Finest Servant-Chapter 606

Chapter 606 In the Next Life, I'll Be Your Mute

Yujia wore a golden felt hat, its tassels softly hanging beside her beautiful ears, glittering splendidly. She was dressed in a golden robe styled after the traditional attire of the Hu people. The robe was embroidered with various sizes of lifelike golden wolf heads that either glared or roared, exuding an imposing aura. Yet, at the end of the robe's overlapping collar, a row of orange buttons stretched from her voluptuous chest to the lower right side of her abdomen. Amidst the sea of wolf heads, these details added a touch of feminine softness, making her appear both noble and graceful.

Slowly, she rose to her feet. The golden robe, symbolic of her status, tightly enveloped her exquisite figure. The hem of her gown dragged along the ground, and the dim light cast a slender, beautiful shadow behind her.

With a light flick of a camel bell, Yujia turned her gaze toward him. Among the pink peach blossoms scattered about, her crystalline cheeks seemed as if they were carved from ivory, tinted with a light blush. Her lips were lustrous and translucent, as if they could drip water.

‘What is she asking?’ The mute man thought, his eyes darting warily about the room. Gossamer veils fluttered in the air, the sound of camel bells rang softly, peach blossoms carpeted the floor, and a subtle fragrance lingered. It felt like being in a heavenly dream—cozy and romantic. In that room, there were only Yujia and him; no third person existed.

"Can you really not hear me?!" Her soft sigh reverberated next to his ear. The fragrance of her breath, tinged with warmth, gently touched his cheek, startling him.

When he turned to look at her, Yujia's pretty face was tinged with a pink flush, and she was only inches away from him. A faint scent of fermented mare's milk wafted over; she seemed slightly tipsy. Her lips moved slightly, and her eyes shone like twinkling morning stars. She stared intensely into his eyes, as if puzzled or searching for something.

Seeing her familiar yet unfamiliar face, the mute's heart pounded wildly. He quickly retreated a few steps, lowering his head and waving his hands frantically.

"Look at me!" Her icy voice seemed to come from a far-off horizon, carrying an unchallengeable authority and dignity. Two soft, white fingers gently lifted his chin, slowly raising his head.

Yujia's eyebrows slightly lifted, her eyes piercing like lightning, as she held his chin between her fingers. She stared at him intently; her deep eyes seemed as if they could penetrate one's soul.

‘Damn it, what is happening? She's become a queen, and I've turned into her chosen concubine,’ the mute thought, torn between laughter and tears.

Their faces were inches apart, and they could faintly hear each other's hurried breathing. A thin mist rose in Yujia's eyes. "You really don't recognize me? But I have an intuition; I must know you!"

The mute screamed inaudibly, shaking his head vigorously.

"Your denial is useless," Yujia's beautiful face radiated determination. "Your despicable tactics to defeat Tursun, like smearing powder on the warhorses, all feel eerily familiar. And, more importantly—"

Confused, the mute stared at her. Yujia continued, her eyes deep and enigmatic, "—when you appeared before me, I suddenly felt a sense of heartbreak, an uncontrollable desire to get close to you. I believe I must have met you before! Intuition is important to me; even if I'm wrong, I won't regret it! Do you understand what I'm saying?!"

It would be a miracle if he could understand her. With Lin Wanrong's limited grasp of the Turkic language, all he could do was watch her mouth move.

Yujia looked at him with a gaze filled with confusion and helplessness, emotions that couldn't possibly be feigned. Suddenly, she tightly grasped his hand without a word, her long eyelashes trembling. A tear slowly fell as she said, "Since returning from beyond the frontier, I've inexplicably forgotten so many things! To me, what I've forgotten may be what I've been searching for my entire life. Who made me forget? Why did he treat me this way? I hate him; I will never let him go!"

Great Khan clenched her fists tightly, her silver teeth biting through her red lips. Her eyes radiated an intense hatred, as if flames were about to consume everything.

Lin Wanrong, not understanding a word, looked around innocently. He had no idea that Yujia's hatred for him had reached an extreme level.

"If only I could be like a mute, unable to hear or speak anything, that would save me a lot of trouble," Yujia sighed softly, wiping away her tears. She held his hand and whispered, "Do you like it here? This is Yujia's room!"

The mute looked at her with wide eyes. Yujia, smiling like a crescent moon, led him around the spacious room. "I know you can't hear me, but that's alright. I'll be your ears! With you, I can say anything; I like it this way. Look, this is a fine official kiln, I traded for it with homemade kumis when I was sixteen, sneaking away to Xingqing behind my father's back. This is tea, this is rouge, this is a collection of Great Hua's poetry, these are clothes I've made myself, and this—"

She looked at the empty perfume bottle and paused, her eyes filling with confusion. "This is called perfume, a new invention from Great Hua. I like it so much—strange, why is it empty?"

