Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Chapter 1611 Marrying Far Away (Bonus Chapter for 246 Million Donation Points)

"However, the men of the grasslands are straightforward, and they still have some doubts in their hearts. If they keep them to themselves, they won't be able to sleep when they get back!"

At this point, Uvi took a big gulp of wine, wiped his mouth, and his eyes sharpened as he stared intently at Zhou Yuxi: "General Zhou, in that battle in the northern frontier, your Great Zhou's iron cavalry was truly formidable!"

"Our Xiongnu archers have lost no fewer than 100,000 brave men, their bones buried under the yellow sand, in exchange for the peace we enjoy today, sitting here drinking and negotiating!"

Uvi's words, seemingly expressing admiration for the might of the Great Zhou army, were actually a deliberate exaggeration of the casualty figures.

Before Zhou Yuxi could respond, he continued, "However... after the great battle, some surviving brothers wentssiping with me, saying that the Xiongnu suffered a humiliating defeat!"

"They say that the Great Zhou won not by fighting us head-on with real swords and spears, but by using a 'brilliant plan' to cut off our supply lines and burn our winter pastures?"

"They even said there was thunder and lightning from the sky, and sparks flew everywhere. Our horses were paralyzed with fear before they even got going."

"General Zhou, you're a commander, why don't you tell us, can this be considered a truly heroic army?"

These words are even more insidious than Agula's pathetic act!

It directly questions the legitimacy of the Great Zhou's victory, implying that the Great Zhou's victory was not honorable and that it was achieved through conspiracies and tricks rather than through fair and square strength.

More importantly, Uwe deliberately mentioned the thunder and lightning that struck, with sparks flying everywhere.

He attempted to provoke the Great Zhou generals present into revealing information about the mysterious weapon in a fit of anger in order to uphold the army's honor, thereby uncovering the secret that the Xiongnu had been dreaming of!

The military officers all looked rather grim.

Normally, Marquis Zhongyong would have already slammed his fist on the table in anger. But this was a formal banquet between the two countries, and he was not only a marquis but also a high-ranking military official; his every word and action concerned the dignity of the nation.

Many civil officials also frowned.

Zhou Yuxi slowly put down her wine glass and met Uvi's provocative gaze: "General Uvi, fighting a war is not a wrestling match on the grassland, where you drink if you win and accept defeat if you lose."

"War is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin."

"The duty of a general is to strategize, defeat the enemy, protect the territory and ensure the safety of the people."

"Whatever strategy or means one employs, as long as it does not violate the laws of nature and human ethics, nor does it contradict the alliance between the two countries, that is the ability of a general."

"Does General Uvi have to send a challenge to the enemy before every battle, agreeing on a time and place, and setting up his battle formation, in order to be considered a hero?"

"Then who can the people who were abducted and the villages that were burned down on the border of the Great Zhou Dynasty turn to for justice?"

Before Uvi could refute, Zhou Yuxi changed the subject and said sarcastically, "As for what the general said about cutting off supplies and burning pastures... Cutting off the enemy's supply lines and destroying their reserves is a common practice in warfare since ancient times, so what's so strange about it?"

"Does this mean that when the Xiongnu cavalry marched south, they never plundered our border towns' grain supplies?"

"As for the thunderbolts from the sky, and the sparks flying everywhere..."

At this point, Zhou Yuxi paused deliberately, looking at the undisguised expectation in Uvi's eyes, and the corners of her lips curved slightly: "The northern border is bitterly cold, with drought and thunder in winter and sudden rain in summer. It is common for lightning to strike dry grass and cause wildfires."

"Perhaps the Xiongnu soldiers were exhausted from days of fighting and their eyesight was failing them. Or perhaps they had suffered a defeat and wanted to find a less shameful explanation to go back and tell their elders."

"After all, losing to heavenly lightning sounds more helpless than losing to human scheming, doesn't it?"

These words are absolutely brilliant!

Zhou Yuxi completely avoided mentioning gunpowder, and casually attributed the strange phenomena seen and heard by the Xiongnu soldiers to natural phenomena and excuses for the defeat of the army.

This not only dealt with the Xiongnu's espionage intentions, but also severely ridiculed their shameful behavior of making excuses after their defeat.

It further implies that the Xiongnu didn't even have the courage to admit defeat!

"……you!"

Uvi was speechless, his face flushed red, and veins throbbed on his forehead. He stood up abruptly, but didn't know how to refute her.

To say that the mysterious weapon is actually heavenly thunder would only confirm the shameful claim that the Xiongnu lost to the might of heaven.

Insisting that those were weapons of the Great Zhou? Zhou Yuxi had already clearly mocked them, saying that this was a defeated army's excuse.

Continuing to argue will only humiliate you and make you appear unreasonable, and you still won't get any useful information.

Many officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty looked at Zhou Yuxi with admiration.

This young general was not only brave and skilled in battle, but also remarkably astute. His words were sharp as knives, unyielding yet always maintaining a proper balance, leaving the Xiongnu with no leverage.

Luan Di Yi Tu's expression was inscrutable as he gave Zhou Yuxi a deep look.

It seems utterly hopeless to extract even a single word about the mysterious weapon from the Zhou emperor and his ministers.

He laughed heartily, raised his glass, and said, "Young General Zhou is quick-witted and outspoken; he truly deserves to be called a young hero!"

"In war, you either win or you lose; making excuses is pointless!"

"Come, let me toast General Zhou, wishing the might of the Great Zhou army everlasting! And may our Xiongnu and the Great Zhou forever cease hostilities!"

His words were, in effect, a way of saving face for Uvi's recklessness.

Zhou Yuxi remained calm and raised her glass in a gesture of respect.

The Xiongnu delegation's final provocation and test were calmly resolved by Gu Jinxiao and Zhou Yuxi, one with words and the other with martial arts, without causing any trouble. Instead, it exposed their impatience.

This also allowed the Zhou emperor and his ministers to witness the talent and demeanor of these two young officials once again!

The Xiongnu envoy got nothing good at the farewell banquet and left in a sorry state.

……

The next day.

Before dawn, the entire Princess Yun'an's residence was already brightly lit and bustling with people.

The gates of the mansion were wide open, and eunuchs and palace maids dressed in formal attire stood with their heads bowed in solemn silence. The ceremonial guards were already lined up neatly on the long street outside the mansion.

Inside the palace, Princess Yun'an was like a delicate doll, at the mercy of the palace maids and nannies.

They dressed her in layers of heavy and elaborate wedding gowns.

The ceremonial robes were not in the style of the Great Zhou Dynasty, but were hastily made by the Court of State Ceremonies in conjunction with the Imperial Household Department, based on the wedding rites of the Xiongnu royal family.

A wide robe with a deep red base, trimmed with black and gold thread, and heavy fur trim.

Although it tried its best to imitate the luxurious style of the grasslands, it revealed a roughness that was inconsistent with Princess Yun'an's slender figure.

The crown she wore on her head was carved with wolf heads and eagle totems.

The crown was so heavy that it made Princess Yun'an's neck ache.

But she just sat there blankly, staring at her own reflection in the bronze mirror—a reflection that was beautiful but had empty eyes.

Princess Yun'an did not cry or struggle.

She had cried all her tears.

Chunxiao's eyes were red, but she forced herself not to cry out: "Your Highness, the time is almost up..."