Chapter 95 Old Friends in a Foreign Land Pei Muwei lifted the white shroud, revealing a deep and mysterious...
Tap tap tap....
The rapid sound of horses' hooves broke the silence of the night, like a death knell.
The cold wind was like a knife, stinging Chu Yueyuan's cheeks and causing an unnatural blush to rise on her fair skin. She endured the stinging pain, trying to keep her eyes wide open in the wind, and using the dim moonlight to keep pulling the reins to urge the horse forward.
Zhao Qiming couldn't ride a horse; the last time he entered the city, he rode a horse with the Canglang people.
He dared not hold her too tightly, only supporting her slender waist. Several times during the jolting, he swayed precariously on the horse and nearly fell off.
After running for an unknown amount of time, until the first faint light of dawn appeared on the horizon, Chu Yueyuan's eyes lit up, and her voice revealed a hint of joy: "It's dawn! Lord Zhao, hold on tight, I need to speed up!"
Faced with the critical situation, Zhao Qiming blushed and had no choice but to temporarily set aside the formalities between ruler and subject, reaching out to tightly embrace the woman's waist.
The two rode together on a horse through the night. To avoid Erhe and his men who had returned, they hid in the bushes for half an hour. Their speed was much slower than expected. The whole night passed, and Huang Weicheng was still nowhere to be seen in the distance.
Chu Yueyuan secretly prayed that the unconscious Qiu Shuang would be discovered later, so that the two of them would have time to escape.
The antidote powder that Zhao Qiming had given to Qiu Shuang was fine. After Qiu Shuang used it a few times and completely lowered her guard, on the day the two were preparing to escape, Zhao Qiming replaced the antidote powder with sleeping powder, which gave Chu Yueyuan the opportunity to escape the other party's surveillance.
"Your Majesty, I remember now!"
Zhao Qiming surveyed the surrounding scenery and exclaimed with delight, "After passing this grove, Huangwei City is not far ahead..."
However, their joy did not last long, for they soon heard the sound of galloping hooves behind them.
Zhao Qiming turned his head and looked over, his expression changing drastically. He stammered, "Your Highness, it's...it's the Great Khan and his men!"
Chu Yueyuan had no time to look back. She lowered her body, her five fingers tightly gripping the reins. The brocade and fur-trimmed cloak on her shoulders fluttered in the wind like a banner waving in the wind.
The horse seemed to sense its master's urgency, its hind hooves stomped hard on the ground, and it galloped forward, covering dozens of feet in an instant.
Besides the whistling wind, she seemed to hear a sharp, piercing sound, and faintly, she thought she could hear Erkh's furious roar:
"Stop! I want to capture her alive!"
Closer...closer!
A faint light shone from the edge of the woods. Chu Yueyuan felt herself getting closer and closer to that light. The light was so close that it was almost about to shine on her, and it would dispel the biting cold that was emanating from her body in the next moment.
Just as she touched the light, a suppressed groan came from behind her.
The warm morning light bathed her, and Chu Yueyuan even felt a warm current flowing from her back. She raised her head and, through the gradually dissipating morning mist, finally saw the majestic city standing there.
Her eyes lit up: "Lord Zhao, hang in there a little longer, we're almost there!"
Noticing the hands around her waist gradually loosening their grip, Chu Yueyuan's heart sank. She immediately turned her head and saw Zhao Qiming's arms hanging limply at his sides, his entire body lifelessly slumped against her back.
A morning breeze swept by, carrying with it a strong, pungent smell of blood.
Chu Yueyuan's pupils contracted sharply. She clearly saw three arrows deeply embedded in the man's back, and blood was seeping out from under his blue robe, spreading into a shocking dark red.
Her voice trembled: "Lord Zhao, we'll be in the city soon. I...I'll go to the clinic to find you a doctor. You must hold on!"
She hurriedly grabbed the man's body as he began to slip, and with her other hand she pulled hard on the reins. However, this action inevitably slowed down the horse's running speed.
Zhao Qiming struggled to raise his head, his voice weak and feeble: "Your Highness...Your Highness, please release me..."
Chu Yueyuan refused without hesitation, shouting, "No! We will definitely get into the city, and I will get a doctor to heal you!"
Zhao Qiming forced a smile: "I am a physician, and I know there is no hope... Please... Your Highness, let go, and do not let me... become a burden to you..."
Tears welled up in Chu Yueyuan's eyes without her realizing it, making her unable to see the road ahead. She could only let the wind wipe away her tears, and she gritted her teeth, saying, "It's clearly me who has been a burden to you, Master. I want you to live..."
