The men all agreed Siqin's rule was indeed better than that of Anari’s, even if it was disrespectful to the late khan to say so.
In the short time he had taken power, Tatar turned over a new leaf overnight. People no longer feared they would be executed for no reason, for the new khan wasn’t a tyrant who didn't care about their lives. As long as they carried out their duties with due diligence, they would be treated well. Under this new khan, they could be at ease and focus on performing their jobs to the best of their abilities.
With renewed gusto, the men hurried to carry out Siqin's orders.
Chapter 508.2: The Desert
Meanwhile, Qin Yining and her group of a thousand sought refuge in the frigid desert behind the alee side of sand dunes. They sat on the ground in quiet clumps, too tired to speak. Under such circumstances, they had to conserve all the strength they could. Every excessive sentence uttered felt like a waste of food and water.
Qin Yining looked over Lu Heng, who had wrapped his cotton robes around his shivering form and laid beside her, eyes squeezed shut and lips pale. She couldn't help but pinch her brows out of concern.
They’d taken utmost care throughout their journey, yet still progressed slower than before; Lu Heng had caught a terrible cold that they hadn’t been able to attend to in a timely fashion. With their scarce medical supplies, he was greatly hindered by his illness.
As someone accustomed to being waited on hand and foot, Lu Heng had never experienced such great misfortunes, nor did he ever have to suffer hardships. Since fleeing from Khanbaliq, the tightly-bound cord that’d kept him together seemed to have abruptly snapped. He was no longer able to muster the energy he needed. Considering the trials they had faced on the run, it was only expected that he would fall terribly ill.
The group had initially thought Qin Yining would have been the first to be ill, but that guess had proven wrong. Lu Heng—who looked significantly healthier—was the one to be taken out by sickness.
Qin Yining, Harbhara and Caganbhara became responsible for looking after him.
Ever the attentive one, the princess consort gave Lu Heng her horse and pulled it along by the reins. She took very good care of him, leaving only certain tasks to Harbhara and Caganbhara out of propriety.
The brothers had initially thought Qin Yining to be an exquisite but spoiled lady. Her decision to give up her horse already surprised them enough. What was even more astounding was how she was able to persevere through the desert on foot. Though she didn’t have the best stamina, not once did she encumber her companions, nor did she throw any fits. She always exercised great restraint when drinking water, making sure no one was left without their sip because of her.
This beautiful woman was truly someone to admire, and the free-spirited peoples of Tatar especially found themselves enraptured by such a beautiful and strong lady.
Her strength was unexpected and admirable, her intelligence and cool-headedness also inspiring much confidence. Even though the tribe knew she was a married woman, quite a few of the young lads fancied her. They were even willing to give her a share of their own dried rations and water, but she never accepted their offers.
Qin Yining felt their kindness in full, but she was never one to seize that which belonged to others. To survive in the desert, water and food was of utmost importance. If she ate or drank from the others, they would be at greater risk for dying. That wasn’t something she could ever bring herself to do.
Lu Heng's illness worried her greatly. They’d been through much together, after all, and he had saved her life. This friend had done all he could for her, so she wanted to repay him in any way she could. Abandoning him wasn’t open for consideration. However, there was presently very little she could do owing to their circumstances, and they had to hurry through the desert. It was impossible for Lu Heng to recuperate, which only worsened his predicament.
The other problem was that Qin Yining was unable to communicate with the others.
She only knew a few simple phrases such as to eat, rest, bathroom break and so on. Anything more complicated than that was beyond her capabilities. As long as Lu Heng remained unconscious, conversing with the others was her greatest problem.
Because he’d been slipping in and out of consciousness, he often missed important matters that Qin Yining had to take over for, but most of the group didn’t understand her instructions.
Luckily, Qin Yining was able to communicate with the amputee Uncle Alham as long as she spoke in simple statements, who then translated to his fellow tribesmen. Using easy words, he could come back with the group’s response, which made it much easier for her to receive updates and issue orders.
