"Is all well with him now? Did His Majesty not take out his anger on him? What of my father and mother?"
Cao Yuqing patted her shoulder in a soothing manner. "Rest assured—everyone is well. His Majesty still has use for someone as educated and competent as His Highness, so why would the emperor touch him?
“Your disappearance, however, has made him so thin that it's as if someone had stripped him of a layer of his skin. There’s no need to worry about your father either. Though he worries about you, he’s a man full of wisdom who knows what course of action he should be taking at any given time. He’s fully capable of looking out for himself."
Qin Yining laughed heartily at that, but smiling only squeezed more tears out of her. She dabbed at her eyes with her sleeve. "I know. All is well so long as everything is well at home."
"I saw you being taken away right before my eyes that day, but was powerless to do anything. I then infiltrated the Tatar capital to continue searching for you, but to no avail.
“Later, I heard that Anari Khan had been assassinated, and it wasn't long before I saw Utkin Khan's call for arms. Only then did I learn that you’d killed Anari Khan. I exchanged mail with your father, who told me it was imperative for me to find you. He also had me bring you a message."
"What message?" Qin Yining looked at Cao Yuqing intently.
The guard captain looked from side to side and noticed the rest of the tribesmen listening in on their conversation with perked ears; they were seated at a campfire not too far away. She looked back at Qin Yining with a questioning look.
Qin Yining laughed in understanding. "Not to worry. I have been in everyone's care and protection for the past days. They are all trustworthy comrades."
After Uncle Alham translated Qin Yining's words to Caganbhara and the others, they all flashed friendly smiles. Some of the younger fellows and middle-aged individuals even appeared completely flustered as they stole glances at Cao Yuqing and Qin Yining.
Never had they seen such beautiful women in their lives; what's more, two of them were present at the same time!
Cao Yuqing understood the situation from Qin Yining's reaction. She lowered her voice and continued, "Your father wishes for you not to return to Great Zhou yet. It will be safer for you outside because Utkin Khan wishes to declare war. You also know of Great Zhou's current plight. His Majesty does not wish to go to war, so he is searching for the easier way to quell Utkin Khan's anger.
“If you return, you will certainly be handed over to Utkin Khan as the culprit. Going back will be the same as endangering yourself, like a lamb entering a tiger's den. Thus, your father wishes for you to stay away for some time. We can consider how to proceed depending on how the situation in Great Zhou unfolds."
Qin Yining couldn't help but stare blankly, at a momentary loss for words. She was finally able to see someone from her family, yet still couldn't go home because of such reasons! She would be lying if she said she wasn't disappointed.
However, she also understood the gravity of the situation. She had already learned that Pang Xiao, her parents and the rest of her family were alright, so she no longer needed to fret over their well-being; that was a blessing in itself.
"I understand." Qin Yining dimpled. "I’ve been well here, so please tell my father how I’ve been."
Cao Yuqing nodded with a smile, then gave Lu Heng and the others a friendly smile before curtseying. "My Yining has been in your care for this period of time. We will surely repay you for your kindness in the days to come, should the opportunity arise."
The others didn't understand what Cao Yuqing had said, but Lu Heng and Uncle Alham did.
Hearing that Qin Yining had referred to Cao Yuqing as her aunt, he treated her as her elder. He stood up and returned the curtsey with a bow of his own.
"There is no need for such formalities. We are friends who have been together through thick and thin, so there’s no need to bother with that."
Chapter 515.2: The Situation at Hand
He wanted to call Cao Yuqing "auntie" as Qin Yining did, but her youthful beauty was too overwhelming. The years seemed to have been kind to her, for they left no marks of weathering on that charming face.
Looking at her, Lu Heng even surmised Cao Yuqing was younger than he was. Either she outranked him despite being younger, or she was Qin Huaiyuan's concubine. Thus, he didn't dare address her carelessly.
Uncle Alham's face had gone as red as a cut of scarlet cloth. Even though Qin Yining was beautiful indeed, he viewed her as a pretty young lady who could’ve been his daughter. Cao Yuqing's beauty however, was a different class of its own—though she was also young, her mature allure and elegant bearing made it hard for his heart not to race.
