Chapter 18 Only when Xiao Yi was unable to move could his gaze roam freely…

"Why didn't you say you were injured like this?!"

Ruan Yu was first taken aback, then she felt cold.

It was late autumn, and a gust of wind gave her goosebumps.

Realizing that Chaolu was truly angry, she trembled slightly and explained, "I only saw it last night..."

Chao Lu narrowed his eyes, his anger unabated.

"Your Highness, please let go of me, I'm cold..."

It hurts a little too...

Chao Lu was quite strong; just by gripping her forearm, he created an undeniable sense of confinement.

The man suddenly came to his senses, pulled the blanket over the person, and wrapped them up.

"If I hadn't thought of what happened during the day, would you still have kept it from me?"

Ruan Yu: "...I didn't mean to hide it. I thought His Highness had seen it."

After all, he shot an arrow that pierced the man's palm.

Chao Lu: "...I only saw him about to attack you, I didn't see him pulling you away, I'm sorry."

If he had seen it, the man wouldn't have only taken one arrow.

At least that hand is gone for good.

Ruan Yu, unaware of his thoughts, said softly, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. You have already shot through his hand, which can be considered revenge for me. I only have superficial wounds and will be fine in a few days."

Chao Lu frowned: "How can he, a lowly servant, compare to you?"

Ruan Yu: "..."

Although she didn't want to admit it, those words still made her heart skip a beat. At least it showed that she, as the Khatun, still held some weight in Chaolu's eyes.

Chaolu was already considering whether to have Has go and bring back the man and chop off his hand, but he was afraid of scaring her, so he decided against it.

Wait, why is he afraid of scaring her?

"Sleep, Your Highness?" Ruan Yu sat beside him, carefully studying Chao Lu's expression, and cautiously spoke.

Chao Lu snapped out of his daze, composed himself, and after a long pause said, "Alright."

Ruan Yu breathed a sigh of relief and calmed down. This must mean that her anger had subsided and she could let it go.

But she didn't know that Chaolu was a man, and as long as he had a breath left, he would never let it go.

After all that fuss, the two finally lay down. Ruan Yu was really tired and just wanted to go to sleep.

But there's another problem: she injured one ear, and it happened to be the side she usually pressed down on. This means she can't press it down now and can only... sleep facing Chao Lu.

She felt a little awkward, but after thinking for a moment, she said, "Your Highness, why don't you sleep inside? I'll sleep outside."

Chao Lu didn't understand for a moment: "Why?"

"...No reason, I just drank too much water and probably got up frequently at night."

Chao Lu: "No problem."

Ruan Yu: "..."

Chao Lu suddenly opened his eyes and turned his head to look. Ruan Yu was lying silently, and he wondered what he was going to do next.

Chao Lu suddenly laughed: "You want to turn your back on me?"

Ruan Yu: "...No."

lie.

From the second day of their marriage, she would initially lie flat, but after a while, she would turn over. Once he realized this, Chaolu almost laughed in exasperation.

He suddenly pulled himself up and placed one hand on Ruan Yu's side, forcing Ruan Yu to lie flat and stare wide-eyed at the man above her.

"Your Highness...what do you want to do?"

Chaolu scrutinized her face for a long time, as if trying to get to know his little Khatun again.

She's quite bold; she dared to tell him to shut up.

Anyone who dares to disregard the rules will only be given a death sentence.

Even today, he realized that she was not weak at all, and that she dared to injure a man with a slingshot.

A strange smile appeared in Chaolu's eyes: "You've married into this family, hasn't anyone taught you the rules of the grasslands? A wife cannot sleep with her back to her husband."

Ruan Yu: "..."

Of course she knew, but she thought it was a bad habit!

Besides, she thought Chao Lu didn't care.

But now he knows; he had already figured it out, but he was too lazy to say it.

Coupled with the words "shut up" just now, Ruan Yu looked away guiltily.

Chaolu suddenly pulled back her quilt and tore open her undergarment.

