Qin Yining actually no longer had the strength for idle chat.

She had been injured and lost blood again. Her body, which had never properly recovered, was once more depleted, and this time she was kidnapped without conditions for proper recuperation.

So she was very weak now. If not for the single breath of determination sustaining her, gritting her teeth and telling herself she couldn’t relax – for once she relaxed, she might truly be abandoned here and become a burden they would discard.

“Nothing much, just wanting to stay alive.” Her throat was unbearably dry and itchy. Qin Yining didn’t want to say more, giving only this brief answer in a detached manner, not even glancing at Si Qin.

Seeing her such coldness, Si Qin became even more interested.

“If this were an ordinary woman, she might have already tried every means to curry favor with me in order to have it easier. But you’re different from them all.”

Qin Yining said without looking aside: “You should speak less and conserve more strength.”

Though Si Qin was rebuffed, he wasn’t angry. He continued walking beside Qin Yining and laughed to himself, that laughter hoarse yet revealing genuine pleasure from the heart, causing the death warriors walking ahead to turn and look back, then turn forward again to whisper among themselves.

Despite having trekked through the desert for so long, Qin Yining’s appearance was still beautiful in these people’s eyes.

Different from the tall and robust Tatar women, Qin Yining – this beauty refined like jade from the Jiangnan water towns – was very distinctive in these people’s eyes.

If she weren’t Pang Zhixi’s princess consort, the men here would truly have some thoughts about her.

Only Si Qin didn’t permit them to lay hands on her.

Now seeing Si Qin laugh like that, the men all understood. It seemed the Prince Consort’s worldly heart was greatly moved, developing feelings for this beauty.

Though Khan A’na Ri was also born beautiful, her domineering and tyrannical treatment of people had long made them aesthetically fatigued. But this delicate and fragile beauty was the complete opposite of A’na Ri.

As the men walked, they thought that if Si Qin had feelings for this woman, they would all find ways to help cover for him.

However, just as these people’s thoughts took shape, a cloud of dust approached from ahead.

Coming from afar was actually a cavalry group!

“Prince Consort, look quickly!”

The lead man shaded his eyes and gazed into the distance, excitedly shouting: “It’s our people! It’s the Khan! The Khan has come!”

“It really is the Khan!”

“Prince Consort, we’re saved!”

…

The men shed their previous dejection, all excitedly cheering loudly. Si Qin’s face also showed joy as he hurried forward to meet them.

Qin Yining stood in place leaning on her branch, exchanging a glance with Lu Heng, who was equally bedraggled beside her.

When their group was kidnapped and set out, there had been over ten people, but now only the two of them remained.

Both their eyes held the joy of surviving disaster and confusion about their unknown future.

Neither knew how A’na Ri would treat them.

Here, Si Qin had already quickened his pace to meet the foremost of the group.

“A’na Ri, you’ve come.”

A robust woman in bright red riding attire, wearing a silver-white snow fox fur-collared cloak, rode her horse forward.

Her appearance couldn’t be called outstanding – only her features could be considered proper. But her bearing was extremely formidable, every gesture revealing the strength and dominance of one who occupied a high position.

Seeing Si Qin, her face broke into a smile. She reined in her horse and leaped down, like a little girl expecting affection and care, quickly walking forward.

“I had such difficulty finding you. You’ve been away so long without letting anyone send me word, making me so worried.”

Si Qin grasped A’na Ri’s hands, his handsome face wearing a gentle smile: “How did you find your way into the desert?”

“I brought people to meet you along the route, but didn’t find you. Later, asking along the way, someone said a group of riders had encountered bandit attacks and headed toward the desert. I worried you had met with disaster and wanted to pursue you into it, but my people reminded me it would be better to take the main road back to the capital, then come toward this direction from the capital, otherwise we ourselves would be trapped in the desert.”

Si Qin smiled and touched A’na Ri’s face. “You’re so good.”

A’na Ri’s face instantly flushed red, saying uncomfortably: “For your safety, doing anything is proper. Did you enjoy playing in Great Zhou this time?”

“It was alright. I didn’t get the treasure, but I captured a few people to bring back. We didn’t have enough water along the way, so I abandoned some people. Only two remain.”

Si Qin spoke while pointing behind him.

A’na Ri followed Si Qin’s finger and met the gazes of Lu Heng and Qin Yining.

After being wind-blown and sun-beaten in the great desert, crawling and tumbling about, even a heavenly fairy would not look good. Moreover, Qin Yining and Lu Heng now wore coarse cloth jackets, wrapped in dirty scarves full of sand and dust, their hair also disheveled in tangles.

A’na Ri glanced casually and asked: “Who are they?”

“One is the second young master of Great Zhou’s Lu family, the other is Princess Zhongshun. Originally I also captured remnants of the Azure Sky Alliance, but they wouldn’t tell me the treasure’s whereabouts. Keeping them would just waste water and provisions, so I abandoned them all.”

“Mm, you did well.” A’na Ri ordered people to bring out water containers, distributing water and dried provisions to everyone.

Si Qin then sat aside with A’na Ri, talking and laughing in low voices.

Qin Yining and Lu Heng were each given half-empty water bags and one dried cake each.

Qin Yining didn’t dare eat it all at once, lest there be more troubles on the road, so she only ate a few bites of the tasteless dried cake with cold water.

Lu Heng ate with a frown, saying in a low voice: “This truly wrongs you – your body is still weak.”

Qin Yining smiled bitterly, saying quietly: “Being able to survive is already my good fortune. If the Khan hadn’t arrived, I would have been the next one abandoned.”

Lu Heng also smiled bitterly.

No one would have thought that having come for treasure, they would end up in such straits.

They still didn’t know how A’na Ri would treat them once they reached the Tatar capital.

When Qin Yining and Lu Heng spoke, both A’na Ri and Si Qin focused their attention on these two.

Si Qin said in a low voice: “Second Master Lu of the Lu family and Minister Qin’s daughter are both extraordinary figures. Let’s take them back and keep them for now. Even if we can’t interrogate any secrets about the treasure from them, using them as hostages to negotiate with the Zhou Emperor could yield great profits. I believe this would bring more benefits than any treasure.”

A’na Ri smiled: “You’re right. We’ll do as you say.”

“The Khan always indulges me like this, making me feel bad.”

A’na Ri looked at Si Qin’s handsome face, her own face reddening as she said: “We are husband and wife – my supporting you is only proper. What talk of indulgence?”

She glanced askance at Qin Yining and said half-jokingly: “As long as you haven’t taken a fancy to that vixen, everything is fine.”