They were last allowed water at the crack of dawn, each person only given one sip to wet their throats. Qin Yining had held that sip in her mouth for as long as she could before swallowing to make it last as long as possible. Yet try as they did to conserve water, there wasn’t enough.
“Halt.” Siqin stopped the group.
Qin Yining panted harshly as she leaned on her stick for support and waited to see what Siqin was up to. He walked straight to Madame Liao and her two subordinates, addressing them fluently in the language of Great Zhou. “We do not have enough water. You will tell me where the treasure is, or I shall leave you here.”
Madame Liao remained silent. The two Azure Justice members were on the verge of tears, their willpower long since crushed. They had already been given the least amount of water to begin with—now they were to be abandoned here?
“Tell him, just tell him already!”
“Yeah! Why are you still holding back at a time like this?! If you don’t talk, we’re goners!”
“What’s more important, our lives or the treasure?! You’ve already sent so many of our brothers to their deaths! Are you sending us to ours now?!”
The two were so parched that their hoarse voices grated on the ears of everyone present, yet they exerted the last of their strength to plead with Madame Liao.
Haggard as Madame Liao was, her cheeks sunken in, she continued to smile with utmost confidence. “I'll be frank with you—I’m the only one who knows where the treasure is. If you let me die, you’ll never find it for as long as you live.”
Siqin adjusted his scarf and responded without so much raising a brow. “So? In other words, you will not speak?”
“I will not, unless you agree to my terms.”
Hearing this, Siqin cocked a brow and smirked. His handsome face dimpled slightly, giving him the appearance of a friendly and agreeable man.
“Truth be told, we don’t covet the treasure. I will let you live if you speak. If you don’t, then we can do without the treasure.” He summoned two stout men with a wave of his hand, who dragged the boneless Azure Justice members a hundred steps backward before throwing them onto the sand.
The two took in a mouthful of yellow sand each, yet they didn’t dare stay there. With great difficulty, they crawled to their feet and stumbled back to the group even as they spat out the sand.
Seeing the two return, Madame Liao’s smile grew even more self-assured. “The emperor of Great Zhou, the past emperor of Great Yan—all of you need and want to take the treasure for your own. You say you don’t covet it, but I don’t believe you. How do you deign to prove you don’t care for it?”
Siqin found himself tickled to laughter by Madame Liao’s words. “You’re an interesting woman. Even without the treasure, my army remains under my command. It makes no difference to me. If you wish to remain silent, so be it. We shall continue onward, but you will not be given any more water or food. You are on your own from now on.”
Finished, he nodded smilingly at Madame Liao before turning to lead the group onwards.
Does he really mean to pass over the treasure? Qin Yining very much doubted this.
The treasure had been hidden by Madame Liao. Apart from those tasked with transporting it—who had undoubtedly been permanently silenced—it was very possible that she was the only one who knew where the treasure was. Was it a bluff to threaten to leave Madame Liao behind?
Madame Liao had thought she could negotiate terms for herself with the treasure, yet he was outright stating that he did not want it!
In all the time Qin Yining had spent observing him, Siqin was a truly bizarre person. He had the appearance of a scholar, yet his fighting skills were superb. He wasn’t weak in the slightest.
According to the soothsayer’s prophecy, the Greedy Wolf of the three violent stars was among the Tatars. Considering Siqin’s military achievements and the rumors surrounding him, he was very likely the general Li Zeyu had battled for so many years.
When the young Tatar regent prince that Anari placed on the throne died of illness, the princess followed the wishes of the people and stepped in as the female Khan, Siqin becoming her consort.
Even so, Siqin continued overseeing all matters concerning the Tatar military. He only had to keep Anari happy to retain the freedom of doing whatever he pleased. This treasure hunt and his kidnapping of all these people was one example of that.
This was precisely why Siqin giving up on the treasure seemed so odd. Didn’t he need to procure more army provisions to keep his soldiers fed?
However, Qin Yining had no desire to speak up as she wanted to conserve her strength.
In the meantime, Siqin kept true to his word. Madame Liao and the two Azure Justice members trailed behind the company, stumbling with every step they took, as if they would collapse any second.
He didn’t give them a single drop of water, nor did he give them even a morsel of food. Finally, the three fell behind and could not keep up any longer.
Qin Yining wanted to save them. However, she had neither water nor food. The manner in which Siqin rationed the remaining water had her seeing him in a whole new light.
He would first have his twenty deathsworn drink. Exercising considerable restraint, he would then take a single sip from what was left. Only then was rest proportioned to the hostages. Lu Heng was given the most, as Siqin valued him the most. Qin Yining was second after him.
Now that Madame Liao and her two subordinates had been left behind, she would likely be next if they didn’t exit the desert soon. Qin Yining knew this with extreme clarity, prompting her to calm down even further to consider her next move as she walked.
She was so silent, obedient, and resilient that Siqin felt himself drawn to walk beside her time and time again.
“You were severely injured before you came with us into the desert. How have you endured until now?” He inquired with a smile.
Chapter 470: The Khan
Qin Yining had absolutely no energy for idle conversation. She’d already bled quite a bit from her injuries, further draining her wane strength, and now she’d been kidnapped. She hadn’t had a moment of respite to recover.
