Sang Duo nodded thoughtfully. Holding Prosperity added with a smile, "Once the Prince unifies the northern grasslands, we can bring them back, can't we?"
"Bring who back?" Bomuer returned from outside, glancing at Holding Prosperity, his expression subtly changing. "Why are you here? Afraid your man gets jealous?"
Holding Prosperity politely nodded. "I need your help."
Bomuer remained cold, pouring himself water. "Help your man? No."
Holding Prosperity turned away laughing. Sang Duo wished to disappear. "Brother! At least hear what she needs. As you taught me, one should repay kindness."
"I owe him nothing," Bomuer replied coldly.
Holding Prosperity grew serious. "You owe us nothing, but remember at Yanguishan, General Yang drove away the Northern Di cavalry chasing us, saving your life. He also saved the Prince in the capital. Today, I'm not asking you to help the Prince but to assist General Yang."
Bomuer's eyes flickered slightly. Setting down his cup, he asked, "That Yang Gongqi? What happened to him?"
Holding Prosperity briefly explained Cheng Fuyi's forced marriage and Yang Qiong's solo rescue attempt. Bomuer scoffed. "If it's a trap set by the Emperor and Hu Erhana, what can he do? Likely going to die for love. Even if we help, he won't return."
Sang Duo interjected, "But as long as he's alive, there's hope to save her. Dead, there's no chance."
Bomuer paused, glancing at Holding Prosperity, deep in thought.
Holding Prosperity felt uneasy—hoping he wasn't thinking something strange again.
Fortunately, Bomuer agreed. "Yang Gongqi saved my life. I'll go, but I won't follow your man's orders."
Holding Prosperity sighed resignedly. "Understood."
Time was tight. Cui Yi, Bomuer, and Sang Duo left without waiting for lunch, riding fast. Cui Yi rode Jinwu, a heavenly horse, while Bomuer rode Feiyun, a swift steppe horse. The trio, one red horse and one white, disappeared in a blink amid swirling dust.
Several watched from the city gate. Shan Jian eyed Baili Zan. "Bomuer's stubborn and arrogant. Aren't you afraid he'll argue with the Prince and ruin things?"
"Arguments will happen, but it's a rare chance. If we can win over these siblings, wouldn't that be better?" Baili Zan smiled confidently.
Holding Prosperity still looked worried. "If it works out, perfect. But Bomuer's stubborn nature might clash with the Prince, causing more trouble."
Shan Jian pondered and nodded. "If we can win them over, it would be great."
Only Cao Qian was confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Come, Cao General, a chance to earn merit," Baili Zan warmly embraced Cao Qian, who jumped back like a startled rabbit. "Mr. Save me! I just found a girl I like. Don't involve me!"
Baili Zan laughed. "Not matchmaking. A serious matter, important business."
Cao Qian followed hesitantly. After whispering instructions, Cao Qian looked nervous, walking awkwardly away.
Holding Prosperity laughed. "What did you tell him? Scared him like that."
Baili Zan smiled mysteriously. "We need you to play along with a charade."
"You're testing Xie Yong?" Shan Jian, ever the cunning strategist, noticed Xie Yong's absence and guessed Baili Zan's intentions.
Baili Zan sighed. "If so, what then? Did you teach him how to handle a test after feigning surrender?"
Shan Jian shook his head. "No. Remember 'Notes from Zhao Hua Chuan'? Though I burned the hidden letters, Cui Jie discovered the clues beforehand and warned the Prince. Afterward, Xie Yong acted independently without consulting me, probably fearing collusion between us."
"That simplifies things," Baili Zan sighed in relief. "Xie Yong, lacking initiative due to strict upbringing, constantly sought his father's advice. We intercepted letters to his father, all seeking guidance. He craves his father's approval."
Holding Prosperity whispered, "So with the Prince away, if Xie Yong is pretending to surrender, he won't miss this opportunity to betray us."
Half an hour later, Xie Yong returned from investigating crop growth and overheard voices inside.
"With Your Highness taking ten thousand men, Yanzhou's defenses are weakened. If the Northern Di attack..."
