When Lu Heng saw her move her lips, he moved closer. “Are you awake? Drink something.”
Qin Yining breathed out laboriously, “If I don’t survive, then leave me. Let me go.” After that, she fell back asleep. The last thing that she heard was Lu Heng’s voice, repeating, “Don’t be afraid, I won’t leave you. I won’t leave you…”
After another bout of drifting in and out of sleep to the point where Qin Yining didn’t know whether she would wake again, a small panic stirred in her heart. She still had things to tell Pang Xiao!
When she next opened her eyes, she discovered that she was in a tall mud house. Was she still in the desert? Why would there be such a structure in the desert?
Chapter 530.2: Awake
Qin Yining started assessing her surroundings. The room was very big and its four walls were made of yellow mud and wood. The furnishings inside were very simple, with most of the goods inside either of pottery or carved wood.
She was lying down on a large heated brick bed with fine cotton bedding. The designs on the cloth were extremely delicate, seeming to be mysterious yet auspicious symbols. However, none of the commonly seen pictures of flowers, birds, or symbols for fortune could be found.
Where was she? Had Lu Heng brought her out of the desert to save her life? But the deserted part of the desert was ever-changing and didn't have easily identifiable landmarks; it was impossible to retrace the route that they’d taken.
Moreover, the style of the building and designs of household items didn’t seem to resemble those of either Great Zhou or Tartar. Qin Yining twitched her fingers, feeling that she’d recovered some of her strength. Her head didn’t feel as muddled as before, and even the pain in her throat and her cracked lips were in a much better condition.
Exceedingly curious and grateful that her condition had improved, curiosity flooded into the princess consort. She’d thought that she would lose her life, but had unexpectedly lived on. Just as she was about to take a closer look at her surroundings, the wooden door suddenly creaked open.
When she looked toward the sound, a tall man dressed in long red robes came into view. He seemed to be about forty years old with naturally wavy hair done up in a tidy bun on top of his head. His features were deep-set with a distinctive, high nose bridge. His robes were made of fine cotton, decorated with the same complicated foreign design that matched those on both the bedding and household items.
As he slowly approached, his black eyes focused on Qin Yining, the gaze in them unwavering and adoring, as if they were staring at some priceless treasure. “You've awoken!”
Qin Yining was shocked. This person spoke the language of Great Zhou! The accent was even of its southern region, close to Great Yan. Was she already back in Great Zhou?
When she only looked at him silently without replying, that man smiled. “Have you not yet fully recovered yet?” He didn’t wait for her reply, clapping thrice instead.
Two maidservants in long robes of greyish-green and neatly upswept hair walked inside the room. They curtsied toward that man. “Your Grace.”
“Mm, go serve the goddess.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” The two maids walked slowly toward Qin Yining.
The princess consort was completely muddled. This one was a prince?
She couldn't recall any current prince of Great Zhou that was of his age and looked like this, not to mention in Great Yan. However, for the former Northern Ji, apart from the crown prince who would inherit the throne, his brothers were conferred the title of ‘His Highness the Imperial Prince’, while their children would be titled ‘His Grace the Commandery Prince’ and each given a fiefdom.
Could this uncle be a commandery prince of Northern Ji? Even stranger was that he called her ‘Goddess’! What were these people thinking? How was she a goddess?
While Qin Yining was preoccupied with her thoughts, the two maids came up to her and greeted her with a curtsey.
“Goddess, we maids will help you bathe. The kitchens have prepared a meal for you, and you can eat after you have dressed.”
She almost blurted out the question of why they called her a goddess, but managed to resist the temptation to immediately question them.
Qin Yining felt sticky all over anyway, so she should first bathe before she could eat. As the two maids helped her stand and head toward the side room, the so-called prince also followed behind them.
Noting her follower, Qin Yining wrinkled her brows and looked backwards. The prince seemed to be intimidated by her stare and slowed down his steps. However, the expression in his eyes as he looked at her remained fervent.
She greatly disliked that overly-passionate gaze. He looked just like someone who hadn’t eaten for a while and was suddenly presented with a feast of seafood and meat. To this person, she was a sacrifice ready for the slaughter.
However, given the need for clarity about the situation, Qin Yining didn’t dare to say anything to anger him either. She needed to continue observing the situation before deciding on her next steps. She also needed to find out where the other Minou tribesmen were. Thus, she didn’t say anything and let the maids help her into the side room.
The side room was similarly spacious with high ceilings. The furnishings were all crude but were marked with a simple elegance. Decorated by unique patterns or totems, they imparted an exotic feel to the room.
The maids led Qin Yining behind the screens and helped her up three wooden steps. The platform held a wooden bathing tub partially sunken into the platform. Mist arose from the hot water within and a wooden dipper floated on the surface; two towels as well hung from the side of the tub.
Qin Yining said, “You may leave now.”
“Goddess, your body is still frail. Please allow us to serve you while you bathe.” As they spoke, the two maids bent down in a deep, formal kowtow.
Although Qin Yining had once been wealthy, she wasn’t the type who was comfortable receiving such great courtesy from other people. She reevaluated her current condition: she felt much better, but didn’t have the strength to bathe alone. Moreover, she still wanted to ask about the situation here. Thus, she nodded in agreement.
