Chapter 97 You scoundrel who stole the sky and switched the sun, why are you only arriving now...?

Chu Yueyuan had seen the legendary men that Feng Qi had carefully collected in Xixia. Those men were only seven or eight parts similar to Pei Mu in terms of facial features, figure, and demeanor, but they did not resemble him in any way.

The one in front of me is the least similar in appearance, with thicker eyebrows, longer eyes, a hooked nose, and thick lips.

But the proud and aloof air between his brows seemed to make her heart skip a beat.

The man met her gaze, the campfire dancing in his dark eyes, burning brightly, while also revealing tender affection.

In a daze, Chu Yueyuan seemed to smell a faint sandalwood fragrance. This familiar scent was like a pair of hands plucking at her heartstrings, causing her heartbeat to suddenly start again, beating faster and faster, like a drum pounding in her chest.

The two stared at each other for a long time, which caught Erhe's attention.

Chu Yueyuan wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if he was really in front of her. She could sense the suspicious gaze that Erhe was casting at her from not far away, so she had to swallow back the words that were about to spill from her lips.

At that moment, someone bumped into her shoulder, and she stumbled and fell into the man's arms.

Her nose bumped against the other's warm and firm chest, and the increasingly clear scent of sandalwood wafted over, seeping into her nostrils. As she lowered her eyes, she saw the veins on the back of the man's hand taut.

Could it be him?

Chu Yueyuan's heart pounded wildly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erhe walking towards the two of them with a dark face. Time was of the essence, and she had a way to verify the man's identity without even a word.

Almost without thinking, driven entirely by instinct, she tiptoed, gently hooked her arms around the man's slender neck, tilted her head back, and pressed her red lips to his.

A fleeting kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the water, left a familiar scent lingering between their lips, as if reliving an old dream.

In that instant, she knew the answer.

"Let her go!!!"

Erhe's furious roar exploded like thunder, causing the surrounding crowd to retreat. He suddenly drew his crescent-shaped blade from his waist and, without hesitation, slashed down at Chu Yueyuan's kissing lover.

The man neither dodged nor avoided, but instead shielded Chu Yueyuan behind him.

With a sharp crack, the whip flashed through the air, wrapping around the curved blade and pulling it sharply, forcing the blade to deflect by three points, its cold light barely grazing the man's clothes.

"Great Khan, what do you mean by this?"

Feng Qi held a bamboo-jointed whip and a wine cup in her hand, her phoenix eyes showing no sign of drunkenness, but rather bright and piercing.

Erhe stared intently at the two people behind Feng Qi, his eyes blazing with anger. He gritted his teeth and said, "I saw with my own eyes that this beast had taken liberties with the princess's maid. I hope Princess Feng will not protect him and will allow me to kill him."

"Oh, is that so!"

Feng Qi raised her eyebrows high, her tone questioning: "My men are all very well-behaved, could it be that the Great Khan has made a mistake?"

Someone in the crowd immediately responded: "Your Highness, I saw it clearly just now. It was this veiled girl who took the initiative to kiss the Heir Apparent."

"Yes, yes, I saw it too!"

Handsome men and beautiful women always attract attention. The people who had just danced the bonfire dance next to Chu Yueyuan all spoke up to testify, and even a few Canglang generals who were not clear about the situation nodded in agreement.

Erhe's face contorted with rage, his eyes blazing like knives as he slashed at those useless idiots.

Feng Qi smiled lightly, her eyebrows arching: "It's no wonder the princess's maids are so captivating. My several suitors are all exceptionally handsome, it's only natural that they would stir the hearts of young girls in their prime..."

She then said bluntly, "Even I, the princess, don't care about this. Why should the Great Khan get so angry over a mere maid? Anyone who doesn't know the situation would think that the Great Khan's Khatun has been mistreated!"

Erhe gritted his teeth. If he didn't need Feng Qi to lead the way, he would have already gone on a killing spree!

He secretly made up his mind that as soon as he returned to the Canglang tribe, he would personally lead his cavalry to crush Xixia and kill all these scoundrels who disgraced the manhood of men, especially the pretty boy who had just seduced Chu Yueyuan, he would definitely skin him alive!

Erhe strode over with a grim face, roughly pulling Chu Yueyuan towards him, while glaring fiercely at the man and threateningly saying in a sinister tone:

"You just wait, I, the Khan, will not let you go!"

The man made no attempt to stop them; his clear, cold eyes showed no extra emotion, yet they subtly revealed a sharp edge.

