“This is for the best.” Peter Carter glanced around before instructing, “Brother Bennett, from now on, don’t ever mention this matter again, especially in front of Adam.”

John Bennett nodded slowly, but there was a trace of helplessness on his face.

After Adam Carter returned to the wooden cabin, he saw Grace Miller sitting on the bed, frowning in deep thought, her worried look carrying a unique charm.

Adam Carter couldn’t deny that Grace Miller was indeed beautiful—compared to the beauties of his own era, she was even more naturally elegant.

Seeing her delicate face clouded, brows gently knitted, Adam Carter felt a bit worried for her. It truly fit the saying: “You were born a beauty, but fate made you a thief.” Yet, becoming the bandit’s wife was something she had been forced into.

Grace Miller looked up and saw him, softly greeting, “Young master.”

“By the way, where are you from? And what did you mean about your people?” Adam Carter suddenly recalled what Grace Miller had said yesterday about her people—could she actually be considered a Turkic as well?

A glimmer of hope rose in Grace Miller’s heart. Last night, she had only mentioned it briefly, seeing that Adam Carter showed no interest, so she hadn’t gone into detail. Now that he brought it up, could things be taking a turn?

“Young master, I’m actually not from the Central Plains.” Grace Miller thought it over and finally decided to tell the truth.

“Oh? I couldn’t tell from the way you speak.” Adam Carter was a bit surprised, since from Grace Miller’s clothing, she looked no different from them.

Here, people spoke casually, without much use of classical phrases. After a few months, Adam Carter had no trouble fitting in. But as far as he knew, the Turkic language was completely different from the local tongue.

“Actually, I can only be considered half Turkic.” A trace of sadness appeared on Grace Miller’s face. “Back when Emperor Wen was on the throne and Qimin Khagan was still alive, the Khagan often came to court to pay tribute and pledge allegiance. There were quite a few Turks who moved to the capital. My father admired Chinese culture, married a woman from the Central Plains, and was among the first to settle in Xijing. That’s why I speak just like you.”

Section Nine: The Hen That Lays Eggs

Grace Miller’s sadness had its own charm. She was a beauty to begin with, and her anxious frown was quite endearing. If she were less attractive, she’d probably have been met with fists and sticks by now.

“So what’s your situation now?” Adam Carter hesitated.

A look of grief and anger appeared on Grace Miller’s face. “When Qimin Khagan was alive, he was gentle in his dealings. Although he paid tribute and pledged allegiance to the Sui emperor, the Turks themselves lived in harmony and peace…”

“But ever since Qimin Khagan died a few years ago and his son Shibi Khagan took the throne, he’s gradually revealed his wolfish ambitions. Shibi Khagan was always an ambitious man, wanting to unite the Turks. Now, with the emperor obsessed with glory and reckless warfare, and after three failed campaigns against Goguryeo, the people are suffering and resentment is building. This made Shibi Khagan look down on the Sui…”

“Because of this contempt, Shibi Khagan is always thinking of invading south. The Turkic tribes used to coexist peacefully, but now he encourages them to fight and annex each other. My people have always been weak, and now we’re barely surviving! I was in Xijing, worried about my people, so I planned to return to my tribe. But not long after leaving Mayi, because I was dressed as a woman from the Central Plains, I was caught by the Turks. I had an old servant with me, but they killed him without a word…”

“I was captured, but since I could speak Turkic, I lied and claimed to know a tribal chief. That made them hesitate and decide to take me to verify my story. If it weren’t for you all, I’d probably be their wife, concubine, or slave by now…”

Listening to this tangled web of relationships gave Adam Carter a headache. He only now realized that the former great leader of the Turks had been friendly with the Sui, but the new leader looked down on Yang Guang, and the Turkic tribes were constantly fighting among themselves. This Grace Miller had returned with a fearless spirit to save her people.

Suddenly thinking of something, Adam Carter couldn’t help but ask, “You’re just a woman, powerless to even truss a chicken. You haven’t even reached your tribe and have already been captured twice. What makes you think you can save your people?”

A blush crept over Grace Miller’s face. She lowered her head and said nothing.

Adam Carter looked at her for a while, then seemed to understand and muttered, “A woman’s greatest asset is herself. You’re beautiful and graceful—so you planned to use yourself as bait, latch onto a powerful figure, and then unite with him to revive your tribe?”

Grace Miller’s head trembled slightly. She looked up in disbelief. “They say the Central Plains are full of outstanding people, and your cunning far surpasses that of foreigners. When I was in Xijing, I was already deeply impressed, but I didn’t expect…”

She wanted to say more but held back. Adam Carter continued, “You didn’t expect that even a bandit from a remote borderland would have brains?”

That was exactly what Grace Miller wanted to say. Hearing Adam Carter grasp her meaning so quickly, she looked at him in surprise.

“It’s not just brains, but exceptional intelligence,” Grace Miller said sincerely. “I know there are good and bad people everywhere. When I was captured, I only wanted to die. Mr. Carter, I never expected to meet you. When you brought me to the stronghold, I was truly anxious and uneasy. But last night, you—” At this, Grace Miller blushed deeply. Though her feelings hadn’t changed, her words were heartfelt. “I know you’re a good man, but I don’t dare hope you’ll just let me go. I only ask that after you’ve had me, you’ll let me return to save my people.”