Birds chirped, pulling Ankhtsetseg from a restless sleep. She rose from the small, unfamiliar bedroom and met Yagaan waiting patiently at the door.
"Your Highness," Yagaan said, her voice soft. "I've prepared breakfast for you. Do you want to have breakfast first?"
Ankhtsetseg shook her head, a faint weariness in her eyes. "I'm not hungry." She glanced around the quiet hallway. "Where is Chinua's room?"
"I do not know, Your Highness," Yagaan replied, a hint of surprise in her tone. "But if Your Highness would like to know, I can ask."
"Never mind," Ankhtsetseg dismissed, a new thought taking hold. "I have never been to the southern land before. I want to go out for a walk."
Yagaan exchanged a quick glance with the other two maids. "You two, bring the food in." She then quickly followed Ankhtsetseg, who was already heading towards the main training ground.
Several soldiers paused their drills, their eyes drawn to Ankhtsetseg as she walked past. She offered them a polite, practiced smile. Her ears caught the sudden surge of shouting and cheering, and she turned sharply, heading towards the commotion in the clearing.
"What happened over there?" Ankhtsetseg murmured, looking at the rapidly growing crowd.
"I do not know, Your Highness," Yagaan confessed, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Let's go and take a look," Ankhtsetseg decided, her curiosity piqued.
"Your Highness, we shouldn't..." Yagaan began, but Ankhtsetseg was already striding ahead, drawn by the clamor. She had no choice but to follow, her apprehension growing.
As Ankhtsetseg and Yagaan pushed through the throng, they saw a surprising sight: Chinua and Taban locked in a wrestling match within the circle of gathered soldiers.
"This..." Ankhtsetseg was utterly speechless, her eyes wide with shock and a hint of disdain.
"Surrender..." Taban grunted, tightening his powerful arms around Chinua's chest, pressing the air from her lungs.
"Come on, Chinua! Even if I'm standing here, I can see a way out!" Hye shouted from the sidelines, a mischievous grin on his face. "Your injuries have already healed!"
"Oh yeah, why don't you jump in and fight Taban yourself?" Chinua muttered, straining, trying desperately to break free from Taban's crushing embrace.
Hye chuckled, crossing his arms. "I am not a northern soldier; you are their last hope to save them from embarrassment." His tone was teasing.
"Hey, you're a member of our team, you should cheer for us!" Muunokhoi called out, a playful challenge in his voice.
Hye merely shrugged. "I don't cheer for losers."
The Southern soldiers watching the match burst into laughter.
Taban, with a powerful heave, lifted Chinua off the ground, then slammed her down. Before she could even react, he pounced, pinning her. He grabbed her left arm, twisting it behind her back, and clamped her right arm tightly between his thighs.
Naksh grinned, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "It's over, kid," he declared, turning to Khawn with a satisfied smirk. "For the next seven days, you will be my personal lackey."
"Ah... I... I surrender!" Chinua shouted, her voice muffled by the ground.
Taban immediately released Chinua's arm and stood up. He extended a hand, pulling Chinua to her feet. "You still have a lot to learn," he said, his voice kind. "I advise you not to practice with Khunbish and Khenbish; they will always lose to you on purpose." He gently brushed the dirt from her robe.
Chinua wiped sweat from her brow. "Next time, when we meet, I will definitely win!" she vowed, a determined glint in her eyes.
Taban laughed, a hearty, booming sound that echoed through the clearing. "I will wait for you right here!"
The gathered soldiers roared with laughter.
"Next time? There will be no next time!" Ankhtsetseg's voice cut through the laughter, shaking her head in utter disbelief and anger.
Chinua turned, her eyes meeting Ankhtsetseg's furious gaze. "Oh, everyone, Princess Ankhtsetseg," Chinua announced, her voice slightly strained.
Taban and the other soldiers immediately dropped to one knee, their laughter dying.
"Please stand up," Ankhtsetseg commanded, her voice stiff with disapproval. "There is no need to be formal here." She then turned her icy gaze to Chinua. "You... you come have breakfast with me." Her tone left no room for argument.
"Uh... I... um..." Chinua stammered, looking for an escape. "I promise to go to the field to help. And, I have already had breakfast." She grabbed Hye's hand, pulling him along. "Let's go... the peanut field hasn't been watered yet." She set off at a brisk pace, and soon, Chinua's men were following them towards the distant peanut farms.
