However, the emperor was also furious and ordered a thorough investigation throughout the country. Whoever could find the princess would be rewarded with ten thousand gold pieces and granted the title of marquis.
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, it was clear that such an order was only intended to address the Turkic delegation's loss of face in the capital. It was impossible to take action against them, but once they left the capital, if the emperor were simply allowed to leave, he would truly lose face.
After hearing about this, Ningye felt it was utterly absurd. How could such a thing happen in such a crucial place in the country? Moreover, it was impossible for a princess to have people with her when she traveled, yet she was still kidnapped.
The world would probably be laughing its head off by now. Ning Ye asked curiously, "Princess Yuye, is there also a Princess Jinzhi?"
Lin Qinshu blinked and said, "How did my husband know that there was a Princess Jinzhi in the past, but she died young?"
"The golden branch and jade leaf are naturally connected. If there were no golden branch in front, how could there be a jade leaf? Is this Jade Leaf Princess very beautiful?"
"I had the honor of seeing the princess once. I find it hard to describe whether 'beautiful' is the right word, but I am certain that any man in the world who saw her would feel a surge of protectiveness."
Ning Ye nodded and said, "Then it's not surprising. There's a prince in the Turkic delegation. I guess it was this prince who took a fancy to Princess Yuye. But they came here to negotiate peace, so even if it's a marriage alliance, it's not surprising. Why did they have to resort to kidnapping her?"
"My lord, you may not know this, but there are many princesses in the royal family, and Princess Yuye is the most favored. His Majesty would never allow Princess Yuye to go on a political marriage."
The emperor's reward was indeed very tempting, and this was just the beginning. If someone could really find Princess Yuye, then a meteoric rise to power might be waiting for them.
Ning Ye frowned slightly. "Wife, tell me, should I accept this enormous wealth?"
Lin Qinshu was slightly taken aback. "Husband, what nonsense are you talking about? After the delegation left the capital, their whereabouts became somewhat erratic. People in various places are definitely keeping a close eye on them. How could it possibly fall into our hands?"
Ning Ye shook his head and said, "It's hard to say. They're not familiar with the roads here. The roads they walked on when they came were probably the ones they knew best, so they'll probably choose familiar places when they leave."
Ning Ye's analysis was not without reason, but rather quite plausible, since the other party was extremely unfamiliar with this place, as it was a place they had never set foot in before.
They might not be familiar with other places, but Cangzhou was different. After all, they had fought each other for so many years and had invaded Cangzhou before. Therefore, Cangzhou was their final place of retreat.
Of course, it's too early to say anything now; whether Ning Ye will actually get such a great opportunity is still unknown. But if such an opportunity does arise, Ning Ye certainly won't let it slip by.
Anyway, the grudges with those people are still unresolved. Ning Ye doesn't believe for a second that they wouldn't do something bad to him when they leave, given their personalities.
The fact that the message reached this place meant that the Turkic delegation was probably not too far away. A few days later, the Turkic delegation actually appeared near Qingyuan County.
However, the entire delegation now appears to be in dire straits, having been relentlessly pursued along the way. Everyone hoped to be the lucky one, and no one was willing to let them go.
Even now, the delegation is still followed by countless wolves, but unfortunately, the delegation is indeed incredibly powerful, and they still managed to fight their way out.
Of course, this is possible because the military cannot be easily incited; otherwise, it wouldn't just be a halfway ambush, but a genuine show of no respect whatsoever.
Therefore, those who want to get promoted and make money can only use their own private troops, which are naturally inferior in number and combat power.
The gap between the two groups is probably quite large when dealing with these Turks who grew up on horseback and have fought countless battles.
However, even if an ant is fierce enough to eat an elephant, it will be exhausted after such a long time.
The moment these people appeared, Wang Wu informed Ning Ye. Ning Ye, however, was not in a hurry, because he knew it was not yet time to make a move.
This delegation has just passed through Jiangyang City, which is the territory of King Jingyang. Ning Ye would never believe that King Jingyang would let this delegation escape.
Therefore, making a move at this moment would not only bring no benefit, but might also attract the attention of King Jingyang. Ning Ye would only make a move if King Jingyang failed to succeed. Otherwise, even if it brought immense wealth, one would have to be alive to receive it.
As expected, the delegation encountered a new wave of ambushes as soon as they passed through Jiangyang City. This time, all of them were on horseback, though not proper cavalry. However, it was clear that this force was quite formidable.
Just when Ning Ye thought the matter was settled, a small squad of Turkic cavalry suddenly appeared out of nowhere. These people had probably infiltrated the border from the delegation from the beginning and then stayed where they were. So this whole thing was a scheme from the start.
Otherwise, there's no way to explain how this Turkic cavalryman managed to sneak in; Li Ruochen won't let his guard down at the border.
What was originally a sure-fire situation turned around because of this cavalry. The Turkic delegation eventually entered Qingyuan County, but once inside the city, they could no longer attack these people.
After all, they are nominally still a delegation, and it is already quite excessive for them to be chasing each other in the wilderness. If they were to continue their pursuit in the city, it would be tantamount to preparing to provoke a major war between the two sides, a crime that no one can bear.
The men sent by King Jingyang did not leave after fighting with the cavalry; instead, they disappeared into the vicinity of Qingyuan County.
He had already lost interest, but now that the opportunity was practically handed to him, Ning Ye would really be wasting this chance that had fallen from the sky if he didn't make a move. Turkic princes, Turkic elites—as long as they were on his territory, he had to keep them all.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com