The Demon Lords-Chapter 758 - 167 Dowry_1

AWOOOOOOO!!!

The long horn call sounded, echoing across the vast snow plain, between earth and sky.

North of Snow Sea Pass.

On one side: the chieftains of the various wild people tribes.

On the other: General Zheng, mounted on his horse.

Behind both sides, over a thousand cavalry were arrayed.

However, there was no palpable tension, no air of drawn swords and taut bows, between the two factions.

It was as if the massacre that had recently occurred south of Snow Sea Pass, leaving fields of corpses, had nothing to do with them. And indeed, it hadn't involved these specific individuals.

AWOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

The second round of horn calls came.

A group of wild people, clad in distinctive animal hides, their bodies deliberately smeared with paint and adorned with feathers, emerged from their military formation and began to sing and dance.

This was a ritual of the wild people, typically performed around a bonfire during significant gatherings.

After they danced for a while, they started to sing.

General Zheng had to feign appreciation, putting on an expression suggesting he found it quite delightful and admirable, occasionally nodding slightly and offering a faint smile.

This was out of respect. Respect, however, sometimes has a neighbor named perfunctoriness.

To be honest, I really can't appreciate these raw, authentic performances, General Zheng thought. In my previous life, I'd traveled extensively, visiting numerous scenic spots and witnessing many local folk performances. Typically, these acts would be flanked by signs: 'Endangered' on one side, and 'Preservation Project' on the other. Truthfully, if you strip away the self-congratulatory hype and try to appreciate them with ordinary, popular taste, you'd discover—oh, no wonder they're endangered.

Just like this scene right now.

This isn't some prejudice against this era, General Zheng mused. If I were in Jiangnan of the Qian State right now, watching courtesans dance gracefully before me, I'd definitely be thoroughly engrossed. Spending money just to watch isn't as satisfying; it lacks a certain charm. Ransacking my memories for a couple of poems to recite, inspiring a courtesan to offer herself—now *that's* genuine pleasure.

In contrast, watching this group of bare-chested, rough wild people prancing about, singing and dancing in the snow, is truly an eyesore.

The Eldest Prince sat in the center, flanked by seven women of the wild people. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

These were women who had all attended to the Eldest Prince in his bedchambers. Perhaps some were already pregnant. Naturally, these women had to accompany the Eldest Prince on his return.

The Royal Family placed immense importance on the continuation of its bloodline. In fact, it wasn't just the Royal Family; even ordinary wealthy families, once they felt their wealth and status surpassed that of commoners, would subtly begin to take pride in their own 'bloodline'.

Meanwhile, in the eyes of the wild people's chieftains, this—this was the very symbol of friendly relations between the wild people of the Snow Plains and Yan! And the vessel for this symbol was the Eldest Prince himself!

The chieftains of the wild people didn't perceive this as any sort of 'national disgrace' or 'loss of sovereignty,' primarily because they lacked the concept of a 'nation.' Though the Jin people, Yan people, Chu people, and others had historically lumped them together as 'wild people,' in reality, they were more like disparate wolf packs; notions like 'Sacred Kin' and 'Star Lineages' were extremely broad concepts. Fundamentally, they remained a scattered and disunited entity.

In other words, they possessed no 'sense of collective honor.'

However, the Eldest Prince's expression was visibly grim. As the former commander-in-chief of the Eastern Expeditionary Army and the current eldest son of the Ji Family, to be seated there, flanked by seven women of the wild people, like some emotionless sacrificial object—if his complexion *had* been cheerful at that moment, it would have been truly unnatural, like seeing a ghost.

Regardless, some things, you either don't do them at all, or if you do, you see them through to the end, he resolved.

Especially after Xue Three informed me that Lord Jingnan currently had no plans to launch a northern expedition against the Snow Plains, I was left with no other choice. Even if only for the sake of this brief period of peace between Snow Sea Pass and the Snow Plains... Even knowing that the fellow surnamed Zheng up ahead would surely disregard any pact ordained by the Stars... Once he had Snow Sea Pass secured, dealt with his pressing matters, and had his hands free, he would inevitably attack the Snow Plains. Despite all this, I, Ji Wujiang, must still play the part of a mere prop in this utterly meaningless 'alliance' ceremony.

The ritual activities of the wild people finally concluded.

General Zheng, not to be outdone, dispatched Fanli. Fanli led several dozen soldiers—who had undergone a night of crash training—to the center. With the resounding beat of a gong, these men, under Fanli's direction, pulled two colorful ribbons from their pockets and began to perform the yangko dance.

The wild people were somewhat familiar with the customs of the Jin land. After all, apart from the wars of the past two years, there had been frequent exchanges between the two sides in earlier times.

However, they displayed immense astonishment at this 'distinctive folk custom' of the Yan people.

Fanli danced with gusto, his movements surprisingly standard. The dozens of soldiers behind him followed suit, twisting with great enthusiasm!

"'Gula, this... this is a custom of the Yan people...?' one chieftain asked the leader of a neighboring tribe."

"'This must be a ritual of the Yan people,' the other replied. 'A ceremony to worship their gods.'"

"'Ah, so that's it. It looks... quite mysterious.'"

"'Indeed.'"

Hearing this, the other chieftains of the wild people nearby nodded, expressions of dawning understanding on their faces.

Only the Eldest Prince, upon witnessing this scene, felt the corner of his mouth begin to twitch uncontrollably.

In truth, it wasn't that General Zheng was deliberately being perfunctory. The Shengle Army was predominantly composed of Jin people, followed by Barbarians; the Yan people were a minority.

But after questioning all the few Yan people in his ranks, he found that none of them knew the proper procedures for Yan rituals. Besides, the blind man wasn't here.