"No, Your Highness must go back, back to the capital... Yoon-ah... Your Highness is the only family I have left..."
Yoona? Family?
Chu Yueyuan's expression suddenly froze, and in an instant, she understood everything.
It turns out that Zhao Qiming is the person she has been searching for all these years—Chu Wanxi's lover and Xiao Yun's biological father.
The color drained from Zhao Qiming's face, but as he recalled this past event, a light shone in his dim eyes:
"Actually, when Shihua was still a young lady, I had already fallen in love with her. However, at that time, all the young men who pursued her were nobles and princes. Although I came from a family of scholars, I knew that I was not worthy of her, so I had to bury this infatuation deep inside and instead entered the palace as a physician... Who knew that we would meet again in the palace later, and I finally... finally couldn't hold back and confessed my feelings to her..."
His breath was weak, and he spoke intermittently, "I understand... Shihua initially only wanted to use my medical skills to help her conceive a dragon child as soon as possible... But I... was still willing to be driven by her... Until that autumn hunt, she was in a bad mood and drank a few too many cups of wine, and I also got drunk with her, and the two of us..."
"Later, when the truth came out, Shihua never revealed my identity until her death. She once said that although His Highness and she had never gotten along since childhood, he was an upright person... She believed that if you raised Yun'er, you would treat him as your own son. It was for this reason... that Shihua pleaded with Emperor Shang before her death, earnestly requesting that you be made Empress..."
His weak voice was filled with remorse: "We ruined Your Highness and Lord Shen's marriage. I deserve to die. Please... please, Your Highness, release me..."
In this way, everything makes sense.
The reason Chu Yueyuan entered the palace in the first place. And when Xiao Yun was first poisoned, everyone in the Imperial Hospital was hesitant to speak out out of fear of the Regent, except for Zhao Qiming, who stood up for her. And over the years, whenever she and Xiao Yun were in danger, Zhao Qiming always stood firmly by her side.
The relentless hoofbeats behind them grew closer, but Chu Yueyuan did not loosen her grip on the man's hand. She gritted her teeth, yanked the reins sharply, and spurred the horse to accelerate once more.
"Lord Zhao has committed an unforgivable crime. I will hold you accountable once we return to the capital!"
Zhao Qiming struggled to lift his head, looking at the woman's profile bathed in sunlight. Her features, illuminated by the morning light, seemed to overlap with the woman who haunted his dreams every night. His previously dim eyes suddenly brightened, as if in a final burst of energy before death, and he shouted with all his might:
"Your Highness...you must go back! And...please don't tell Yoon-ah the truth..."
After saying that, he suddenly broke free from Chu Yueyuan's hand, resolutely fell off the horse, and the blazing sunlight shone on his face, revealing a relieved smile.
The muffled boom was drowned out by the fierce sound of horses' hooves.
Chu Yueyuan raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face. She had no time to grieve; only one thought occupied her mind:
She must go to the city!
As the morning mist gradually dissipated, the outline of the city in the distance became clearer under the sunlight, and one could even see soldiers patrolling back and forth on the city walls.
At the same time, the pursuers behind her were getting closer and closer, so close that she could almost smell the strong stench of sweat from the werewolves, and their arrogant laughter seemed to explode right next to her ears.
Suddenly, a werewolf threw out a tripwire, which accurately caught the horse's leg. The horse neighed and crashed forward, and Chu Yueyuan was thrown into the air. Just when she thought she was going to fall to her death, she landed in the man's strong chest.
The scent in that embrace wasn't the familiar, crisp sandalwood fragrance, but rather a rugged aroma mixed with grass and sweat. Without even opening her eyes, she knew who it was.
After a long and bumpy day, my heart, which had been struggling to hold on, finally sank into the abyss.
Exhaustion and despair overwhelmed her, almost causing her to faint. Before losing consciousness, she vaguely heard Erkh talking to his subordinates:
"Reporting to the Great Khan, the imperial physician who fell from his horse... has already died."
Erkh stared at the tears streaming down the woman's face, his voice cold and ruthless: "Burn the body and throw it into the woods."
"Great Khan, this is bad! A cavalry troop is heading this way from the city. Should we hide and ambush them?"
"After all, this is Qi territory. If we make too much noise, it will be difficult to control. Pass down the order to evacuate immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
In about half a cup of tea's time, more than thirty cavalrymen in silver armor galloped over. The leading general reined in his horse and frowned as he looked at the messy, crisscrossing hoofprints on the ground.