"He still has a fever," Alham fretted. "What should we do if he doesn't get better? None of us are doctors, and he doesn't look very strong."
Equally worried, Qin Yining wrapped Lu Heng's cotton robes around him even more tightly. It would’ve been best if they could place a cold wet handkerchief on his forehead or wipe down his body with alcohol, but their situation meant they had to ration every drop of water so they didn't die of dehydration. Likewise, giving Lu Heng a wet handkerchief was out of the question.
They were all at death's door—there was nothing Qin Yining could do but lay her own hand, frozen stiff from the cold, across his forehead. He looked slightly more comfortable at that. "Cold," he muttered with pale chapped lips as he rubbed against her palm.
Qin Yining's brows furrowed out of helplessness. If she let Lu Heng lose his life, she would be letting him down.
If Mu Jinghu and Lu Heng hadn't sensed that something was wrong that day and broken her out—with Lu Heng throwing away everything he had negotiated with Siqin to help her—she probably would’ve been humiliated and then killed.
She would absolutely thank Mu Jinghu for his kindness, but she had yet to repay her debts to Lu Heng—how could she let him die in the desert before that?
Chapter 509.1: Deeply in Love
Qin Yining cooled Lu Heng's forehead with her hand. Doing so sounded rather silly, but they were fortunate that the nights of the desert were bone-chillingly cold and that it happened to be a cooler time of the year. Otherwise, Qin Yining's body temperature wouldn't have been as low as it was.
However, it was still extremely improper for the women of Great Zhou and Great Yan to touch the foreheads of men whom they weren’t married to.
It was already the dead of the night; many of the tribesmen were huddled against each other for warmth and had fallen asleep against one another, exhausted as they were. With her hand pressed against Lu Heng's forehead, Qin Yining curled up against his side. Before she knew it, she fell into a very light slumber.
Gales of wind swept across the desert at irregular intervals, the cold cutting against their skin like knives. Qin Yining knew not how the others were faring, but she, for one, slept fitfully.
In her dreams, she saw flashes of a vast, grassy plain. There, Pang Xiao dashed across the terrain on his warhorse with its glossy, jet black mane, his scarlet cape billowing in the wind behind him. Backlit by the brilliant sun, he steered his steed toward her, laughing heartily as he called out to her. "My darling!"
Qin Yining couldn't help smiling. She gently called, "Highness."
Then the scene shifted; she found herself in an ancient temple atop a mountain surrounded by trees. A scene of chaotic carnage greeted her eyes.
Blood sprayed as battle cries shook the heavens. An archer had scaled the rooftop of a building across from her and was aiming an arrow at her! However, she couldn't run, for behind her was her mother and maternal grandmother.
In that moment, Pang Xiao appeared before her like a god descended from the heavens and swept her into an embrace to block the arrow with his body. Hot blood splattered all over her face as she screamed with horror, yet the prince merely snapped off the shaft of the arrow with his bare hand and dashed at their enemies. She could see the remaining half of the arrow stuck in his shoulder shift with his movements as blood
poured from the wound.
Frantic, Qin Yining cried, "Highness!"
"Your Highness, wake up, wake up." Feeling as if someone was gently nudging her, Qin Yining's eyes flew open.
She was greeted by the sight of Lu Heng, lying down on his side with his face toward her. The two of them lay on the desert ground with their ratty baggage cushioning their heads, the starry sky above them twinkling reminders of where they were.
Her waking thoughts seemed to have followed her into her dreams—she missed Pang Xiao, which was why she dreamed about their past memories.
They’d been parted for too long; what's more, her perilous predicament had instilled in her a fear that she wouldn’t live to see her beloved again. This fear had crept up on her in the quiet of the night when she was at her weakest.
Qin Yining wasn’t made of stone—she would also experience fear and other emotions. It was just that her childhood had taught her how to be resilient. Most of the time, she was able to keep a cool head and remain aware of what she could and had to do.
