Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Only
After Yuan Chaolu finished speaking, she spurred her horse forward, the horse's hooves kicking up a cloud of snow mist around her, causing her to squint and back away.
Why did he infiltrate the heart of Rongbei?
When she saw him at the inn in Hurile, she thought she was hallucinating and never expected to see him here. So, after regaining her senses, she left the city without stopping, eager to see him immediately.
As she hurried along, the cold wind whipped at her face, and a thought immediately surfaced in her mind; the answer to the mystery was becoming clear...
There was only one reason that could bring her and him here.
Yuan Chaolu's hand holding the reins trembled slightly. Looking at the man's back, she raised her face and let out a long breath.
Night falls, and the moon shines over the long ditch.
Before night fell completely, the group found a rocky hollow to rest.
The temperature difference between day and night on the grassland is extreme, and the nights are even more frigid in winter. However, this place is a natural rock formation with a recessed space. The rock walls on three sides form a natural barrier that can fully accommodate their horses and caravan.
Soon, the tent camp was set up. Amid the hustle and bustle, Yuan Chaolu stood by the horse, wiping the frost off its body with animal hide, while keeping an eye on Xiao Zhuo in the distance.
Yuan Chaolu summoned a guard, whispered a few words in his ear, and sent him to sound out the other side.
The guard accepted the order and left, but soon after, he returned to Yuan Chaolu's side, looking embarrassed, to report back.
He barely managed to get a few questions out of the other person, who was being very cautious. Instead, they tried to probe him during the conversation, almost managing to find out his secrets.
Yuan Chaolu sighed helplessly, walked to the campfire, took the roasted mutton handed to her by the soldiers, and looked up to see a group of people not far away who had also stopped to rest, sitting by the tent, silently eating some dry food and coarse bread.
This group traveled light, carrying only coarse grains to barely fill their stomachs, and did not buy any supplies along the way.
Yuan Chaolu gazed at the steaming pot of meat in front of her, scooped out a bowl, and moved closer to Xiao Zhuo, who was not far away.
"It's been freezing cold on this journey, would you like to have some hot soup with us..."
Unexpectedly, the next moment, Han Peng stepped to the side to block Yuan Chaolu, one hand on the hilt of the curved sword at his waist, his eyes full of vigilance.
“No need.” He said coldly.
Yuan Chaolu said, "You've been traveling all day. If you don't drink something hot to warm yourselves up, how can your bodies withstand it? Or are you afraid I'll poison it? We've already drunk all the meat soup."
Yuan Chaolu looked over his shoulder and towards Xiao Zhuo behind him, "I have something important to discuss with your team leader."
The campfire crackled and sparks danced, illuminating the man beside it. By the moonlight, he slowly and methodically wiped the dagger at his waist. Hearing this, he finally raised his face and glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye.
His brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze was nonchalant, carrying a strong sense of aloofness and indifference.
Yuan Chaolu was stunned. When she was with Xiao Zhuo, even when they were not familiar with each other at the beginning, he was indifferent but never like this. He was full of a sense of not being able to approach strangers and exuded a strong sense of danger.
Is this how he treats other women?
Suddenly, Yuan Chaolu reached out and handed the bowl of hot soup to Han Peng, letting him hold it. Han Peng was caught off guard and stepped back. Yuan Chaolu took the opportunity to lean forward, took out a roll of sheepskin map from her sleeve, and said to Xiao Zhuo, "Since we agreed to travel together, I want to talk to you about tomorrow's route."
As soon as she made this move, the guards behind her gasped. Seeing that Han Peng had drawn his long sword and seemed about to make a move, the guards immediately stepped forward.
"Speak," Xiao Zhuo finally spoke.
Yuan Chaolu was then able to sit down next to Xiao Zhuo, spread the map on her lap, glanced at the people from both sides surrounding her, and said, "Let's go a little further away, I want to talk to him alone."
Han Peng looked at Xiao Zhuo, "Team leader?"
Xiao Zhuo's gaze fell on the map, and he said, "You all go back to your tents first."
After the rest of the people dispersed, Yuan Chaolu smiled and said, "You're not trying to hide it from me now. If your wife knew that you and I were alone together, what would she think?"
Xiao Zhuo stared at her, saying nothing.
For some reason, Yuan Chaolu felt that the gaze was much hotter than before.
Yuan Chaolu pointed to the map and said, "Tomorrow morning we'll take this route, a shortcut that will save us a whole day's journey. It's sparsely populated there, so we can avoid some patrols and have less trouble."
