing a person?" Xin Yi raised his hand and gently ruffled Bai Jiu's hair. As soon as he felt the texture, he smiled, "Why is it so soft?"

"Observing a person." Bai Jiu let him touch his hair and sighed. "Tomorrow, I'll have him posted elsewhere."

"Then he'd probably wait outside your door every day to see you." Xin Yi found the feel particularly pleasant, so he boldly ruffled it for a while longer. He then thought and asked, "I also want to know, why are we on the mountain now?"

Coming to the mountain wasn't unusual; what was unusual was staying for several days.

"Many matters." Bai Jiu's brows furrowed as soon as he thought of it.

Xin Yi guessed that this matter was probably related to him. There weren't many things or people that could make Bai Jiu choose to avoid rather than confront. He saw the red maples burning in the distance, and his heart stirred. He said, "Autumn has arrived."

Autumn has arrived, and the grasslands should be yellow. When the grass turns yellow, in a few more months, it will be time for the plains to trade for grain. If heavy snow falls again this year, simply trading might not be enough. Xiao Jin said he was in Luyi Mountain due to official business. Luyi Mountain is outside the capital, and nearby is a post station on the official long-pavilion road. It's unlikely the Capital Guards would be active here for any reason other than escorting foreign envoys.

Therefore, Xin Yi guessed, "Are people from Great Yuan coming?"

Sure enough, Bai Jiu hummed in affirmation.

People from Great Yuan are here. They certainly aren't just coming to beg for winter. Bai Jiu even brought him out, indicating that the visitors are definitely extraordinary. Whenever Great Yuan is mentioned, one must talk about its deep-seated feud with Beiyang.

The Hongxing 54th Year was a nightmare for Great Yuan. In that year, the Prince of Yan first forcefully established borders, and the Beiyang Army advanced into Great Yuan's territory. The most fatal blow afterwards was dealt by the Prince of Yan's eldest son, Xin Jing. Xin Jing, in one fell swoop, expelled the various tribes of Great Yuan, and thirty-two Great Yuan clans were forced to flee north to the glacier's edge. This battle caused the Qiyan Tribe, a branch of the Great Yuan Khan's lineage at the time, to rapidly weaken, and the Habugeqin Clan seized power. The current Great Yuan Khan is Habugeqin. If Xin Jing had not died in the Wan Ze attack, it is unknown whether Great Yuan would still exist today. After Xin Jing's death, the Prince of Ping took over the war front. After the war, the Crown Prince proposed exchanging horses for grain. From then on, Great Yuan exchanged its horses for Great Lan's grain every year, allowing it to recover and recuperate. It has now re-established itself south of Wan Ze, becoming a powerful nomadic cavalry nation.

The Prince of Yan's lineage no longer exists, Xin Yi's reputation as a mute is not intimidating, political struggles plague the capital's officials, only Prince of Tang remains among the outer vassal states, the Crown Prince prefers a policy of peaceful reduction and does not desire war, and the Emperor, fond of consuming Five-Stone Powder, is nearing old age. Great Lan no longer has the lions and tigers to guard its frontiers, and Great Yuan is gradually revealing its restless claws. In fact, when news reached the capital, it was precisely at the beginning of Xin Yi's return. Great Yuan's envoys were approaching, and the Emperor intended to have Xin Yi enter the Court of State Ceremonials to greet them outside the city. Sending Xin Yi to receive the Great Yuan people would inevitably lead to humiliation and possibly much blame. The Emperor naturally also intended to use Xin Yi to show goodwill. However, this intention was pushed further and further away under Bai Jiu's hands, eventually detouring to involve Xiao Jin, which allowed Xin Yi his current leisure.

"This time, it's Habugeqin's fourth son, named Chagatai. Although he is not the first in line, he is Habugeqin's most beloved son. His maternal lineage is the Borjigin Clan, and his maternal uncle is the leader of the Borjigin Tribe." Bai Jiu's fingertips played with Xin Yi's hand. "The Borjigin Tribe feared the Beiyang Army to death. Xin Jing killed the chieftains of fourteen Great Yuan tribes. When the Borjigin fled north, they were placed at the rear by the Qiyan Tribe to cover their retreat. It is said that in that year, they dreamt of your elder brother wielding a saber and riding a horse."