"Chinua! Come back!" Ankhtsetseg called out, her voice filled with frustrated indignation.
Mönkhbat walked up to the now-smaller crowd, offering a polite smile to Ankhtsetseg. "Princess Ankhtsetseg, let's go have breakfast together."
"You don't like her?" Hye asked Chinua as they walked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Chinua smiled wryly. "It's not that I don't like her; I just don't like her complaining."
"Chinua, wait!" Misheel's voice shouted, as he hurried to catch up with them.
Chinua paused, waiting for Misheel to reach them. "What's the matter, Minister Misheel?" she asked, her voice calm.
"We are going back to the capital tomorrow," Misheel announced, his chest still heaving.
"Good for you," Chinua replied, a hint of genuine well-wishing in her tone.
Misheel hesitated, then spoke, a slight nervousness in his voice. "Before we leave the royal capital, His Majesty hopes that Chinua can go back with us to deal with other matters." He looked directly at Chinua, his eyes pleading for understanding. "Don't ask about the 'other matter,' because His Majesty did not mention what it is to me."
Chinua sighed, a weariness settling over her. "It seems I have to go back to Ntsua-Ntu." She turned to Hye, a question in her eyes. "You are returning with me, right?"
"I will go with you," Hye confirmed, "but I will not go see your king."
On the twentieth day, their carriage finally halted in front of a small, unassuming house in Ntsua-Ntu. Khenbish jumped out, and the other occupants of the carriage began to disembark.
"This is Chinua's house. Whenever she comes out of the palace, this is where she usually stays," Khenbish explained, gesturing to the group of ten. "There are ten rooms in total. Chinua's room is on the far right, far away from the other eight rooms. There are no maids in the house, so..."
"So, we have to clean it ourselves," Drystan finished, a hint of resignation in his voice.
"That's right," Khenbish confirmed. He inserted a key into the lock and pushed the door open. He then turned to Hye, handing him the keys to the house and a money bag. "When it comes to eating, Hye has the money. You can buy food to cook at home or eat out. I have to go back to the palace." With that, he departed, leaving the ten new arrivals standing at the doorway.
"Father," Siqi asked, his small voice filled with apprehension, "will we be arrested again?"
"I don't think so," Zhi replied, trying to sound reassuring.
Hye offered Siqi a gentle smile. "No one will drive you away from here. According to Hmagol law, no matter who breaks the law, the law can only punish that person; his family and friends are not included in his crime." He walked up to Wan, handing her the money bag. "Madam, as you can see, none of us can cook." He then glanced at the men. "But they can clean."
"I can cook," Wan said, a flicker of hope in her eyes. "When we drove here, I believe I spotted the market."
"Oh, I will take the elders and the children to buy food, and the rest... please clean all the rooms," Hye declared with a bright smile. He took the children's hands and began to lead them out the door.
"Son, we will be back," Bo called out, as he and Wan quickly followed Hye and the two children out of the house.
Jeet scoffed, a wry smile on his face. "This bastard really knows how to pick the simplest things to do."
Naksh looked at Khawn. "Kid," he said, a mischievous glint in his eye, "I chose the last room on the right for us brothers. You can start cleaning." He pointed to the last room among the eight connected rooms.
Inside Batukhan's study, the King closed a thick journal, having finished reading its contents. "Batukhan," he mused aloud, "I know about this problem, but I have never sent anyone to confirm it."
"Now that Father knows," Chinua said, her voice filled with anticipation, "will Father take any measures?"
"What does Chinua think?" Batukhan asked, his gaze fixed on his daughter.
"My good friends and I came up with a plan to provide water to arid areas," Chinua replied eagerly. She quickly flipped through a few pages of her own notes, showing King Batukhan a detailed drawing she and Hye had created. "Water channels," she explained, pointing to the intricate lines.
Batukhan glanced at the drawing, his eyes widening in surprise. "This is a great plan, so where is your friend?"
"He refused to serve under a king," Chinua explained simply, a hint of amusement in her voice.
Batukhan looked at Chinua, a thoughtful expression on his face. "But he is willing to serve under Chinua?"
"He is a strange man," Chinua admitted with a soft laugh. "I had to take an oath before he agreed to serve under me. He made it clear that if I broke that oath, he would leave."
Batukhan flipped the page, his eyes falling on another drawing. "What is this?" he asked, a puzzled frown on his brow.