A lieutenant stepped forward, cupped his hands, and reported: "Reporting to the general, a male corpse has been found in the bushes ahead. It appears to have been abandoned by the bandits who just escaped."
Huangweicheng is located on the border and has historically been plagued by bandits.
"Bring the body here."
A half-burnt corpse was carried to the front of the general's horse. Although the face was charred and unrecognizable, the clothes on the body were mostly intact.
“This man is wearing the finest brocade, unlike an ordinary bandit.” The general’s eyes were sharp, and he suddenly pointed to the corpse’s waist, saying, “Bring that jade pendant.”
The lieutenant immediately tore off the jade pendant and presented it with both hands.
The general examined the jade pendant against the light and saw the three characters "Imperial Medical Academy" clearly engraved on it. His expression changed drastically, and he immediately shouted, "Send the body back to the city immediately, and quickly send someone to inform General Geng, as well as that person who came from the capital... There must be no mistakes!"
————
Huang Weicheng Garrison,
Pei Muwei lifted the white shroud, his deep, dark eyes immediately filled with a chilling aura, and the bulging veins on the back of his hand trembled slightly.
She was indeed in Jiaozhou, but he was too late again.
Zhao Qiming was probably trying to enter the city to deliver a message, but unfortunately he was killed by Erhe on the way.
Wouldn't her current situation have become even worse?
The thought of the humiliation the woman might suffer in Erhe's hands made his internal organs clench, and his chest heaved violently. He raised his hand and pressed hard on his aching brow, forcing himself to suppress his surging emotions.
He must remain calm.
She is still waiting for him.
Pei Muwei put down the shroud, and within a few breaths, his expression returned to calm. He summoned General Geng and asked, "How far is it from here to the Canglang Kingdom? Are there any other neighboring countries? How many roads lead to the border?"
General Geng presented a map of Jiaozhou with both hands and answered his questions one by one:
"Your Majesty, Huangwei City is about fifty miles from the nearest border of the Canglang Kingdom. There are three open passages between the two places. In addition, there are hidden passages opened up by border traders who smuggle horses and tea all year round. If these kinds of small paths are included, there are probably more than ten..."
Pei Muwei unfolded the map, his gaze sweeping over the densely marked routes on it, his dark eyes deep and unfathomable.
He suddenly raised an eyebrow and pointed his long finger at a city on the west side of the map: "I remember this place belonged to the Mu Kingdom, so why is it now marked as a city of Xixia?"
"Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Miao was destroyed a month ago. Its territory was divided up by Xixia and several smaller kingdoms. These cities were eventually occupied by Xixia. I have not yet had time to send this news to the capital."
At this point, General Geng sounded somewhat envious and said with a regretful tone, "If it weren't for the alliance between the Great Qi and the Western Xia, I would have gone there long ago to get a share of the spoils. Tsk, those Western Xia women are really good at business. They seized this strategically important location and are planning to build a trading post here. In the future, if they want to transport goods through the Western Regions or the Northern Border, they'll probably have no choice but to go through this place..."
Pei Muwei's obsidian eyes suddenly lit up. After a moment of contemplation, he made a decision and ordered, "Send men to block all routes leading to the Canglang Tribe, leaving only this place open."
The Canglang people are skilled horsemen. They work together seamlessly on horseback, often tearing through enemy lines with lightning speed. Once they succeed, they ride away with the captured women and treasures.
The terrain around Huangwei City is flat, with Gobi Desert stretching for dozens of miles, undoubtedly the environment most familiar to the Canglang people.
If Pei Muwei sends cavalry to pursue, their tracks will be exposed before they even get close. Erhe will then abandon the carriage, take Chu Yueyuan, and flee on horseback, disappearing into the vast Gobi Desert.
To rescue the woman from the cunning and wary wolf, a brute-force attack is not an option; only a clever strategy will suffice.
General Geng accepted the order and withdrew, while Xie Yu stepped out from the corner.
Ever since he learned that his sister was Erhe's accomplice, Xie Yu became dejected and unkempt. His eyes were bloodshot, he hadn't changed his clothes, and his belt was loosely tied around his waist without any ornaments.
His voice was hoarse: "Weijin, before you take action, could you allow me to see Nianyi first? Perhaps... I can still persuade her to turn back. You frequented the Princess's residence when you were young, so you should know best that she is kind-hearted and has never had any intention of harming anyone. She must have been deceived by the Great Khan..."