The way things were presently, she didn't want to show weakness in front of others so as not to garner their pity. She tucked away her sorrows and smiled politely at Lu Heng. Sitting up, she tested the temperature of his forehead.
"Your temperature has gone down a notch, Second Master Lu. How are you feeling?"
Lu Heng stared at Qin Yining. Her expertly-concealed weakness hadn't escaped his notice, but since she didn't wish to discuss her feelings, he didn't ask. Chuckling briefly, he replied, "Well enough. And how are you feeling? I noticed you’ve been sleeping fretfully."
In truth, he was aware the princess consort had just had a nightmare from the way she murmured "Highness" in her sleep. He had no one to speak to about his desolation, and his wishes were to remain unanswered. The pain of not even being allowed his wishful thinking was about to drown him completely.
Having been in her company for so long, his infatuation with her grew greater the more time he spent with her and the more he witnessed her displays of bravery and maturity. Most of all, her wit had him bowled over in admiration. It wasn't just him that felt this way—her indomitable tenacity had inspired the entirety of the Minuo to grit their teeth and persevere as they pressed onward in the search of hope.
When they first met, Lu Heng had taken a liking to her because of her beauty. But after spending so much time together, he found himself attracted to her character. They hardly had enough water for drinking in this desert, much less for washing up, yet, this calico kitten's eyes continued to gleam with hope and reflect the stars above amid the endless yellow sand!
Such a sight left him believing there was hope for the future.
Lu Heng knew he ought to admit he had no chance and cut his losses. In truth, he hadn’t been unconscious moments earlier; he’d just been in too much pain and was too exhausted to utter a single word. Thus, he’d closed his eyes to rest and attempt at sleep, since falling asleep would’ve alleviated his discomfort.
Then, she’d placed her hand over his forehead.
How wonderful her cool touch had felt upon his head!
This was perhaps the closest they’d ever been in proximity with one another. Even if he knew she’d done so to save his life, his heart sang and leapt with joy all the same. If such a woman was willing to be with him, he was truly willing to offer up all he had to her—even his own life—if she would just return his feelings.
Sometimes, Lu Heng wished he were a lesser man who was vile enough to take her by force.
However, his reason told him this was the closest he would get to her in this lifetime; he could only be her friend, for she was a woman with principles and upstanding morals. Once married, she wouldn't fall for any other men, nor would she give other men any reason to get close to her.
Her decision filled him with both admiration and resignation. Only when she fell asleep did he dare to stare so brazenly at her.
Chapter 509.2: Deeply in Love
Many thoughts crossed Lu Heng's mind, yet they lasted for only the span of a breath. Qin Yining thought back to her dream and knew that she was recalling when Pang Xiao had disguised himself as Master Yao and rescued her at the Celestial Nunnery. Her longing for him draped over her like silk threads and wrapped her up in an inescapable bundle.
"It’s nothing, really. I merely had a nightmare." Qin Yining flashed a wry smile. "Thankfully they were dreams and nothing more. Fortunately, reality is nowhere as scary."
Lu Heng chuckled and dropped the subject, even if he envied Pang Xiao for having her heart.
"Are you feeling better? Have some water." The princess consort retrieved the water pouch and supported Lu Heng's head with one hand as she helped him drink.
Lu Heng only had a sip before he turned his head away. "I’m not thirsty and feel much better already. You should drink some."
"You’re ill, so you need to drink more water. Just a few more sips." Qin Yining fed him water again.
However, Lu Heng twisted his face away and refused. "I’m really not thirsty. You drink some."
"I’ve already drank enough today." Qin Yining pursed her lips as she dimpled; if she smiled too wide, her chapped lips would crack.
Lu Heng took in the sight of her hair filled with sand, wan complexion, and cracked lips. Heart aching, he urged, "Your lips have ripped apart. Isn’t there a saying that women are flowers who need to be nourished by water? I’m really not thirsty, so you have some."