Today, the Rongbei are led by the Great Khan, but the grasslands are vast. The Great Khan has enfeoffed several of his brothers to maintain his rule, but none of them submit to the others. Each occupies a piece of tribal territory, resulting in prominent internal conflicts and frequent raids between them.
If they are unlucky on their journey, they may encounter patrols and be detained, questioned, or robbed.
Xiao Zhuo glanced at it: "This deviates from our planned path."
Yuan Chaolu said, "I'm kindly reminding you that it's safer here, and you can also head north more quickly."
Xiao Zhuo said calmly, "The road conditions here are extremely complicated. I've never heard of this road you mentioned before. How come you're so familiar with this place?"
“Of course, I’ve been here many times before,” Yuan Chaolu said with a smile. “If there’s no snow tomorrow morning, and I get up early, I can walk along the river valley I mentioned and see the morning light shining on the lake.”
Xiao Zhuo gazed at her, noticing the silvery sunlight falling on her cheeks, softening her wild and unruly features.
She gazed at the moon, as if she saw something else through its light, and a smile curved her lips: "If you go any further, you will pass through an underground grotto complex, where there is a Buddhist cave."
Xiao Zhuo said, "Buddha cave?"
"Yes, the Buddhist cave. There were once shepherds who believed in the Buddha. They invited craftsmen from the Central Plains to repair the Buddhist cave there. It contained Buddhist scriptures and statues, and the walls were covered with various murals. It was extremely magnificent."
Yuan Chaolu turned his head and said, "You should see for yourself and you will know that what I said is true."
Before she could finish speaking, perhaps realizing she had revealed too much of her true feelings, she quickly asked, "Are you really not going to take that route?"
Xiao Zhuo said, "This place is in the north of the Rong people, and they are hostile to the Han people. Will they invite craftsmen from the Central Plains to repair the Buddhist caves?"
His gaze fell on Yuan Chaolu's cheek, where there was a pierced earlobe, no jewelry, and a faint scar at the base of her ear. He narrowed his eyes slightly, then moved his gaze to her cheek, scrutinizing her.
Yuan Chaolu said, "Of course, Rongbei and the border are separated by mountains, and there is much suspicion between them. But that craftsman was extremely passionate about this matter. When he heard the invitation, he took his daughter and risked his life to come here."
Xiao Zhuo said, "Knowing it's dangerous, you still brought your daughter along?"
Yuan Chaolu said, "Naturally, it's because his daughter has been by his side for many years. She is also skilled in repairing Buddhist caves and painting. Her father was in poor health and fell ill when he arrived here. Later, almost all the murals in the Buddhist caves were painted by her."
Her lips curled slightly, her cheeks bathed in the flowing moonlight, and her eyes were as clear as water.
"I love the nights here. The moon is so bright and clear. Sitting on the edge of the wilderness, gazing at the sky at night, I feel like the whole world is mine."
Moonlight wandered across the wilderness, and the endless sound of the wind filled his ears... Xiao Zhuo gazed at her quietly.
At this point, she turned to face him, "You were so resistant to me just now, why are you willing to talk to me now?"
Xiao Zhuo said, "My wife and I met in a Buddhist temple. She talked a lot about the Buddhist caves and murals."
Yuan Chaolu was stunned for a moment, then turned around and looked at the bonfire in front of him.
The campfire burned quietly, its flames crackling softly.
She asked softly, "You keep mentioning your wife, it seems you really like her?"
The person next to him didn't reply, but just looked up at the round moon.
"like."
The wind howled through the stone wall, carrying his words to Yuan Chaolu's side. Her world suddenly fell silent, leaving only the sound of the wind.
"Of all the people in the world, none can compare to her in my heart. She is the only one in my life."
only.
Yuan Chaolu sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her hands slowly tightening around them.
Heaven and earth were silent, all things were still, and everything fell silent.
The firelight enveloped the man and woman sitting close together. As night deepened, the woman gradually closed her eyes and finally leaned her head against the man's shoulder. Occasionally, sparks drifted from the fire, dancing like fireflies, swirling around them.
Han Peng tried to step forward, but Xiao Zhuo stopped him by raising his hand.
He lowered his eyes and looked at her serene profile.
Then, he reached out with his other hand to her cheek, gliding over her skin and touching one side of her face, his fingertips feeling a thin, cicada-wing-like foreign object.
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