"Madam, don't worry. Baili Zan and Fu Zhi have made arrangements..."
Baili Zan pretended to speak in hushed tones, loud enough for Xie Yong to overhear. "Just increase the number of guards and flags on the city walls to create an illusion of strong defense. Once the Prince returns, everything will be fine."
Holding Prosperity exaggeratedly fidgeted. "Thank you, Mr. I need to check on the sick pigs at home. I won't bother you further."
Rising, she walked out, spotting Xie Yong hiding in the corridor. Grabbing him, she pretended surprise. "Master Xie? How long have you been here?"
Xie Yong answered calmly, "Just returned, about to report. Is Your Highness here?"
Holding Prosperity nervously examined him. "The Prince left the city earlier and might return late tonight. Do you have urgent matters?"
Xie Yong indicated no urgency. Holding Prosperity lingered, then reluctantly left.
Meanwhile, Cui Yi, Bomuer, and Sang Duo rode south with the imaginary ten thousand men. According to the letter's date and travel speed, Hu Erhana, detouring around Chaoyan Mountain via Yanzhou, would likely encounter them within three to five days.
At noon, they stopped at a roadside inn to rest and inquire about Yang Qiong.
The stableman said a soldier passed early morning, not resting, just changing horses and leaving. Cui Yi thanked him and returned to the table. "Gongqi passed here before dawn. Now, he's probably reached Dingcheng."
As soon as Cui Yi finished speaking, Bomuer stood. "Waiting for the kitchen is too slow. Buy two baskets of buns and eat on the road. Let's go."
Eating while riding… Cui Yi grumbled internally that Bomuer and Sang Duo could take turns eating on one horse, but he had no choice. Buying buns and filling water skins, they continued.
Jinwu, annoyed at being interrupted while grazing, nearly kicked Cui Yi. Patting its head, Cui Yi whispered something, and Jinwu reluctantly allowed him to mount.
Though Bomuer insisted on immediate departure, he didn't demand full speed. They trotted forward, allowing Cui Yi to eat without choking.
By dusk, they reached Fuxian County, learning Yang Qiong had changed horses without resting. Sang Duo marveled, "Without food or rest for days, even iron would break. By the time he meets Hu Erhana, he'll be too exhausted to fight."
"Regardless, we'll start fresh tomorrow morning," Cui Yi said.
Bomuer remained impassive. "We're already hours behind. Waiting another night means losing him completely. Buy supplies and eat on the road. Let's go."
Cui Yi lost his temper. "You can ride non-stop, but show some concern for your sister!"
Bomuer glanced at Sang Duo, who waved dismissively. "I'm fine! I grew up riding horses. Don't worry about me."
Cui Yi, feeling like he'd fed a dog, angrily handed Jinwu to a groom, packed two portions of braised beef and two baskets of steamed buns, and resumed their journey after a brief rest.
In July, Yanzhou was at its hottest, with clear skies devoid of wind, clouds, or travelers.
Yang Qiong had ridden non-stop for three days, changing horses six or seven times. Despite his determination, his body couldn't keep up. Finally, he slowed down, finding a shaded slope to rest.
Near the border between Yan and Gan provinces, endless green grasslands stretched under the scorching midday sun. Yang Qiong drank half a canteen of water, pouring the rest over his head.
Water and sweat mingled on his face. Wiping his bloodshot eyes, he lay back against the slope, trying to sleep.
The horse grazed nearby.
A gentle breeze blew, and Yang Qiong fell asleep.
Even in sleep, his brows furrowed tightly, his eyelids twitching occasionally as if ready to wake at any moment.
He had a long, chaotic dream. In it, his father and elder brother appeared, along with his sister-in-law. For some reason, his elder brother knew of his sister-in-law's secret affection for him. No matter how he defended himself, his father and brother refused to believe him, convinced he had committed an immoral act. His father beat him with a broom.
In the dream, his usually calm elder brother was furious, veins popping on his forehead, accusing him of betraying family ethics. Unable to speak in the dream, Yang Qiong writhed in frustration.