Erhe felt a sudden pang in his heart. Just as he was about to examine the man more closely, Feng Qi suddenly stepped in, put her hands on her hips, glared at him with her phoenix eyes, and shouted, "This is my most beloved young master! Great Khan, don't frighten him!"

Hmph, what kind of man is a pretty boy who hides behind a woman?

Filled with rage, Erhe grabbed Chu Yueyuan's wrist and strode into the tent that had been set up.

"Get out! All of you, get out!"

After entering the tent, Erhe roared and drove all the servants out. Then, with a flick of his hand, he threw the woman heavily onto the felt carpet without any pity.

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he demanded sharply, "Speak! Why did you do that just now?"

Chu Yueyuan raised her head, meeting the man's green eyes, which were almost consumed by crimson, without any fear, and said calmly, "I couldn't help myself."

Erhe was furious. He suddenly raised his arm, but seeing the woman's stubborn and beautiful face, he didn't bring it down. Instead, he grabbed her neck and gritted his teeth, saying:

"Your Highness, you can't forget him?"

Chu Yueyuan's throat was sore, and tears welled up in her dark eyes, but she said clearly, "At least... he would never hurt me."

"When have I ever harmed Your Highness?"

"The Great Khan planted a love potion in me; isn't that considered harm?"

Seeing the tears welling up in the woman's eyes, Erhe's fierce expression softened slightly, but his tone remained cold and hard: "If Your Highness hadn't run away and deceived me first, why would I have resorted to such a desperate measure?"

"Only once, the Great Khan lost his patience with me..."

After speaking, she lowered her eyelashes slightly, and large tears fell like pearls from a broken string as she sobbed mournfully, "I thought the Great Khan was an upright and honorable hero, but I never imagined he would use such despicable witchcraft to control my body and mind. It turns out that what the Great Khan wanted was never me, but merely an obedient puppet..."

Erkh frowned uncomfortably.

Ultimately, the act of using witchcraft is certainly not something to be honored or done in a respectable way.

Seeing the woman with tears in her eyes, he couldn't help but release her hand and tentatively asked, "So... Your Highness just kissed that Heir Apparent just now, only to repay this Khan?"

Chu Yueyuan turned her head away, her tone indifferent: "If the Khan won't let me have an easy time, why should I make you happy?"

His gaze fell on the wound on the woman's snowy neck, and the lingering anger in Erhe's heart dissipated.

He covered his mouth with his fist and coughed lightly: "The idea of ​​using Gu poison was entirely Princess Nianyi's. I initially disagreed, but the princess said that Your Highness and Princess Feng were old acquaintances and that she was worried that you would ask her for help, so I agreed."

Chu Yueyuan sneered, "Yes, I do know Princess Feng. The Great Khan must have heard clearly at the banquet that Princess Feng and I have a 'good' relationship."

Upon realizing he had wronged Xie Nianzhi, Erhe felt a pang of resentment towards him.

If Xie Nianzhi hadn't sown discord and pinned the blame for the poisoning on her, thus angering the Empress Dowager, why would she have publicly kissed that legendary lover as a deliberate act of revenge?

He softened his tone: "Once we return to the tribe, I will remove the Gu worms from your body."

Chu Yueyuan's thick eyelashes trembled slightly.

She looked up at Erhe and casually asked, "I've heard that the mother Gu needs to be fed with fresh blood every day, but why don't I see any wounds on the Great Khan's hands?"

Erkh paused slightly, then laughed and said, "During the day, I hold the reins while riding a horse, so of course I wouldn't cut my hand. The wound for drawing blood... is on my shoulder."

Chu Yueyuan blinked her bright eyes and her voice became even gentler: "I just saw the Khan wielding his sword, so the wound on his shoulder must have reopened. How about I remove his clothes and re-bandage him?"

Seeing the woman's eyes filled with concern, Erhe felt as if he were floating on clouds, his whole body felt warm and numb, and he could hardly control himself.

He did not loosen his robe, but raised his hand to his shoulder and said in a calm tone, "It's just a minor injury. Your Highness need not worry. I will take care of it myself when I get back."

Chu Yueyuan did not insist, and smiled, "If that's the case, then the Great Khan should go back to his tent to treat his wounds as soon as possible."

Erhe wanted to spend more time with her, but Chu Yueyuan, citing her exhaustion after being infected with the Gu, unceremoniously dismissed him.

