Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Hasnaju...
Hasina raised his knife and chopped the wooden cart into several pieces. The wood fell to the ground and instantly caught fire when it hit the oil. His men, their heads and buttocks covered in flames, fled in panic.
The fire grew stronger and stronger, and it seemed to have eyes and was attacking the robbers, but it hardly burned the Great Zhou delegation.
"The fire is big enough, let's go quickly. The mortar powder can't hold up anymore." Bai Yanyun wiped the sweat off his face, his palms were covered with mortar powder mixed with mud.
This stuff was originally used to make celadon, and it was quite effective in preventing fire. Jiang Wan instructed the envoys to smear the mud and water on their bodies, then cover themselves with wet quilts and cover their mouths and noses with damp cloths, so they could withstand the fire for a while longer.
Jiang Wan held Chen Xi with one hand and covered his mouth and nose with the other: "Well, let's go quickly. If you burn it any more, the tent will collapse and it will be difficult to get out."
After giving the people in the circle of fire a look, Jiang Wan and the other two turned and ran. The smoke was choking, but they could still barely make their way through the fire. The robbers were different. The slightest contact with the fire made them scream in pain.
After running a few steps, no one caught up. Jiang Wan felt relieved, but then he heard the short sound of iron breaking through the air behind him.
She turned around in horror and saw Hasna screaming in pain in the flames, with the knife in his hand stabbing straight into her chest.
Hasna's hair and eyebrows were all flames, his skin blackened and charred with a sizzling sound. His features contorted in pain, and he cried out something in a high-pitched Xiongnu dialect.
Jiang Wan couldn't understand the Xiongnu language, but she could sense the reluctance and desperation in the words. She had no time to dodge as the red-hot iron knife reached her chest.
The sound of a sharp weapon piercing her flesh was close to her ears, but she didn't feel any pain.
Bai Yanyun opened his arms to block her. Blood stained his collar and fell to the ground along the jade belt around his waist. He was about to fall down weakly, but Jiang Wan caught him with both hands.
Jiang Wan put his arm on his shoulders, holding his arm with one hand and supporting his waist with the other, trying his best to support his weight.
Harth's strength was exhausted, and the burning pain made him fall to his knees. Jiang Wan glanced at him coldly. The latter's expression was horrified and confused. His mouth was half open, and a few muffled sobs came out of his throat.
The man on his shoulder moved, hissed softly, and trembled slightly with pain on his expression.
"Brother Bai, hold on, we'll be there soon." Jiang Wan withdrew his gaze, and he and Chen Xi supported him on both sides and walked out of the fire circle.
Walking step by step to the stream, she looked up and behind her. Everything collapsed, and the flames blocked her sight and swallowed everything inside.
Because they had to carry Bai Yanyun, Jiang Wan and Chen Xi walked slower than the rest of the delegation. When they arrived at the agreed location, everyone was waiting for them.
"Brother Bai!" Fang Zeshi exclaimed, strode forward, took Chen Xi's seat and helped Bai Yanyun sit down. Immediately, the accompanying doctor came over to treat him.
Fang Zeshi took a dry quilt and put it under Bai Yanyun, asking, "What happened? How could he get hurt if there wasn't a fire ring blocking him?"
"The robber leader went berserk before he died." Jiang Wan lowered his head, unable to discern his expression. "Brother Bai, he blocked it for me."
The doctor examined the wound and said, "Fortunately, Lord Bai is taller than Lord Jiang. The knife didn't hit his heart, so his life is not in danger. I will clean the wound and apply medicine to him. You two should step aside for now."
"Then I'll trouble you." Jiang Wan breathed a sigh of relief and stood up to see how the others were doing.
Most of the people were not injured and were sitting by the stream, covered in dust and wrapped in quilts.
The tent had burned, and they could only use quilts to survive the cold night. They were exhausted, but they couldn't sleep - sleeping here would kill them with hypothermia.
Seeing Jiang Wan approach, these people's faces were filled with gratitude. If it weren't for her quick thinking, the entire delegation would have capsized beside an unknown stream.
In the past two months, she has gone from being a nominal envoy to the true backbone of the team.
"How many guards were killed or injured?" Jiang Wan asked as they walked.
Liu Ming: "Twenty died, thirty were injured, and the rest only had minor injuries."
For a band of thousands of robbers, it's a blessing to have so many of them alive. Jiang Wan glanced at Liu Ming's bandaged arm and said, "Thank you for the hard work, brothers. You have made the greatest contribution to the success of this plan. I will report to His Majesty and seek more rewards for you. There shouldn't be any danger tonight. You brothers are tired, so there's no need to keep watch."
After a pause, she said, "Lin Xiangzhi, is there anyone who escaped? Is there any information about their whereabouts?"
"We've recaptured them all, along with whatever they took with them. We even have two spare tents," Liu Ming said. "It's amazing. They didn't seem to plan on running away. They were just sitting under the poplar trees."
"Let's give those two tents to the injured brothers." Jiang Wan patted his shoulder. "You can also go and rest in the tent. When the sun comes out tomorrow, we can bury the dead brothers."
Liu Ming's eyes darkened and he replied yes.
Jiang Wan walked along the stream for a while and saw Lin Xiangzhi wrapped in a cotton coat under a poplar tree.
"It's night time, and you're not sleeping." Jiang Wan sneered, "You don't really want to escape, do you?"
Lin Xiangzhi raised his head, and his eyes, which were always squinting, were fully opened, his gaze sparkling.
"Yes. Lord Jiang was very thoughtful. It was me who was superfluous." He straightened up. "The situation was urgent at the time, and you still thought of putting some supplies on a cart in advance for Fang Zeshi to take out."