Presently, she was incredibly frail. If she hadn’t persevered by nagging herself not to relax and forcing herself onwards, she might’ve already been labelled a burden better off left behind.
“Nothing, really. I only wish to live.” She couldn’t even begin to describe how dry her throat was. Having no desire to mince words, she gave a curt response without even sparing Siqin a glance.
His interest in her was piqued even further by the cold answer. “Most women would be trying their best to ingratiate themselves with me so they can receive better treatment. You’re different.”
Qin Yining stared fixedly at him. “You’d be wise to talk less and conserve your strength.”
Siqin wasn't angered in the slightest by the disrespect and laughed as he continued to walk alongside her. There was genuine amusement in the mirth that escaped his scratchy throat, turning the heads of the deathsworn in front of them before they looked back to resume whispering among themselves.
Despite their arduous journey through the desert thus far, Qin Yining’s beauty remained untarnished in their eyes. It was a different beauty from the tall and strong physiques of Tatar women—she was an exquisite piece of jade fished out from the waters of the Jiangnan River. To them, she was so exotic.
Were she not the princess consort of Pang Zhixi, they would’ve wanted to have their way with her. However, Siqin had forbidden them from touching her. After seeing him laugh, they understood why—it seemed the great khan consort had fallen for this beautiful woman!
Though Anari Khan was also a sight to behold, they had long grown tired of her looks because of her savage ways and tyranny. This fragile beauty, however, was the very antithesis of her. As the men walked, they promised to themselves to help Siqin cover up his tracks, should he try anything with this one.
Yet just as thes
e thoughts solidified in their minds, a cloud of dust before them drew near. A horse caravan was approaching them from far away!
“Sire, look!” The men shielded their eyes to squint off into the distance. “It’s our people!” they shouted, ecstatic. “It’s the khan! The khan has arrived!”
“It really is the khan!”
“Sire, we’re saved!”
......
The men shed their low spirits from earlier and began yelling excitedly. Siqin also wore an expression of joy as he hurried forward to greet Anari.
Qin Yining leaned on her stick and stood in place, meeting the eyes of the equally haggard Lu Heng. There’d been almost a dozen of them when they had been abducted—now only the two of them were left.
Joy of reaching the calm after the storm and uncertainty of what the future had in store for them shone in their eyes. Neither of them could guess how Anari would treat them.
Siqin had already strided to the front of the group. “Anari, you’ve come.”
A well-built woman clad in bright-red riding attire and a cloak lined with a white arctic fox pelt collar steered her horse in their direction. Her features were nothing extraordinary, just passably easy on the eyes. However, there was a commanding air of strength about her that permeated her every movement.
A smile spread across her face when she saw Siqin. She pulled her horse to a stop and jumped off, quickly making her way to him like a young maiden seeking affection. “It was no easy feat tracking you down. You went away for so long without so much sending word—I’ve been worried sick.”
Siqin held Anari’s hands, a gentle smile upon his handsome face. “How did you think to search the desert?”
“I traveled down the road with some of my men to receive you, but you never came. I heard a caravan had switched course for the desert after being raided by bandits, so I was worried you had run into trouble. I wanted to head into the desert to look for you, but my subordinates proposed that I may as well follow the road back to the capital and meet you in the desert from there. Otherwise, we would’ve also gotten caught in the sandstorm ourselves.”
Siqin laughed and stroked Anari's cheeks. “You are so good to me.”
Her face burned with bashfulness. “I must do everything I can to ensure your safety. Did you have fun in Great Zhou?”
“Somewhat. I was unable to obtain the treasure, but I’ve got some people with me. We didn’t have enough water, so I left some of them behind. These two are what’s left of them.” Siqin pointed behind him.
Anari followed the direction of his finger and met the gaze of Lu Heng and Qin Yining. Even a fairy descended from the heavens would be hard-pressed to maintain a beautiful appearance after braving the stormy winds and scorching sun of the desert. What’s more, Qin Yining and Lu Heng were clothed in coarse cloth, the filthy scarves wrapped around their heads covered in sand and their hair in matted disarray.
The Tatar khan spared them a cursory glance. “Who are these people?”
“This one’s the second son of the prestigious Lu family of Great Zhou. That one’s the Faithful Princess Consort of the First Rank. I also originally brought what was left of the Azure Justice, but they refused to tell me where the treasure was. Allowing them to remain with us would have only wasted our water and food, so I threw them all away.”
“Mn, well done.” Anari ordered her subordinates to distribute water flasks and dried food among the group. She and her consort sat off to the side, speaking to each other in low voices and laughing.
Qin Yining and Lu Heng were each given a half-empty water flask and a dry flat cake.
Fearing yet another setback on the road, the princess consort didn't dare eat all of it at once; she took a few bites of the tasteless cake and swallowed it down with cool water.
Lu Heng’s brows furrowed as he ate. “This must be hard on you,” he murmured, “especially considering your weakened state.”
Qin Yining smiled wryly. “I’m fortunate enough to have survived at all,” she replied quietly. “If the khan had arrived any later, I would’ve been the next to be left behind.”