With all the evidence before him, Xie Yu had no choice but to believe that Xie Nianzhi was the mole in the Prince's mansion. However, he couldn't understand why his once innocent, kind, and selfless sister had become like this.
Pei Muwei's expression was solemn, clearly indicating that he had no intention of agreeing.
Xie Yu's eyes reddened with anxiety: "Wei Jin, could it be... that you don't even trust me anymore?"
Pei Muwei put down the map in his hand, looked up at Xie Yu, whose face looked haggard, and said in a deep voice:
“You feel guilty towards Nianyi, but I don’t believe you can make a clear-headed choice when it comes to the crucial moment. This is my last chance, and I can’t afford to make any mistakes. However, out of consideration for General Xie’s past kindness, I assure you that I will not harm her.”
Xie Yu's lips twitched slightly, but seeing the unwavering determination in the man's eyes, he knew that anything he said would be futile. He lowered his head dejectedly and murmured:
"Last time, I did nothing. This time, I just want to do something to let her know that I won't abandon her again..."
————
In order to escape, Chu Yueyuan endured the biting cold wind for most of the night, and unsurprisingly fell ill. She had a high fever, a splitting headache, and vomiting incessantly, and eventually became delirious.
With no doctor in the convoy, Erhe somehow managed to get his hands on some bitter and astringent medicine and tried to feed it to her orally. But before he could get close, the dazed Chu Yueyuan vomited all over him.
Erhe had no choice but to abandon his plan to get close to the beauty and obediently fed her the medicine spoonful by spoonful.
"Your Highness...you must go back!"
"Your Highness...you're all I have left..."
Even though her mind was clouded by the burning heat, Zhao Qiming's dying words were etched deeply into Chu Yueyuan's heart like a hot iron, constantly reminding her:
Live on, only by living on can there be hope of going back.
Perhaps it was this undying hope in her heart that gave rise to a miraculous power, and she recovered day by day.
After recovering from her serious illness, she had lost a lot of weight. Her bright, dark eyes made her fair face appear even more delicate, and her beautiful features were enhanced by a touch of the pitiful charm of a sickly beauty.
Erhe always liked to stretch out his big hand to compare her face, and said in a carefree manner: "When we return to the Canglang tribe, I will order people to slaughter the tenderest lambs for you to eat every day, with oily and fragrant food every meal and fresh soup every day. I don't believe I can't fatten you up!"
Chu Yueyuan was too lazy to be polite now, so she coldly turned her face away upon hearing this.
Erhe was so angry at the woman's cold attitude that his teeth itched, but seeing her frail appearance, he worried that if he really forced himself on her, he would only have one night of pleasure before he ruined her.
He raised his hand and pinched the woman's delicate cheek, scrutinizing the faint red tear stains at the corners of her eyes, his words carrying a threatening tone and a hint of sarcasm:
"I advise Your Highness to give up on this idea as soon as possible. The caravan left Daqi when you fell ill. In a few days, it will enter the territory of Canglang. You are eagerly awaiting his arrival, but he dares not even step out of the capital in order to hold onto power. Hmph, I have been on guard at every turn along the way, but now it seems that I overestimated him!"
Chu Yueyuan's long eyelashes trembled slightly as she met the man's wolf-like green eyes, her tone calm:
"It is time for me to take my medicine. If the Great Khan has nothing else to do, please leave. Otherwise, the medicine will be too bitter to bear, and I may have offended the Great Khan by being impolite."
Erkh curled his lips into a smile: "Your Highness has vomited on me more than once or twice, how could I possibly mind? Here, let me feed you your medicine..."
Seeing that the woman's spirits had improved slightly, Erhe couldn't resist wanting to kiss her.
At that moment, Nagur's voice suddenly came from outside the carriage: "Great Khan, I have something to report!"
Erkh responded impatiently, reluctantly releasing the woman's delicate cheek, his tone softening slightly: "Be a good girl and take your medicine. I'll come and keep you company when I have time."
He bent down and stepped out of the carriage, giving Xia Lian, who was kneeling outside, a cold look.
"Serve me carefully. If you are negligent or make any mistake, you will suffer the same fate as that lowly slave who was skinned alive!"
Xia Lian looked terrified, but tried her best to appear extremely obsequious, and hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly: "This servant will definitely do her best to serve you!"
After taking the herbal medicine, Chu Yueyuan opened the car window to get some fresh air.
