Chapter 41 (First published on Jinjiang) 041 (Updated) "It wasn't a fight..."
Chao Lu's cough was quite noticeable, attracting the attention of many people nearby.
Seeing this, Hela couldn't stand it any longer: "That's enough, isn't it? The carriage is waiting outside. Are you leaving today?"
Chao Lu slowly turned around, his expression still somewhat strange.
"Okay, I'm leaving."
Having come to Liangzhou, Ruan Yu had no regrets. She wanted to ask Chao Lu if he had really caught a cold, but in the next instant, Haila pulled her away first, and the two of them went out together and got into the carriage.
Hela whispered something in Ruan Yu's ear, but Chao Lu didn't hear anything.
"Young master, are you alright?" It was Afu who looked at his master with a worried expression.
Chaolu looked at him with a hint of disgust: "Don't look at me with that mushy look." After saying that, she went back to her room to tidy herself up.
Afu touched his nose, but still eagerly followed.
The Chaha tribe set up camp outside Liangzhou City, but it was still half a day's journey away. The Great Khan was unwilling to venture into the Central Plains unless absolutely necessary, so they would not stay too close.
Sure enough, the carriage was already waiting outside the inn. Although Hela brought Ruan Yu out, she still got into another carriage with a meaningful look. Ruan Yu rode in a separate carriage. The carriages didn't leave in a hurry until Chao Lu and Turing came out together.
Chao Lu changed his clothes and glanced in this direction.
However, he did not get into the carriage, but instead mounted his horse and rode Xiangwu to Ruan Yu's side.
"Ready to go!"
As soon as Chao Lu finished speaking, another person walked out of the inn; it was Pei Du.
He was dressed casually as usual, and was slightly taken aback when he saw a row of carriages and horses at the entrance of the inn.
Across the crowd, Chaolu and he exchanged a glance. Chaolu quickly looked away, his expression unchanged.
"drive!"
The procession then slowly moved forward.
Ruan Yu had already gotten into the car and hadn't opened the window, so she had no idea what was happening outside.
Pei Du stood at the entrance of the inn, watching from afar, until Shuang Nian reminded him, "Young Master, we also have important business to attend to."
He then withdrew his gaze and turned to leave.
-
The carriage gradually drove away from Liangzhou City, and the noise around her faded away. Ruan Yu sat alone in the carriage, with only Xuan Niang and Qing Guo keeping her company. However, she could hear Chao Lu's voice from time to time, so he must be nearby. If there was nothing else to do, she would ride her horse alongside the carriage.
Ruan Yu was actually listening to see if he really had caught a cold, but she hadn't heard the man cough since they left Liangzhou.
Ruan Yu pursed her lips slightly and didn't ask any more questions.
"Your Highness!" Has suddenly ran over from not far away. Chao Lu slowed down. Ruan Yu also heard it and opened the car window a crack.
"We just received news that the Khan is not at the camp, but has taken Lady Qiu to his estate in the mountains..."
Chao Lu was taken aback for a moment: "Where did you go?"
Has: "It's a mountain resort near Liangzhou, supposedly for people to relax and unwind..."
Chao Lu: "..."
Ruan Yu was taken aback when she heard this, but then she understood and smiled.
Chao Lu's expression was complicated: "When will you return?"
"It should be in a day or two, Your Highness. Shall we return to the camp first...?"
Chaolu clearly hadn't expected his father and mother to go out to play as well. He pursed his lips and glanced at the carriage beside him.
Ruan Yu's voice suddenly floated out: "Let's go back to the camp. Didn't they say Liangzhou is unsafe? I don't want to go back either."
Chao Lu lowered his eyes and said, "Hmm."
Has: "Yes, Khatun."
After Has left, Chao Lu rode closer.
“Haryan’s men have already engaged me in direct combat; this is not an exaggeration,” he said softly.
“I know, Your Highness, there’s no need to explain. Liangzhou is nothing special to me. Your Highness has already delivered the message I wanted. Thank you, Your Highness.”
Chao Lu opened his mouth as if to say something, but seemed unsure how to begin, so he simply changed the subject.
"Let's rest and have something to eat. Since Father Khan isn't here, there's no need to rush."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The carriage stopped, and Ruan Yu got out to get some fresh air.
They had already left Liangzhou, and all that stretched out before them was still the desolate wilderness of the northern frontier. Xuanniang brought them hot food and hot water.
“When we set off before, I wasn’t prepared. This time, when we travel from Liangzhou, I came up with a solution. This food box is sealed, and hot water can be placed at the bottom. Although it can’t guarantee that there will be fresh food for the long journey, it can still guarantee one or two meals.”
Ruan Yu smiled and said, "Thank you, Xuan Niang, for your kindness."
Looking at the steaming hot buns, she suddenly said, "Please come over, Your Highness."
Xuan Niang paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Eh."
While Chaolu was talking to Has and the others not far away, Ruan Yu sat and waited. A gentle breeze blew by, and she thought of the information that Chaolu had sent people to search for.
Actually, these details are much more comprehensive than what that person said.
For example, how tall is my younger brother now? My mother went out on the fifteenth of the twelfth lunar month. For Pei Du, when she inquires about news, she only focuses on major events. As for the trivial matters of daily life, it was Chao Lu who sent people to keep an eye on things in Chang'an for a long time.
Otherwise, you wouldn't know.
Chang'an is indeed very, very far away from here...
Chaolu stood not far away and paused for a moment when he saw Xuanniang coming over. Yang Chong, being very perceptive, stopped talking, leaving only Has still chattering away. Yang Chong couldn't stand it anymore and stopped him.
Xuan Niang stepped forward with a smile: "Your Highness, please."
