Mudan Hua hesitated in her excitement: “You mean, to subtract the grain for his twenty thousand? But what if we do not have enough grain when he submits his men?”


  “Just ask for more.” Feng ZHiwei replied carelessly. “Chunyu Meng is leading part of the bridal guards to Yu Zhou Camp, so all the Irgi Tribe needs to do is send a few people with him. We will be supporting the Imperial Court’s Army and Yu Zhou City will not hold back grain.”


  “Wei Wei my dear,” Mudan Hua began, patting Feng Zhiwei’s hand affectionately. “Marrying you is truly a fortunate blessing for my Ji Dog……”


  As Feng Zhiwei smiled a white shadow flashed in the corner of her gaze. Zong Chen was calling for her.

  After a few more perfunctory words, she walked over to Zong Chen’s corner. The man immediately began reporting: “We’ve investigated Kereyid. After leaving Bing River Valley he headed to Dama Living Buddha’s Huyin Temple and made it to King’s Court before you. He has been out and about since you’ve arrived, but we’ve had you guarded and he’s never approached. He’s acting very suspiciously, so be on your guard.”


  “He is surely working with Hongji Le.” Feng Zhiwei replied. “Guard the palace. I still have to deal with the old man and the relatives.”


  That patriarchs had already gathered in the inner yard and were acting as if they had seen nothing.

  The patriarchs knew that this woman was not to be trifled with; if some Irgi brat was setting their eyes on the throne, their dreams would be quickly crushed.

  With the Dama leaving his temple, the patriarchs had all risen early to pay their respects. The elder was the oldest man in the steppes, a wise ancestor a hundred and thirteen years old that had guided the steppes out of calamity many times, and his noble character was held in hide regard.

  Helian Zheng’s coronation was to be officiated by the Dama.

  “Ala!” The patriarchs called out, kowtowing towards the elder’s room.

  “Jadran! Where is Jadran!” A gasping voice called out for Helian Zheng.

  The young king took Feng Zhiwei’s hand and entered the room.

  Dama Living Buddha sat on a felt rug facing the door. Three large fire basins sat around him, warming him even in the relative warmth of the spring morning. His body was shriveled and the size of a child’s and he stared out through a pair of binoculars.

  When Feng Zhiwei stepped through the door and saw the huge binoculars eyeing her, she paused for a moment in startlement.

  “This woman……” Dama suddenly roared as he stared at Feng Zhiwei. “Get out……”


  Helian Zheng stalled in his stride.

  The patriarchs froze.

  Mudan Hua had one foot over the threshold and had suddenly forgotten how to take the next step.

  In the silence that followed only Feng Zhiwei’s face remained calm. She straightened, her hands clasped behind her back and a hint of a cold side on her lips as she replied: “Why?”


  “You are a wolf hiding in the grass, every one of your hairs carrying an incurable poison.” The shriveled old man called out in his hoarse voice. “The blood and fire of war follows you and burns its way to our soil. You are Jadran’s calamity and his trap; for him to take your hand is like taking the hand of a walking skeleton.”


  Gasps filled the yard. Dama Living Buddha had lived a calm and peaceful live, prophesying the fate of countless people, but never before had he used such terrifying words.

  “Oh?” Feng Zhiwei replied calmly, her eyes narrowed with her smile. “We have just met, how can you see so clearly?”


  Dama stared at her unblinkingly, silent.

  Feng Zhiwei stared straight back, calmly eyeing the sack of old bones.

  “You cannot be queen.” Dama Living Buddha finally said, his voice calming down. “I can allow you to stay by Jadran’s side as his woman, but that is my greatest grace. Now you will leave.”


  “NO!”


  Helian Zheng had finally stirred from his astonishment.

  “She is my Queen!” He shouted as he stepped forward, his voice certain as iron. “No one else!”


  “Jadran have you lost your mind!” Dama called out angrily, his dry bones straightening. “Do you wish to court death?”


  “So what? What wolf? What skeleton? What calamity? What trap? No one is more clear on Zhiwei’s character. She is my queen, an eagle soaring high in the sky — Dama Ala, speak no more! Who even knows if your words are true?”


  “King!” The patriarchs called out angrily. Dama was a god of the steppes, how dare Jadran question him!

  “It is only a title.” A voice called out, assuming Helian Zheng was only defying Dama for fear of disobeying the Imperial Edict. “The Imperial Court has granted Han women before and some of them were not queen. There is precedent. The steppe has its own rules and the Imperial Court has never intervened. The King does not need to worry.”


  “I do not fear the Imperial Court’s punishment!” Helian Zheng flicked his hand dismissively. “I have spoken. There is no one else but her!”


  “King! Defying Dama Living Buddha without cause demands a public whipping!”


  Word had already spread to the outer yard and a hundred steppe nobles squeezed at the door and burst out in an uproar: “Kick the Han woman out!”


  “Get her out!”


  “The steppes have no place for a vicious wolf!”


  “Get out!”


  “Get your grandma!” Chunyu Meng cursed, stepping forward and gesturing for his men.

  Feng Zhiwei turned calmly and signed for him to stand down. As she examined the crowd, everyone who met her cold, misty eyes shivered, their curses dying on their tongues, but none of them turned their hateful eyes away as they stubbornly blocked the door.

  Helian Zheng smiled coldly.

  As he stalked towards Dama Living Buddha, the patriarchs leapt up in fear and shock.

  “King, stop……”


  Helian Zheng reached out for the whip the attendant bow lama held. The twig had followed the Living Buddha for many years and had never been touched, for the Living Buddha was sacred and honored by all the people of the steppes. No one dared think of defying him.

  Helian Zheng closed his hand around the twig, hesitating for a moment. He had always been loyal to the Living Buddha and had thought of the man as a grandfather; he had thought that the Dama would honor Feng Zhiwei as he had his mother, hoping that she would be accepted in full by the Steppes so that she would fall in love with his land.