His sister-in-law cried silently, neither confirming nor denying, leaving him helpless and angry.
Why didn't they trust him? He was someone who would never do such a thing. His father and brother's distrust caused him immense pain.
His body convulsed slightly on the grass, reflecting his inner turmoil.
Regarding his own nature, he should know it best. Li was his elder sister-in-law; he shouldn't and wouldn't harbor any improper thoughts about her!
In the dream, there was chaos, and he seemed to have cried. When he opened his eyes, the lingering sadness and frustration of being unjustly slandered without being able to defend himself still lingered in his heart.
It was already dark, and he had slept for at least four hours. The horse was still waiting quietly by his side. Yang Qiong sat up, feeling sore all over, but his spirits were much better. He took out some provisions from the saddle and ate a few bites with cold water.
For the first three days, he had hardly eaten anything. Now that he had woken up, he felt like he could eat an ox. The bloodshot eyes hadn't faded yet, and Yang Qiong looked into the night sky with a worried expression.
Compared to the initial restless departure, he had now gone through fatigue and rest, completely calmed down, and couldn't help but think—what am I going to do?
A voice in his head answered: "Of course, go save her."
Yes, to save her, but did he really have the ability to snatch her away from Huoerhana? This was a play jointly performed and set up by Emperor Shengzong and the Northern Di King, sacrificing Cheng Fengyi for peace, using Huoerhana to eliminate Cui Yi. The whole affair had nothing to do with him, right? No one expected him to intervene or anticipated that he would.
He was just a pawn who, driven by a surge of passion, wanted to turn the tide single-handedly. Neither those calculating nor those being calculated noticed him.
Or perhaps he should go back! What would happen after saving her? She must have suffered greatly along the way. Once rescued, she might even consider suicide. Even if she was a strong woman who could endure such humiliation, what about her husband? Could he accept that his wife had been defiled by foreigners?
What would happen after saving her? Yang Qiong couldn't help but feel lost.
But fortunately, this confusion didn't bother him for too long. No matter what, he needed to save her before considering the future. Living was always better than dying.
After eating and drinking enough, Yang Qiong got back on his horse and headed towards Gan Prefecture.
At the same time, behind him, half a day's journey away, Cui Yi and the other two also entered Yan Prefecture's grasslands.
The Gyrfalcon circled in the sky, spotting prey and swooping down swiftly, its sharp claws accurately grabbing a wild rabbit running wildly in the grass. At Sang Duo's whistle, it flapped its wings and returned.
"Good job, Nayan!" Sang Duo extended her arm to catch it. Bo Muer bent down to pick up the stunned rabbit, skillfully gutting and skinning it, cutting the best piece of belly meat and tossing it to Nayan, who caught it nimbly and swallowed it quickly.
Cui Yi dug a hole in the ground, filled it with dry grass he gathered, struck a flint to light it, and skewered the rabbit. Bo Muer turned around and said unexpectedly, "Didn't expect you, a pampered prince, to know how to start a fire?"
Sang Duo, feeding Nayan, was startled and hurriedly said, "Brother!"
"What's wrong with Prince?" Cui Yi wasn't angry. He took out some salt from his bag and sprinkled it on the rabbit meat. "I went to war at sixteen. There were times when I defeated enemies gloriously and times when I was stranded alone, out of ammunition and food. If I couldn't even start a fire to cook, I'd have starved to death."
The flames licked the rabbit meat, and soon it was cooked. Cui Yi cut several slices from the leg and handed them to Sang Duo, who accepted them gratefully, saying, "Thank you, Prince."
Bo Muer said coldly, "Why thank him? The prey was caught by Nayan."
Sang Duo was speechless for a moment, and the awkward silence lasted for at least three breaths before she managed to say, "Brother, why are you so aggressive? During your recovery, the medicine and food were all provided by him, and I've never heard you thank him."
"He gave willingly, why should I thank him?" Bo Muer's face was indifferent. "Just like when she had no home, I provided for her without asking for thanks."
Sang Duo was again at a loss for words.
