They sleep outdoors, "coming up here to sleep."
The two post stations were separated by a mountain. Because there were men and scholars in the group, they went around the mountainside for safety reasons.
This caused some delay, and the sun was almost setting before we saw the landmark building on the map.
The mountains and forests were pitch black as the sun set, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. If it weren't for the torches providing light, one would surely lose their way in the dim moonlight.
The leader rode up to Jiang Yanhui's side and discussed her opinion on whether to proceed based on her experience. Jiang Yanhui listened attentively with her hands lightly on the reins, while A Chou, who was wrapped around her arms, also curiously pricked up her ears to listen.
Encountering small animals in the mountains during the bright daylight is novel and fun, but when it gets dark and you can't see your surroundings, hearing incomprehensible sounds can easily make you imagine things, and you can't help but feel that there are wild beasts hiding in the darkness.
Jiang Yan understood the team leader's ultimate intention after he explained it to her, and asked directly, "You mean we should rest here for the night?"
The team leader was named Pan Qiu. He was originally a messenger for Dou Yao. Because he was familiar with the terrain and had a good memory, he used his advantage to severely damage the enemy in a battle. Later, he was promoted by Dou Yao and gradually became a trusted confidant.
Dou Yao sent her to oversee the team upon his return to Beijing, which shows how worried he was about Dou Yu's safety.
"Your Majesty, tigers often roar on this mountain. Venturing in at night would be extremely dangerous, especially since we have no landmarks on the map and visibility is low. If we miss them, we'll have to take a long detour. In my opinion, the best option right now is to rest here and conserve our energy until dawn before setting off again."
Pan Qiu shared all her experiences with Jiang Yanhui. She had seen and heard of Jiang Yanhui in the military camp, but had never worked under him.
Her heart was pounding with anxiety, worried that the dignified King Zun might not be willing to spend the night in the mountains. There was nothing she could do but follow Jiang Yan Hui's advice and grit her teeth and move forward.
Jiang Yan thought for a moment, then said, "I understand. Let's rest here."
"Huh?" Pan Qiu was taken aback. Meeting Jiang Yan's puzzled look, he quickly smiled and said, "Your subordinate will arrange it immediately!"
He spurred his horse forward to inform the others, and the advancing column soon slowed down. He sent a few people in different directions to find a suitable place to stay for the night.
The sudden change made Ah Chou nervously purse his lips. He was terrified of spending the night in a deserted place, driven by the instinctive human aversion to danger.
Leaning back, Ah Chou slightly raised her head to look at Jiang Yan Hui. From this angle, she could only see Jiang Yan Hui's superior jawline, but that was enough to calm Ah Chou's uneasy heart.
It seemed that no matter how big the problem was, it didn't matter as long as Jiang Yanhui was there.
"If you keep staring at me, you'll be sleeping on a tree stump tonight."
Jiang Yanhui's cold voice came from above. A Chou was not afraid of the threats she made. She blinked innocently and smiled.
The place to spend the night was decided by the experienced Pan Qiu. Under her organization, three groups took turns keeping watch and keeping away wild animals in the vicinity. In an orderly manner, a campfire was quickly lit, and the firelight dispelled people's unease.
Jiang Yanhui, sitting on a log beside the fire, was illuminated by the orange firelight, the warm glow casting a gentle halo over her aloof demeanor.
Ah Chou, who was carrying bedding and preparing to go into the carriage to make the bed, hesitated to enter the carriage. Instead, he sat in the front room of the carriage pretending to organize his things, his eyes practically glued to Jiang Yan Hui.
Although his relationship with Jiang Yanhui was unclear and couldn't be explained in a logical way, A Chou was already very content to have Jiang Yanhui's gaze and embrace.
Of course, at times Ah Chou has to admit that he is still a little greedy, longing to get more and possess more.
Dou Yu called out to him, and A Chou quickly looked away, guiltily hugging the quilt tighter, his eyes wide open, looking as cute as a little deer.
Dou Yu leaned to the side and sat down, saying, "Get a mattress and make a bed for my cousin!"
The fact that Dou Yu asked the question when he already knew the answer left Ah Chou puzzled. Seeing that Dou Yu had something to say, he nodded in agreement.
Dou Yu started stammering again, while A Chou blinked slowly, her clear and pure gaze making Dou Yu feel a little embarrassed.
Ah Chou suddenly realized something, so he half-crawled into the carriage, took out paper and pen, and wrote: Do you need me to make your bed?
Dou Yu's face immediately turned red, and the usually eloquent person stammered, "I came to see you not... well, actually I also hoped you could help me with some paving, but that's not the main thing."
Dou Yu scratched his head, realizing that there was no need to beat around the bush with Ah Chou, and said simply, "My cousin just came to tell me that I'm not allowed to talk nonsense in front of you anymore. I was wondering if the jokes I made on the way made you feel bad, so I came here specifically to talk to you about it."