Chinua smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Haishi City of Tanggolia." She pointed to a section of the drawing depicting the dams. "Father, do you still remember our game of conquering land?"
Batukhan burst out laughing, his booming voice echoing throughout the huge study room.
"It must be Chinua who could make Father this happy," Bastsaikhan observed, as Qara pushed him towards Chinua and King Batukhan.
"What makes His Majesty so happy?" Qara inquired, her eyes curious.
Batukhan rose from the table, grabbed Qara's hand, and playfully dragged her towards the drawing. "Look," he exclaimed, pointing to the picture in the book.
"What am I supposed to look at?" Qara asked, still confused.
Batukhan's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Chinua just found a way to destroy Haishi City!"
Chinua gently pushed Bastsaikhan towards the table. "It was not me," she corrected, a humble smile on her face. "It was my stubborn friend."
"I have to meet this strange friend of yours," Batukhan declared, his curiosity piqued.
"Father, he does not seek fame or fortune," Chinua explained, a hint of caution in her voice. "I promised him that I will not force him, so..."
Batukhan's frown softened. "That doesn't matter. As long as he serves our great kingdom, there is no need for me to meet him."
Just then, Tong rushed in, his face flushed. "Your Majesty!" he announced, slightly out of breath. "Envoys of Tanggolia are here to discuss important matters with Your Majesty. Everyone is waiting for Your Majesty."
Batukhan's eyes widened in surprise. "The Tanggolians must have left after you," he mused, then rose. "Let's go and see if there is anything important to discuss here. Tong, bring Bastsaikhan with us."
Chinua's heart sank, a cold dread creeping into her stomach. She immediately thought the Tanggolians must be there because they had discovered that Chinua was the one to rescue their prisoners.
Qara looked at Chinua, her brow furrowed with concern. "Your complexion doesn't look good. Have you done anything to offend the Tanggolian?"
"No, Mother," Chinua said, her voice tight with worry. "I didn't do anything."
Qara sighed, her expression relieved. "That's good." She left the study room, leaving a worried Chinua behind.
Inside the throne hall, Batukhan, Bastsaikhan, and the other ministers watched as Geming and ten Tanggolian envoys entered. Geming greeted Batukhan with a warm, diplomatic smile and presented a collection of lavish gifts.
"Thank you for your gift," Batukhan said, his voice polite. "I don't know what brought Prince Geming to come so soon. Have my daughters offended Emperor Xin?"
Lai, one of the envoys, bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, the two princesses have not offended anyone. First, it was a misunderstanding that caused the two princesses to leave Haishi City early, and we came to apologize. Second, the Crown Prince of Tanggolia has taken a liking to one of His Highness's princesses. Our main purpose today is to propose to the princess to enhance the friendship between the two kingdoms."
"What good news is this!" Tarkhan exclaimed, his voice filled with delight.
"Indeed, it is very good news!" another minister chimed in.
"I wonder which princess is the lucky one," a third murmured, curiosity rippling through the hall.
Batukhan smiled, his eyes twinkling. "May this old king ask, which princess won the heart of the prince?"
Lai produced a formal letter. Tong descended the steps, taking the letter from Lai's hands and presenting it to Batukhan. After reading its contents, Batukhan handed the letter back to Tong.
"I agree to this marriage," Batukhan declared, his voice firm. "I agree to let my daughter Ankhtsetseg marry Prince Geming according to the request of Emperor Xin and sign a one-hundred-year non-aggression treaty."
Geming stepped forward, his face pale with shock. "Your Majesty, there must be some misunderstanding!" he stammered, his voice laced with desperation.
"Misunderstanding?" Batukhan scoffed, his brow furrowing. "It's clearly written in the letter."
"The Princess I want to marry is Princess Chinua, not Princess Ankhtsetseg!" Geming insisted, his voice rising in disbelief.
Batukhan looked at Geming, then motioned to Tong. "Tong, bring the letter to Prince Geming."
As Tong approached, Geming snatched the letter from his hand. His eyes scanned the name, and his heart almost stopped beating. "Ankhtsetseg... This... this... this is wrong," Geming muttered, his lips trembling. "There must be a mistake somewhere."
"This is the proposal by your kingdom or are you here to laugh at us?!" Batukhan thundered, his face flushing with anger.
Geming raised his head, looking at Batukhan, his voice quivering. "It's not that... but... it..." He struggled for words.
