The commotion outside the city gradually subsided, the firelight and smoke were visible, and corpses lay scattered on the ground. The remaining small group of Xiongnu, seeing no chance of victory, abandoned their armor and fled.
Huo Xiaolong led his private soldiers and the girls from the brothel into the city. It wasn't much different from last time. Where there is war, there is death. Every household near the city gate set up a large pot. Those who could boil water boiled water, and those with extra space put the wounded soldiers in.
It was getting late, and the doctors were all busy stitching up wounds with oil lamps. Hou Xiangxiang was too busy to greet Huo Xiaolong. When she heard the sound of hooves from the horses as Huo Xiaolong and his men returned, the girl's breathing became much calmer.
The Fengyue Tower was bustling with activity. He Yi was preparing dinner at home today. Fortunately, the battle hadn't lasted too long, and some of the Miao people sat on the ground right outside the door.
The private soldier, feeling it would be too much trouble, asked Huo Xiaolong for permission to go home for dinner. The girl nodded.
"Get some rest, you might have to go out again later."
"Yes, Miss Huo."
Huo Xiaolong, still in his armor, sat on a stool in light armor, absentmindedly picking at his noodles.
"What's wrong? Is Mom's cooking not good?" He Yi asked.
The girl shook her head and replied
“Da Ni’er hasn’t come back yet. Logically speaking, she should have been back by now, after a whole day at our post.”
Bright smoke rose from the ground in the distance, the messenger reported.
"Miss Huo, there are yellow and white fireworks in the direction of the base, just one bright spot, no smoke or fireworks."
Upon hearing this, the girl hurriedly spat out the remaining noodles in her bowl. Granny Wang was still waiting at the city gate for her daughter to return.
"Pass on my order: light the assembly fireworks after half an incense stick has burned," Huo Xiaolong said, standing up to Li Xiaocao and Li Jian.
"yes."
The older sister of the brothel had just taken off her armor and started eating when she saw her younger sister trying to leave with some people again. Chunying, her face still stained with blood and her shoes untouched, pushed open the door and stood on the stairs, asking...
"Long'er, where are you going again?"
The battle had just ended, and the child had only had a hot meal. Now he had to go out again, and his sisters were a little worried and heartbroken. The child was carefree and didn't care what others said, but his carefree heart also carried a lot of burdens.
It contains not only their small family, but also the world.
"Sister, I'm going to pick up Dani'er and take her home. Aunt Wang is still waiting at the city gate. I have to bring her daughter back."
"Whether they live or die, they must be brought back."
Upon hearing Chunying's shout, almost all the girls at the brothel put down their bowls and chopsticks and looked at her through the window. Then Chunying sighed and nodded.
"I'll go with you."
One person moved, and the others put on their armor as well. Huo Xiaolong wanted to call the sisters who came out, but he couldn't bring himself to refuse.
“Let’s go. Da Ni’er is someone we’ve watched grow up, just like you.”
How could he not be a likable child? He's just a little quiet sometimes. Take the example of the governor sent from the capital who always comes along. Sometimes the governor's family members also accompany him. Everyone in the border town knows what the women in the brothels are like, but people in the capital don't.
There are always some illegitimate and legitimate daughters who throw themselves at the men of the Huo family. Sometimes Lu Wangji is also secretly flirted with, but these men just don't notice.
Everyone thought he was crazy, but his light-footed skills were amazing at that moment, leaping three miles in one bound.
On one occasion, Da Ni'er happened to run into them. It just so happened that the girl was flirting with Huo Xiaocheng. Actually, it's understandable. Huo Xiaocheng is handsome and promising at a young age, so it's normal for him to send her flirtatious glances.
As a result, the little girl went up and said...
"He's married now, do you want to be his concubine?"
"Being a concubine is not an option; the men of the Huo family do not take concubines."
“You’re not fit to be a wife either. The men in his family don’t like women who are too thin. Look at you, you’re practically skinny.”
The young lady from the capital had never heard such explicit words before, and she was brought to tears. When this reached Chunying, the courtesan laughed for a long time.
Right now, the girls at the brothel want to take their sister home, whether she's alive or dead.
Hou Xiangxiang had just finished a suture and was outside getting some fresh air before heading back inside to continue when she saw Huo Xiaolong followed by the women from the brothel and his private soldiers rushing toward the city gate on horseback.
"Long'er, where are you going again?"
"Go pick up Da Ni'er."
The two childhood friends didn't say much. Hou Xiangxiang grabbed a horse from the street and followed, riding alongside Huo Xiaolong.
"I'll go too."
As the group rushed out of the city gate, Huo Xiaolong glanced back at the city wall. Aunt Wang was still waiting, the woman staring straight in the direction of the grassland.
The red-armored girl's eyes were red-rimmed, and a tear slid down her cheek in the darkness. Then she shouted towards the city wall.
"Auntie, you go back first, I'll go pick up Dani'er and take her home."
Aunt Wang shook her head, wanting to run down to the city wall and talk to Huo Xiaolong.
My child's life is precious, but yours isn't? Many of you are the same age as Huo Xiaolong, and some are even a year or two younger.
“Auntie, don’t try to persuade me. Go back and have a hot meal. No matter if she lives or dies, I will bring Da Ni’er back. I want to see her alive or dead. Even if I have to bury her, she must be buried in our family’s ancestral grave.”
The grasslands were not good enough for her, and she didn't want to stay in that cold and heartless place.
Having said that, the girl in red armor spurred her horse and followed the main group, leaving the woman with only a red cloak.
"Honey, let's go back first. Let's go back and wait," Uncle Wang said softly, following behind his wife.
"I brought some sesame cakes for Da Ni'er. Long'er will definitely be able to deliver them, don't worry."
The woman nodded upon hearing this, her voice choked with emotion.
"I have to go back and cook for my daughter and the kids."
"Okay, that's right. Come on, let's go."
The man led the distraught woman down the city wall. Moonlight shone on them. No matter how bumpy the road ahead, from the moment I married you, it was destined that we would weather the storms together and share the hardships.
Back to the story of Da Nier leaving the city, there were many more people escorting her than expected. They were called guards, but in reality, they were just there to watch over her.
As they approached the garrison, Dani gave Ping'er a wink, signaling Xiao Lanyi to immediately send people over.
“What does the princess mean by this? Although the grasslands cannot make such a thing, please don’t treat us like fools.”
"It doesn't mean anything, I just don't want to go back to the grasslands with you."
As the banner bearing the character "Xiao" drew closer, Da Ni'er drew her scimitar and charged straight at the crowd. However, this group of Xiongnu had no desire to engage in a prolonged battle. Even when the garrison went to escort the grain in the wagon, they remained unmoved, only wanting to entangle with Da Ni'er. The group surrounded the young girl.
A rope was put around her, she was pulled onto the horse, and then they sped off towards the grassland.
"Da Ni'er!"
Ping'er and the others gave chase, sustaining numerous injuries. The Huo family father and son also led men to intercept them, but the grassland horses were far superior to theirs, and very few were able to catch up.
Seeing her sister, who was following behind the Xiongnu, fall from her horse, leaving several people gradually soaked in blood, Da Nier shouted from horseback.
"Sister Ping'er, Uncle Huo, don't chase after them. I'll be fine. You two go back first."
If it weren't for those words, the Huo family father and son, along with Ping'er and the others, would probably have chased them deep into the grasslands. We couldn't let them go any further.
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