233: Chapter 234 The Emperor's Empire, as Far as the Eyes Can See

The wind on the grassland carried not only the scent of blood and dust but also a hint of fresh grass.

The main force of the Ming Army was like a moving Great Wall, rolling with dust and smoke as it advanced slowly and steadily towards the west.

But beyond this Great Wall, further west, five fine horses were galloping freely across the vast grassland.

Their hooves flew, kicking up waves of green grass.

The six people on horseback had their robes fluttering in the wind.

Sitting on the magnificent black horse in the lead were two people.

Lu Chen had a small figure encircled in front of him—it was Princess Shao Min.

The little girl's face was flushed red from the wind, but her eyes were wide and round, filled with curiosity and excitement as she watched the scenery flash by.

"Your Majesty! Go faster!" Princess Shao Min couldn't help but call out, her voice crisp, though much of it was scattered by the wind.

Lu Chen's lips curled slightly; he did not speed up, but instead slowed down a little.

"Slow down, or you'll get bumped around."

Behind him, four riders rode abreast.

Yin Susu, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, looked heroic and spirited. She glanced at the two riding together in front and shouted to Lu Chen, "Your Majesty certainly has a refined taste, kidnapping a little girl to take her for a ride!"

Lu Chen didn't even turn his head. "The Princess wanted to see the grassland."

Princess Shao Min immediately turned back and said crisply, "I was the one who wanted to come! Brother Emperor... said he would take me to see his domain!"

Yin Susu chuckled. "Oh? Are you quite satisfied with what you've seen of this domain?"

Princess Shao Min's little face flushed, and she turned her head away, ignoring her.

Ji Xiaofu looked at the vast grassland with a gentle expression and said softly, "The water and grass here are lush; it is indeed a good pasture."

Yang Huangyi pointed to a range of hills vaguely visible in the distance. "Your Majesty, the terrain there is higher and the view is wide. If there is any enemy activity, we can be warned in advance. However, it could also be easily used by the enemy as an observation post."

Lu Chen nodded. "Mm, I have already sent scouts fifty miles ahead to clear the area."

While they were talking, they had already ridden far beyond the line of sight of the main army. It felt as if only the six of them remained between heaven and earth, along with the boundless grassland beneath their feet.

"Your Majesty," Princess Shao Min suddenly raised her little face and pointed to the horizon. "What is that?"

Following the direction she pointed, there was a faint, undulating snow line on the horizon.

"The Tianshan Mountains," Lu Chen said concisely.

"The Tianshan Mountains..." Princess Shao Min murmured. "Are they even higher than the mountains in our Mongol lands?"

"Much higher," Lu Chen said. "Once you cross those mountains, you reach the Golden Horde, which was once a territory conquered by the former Yuan dynasty."

Princess Shao Min seemed to understand, yet not quite, and asked again, "Then... are we going to fight to the other side of the mountains?"

"Not just that." Lu Chen smiled and pointed to the west, where nothing could be seen but the endless grassland and sky. "We are going to keep fighting until we reach a larger sea. This is about reclaiming lost territory."

"A sea?" Princess Shao Min's eyes lit up. "Is that where Eternal Heaven resides?"

Lu Chen laughed. "Your Eternal Heaven doesn't live by the sea. I am talking about the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea."

Princess Shao Min was fascinated, her small mouth slightly open. "Your Majesty, who is more powerful, you or Eternal Heaven?"

Lu Chen smiled. "Minmin, have you ever seen Eternal Heaven?"

Princess Shao Min looked puzzled. "Eternal Heaven is a god; how could I have seen it?"

Lu Chen: "Eternal Heaven is merely a Junior. If it saw me, it would have to kneel on the ground, kowtow three times, and call me Ancestral Master!"

She had heard countless legends about Eternal Heaven since she was a child, but no one had ever spoken about it in such a casual tone as Lu Chen, calling Eternal Heaven a Junior.

Princess Shao Min suddenly felt that the back of the man in front of her was taller and grander than any mountain she had ever seen.

Fang Yanqing snorted, seemingly noncommittal about this way of "deceiving a little girl," but she didn't speak up to refute it.

Ji Xiaofu sighed softly but said nothing.

Yang Huangyi rode around, observing the terrain, and said in a low voice, "There seem to be traces of a river passing ahead; the grass is deeper in color."

Lu Chen nodded. "It is a tributary of the Ili River. Our left flank army, Aratnashiri, is just fifty miles on the other side of the river."

He pulled on the reins and stopped.

The other four riders stopped as well.

The wind blew, and the waves of grass rose and fell.

Lu Chen raised his hand and pointed to a piece of grassland ahead that looked unremarkable.

"Three days ago, this was still an assembly point for a Kipchak tribe of five thousand tents."

Princess Shao Min blinked, looking at the empty grassland, and felt as if she could still smell the faint, lingering scent of smoke and... blood in the air.

"Then... where are the people?"

"Some of them have gone to meet Eternal Heaven," Lu Chen said calmly. "The rest have gone to lead the way for our vanguard."

Yin Susu chimed in, "In other words, either death or becoming our guides—there is no third option." She looked at Lu Chen, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry. "Your Majesty is becoming increasingly adept at this strategy of 'submit and prosper, resist and perish'."

Lu Chen was noncommittal. "The rules must be set by someone."

He turned his horse around. "Let's go. We've been out too long; it's time to return."

Princess Shao Min was still somewhat unsatisfied. She looked back at the empty grassland, then at the snow line of the Tianshan Mountains in the distance.

The five horses galloped again, heading east towards the moving army.

"Your Majesty," Princess Shao Min suddenly spoke again. "Is that sea you mentioned really that big? Is it bigger than Lake Balkhash?"

"Much bigger."

"Then... are there fish in the sea?"

Lu Chen was silent for a moment, as if contemplating this question.

"Perhaps, or perhaps not."

"Huh?" Princess Shao Min was confused.

"When we fight our way there, you can see for yourself," Lu Chen said.

Princess Shao Min gave an "Oh" and stopped asking.

She snuggled into Lu Chen's arms, listening to the whistling wind in her ears, and watched the outlines of the army camp growing clearer ahead.

The setting sun cast their shadows long.

The grassland remained vast, and the journey was long.

But for some reason, Princess Shao Min felt that the distant sea did not seem so unreachable anymore.

Fang Yanqing looked at the backs of the two, one big and one small, in front, then looked at the horizon. She shook her head helplessly and smiled bitterly to herself, "What a shameless scoundrel..."

Yin Susu had a smile on her lips and began to hum a little tune of unknown origin.

The five horses and six people soon merged into the torrent.

Lu Chen dismounted and lifted Princess Shao Min down.

The little girl's feet touched the ground, and she looked up at Lu Chen.

"Your Majesty, tomorrow... will we come out to see the domain again?"

Lu Chen looked at her. "Everything your eyes can see is my domain."

After saying this, he left the little girl with his back turned.

Princess Shao Min stood in place, watching the brightly lit grand tent, then looked back at the west, where the sunset glow was magnificent.

She clenched her little fist.

The sea... is it?

Yin Susu walked up to her and rubbed her head.

"Little girl, stop looking. His Majesty's domain cannot be seen in just one day."

Princess Shao Min didn't speak; she followed Yin Susu and walked towards the camp.