Lin Wanrong knew all too well; this was the perfume she'd emptied to covertly store water allocated to her when they crossed the deadly Sea of Death, the Lop Nur. She'd then secretly given those invaluable drops of water to Wo Lao Gong.

"Ah, ah!" The mute brought his nose to the edge of the glass bottle, sniffed deeply a few times, and nodded repeatedly.

"You like it too?" Yujia exclaimed joyfully, "No worries, I have more! The Great Hua merchant who makes this perfume is a major swindler; one bottle costs enough to buy thirty sheep, and it's often sold out. I had to pay three times the price to buy two bottles!"

Good thing Lin Wanrong couldn't understand her; otherwise, he would've been livid. 'Miss, are you blaming me for the black market price you paid?'

"And this, pink silk curtains, all made from the finest Jiangnan silk. Great Hua women choose this color when they get married; I like it a lot too—Mute, do you find it pretty?" She gently covered her face with the floating pink silk, revealing only her bright eyes, shy yet thrilled, just like when they first met outside Xingqing.

Life, oh life! Gazing at her flower-like, radiant cheeks, the mute sighed quietly, at a loss for words.

Yuyeya’er took his hand, wandering gracefully through her fragrant chamber, her laughter endless. Lin Wanrong felt a surge of emotions. He knew that Yuyeya’er's closeness to him wasn't solely because he was the mute warrior who had won the sheep snatching competition. More than that, it was an instinctive familiarity she felt towards him, as if it was a habit developed over many years. Even if she could forget him entirely, could ingrained habits be easily changed?

Before they knew it, they had stopped in the middle of the room. Yuyeya’er gently sat down, her hands caressing the soft silk quilt beside her. "Do you see this? It's an ivory bed. My father gave it to me, intended for my wedding day. Alas, he never lived to see that day."

Her eyes brimmed with tears as she lowered her head. Suddenly, she felt a gentle pat on her shoulder and looked up to see Lin Wanrong's eyes filled with sympathy.

Yuyeya’er gave a soft smile and pulled him to sit beside her without hesitation. "You know, my father's greatest ambition in life was to conquer the Great Hua. He fought with them his entire life, and even in death, he would keep it a secret from them. I grew up at my father's side, extremely interested in Great Hua's culture. My father even praised me for my intelligence, entrusting me with heavy responsibilities."

Lin Wanrong couldn't understand a word she was saying, but that was precisely why Yuyeya’er enjoyed this kind of stress relief. She looked at his puzzled face and said softly, "In reality, we Turks are not as powerful as imagined, especially after my father's death. Batur holds the military power and covets the throne, Tursun wants to marry me to usurp silently. The only far-sighted person, teacher Lu Dongzan, lacks real power. Salmu is still too young, and I must hand over a complete grassland to him in ten years—"

She leaned silently against Lin Wanrong's shoulder. "You don't know how much I envy you. Because you can't hear all this, you won't have endless worries like me. You can always be your carefree mute warrior."

Yuyeya’er clung tightly to his arm and rested her head on his shoulder. Her delicate body slightly trembled. Even with the language barrier, he could feel her vulnerability. Lin Wanrong took a deep sigh, remaining silent.

Hearing his sigh, Yuyeya’er hastily lifted her head and said softly, "Don't be afraid. As long as I'm here, nobody can hurt you. Even if you're deaf and mute, if anyone dares to mock you, I'll cut out their tongue. I will protect you and make you the happiest person on the grasslands. I swear it upon my life!"

Her determined eyes were as clear as crystals. Lin Wanrong stared, transfixed. For some reason, his eyes began to redden.

Yuyeya’er looked at him, paused, and then excitedly gestured, "Can you, can you understand what I'm saying?"

At that single sentence, Lin Wanrong gently nodded.

"You're amazing, Mute!" Yueya'er looked at him, tears suddenly pouring down like rain. "My father is gone, and I'm all alone taking care of little Salmu. It's so hard! Others may have ears and mouths, but they never understand what I'm saying. You are the only one in this world who truly understands me!"

Yueya'er's tears made her radiantly beautiful and pure. At this moment, all her cunning and intelligence seemed to fade away. She was no longer the incomparable genius who rode freely across the plains; she was just an ordinary Turkic girl, full of emotions and laughter.

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Another sentence he couldn't understand. Mute forced a bitter smile.

With tear-streaked cheeks, Yueya'er glanced at him a few times, then suddenly stood up, pushed him to sit on the ivory bed, and whispered, "Stay here, sit tight."