Ruan Yu: "..."

What are we going to do now? Can't I get some sleep?!

Chao Lu had been blinded by anger and only noticed the bruise on her fair arm, which was quite jarring. But at the same time, something beautiful seemed to have flashed into his eyes, but before he could see it clearly, she pettily blocked it from his view.

She clearly still wanted to block it, but Chao Lu grabbed her hand first.

Only when she was unable to move could his gaze wander freely.

Chaolu knew that women were troublesome, and that there was a small garment under the inner garment, but he didn't know what the small garment looked like. Now he could see it clearly.

Pink, a piece of cloth.

It doesn't cover anything at all.

Because he pulled so hard, the piece of cloth shifted and no longer diligently covered its owner; most of it was already exposed.

Chaolu's gaze was almost tangible; he pulled her arm high, his eyes darting between her injury and elsewhere...

Unable to bear it any longer, Ruan Yu simply closed her eyes. Her face was already flushed red, and her eyelashes were trembling incessantly...

How long are you going to keep watching this person?!

The candle flame inside the tent flickered, and Ruan Yu couldn't help but speak. Just as she was about to speak, Chao Lu seemed to finally come to his senses and released her.

Ruan Yu immediately burrowed into the quilt like a fish, covering herself completely... She didn't want to ask Chao Lu why he wanted to see it; she didn't want to know at all... She was afraid she would hear something that would upset him if she asked!

Chaolu didn't say anything, but after lying down, he exhaled a breath of stale air.

In a strange moment of tacit understanding, neither of them mentioned their absurd actions from just now.

A moment later, Chao Lu glanced at the person who had shrunk completely under the covers and sneered inwardly.

He became increasingly certain that the reason she covered herself up so tightly and turned her back to him was simply to prevent him from doing something.

It's ridiculous. If he really wanted to, what could a blanket possibly protect him from?

If he really wants to...

Chao Lu suddenly looked down at his belt.

A moment later, she didn't get up to use the bathroom, but he went to the washroom first.

...

After a chaotic and complicated day, Ruan Yu slept soundly and woke up when it was already broad daylight.

Ruan Yucai opened her eyes blankly when she heard Xuan Niang talking to someone outside. There was no one beside her.

She sat up and rang the bell, and Xuan Niang and Qing Guo came in.

"The Khatun is awake? Dabiegi was just here."

Ruan Yu immediately came to her senses: "Are you feeling any better, sister?"

"Dabekichi is doing well; she's very worried about you."

Ruan Yu: "I feel much better... Let's wash up. I'll go to my sister's for breakfast later."

"yes."

Besides washing up, Ruan Yu also needed to apply medicine. After removing the gauze from her ears, the first thing Ruan Yu wanted to do was look in the mirror. However, it had only been one night, and only scabs had formed, so nothing was visible.

Qingguo whispered, "This servant will go inside to administer the medicine to the Khatun, in case His Highness suddenly returns."

Ruan Yu pursed her lips: "There's no need to hide it from His Highness; he already knows."

Qingguo: "...Okay."

"Where is he?" Recalling the man's "bad behavior" last night, Ruan Yu didn't really want to ask, but fearing that Hariang might cause trouble again, she asked anyway.

"He went to training. Your Highness is really strong. He tore his arm himself. The doctor checked it this morning and said it's about 80-90% recovered. Then Your Highness went to train..."

Ruan Yu: "..."

Oh right, when Chaolu arrived yesterday, there was nothing on his arm. It turns out he tore it off himself?

Fine, he's a boorish guy, she doesn't want to bother with him anymore.

She had just finished washing up when Aunt Qing sent someone over: "Khedun, Madam invites you to have breakfast."

Ruan Yu had the same idea and nodded, "I'll be right there."

I guess my older sister is over there too, so we can see each other. As for Chaolu...

Forget it, I'll just ignore him.

Hela was indeed in Lady Qiu's tent, along with Buhe.