Xin Yi lowered the hand that had been ruffling Bai Jiu's hair and smiled. "It seems this time they've come fiercely, wanting to settle scores with my elder brother's youngest sibling."

Bai Jiu smiled. "Someone has your back."

Xin Yi glanced at Bai Jiu, who rubbed his chin against Xin Yi's shoulder and leisurely said, "The lingering prestige of the Prince of Yan and Xin Jing isn't so easily diminished. Besides, I've recently found a new amusement."

"Hmm?" Xin Yi asked, "What amusement?"

Bai Jiu leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I simply enjoy watching you hit them directly in the face."

The slightly damp warmth entering his earlobe sent a tingling sensation through him, and Xin Yi's face instantly flushed.

By the time they returned to the capital, Great Yuan's diplomatic mission had already entered the city. Many people were stationed at the post station outside the capital, but those who entered the city were important figures. For example, the Fourth Prince Chagatai, and Arslang of the Zhadalan Tribe. Chagatai needs no further mention, but this Arslang is no ordinary person.

The Zhadalan Tribe, a major tribe second only to Great Yuan's Qiyan Tribe, was originally one of the most powerful factions contending for the Great Yuan Khanate. When Habugeqin ascended to power, this man was the leader of Zhadalan, yet he deeply earned Habugeqin's trust. He is Great Yuan's Batu'er, meaning "hero," enjoying great prestige among all Great Yuan tribes, and is also known as the "Lion" of Zhadalan and the "Lion King" of Great Yuan. This man had at least three confrontations with the Prince of Yan. If Xin Jing had not taken over from the Prince of Yan and changed tactics, the Beiyang Army would not have reached deep into Great Yuan territory. After Xin Jing's death, the Prince of Ping, commanding an army of 500,000, could not cross Jianan Mountain behind Wan Ze, precisely because this man firmly blocked Great Lan's advance like an iron plate. It must be mentioned that when he retreated south to block the Prince of Ping, besides 60,000 cavalry from the Zhadalan Tribe, he only had 40,000 scattered soldiers from seventeen other tribes. Thus, he, with a mixed force of just over 100,000, managed to send the Prince of Ping's 500,000 troops back empty-handed.

In the Great Lan army, this man was called "Jianan Iron Wings" because it was once rumored that as long as the Lion King guarded Wan Ze, Great Lan would never be able to cross Jianan Mountain, like the Sky-Draping Iron Wings, forever unyielding.

Xin Yi stood on the high steps, his gaze sweeping past the Emperor and the assembled officials, first seeing Arslang, and only looking at Arslang. This was his father's lifelong arch-nemesis, and also the mountain his elder brother ultimately could not cross.

The man was forty-six years old, and his steps still carried a powerful stride. His stubbled beard was unshaven; even with Great Lan's Emperor standing on the steps, he remained unkempt. His features were sharp, and his eye color was a distinct yellow, just like a lion's.

He fixed his gaze on Xin Yi almost immediately, like a predator spotting its prey, his eyes holding a subtle scrutiny mixed with intense battle intent.

Xin Yi remained expressionless, not yielding an inch.

After exchanging pleasantries with the diplomatic mission, they naturally could not remain standing on the steps. With both sides remaining cordial, they moved to the palace banquet. The Crown Prince was absent, the Prince of Qin was in seclusion; therefore, only Prince of Pingding Bai Jiu could sit below the Emperor, placing him on equal footing with Chagatai opposite him. Arslang and Zhang Taiyan sat on either side, one military, one civil, which was quite fitting. However, Xin Yi's seating arrangement this time was rather intriguing: he was placed right after Zhang Taiyan, facing the Great Yuan envoys, even behind officials like He Anchang and Xiao Jin who held proper ranks.

After three rounds of wine and the exchange of gifts, it was finally time for the officials to clash.

Great Yuan's purpose this time was very simple: they wanted a princess, and they were straightforward about it—they only wanted the Emperor's daughter.

"An alliance through marriage between two nations is a joyous event for all. However, currently, our Great Lan only has Princess of Mingheng, who is still unmarried. She is not only His Majesty's beloved daughter but also Great Lan's cherished pearl. Your esteemed nation's request for marriage must also follow our customs," said Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices Liu Qusheng. "These are Great Lan's rules; they cannot be taken lightly."

