Returning to the temporary military camp at Black Wind Ridge, it was just past noon. Last night, everyone had chatted late into the night before resting, and after being woken at the hour of the tiger, they had not managed to rest again. They had barely eaten breakfast, and with no lunch consumed, they were now hurriedly packing up to continue their journey. With nightfall approaching in just a few hours, setting up camp again would likely lead to chaos. After some contemplation, Xianyue decided to rest for the day.
Yar glanced at the collected weapons, her face alight with excitement. "Princess, our first battle was a success; let's feast!"
Xianyue felt a sense of relief, her heart lightened by a stroke of fortune. She surmised that this entire affair must have been arranged by Xuanyuan Hao. If it had been Jun Pinyu, even thinking about it sent a chill down her spine; had he intended to see her perish, he would have employed fire and poison, and they, mere mortals, would have been utterly trapped.
"Very well. Everyone is tired. After lunch, those who need to rest should do so, and we'll set out early tomorrow morning."
The journey from Lan City to the border of Baichu and Xuanyuan at Black Wind Ridge had taken more than half a month. Everyone had pushed through without a proper sleep, and now was the perfect opportunity for them to recuperate.
"Yay!"
Yar jumped with joy, and smiles spread across the faces of Green Pearl and the others. They were all flesh and blood, not made of iron, and though they did not voice it, they certainly did not wish to delay the group's progress. In battle, time was of the essence. After this skirmish, it was unlikely that Xuanyuan Hao would send anyone to test them again. While Bai Zhanfeng could be somewhat stubborn, he was a valiant warrior, unmatched in combat, and the Bai family army had earned their reputation. Coupled with the experienced Bai Laozizi, even if Xuanyuan Hao harbored ambitions, he may not have the capacity to act, as evidenced by his mere conquest of half the Chu kingdom up until now.
"Princess, why did you let those people go just now?"
Green Pearl looked at Xianyue, a myriad of questions in her eyes.
Those individuals had slain their sisters; how could they be so easily forgiven? They did not possess many weapons; what use were those items to them? Green Pearl felt utterly baffled.
"Because their intent was never to take our lives."
Though they had killed a few, it had not been their initial goal.
Xianyue patted Green Pearl's shoulder. She understood her feelings but did not believe that killing those Xuanyuan soldiers would avenge their fallen comrades.
"Is that the reason?"
"When General Cheng and Lord Xu arrive to meet us, they will likely ask me the same question. You can listen in and bear witness to my reasoning, alright?"
Green Pearl regarded Xianyue, somewhat perplexed, yet she nodded in agreement.
She trusted Xianyue and knew that her actions must have been driven by sound reasoning. She held no resentment, merely curiosity, and a desire to understand.
"Alright, find a few people to tidy things up. Everyone should go about their business."
Xianyue released Green Pearl's shoulder and stifled a yawn.
"I'll go prepare the meal. Is there anything in particular you'd like, Princess?"
In contrast to Xianyue's lingering drowsiness, Yar appeared more energetic than anyone else, especially when it came to food.
Xianyue shook her head. "Just the same as what you're having."
In the military camp, seeking special treatment was not ideal. Though she had a discerning palate, she did not consider herself particularly precious; besides, she was no stranger to hardship.
"Can we have roasted lamb for lunch?"
As she spoke, Yar mimicked the action of swallowing. Roasted dishes were usually reserved for the evening, but given their exhaustion, if she finished lunch, it would likely already be the hour of the monkey, and after a little preparation, they could all go directly to sleep.
"Alright, let's combine lunch and dinner."
Yar nodded vigorously at Xianyue's suggestion; she was on the same wavelength.
"Green Pearl, Moon Shadow, you've all worked hard. After lunch, make sure to rest well and regain your strength. Sister Pingting, you too; you've lost quite a bit of weight lately."
Compared to those sheltered young ladies who could not lift a finger, Bai Pingting fared much better, but compared to Xianyue and Yilan, her endurance was noticeably weaker. Although she had some martial skills and had managed to keep going, she appeared significantly more haggard.
Bai Pingting pondered for a moment, ensuring there was no immediate danger before nodding. They had been on the road for so long that her stomach often felt uneasy, making it difficult to eat, and her sleep had been insufficient. She truly felt exhausted and longed for a proper rest.
"Green Clothes, come with me."
Xianyue lifted the curtain and walked ahead, taking a seat at the table. She poured a cup of water and handed it to Green Clothes before refilling her own cup, finishing it in one go.
The cold liquid slid down her throat, penetrating her stomach, and it felt as if she had swallowed ice cubes. Exhaling produced frosty white vapor, instantly revitalizing her spirit.