What was this about? The silk quilt beneath him was soft, yet he couldn't sit still. "I'm going to reclaim everything that belongs to me, and nobody has the right to make me forget," Yueya'er stared at him, her voice firm and resolute. "Mute, whoever you are, I want to see you!"

Her slender fingers moved, reaching to lift the mask from Mute's face.

‘Why bother? Forgetting is the best choice!’ Lin Wanrong was torn, his hands clenched so tightly they popped. He felt strangely reluctant.

"Clang!" The sound of blades clashing broke the silence in the room.

"Who dares to make a racket outside?" Yueya'er halted her movements, turned around, and shouted angrily. Her eyes were deep and her expression cold and majestic. In an instant, the innocent girl Yueya'er had vanished, replaced by the calm and intelligent Golden Blade Khan.

"Who dares to stop me—" A male voice, angry and distant, broke through the clashing of blades. "Great Khan, why won't you meet with Tursun? You hybrid of the Yuezhi tribe, come out! Tursun challenges you to a duel!"

Yueya'er's eyes grew cold. From outside came the panicked voice of the leading palace maid, "Reporting to the Great Khan, Right Prince is causing a disturbance outside the palace, insisting on meeting you. He has clashed with the guards!"

The Great Khan snorted angrily, about to step out but stopped, turning back to grasp Mute's hand gently. "Come with me, don't be afraid. With me here, no one can harm you."

‘Afraid of him? Isn't that backward? Did he think the disabilities he carries were from falling off a horse?’ Lin Wanrong chuckled and nodded, pretending to be concerned.

Yueya'er glanced back longingly before lightly ringing a camel bell. With its clear sound, the two stepped out of the room. As they entered the courtyard, they heard angry roars. Tursun, despite his broken leg, was rushing in, brandishing a curved blade.

Upon seeing Yueya'er, Tursun paused, joy filling his face. "Yujia—Great Khan, you've finally agreed to see me!"

Yueya'er's gaze was icy as it fell on the curved blade in his hand. "Right Prince, are you rebelling?"

"Clang," the blade in Tursun's hand dropped to the ground. Disregarding his broken leg, he hurriedly bowed, his face turning pale from pain. "Tursun dares not. I was just too eager to see the Great Khan, which led to my impulsiveness. Please forgive me, Great Khan!"

"Acting impulsively?" Yujia spoke calmly, "Does our Turkic Khanate have no rules? Would you have acted this way when my father was alive? Forcing your way into forbidden areas, creating a disturbance in the palace; you owe not just me but all our people an explanation."

The weight of her words was immense. Yujia had assumed the role of the Great Khan for just over half a year, a crucial period for establishing her authority. Tursun's face turned pale. Suddenly, he swung his blade, slicing off his left thumb. Blood spurted out wildly. Lin Wanrong was taken aback, ‘This man is indeed fierce, worthy of being the Turkic Right Prince.’

"What are you doing?" Yujia quickly stepped forward, concern filling her voice. "As a pillar of our Turkic nation, how can you harm yourself? Someone, get medicine and bandages for the Right Prince!"

Tursun pushed away the guards who came to medicate him, allowing his thumb to continue bleeding. He bowed deeply, "My loyalty to the Great Khan is evident to heaven and earth!"

Though the Right Prince might be arrogant, his affection for Yujia was genuine. Yet, he lacked the ability to win her over. Lin Wanrong shook his head and sighed.

"Right Prince, please rise." Yujia personally helped Tursun up, and two guards immediately came to support him.

Just as the situation seemed to be improving, a man rushed forward to kneel and said loudly, "Zhao Kangning son of Prince Cheng of the Great Hua greets the Golden Blade Khan. May you have good health and everlasting beauty."

Lin Wanrong listened attentively. He secretly despised the man, thinking how his wives Qingxuan and Xian'er could have such an embarrassing cousin.

Yujia sneered, "Prince Cheng? Is there still Prince Cheng in Great Hua? I was not informed."

That metaphorical slap in the face was loud. Zhao Kangning's face turned beet-red as he lay prostrate on the ground, unable to articulate a response. Lin Wanrong was secretly delighted, wishing he could kiss Yujia for that.

"Right Prince, what brings you here?" Yujia ignored Zhao Kangning and turned her attention to Tursun, her brows furrowing.

Tursun glanced at the man from the Yuezhi tribe standing behind her and gritted his teeth, "Tursun has but one request, for the Great Khan to kindly grant."

Reading the malice in Tursun's eyes, Yujia pulled the mute closer to her and whispered, "Don't be afraid, stand behind me. With me here, he won't dare to harm you."

