Chapter 33, first published on Jinjiang Literature City, Part 33 (two chapters combined)

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Chao Lu rode his Xiangwu a couple more steps closer, standing side by side with Ruan Yu.

How dare he ask?

Ruan Yu pursed her lips silently and said, "Is it alright for Your Highness to come over? Have you returned after seeing Buhede off?"

Chao Lu didn't care at all: "It's alright, let's go, let's go together."

Seeing that he had made up his mind, Ruan Yu had no choice but to accept it.

The caravan continued slowly forward, with Buhe clinging to Hela, and Chaolu's tall horse standing out prominently in the middle. Ruan Yu had witnessed Xiangwu's speed before, but now he was walking slowly alongside her camel, attracting frequent glances from onlookers.

Ruan Yu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Does Your Highness not feel that Xiangwu has been wronged?"

Chao Lu glanced down and said, "It won't. It can graze while walking. Warhorses also need to rest. Isn't it Xiangwu?"

Xiangwu snorted again, not in agreement, but in rebuttal.

Ruan Yu couldn't argue with him, so she simply stopped talking. What could she do? She was already putting all her effort into riding the camel, which was just a stroll for him.

Chao Lu looked at her and suddenly said, "Why don't you get on the horse and I'll take you for a couple of laps?"

"don't want!"

Ruan Yu refused decisively, saying she wouldn't take it this time no matter what.

Chao Lu clicked his tongue and swallowed back what he wanted to say.

Perhaps because Chaolu was too conspicuous here, the news quickly spread to the front, and before long, Damubayar and his two companions also arrived.

“Fourth brother, so that’s why you were so preoccupied just now!” Bayar called out with a smile, but Chaolu ignored him.

Qiqige exclaimed in surprise, "Why are you all here?"

"It's not my fourth brother yet. After Father Khan heard that he was coming here, he let us move around freely, so he came to see you all."

Ruan Yu's ears turned red, and she couldn't help but glare at the person next to her.

Chaolu: "I'm just here to deliver Buhe."

Charles had had enough of him: "Fine, fine, you're here to see Buch off, we didn't say anything."

"That's right, let's go together. In another half hour, we can reach the front and rest for a while."

So what was originally a procession of women now took a rather peculiar turn. Men rode tall horses alongside their wives, deliberately slowing their pace to accommodate them. The servants, seeing such a scene for the first time, found it fascinating, glancing over and then smiling knowingly.

The other three couples were fine, taking it easy and enjoying the scenery along the way. Only Una felt uneasy and glanced at Damu: "Are you in a hurry?"

Damu: "Actually, it's not so bad."

Following in the footsteps of the Khan is prestigious, but one must always be vigilant.

Una glanced at Chaolu reproachfully. It was all their fault. Ever since another woman from Chang'an arrived, she had been disrupting the peace of their grasslands.

Half an hour later.

Hurile ordered everyone to rest for half an hour. It was already noon, and everyone needed to eat and drink.

Chao Lu dismounted first and walked to Ruan Yu's side. The camel was very tall, and someone needed to help him down. Chao Lu had already reached out his hand, and Ruan Yu did not refuse. He grasped Chao Lu's large hand and stood steadily on the ground.

There was a stream not far away, and the servants were already busy fetching and boiling water. Afu brought over dried biscuits and spring water.

Chao Lu: "Can you get used to the food?"

Ruan Yu nodded and reached out to take it.

Dry biscuits are naturally not tasty. They have no oil at all and are just compressed food. They need to be eaten with water to swallow them. In addition to dry biscuits, there are also dried meat and air-dried beef jerky. They are hard to chew and don't taste like anything else.

She ate politely, taking small bites slowly and quietly, even though the food was hard to chew. At that moment, she and Chaolu were sitting by a rock. Chaolu looked at her for a while, then reluctantly took the dry biscuit from her hand.

If it doesn't taste good, then don't force it.

"No, I..."

"Eat this." Chaolu handed her a steamed bun.

