The yellow sand stretched on endlessly. Seeing General Dugu slowly driving the carriage toward her, Yelu Qianqian had nothing more to say. She tucked the West Liang military tally safely away, then turned her horse and left.
There was still about a day’s journey left before reaching Akbachu. But at this very moment, Jun Beiyue was also nearly there!
He stood on the gravel plain of the Gobi, gazing far into the distance at the city of Akbachu.
There was still a day’s journey left. Had it not been for those six or seven days lost along the way, he wouldn’t have gone to Akbachu at all — he would have gone straight to the western frontier to find Ziqing.
By now, Ziqing should already be waiting for him in Akbachu, shouldn’t she? They’d promised each other one month, and he had, at last, kept his word!
He had made few promises to her, but every single one he kept firmly in his heart — no matter the cost, he would never break a promise!
Just as he had promised to help her uncover all the secrets of the isolated island, to find where it lay.
Just as he had promised not to see Yanzi.
Just as he had promised — one month, and not a moment more.
He had received Yingzi’s earlier letter reporting on Situ Haonan’s situation, and at the time he’d still harbored some doubts. But yesterday another letter from Yingzi had arrived, describing how Situ Haonan had accepted the surrender — everything had gone smoothly, and they had already set out on their way back to Akbachu. The news from West Jing matched as well — the peace conference ceremony was fully prepared, only waiting for everyone to arrive.
Only now did the anxious knot in his heart finally loosen. Once the surrender was accepted and they left the western frontier, Situ Haonan and General Dugu would have no way to take advantage of Ziqing. And Yingzi’s reports were never wrong.
Besides, given how well he understood Situ Haonan, this sort of response from him was only natural!
After the peace conference, the situation at Longyuan would remain stable for a good long stretch of time, and he could then set his mind at ease to continue searching for the secrets of the isolated island together with Ziqing!
Just as Jun Beiyue stood there gazing into the distance, lost in thought, a group of riders appeared not far behind him.
It was none other than Jun Beichen and his men — Jun Beiyue had stopped here precisely to wait for them.
Had he not lost six or seven days along the way, there was no way Jun Beichen could have caught up to him!
The one Jun Beichen brought with him was none other than Bai Mengmeng!
“Fourth Brother, here’s the military tally, and I’ve brought the person you wanted too — she’s in the carriage, don’t worry, she can’t escape!”
Jun Beichen reported honestly, at the same time drawing out the Xiongnu military tally he had kept hidden close to his body the whole way, and handing it personally to Jun Beiyue.
Everything in the northern frontier had gone smoothly. Jun Beichen had made the Xiongnu’s complete withdrawal from the northern highlands the condition for accepting their surrender, and Minhan Mude’er had had no choice but to comply.
The northern fighting had come to a complete stop not long after Jun Beiyue had left.
After obtaining the Xiongnu military tally, Jun Beichen had brought Bai Mengmeng along and hurried to catch up with Jun Beiyue. He still couldn’t understand, though, why Jun Beiyue wanted Bai Mengmeng brought along, and why he’d asked whether she was willing to return to East Qin.
Jun Beiyue glanced at the tally and put it away, saying flatly, “She’s willing to return to East Qin?”
“Yes, she agreed without a moment’s hesitation. Fourth Brother, could this be something East Qin demanded?” Jun Beichen was baffled — East Qin was already a fallen nation, with no right to even attend the peace conference, let alone negotiate terms.
“It’s in exchange for something very important. Keep a close eye on her, let’s go.” Jun Beiyue said flatly. He had no intention of letting Jun Beichen know too much about the matter of the isolated island — until the truth of it was fully uncovered, the fewer people who knew, the better.
As for Bai Mengmeng, did she think that returning to East Qin meant she’d be safe? That she wouldn’t have to spend her whole life imprisoned? That she could go find the Empress of East Qin to avenge her family? She had broken General Bai Hu’s heart — she would have to pay the price for that!
Nanny Qin’s blade was waiting for her!
Just as Jun Beiyue was about to leave, someone came running madly from behind. “My lord, wait! Please wait!”
