Chapter 107 "I am a married man."...

The atmosphere remained tense.

The sudden appearance of this Hu (non-Han) group had already made many people uneasy, and their aggressive demeanor meant that if they couldn't handle it, the slightest mistake would plunge them into a perilous and irreversible situation.

Han Peng drew his sword, his voice carried on the wind, tinged with a ruthless edge: "It's very clear, we are messengers. We have just intercepted a military report from the Great Qi border and are heading north to report it. Anyone who obstructs us—"

"Kill them without hesitation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, an old man in the opposing Hu (non-Han) group noticed a visibly change in expression and took a step back with his horse.

This subtle change immediately caught Han Peng's attention—

The old man, surprisingly Han Chinese in appearance, stood out among the mixed-race people of Han and non-Han descent. His face was filled with terror as he reached out to tug at his accompanying guard, who pushed his hand away. He then stepped forward to say something to the non-Han woman, but upon meeting her gaze, he shrank back...

Since he's working for the Rongbei people, what's there to be afraid of?

Han Peng turned his head and saw that Xiao Zhuo's gaze had also fallen on the Han man.

Han Peng said in a deep voice, "Hand over your clearance documents so we can verify their authenticity!"

The Hu woman nodded. Her mixed-race attendant dismounted and took out a travel document from a leather bundle, handing it to her.

Just as Han Peng was inspecting, the woman took the opportunity to walk around to the emperor's side.

She tilted her head and looked at Xiao Zhuo's face.

The wind and snow were like knives, the world was frozen, and the distant snow-capped mountains were outlined with cold, hard contours in the sunlight. The man in front of him stood on horseback on the grassland, and even though he was wrapped in a fur hood, he could not hide his inherent nobility, aloofness, and solitude, just like the high snow-capped mountains.

Her gaze shifted downwards, landing on his neck, where a plain-colored silk collar was adorned with jeweled tassels along the edges, adding to his refined elegance.

She chuckled and covered her lips with her hand.

As soon as the sound came out, everyone looked over.

She laughed and said, "You actually wear such girlish items? Who gave them to you! Or is this what you Han people like? But your taste is rather poor."

From the moment their groups met to the argument, Xiao Zhuo had never spoken to her directly until this moment, when he turned his head slightly to look at her.

Their eyes met, and she froze, while her attendants were also stunned.

The man's features were already cold and aloof, but now his gaze was as sharp as a blade tempered with ice.

His eyes held a deep displeasure and a hint of danger.

Also, I'm annoyed.

The air seemed to freeze.

Anyone could see that those words had touched a nerve.

Seeing this, the Hu woman snapped out of her daze, spurred her horse, and moved away from his side, coming to Han Peng's side: "Well, you've seen the inspection, and we have the necessary documents to go north. Since you're traveling with us, why don't we go together?"

"You..." Han Peng was about to refuse, but the other party spoke first.

"Is it not possible? It would be safer for you to travel with us, but this excuse seems rather suspicious."

Han Peng tightened his grip on the reins, his gaze sweeping over the group of people surrounding her. In terms of numbers, the enemy indeed outnumbered them.

However, before setting off, the emperor dispatched several teams to infiltrate Rongbei in batches, with backup teams laid in place along the northward journey. Each team was stationed every hundred li to prepare for such situations and ensure a safe return.

This is the city they just left; it's not wise to act rashly. Making too much noise would quickly attract pursuit.

It would be better to go a little further and rendezvous with our own men, then deal with these people once we reach a secluded place.

Xiao Zhuo said, "Since that's the case, let's go together."

Han Peng immediately understood and gestured for the people behind him to follow.

The Hu woman asked, "You agree?"

Xiao Zhuo did not reply, but rode past him without saying a word.

The woman, whose face was covered in dust, was stunned for a moment before following up. "Is this how you treat guests? How dare you ignore me like this?"

Xiao Zhuo never replied.

Han Peng stepped forward to block her way and said, "Since you know the way, young lady, then lead the way. We'll follow behind you."

The Hu woman snorted.

After a brief regrouping, both sides set off again, with the Hu people leading the way and the Hu following behind.

Not long after they set off, a figure galloped up from behind on the grassland. Han Peng looked closely and saw the rider galloping towards them, his horse covered in a thick layer of frost. As he got closer, his Han Chinese features gradually became clearer.

They were their subordinates.

Xiao Zhuo ordered the troops to stop and let the Hu people wait in front. This move immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of the Hu people.

The cavalryman reached Xiao Zhuo, rolled off, and pounced on him, panting heavily. His bangs were soaked with snow, and his eyes were filled with panic and anxiety.

He brought Xiao Zhuo a message—

The Empress disappeared at the Prefect's residence.

Xiao Zhuo rode forward a step, and the chill emanating from him instantly made it hard for people to breathe.

Han Peng asked, "What happened?"

The rider quietly explained the whole story.

...

At this moment, a few dozen feet behind them, the Hu people's caravan was watching them.

The woman at the head of the group had a piercing gaze. Her companion leaned closer and whispered, "Your Majesty, are you truly going to travel with them?"

The one addressed as "Empress" was none other than Empress Yuan Chaolu of the Great Qi Dynasty, who donned a human skin mask after setting out on her journey.

The soldier said, "I just checked their documents. Those people look like Han Chinese, but I didn't expect them to be spies working for Rongbei. Traveling with them is really dangerous... They are discussing something right now, so we can take this opportunity to leave first."

Earlier, they had encountered this group of people at the inn. For some reason, the Queen acted very strangely, contrary to her usual caution, and ordered everyone to leave the city to give chase.

After the Northern Rong officials finished verifying the documents, the group immediately left the city and followed the trail for dozens of miles, finally finding the other party's whereabouts. But who would have thought that the Empress would then order an encirclement.

Yuan Chaolu said, "No need, they are our own people."

The soldier was stunned. "One of our own?"

The Empress nodded calmly, reaffirming her opinion. The group then breathed a sigh of relief.

Yuan Chaolu kept a close eye on Xiao Zhuo's movements from afar. Seeing that his men looked solemn, she was about to ride over to inquire when she saw him turn his horse around and ride back.

Yuan Chaolu stepped forward, holding the sheepskin map, and asked in a deliberately feigned hoarse voice, "What did your men tell you? Why are they in such a hurry? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?"

She unfolded the map and pointed to a spot. "You're going to a city in the heart of Rongbei, and so are we. We need to get to this abandoned place before dark to rest for the night."

She instinctively moved closer to him, her legs touching his horse, but then she heard him suddenly say, "Have some self-respect."

These words struck Yuan Chaolu like a sharp blade piercing her ear. When Yuan Chaolu looked up, she saw his eyes were as cold as frost, filled with undisguised disgust.

"I am already married and have a wife."

Yuan Chaolu realized that she was standing close to him, and finally came to her senses. She opened her mouth in surprise, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

After a while, she said, "Is your wife so jealous? I was just talking to you, what's the big deal? I don't like men from the Central Plains either, but you are so handsome, even more handsome than those grassland men..."

“It’s not that she’s jealous, it’s just that I have to be,” Xiao Zhuo interrupted her, smiled, and placed his hand on the sword at his waist.

“If you dare take another step closer or utter a single word out of line, I won’t hesitate to kill you, cut off your head, and send it to the foot of the snow mountain as a sacrifice to the mountain god.”

Along with his smiling yet cold words, there was also the sound of a sword slowly ringing out as his fingertips parted the scabbard.

He wasn't joking.

The Yuan Dynasty exposed human skin. The cheeks beneath the mask taut.

Xiao Zhuo said, "I think she would agree with me doing so."

Yuan Chaolu: "..."