These are steamed buns from the Central Plains. Although they're not hot, they're definitely softer than hard flatbread.

Ruan Yu's eyes widened: "When did Your Highness prepare this?"

Chaolu curled his lip: "Your servants don't know how hard it is to travel on the grasslands. No matter how much you bring, it's not as good as this one steamed bun."

It turned out it was specially prepared for her. Ruan Yu's heart softened, and she slowly reached out to take it: "Thank you, Your Highness..."

After taking small bites of the steamed bun, Ruan Yu felt full. Looking at Chao Lu, she saw that he had finished the dry biscuit and was gulping down water. A few drops of water dripped from the corner of his lips, rolling down his sharp jawline and Adam's apple until they reached his chest...

Ruan Yu looked up and met Chao Lu's dark eyes. Caught red-handed peeking, Ruan Yu silently looked away.

"Would you like some water?" Chao Lu handed over a water bag.

"I have some here..."

Ruan Yu also took off the water pouch from her waist and drank a few mouthfuls.

"Let's take a break, rest for half an hour, take a short nap. We still have half a day of cycling this afternoon, and we won't be able to set up camp until tonight."

As Chaolu spoke, he leaned against the rock, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes.

Ruan Yu nodded, but she didn't lean against it. She simply found a comfortable position and rested her head on her knees, but from Chao Lu's perspective, it looked like she was curled up into a ball.

"How can you fall asleep like this?" Chaolu asked, puzzled.

Ruan Yu: "I don't need to sleep, I just need to sit for a while."

As soon as Ruan Yu finished speaking, Chao Lu pulled her over. Ruan Yu tried to push him away, but it was no use. Chao Lu pressed her against his chest, and the man stretched out his long legs and said casually, "We'll be riding for even longer this afternoon. Don't think it'll be an easy task. I'll be your human cushion, so you should be grateful."

Ruan Yu was furious and punched him twice: "I don't care! Let go of me."

Chao Lu retorted, "No one saw it, but if you cause any more trouble, I can't guarantee anything."

Ruan Yu: "..."

She refused because she was afraid others would see this side, but now that she heard what Chaolu said, she dared not move.

Ruan Yu looked around like a squirrel, only relaxing after confirming that no one was nearby.

With someone acting as her human cushion, Ruan Yu thought, "Why not enjoy this blessing?" So she relaxed and leaned against Chao Lu, resting her head on his pillow, and gradually closed her eyes.

Although the man behind her didn't move, he quickly raised his lips as she approached.

Half an hour passed quickly, and sounds came from all around. Ruan Yu had taken a short nap and felt refreshed. She had just opened her eyes and was about to sit up when she suddenly realized that Chao Lu had reached out and was holding her, with his hand hanging down in front of her chest, around her shoulder...

Ruan Yu: "..."

A crisp slap woke Chao Lu up.

A fleeting look of confusion crossed his eyes. He then met Ruan Yu's watery but angry eyes, glanced at his own hand, and looked away from Lu, withdrawing his gaze.

"It was by accident."

Ruan Yu stood up straight, patted his pants, and turned to leave.

Chao Lu jumped up, smiled, and chased after him.

"Fourth sister-in-law, did you rest well?" Qiqige asked with a smile.

Ruan Yu believed that Qiqige did not mean to tease her, so she nodded and smiled, "You're more awake now. Where's Second Sister-in-law?"

“Bayar took me to hunt rabbits. There are many bushes here, and we saw several, but unfortunately they all ran away.”

Hunting rabbits?! Ruan Yu became interested as well.

She still had that slingshot with her.

Chaolu: "When we get to Karl, I'll take you there too."

Ruan Yu pretended not to hear and mounted the camel.

In the afternoon, the team didn't stop at all and even sped up.

Inside Lady Qiu's carriage, Hurile also took a short nap, and when he woke up, he was much more refreshed.

When he first opened his eyes, the strong, sweaty man's eyes were filled with the alertness that he had never shown before, but he suddenly relaxed after seeing the people around him.