He frantically waved his hand and stammered at her in his clumsy rendition of the Great Zhou tongue. "No problem, no problem, Princess is our chief, helped us avenge! We all protect her, protecting her is what we should do!"
Cao Yuqing understood what was going on, the ghost of a laugh upon her lips. "My thanks are still due to you all," she replied softly before proceeding to curtsey once more.
In this world, beautiful women tended to receive special treatment. Apart from her beauty, she also had good manners and conversed in a gentle manner. Not to mention, Cao Yuqing was a relative of their ‘chief’, so the people of the Minuo tribe accepted her quite readily.
The two continued exchanging pleasantries as the rest of the tribe watched. Though they didn't understand what was said, the conversation seemed pleasant, so they were happy enough with that.
Qin Yining glanced at Lu Heng and turned to ask, "Auntie Cao, do you have any news of the Lu family?"
Lu Heng started at this and turned toward the princess consort, a gentle look in his eyes.
Cao Yuqing acutely noticed Lu Heng's odd behavior and understood what it meant, though she showed no visible reaction.
"I've been out looking for you, so I’ve been largely unaware about what is happening in the capital. Something’s happened in the Lu family that’s gotten out of hand, though, so I've heard a thing or two, but I can’t vouch for how true the rumors are."
"Is it that my grandfather has fallen ill," Lu Heng inquired with a note of concern, "so someone else has taken his place as the patriarch of Lu family?"
Cao Yuqing blinked in astonishment.
Seeing the woman's reaction, Lu Heng sighed. "It appears I’ve guessed correctly."
Cao Yuqing found herself abruptly reevaluating just how intelligent Lu Heng was. Curiosity got the better of her, so she asked, "How did you guess that?"
"That’s how the Lu family is.” Lu Heng smiled wryly. “Leaving the country has already angered His Majesty. Now that there’s been the assassination incident, the family will surely disown me and let me take the fall for it all. My grandfather and I are of the same faction, so… in any case, it is only natural for such a shift in power to occur due to the trouble I’ve gotten into."
Cao Yuqing nodded. "Though Patriarch Lu has yet to request retirement, his health has not been the best as of late."
Lu Heng's heart couldn't help but ache greatly at that.
Growing up, not even his father paid much mind to him; the only one who doted after him and gave him guidance was his grandfather. He had let his grandfather down for not being a filial grandson waiting on his every need, and now his once healthy grandfather's health had taken a toll because of him.
He knew that Cao Yuqing had definitely softened her words. It was very likely for "his health has not been the best as of late" to mean that his grandfather had actually fallen extremely ill.
He well understood his family's power struggles. Because of his incident, his uncles would seize upon the opportunity to strike and usurp his grandfather's place as the head of the family. Therefore, even if he did make it back to the Lu family alive, there was no place left for him there anymore.
Qin Yining witnessed a look of despondency cross Lu Heng's face, an expression that she had never seen b
efore.
"Second Master Lu mustn't worry," she assured. "My Auntie Cao has been out of the country, so she doesn’t know the details of what is happening in the capital. Perhaps there’s still something about this that we are unaware about. Even if your family is facing problems, we can think of a way to fix them together once we return. We have already braved the grueling desert twice. We only need to use our brains for these other matters, so what is there to fear?"
Lu Heng's frozen heart felt as if it had suddenly been placed in a hot spring, warming him from inside out. A glimmer of hope began to peek into his heart. An involuntary smile creased his lips, his eyes filling with a gentle warmth. "As you say."
In truth, he wanted to ask Qin Yining this: are you willing to help me think of a way to face this together?
Yet he could have guessed the answer even if he stayed quiet.
Qin Yining would surely agree to help him because she saw him as a comrade and friend, certainly not as her lover.
Twinges of sympathy assailed Cao Yuqing when she saw the look in Lu Heng's eyes; the way he was now was incredibly similar to how she once was. Her wishes were unattainable, nor did she wish to force things that were not to be, out of fear that once she did, she would lose everything she already had.