Though Green Clothes was thirsty, she sipped slowly, carefully cradling the teacup. Watching Xianyue's relaxed brow, a smile gradually appeared on her face.
"Green Clothes, did you deliver the thousand-year ginseng I gave you to my brother?"
Green Clothes tightened her grip on the cup, her wide eyes hidden by it. Did the princess discover something?
Panic surged within her as she cautiously regarded Xianyue, hesitating over whether to reveal the matter to the princess.
The crown prince had repeatedly instructed her in his letters that she must not disclose his condition to the princess, nor the circumstances surrounding it.
She was acutely aware of the deep feelings shared between the princess and the crown prince; if she revealed the truth now, the princess would undoubtedly intervene recklessly to prevent the crown prince from being harmed. His health was already fragile, deteriorating with each passing day, and as the crown prince had worried, if the princess were to lose him, what would become of her without both the crown prince and the prince consort? No matter how strong-willed the princess was, she would not be able to bear it.
Both the crown prince and the prince consort treated the princess well, but compared to the frail crown prince, she believed the prince consort could offer the princess true happiness.
"What's wrong?"
Xianyue noticed that Green Garment remained silent for a while and asked, "What is it?"
"Nothing."
Green Garment smiled and put down her cup, mentally deliberating for a moment before reaffirming her earlier decision.
"When we departed from the Lan Kingdom, I had already sent word. If the riders pushed on day and night, the message should have reached Your Highness by now."
With her hands resting on her knees, she longed to ask Xianyue who she would choose if Your Highness and Prince Consort could only be one. Which one did she truly care for more? IfYour Highness were to meet with any misfortune, how would Princess react? She also wanted to convey that Prince Consort treated Princess well and hoped she would cherish him, living a strong and happy life together. However, she ultimately kept these thoughts to herself;Princess was perceptive, especially regarding Your Highness's matters, and expressing such concerns might raise Doubt.
"What do our spies report from the Feng Kingdom? How is my brother faring?"
Xianyue felt a surge of unease; she had handled Cen Can and Fang He with ease, but thoughts of Jun Pin Yu stirred discomfort within her, as if something ominous was looming. Yet, she could not pinpoint the nature of her unease, which only deepened her sense of dread. Ordinarily, she would have returned to the Feng Kingdom to investigate herself.
"Your Highness has just recently fallen ill and is somewhat weakened, but he has managed to endure. Captain Yun has been personally attending to him, and there are no serious concerns."
Green Garment's hands, resting on her knees, twisted together tightly, yet her expression remained largely unchanged. She wished to lower her gaze to escape Xianyue's worried stare, yet upon reflection, she deemed this inappropriate. She made an effort to maintain her composure, looking at Xianyue as usual. She knew that any hint of abnormality on her part would prompt questions from Princess, and facing such scrutiny would shatter her carefully maintained calm.
Originally,Bai Ping Ting had tasked her with gathering intelligence due to her calm demeanor and ability to handle situations without flinching. She had successfully concealed her own turbulent feelings from Xianyue in this moment. If it had been Yilan orYue Ying, despite their intent to keep Xianyue unaware, they would have undoubtedly failed to mask the truth.
"Princess, please do not worry. Isn't Lord Bai and the others in the Feng Kingdom?Your Highness is favored by heaven; if he takes the time to recuperate over the next few months, he will surely recover."
Green Garment cautiously reassured her. In such moments, she was fearful that saying too much could lead to unintentional revelations.
Her worry was genuine; throughout her life,Princess had done so much for Your Highness. If Your Highness were to face any calamity, could Princess, with Prince Consort by her side, remain strong? The mere thought of Princess encountering misfortune made her feel utterly drained, as if life had lost its meaning. Would Princess feel the same?
Xianyue remained silent;Green Garment's words were irrefutable, and she, too, believed it to be true. If her brother had endured more than a decade, there was no reason for him not to withstand this trial as well.
"Green Garment, have someone investigate Jun Pin Yu's whereabouts."
The one who had once eased her guard was now the very person she found most worrisome.
"Understood."
Green Garment nodded carefully.
She was not one to lie, especially not to Xianyue.
Seated together at the table, they fell into silence. As tension mounted,Green Garment, who usually relished her time with Xianyue, now felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles, fearful of Xianyue posing further questions.
"Princess, it's time to eat."
Ya Er lifted the curtain and poked her head in, "Can you smell that? The aroma of lamb?"
Green Garment turned to see Ya Er at the door and let out a sigh of relief, her palms icy and clammy with sweat.
Paper, after all, could not contain fire. How much longer could this situation remain concealed?