Though he couldn't understand her words, he seemed to grasp their meaning. The mute felt a pang in his heart, and taking Yujia's hand, he looked downward. Gazing into his shining eyes, Yujia suddenly froze, "I've seen you before, I'm certain I've seen you!" She choked up, mumbling as though desperately searching for something.

The Great Khan's caring for the man of the Yuezhi tribe was evident, and Tursun was nearly driven mad. Pointing his bleeding hand at the mute, he exclaimed, "Great Khan, Tursun wishes to duel this man from the Yuezhi tribe to the death, in front of all the victorious tribes! Mute, do you dare accept?"

The mute disdainfully curled his lip, not understanding what the man was raving about. Scanning the room, he noticed Zhao Kangning on the ground sneaking glances at him.

"Hmph," he glared fiercely at the Young Prince Zhao Kangning, who was so frightened that he immediately prostrated on the ground, daring not to move. In dealing with people like this, evasion would only deepen their suspicion; better to make him cower on his own.

"A duel to the death?" Yujia sighed softly, "Tursun, do you even have the right to say this now?" During the sheep snatching competition, everyone had seen Tursun thrown from his horse by the mute from the Yuezhi tribe. If a duel to the death were truly called for, then the Right Prince should have been dead already! How dare he now propose another duel?

"Let's go, Mute," the Great Khan shook his head slightly and proceeded straight ahead with the mute warrior.

"Yujia!" Tursun interrupted, leaping forward on one foot and quickly blocking her path, "Great Khan, please give me another chance. We've grown up together. From the first moment I saw you, I vowed to make you my wife. All these years of southern expeditions and northern campaigns, defeating the Tiele and pacifying the grasslands, I've never asked the Great Khan for any merit. My only wish is for the Great Khan to grant me his most beautiful and intelligent daughter, Yujia, as my wife. I, Tursun, am willing to die for you. Please give me another chance!"

His face flushed with emotion, his bulging eyes filled with bloodshot veins, Tursun looked particularly terrifying.

Yujia spoke softly, her voice piercing like a knife, "Tursun, I appreciate your affection for me. However, the opportunity has already been given. When the golden blade was raised, I gave all the young men of the grasslands a chance. You lost it yourself! What was the purpose of our ancestors establishing the sheep snatching competition? If I were to favor you because you are the Right Prince, then everyone who failed could ask me for a second chance. That would be an insult to all warriors! Opportunities only come once for everyone—this applies to you and the mute warrior."

Her words stabbed deep into Tursun's heart, reminding him that he had only himself to blame for not seizing the opportunity, and cursing the treacherous man from the Yuezhi tribe. He looked past the Great Khan, locking his bloodshot eyes on the Yuezhi tribesman and roared, "Mute, I won't let you off. We'll settle this at the banquet!"

‘Damn it, even a lame eunuch dares to act so defiantly in front of me? He's not beaten badly enough!’ Lin Wanrong, feeling quite resentful, thought to himself as Right Prince was helped away by his guards.

"Mute, would you cry for the woman you love?" the Great Khan suddenly grabbed his hand and gently asked.

The mute didn't understand and responded with a few honking noises, like a goose calling.

The banquet hall, not far from Yujia's inner palace, was already bustling with noise and the scent of meat and wine wafting over as they approached. The Turkic concept of a banquet, though far from elegant, was certainly generous. Tables were piled high with chunks of boiled beef, and over thirty spits were laden with glistening roast whole lambs. Each lamb was skewered with two Turkic curved knives, available for guests to cut. Drops of grease continuously fell into the fire below, creating a sizzling sound. The scent of fermented mare's milk was spilled everywhere, its fishy aroma entering one's nostrils and stimulating the appetite.

Even though the grand feast was hosted by the Great Khan, it did nothing to change the customs of the nomadic people. Wherever they saw a succulent roasted lamb, greasy hands would grab without a second thought. The faces of the nomads throughout the hall were alight, their hands shining with grease. The only slightly refined individuals who used a knife to slice their meat before eating were, upon closer inspection, members of the Yuezhi tribe.

In the grand hall, there weren't many masked warriors left. Old Hu and his companions were victorious members of the Yuezhi tribe; without the Golden Khan present, nobody dared to unmask them.

"Honor to the Great Khan!" The moment they caught sight of Yujia entering, the nomads in the hall hastily set down their lamb legs and shanks, pressing their damp hands to their chests in a respectful bow.

Yujia smiled and nodded, "Honorable warriors, please continue."

Seeing General Lin following Yujia into the hall, Hu Bugui and his companions were overjoyed and rushed forward.