As a servant, Ah Chou shouldn't have cared so much about him, but Dou Yu genuinely felt that Ah Chou was a good person. Besides, Jiang Yan Hui was clearly protecting Ah Chou, saying that he was just a servant, but who knows what he was really thinking?
Dou Yu might not dare to explain things clearly about other matters, but she had witnessed Jiang Yanhui's ability to say one thing and mean another since childhood. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let those unpleasant words go in one ear and out the other, completely ignoring them.
"My cousin and I have always been like this. I didn't say those things to hurt you or make you feel bad. We're just used to teasing each other. Ugh, I really don't know how to explain myself..."
Dou Yuxu kept explaining, but it was hard to say how many of her points were actually correct. However, A Chou listened attentively with her eyes wide open.
—I understand, I won't take it to heart anymore.
Dou Yusong sighed, yet found it difficult to speak.
—I'll lay this out first, then I'll go lay it out for you.
Dou Yu's expression immediately relaxed, and she replied, "You know I snuck into Lingzhou without any servants or anything. My cousin didn't even say a word about sending someone with me, so I don't even have anyone to make my bed. I can't just lie here all night like this."
—I'll be done in a minute.
As he said, Ah Chou stopped secretly glancing at Jiang Yan Hui and quickly grabbed the quilt and crawled into the carriage.
Jiang Yanhui was looking at a map by the campfire. The road ahead was a winding mountain road. Based on her experience, she could ride a horse to get there, but she didn't know if a carriage could pass. To be on the safe side, she would have to take a detour.
Would you like some hot soup?
Deng Jiajin sat down with a bowl of steaming soup in her hand. The long journey had taken its toll, and she was thin and haggard. However, Deng Jiajin wasn't one to be delicate or unable to endure hardship, so she silently gritted her teeth and suffered the pain along the way.
"Go ahead and drink." Jiang Yanhui rolled up the map. She had seen Deng Jiajin's forbearance, and her tone softened considerably as she asked, "Why did you have to come back with me?"
As the military supervisor, Deng Jiajin could have simply written a letter to the Emperor to report on the situation in the camp and waited for the Emperor to summon her back when the time came.
The long and arduous journey back to Beijing is both uncomfortable and dangerous; there's really no need to take the risk.
Under the firelight, Deng Jiajin seemed to remember something, her expression softening as she stroked the bowl with a hint of embarrassment. "Don't laugh at me, but actually I miss my husband at home. He just got pregnant after receiving the Emperor's decree, and a letter came a few days ago saying it's a baby girl."
Jiang Yanhui raised her eyebrows, considering many reasons related to their interests, but she never expected that Deng Jiajin would go to such lengths just to return to the capital to see her husband and daughter.
She sighed, took a small sip of the hot soup in her bowl, and smiled happily and contentedly. "It's good to be able to go back and spend the New Year with them. I don't know when I'll be able to do it again."
Jiang Yan Hui said calmly, "Solving the You tribe will suffice."
Deng Jiajin glanced at her sideways.
Although the You tribe is called a tribe, its strength should not be underestimated.
If someone else were to brazenly claim they could take care of the You tribe, Deng Jiajin would likely scoff inwardly, though she wouldn't say it. But the woman opposite her, also so young, made Deng Jiajin believe she could handle it.
Pan Qiu walked over, removing her soft armor and wearing only her gray inner garment. Strands of hair on her face were still damp with moisture. "Your Majesty, everything is settled."
"We'll arrive at the post station tomorrow and rest for a day to replenish our food and water supplies. I think we'll be sleeping outdoors for the next few days." Jiang Yanhui didn't explain further and simply handed the map to Pan Qiu, who could understand it.
Pan Qiu had long since memorized the route, so he naturally knew which section of the road Jiang Yanhui was referring to. While agreeing with Jiang Yanhui's choice, he couldn't help but feel admiration for her.
A person with no ulterior motives will show what they are thinking on their face, and he stared intently at Jiang Yan as she looked back.
In a daze, Jiang Yanhui thought it was Ah Chou's gaze, so she followed and met Pan Qiu Niu's big eyes. She choked up and asked, "Why are you looking at me?"
Pan Qiu scratched his head sheepishly, "I just feel that Your Majesty is different from what I imagined; he's not pretentious at all."
“Pan Qiu is an old hand in the military camp. It seems that the King’s impression on his subordinates is slightly different.” Deng Jiajin stepped forward to smooth things over for the simple-minded Pan Qiu, and joked, “There will be many more days in the future. You will see more different aspects of King Jiang. You must keep a close eye on him and learn from him.”
Pan Qiu realized what was happening and nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right."
Jiang Yanhui, who was tired from riding a horse all day, didn't want to say any flattering nonsense, nor did he take Pan Qiu's words to heart. He didn't have many ulterior motives towards his own people.
Back in the carriage, Ah Chou was nowhere to be seen. The bedding was neatly made, and a sachet of medicine was placed next to the pillow to keep out mosquitoes at night.
After waiting for a while, Ah Chou finally returned. Danger lurked all around, and Jiang Yan asked somewhat unhappily, "Where did you go?"
