Chapter 303 The Journey is Long
Zhao Shuo suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly went to the back of the carriage, proudly pulling out a plump pheasant: "I almost forgot, I caught it while on patrol earlier, here's an extra dish for everyone!"
Jiang Ling's eyes lit up: "Perfect timing, I brought the seasoning for making kiln-roasted chicken!"
Just as he was about to reach out, he hesitated when he saw the feathered and bloodied chicken.
Zhao Jingxing saw this and smiled slightly.
He took the pheasant from Zhao Shuo and casually called over a soldier who had some free time: "Go to the nearby stream and clean the pheasant, removing the feathers and internal organs."
"Yes." The soldier respectfully led the pheasant away.
By this time, the instant noodles were cooked.
Xiao Ran divided the instant noodles into bowls, one for each person.
Zhao Jingxing smiled and said, "To be able to eat instant noodles from Miss Jiang's shop in this desolate wilderness is truly a great blessing in life!"
Jiang Ling smiled and said, "I brought a lot, all kinds of flavors. I'll make more for you guys when I have the chance."
How can you travel far without instant noodles? Besides instant noodles, she also brought a lot of self-heating rice.
No matter how unpalatable these may be, I'm sure they're still better than the food in the military camp.
One bowl for each person, Xiao Ran handed a bowl of noodles to Zhao Shuo.
"Brother Shuo, try this! You've definitely never had noodles like this before!"
"Really? So sure?" Although Zhao Shuo said that, he knew he had never eaten it before just by smelling that peculiar aroma.
They cautiously tasted it first, and the chewy noodles and rich broth immediately won over their taste buds. Zhao Shuo couldn't help but praise it:
"Miss Jiang, where did you get all this divine food? It's a hundred times better than the rations in the army camp!"
Everyone laughed.
They sat around the campfire, eating steaming hot instant noodles and drinking soft drinks.
After finishing the instant noodles, the soldiers who had been processing the pheasant returned.
Zhao Jingxing took the pheasant, handed him a glass of soda, and chased him away.
Xiao Ran skillfully took it, smeared it with Jiang Ling's special kiln chicken seasoning, carefully wrapped it in a washed lotus leaf, covered it with mud, and buried it in the scorching ashes beside the campfire.
Several people sat around the campfire, waiting for the kiln-roasted chicken to cook through. They chatted idly, making small talk.
The campfire crackled, and sparks occasionally shot up, warming everyone's faces.
Seeing everyone's high spirits, Zhao Shuo stood up and said, "The night is long, how about I perform a sword dance to entertain you all?"
"Great! Great!" Cheng Jiaojiao was the first to clap and cheer.
Zhao Shuo drew his long sword from his waist, its cold light flashing.
He walked to the open space beside the campfire, took a deep breath, and with a flick of his wrist, his longsword danced like a silver snake.
In the flickering light of the campfire, his figure moved nimbly and swiftly, his sword flashing sometimes like a shooting star chasing the moon, fierce and sharp; at other times, it was as gentle and graceful as a spring breeze caressing a willow.
The sword wind howled, stirring up the surrounding air and swirling up bits of grass on the ground, captivating everyone's attention.
Cheng Jiaojiao was so excited watching that she couldn't help but stand up and clap her hands: "Great! Great!"
It was Jiang Ling's first time seeing a sword dance. It was graceful yet beautiful, powerful yet unrestrained, and she couldn't help but clap and cheer.
Xiao Ran was even more captivated by what he saw. He had only learned the tough techniques of battlefield combat and defeating the enemy with a single blow from Zhao Shiying, and had never learned sword dancing.
He thought to himself: If only I could learn this sword technique, I could perform it for Sister Jiang when she's bored on her journey and keep her entertained.
Before long, the aroma of the kiln-roasted chicken wafted out from the hot ash, even richer and more mellow than the aroma of instant noodles.
Zhao Shuo quickly brushed aside the hot ashes, took out the pheasant wrapped in the lotus leaf, and as soon as the lotus leaf was opened, the golden and shiny chicken skin came into view, and the aroma was so enticing that it made one's mouth water.
"It smells so good!" Cheng Jiaojiao couldn't help but exclaim, reaching out to tear off a piece, but she pulled back because she was burned.