The nomads in the hall were clearly divided into two factions. On one side, closest to the Khan's throne, sat about twenty or thirty Turkic nobles. Tursun, the man with the limp, sat at the forefront, his eyes coldly fixed on the Yuezhi. On the other side were the warriors who had won three or more rounds in the great sheep snatching competition. About a hundred of them sat in the middle of the hall; many had already removed their masks and were enjoying the lively atmosphere.

"Sister, you're here!" The Young Khan, Salmu, sprinted down from the throne and tightly grabbed Yujia's hand. He glanced at the mute warrior behind her and asked curiously, "Warrior, did you come here with the Great Khan?"

"Of course he came with me," Yujia replied, her cheeks slightly flushed.

"I see," Salmu nodded, pulling a golden blade from his bosom, "Sister, this is for you."

Yujia hummed softly in acknowledgment, taking the golden blade and holding it in her hands. She glanced at the mute warrior, then lowered her eyes slightly. "Salmu, do you recognize all the warriors in this hall?"

"Of course," the Young Khan nodded earnestly, pointing to various tribes in the middle. "All the warriors who won more than three rounds had their masks personally removed by me. I also shared drinks with each of them. I can even call them by name, right warriors?"

"We shall forever remember the Young Khan's kindness!" shouted the tribesmen in unison, proud to have had their masks, symbols of honor, removed by the Khan himself.

"Very good, Salmu!" Yujia patted the Young Khan's shoulder approvingly. "And these nobles below the throne, they are the backbone of our Turkic nation. You should also share drinks with them and seek their counsel."

"Proudly, sister. I've already had drinks with these uncles and cousins," Salmu responded with pride.

"The Young Khan is indeed magnanimous! The Great Khan has taught him well!" All the nobles below the throne bowed, even Tursun struggled to his feet. Everyone from the Turkic elite was here, except for Lu Dongzan and Batur.

Yujia's eyes brimmed with a hint of tears, "Salmu, you've done well, and I'm proud of you."

Hu Bugui was somewhat astonished. This young fellow was drinking here and there; could he be some sort of wine deity? Lin Wanrong knew exactly what was happening. The one truly capable wasn't the little Khan, but Yujia. With her skillful hands, it would be as easy as drinking water to prepare some antidote for intoxication. Clearly, she was fostering Salmu's prestige in every possible way.

The Great Khan held the hand of the Young Khan, and the siblings slowly took their seats on the Turkic throne that symbolized the ultimate power. The atmosphere in the great hall immediately turned solemn.

"Great Khan, the final tribe awaits your honorable hands to personally unveil their masks!" The voice of the Turkic priest slowly spread. The crowd burst into jubilant cheers, for everyone knew which tribe was last. This was undoubtedly the most thrilling moment of the sheep snatching competition.

A few dazzling fireworks lit up the sky outside Kyzil city. Overjoyed, Hu Bugui quickly signaled to the crowd. A dozen or so people from the Yuezhi tribe had already stood up unnoticed, moving closer to the rack holding the sheep, their hands gripping their greasy curved knives. The Turks, seeing their imposing manner, mistook them as lining up to receive the Great Khan’s blessings, cheering even louder.

Yujia slowly stood up, tightly gripping the golden blade in her hand. Just as she was about to speak, the Turkic Right Prince stood up and loudly said, "Hold on!" Tursun turned his body, crossed his arms, and faced Yujia, saying respectfully, "Great Khan, in the name of the God of the Steppe, Tursun challenges the mute warrior to a duel to the death!"

"You—" Yujia's face turned pale, her hand gripping the golden blade trembling uncontrollably.

The hall burst into commotion. Although Tursun's request was somewhat excessive, the chance to see the mute warrior in action was something everyone desired.

"General, what should we do?" Hu Bugui urgently whispered.

"Get ready to act," Lin Wanrong replied emotionlessly, lifting his blunt blade and striding forward.

What on earth was the mute warrior doing? Everyone was stunned, staring at him in surprise, unsure of his intentions.

The mute warrior took slow steps, reaching Tursun's side and stared at him with icy eyes.

"What are you trying to do?!" The Turkic Right Prince leaped back in shock, not even having time to react before feeling a heavy fist slam into his forehead. "To hell with you!"

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Before anyone could react, Tursun had already collapsed. Sitting beside him, Zhao Kangning was so frightened that he scrambled down the stairs. Familiar as he was with this kind of violence, he stammered, unable to articulate his words, "You, you are—"

"Mute—" Yujia's eyes widened, her chest heaving as she stared at him in disbelief.

A faint glimmer appeared in the warrior’s eyes as he softly said, “I’m sorry, little sister. In the next life, I'll be your mute!”

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