Chapter 150

"My Lord! We have arrived at Daizhou."

On the second day after returning to the Nangong Estate, just after finishing breakfast, Yang Yaozong was summoned to the palace. Yesterday, when Yang Yaozong entered the palace, he had not seen Little Xizi. Today, seeing that the eunuch who came to summon him was not Little Xizi either, he made inquiries and learned that Little Xizi had been sent to Suzhou to procure tribute silk. He had originally intended to inform Little Xizi about his elder sister's situation, but that would now have to wait until he saw Little Xizi another time.

Upon entering the palace, Yang Yaozong was led directly to the hall where the Imperial Grandson usually received court ministers. He found many high-ranking officials present, including the ministers of the Six Ministries, all looking at him with solemn expressions.

After reading a letter, Yang Yaozong finally understood: the Western Turks had specifically named him to conduct the negotiations. Looking at the handwriting on the letter, which appeared to be that of a woman, the seductive face of Aiyi suddenly flashed before his eyes.

Yang Yaozong naturally knew that since the Turks wanted to negotiate and had specifically called him out by name, he would have to make a trip to the frontier no matter what. Therefore, after discussing the matter with the ministers in the hall and expressing his gratitude to Qin Zheng, Zuo Qiutang, and others for their care and exhortations, he left the palace to pack his belongings for the journey.

Yang Yaozong first returned to the Nangong Estate to inform Xiaohua that he was going to the Jiayuguan Pass. Hearing this, Xiaohua jumped for joy and happily declared that her master and young mistress would soon be reunited. Afterward, however, she began to worry about Yang Yaozong, fearing that he might come to harm amidst the warfare at the frontier, and insisted on accompanying him to the Pass. Her request was sternly refused by Yang Yaozong. Naturally, a round of comforting words was required before Xiaohua finally felt at ease staying behind at the estate.

Carrying a pile of thick garments prepared by Xiaohua, he left the Nangong Estate and headed straight for his own residence. Upon arriving home, he found Jing Yijun, Yin Ruxin, and Yin Ruyun already waiting in the main hall. All three looked visibly worried, having clearly learned that he was about to set off for the frontier immediately.

Yin Ruyun insisted on accompanying Yang Yaozong as well. This time, needless to say Yang Yaozong disagreed, even Jing Yijun and Yin Ruxin opposed the idea. After all, Yin Ruyun's internal injuries had not fully healed, and she was pregnant, making strenuous travel entirely unsuitable for her. Meanwhile, Jing Yijun needed to stay behind to protect the Imperial Grandson; as the Emperor's only remaining bloodline, the Grandson could not afford the slightest mishap.

Only when Yang Yaozong informed the three women that the Imperial Grandson had already dispatched a messenger to recall Qin Haizhou—who was on his way back to the capital—instructing Qin's forces to rendezvous with Yang Yaozong and accompany him to the frontier, did the three women feel somewhat at ease.

Despite a thousand words and endless instructions, the time for parting had finally arrived. After exchanging tender farewells with the three women, Yang Yaozong, escorted by numerous guards and riding his steed Heiyao, departed from Tianjing City and headed in the direction of the Jiayuguan Pass.

At this moment, Yang Yaozong, along with Han Xiong and a few guards, had rushed ahead to Daizhou, while Qin Haizhou, leading a force of over ten thousand men, would take another two or three days to arrive.

Yang Yaozong said, "Brothers, we have been traveling hard for several days. Let's rest our feet here in Daizhou for a bit, get something to eat, and then continue on our way."

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"Have you guys heard? Recently, the barbarians seem to be harassing the Jiayuguan Pass every single day, yet Old General Nangong Zhan has issued a strict order: we are only allowed to hold our ground and forbidden from engaging them in battle."

"I heard it's an imperial decree from the Emperor himself, so Old General Nangong has no choice but to obey orders."

"But what is the use of just holding out like this? In my view, it will only make the arrogance of the barbarians even worse!"

"Ah, you don't understand! The weather is getting colder and colder, especially these past few days—even a pissing can freeze into an icicle! With such bitter cold, how can the barbarians not be anxious? I reckon if we hold out for a bit longer, the barbarians will retreat on their own!"

"Hmph! If you ask me, we should charge out of the pass and fight the barbarians! Cowering inside the pass like this shows no skill at all!"