"Since you look down on us and see us as a fool," Batukhan continued, his voice icy, "please go back to your kingdom and never come back. As for the peace treaty, forget it!"
Lai quickly grabbed Geming's arm, whispering urgently. "Your Highness now is not the time. No matter which princess it is, she will still be the princess of Hmagol. If you refuse, we will not only become the laughingstock of Hmagol, but also the laughingstock of neighboring kingdoms!"
"But I don't want to marry Ankhtsetseg," Geming said, his voice filled with profound sadness.
"We came with this condition," Lai pressed, his grip firm. "If we back down, we might not leave here alive."
Batukhan looked at Geming, seeing the deep disappointment on his face and the tears glistening in his eyes. "I am not such an evil person," he stated, his voice softening slightly. "I will personally go and ask for Chinua to be brought here. If Chinua agrees to marry you, I have nothing to say, but if Chinua doesn't agree, you have to make a choice. You fulfill the good words in this letter, and we sign a peace treaty, or you leave and never come back." Batukhan stood up and left with Tong, leaving Bastsaikhan in charge.
Batukhan walked into Chinua's private bedroom. He found Khunbish and Khenbish already there. "You two, leave us alone," Batukhan commanded gently.
Khunbish and Khenbish quickly left the room, closing the door behind them.
Realizing that Batukhan wanted to speak to her alone, Chinua's heart pounded with worry. She feared the Tanggolians' unexpected visit meant bad news, perhaps that her rescue of the Suo family had been exposed. She walked towards Batukhan, her voice strained. "Father, why did the Tanggolia envoys come?"
"They came here to propose marriage and sign a peace treaty for the next one hundred years," Batukhan replied, his expression unreadable.
Chinua smiled, a wave of relief washing over her. "A marriage proposal? The second prince must have fallen in love with the eldest princess!"
"The person waiting in the throne hall now is the Crown Prince of Tanggolia," Batukhan corrected, a hint of something unsaid in his voice.
Chinua's smile widened. "He actually came?" she murmured, surprised but pleased.
Batukhan looked at Chinua, a knowing look in his eyes. "Did you know he would come?"
"He told me that he would see me soon," Chinua admitted, "but I didn't expect it to be so soon."
Batukhan smiled faintly. "Does Chinua like this Crown Prince?"
Chinua nodded, her eyes soft.
"What if I say Chinua can't marry him?" Batukhan asked, his voice suddenly serious.
Chinua's face clouded with confusion. "Why should I marry him? If I had to choose a husband, I would rather choose Khunbish or Khenbish. I would not choose a man who aspires to occupy our southern border."
"What if Chinua can never have a husband?" Batukhan's voice was low, filled with a deep sadness.
Chinua looked at Batukhan, her heart sinking with a terrible premonition. "And the reason?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"You are a smart person, and you should know the reason," Batukhan said, his gaze distant. "I know you will be a great warrior in our kingdom in the future. Now everyone in the court has chosen a side, and this is not good for Bastsaikhan. I made a plan for him. I placed Mönkhbat in the south and Chimgee in the west and gave them the title of lord so that they could never return to the palace without a royal decree. Now that Chinua is grown, I want Chinua to stay in the East. Do you understand my reason?"
Chinua nodded slowly, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "Father wants the two elder brothers and me to act as walls to protect the eldest brother if there is any act of treason."
Batukhan sighed, tears glistening in his own eyes. "Chinua, you may think that I am too ruthless to send my sons to guard our borders and prevent them from coming home. They are my sons; how can I not love them; how can I not see their hard work? No matter how ferocious the tiger is, it will not eat its own cubs. Your two brothers did this voluntarily, because they understand the reason." He took a step back, knelt down, and bowed deeply to Chinua, his face etched with sorrow. "I, Batukhan Mongke, King of Hmagol, on behalf of all the citizens of Hmagol, ask Chinua to become our eastern pillar and continue to protect the borders of Hmagol."
Chinua's lips trembled, and tears streamed down her face. She had never truly understood why Mönkhbat and Chimgee could never return to the capital without a royal decree. She had accused Batukhan of not having the same love for his children ever since the day Mönkhbat and Chimgee left the capital. But the moment Batukhan fell to his knees, Chinua finally understood. She had wrongly accused him. Batukhan had not only made plans for Bastsaikhan but also made contingency plans. He had secretly written a letter to Mönkhbat, asking him to succeed Bastsaikhan if necessary, and had even ordered him to execute Bastsaikhan if Bastsaikhan did not live up to the expectations of the people.