Jiang Ling smiled and handed her a pair of chopsticks: "Take it easy, don't burn yourself."
Zhao Shuo tore open a chicken leg and handed it to Cheng Jiaojiao and Jiang Ling, and then to Zhao Jingxing and Xiao Ran.
The chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the aroma of the seasonings fully permeating it. One bite and the juices burst forth, making it fresh, fragrant, and delicious. Everyone raved about it.
Even after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the campfire still burned brightly.
Cheng Jiaojiao rubbed her slightly full belly contentedly, leaned against Jiang Ling, gazed at the starry sky, and spoke with a hint of languor and barely perceptible melancholy:
"If every day could be like this, carefree, how wonderful that would be."
There's no need to play the role of a dignified and sorrowful princess, nor to worry about the unpredictable fate ahead.
Jiang Ling gently patted the back of her hand without saying a word.
"It's getting late, and we still have a long journey ahead of us tomorrow, so let's all get some rest."
Zhao Jingxing stood up and made arrangements.
As the person in charge of the mission, he must always remain clear-headed and take overall control.
Cheng Jiaojiao stood up reluctantly, took Jiang Ling's hand, and said, "Sister Jiang, see you tomorrow."
Jiang Ling looked at the dependence in her eyes and nodded with a smile: "Okay."
Zhao Jingxing ordered the soldiers to strengthen the defenses around the camp and increase the frequency of sentry rotations.
Xiao Ran helped Jiang Ling clean up the tableware and leftover food, and cleaned up the area around the campfire.
The night was quiet, with only the chirping of insects and the occasional snorting of horses in the distance.
Jiang Ling, however, was not sleepy. She gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked outside.
The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the endless rows of tents.
Zhao Jingxing and Zhao Shuo walked slowly past not far away, talking in hushed tones.
"General, rest assured, the scouts along the way have reported no abnormalities so far. I will send more scouts and expand the perimeter."
"good."
Zhao Jingxing added the last bit of firewood to the fire, and the flames rose higher again, their warmth felt from afar.
Jiang Ling knew Zhao Jingxing's concerns; this plan was very risky.
Not only must they ensure Cheng Jiaojiao's safe escape, but they must also deal with various unknown factors that may arise from within the Great Sheng Dynasty. Furthermore, they must ensure that casualties within the mission are minimized.
Although Crown Prince Qin Zhao tacitly approved the plan, it was too late to help in the immediate crisis, and in reality, they would have to rely on their own resourcefulness to carry it out.
She touched the small pistol in her sleeve; the cold touch calmed her down slightly.
Silently gazing at the end of the night, I wonder what the situation is like in the capital...
Zhao Shuo was about to leave when he turned around and spotted her.
"Miss Jiang?"
Then, Zhao Jingxing also turned his head.
Jiang Ling smiled slightly, "I couldn't sleep, so I came out for a walk."
Zhao Jingxing waved to Zhao Shuo. Zhao Shuo then tactfully left.
A night breeze swept by, bringing with it the blurred outlines of distant mountains and the fresh scent of grass and trees.
Jiang Ling walked closer to the fire, the heat from the flames gently caressing her clothes.
Jiang Ling spoke first: "Oh, right, I also prepared a gift for you. I'll send it to you tomorrow morning. It's a kind of soft armor for self-defense, which is very effective against swords, spears, and arrows on the battlefield."
She prepared ten bulletproof vests for Zhao Jingxing.
Time was too tight, and there wasn't enough time to prepare much.
Modern bulletproof vests are still very effective against weapons of this era.
Zhao Jingxing's expression hardened, and he sighed, "This trip is dangerous; Miss Jiang was reckless."
How easy is it to fake one's death without being discovered by the people of the Great Sheng Dynasty?
It would be reasonable if at least one-third of the mission members died.
He wasn't worried about how difficult the plan would be to implement; he was afraid of not being able to protect Jiang Ling.
Jiang Ling gazed at the bonfire, the red flames burning in her eyes, and smiled slightly: "Don't worry, I have my own way of protecting myself. You don't need to worry about me, everything should be for the greater good. I didn't come here to be a burden to you."
The camp gradually quieted down completely, with only the faint crackling of the campfire and the regular, slow footsteps of the night watchmen remaining.
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