Leng Wu couldn’t hesitate any longer. He turned around, grasping the sky-reaching halberds that his servants held for him. With his light skills, he stepped on the carriage canopies and flew to Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi like a light sparrow. The halberds thrust into the carriage. Leng Changxi only pushed Qin Yunuan aside, taking out a scimitar hidden on the edge of the carriage casually.
There was a clattering sound of weapons joining, Leng Wu and Leng Changxi looked at each other. Leng Wu was able to see Leng Changxi’s original appearance clearly from under this seemingly terrifying mask.
In an instant, the two jumped onto the canopy headed by Wanyan Su. The two halberds in Leng Wu’s hands danced in the haunting wind, and Leng Changxi’s scimitar was flexible and sharp.
Just as the halberd collided with the scimitar, Leng Changxi heard a clear whisper from Leng Wu, “Tomorrow noon, the Khan of seven tribes will enter the capital. Princess Saichun’s father, Bochaerji, is the leader of the northernmost Erqi prairie. He had also selected warriors to participate in the competition this time.”
Leng Changxi heard it clearly and understood that Leng Wu didn’t waste his time at the Grand Prince’s mansion.
The two fought for more than a dozen rounds. Leng Changxi was struck backward by Leng Wu’s halberd and almost fell off the canopy. He turned, got off the car cover, and sat back on his carriage. Qin Yunuan helped him and stroked his panting chest.
“I lost it.” Leng Changxi’s blunt words made Wanyan Ba very excited. He laughed, recalled Leng Wu and gave him a generous reward that would make everyone around him jealous.
Wanyan Ba even gave Wanyan Su a triumphant glance, “Fourth brother, it seems that your servant is nothing more than a slave that still couldn’t get on the stage. Why give him such a good carriage?”
Wanyan Su was indifferent and said, “He is a guest of mine, not a servant.”
Wanyan Ba’s smile faded a little, and he still said arrogantly, “That’s the same thing. But since you have lost, I can’t let you go ahead. So, brother, would you…”
Before Wanyan Ba could finish speaking, Wanyan Su had consciously ordered the front coachman to turn around.
A long line of carriages flattened against the street, and the covers almost touched the flag banners of the shop, all just to make way for Wanyan Ba. When the carriages of Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi approached the street, people around dispersed in an uproar. No one approached, for they were afraid of Leng Changxi’s terrible face.
On the contrary, Qin Yunuan held Leng Changxi tighter. Although Leng Wu was powerful, Qin Yunuan knew that his skills were definitely under Leng Changxi’s. Leng Changxi lost it deliberately to Leng Wu to make Wanyan Ba even more arrogant and less vigilant. Just as Leng Changxi said before, he was not terrifying because of being arrogant, but not being one day. Also, there was no benefit in revealing Leng Changxi’s martial arts too much.
Wanyan Ba’s team passed in front of Wanyan Su. All of them were high spirited. Wanyan Ba even deliberately stopped in front of Wanyan Su. He stuck his head out of the carriage, looked up at the sky and then said, “Oh, I see it’s going to rain. Brother, if your house leaks, you can come to my residence for refuge. My residence has not only too many guest rooms but also a large stable. There will always be a place for you to sleep.”
He must have had reached a master level of unscrupulousness in insulting people. However, Wanyan Su just folded his hands and saluted politely, “Thank you, brother, for your concern. My mansion is fine.”
Wanyan Ba smiled and left him behind. He took it as a joke. Wanyan Su didn’t lie to him, at least Qin Yunuan felt the elegance of his guest room under his detailed arrangement.
The walls were made of thick brick, which was unique to North Di to cope with the extreme temperature difference between day and night. The heatable brick bed was covered with a thick layer of warm wool. Apart from these, the porcelain, calligraphy and paintings in the house, as well as the curio box, were set up in the elegant and decent atmosphere of the regions south of the River in Qi. It could be seen that the room was specially furnished for the two Qi people, Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi.
The maid who led the way had been waiting for the reaction of the two people at the door. Seeing that Qin Yunuan and Leng Changxi remained silent, she asked with some trepidation, “His Highness asked me to arrange this room according to the characteristics of the Central Plains. But I had never gone to the Central Plains. I arranged the furniture according to my imagination. If you, the two distinguished guests from afar, don’t like it, I could refurnish the room.”
“No, no, no.” Qin Yunuan hurriedly stopped her. At this time, she had already taken off her veil, and her eyes could barely see things. Unexpectedly, she saw such a surprise opening her eyes, “You did well. By the way, what is your name?”
“I’m Yaqi. His Highness had sent me to serve you.”
Qin Yunuan smiled, “Yes, I have heard that Fourth Prince had a side concubine. Could you introduce me to her?”
Yaqi hesitated for a moment. Seeing her expression, Qin Yunuan then said, “I just think that we are guests. It’s necessary to visit the host.”
“I’m afraid…” Yaqi’s voice was trembling, and she was hesitating.
“Don’t be afraid, just say it.”