Chao Lu glanced awkwardly in that direction: "What is it?"
Xuan Niang's smile deepened: "This servant does not know."
Chao Lu: "Okay, I'll be right there."
"yes."
As soon as Xuanniang left, Chaolu said directly, "Let's talk about it later. I'll go ask her what it is."
Yang Chong smiled and agreed.
Has seemed thoughtful, and only after everyone left did he say, "Didn't they have a fight? I didn't notice."
Yang Chong shook his head: "You're getting married soon, aren't you?"
"Nonsense, didn't I tell you already?"
"You should thank your parents and the matchmaker."
Haas: "..."
-
Chao Lu walked over, and Ruan Yu was sitting under a tree.
"What is it?"
Ruan Yu looked up and saw that the person was still stubbornly pursing their lips, so she smiled and said, "I wanted to ask if Your Highness's cough is better?"
Chao Lu's expression relaxed slightly: "Yes, it's nothing."
"Your Highness, could you go to the river and catch a fish for me? I want to eat grilled fish."
"…………"
There was indeed a river not far away, but it was the dead of winter... Actually, it wasn't impossible. Chao Lu quickly looked up and assessed the situation.
After taking one look, he immediately panicked.
"The river is frozen over. If you want to eat fish, I—"
Before he could finish speaking in Chaolu dialect, he suddenly met Ruan Yu's smiling eyes.
He was suddenly stunned.
They also realized they had been tricked.
Ruan Yu raised her eyebrows and said, "Sit down and eat some steamed buns. Xuan Niang has prepared some hot ones."
Chao Lu pursed his lips, looked into her eyes several times, and then moved over and sat down.
"Here you go." Ruan Yu handed it to him.
Chaolu was indeed hungry. He had planned to eat some dry biscuits later, but compared to hot steamed buns, steamed buns were definitely the better choice.
"How did you do that?"
"This food container has a bottom for putting hot water, it seems to keep it warm," Ruan Yu pointed.
Chao Lu took it and examined it closely, seemingly quite interested.
Ruan Yu said, "If Your Highness thinks it's good, could you have the craftsmen make some changes? That way, it can solve some problems when we go out in the future."
Chaolu didn't say anything, but he silently made a mental note of it.
The two sat side by side. A gust of wind blew by, and Chao Lu stopped coughing. Ruan Yu, however, suddenly coughed twice.
Chaolu frowned, only then realizing that she wasn't wearing a cloak.
"How are the people below doing their jobs?" he said, and was about to call someone to get it.
Suddenly, a shout came from not far away.
"Your Highness!" A guard rode up on horseback.
"Your Highness! More Haryans have been spotted nearby!"
Chao Lu's expression suddenly changed.
Upon hearing this, Turing and Haas immediately came over: "Are you sure it's Harian's people?"
"I couldn't see it clearly, but it was acting suspiciously! Very suspicious!"
Chao Lu immediately looked at Ruan Yu: "Get in the car!"
Ruan Yu did not delay for a moment.
Chaolu: "Return to camp immediately! Everyone, be alert! Protect the safety of the Khatun and Dabieji at all times!"
The group quickened its pace. Chao Lu rode his steed, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. Ruan Yu and Hai La's carriage was completely surrounded, and Ruan Yu could only hear the rapid clatter of hooves outside.
Fortunately, they arrived at the camp safely two hours later, without any unexpected incidents along the way.
The other party must have chickened out and backed away.
But this doesn't mean that Chaolu will let them off the hook.
Upon returning to the camp, Chao Lu escorted Ruan Yu back to his tent.
"You're not allowed to go anywhere. Just stay here and wait for me."
Ruan Yu was getting anxious and grabbed Chao Lu's sleeve: "What about you? Are you going to find them?"
Chao Lu looked down at her hand, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes: "I won't act on my own. I'll go find my second brother and the others, discuss it with them, and deliver this message to Father Khan as soon as possible."
Ruan Yu breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay..."
"Although the camp is temporary, I reckon those scoundrels will only dare to keep an eye on things from the shadows and won't have the guts to come over, so you're relatively safe here. But remember not to go out."
Ruan Yu: "I remember, I won't run around."
Chao Lu nodded, then strode away.
The tent was temporary, but not small. Xuanniang and Qingguo came in and brought fresh water: "Khatun, rest for a while."
They've traveled for most of the day, and in another day or two they'll be finishing their autumn hunt and returning to the grasslands.
Ruan Yu wasn't actually tired, she was just a little worried...
But there's nothing she can do right now; she can only wait here.
As darkness fell, she went to Hela's place again in the afternoon. The two chatted and waited together. During this time, Hela heard that Dahadun and Una had been causing some trouble in the camp these past two days.
But what exactly it was, Hela didn't ask, and Ruan Yu didn't care at all.
The two waited together in the tent until dusk, when Batu hurriedly returned from outside.
"Farewell!"
Ruan Yu and Haila turned around together. Batu was taken aback when he saw Ruan Yu there: "Siqdun."
"Where is Chaolu? Hasn't he returned yet?" Haila asked.
Batu glanced at Ruan Yu, hesitated for a moment, and said, "The Fourth Prince will be back soon, but for some reason, he suddenly fainted on the way..."
Ruan Yu and Haila were both stunned: "What's going on! Did we run into Haryan's people?!"
"No! But that's the strange thing. No one was around. His Highness suddenly said he felt dizzy on the road and then fell off his horse... Has and the others should be here soon."
Before he could finish speaking, Ruan Yu lifted her skirt and ran out quickly.
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Author's note: There's a small issue, but nothing serious. [doge emoji]
Yu Yu is actually quite adept at teasing big dogs; it just depends on whether she wants to or not.
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