"I only had time to put out quilts and dry food. Luckily you brought two spare tents, otherwise these wounded soldiers would have had a hard time." Jiang Wan smiled slightly, "Thank you."
Lin Xiangzhi: "I don't deserve it. After all, I am one of the deputy envoys. I have nothing to do in the face of danger. Lord Jiang really underestimates me."
Jiang Wan: "You were a major suspect in my eyes before, how could I dare to let you do anything?"
"What suspicion?" Lin Xiangzhi tilted his head.
Jiang Wan slapped his arm lightly in amusement, "Master Lin, are you still playing dumb with me?"
The two men stared at each other, exchanging several exchanges of words in an instant. Lin Xiangzhi was the first to look away and asked, "Master Jiang, are you sure it's him?"
"Although there is no evidence yet, it is likely to be him."
"How can there be any evidence for something like this?" Lin Xiangzhi snorted. "Master Jiang must be reluctant to convict him."
The night wind rustled the poplar trees, filling the momentary silence.
"Well, such a rare talent, I want to give it a try and see if I can bring him onto the right path." Jiang Wan said softly.
Tonight, there were no stars or clouds, only a half-moon hanging in the sky. Inside the newly pitched tent, Bai Yanyun's breathing was faint, her long, wet hair plastered to her face, and the bloodstained bandage wrapped around her left chest.
The doctor said that he could not get out of bed for at least ten days and could only drink water and porridge.
Jiang Wan took a cushion, sat down on the ground next to him, and tucked in the quilt for him.
"Lord Jiang." Bai Yanyun struggled to sit up, but it hurt the wound and he shuddered in pain, so he had to lie back down.
"The plan was successful. Everyone made it out alive, and the leader of the robbers is dead. Don't worry." Jiang Wan held his hand. "Tomorrow when we arrive in Shanshan, just focus on recuperating. When you're almost healed, you can go to Loulan."
"That won't do. The arrival date was agreed upon with Loulan. How can we delay it because of me?"
Jiang Wan: "Trading in the desert is inherently dangerous, so accidents are normal. I've already written to Loulan to explain the whole story. Loulan and my Great Zhou have been allies for many years, so they won't hold it against you. You were injured while saving me, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you can't recover properly."
"The Western Desert is plagued by bandits and the weather is inclement. This wasn't the only time I encountered horse thieves before on the Wusun Ancient Road." Jiang Wan felt his hand tighten and patted it comfortingly. "Luckily, someone rescued me and I'm safe. So I'm thinking of building caravanserais along the routes between countries to reduce the risk of nighttime attacks."
Bai Yanyun coughed violently several times, nearly rupturing his wound. He clutched his stomach for a long moment, calming down. "Sir, building a house in the desert is incredibly difficult! Not to mention the challenges of transporting building materials and locating craftsmen, the sand is also loose and unsuitable for building!"
"Don't get too excited yet. Although it's difficult, if it's done, it will make traveling and trading much safer. I've just discussed this with Lord Lin, who's in charge of the project. Building a house in the desert isn't impossible, and I plan to give it a try."
Bai Yanyun's face turned pale for a moment, and the hand on the quilt subconsciously pinched the edge of the quilt, then quickly let go.
"Didn't Lord Lin steal the supplies and run away?" he asked doubtfully.
Jiang Wan looked at him, her beautiful eyes slightly curved, and the vague danger in her eyes made Bai Yanyun's heart skip a beat.
Lin Xiangzhi, that was the person he had chosen to take the blame. He had gone to great lengths along the way, getting himself injured, just to turn that sleepyhead into the "traitor" Jiang Wan had identified.
So, Jiang Wan actually went to Lin Xiangzhi to discuss his ideas first? Wouldn't that mean he'd taken the blow in vain, and even lost the most powerful general under the throne of Youguli King and a thousand elite soldiers?
"I've caught him," Jiang Wan said with a grin. "It's human nature to be afraid of death. If we spare him this time, maybe he'll come to his senses and turn back."
Bai Yanyun: No, he ran away. Don't you think he's a traitor? Don't you think he's in cahoots with those Xiongnu bandits?
Are you also like those two fools Liu Ming and Qi Qi, who think that what happened tonight was an accident?
Bai Yanyun was almost hurt inside, but on the surface he tried to maintain his composure and nodded, "Your Excellency is right."
Jiang Wan stuffed his hands back into the quilt: "You should rest early, I won't disturb you. There's hot soup boiling on the wooden rack outside, if you're cold, drink some."
Bai Yanyun lay down and said thank you. Jiang Wan stood up, dusted off his clothes, and opened the curtain.
The bright moonlight shone into the tent. She looked back in the moonlight, her eyes filled with the moon's silver glow.
"By the way, I don't quite agree with what you said this afternoon."
"You said you only enjoy studying different languages, and that true friends are hard to find. Actually, I understand. I just want to focus on making porcelain, but in order for my porcelain to be seen by more people, I need to master marketing and diplomacy. I need to learn about officialdom, the political landscape, and the human heart."
"I also lost the person I loved." Her skin was fair and radiant, and her long eyelashes cast shadows of varying shades on her face. "Perhaps most of those around you are those who strive for power and gain, but not everyone in this world is driven by fame and gain, like Liu Ming and Qi Qi. The true friend you speak of isn't hard to find—perhaps one is right beside you right now."
The girl's back gradually disappeared into the distance. Bai Yanyun stared at the swaying curtains. The swaying moonlight shone on the quilt and also on his pale face.
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