Hurile reached out his hand to her, and Lady Qiu paused for a moment before leaning in.

"Aren't you asleep?"

Madam Qiu shook her head: "I can't sleep."

"Is it too boring? Why don't you ride a camel?"

Madam Qiu raised the corners of her lips slightly, but did not reply.

This was, of course, a joke. As an elder, she couldn't play around like the younger generation. She could only sit upright in the carriage, without having to exert any effort, and of course, she couldn't see the sky outside.

Hurile squeezed her hand and fell silent as well.

After a moment, he said, "I know that Fourth Brother's wife is looking forward to going to Liangzhou, and so are you. If things go smoothly in Karl, you can stay in Liangzhou for one more day."

Lady Qiu then raised her eyes and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Hurile reached out and affectionately pinched her cheek: "I'm going to Dahadun for a bit, I'll come back tonight."

Madam Qiu wanted to say something, but after a moment she swallowed it back silently.

"good."

...

By evening, Ruan Yu realized that Chao Lu hadn't lied to her at noon. At first, he might have just wanted to have some fun and novelty, but later, her calves felt tight and a little sore.

It's hard to imagine the exhaustion the cavalrymen endured riding continuously.

Chao Lu noticed this and slowly rode his Xiangwu closer: "Are you tired? Hang in there a little longer, we're almost at the campsite."

Ruan Yu gave a soft "hmm".

Chao Lu glanced at her legs and whispered, "Shall I massage them for you tonight?"

Ruan Yu: "...No need, Xuan Niang is here."

“Your maids have also worked hard all day, and you don’t even care about them.”

Ruan Yu: "..."

She suddenly smiled at Chao Lu: "Your Highness, I feel even more sorry for you."

Chao Lu was momentarily stunned by her laughter, and naturally picked up on the teasing in her words. Not to be outdone, he retorted, "It's alright, I'm a grown man. If you really care about me, you can give me a massage too..."

Ruan Yu: "..."

I never realized before that this person was so shameless.

The Khan ordered that camp be set up for the night.

The group gradually came to a stop. Chao Lu dismounted and led Afuhas and the others to get busy.

Ruan Yu didn't want to ride the camel anymore, so she got off and walked around.

The grassland was indeed flat and stretched as far as the eye could see, but tonight they would camp next to a small hill, which would provide some shelter from the wind.

Ruan Yu and Haila came down to stretch their bodies, and Xuan Niang brought over a cloak and helped her put it on: "It's cold at night, Khatun, put this on."

Hela recognized it instantly: "This...is that Chaolu's snow wolf?"

Ruan Yu glanced down and nodded: "Mm..."

Hela chuckled: "This kid, he used to hide it away like a treasure and not let anyone see it, but now..."

Ruan Yu's ears burned a little, so she changed the subject and asked, "When did he hunt it?"

"Eighteen years old, I guess? During the spring hunt, that snow wolf, which had been starving all winter, bumped into Chaolu while it was searching for food. Thanks to that wolf, Chaolu became quite famous because the animal skin was so good that many people wanted to buy it, but Chaolu ignored them all. Even his father only glanced at it a few times before he took it away."

Ruan Yu: "...So that's how it is."

Hela laughed and said, "I said back then that this snow wolf fur is not suitable for a man like you. I'm afraid it's meant to be saved for your future wife."

The kid wasn't happy about it, saying it was a treasured possession, but now look, I was right...

Just as Hela finished speaking, Chaolu walked over.

"The tent is set up."

As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed his older sister staring at him with a strange smile. Chao Lu was taken aback and asked, "What's wrong?"

Chao Lu reached out and touched his face, thinking there was something on it, but when he saw the cloak on Ruan Yu's body, he realized what it was.

Not feeling embarrassed at all, Chao Lu walked straight to Ruan Yu's side and stood with her.

"Sister, doesn't this snow wolf cloak suit Yu Yu very well?"

Ruan Yu turned around in surprise. What did he call her?