The envoy said, "Your Lordship doesn't know, but we have come this time with sincere intentions to seek Princess of Mingheng's hand. Our Fourth Prince has traveled thousands of li to express his determination."

Chagatai, from above, raised his cup with a hint of shyness, saying, "I have long admired the Princess's virtuous reputation, just as it is said in Great Lan's books, 'to seek and not find, to toss and turn restlessly.' For this proposal, I have not only brought Great Yuan's precious horses but have also brought my uncle, Arslang, to show my sincerity."

Who in Great Lan didn't know the Lion King's prestige? Upon hearing this name, the banquet hall suddenly fell silent. A less than friendly atmosphere surged beneath the cups. Great Yuan's meaning was clear: 'We brought precious horses, and we also brought a lion.'

The Emperor's expression was subtly displeased. He twitched the corner of his mouth and scanned his officials, searching for a name that could strike back, yet found none. Only when his gaze swept past Xin Yi did it pause, then quickly move away.

Xin Yi lowered his eyes and peeled an orange, not only acting as a competent mute but also playing the deaf role very well.

"The Lion King, huh?" Xiao Jin suddenly spoke, popping a grape into his mouth and smiling at Chagatai. "Then the Prince has miscalculated. The Princess is a fairy raised deep in the palace; fairies cannot bear to see fierce beasts. The Lion King's reputation precedes him; even I am afraid just hearing about him, let alone the Princess."

Arslang poured his own wine, then burst out laughing at the comment. He raised his cup to Xiao Jin. "Young people are indeed quick-witted and outspoken. But you haven't shown fear with me sitting here, which proves how misleading reputations can be; they shouldn't be taken seriously. You look familiar; are you related to the Marquis of Huiyang?"

Xiao Jin rubbed his face and sighed, "Do I really look like my old man?"

Laughter erupted throughout the banquet, and the tense atmosphere, previously bristling with swords, was somewhat diffused by it. Xin Yi popped an orange segment into his mouth, thinking, 'There truly isn't a single fool in this capital. Even someone like Xiao Jin, when the time and occasion call for it, can act just the right amount of foolish.'

"The Marquis of Huiyang's clever son," Arslang said, raising his hand to drink his wine, not even mentioning a toast.

"I have long admired the Princess, and I presume the Princess is not one to judge people by reputation alone," Chagatai said with deep emotion. "I wonder what His Imperial Majesty thinks? Although this journey was long, I will certainly not disappoint the Princess."

The Emperor turned to Zhang Taiyan, "Grand Tutor, what is your opinion?"

Zhang Taiyan was narrowing his eyes drinking tea. He spoke placidly, "This old official is advanced in years, and my words may be stale and worn, but I'll offer a point or two. Princess of Mingheng is the Empress's youngest daughter by birth, the Crown Prince's full sister, and will be Great Lan's Grand Princess. Her status and honor are absolutely not something that can be matched by mere gold, jade, or mundane objects. This imperial son-in-law must naturally be extraordinary, like adding flowers to brocade. Furthermore, the Fourth Prince has traveled thousands of li. Does he truly only wish to rely on precious horses and common goods to marry our Great Lan's Grand Princess?"

Xin Yi slowly finished the orange in his hand, then heard Arslang say, "Setting aside what is considered extraordinary in this world, let's discuss the words of your esteemed Lord Zhang. The Fourth Prince traveled thousands of li to meet her, enduring the weariness of the journey, and his devotion to the Princess would bring tears even to the eagles on Jianan Mountain. This is a rare matter, not to be measured by money or common things. If such devotion is still not enough—" He pressed his wine cup down, stating with resounding force, "Then let the Prince of Yan of Beiyang come and talk to me!"

As soon as these words were uttered, Xin Yi's shoulders were suddenly weighed down by hundreds of gazes from all directions. The hall became still and tense. Xin Yi raised his eyes, staring directly at Arslang. Before he could even stand up, he heard the sound of wine being poured, and Bai Jiu spoke unhurriedly.

"I will speak with the Lion King."