Chapter 516: The Plan
When Cao Yuqing saw Lu Heng thus, she couldn’t help but sigh and try to offer some consolation.
“Patriarch Lu has been an all-powerful man for many decades, I’m sure he’s not such a fragile person. When I next send a letter, I’ll try to tell him that you are alive and well. I believe that with his love for you, he’ll be on the road of recovery after hearing from you.”
“Yes,” Qin Yining added with a smile. “The road ahead is long, and a moment’s frustration is nothing. All will be fine.”
Lu Heng nodded emotionally, expressing his thanks to them both again, especially Cao Yuqing.
This must be what it means for birds of a feather to flock together, she really is Qin Yining’s aunt! The princess consort was such a remarkable young woman that those gathered around her were also exceptional, there wasn’t an ordinary person among them.
When everyone was seated again, Cao Yuqing spoke of what she had observed when she first arrived.
“It wasn’t easy for me to find this valley when I first came, but that’s only because I was alone. Although the roads are blocked by heavy snow outside, you’ve taken quite a bit of Utkin Khan’s provisions. Such a large amount of food would feed an army of a hundred thousand men for a month or two.
“There’s no way he’ll overlook this offense. Have you thought about what you’ll do if he sent all his troops to search every inch of the desert, when there are less than a thousand of you?” Cao Yuqing’s words hit the nail on the head.
“To tell you the truth, that’s what we were discussing just now.” Qin Yining smiled wryly. “We’re short on food, and the group left on the other side of the desert also needs provisions. With our deep vendetta against Utkin Khan, we certainly weren’t going to pass up an opportunity to ruin his operations. But now that the grain is in our hands, it feels a bit like a hot potato. I’ve been trying to figure out what needs to be done.”
Lu Heng and Uncle Alham nodded in assent. “Yes, we’re still undecided on the best course of action. We’ve nothing to fear if it’s only a few small squadrons sent after us. What’s concerning is if too many of them come at once. We have so much grain and fodder to escort that our ranks will be stretched thin. When the time comes, we probably won’t be able to attend to the front without abandoning the rear.”
“That’s just what I was thinking,” responded Cao Yuqing. “Though this valley is very secluded and the roads are currently blocked by heavy snow, making it nigh impossible for anyone to find your tracks, this isn’t a long-term solution. This is a good hiding place for now, but if Siqin’s men come in pursuit, won’t they barricade you in? In my humble opinion, it’s better to map out the surroundings as soon as possible, then get out of here.”
Qin Yining, Lu Heng and Uncle Alham all nodded in agreement. “As you say.”
“We better choose a snowy day as well,” Qin Yining added. “Although it will be more difficult for us to walk, it’ll be the easiest for covering our tracks.”
The others nodded again.
“We’re too close to Tatar and the Great Zhou border,” said Cao Yuqing after a moment’s thought. “You’re liable to attract unwanted attention with whatever you do. If you’re going to go, you should head towards a remote area.”
“You’re right, I think we should head west,” agreed Lu Heng.
“West?” Cao Yuqing considered this for a moment. “To the east are several large cities and a main road leading directly to Tatar. In the middle is a large patch of desert, and crossing it is a shortcut for traveling to Great Zhou. There are only a few towns to the west, and after that it’s no-man’s land.”
“Yes,” said Lu Heng. “The western landscape is complex and very vast, so it’s easier to play hide and seek with our pursuers. If in the east, we’ll be easily intercepted by pursuers from the towns and provinces. If more troops come, they’ll be able to surround us in a flanking maneuver. We have only eight hundred in our fighting force now, and I’m afraid they’ll account for our full strength.”
Cao Yuqing frowned and tugged at her hair.
“If only Yining’s father were here,” The guard captain smiled ruefully. “He’s so smart, he’d definitely find a way.”
