Chapter 72 Drinking Snow (Part 12) He likes her, he should let her know...
When news of the death of Chang Yu, a famous general of the Yan Kingdom, arrived, an unspeakable silence fell over the grasslands.
The loss of a nemesis was naturally a cause for celebration, but at the same time, the Northern Li generals, led by Boyan, felt a pang of regret for Chang Yu.
Boyan and Changyu had been adversaries for half their lives, but when their old grudges were finally resolved, they felt no joy.
As winter approached, conflicts within the tribes subsided, and Bayan found himself unaccustomed to the quiet days. He volunteered to patrol the surrounding area, where he remained for three months.
One day, when he returned, he had a seven or eight-year-old boy with him. The boy was very thin, wrapped in a sheepskin coat. His eyes were brown, like a horse's, and when the sunlight shone on them, they looked like amber, gentle and deep.
The boy was quiet, and everyone thought he was mute. He didn't have a name, so Boyan gave him the name Sudu, which means outstanding.
In order to learn archery from Bayan, Enhe would often run to the hill behind Bayan's yurt at night and ask Bayan for advice in secret.
Although Su Du was an adopted son, he was extremely loyal to Boyan. When Enhe first ran there, he was stopped by him. He did not recognize Enhe's identity, and the two got into a fight.
They continued to compete until he was eighteen. Sudu followed Bayan to the battlefield and returned victorious. The Khan bestowed upon him the name "Naqin" and praised him as the falcon of the grasslands.
No one expected that the gentle, somewhat delicate, and thin little mute boy would become incredibly brave as he grew older.
When you look at him, you often forget his lineage, forget that he was not originally a son of the grasslands.
Enhe thought of that ruthless Han Chinese woman, and for some reason, he felt that she should have been born on the grasslands, like Sudu, and become a soaring eagle.
The wind blew through the felt tent across the plains, the candlelight outside flickered, and the crying inside gradually subsided.
Huai Xian sat in the center, looking at the palace maid named Jing Yao on the ground, lost in thought.
After all, he was still young and inexperienced. When he heard that Song Zhirou had been summoned by the Nineteenth Prince, he was anxious.
It wasn't entirely for Song Zhirou; it was also for her own sake.
A princess sent to a foreign land for a political marriage, aside from having a prestigious title, is isolated and helpless. She needs to win people's hearts and, more importantly, needs capable people to support her.
These days, she has punished many maids because of her troubled state of mind. They dare not make a fuss openly, but she knows what they think of her behind her back.
She did have some regrets, but what's done is done, and she could only try her best to salvage the situation and not let herself end up in a situation where no one could help her.
The nineteenth prince, Enhe… Huai Xian frowned as she recalled. Before leaving the capital, the Empress had sent someone to teach her etiquette, and they had mentioned the Khan's two sons, but Enhe's name was not among them.
The flames seemed to have weakened, emitting a soft yellow light.
After pondering for a moment, Huai Xian was about to get up when a voice rang out from outside, a very low voice: "Miss Song."
The sound was filtered through the felt cloth, making it hazy and indistinct, which further emphasized the silence of the night.
Jingyao listened intently, and soon Zhirou's voice came through, replying, "Have you seen Sister Jingyao?"
“He’s inside…” the palace servant outside the tent replied.
Huai Xian lifted her skirt and stood up. Jing Yao crawled on her knees to make way for her. Only after Huai Xian's figure walked out of the tent did she stand up and follow closely behind.
The air outside was chilly, and as soon as I stepped outside, my cheeks felt a dull ache from the scraping.
"Your Highness." Zhi Rou lowered her eyelashes.
Huai Xian adjusted her fur collar and carefully examined the woman from head to toe for a moment. She noticed her hair was still neatly tucked into her crown, and her appearance was clean and efficient, though her cheeks were a little rosier than usual. She softly hummed in agreement: "You..."
Zhi Rou heard the noise, slightly lifted her eyes, and saw Jing Yao appear from behind the felt cloth, which reassured her somewhat.
Without wasting words with Huai Xian, she said politely, "This humble woman has something she wishes to ask Sister Jing Yao for advice. I wonder if Your Highness still needs her here?"
Huai Xian was speechless, secretly regretting that she had missed the opportunity and overthought things. She should have gone there; whether it was useful or not, just showing her face would have made Song Zhirou remember her kindness.
Thinking about these things now is useless. She turned her head to the side, and Jing Yao walked up, bowed to her, and took his leave.
Throughout the journey, Jingyao didn't ask any questions, but kept looking at Zhirou. Her knees were a little numb from kneeling, and she would stop every now and then, managing not to attract anyone's attention.
Once inside the tent, Zhi Rou couldn't help but glance at her, as if she were stealing a look. When their eyes met, she smiled generously and spread her hands: "Look, completely unharmed."
Fireflies flickered in her eyes, and her voice was clear, as if she had regained something lost, which added a touch of joy to her expression.
Jing Yao then looked at her and slowly smiled: "It's good that you're alright."
Dozens of miles away in Yuyang, the same brisk wind was blowing.
The darkness piled up outside the window. Wei Yuanzhan sat on the windowsill of the inn room with one leg bent. He could see grasslands and sand in the distance. He looked into the distance and his heart calmed down for once.
After resigning from Zhang Jixiao's residence, he inevitably thought of his father.
In front of his father, he was like a child no matter what he did. He used to be unconvinced, but now it seems that he can't even get the cold shoulder. He's just a child.
However, a person's character is formed in childhood, and it is very difficult to change it.