Hela was also taken aback, unsure of what to say. In the end, she simply reached out and tapped his head in the air. Then, smiling, she turned and left.

After Haila left, Chaolu took Ruanyu's hand and said, "Let's go back to the tent."

Ruan Yu was dragged along by him for quite a while before she belatedly came to her senses.

After hesitating for a while, she still didn't ask.

It wasn't until Chaolu pulled her into the tent that Ruan Yu couldn't help but ask, "What did you call me just now?"

Chao Lu: "Whatever you call me."

Just now.

Chao Lu chuckled: "I just called you that offhand; I forgot what 'little' meant by 'you'."

"..."

After Chao Lu finished speaking, he quickly grabbed a bucket and went out: "Hot water takes a long time to boil, I'll go get a bucket now, you rest for a while."

Ruan Yu stared blankly at his retreating figure for a moment.

Oh well, it's just a name, it doesn't really matter.

After quickly stepping out of the tent, Chao Lu breathed a sigh of relief and then blurted out... He chewed on the tip of his tongue for a moment, finding the two words rather endearing.

And it belongs only to him.

...

After setting up camp, Hurile called his four sons to discuss important matters.

"Damu, we'll be arriving in Karl tomorrow. Your sixth brother is fifteen now, so you can go home."

Huril had six sons, of whom five Taiji died in childhood.

According to grassland custom, a Taiji would be sent to another tribe to gain experience after a certain number of years.

Chaolu went there, and five years later, the one sent out was Liutaiji Tuling.

Turing was only twelve when he was sent away, and he has now been in Karl for three years.

Damu: "Yes, Father Khan."

Because of Una's family background, Turing's life in the Kar tribe shouldn't be too difficult, especially since Hurile has already risen to a high position.

Unlike back then...

Thinking of this, Hurile looked at his fourth son with a guilty conscience, "Chaolu, when you arrive in Liangzhou, I will grant you three days' leave. Spend some time with your mother and wife."

Chaolu was taken aback for a moment: "Thank you, Father Khan."

"Alright, I'm a bit tired. You should all rest after you set up camp."

The group of people gradually withdrew.

Stepping outside the tent, Bayar suddenly said, "It's been a long time since I've seen you, little brother. Did you see me last year when you took your wife back to your parents' home, big brother?"

Damu smiled and hummed in agreement.

Chao Lu seemed lost in thought, as if deep in thought.

Ruan Yu didn't really want to go to bed so early, but tomorrow would probably be another tiring journey, and she heard that they wouldn't arrive at the Kar tribe until dusk.

After a quick wash, she prepared to rest.

The conditions in the makeshift tent were indeed harsh. Even though Xuan Niang had made ample preparations, Ruan Yu still felt a bit cold.

Suddenly, the tent flap was lifted, and a gust of wind blew in instantly—it was Chaolu returning.

He turned around and closed the curtain.

Are you cold?

Ruan Yu nestled in the blankets: "A little."

Chao Lu began to undress: "Now you know how hard it is, right? Do you want to come and suffer with me next time?"

"I didn't complain... Can't Your Highness say something nice...?"

Chao Lu remained silent, walked over to her, and sat down.

"Drink the freshly warmed milk before you go to sleep."

Ruan Yu turned to look at him, her eyes widening. She saw Chao Lu carrying a copper kettle and a bowl, which he had indeed poured into a bowl of warm milk.

Ruan Yu was about to reach out and take it, but Chao Lu fed it directly to her mouth first.

Their eyes met, and Ruan Yu lowered her gaze, taking small sips of her drink.

I have no idea where he came from...

But after drinking the hot milk, Ruan Yu felt much better; the chill dissipated, and drowsiness gradually crept in.

When Chaolu saw that she had finished drinking, he got up and took the things out. When he came back, she had already washed up.

The man began to undress without saying a word. Ruan Yu noticed his silence and asked, "What did you talk about when you went to Father Khan's place? Has the plan changed?"

Chao Lu paused for a moment, then took off his boots and lay down inside.