Amusement crossed the princess consort’s mind to hear Cao Yuqing say so. But after smiling, yearning for her father grew even hotter. Qin Huaiyuan’s understanding, patience, and love for her were absolutely unfeigned, and his teachings had had a profound impact upon her.
Truthfully speaking, in her time outside, wandering homeless and adrift, she missed Pang Xiao and Qin Huaiyuan the most. Even née Sun didn’t rate that highly in her heart.
Qin Yining took a deep breath. I will return home sooner or later, I only need to persevere through the current circumstances. When that time came, she would be able to enjoy the happiness of family and be a filial daughter to her father. How wonderful such a future would be!
In fact, during the countless days and nights of hardship in the desert, she’d relied on these positive thoughts to shine a ray of light into the darkness, to keep herself going.
“I agree with Second Master Lu. Let’s go west for now, our chances of survival seem greater there,” continued Qin Yining. “We can take advantage of this time to observe the state of affairs in Great Zhou and the situation between the two nations. If the two sides intend to fight each other, the emperor will certainly send His Highness to the front lines. When the time comes, we can contact the Great Zhou army and follow Pang Xiao’s path. With so much provision to trade, I’m sure the people of Great Zhou will promise to shelter the Minuo tribes.”
Uncle Alham smiled and nodded repeatedly upon hearing this. “This is very good. If that’s true, then things couldn’t be better.”
Lu Heng also nodded assent. “If things go well, they will naturally develop in this direction, and everyone will be saved. As for how to eke out a living after going to Great Zhou, the nation is vast in territory and abundant in natural resources. There are many beautiful places with uninhabited mountains and rivers. It’s also easy to survive on the grasslands, so there’s no need to worry about that. But there’s another scenario we need to consider. What if we meet our pursuers first?”
Uncle Alham wiped his face and clapped Lu Heng on the shoulder. “Ole brother Lu, my boy, can’t you say something positive? If that really happens, none of us brothers are afraid of them! We Minuo raise no cowards! Anari tortured and killed our former chief, harmed so many of our people, and didn’t even spare babes still in their swaddling clothes! We’re going to fight them to the end, there’s no question about that! When the time comes, we will fight!”
Uncle Alham’s grasp of Great Zhou was extremely subpar
, but Qin Yining, Lu Heng and Cao Yuqing felt an immediate sense of heroic pride flame up in their hearts upon hearing his words.
Cao Yuqing had always been a frank and straightforward person, and she chuckled at Uncle Alham’s speech. “Yes, if worst comes to the worst, we’ll fight them. Being afraid of them won’t do!”
For a moment, both Qin Yining and Lu Heng didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Qin Yining understood Cao Yuqing a bit more than the Lu second master, so she wasn’t too surprised by the declaration.
Lu Heng, however, regarded Cao Yuqing with new heights of respect. Such a delicate beauty is actually the bold and fearless sort, undaunted in matters of life and death!
“Should we encounter such a situation, of course we won’t be afraid, but that’s also the worst-case scenario,” Qin Yining responded gently. “We must try our best to prevent such a thing from happening. The most important thing is to minimise the loss of life among our tribesmen.”
“That’s right,” agreed Lu Heng. “First things first then, let’s probe the surroundings tomorrow and start moving west as soon as we can. At the same time, we’ll send out scouts ahead of us to assess the situation, which should also help keep casualties down.”
“An excellent idea.” Qin Yining nodded.
After thinking it over, Cao Yuqing found it feasible. In any case, she couldn’t come up with a better idea, so she too nodded in agreement.
Siqin and Uncle Alham then went to see the rest of the tribe and explain what had been agreed upon, giving the tribesmen a chance to discuss the situation as well as boost their morale.
Meanwhile, Qin Yining pulled Cao Yuqing back to her own tent.
It was a very simple tent, tall enough for a grown person to walk around in only if they stooped, and the floor was carpeted with animal skins and quilts. Because Qin Yining was now regarded as the chief of the Minuo tribe, the women traveling with the group had thoughtfully prepared hot water for their leader. They had also prepared a precious hot water pouch, filled with boiling water and placed under the bedding to warm the bed up.
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