"Oh! Wang Er! Since you're so capable, why don't you join the army instead of hiding in the city! Don't think we don't know that all you do all day long is steal chickens, snatch dogs, and harass widows. You sure act like you're full of ability!"

"Hahahaha!"

Yang Yaozong and Han Xiong sat together, eating their food while listening to the patrons in the tavern chat. The guards accompanying Yang Yaozong sat quietly at a nearby table, eating the food Yang Yaozong had ordered for them.

"Innkeeper! We've eaten at your place many times before, and every single time haven't we paid a little extra in silver? This time we genuinely lost our money pouch; we're not trying to take advantage or get a free meal!" Two women stood in front of the counter, with one maid-looking girl arguing with the innkeeper.

"My good young lady! I'm running a small business here. If everyone were like you, I'd have to shut my doors for good!"

"You! You innkeeper! My young mistress didn't say she wouldn't pay you; she's merely going to send someone to deliver it to you later. How can you still talk to us like this? Besides, the extra silver we gave you on previous occasions is more than enough to cover the cost of this meal!" the maid said indignantly.

"I am not talking to you, maid. I am speaking to your young mistress. Such poor manners for a maid!"

"You! Do you even know who my young mistress is..."

The woman dressed in matronly attire hurriedly stopped the maid from blurting out the rest.

"Hmph! No matter who your young mistress is, there is no reason to eat and not pay!" the innkeeper said sourly.

"My good young lady, what is your honorable surname? If you tell me your surname, your given name, and where you live, I, Wang Er, will settle this tab for the young lady today!" Wang Er sauntered over to the counter with a swagger, leering up and down at the matronly-dressed woman with malicious intent.

The people who had been chatting earlier saw Wang Er approach and all snickered, watching to see what would happen next.

"Hmph! Innkeeper! Put whatever this young lady has eaten today on our tab! Let her be on her way!" Han Xiong's voice boomed like a bronze bell.

Seeing that the speaker was extremely burly, Wang Er—who had originally wanted to take the opportunity to flirt with the pretty young lady before him—found his good deed ruined by this stout fellow. Yet, not daring to make a peep, he merely shot Han Xiong a resentful glare, let out a soft huff, and slunk back to his original seat.

"Thank you, kind sir. May I ask where your home is, so that my humble self can send someone to repay you the silver later?" The woman walked over to Han Xiong with her maid and bowed to him.

"The young lady needn't thank me! It was my mas—my young master who didn't want to see the young lady in a difficult spot, so he stepped in out of righteousness!" Han Xiong hurriedly stood up, looking rather embarrassed.

The woman looked at Yang Yaozong, furrowed her brow, and froze for a moment. She felt that Yang Yaozong looked very familiar. This woman was none other than Nangong Qingyi. She had brought Xiaoqi to Daizhou today to take care of some business, and after finishing, she wanted to eat lunch here and immediately return to the Jiayuguan Pass, only to find that her money pouch was lost, leading to the innkeeper's harassment.

Nangong Qingyi bowed gracefully to Yang Yaozong and said, "May I ask the honorable surname of this young master, so that my humble self may later send someone to return the silver to you?"

"Such a trivial matter is hardly worth mentioning. I am merely passing through this place and am about to leave. Madam need not take it to heart." Yang Yaozong stood up, returned the bow to Nangong Qingyi, and smiled.

Seeing that the handsome young man before her had no intention of revealing his name, Nangong Qingyi curtsied once more and said, "Then this humble self will thank the young master once again for your generosity."

Yang Yaozong smiled and nodded, left some silver on the table, and led Han Xiong and the others out of the tavern.

"Young Mistress! What is wrong with you?" Xiaoqi gently called out to Nangong Qingyi, who was staring blankly at Yang Yaozong's retreating figure.

Nangong Qingyi gently shook her head and smiled with a slight blush, "Xiaoqi, do you think he looks like someone?"

Xiaoqi smiled and said, "Are you trying to say he looks like the master, Young Mistress? Xiaoqi thinks he looks a bit like him too! Though this person is at least a head taller than the master, and... well, sturdier than the master! But the master has a much fairer complexion and looks more refined than this fellow." Then she chuckled mischievously, "Though come to think of it, the master should be arriving in these next few days!"

Blushing slightly with embarrassment, Nangong Qingyi said, "Let's go! We need to hurry back!" (To be continued.)