Wei Yuanzhan tilted his head back and gently rested it against the window. He thought to himself that he did not want to return to the capital in disgrace, nor did he want to return to the Governor's Mansion to wait for Zhang Jixiao's favor.
“Yun Chuan…” Wei Yuanzhan murmured.
Yesterday in Yunchuan City, the people there were all talking about the army recruitment. At worst, he could enlist in Yunchuan first, and eventually he would all be transferred to Yuyang.
Zhang Jixiao was unwilling to accept him because his father's invitation was too weighty, and he didn't want to bear it. If he had risen from humble beginnings, wouldn't he have had no objection?
Having made up his mind, Wei Yuanzhan swept his legs down to pack his belongings, preparing to return to Yunchuan early the next morning.
Seeing this, Changhuai quickly stepped forward: "Master, let me do it."
"Shall we go back to the capital?" Lan Ye jumped up from the doorway, his eyes shining like the morning star. "Master has finally figured it out. I knew it. This place can't compare to the capital."
Wei Yuanzhan lowered his hand: "I won't go back."
"Then what are we doing here..." Lan Ye hadn't finished speaking when Chang Huai guessed what Wei Yuanzhan was thinking and reminded him, "Isn't Young Master Song also in Yuyang? Why don't you go and see him, Master?"
Fearing his family would come after him, Song Qiyu dared not linger on the road. Given his pace, he should have arrived a month earlier than them.
Who is Young Master Song? Like Wei Yuanzhan, he rarely fails to accomplish what he sets his mind to. With a month to go, he must already be in the army.
Wei Yuanzhan understood the implication, his eyelashes fluttered slightly, but his expression remained indifferent: "He is him, and I am me. If fate allows, we will meet again in the military camp. Why bother with this?"
Chang Huai knew he couldn't persuade him, so he reluctantly kept quiet. After finishing tidying up, he fetched a basin of well water for him to wash up. Seeing that the weather was so cold it felt like a snake was spitting its tongue, he quickly put his hands into his sleeves and didn't take them out again.
When Wei Yuanzhan lay in bed, all the candles in the room went out, leaving only the cold moonlight, not bright enough, but enough to illuminate the longing in people's hearts.
He rested one hand behind his head, while the other hand twirled a ring, which Song Zhirou had thrown at Suiyun Tower when she was angry with him.
Thinking about how they used to always argue, Wei Yuanzhan curled the corner of his lips, as if mocking himself.
The ring's warmth made him spin it until it felt hot, and as if by some strange twist of fate, his thoughts drifted back to last night.
She must not have heard him through the crowd and the campfire.
Wei Yuanzhan couldn't help but regret why he hadn't spoken louder.
He likes her, and he should let her know.
The group had been traveling for ten days, but the messengers who reported the distance said that the royal tent was even further away and that it would take several more days.
Although Huai Xian did not want to see the Khan, she was exhausted from the journey and her bones felt like they were about to fall apart. She pushed open the carriage door, glanced at the scenery outside, and suddenly instructed Zhi Rou, "Go and tell him that I want to ride a horse."
Zhi Rou was somewhat displeased, raising an eyebrow slightly, but replied, "Your Highness is of noble birth; how can you ride a horse in the cold? If anything were to happen to you, no one could bear the responsibility."
Huai Xian used her as a messenger for ten days, and during those ten days, she always managed to get back to En He.
All things considered, there was no longer any enmity between them. Neither of them had mentioned the bone arrow incident, but Zhi Rou was very wary of him and did not want to have any further contact with him.
Huai Xian snorted softly, "I'm not that weak." Then she urged, "Go quickly."
He closed the door, preventing her from refusing again.
A thin mist still lingered in the morning light, withered grass lay low, and the wind carried the scent of the earth.
Huai Xian cherished his appearance greatly, even wearing a veiled hat while riding a horse, as if it were a safeguard.
Zhi Rou followed closely behind her.
Recalling the last time she rode a horse, Wei Yuanzhan patiently instructed her beside him. She had never seen him so gentle. She never heard a single "no" from him, only praise, saying "very good" and "very impressive."
Indeed, having a good "master" is essential for mastering one's skills. — Zhi Rouxin
The sound of hooves drew closer. Enhe sat upright on the horse's back, staring at Zhirou for a while, and addressed her as usual: "Hey."
Zhi Rou glanced at him, then turned her face away, remaining indifferent as always.
For many days, Enhe only knew that her surname was Song, and that others called her Miss Song.
On the grasslands, they only have names, not surnames, so in his mind, he was very particular about what her name was.
Enhe pulled on the reins with one hand, turned to look at Zhirou, and asked her for the umpteenth time, "What is your name?"
She had never seen such a persistent person. Zhi Rou suspected that even if she didn't speak up, his patience wouldn't run out. It was like he was doing a task. She replied in a clear voice, "Song Zhi Rou."
Eun-ho lowered her voice and mimicked her tone, repeating "Ji-rou" on the tip of her tongue.
Despite her wary attitude, she couldn't resist the sudden call. Zhi Rou's face immediately fell, and she frowned: "You can't call me that."
"Why?" He remained expressionless, the rising sun shining on his face. He was only in his early twenties, and when he wasn't being ruthless, he didn't look very mature.
Zhi Rou didn't want to explain, and gave him a vague glare: "I just can't."
The Han people's tendency to conceal their true intentions was evident at this moment. Enhe lightly pursed his lips, deliberately scanning her from head to toe, and shook his head: "You're dressed as a man, it doesn't look like it."
Before she could react, he gave a low shout and spurred his horse toward Alamusu.
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