"Huh?" Xu Yixing was puzzled. Going south to Miaozhou was the most convenient way, but going west meant crossing the grasslands, which was too far. "How can we ensure safety?"
Xu Yixing remembered that there were only fifty or sixty people in the three tents when the poisonous smoke was released. If such a small number of people encountered the Hu people, they would be courting death.
"This... is not convenient to say. Let's wait until the master wakes up and let him tell you himself." Ada's words were evasive, and Xu Yixing did not study it in detail. It didn't matter what, as long as he was alive.
"Then at this rate of progress, it will take at least a month to enter the pass. What if something unexpected happens in the court during this period?"
"This is something that the ministers in the capital should worry about. Besides, the master has already made arrangements, so there is no need to worry."
Xu Yixing sighed lightly. It seemed that Lu Anyuan had hidden more than one or two things from her. If it was really as absurd as she had once speculated, she really didn't know whether to be happy or sad.
Seven days later, this group met Qiu Ling at a strange-looking stone city. At that time, Qiu Ling was carrying Ying Si, who claimed to be a miracle doctor, in his carriage. The mute slave beside him was holding Xiao Bao, and he was waiting there with the eight guards. From a distance, they looked like a group of clay figures.
Qiu Ling flew into a rage upon seeing Xu Yixing, threatening to go to Lu Anyuan to sue this despicable woman who had abandoned her husband and children and was unfaithful to her husband. However, upon learning that his master was seriously injured and unconscious, he forgot all the words he had prepared. Silently, he handed Xiaobao to the carriage, mounted his horse, and followed the guards towards Pingyun Pass without another word.
"Look at your people, each one of them is so vicious. I left Xiaobao to him, so of course I told him that I didn't run away. But he still insisted on putting such a big blame on me. It's so unfair!" Xu Yixing held Xiaobao lovingly in his arms and rocked him, while complaining to Lu Anyuan who was still unconscious.
Ying Si said that some people can feel the movements of the outside world when they are in a coma. Maybe by talking to them like this, he can wake them up.
From the conversations over the past few days, Xu Yixing learned that Lu Anyuan was indeed injured by a stray arrow during the battle with the Khan. The wound became infected and he had a high fever. Due to special reasons, he could not seek military support and had to hide.
However, Ada and Aer did not say a word about why these people hid in the old tent of the royal court and how they avoided being hunted by the barbarians. They only wanted to wait for Lu Anyuan to wake up before they were willing to tell them.
Mr. Yao and Ying Si spent their days in the same car, whispering to each other about something. Every time they changed Lu Anyuan's medicine, their expressions grew heavier, as if they were worried about whether he would wake up. Xu Yixing didn't know whether he would wake up or not, but he knew that if he didn't, General Xia and General Qiu in the convoy would probably want to throw him into a pig cage.
"Alas! Look at you, what are you trying to show off? You know there's no such thing as a sure thing in this world, so why bother risking your life? You insisted on leading the army in person, and now you've ruined yourself. You're courting death, alas..."
Xu Yixing started nagging him again. It had been ten days since she had seen Lu Anyuan again after her failed poisoning attempt was discovered. She had no idea what was going on. She stayed in the car every day, afraid that Lu Anyuan would not wake up and die. She was also afraid that if he woke up, the first person he saw would not be her. That would be very uncomfortable.
"By the way, when I saw the way Xia Xiao looked at me today, he seemed to want to tear me into pieces. The same thing happened to Qiu Ling. It was really scary! If you don't wake up, what will they do when they bully me..." The latter part of the sentence was whispered into Lu Anyuan's ear. After all, A Da and A Er had been following outside the car. It would not be good for them to hear these coquettish words.
Of course, the two men outside the carriage, riding horses on either side, had long been accustomed to the mistress's slander of the elders. Even they had been subject to her trolling. Ah Er clenched his fists in indignation, determined to complain to the mistress once she woke up. Otherwise, if the mistress kept whispering in his ears, sooner or later, their lives would be in danger.
But today, besides her complaints, there seemed to be some other noises in the carriage. Ah Er couldn't hear them clearly through the wall. Just as he was trying to distinguish them carefully, he heard the master's surprised voice from inside the carriage: "You're awake! Someone come quickly, your Majesty is awake!"
This shout stopped the entire convoy. Immediately, the entire team was overjoyed and hurriedly stopped. A Da even quickly pulled Mr. Yao down from the front car to check the situation.
Mr. Yao got into the car and saw Xu Yixing's eyes blurred with tears but a smile on his face. Lu Anyuan, who was lying in the car, had sat up, but he looked angry and was leaning against the car wall, covering his wound.
"How do you feel?" Mr. Yao took his pulse and observed the blood seeping from the gauze. A long-lost smile appeared on his face. He then pulled out a small bottle from his bosom, which was half filled with liquid. He poured it into his mouth, and only then did he hear him speak.
"Then let Qiu Ling and Xia Xiao be executed by slow slicing, give A Da and A Er thirty blows with the military stick, and send Mr. Yao to raise horses for the barbarians, okay?"
"What?"
"How could you do this!"
"It's unfair, Master!"
Three voices sounded at the same time. The speakers were Mr. Yao who had just withdrawn his hand, Xu Yixing with his eyes wide open, and Er who had been listening to the noise outside the car.
Among these three people, only Mr. Yao was unaware that he was being gossiped about every day and didn't know the reason. However, Xu Yixing and A'er could hear it clearly. It was obvious that Lu Anyuan had taken everything he said to heart!
"How can you treat your own people like this? They are working for you after all. You are so heartless!" Xu Yixing, the culprit, was even more angry than those people mentioned by Lu Anyuan. He said this with gritted teeth and a look of shame on his face.
"You complain to me every day. Isn't it good for me to punish them now?" Lu Anyuan put down his hands and pushed the quilt down. It was too hot in the car and he felt a little uncomfortable.
Perhaps because his throat was damaged by the long coma, he now spoke weakly. These words, which should have been full of vigor, had a hint of weakness when they came out of his mouth, making people feel that the person who spoke was a weak young man.
Mr. Yao frowned, immediately realizing that this must be what the Xu family's aunt had said. Now was the time for them to clear up the misunderstanding. So, he snorted coldly, glanced at Xu Yixing's face, picked up his medicine box and returned to his car.
Lu Anyuan briefly learned the latest developments from Ada, gave a few clear orders, and then drove away Xia Xiao and Qiu Ling who wanted to come and say hello, urging the team to move on.
There were only two people left in the carriage. Xu Yixing had just been listening to him assigning tasks. He knew that he had a clear mind and was sharp. He thought that everything was probably fine. He felt happy and sad at the same time.
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