Upon hearing the mention of the Love Poison, Erhe was speechless and could only leave the tent dejectedly.

Outside the tent, Nargu was surprised to see the Great Khan emerge with a normal expression.

Just now, the Empress Dowager Chu publicly placed a bright green felt hat on the Great Khan's head. His subordinates all thought that the woman would have to suffer a night of physical pain in order to save face for the Great Khan.

But before long, the man in the sweat came out as if nothing had happened.

Could it be that this celestial-like Empress Dowager Chu was skilled in witchcraft?

Erhe's sharp gaze swept over the subordinates on guard outside the tent, and he said in a deep voice, "There's no need to leave so many people here. Send a team to guard outside the princess's tent."

"Your subordinate obeys."

The night was deep, and no one noticed that behind the haystack not far away, a dark figure silently blended into the darkness like a ghost, like a beast lurking in the shadows, waiting for its chance.

————

A ray of moonlight shone through the window at the top of the tent, like a softly hanging veil, gently enveloping the woman sitting quietly by the couch, draping her in a layer of bright silver light.

Chu Yueyuan opened her eyes wide in the darkness, listening intently to the footsteps of the night patrol soldiers outside the tent, sometimes near, sometimes far.

At first, she would feel a surge of anticipation whenever the footsteps drew closer, but after being disappointed time and time again, she couldn't help but doubt her own judgment.

Just as her eyelids were getting heavy and she was about to fall asleep, a tall figure appeared before her like a ghost. Chu Yueyuan was not afraid at all, but instead rushed straight towards the dark figure.

"Niannian, I'm late."

The man's clear voice eased her heart, and in an instant, tears welled up in her eyes. She suppressed her sobs and pounded heavily on the man's strong chest.

"You bastard, why are you so late..."

Pei Muwei held the woman tightly in his arms. He didn't feel any pain from the soft fists that pounded his chest, but when his palms touched her noticeably thinner waist, his heart ached terribly.

"It was my stupidity that delayed things for so long and made you worry."

Chu Yueyuan knew she didn't blame him for this. Xie Nianzhi was a cunning and scheming man who had always been impeccably disguised, and had laid many traps when he left the capital. It was already quite an achievement that Pei Muwei was able to unravel the truth and follow the clues all the way here.

Under the hazy moonlight, Pei Muwei noticed the glaring pinch mark on the woman's snow-white neck. His eyes suddenly darkened, and he tenderly stroked the bruise with his long fingers, a chilling killing intent rising in his eyes.

Knowing that Erhe was suspicious by nature, he withdrew all the troops within a radius of dozens of miles. Then, he joined forces with Feng Qi to first destroy the only road leading to the Canglang tribe, and then pretended to encounter Erhe by chance, leading him step by step into the camp.

At the bonfire feast, he tried his best to restrain himself from embracing Chu Yueyuan, but his gaze still lingered on the woman involuntarily, causing him to lose focus several times and arouse her suspicion.

When her lips and fragrance landed on his through the thin veil, Pei Muwei clenched his fists, barely managing to suppress the urge to kiss her back fiercely, which was almost beyond his control.

Then he watched helplessly as Chu Yueyuan was roughly dragged away by Erhe. In order not to disrupt the whole plan, Pei Muwei almost used all his willpower to restrain himself from chasing after her.

However, upon seeing the shocking wounds on the woman's snow-white neck, a surge of rage rose in his chest, instantly consuming his reason.

Right now, all he wants is for Erkh to die!

Chu Yueyuan immediately sensed the terrifying killing intent emanating from the man. She quickly pressed her palm against his chest and whispered, "Don't be impulsive. I've been ill the whole way, and Erhe hasn't had a chance to..."

The man's narrow eyes were tinged with a crimson hue from his rage, and his chest heaved like waves in a storm; he clearly hadn't heard a single word.

Chu Yueyuan had no choice but to cup his face in her hands, stand on tiptoe, and kiss him.

This time, there were no more obstacles between them. The longing that had accumulated over many days turned into endless tenderness between their lips. The woman's soft lips, carrying a refreshing fragrance, were like a spring rain carrying the scent of flowers, gradually extinguishing the burning fire in the man's heart.

Pei Muwei cupped the back of her head with his hand, his long fingers plunging into her loose hair. He subconsciously deepened the kiss, his breath hot and deep, intense and urgent, as if he wanted to pour out all the longing and separation he had felt over this period of time into her.

