Chapter 24: Resolving to Stand Up for Her

Yelv Lie picked up another jar of wine and boldly lifted the lid.

He said to the young girl beside him, "The fault lies with the soldiers, and the General should be punished for it. Please, Princess, don't take her words to heart!"

After saying that, Yelv Lie drank the strong wine in one gulp.

More than a dozen rugged men below also felt somewhat frightened at this moment. They each picked up a large bowl and apologized to Yun Chunnuan.

War is the most terrifying thing.

Although they particularly loathed the people of the Central Plains, none of them wished to fight blood battles, living in constant fear on the battlefield.

This war was finally paused because of the marriage alliance between the two countries. If the flames of war reignited just because of what Ayang said earlier, it would only be the common people who suffer.

Moreover, with winter coming, the most difficult days for Bianliao are approaching.

With resources scarce and supply insufficient, even the General can't guarantee a victory against Great Xia.

It was reckless, it was rash.

At this moment, the soldiers' apologies were sincere and genuine.

"Princess, we're all rough men, please don't mind us! I'll drink this bowl of wine as an apology to you!"

"Princess, please be magnanimous and don't blame the General! It's because we lacked manners and followed along blindly! Cheers to you, cheers!"

Yun Chunnuan stared blankly at the dozen men, all raising their cups in respect to her, a rather spectacular sight.

She couldn't help but gaze at the man beside her. Even though she could only see the bottom of a wine jar and could not discern his expression at this moment.

But in her heart, a warm feeling surged up.

She, although not the real Great Xia princess, was in a foreign land just like the Great Xia princess.

That feeling of isolation and being out of place with the whole world, no one understood better than her.

Yet there was such a person who, without a doubt, stood up for her, willing to escalate the situation to earn her dignity, which made her feel immensely warm.

Thinking of the things this man said on the way...

It meant that even if that girl hadn't uttered those outrageous words about 'slaughtering all people of the Central Plains,' he would still have seized another mistake to steadfastly back her up.

If only he wasn't a stud horse with so many women.

Such a pity, it's her Achilles' heel, destined to have fate but no part!

Yun Chunnuan also picked up a jar of wine and poured some into the large bowl on the table.

Although she didn't plan to stay, she wouldn't neglect the courtesies she owed to these soldiers.

Yun Chunnuan was about to drink the large bowl but was caught in the act by Yelv Lie, who had just set down the wine jar, and immediately grabbed her wrist.

"This is strong wine, can you handle it?"

"Just a little, for appearances."

Yelv Lie glanced at his brothers' expectant gazes and whispered, "Just a small sip."

"Mm-hmm."

Yun Chunnuan sweetly smiled and took a big sip, almost half the bowl gone!

The men at the bottom shouted.

"Good! The Princess is generous!"

"Refreshing! As expected of our General's woman!"

"Women of the Central Plains don't seem so delicate, haha!"

Yun Chunnuan's large sip of wine brought about cheers.

However...

She choked, never expecting the wine to be so spicy!

As it rolled down her throat, it felt like a fire was burning in her stomach.

She bore it, not spitting it out.

Yelv Lie noticed her discomfort in time and quickly handed her a piece of apple cut into small slices.

"Thank you." Yun Chunnuan thanked softly, not using his help, and reached out to take the apple.

This subtle gesture made Yelv Lie feel a bit displeased.

He didn't understand, why did the little wife always reject him like this?

However, now was not the time to burst out, so he just inquired with a stern face, "How should we deal with that bad thing?"

Earlier, Yelv Lie had already mentioned she should be executed according to law.

He kept giving the Little Princess eye messages, hoping she understood his meaning.

Yun Chunnuan blinked, and her head began to feel dizzy.

Clearly, the original owner wasn't a drinker, a single gulp made her body feel unwell.

She belched from the wine, recalling the Barbarian General's instructions, her tongue was somewhat stiff, "No need to execute, no need, just… just let her marry. Leave the General Mansion, leave! Hic—"

The strong wine was overpowering!

By the end, Yun Chunnuan couldn't even remember what she said, only recalling that he said when he delivers the heavy blow, she should win people over by driving the woman out of the General Mansion.

Probably, something like that?

Yun Chunnuan couldn't recall.

Her body wobbled, in a daze, she suddenly felt herself lift into the air as if flying.

Women's sobbing occasionally reached her ears…

"Ugh, so noisy."

With a wave of her hand, there was a crisp 'slap' sound.

The whole world fell silent.

The dozen men: "..."

Holding their large bowls, their jaws dropped in shock.

If their eyes weren't playing tricks on them, did the Little Princess from Great Xia just slap the General's face? And with such a loud slap!

Oh my god! Tugging on a lion's whiskers!

The General... won't he waste that delicate Little Princess?

Yelv Lie: "..."

He never knew someone could get this drunk from just a single sip of wine!

If not for her always disdaining him and keeping a distance, but now quietly snuggling into his arms like a small cat, Yelv Lie would have suspected that slap was intentional.

If he had known, he should have stopped her!

"Cough!" Yelv Lie cleared his throat lightly, "How could there still be mosquitoes this time of year? Truly thoughtful of the Princess."

The men all looked up, searching for mosquitoes.

It's winter already, and Bianliao's weather is so cold, how could there be mosquitoes?

Yelv Lie didn't care about those fools, forcibly saving face, he quickly carried the little sweetheart in his arms out of the banquet hall.

No matter how heart-wrenchingly the woman behind cried, he didn't glance back at her.

In his eyes, there was no room for sand.

Leaving such a disaster at his side, Yelv Lie felt uneasy.

But that wretched thing was the wet nurse's only daughter.

There's a saying in the Central Plains, don't look at the monk's face, look at the Buddha's face. If she had poisoned someone else, this matter might have been truly lifted high and let down softly, and turned over.

But when it comes to the delicate Little Princess in his arms, it just infuriates him!

She's so fragile, what if she was poisoned into idiocy by that Fragrance-seeking Grass?

I heard smelling it too much causes dementia!

Look at her, just one sip and she's this drunk, isn't it that vermin's fault!

Yelv Lie thought about it and was still a bit unsatisfied, feeling just banishing her was too mild…

"Wuwuwu, I want to go home! Mom and Dad, Nuannuan misses you so much! Wuwuwu!"

Yelv Lie was pondering whether to find a bald, pot-bellied husband for Ayang, when the little girl soft as a kitten in his arms suddenly mumbled.

She said she wanted to go home and also missed someone named 'Ban Na?'

Home, in Yelv Lie's mind, was the Central Plains, was Great Xia.

A pang of realization struck him as he remembered the unfavorable rumors about the Little Princess from Great Xia.

Dissolute and extravagant, wanton and unrestrained, with countless pretty boys kept in the Princess Mansion…