That voice — how familiar it was!
Physician Gu?
Jun Beiyue turned to look and saw Physician Gu running toward him, waving. “My lord, please wait!”
Physician Gu had originally been on his way to the northern frontier to cure Jun Beiyue’s poison. Upon learning that he was heading to Akbachu instead, he had waited for Jun Beichen along the way and caught up with him together.
Jun Beiyue frowned. “What are you here for?”
Hearing the cold response, a bitter pang rose in Physician Gu’s chest. To think that once, before Han Ziqing had ever appeared, everything concerning this master of his had been tended to by these old bones of his — master and servant, yet as close as father and son.
But ever since Han Ziqing had appeared — especially after his own concerns about her origins had surfaced — everything had changed!
This master of his was truly ruthless. No matter who it was, no matter what the past relationship had been, the moment anyone endangered his woman, he could turn cold in an instant!
“This subordinate heard that the Prince had been poisoned, and came to cure it.”
Physician Gu was no fool — one look at Jun Beiyue’s complexion told him the poison had already been cured. And yet, he said it anyway.
It had indeed been Jun Beichen who had originally ordered him to head to the northern frontier. Now that he’d caught up here, it couldn’t quite be called showing up uninvited, could it?
“No need. Has Hongyi woken up?” Jun Beiyue asked coldly, looking down at him from above. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten old loyalties — it was that he had given Physician Gu chances before, and time and again Physician Gu had disappointed him. That he hadn’t killed Physician Gu was already a nod to their many years as master and servant, but there was absolutely no way he would let Physician Gu remain at his side going forward. Besides, he had already begun searching for a new physician — Ziqing’s health needed to be carefully looked after.
“She’s awake, only…” Physician Gu hesitated.
“Speak!” Jun Beiyue said coldly, hating nothing more than this kind of hemming and hawing.
“Only she hasn’t fully recovered. She still slips in and out of unconsciousness from time to time.” Physician Gu answered hastily.
“Why is that? Can’t it be properly treated?” Jun Beiyue asked, frowning. Hongyi was just a maidservant — the Prince Yao’s residence had plenty to spare. But this particular girl happened to be Ziqing’s personal maid, and Ziqing looked after her, so naturally he had to see to her care as well.
“The injury is to her heart. It can be treated, only… it carries risk, and this old servant doesn’t dare make the decision alone, so I ask that the Prince decide.”
“What’s the risk?”
Physician Gu hesitated a moment, then looked up at Jun Beiyue and said only one word: “Death.”
Jun Beiyue hesitated. This was Ziqing’s person, and it was a matter of life and death — he couldn’t very well decide it on his own.
“My lord, there are several possible treatment approaches, each with different levels of risk and different results. But if any of them fail, the outcome is death. Allow this old servant to explain them in detail.”
Jun Beiyue didn’t have that kind of time to spend listening to Physician Gu’s detailed explanations — he was in a hurry to get to Akbachu, in a hurry to see Ziqing!
If it weren’t for the certainty that Ziqing too was on her way to Akbachu, possibly even there already, and if Jun Beichen hadn’t been so close behind him — all for the sake of waiting for this one military tally — he wouldn’t have wanted to wait even a moment longer.
“Discuss it with the Consort.” Jun Beiyue said coldly, tossing out the words, then glanced once more at the carriage holding the imprisoned Bai Mengmeng before turning and walking away.
He thought to himself — Nanny Qin must have been waiting in Akbachu for quite a long time by now.
If Ziqing knew that the totem of Yaoshun Island was in Nanny Qin’s hands, how happy she would be. Though there were still several passages of the Lishang score left unanalyzed, and the missing notes still hadn’t been found, knowing the secret of the totem was, without question, the most crucial step toward deciphering the Lishang.
Thinking of this, Jun Beiyue couldn’t help but feel a flicker of joy, the corner of his mouth curving into a faint, captivating smile that was almost, but not quite, a laugh.
Seeing Jun Beiyue walk off first, Physician Gu finally let out a breath of relief, and respectfully followed behind Jun Beichen, setting off toward Akbachu…