Qin Yining helped Lu Heng sit upright and forced him to take a couple more sips before carefully resealing the water pouch. She hung it on his belt with great care in merry spirits.
"You must’ve also heard people say that women are made of water. Since I am already water, I naturally don’t need to drink that much."
Her lips were so dry that she daren't smile too wide, yet Lu Heng found her appearance most beautiful in this moment.
Now that he had wet his burning throat, he felt slightly better. "Get some more sleep," he suggested. "We still have a ways to go. You waste a lot of stamina walking on foot since you gave me your horse. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body won’t be able to take the stress. I know you aren’t much stronger than I am."
Qin Yining laughed at his words, then laid down on the sand. "You should sleep as well," she replied. "Rest well so you may recover. There are so many of us and we’re all looking after one another. Our situation is already a massive improvement from when we first arrived here. Rest assured, I will not leave you behind. We will be alright."
With the words "I will not leave you behind", she struck him in the softest part of his heart.
Under such trying circumstances, not even blood siblings could reliably depend on one another. And yet, Qin Yining made Lu Heng such a promise.
A bittersweet sensation flooded his heart as it filled with happiness and heartache. He grunted in response, then forced himself to close his eyes and sleep. If he prolonged the conversation, he feared he would let his hidden feelings rear from the depths of his heart, thus alarming her into distancing herself from him.
He fantasized he was lying in his ornate bed at home, and with Qin Yining so close to him, of course she was in bed with him. Bathed in the gentle amber candlelight, her brows and eyes curved as she smiled at him, her long hair spilling over her pillow.
As he imagined this, the corners of his lips couldn't help lifting upward. Even if it was but a daydream, there was happiness in keeping someone in your heart like this as well.
Not long after, Lu Heng felt a small, cold hand rest on his forehead to cool him down. His frustration and resignation dissolved in an instant.
To have had the fortune of meeting and befriending her in this lifetime, to have had her company day in and day out as they weathered good times and hardships together, to even have had her cold hand to help him lower his fever, propriety be damned—he was satisfied with all he had.
……
When the sun peeked over the horizon, the group se
t off once again.
Though their journey through the desert was grueling, they had tribesmen who excelled at finding water in the desert. They even stumbled across an oasis at times, allowing them to drink to their hearts' content, refill their water pouches, and the luxury of a quick bath.
They kept track of the days and often had to hide from the pursuing soldiers. More than half a month into their journey, they noticed the hints of the end of the endless expanse of yellow sand.
Withered, yellow grass and fallen snow. They’d finally made it out of the desert!
"We did it! We did it!" The tribe embraced one another and cheered. Some were so moved that they wept, tears leaving two tracks on their dirty faces.
Qin Yining smiled as well, then looked at the emaciated Lu Heng, sprawled unconscious atop his horse. Though she worried still, she could finally breathe a little more easily. So long as they were out of the desert, there was hope for Lu Heng’s survival.
"Uncle Alham, take note of our surroundings and tell the tribe not to be so happy that they ignore what’s happening around us. We haven’t encountered many soldiers on our way here, so I think it’s very likely the khan has his men on the outskirts of the desert, waiting for us to run across them."
Chapter 510.1: Hope
At long last, the joyful crowd saw a glimmer of hope. Harbhara and Caganbhara somehow still retained enough strength to cheer and race around like unbridled and saddle-free wild horses. Even the usually calm and collected Uncle Alham joined a group hug and heartily clapped his fellow tribesmen on the back with his remaining left hand.
After hearing Qin Yining speak, Alham stopped to respond sincerely, "Yes, that makes sense. I will tell everyone to be careful. We should first send someone to scout the road ahead. You're still thinking calmly, but we've gotten too happy to consider these things."
Qin Yining dimpled. "That’s only normal. I’m actually rejoicing as much as everyone else. However, it’s during these times that we can’t relax our guard. We can’t let all of our efforts till now go to waste."
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