Chu Yueyuan's tongue went numb from the kiss, and she was almost overwhelmed by his cool breath. For a moment, she forgot where she was until the approaching footsteps of night patrol soldiers outside the tent startled her from this tender moment.

She tried her best to suppress her rapid breathing, her wet, watery eyes meeting the man's dark eyes that shone brightly in the darkness, like stars shining in the night sky, which made her feel at ease.

Pei Muwei leaned down and gently kissed her forehead: "I'll take you away from here right now."

Only after the woman was safely settled could he free up his hands to deal with Erhe.

Chu Yueyuan didn't move. She gently shook her head: "I can't leave Erhe for the time being..."

Seeing the man's puzzled expression, Chu Yueyuan unbuttoned the two agate buttons at the top of her collar, lifted her clothes, and revealed the extremely thin red line on her skin. The red line, like a twisted venomous snake, meandered down from the center of her collarbone, almost disappearing into her heart.

"Nianyi planted a love-longing worm in me. If I am more than a hundred feet away from the mother worm, the worm in my body will take effect."

Pei Muwei's pupils suddenly contracted. He stared at the glaring red line on the woman's chest, a rare coldness appearing between his brows, his thin lips pressed tightly together, clearly knowing the power of this Gu.

He gently touched the end of the red line with his fingertip, his tone heavy: "How long has it been since this Gu was planted?"

The longer this type of Gu is implanted, the deeper the red lines will appear on the skin.

"It's been two days..."

Chu Yueyuan frowned slightly and sighed helplessly: "During this time, I tried to find out the whereabouts of the Erhe Mother Worm several times, but he was wary of me and never revealed anything."

Pei Muwei's cold expression softened slightly. He cupped the woman's face as if it were a precious treasure, his gaze gentle, and whispered, "I have a plan, and I hope Your Highness will cooperate..." He then leaned down and whispered the rest of his words into the woman's ear.

Chu Yueyuan's bright eyes widened suddenly, and she immediately blurted out, "No, this is too dangerous. If Erhe finds out, he can use it to control you..."

Pei Muwei gazed into the woman's worried eyes, his tone leaving no room for argument: "Only if you are safe and sound can I deal with Erhe without any distractions. If you are worried about this plan, you might as well grant me one request. I promise you that I will definitely come back safely."

Chu Yueyuan's eyelashes fluttered slightly, as if she had guessed what he was going to say.

"you say..."

"Promise me that once we return to the capital, you will marry me and you will not make any excuses to refuse."

Chu Yueyuan's eyes stung slightly. She couldn't remember how many times he had proposed to her, from the initial coercion and enticement to the later gentle coaxing, and now to this promise at the critical moment of life and death.

"Okay, I promise you. You absolutely can't lie to me. I... I don't want to be a widow twice..."

Pei Muwei chuckled softly, gently lifting her chin and transforming his promise into a tender and lingering kiss.

...

"Shouldn't you... leave?"

Chu Yueyuan clutched his clothes tightly, knowing that the longer the man stayed in her tent, the greater the danger, but she just couldn't bear to let go.

Pei Muwei picked her up and placed her on the couch. He noticed that the person in his arms was noticeably lighter than before. His brows furrowed as he thought of the suffering his carefully protected woman had endured in Erhe's hands. He wished he could skin her alive and tear her apart.

He lovingly stroked the woman's tender cheek with his long fingers and said in a deep voice, "Go to sleep. I will leave when we change shifts at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM)."

Enveloped once again by the familiar, crisp scent, Chu Yueyuan could clearly feel the man's burning chest and strong heartbeat. Like a cat that had wandered in the snow for many days and finally found a warm and reliable home, she couldn't help but snuggle up to him and soon drifted off to sleep.

Although Chu Yueyuan had lost a lot of weight, her figure was still curvaceous, especially her high, full breasts. The tight riding outfit made her exquisite figure even more stunning.

Pei Muwei had been abstaining from sex for some time, and the moment he touched this warm and soft body, his instincts kicked in faster than his reason.

The woman, oblivious to his presence, unconsciously snuggled into his arms in her sleep, her soft, round body gently rubbing against his chest. In an instant, it was like a wildfire, igniting a burning heat within him.

If he weren't still in danger, he would have poured all the longing he had accumulated over this period into the woman, not allowing her to be tainted by anyone else's scent, only him.

At this moment, however, he could only hold the woman's fragrant body, suppressing the surging heat within him, while pondering how to cut off the hands that Erhe had touched her.

That night, Chu Yueyuan slept exceptionally soundly.