Lu Heng flashed a sardonic grin of his own. Neither of them had anticipated ending up in these straits after coming in search for the treasure. They still didn't know how Anari would treat them once they arrived at the Tatar capital.
The Tatar rulers watched Qin Yining and Lu Heng as the two conversed.
Siqin murmured, “The second young master of the Lu family and the daughter of Minister Qin are truly something. Let’s take them back with us and house them for some time. Even if we can’t get any information about the treasure out of them, we can still get a large ransom from the Zhou emperor. I think they’ll be worth infinitely more than whatever the treasure is.”
Anari smiled. “Very well. It shall be as you say then.”
“You always indulge me so much that I feel guilty about it.” The khan consort replied, his cheeks red.
Anari gazed at Siqin’s handsome face, her own face flushing. “We are husband and wife. Should it not go without saying that I support you? What is this indulgence you speak of?” She gave Qin Yining a sidelong glance and continued half-jokingly, “As long as you don’t fall for that vixen, anything is fine.”
Chapter 471: Intentions
Siqin’s face tightened and he responded gravely, “How could I ever do that? The heavens and earth are witness that my feelings are true. A marvelous woman as the khan is so much more charming and captivating than a pretty vase! My love and respect for the khan has never wavered or changed in all these years!”
The consort’s ardent gaze burned a flushed red onto Anari’s cheeks. She looked back at him with bashful delight, murmuring, “Of course I trust my consort’s character.”
Siqin grasped Anari’s hands with great emotion, bending over and slowly closing the distance between the two. The khan looked down with embarrassment, her eyes fluttering shut in anticipation of a kiss.
The men around them busied themselves with eating, drinking, and hiding their smiles. The khan consort is really something! He’s so good looking and talented, only a man like him can thoroughly conquer a woman as fierce and unreasonable as the khan!
Perhaps out of consideration that there were too many people around them, Siqin opted to rub his forehead against Anari’s instead of a kiss. However, such an intimate gesture was even more heart-pounding than a kiss.
Thoughts of everything else flew out of Anari’s mind at such tender treatment. She was melting into a puddle of water from Siqin’s gentle ministrations. What suspicions from earlier? All of that was cast beyond the horizon.
However, when a sidelong glance caught sight of Qin Yining’s beauty despite the griminess of her face, Anari still felt a knot of ill will stuck in her chest. That vixen is annoying just to look at!
The group rested for a while longer before setting back out. With sufficient water, rations, and a proper direction, their morale was a marked difference from the dejection of earlier. Spirits lifted and minds grew easy as they would be able to leave the desert soon.
However, Qin Yining and Lu Heng weren’t assigned horses, being the captives that they were. They continued to follow behind the group on foot.
The princess consort tried her best to even out her breathing. At least I have food and water now, and I don’t need to worry about them throwing me away in the desert. If Pang Xiao had been here, she would’ve fainted away with peace of mind. But there was no one around other than herself to rely on.
Finally, the group saw greenery at the edges of the desert after another continuous day of walking. Though it was dusk, it was no mirage. They’d finally exited the desert and set foot on Tatar territory!
They stopped at a nearby village for some rest. When the tribesmen heard that it was their khan and khan consort, the village leader immediately offered up his biggest, cleanest tent and sent in the tastiest bits of roasted meat and kumis.
At long last, Qin Yining and Lu Heng could
wash away the dust of the road and change into clean Tatar clothing. The village leader offered them his most exquisite selection, sending to Qin Yining a long robe with slits on both sides, an inner layer of sleeves tapering off narrowly sewn to the inside. An outer robe of downy-yellow reached down to the elbows, and the topmost layer of an embroidered, round collar, red vest completed the look. A row of pure silver buttons sparkled in the red fabric.
Qin Yining’s hair was deftly swept up by a maid who merrily chattered at her in the Tatar language. Capping her hair was a hat with tassels of red agate pearls and silver beads trailing down on both sides, and another string of agate pearls dangling across the forehead on the front. The lowest point of the single string of beads hit right between her eyebrows, offsetting her palm-sized face to where it seemed as soft and tender as fresh-made tofu.
Since she couldn’t understand what the maid was saying, Qin Yining responded with a polite smile. The maid garbled another sentence before fetching a pair of soft, red boots detailed with leather tooling.
The Great Zhou princess consort thanked her and slipped the boots on, much to the excitement of the beaming maid. The maid looked at her for a long time, and said something else unintelligible before running out with her face in her hands.
Brows knit together slightly, Qin Yining wearily laid on her side on the wood platform next to the window. She didn’t dare really fall asleep, given her high level of alertness, but the fatigue of a journey through the desert really wasn’t something that any ordinary person could endure. Not to mention, she’d just healed from her injuries and hadn’t had anything to eat.
Sleep slowly, gradually overcome her. Siqin walked into the tent not long thereafter; the sight of a beauty on her side in front of the window the first thing to greet his eyes. Agate pearls and tassels draped across her forehead while one pale, tender arm pillowed her cheeks. The other delicate arm lay across her waist, while the form-fitting robe and sleeveless vest fully accentuated the dips and peaks of her curves because of her sleeping position.
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