—Make the bed for Young Master Dou.
Jiang Yan frowned, even more displeased, and said, "Can't he lay it himself?"
Ah Chou hurriedly explained to Dou Yu.
"Young Master Dou didn't bring his servant. I just went to help out, and he even gave me some pastries."
"Do you think I'll miss out on a bite to eat?" Jiang Yan was still uncomfortable, but she didn't dwell on it anymore.
The night was deep and all was quiet.
Jiang Yan slept on the soft couch in the carriage, while A Chou slept on a makeshift bed on the floor.
It was probably the first time that Ah Chou had ever camped out in the wild, and even though he knew there were people patrolling and watching around, he was still very worried.
Even if they're too sleepy to keep their eyes open, they'll still peek out at the slightest noise to see what it is, and only after confirming there's no danger will they retreat back into sleep.
The sounds of animals echoed through the mountains at night, occasionally punctuated by the chilling howl of wolves, which made Ah Chou's hair stand on end, and he rubbed his eyes and got up.
Where to?
Jiang Yanhui's sudden voice startled him, and his head slammed against the door frame, knocking Ah Chou back to his seat in a daze.
"Tsk." Jiang Yan lifted the carriage curtain, letting the light from the campfire outside, which had been used to ward off wild animals, shine into the carriage. "Why aren't you sleeping tonight? Where are you going?"
His voice, hoarse with weariness and tinged with impatience, carried a warm hand as he haphazardly ruffled Ah Chou's hair and urged, "Go to sleep quickly."
Ah Chou wanted to write something to express that he was going to the outer room to keep watch while sleeping, because it was really unsafe in the mountains. But in this light, he probably couldn't see clearly, let alone take out paper and pen to write anything.
Just then, a series of wolf howls erupted, and Ah Chou immediately pulled down the curtain to firmly block the carriage door. Inside the quiet carriage, only Ah Chou's rapid breathing could be heard.
At this point, Jiang Yanhui fully understood the reason for A Chou's abnormal behavior.
"Come up and sleep." In the dark, she took Ah Chou's hand, but it wouldn't budge. Jiang Yan thought Ah Chou didn't want to share a soft bed with her, so she added, "If you keep coming and going like this at night, I won't get any rest."
They pulled Ah Chou up, leaving him a spot against the carriage wall.
The two of them sleeping on a single soft couch seemed a bit cramped, but fortunately Ah Chou was slender, so even if they were pressed close together, it was enough for them to sleep.
In the darkness, Ah Chou blinked nervously, his face practically glued to Jiang Yan's, his mind filled with a jumble of thoughts, oblivious to any sounds outside.
If you're pressed so close, no reaction will escape your notice.
Ah Chou slowly moved his body closer to the wall, hoping that Jiang Yanhui was already asleep. When he finally turned around to face the wall, a look of relief appeared on Ah Chou's flushed face.
"Never mind, it'll go down soon," Ah Chou thought.
A moment later, an arm was placed around his waist, and the hand seemed to have eyes, reaching down to touch him. This startled Ah Chou, who didn't dare to breathe.
"Has it not gone down yet?" Jiang Yanhui's deliberately lowered voice was magnetic and indistinct, making one's ears itch.
However, Ah Chou had no time to pay attention to the details and grabbed Jiang Yan Hui's mischievous hand with a tearful expression.
He wanted to tell her not to worry, it would be fine in a bit. But then he also wanted to say that she was gripping him too tightly and it hurt a little.
Unfortunately, thinking about it is useless; a mute person cannot speak.
The sound of water could be faintly heard in the quiet carriage. The slightly heavy breathing seemed to be suppressing something, especially when the footsteps of the patrolling soldiers outside were heard. There would be a deliberate long silence, and when it became unbearable, the breathing would become labored again.
...
Ah Chou carefully washed the handkerchief, knelt on the ground, and meticulously wiped Jiang Yan Hui's palms, even cleaning between her fingers.
If the lighting were better now, we could see Ah Chou's face was so red it looked like it was about to bleed.
Having gone through this ordeal, Ah Chou dared not share a soft couch with Jiang Yan Hui again.
Physical exhaustion and mental relaxation caused him to fall asleep almost immediately, as he simply didn't have the energy to pay attention to any noises outside. He slept exceptionally well.
Jiang Yanhui, on the other hand, woke up many times during the night. Having fought on the border for many years and always in danger, Jiang Yanhui rarely had a moment of deep sleep.
If this is not acceptable even in a prince's palace, it goes without saying that it is even more dangerous in the wilderness. It is always better to be alert.
When Jiang Yan heard the sound of footsteps that didn't belong to the patrolling soldiers again, she sat up, lifted the curtain, and saw the bushes swaying abnormally in the dim light.
Jiang Yan nudged Ah Chou with her toe, but the sleeping man didn't react at all.
When you should be vigilant, you sleep soundly, but when you shouldn't, you scare yourself unnecessarily.
Jiang Yanhui ignored the peeping tom; they were just some low-level thugs.
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