Seeing her arrive, Madam Qiu smiled and said, "Chao Lu came over this morning and said you weren't feeling well and needed to sleep in. Are you feeling better now?"

Ruan Yu: "...I feel fine, just a little tired, but I'm much better now."

"Please sit down."

Ruan Yu looked at Hela, who also looked well. When Hela saw her looking over, she smiled and said, "Thank you for standing up for me yesterday, sister-in-law. I'm not used to saying formalities, but you know how I feel. Buhe, thank you, aunt."

Buhe's condition had also improved, and he said obediently, "Thank you, Aunt..."

Ruan Yu felt a pang of tenderness and patted his head, saying, "Sister, you don't need to be so polite with me. We're family."

Haila: "Chaolu is going to the Golden Horde to see his father, Khan. Let's eat first."

Ruan Yu said yes.

During the meal, Madam Qiu brought up the matter of divorce.

"Your father will issue the order today, and Chaolu will bring good news when he returns. Ning'er, you will no longer have to live in fear."

Hela's eyes reddened: "Thank you, Mother."

Ruan Yu was also very happy, but when she caught the sound of "Ning'er", she showed some curiosity.

Madam Qiu naturally saw it and laughed, "You don't know yet, do you? I took it upon myself to name my two children after Zhongyuan."

Ruan Yu: "..."

Hela smiled and said, "Wei Ning, would you like to know about Chao Lu?"

Ruan Yu: "...Tell me, sister."

"Wei Jun".

Ruan Yu glanced at her mother-in-law with surprise.

Madam Qiu smiled and said, "It was named in private, and outsiders don't know about it."

Ruan Yu smiled and agreed.

Jun...

A hair's breadth away, a thunderous roar.

Unstoppable.

Ruan Yu lowered her eyes. Others might not know, but the Great Khan certainly did. Even the Great Khatun wouldn't dare to name his children after their mother's surname.

However, since the mother-in-law was a woman from the Central Plains and her family was far away, the Khan tacitly approved of this behavior.

Ruan Yu suddenly understood that her sister's smooth divorce from Cha Su was not due to Chao Lu's impulsiveness, nor entirely due to Cha Su's scoundrel behavior.

She was my mother-in-law, who stood beside my father that day.

Ruan Yu pursed her lips, concealing her emotions and speculations tightly, not daring to reveal the slightest bit in front of her mother-in-law.

After breakfast, Madam Qiu said, "There is one more thing, An'an, I want to give you special instructions."

"Please speak, Mother-in-law."

"The Zulu Festival is in six days. You may not know the procedures for the day. On that day, a rider will inspect the horse race on behalf of the Great Khan. Everyone must watch the ceremony. Then, in turn, lanterns will be lit to illuminate the Zulu. After that, everyone will walk around the ovoo (cairn) where the Zulu is worshipped three times before the ceremony ends. Your father Khan intends for Chaolu to be this year's rider."

After Madam Qiu finished speaking, Ruan Yu and Haila both widened their eyes.

Hela: "Really? Wasn't it always His Highness before?"

“Well, I don’t know what he was thinking, but I’ll just do it. But there’s one problem: if Chaolu is the rider, then An’an is the torchbearer. She has to stand by the first elder when he goes up to light the lamp, and stay there until everyone’s lamps are lit. An’an, can you do it…?”

Ruan Yu understood. She had actually heard of this tradition before, and it was quite similar to the sacrificial rites in the Central Plains.

In the past, it was always Una who went, which meant that she had to stand for the whole day like a statue, holding a torch the whole time. Her mother-in-law was worried that she wouldn't be able to keep it up.

Ruan Yu said solemnly, "Although I don't have much ability, this concerns the reputation of the whole family. I will definitely complete it and will not make any mistakes."

Madam Qiu smiled and patted her hand: "I know you can do it."

A note from the author:

----------------------

Pink bib: Barbarian!

P.S.: The customs of Zulu Festival may differ from reality; there are fictional elements involved!