In Yan Prefecture, she had been terrified of Cui Yi and wanted to stay as far away as possible. But traveling together, although Cui Yi wasn't talkative or fond of smiling, he was very considerate of her feelings as a woman, asking if she was tired or needed to rest, never ordering her around, doing everything himself, giving her the best food and drink, leaving the leftovers for himself and Bo Muer. In this interaction, her initial fear had faded, and she began to think that maybe it was better for Hengying to return to Cui Yi than to stay on the grasslands. Cui Yi possessed qualities that her brother lacked.
She tried to reconcile their relationship, saying good things about Cui Yi, but was always coldly rebuffed by her brother. After so many days, she had seen no results.
After eating, Sang Duo could lie down to sleep, while the two men took turns keeping watch.
Cui Yi woke up after an hour and a half, seeing Bo Muer staring blankly at the campfire, deep in thought. He got up and walked a bit further to relieve himself.
When he returned, Bo Muer was still sitting in the same position. Cui Yi didn't care and added some dry grass to the fire, sitting in silence.
After a while, Bo Muer suddenly spoke, "How did you and Hengying meet?"
Cui Yi was taken aback, thinking it was inappropriate to tell outsiders that he had forced her into marriage after taking advantage of her in a brothel. But Bo Muer continued, "In Central Plains marriages, they are arranged by parents and matchmakers. Many couples don't even see each other before marriage. Men can take concubines or visit prostitutes if they don't like their wives, but women, regardless of whether their husbands are old or young, talented or incompetent, can only accept their fate. This is what you call 'heaven is the husband.'"
"Do you still think Hengying doesn't truly want to be with me?" Cui Yi laughed ironically. "Hahaha!"
Bo Muer's face showed conflicting emotions. "What are you laughing at?"
Cui Yi laughed enough and replied coldly, "You dare not ask her or haven't gotten satisfactory answers, so you put on this ridiculous facade of caring for her. Isn't that laughable?"
Bo Muer lay down, resting his arms under his head, closing his eyes, and seeing Hengying's smiling face as she sent them off.
"How did you meet?"
"I told you, will you believe?"
Bo Muer fell silent. Cui Yi silently recalled the past.
Although he wanted to confidently say that "Hengying is willing to be with me," he knew that he had indeed used tricks to make her his own. Initially, Hengying wanted to marry Crown Prince Cui Jie—not him—the useless Wu Wang who could do nothing but fight.
After marriage, Hengying said she liked him and always planned for him, but he could never be reassured. It was like stealing a kitten from someone else's house, unsure when the owner would reclaim it. This unease, even without Bo Muer's appearance, had always troubled him.
From never wanting to marry to becoming anxious about a woman, Cui Yi felt he didn't recognize himself anymore.
"I once saved her."
Bo Muer turned to look at him. "What did you say?"
Cui Yi said expressionlessly, "During the selection period for the crown princess, someone drugged her and sent her to a brothel to disqualify her and ruin the entire Changsun family. I happened to pass by and saved her. Afterwards, she pretended to be ill and claimed she had scars, escaping the selection and marrying me."
Bo Muer narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "If you liked her, why did you only make her a concubine? You're not truly fond of her but used her to weaken the crown prince's power."
Cui Yi snorted. "Believe it or not."
Silence fell again, but this time Bo Muer broke it. "Do you like her? For her looks, intelligence, or family background?"
"What about you? What do you like about her?" Cui Yi retorted irritably.
Bo Muer looked up at the sky. "When she appeared before me, she was in extreme panic, ragged and exhausted, but didn't break down. She tightly held her child, fearing I would harm Xiaonuan. That spirit of resilience, though weak, never truly falls, like reeds in the wind."
Cui Yi pondered for a while, then looked up. "So, you like her because of my mistake."
He took a deep breath, imagining Hengying's appearance at that time, feeling a pang in his heart.
"If I hadn't been thrust into a desperate situation, lacking the ability to protect those around me, there wouldn't have been a Hengying who, despite being exiled and nearly killed, still fiercely protected our child."