The two maids were extremely pleased. They quickly made another deep bow, then carefully helped Qin Yining take off her clothes and step into the bathing tub.
Chapter 531.1: Xiyue
With her entire body submerged in warm water, it felt like all of her pores had opened up to breathe. The sweat and bad luck that had been ground into her body by her illness also seemed to be washed away along with the grime and the dirt.
One of the maids helped scrub her body while the other washed her hair with great care. Every single one of their actions spoke of tenderness and care; when slim fingers scratched her scalp, it felt that they thought it a great offense to even cause her to lose a single strand of hair.
Qin Yining closed her eyes for a moment to think deeply, and waited until she had gotten her bearings before she asked nonchalantly, “Where is this place?”
The two maids exchanged a look and the slimmer one answered, “We can’t blame the goddess for not knowing. When you descended from the heavens with grain, you were ill. This is Xiyue, an oasis within the uninhabited region of the desert.”
So she hadn’t been brought out of the desert alone. It was the Minuo tribesmen who’d found an oasis and taken herhere! But why did these people say that she’d descended from the heavens with grain? And why did they call her a goddess?
Qin Yining didn’t bat an eyelid at that answer, and continued asking, “Where are my people?”
“Please be at ease, Goddess. Other than that young master Lu, your other people have been appropriately settled down elsewhere outside the palace.”
Outside the palace? So this was a palace? Qin Yining couldn’t help but sneak surreptitious looks around her. This palace was undeniably a little... too basic.
Since they were so careful towards her, as if they feared this ‘goddess’, she deepened her voice a
nd glowered with displeasure, “Then where is young master Lu?”
The maids sanswered apprehensively when they saw that Qin Yining seemed to have grown angry, “Goddess, please don’t be angry. It really was because young master Lu clashed with the prince that he was locked up.”
“Clashed? Why did they clash?” Her tone became even more domineering.
Flustered, the maids quickly dropped to their knees and hung their heads. “Goddess, please don’t be angry! You must have heard our devout prayers since you brought grain and seed to Xiyue! When we first arrived here, generations of tribesmen and princes have prayed for the goddess in our sacred books to bring grain to save us and deliver us.
“The sacred books decreed that once the goddess arrived at Xiyue, she must be our princess consort. However, young master Lu vehemently opposed His Grace’s announcement that he would be marrying you. In a fit of anger, His Grace locked the young master up. But since he is the goddess’ tribesman, no one made things difficult for him.”
Qin Yining listened with open-mouthed shock. The prince that these maids were speaking of… was he that uncle she’d previously seen?! No wonder he looked at her with such ardent eyes! Did he think to ask for her opinion before marrying her?
Burying her wrath and misgivings at the bottom of her heart, Qin Yining continued to ask solemnly, “So that’s what happened. I’d expect that it must have been over a hundred years since your tribe first came to this oasis?”
The two maids nodded. “The goddess speaks rightly. Us Xiyue have been here for over a hundred years.”
Judging from how reverent and fearful these two were toward her inexplicable status of ‘goddess’, her manner couldn’t be excessively overbearing. Regardless, she had to act in accordance to their impression of a goddess, so didn’t press on with her questions.
She could already conclude from the information they’d imparted that this was still within the uninhabited region of the desert, and that the Xiyue tribe had been at this oasis for over a hundred years. The accent and customs of these people resemble that of southern Great Zhou where it bordered Great Yan, but their accessories and totems also indicated that they were a minority ethnic group.
But from what she knew, this place had been pure desert a hundred years ago. In other words, the Xiyue were just like the Minuo; they’d entered the uninhabited region and crossed the desert of their own volition, and happened upon this oasis by sheer luck.
The Minuo had been running for their lives and only entered the uninhabited region because they had no other options.
With such terrible surroundings whereupon it was easy to enter but difficult to exit, the Xiyue couldn’t very well go sightseeing with their entire tribe in tow, could they?
Thus, Qin Yining deduced that they must have been forced by circumstances to come here a hundred years ago. Taking into account the complex geology of the uninhabited region, like the Minuo, they probably couldn’t find their way out. Even if one knew the general direction they should move in, it would be extremely difficult to walk out of the desert.
Besides, the fact that this oasis was able to nourish an entire tribe for a hundred years, grant them the effort to spare for constructing a palace, and were in no way miserly with their use of water indicated that this oasis should be very large and didn’t lack water.
However, the two of them described her as a goddess that’d descended from the heavens with grain. This implied that the tribe lacked grain; or at least, that they’d lacked grain when they first arrived at this oasis.
Qin Yining understood clearly the tactics of a ruler. When grain was in short supply and they were afraid of a revolt, they would use any method they could think of to placate the masses. Therefore, they must’ve created this silly legend that said a goddess would descend from the heavens with grain in order to give the commoners a thread of hope.
However, it was more a way to pull the wool over their eyes. Even if the commoners didn’t understand anything, the prince would surely understand this concept.
However, the prince had still referred to her as goddess, indicating that he was also trying to push events to follow the same direction as what was described in the sacred books, intending to fashion himself into a legitimate king.