Yaqi told them all the story, “Well, I only heard that the side concubine had a younger sister. She went to Qi for the imperial matrimony for peace. After that, the prince she married had his family wiped out for committing a crime. She was afraid that her younger sister couldn’t escape from the massacre. Unfortunately, the side concubine’s family is not as prominent as before, and Grand Khan wouldn’t negotiate with Qi for a woman.” Speaking of this, she sighed faintly, “Women were treated like cheap goods in North Di. Sometimes, they were just like slaves that can be bought and sold at will.”
Qin Yunuan gave Yaqi some comforting words. She was certain that the sister Saichun mentioned about in Qi was the side concubine of Fourth Prince.
Judging from the news of Leng Wu to Leng Changxi, tomorrow Saichun’s father, Bochaerji, the Grand Khan from the northern grasslands, would enter the capital. He would definitely come to see the daughter he had not seen for a long time. It was difficult to see Bochaerji. But this side concubine was right in front of her eyes. Qin Yunuan could never let go of such an opportunity.
It was supposed to be a very peaceful and peaceful night. But in a courtyard north of the Fourth Prince’s Mansion, candle lights were like the sparks in the sky. They stayed up all night.
In the yard was a woman dressed in a gorgeous North Di dress, drinking alone to the moon. Judging from her dress and the gold jingle decorated on her head, the woman’s high status in the Four Prince’s Mansion was obvious. She had a jar of fine wine made with plum blossom snow water beside her. No servants were around to serve her, only an elderly nanny was in the distance, frowning at the woman who used the wine to relieve her sorrows.
Women of the North Di could drink, but not in such a way. Seeing that the jar is about to see the bottom, the nanny could no longer stand it. She stepped forward and stopped the woman’s hand from lifting the jar again. The nanny did her best to persuade her, “Madam, you have been drinking for so long, and you haven’t greeted Your Highness when he came back. If this goes on, I would be blamed by Grand Khan tomorrow when he came.”
The woman was no one else but Yasu, the side concubine of Fourth Prince with whom Qin Yunuan would like to meet.
Yasu ignored the nanny and poured another bowl of wine herself.
The nanny couldn’t help it anymore. She was sent by Fourth Prince to take care of the concubine. If the concubine continued to behave like this, she would have no choice but to walk away.
“Side concubine, you would be drunk if you drink more.”
Yasu looked back at the mother and said bitterly, “It’s good to get drunk. I find that every time I get drunk, I can see my poor little sister who married to Qi. Peace, you asked for peace. It was fine, but why would you sacrifice my sister for peace? Now she could never come back, but what about North Di’s royal court? They are celebrating this hard-won victory. How hard-earned could it be just sacrificing a woman? For them, wasn’t it decided in a blink of an eye?”
The nanny said earnestly, “You know that, side concubine. Fourth Prince doesn’t like to hear about these. Your previous request was too much. Now you are ruining yourself. How sorry would Fourth Prince feel for you if he saw you in this way? You are drunk. You are really drunk.”
“Take it easy. The side concubine wouldn’t be drunk.” Another woman’s voice broke the mumbling. The two followed the sound and saw a woman they had never seen before appeared at the gate of the yard. The woman’s eyes were covered with white gauze, and she was holding a stick to explore the way.
“Who are you?” The nanny became vigilant of a sudden, “Shouldn’t you be inside your yard at such a late night?”
Yasu was very calm. She looked at the woman in front of her who was born with the appearance features of the Central Plains and then had confidence in her heart, “I heard that Your Highness came back this time with two distinguished guests. You must be one of them.”
“I dare not to be distinguished,” Qin Yunuan came in with a smile. She tilted his head as if asking “Can I come in?”. Yasu did not stop her, so Qin Yunuan lifted her leg. She turned at Yasu’s jar and smiled, “I know this kind of wine. It’s not intoxicating.”
Yasu lifted her brows. The nanny couldn’t help but took the words again, “The kumiss brewed with plum blossom snow water was the mellowest one. It had the highest degree of alcohol and was the most intoxicating.”
“Have a rest, nanny.” Yasu ordered abruptly, “I will call for you if anything happens.”
After the nanny left, Qin Yunuan finished the latter half of her sentence leisurely, “The most intoxicating? I had always thought that rice wine was not intoxicating.”
Yasu was a little alert. She didn’t know Qin Yunuan’s position. Was she here to threaten her, or did she have other purposes?
“When did you find out?” Yasu turned around, “No, you can’t see. Who told you?”
“I don’t need anyone to tell me,” Qin Yunuan touched the tip of her nose with fingertips, “I have a nose, I can smell. The wine is mellow, but it lacks the smell of mare cumin. I have ears, so I can listen. I can even hear that your pulse was not accelerated by drinking. This showed that this wine had no effect on you.”
Yasu was stunned for a moment. Qin Yunuan sighed and said, “You must have used hundreds of tricks in order to get His Royal Highness to help your sister.”
