书斋小说网

第 9 章（第1页）

Thenewsoftheapproagwinterwassoonovershadowedbyanothermatter。MessengersarrivedfromthenorthernplainscarryingwordthatthreegreattribeshadacceptedYounisKhansinvitationtogatherathispalace。TheKharunTribe，knownfortheirfiercecavalry;theTazhenTribe，whosewealthcamefromtrollingthewesterntraderoutes;andtheNayakTribe，whosewarriorswerefamousfortheirarchers，wouldsooerYounisterritory。Amongthefourtribes，Younisremaihestro，withthelargestterritoryandthegreatestnumberofwarriors。Yetthearrivalofthethreetribeswasnoordinaryvisit。TheywerenotingmerelytoexgegiftsanddrinkwihtheKhan。Therewerewhispersofalliaradeagreements，and，mostimportantly，marriage。

Onthemoftheceremony，everymemberoftheKhanshouseholdwasorderedtoattend。Princes，princesses，sorts，andeventhosewhohadspentyearshiddenawayfromtheKhansattentionwereexpectedtoappear。IntheOrchidCourtyard，NannyZhangcarefullyhelpedShuranpreparefortheceremony，thoughtheprincesswasfartooweaktoleaveherbed。Suyuanstoodbesidehermothersbed，watgthemaidservantfoldawayasetofclothesthathadneverbeenworn。"Mother，youdontoattend。Illgoinyourplace，"shesaidquietly。Shurangaveherafaintsmile。"Youshouldgo。Youareeighteennow。Itistimeyoulearnedhowthisplacetrulyworks。"Suyuandidntanswer。Sheknewhermotherwasright，butshehadlittleiinwatgtheKhansfamilycelebratewhilehermotherremainedfotteninthiscourtyard。Still，refusingtheorderwouldonlybringtrouble。Shegedintothebestdresstheypossessedandpinnedherhairsimply，withouttheexpensiveorswornbytheotherprincesses。

TheKhansgreathallstoodattheheartofthepalacegrounds。ItwasnothinglikethegrandstonehallsofXianthatSuyuanhadseeninoldpaintings。Theenormouscircularstructurewasbuiltfromthicktimberandlayeredfelt，itswallsdecoratedwiththebannersofYouniss。Carvedwoodenpillarssupportedthehighroof，whileanimal-hiderugscoveredtheground。Braziersburnedaroundthees，fillingthehallwithwarmthandthesmellofburningwood。AtthefarendstoodtheKhansraisedwoode，coveredwithfur。Belowitwerelongtablesarrangedinawidecircle，leavinganopenspatheterforceremonialgreetings，musidperformances。Warriorsstoodalongthewallswiththeironsattheirsides，whileservantshurriedbetweeablescarryingtraysofroastedmeat，bread，driedfruits，andbowlsoffermenteddrink。

SuyuaeredquietlywithAyaobehindher。Almostimmediately，shefeltseveraleyesturntowardher。Shehadrarelyattendedgatheringslikethis，andmostpeopleinthehallklywhereshebelohefottendaughteroftheprincipalwife。ThegirlwasraisedintheedOrchidCourtyard。Aprincessbyblood，buthardlytreatedlikeone。Suyuanloweredhergazeandtinuedwalkingasthoughshenotioneofit。

"Theresheis，"someonewhispered。

"PrincessSuyuan?"

"Iheardshewassickly。"

"ShelookseventhihanIexpected。"

"Hermotherisworse。Iheardshemaynotsurvivethewinter。"

Thewhispersfollowedherlikesmoke。

Ayaosfiightenedaroundhersleeve，butSuyualyshookherhead。

Therewasnopointanswering。AttheKhanstable，hissonsanddaughterswerealreadyseated。Someworeelaboratefur-linedrobesdecoratedwithsilverandjewels，whileothersdisplayedthefidenceofyoungwarriorswhohadspentmostoftheirlivesonhorseback。TheKhansfavoredsonssatclosesttohim，laughingamongthemselvesastheydiscussedthevisitingtribes。Hisdaughterswerenolessattentive，eachquietlythearrivalsandtheotherunmarriedmeninthehall。

Suyuanfoundherassignedplaeartheoutersideofthefamilyseating，ofcourse。

Shesatwithoutplaint。Amomentlater，thesoundofhornsechoedbeyondthehallalltheversationsstopped。Agroupofwarriorsenteredfirst，theirhorsesemblemsdisplayedontallbannersbehindthem。TheKharundelegationcamewithdarkfursandpolishedons，theirleaderwalkingwiththefidenceofamanwhoknewhiswarriorswerewatghim。BehindthemcametheTazhendelegation，dressedmorerichly，carryingboxesofspices，finecloth，andpreciousstonesasgifts。FinallycametheNayakwarriors，quieterthahers，theirbowsrestingacrosstheirbacks。

Thehallgraduallyfilledwithnoiseagain，theKhanrosefromhisseat。"WeletoYounis。"Thethreetriballeadersbowedacctotheirs，andtheformalexgeofgreetingsbegan。Suyuanwatchedquietly，shenoticedhowtheKharunchiefstoodslightlyfartherfromtheKhanthannecessary。TheTazhenleadersmiledtoooften。TheNayakrepresentativespokelittleandobservedeverything。

Theceremonytinuedwithgifts，greetings，andformalpromisesoffriendship。Musisbeganplayiheterofthehallwhileservantsbroughtoutmorefood。Severalyoungwarriorsperformedaceremonialdisplayofstrength，drawingcheersfromthesurroundingtribes。Suyuanremainedquiet，shehadnodesiretoattractattention。Unfortunately，someoneelseseemedtohavenoticedher。Acrossthecrowdedhall，ayoungmansatamongthevisitingdelegation。Heworeanordinarydarkrobewithoutextravagantdecoration，hishairtiedsimplybehindhishead。NothingabouthimsuggestedthathewasimportantahiseyeshadalreadysettledonSuyuan。

Shedidntreizehimbuthereizedherimmediately。Thepalegirlfromtheriver，thegirlwhohadlookedathimthatmwithcalmeyesdespitenearlybeingsweptawaybythecurrent。Hisgazelingeredforamomentbeforehequietlylookedaway。Suyuannoticed，hereyesnarrowedslightly。Therewassomethingfamiliarabouthimbutshecouldntplaceit。Beforeshecouldthinkfurther，theKhanraisedhiscup。Themusisstoppedandtheentirehallfellsilent。"Thereisanothermattertodiscuss。"Thevisitingtriballeadersturowardhim。TheKhansgazesweptacrosshishousehold。，"ThethreetribeshavetraveledalongwaytostahtheYounisbannerandtonight，weshallcelebrateourfriendship。"

Hepaused，"andperhapsstrengthe。"Amurmurspreadthroughthehall。

Suyuanslowlyloweredhereyes，shealreadyknewwhatwasing。TheKhansmiled。"Letthefeastbegin。"

Thedrumssoundedagain，aroundSuyuan，theyoungprincesandprincessesbeganexgingcuriousglances。Forthem，itwasacelebrationwhileforthevisitingtribes，itportunity。AndforSuyuan，sittingquietlyattheedgeoftheKhansfamily，shehadtheunfortablefeelingthatshehadjustbeeanotherpiesomeonesgameboard。