These conclusions were what Qin Yining was temporarily able to deduce from the information at hand, and the details had to wait until she could continue investigating. Right now, the most urgent task was to find a way to meet the Minuo and rescue Lu Heng.
Once she’d decided on a course of action, she closed her eyes in repose, maintaining an air of mystery.
Chapter 531.2: Xiyue
Seeing that she’d shut her eyes and stopped speaking, and that no other expression crossed her exquisite and mesmerising visage, the maids’ movements became even more careful. The one before them exuded a noble air that was not to be desecrated.
After the bath, the maids presented Qin Yining with a bright red long robe of finely woven cotton that was embroidered with the complicated totems of the Xiyue tribe and made in the style typical of those worn by the women here.
A narrow skirt was tucked in at the waist and its ends brushed the floor, while wide sleeves afforded freedom of movement. On Qin Yining, it emphasised how her slim waist was no larger than a handspan, and the curves of her body rose and fell like a mountain range.
Her long hair was conscientiously patted dry, then half of it was coiled up and secured with a pure silver, tasselled hairpin. The remaining half was left to hang down along her back, lending her an air of otherworldliness.
In Great Yan and Great Zhou, a half-updo like this was reserved for unmarried young ladies. Qin Yining surmised that they also had a similar practice here, but since this prince wanted to take her as his primary consort, she understood why they would do this. However, since the situation was not yet clear, Qin Yining didn’t intend to correct them either. They could do just as they pleased for now.
When they left the side room and returned to the main hall, the Xiyue prince was still in the room. He stared rapturously at Qin Yining walking in his direction, her skirts swaying in an elegant arc as she was supported by the two maids. Her flawless visage further knocked every thought out of his mind.
The Xiyue prince stood up with his face flushed red, inexplicably moved, “Goddess…” He didn’t know what to say after that and could only stare dumbly at Qin Yining.
Qin Yining was quite disgusted by his expression, but had no choice but to accept it since she was residing under his roof. The safety of the Minuo was not yet secure and she wasn’t in a position to erupt in a fit of temper either. “Your Grace, I wonder where are my people? I would like to see them.”
“Ah! That’s easy enough! However, Goddess, you are not yet fully recovered and should not leave the palace. Why not I have someone bring them into the palace? It’s just that your people are numerous and it would be difficult for all of them to come here. Why not choose a few of them to see you instead?”
Qin Yining raised her brows and answered lightly, “That’s fine as well. I would like to see my elder brother Lu Heng and my three guards Arhan, Harabhara, and Caganbhara. My maids Surala and Oolan need to be brought forth as well.”
The Xiyue prince noted them down with a nod and was about to instruct someone to call for these people, but suddenly paused. He turned to smile merrily at her. “This prince will naturally agree to the goddess’ requests, but I haven’t yet asked the goddess for her exalted name.”
Qin Yining said lightly, “My surname is Pang.”
The prince stepped forward eagerly, “And what about your name?”
Qin Yining raised an eyebrow. “Your Grace can just call me Miss Pang.”
The prince grew a little irate at the pushback. Perhaps it’d been too many years since someone had dared refuse him, and perhaps he was much easier to enrage than most people Qin Yining had met outside. In any case, his emotions were also much more transparent.
“This prince
wishes to know your name!”
“The prince is a well-mannered and well-cultured individual,” replied Qin Yining, “and should know that the names of women should only be known by her family and her husband’s family, no?”
The prince’s expression darkened, then brightened up again as he seemed to think of something a moment later. “Alright, alright, don’t tell this prince then. This prince can tell you mine instead. My name is Zhou Meng, courtesy name Lushui. In any case, when we become family in the future, this prince will still know Miss Pang’s name.”
Qin Yining compressed her lips and her eyes flashed, but she kept her composure. He could say what he wished, words were cheap anyway. She hadn’t gotten a clear picture of the situation yet and couldn’t act blindly, so had to put up with it for now. “Can you bring in the people I wanted to see?”
“Of course, but not young master Lu.” Zhou Meng replied.
Qin Yining frowned. “He is my elder brother. I must see him.”
“Your surname is Pang while his is Lu. How can you be siblings?” Zhou Meng asked sarcastically.
Qin Yining rolled her eyes and looked at him as if he were an idiot. “Does Your Grace not have cousins?”
Zhou Meng stared blankly for a moment. He really had forgotten about that detail in front of her beauty. No wonder that Lu guy was so adamant about obstructing him from marrying her, he was doing it for his cousin!
However, that was even worse, the relationship between cousins had always been an ambiguous one!
Zhou Meng grew even unhappier. When he thought about how the other women in his harem usually behaved, he decided to change tactics and smiled warmly. “Alright gorgeous, don’t be angry. This prince will bring the others to meet you and then get you some of the most beautiful jewels and freshest fruits, alright?”
Qin Yining’s brows knitted tightly together when she heard that and scoffed, “Your Grace, please maintain your dignity. Your Grace looks like one who is well versed in the rites and ceremonies. You should know that according to the customs, parents decide their children’s marriages and matchmakers must act as the go-between.
Return of the Swallow c1-644 Page 290