She gazed at the vast Gobi Desert, where distant poplar forests rustled in the wind, and the rough sand and gravel reflected a golden light under the sun. This desolate land, so different from Daqi, filled her with a sense of sorrow.
Xia Lian put away the medicine bowl on the mahogany table and noticed the woman staring blankly out the window. She originally wanted to close the car window, but then remembered the Great Khan's instructions and awkwardly withdrew her hand.
Fine, the convoy has already left Daqi anyway, let her watch if she wants, it's best if she watches until she's heartbroken, heartbroken and tearful, and cries until those bewitching eyes go blind!
Xia Lian sneered inwardly, sat down in the corner, and continued to monitor the woman's every move.
The carriage swayed and bumped along the rough road, and Chu Yueyuan stared blankly at the distant poplar forest. The scorching sun blinded her, and her vision gradually blurred. In a daze, she seemed to see a red dot leaping out from the sparse forest, particularly conspicuous on the desolate Gobi Desert.
Chu Yueyuan thought she was seeing things because of the sunlight, so she closed her eyes and looked again.
But that little red dot not only didn't disappear, it became even clearer, as if carrying some kind of determination, and was constantly approaching the convoy.
A moment later, the scene gradually became clear. It turned out to be a woman in red riding a horse at full speed, followed closely by a group of people. The horses' hooves kicked up clouds of yellow dust as they galloped towards the caravan with the force of the wind.
Erkh had already noticed the movement of that group of people. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, and he immediately raised his hand to signal his subordinates to be on guard.
The soldiers of Canglang immediately gripped the curved swords at their waists, their bodies tense, instantly entering a state of combat readiness.
The woman in red seemed oblivious to the hostile attitude. She rushed to the caravan before reining in her horse, raised her hands in a fist salute, and spoke fluent Mandarin:
"I thought it was the remnants of the defeated Miao Kingdom, but I didn't expect it to be the Great Khan of the Canglang Tribe. I heard the Queen mention that the Great Khan was a guest in Daqi. How come he suddenly appeared here?"
"I wonder who it is? It turns out to be Princess Feng of the Western Xia Kingdom."
The wariness in Erhe's eyes eased slightly, and he nodded: "This land has always belonged to the Mu Kingdom, and the Mu Kingdom has been subordinate to my Canglang tribe for generations. My people have always been able to come and go without hindrance. But why are you Xixia people on Mu Kingdom's territory?"
The visitor was none other than Princess Feng Qi of the Western Xia Kingdom.
Feng Qi's eyes curved slightly, her bright smile accentuated by her red riding attire, and she said cheerfully:
"Your Majesty may not know this, but the ruler of the Kingdom of Miao was immoral, which caused widespread resentment and led to its destruction not long ago. Xixia and the Kingdom of Miao have always been neighboring countries. Our Queen could not bear to see the people of Miao displaced, so she took them in. Now this area is entirely under the jurisdiction of Xixia, and all caravans and horses must be inspected before they can pass."
Erhe raised his thick eyebrows slightly. He had wasted too much time in Daqi, thus missing the conflicts among the northern kingdoms.
While he was away, the Xixia Women's Kingdom annexed the Miao Kingdom, an act that undoubtedly infringed upon the interests of the Canglang Tribe. However, now was not the time to fuss over it, so Erhe feigned a calm smile:
"I am fortunate to have married a princess of the Great Qi Kingdom and am about to take a shortcut back to my tribe to marry her. The carriage is full of the princess's dowry. Since this place is now under the jurisdiction of Xixia, I hope Princess Feng will do me the favor and allow my carriage to pass through."
Feng Qi sat astride her horse, holding the reins, tapping her palms absently, and said with a troubled expression:
"It's not that I don't trust the Great Khan, but the 'shortcut' you've taken is a bit too roundabout. What if these carts aren't carrying dowry, but rather muskets and armor... after all, the Great Khan has done this kind of thing quite often before..."
The smile on Erhe's lips faded. If it were according to his usual temperament, even if the one blocking his way was the King of Xixia, he would have killed him if he wanted to.
However, this place is not far from the border of Daqi. If that man gets wind of it, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain?
He patiently said, "If Princess Feng can let us pass, the Japanese Khan will surely reward you handsomely."
Feng Qi looked with great interest at the carriage that Erhe had blocked behind him, and teased with a smile:
"Could it be that the Great Khan has stolen some treasure from the Great Qi, and is hiding it like this, afraid that I will see it?"
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