"No, I just mentioned that I wanted to bring my sixth brother back."

Ruan Yu also knew about the matter of Liu Taiji in the Kar tribe.

"That's great news! You haven't seen your younger brother in a long time, have you? How are you and your sixth brother?"

Chaolu rested one hand behind his head, recalling some scenes from his childhood.

"It's fine. It's just... I think of my sixth brother, and sometimes I think of my fifth brother too."

Chaolu still remembered the small figure he had carried on his back, and his expression clearly showed his sadness.

Ruan Yu also knew about Wutaiji's situation and noticed Chao Lu's emotions. She turned over and said gently, "Everyone has their own destiny. Sometimes fate is like this... Fifth Brother just went to heaven to enjoy happiness early."

Chao Lu turned his head and glanced at her.

"Go to sleep."

Ruan Yu nodded and obediently closed her eyes.

Chaolu was in a bad mood, and any further comfort would only seem weak and ineffective. Ruan Yu understood this very well, so she simply said nothing and let him be alone for a while.

But unexpectedly...

As she slept, a large hand suddenly reached out, slipped under her calves, and lifted her up a bit. Ruan Yu opened her eyes in surprise and saw that Chao Lu's eyes were not sleepy at all. Although they were leaning against each other head to head, Ruan Yu's calves and feet had been pulled into his arms.

"I promised to give you a massage," Chao Lu said slowly in a low voice.

Ruan Yu: "..."

His large hands were indeed pinching her calves, neither too lightly nor too heavily.

Ruan Yu had been massaging the area herself before bed, but she couldn't seem to find the right spot. However, when Chao Lu applied pressure, the soreness was intense...

She couldn't help but snort.

Chao Lu: "Here?"

Is this the place?

Ruan Yu bit her lip: "Mmm."

"Just bear with it."

Chao Lu put in some effort.

"it hurts!"

"Your muscles are so tense, you need to loosen them up! Besides, I didn't even use a fraction of my strength. It hurts now, but it will feel better in a bit."

Ruan Yu bit her lip, deciding to believe him this once.

I pressed it for a while longer.

It must be said that Chaolu is indeed quite talented.

The soreness in her legs had indeed improved a lot, and she felt a surge of fatigue.

"Thank you, Your Highness... Your Highness, please go to sleep."

Chao Lu stared at the man's face, thinking, "You heartless little devil."

He held the person tightly, showing no intention of letting go, and the pressure of his massage gradually decreased.

But his hand showed no sign of leaving; instead, it moved towards his calf...

Heading upwards.

As Ruan Yu was drifting off to sleep, she suddenly felt something strange again, probably because she had accidentally bumped into someone while they were too close.

She was dazed and tried to break free from Chaolu's embrace when she suddenly heard Chaolu say softly in her ear, "There are bugs."

Ruan Yu: "!!!"

Her scalp tingled, and she instantly snapped back to reality, practically crawling on all fours towards Chao Lu: "Where's the bug!"

Chao Lu's lips curled up deeply, and he pressed the person down a little tighter.

"Smack."

He patted his leg with one hand.

"It's alright, he's dead."

Ruan Yu was still shaken and clung to his neck, refusing to let go, practically hanging on Chao Lu.

The man suddenly shifted his waist, and Ruan Yu froze.

Meeting his unfathomable eyes, Ruan Yu suddenly realized what was happening.

"I...I was so scared...Are the bugs dead...Let me sprinkle some more pesticide powder..."

Chao Lu didn't want to hear her say any more, so he covered her mouth with one hand by pressing the back of her head.

Of course, it's done by using one's own mouth to shut up.

Ruan Yu angrily punched him: "Chao Lu...! This is a tent!"

Chao Lu remained unmoved, only angrily biting her cheek.

"You seduced me first."

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

Author's Note: I've made some changes to the setting of Wutaiji. A few sentences in Chapter 3 have been altered, but it won't affect the reading experience.

Although I'm still a few hundred words short of 6000, please consider this a double update for me today, okay?