When dawn broke, she opened her eyes and saw the empty animal rug beside her. If it weren't for the faint sandalwood scent still lingering on her body, she would have thought she was dreaming.

Just as she was feeling lost, she noticed something on her wrist. Chu Yueyuan took off her sleeve and found a string of peace rope tied to her wrist, with a warm and lustrous sandalwood bead hanging from the end of the rope.

Her eyes flickered slightly.

The beads seemed to still retain his warmth and presence, instilling a sense of peace in her heart.

———

At dawn, the prepared vehicles and horses set off from the camp, taking a new route.

Erhe was wary of Feng Qi and deliberately placed her troops in the center of the group so that they could be easily surrounded and killed if anything happened.

The sky was clear and the air was fresh. The dome was a deep blue, the clouds were rolling and drifting, and the green grass underfoot stretched out like a carpet. Feng Qi was surrounded by a group of handsome young men, chatting and laughing all the way, as if she were enjoying a leisurely spring outing.

Erhe's gaze fell on one of the tall and handsome men, the very same man who had been harassed by Chu Yueyuan at the bonfire banquet the previous night.

Upon closer inspection, although the man's appearance was not particularly outstanding and he remained silent and blended into the crowd, his cold, aloof, and noble aura could not be concealed, inexplicably reminding him of the person he feared most in his heart.

A look of doubt gradually appeared in Erhe's eyes.

At this moment, Feng Qi pulled on the reins, raised her hand and waved towards the distant valley, her voice clear and bright: "We've arrived. Pass through this valley, and at the end lies the Canglang Realm!"

She laughed heartily, and before parting, she reminded Erhan to keep his promise: "When the Great Khan returns to the Canglang tribe, remember to write to our Queen and persuade her to transfer me back to Linchao City from this desolate place. There are still more than a dozen heirs waiting for me to return and favor them."

Erkh shifted his gaze from the man to the valley shrouded in a hazy white mist, and hesitantly narrowed his long eyes: "When I visited the Kingdom of Mu before, why don't I remember this road?"

"Really?" Feng Qi blinked, her tone surprised.

"So, it seems the King of Miao was only going along with the Great Khan's words, secretly harboring a plan. Who knows, he might use this route to launch a surprise attack on the Canglang tribe someday. It seems Miao's fate of being destroyed is not unjust. Great Khan, don't you think so?"

Erhe pondered for a moment, then smiled and said, "Then I must thank Princess Feng for helping me eliminate this hidden danger. Since the Canglang territory is just ahead, Princess, why don't you come back with me? Once we reach the tribe, I will offer you a thousand Wusun horses as a reward."

Feng Qi waved her hand and declined: "Thank you for the invitation, Khan, but I am ordered by the Queen to capture the remnants of the Miao Kingdom here, and it is inconvenient for me to leave the country without permission."

Erhe gave a slight twitch of his lips: "If Queen Xixia wants a mere Miao Kingdom, I can give it to her without hesitation. However, before that, I would like to ask Princess Feng to accompany me to the Canglang Tribe."

The smile in Feng Qi's eyes gradually faded, and she raised her eyebrows slightly: "What if this princess is unwilling?"

Erkh's expression remained unchanged, but his tone turned cold: "Then don't blame me for offending you."

In an instant, the atmosphere between the two sides became tense, and the Xixia Women's Army was surrounded by the tall Canglang warriors, clearly at a disadvantage.

"Is the Great Khan making such a difficult request because he doesn't trust the way I pointed out?"

“It’s not that I don’t trust Princess Feng, but this valley is shrouded in mist and looks very strange. What if there are hidden ambush troops? Wouldn’t I become a fish in the net? Besides, Princess Feng has done ambush before.”

Feng Qi's face showed a hint of unease: "Fine, let's go. But if there are no ambushes in the valley, the Great Khan will have to compensate me with two thousand Wusun horses!"

Erkhyan gestured for his men to sheathe their weapons, a cold smile playing on his lips: "Princess Feng, rest assured, I always keep my word..."

The valley was shrouded in mist, making it seem eerie and unpredictable. However, as the group ventured deeper, they did not notice anything unusual. Occasionally, the chirping of birds echoed through the valley, making it seem even more desolate and silent.

Erhe dared not be careless and ordered his men to confiscate all the weapons of the Xixia people. He also ordered Feng Qi and the otherworldly-looking Chuan Shi Lang to walk at the front of the group and to be on guard against them at all times.