Chinua stood before Batukhan, her voice thick with emotion. "I accept to be the pillar of the East, and I will never return without a royal decree calling upon me."
Batukhan bowed three more times, then stood up, his face still etched with sadness. "Chinua," he said, his voice soft and melancholy, "the loneliest man in the world is the one who sits above all. He has only his own shadow to keep him company. He will stand taller than anyone else, but in the end, all he has is himself and a cold, lonely chair. That is why the one sitting in this lonely chair must be Bastsaikhan." He looked at Chinua, his gaze piercing. "Because he understands that with his conditions, he will never be able to step onto the battlefield and gain his glory like his brothers. He knew that sitting in this lonely chair, he would have to endure the stares and rumors of others, but he is willing to sit here for the sake of the people of Hmagol."
Chinua looked at Batukhan, her eyes now clear with understanding. "Chinua understands," she whispered.
Batukhan gently patted Chinua's right shoulder. "Do you know why I did not choose Mönkhbat as the Crown Prince, based on his ability, but chose Bastsaikhan instead?"
Chinua shook her head, listening intently.
Batukhan smiled sadly, tears moistening his eyes again. "Because I don't want my favorite son to end up sitting on that lonely golden chair, far away from freedom. Therefore, I have to sacrifice Bastsaikhan to sit in his place." He sighed, a heavy weight settling on his shoulders.
Tong walked into the room, holding a tray with an army seal upon it. "Your Majesty. Your Highness," Tong announced.
Chinua grasped the golden army seal, then pulled the familiar flute from her waist and placed it on the tray. "Please help me return this to Prince Geming," she said, her voice firm. "Father, I would like Captain Haitao and his crew to become my subordinates."
"I will send a message to Batzorig," Batukhan agreed.
"I am going to the military camp and bring the message to Captain Haitao myself," Chinua declared, walking towards the door.
"Chinua..." Batukhan called out, his voice hesitant. "Do you hate me?"
Chinua turned, a faint, melancholic smile on her face. "No, Father. I will make you proud."
Chinua walked out of the door and found Khunbish and Khenbish standing at attention. "Let's head to the military camp," Chinua announced, her voice filled with newfound purpose.
Holding the flute tightly in his hand, Geming rushed out of the main entrance of the palace, his heart pounding. When he was some distance from the palace gate, he saw Chinua and her two subordinates riding away.
"Chinua!" Geming shouted, his voice desperate. "Chinua!"
Chinua turned, seeing Geming chasing her on horseback. She immediately turned to the guards near the gate. "Close the gate!" she commanded. She knew, with a heavy heart, that once the gate was closed, it could not be opened until the next morning.
Geming's horse skidded to a halt in front of the massive, closing gate. "Chinua!" he cried, his voice raw with anguish. "Chinua!"
Outside the palace gate, Chinua, Khunbish, and Khenbish slowly rode their horses towards the military camp outside the city, leaving Geming's desperate cries behind.
"Does Chinua really not want to marry the Crown Prince?" Khunbish asked, a note of confusion in his voice.
"I already have you two," Chinua replied, a faint smile playing on her lips, "I don't need a prince in my life."
"But it's not the same," Khenbish murmured, sensing a deeper reason.
Chinua's smile faded, replaced by a look of profound understanding. "I like him as a partner because we talk and understand each other, but I don't like him romantically. If I marry him, I will become a flaming phoenix locked in a golden cage. I know I will not be happy. Father was right about one thing... The king and queen who sit on the golden chair are the loneliest people on this earth."
"Where are we going next?" Khenbish asked, changing the subject, sensing the shift in her mood.
"We are going to the eastern border," Chinua announced, her voice resolute.
"Training again?" Khunbish asked, surprised.
"No, Khunbish," Chinua corrected, a spark of fierce determination in her eyes. "We are going to guard our eastern border."
"There has never been a captain or general in the East," Khunbish pointed out, a hint of awe in his voice.
Chinua smiled at Khunbish, a confident, unwavering light in her eyes. "You are looking at her. Cha..." She whipped her horse, galloping towards the capital's military training camp, with Khunbish and Khenbish following close behind, their new purpose clear.