Tuoba Wu beat Liu Yun right at the entrance of Yan Huai’s main tent. Since Tuoba Wu was a woman and a Northern Wei princess, Yan Huai could not mediate justice and could only comfort Liu Yun while feeling quite troubled. Tuoba Wu’s temperament was far more difficult to handle than Tuoba Hong’s. If something truly happened to Tuoba Hong this time, who knew what kind of trouble Tuoba Wu would stir up?
The large contingent dispatched quickly set out again. Although people were sent out promptly last night, they unfortunately encountered heavy rain. Today was everyone’s last hope. Due to Tuoba Hong’s situation, all activities in the camp had been halted. Both Great Zhou and Northern Wei anxiously awaited Lin Zhang to bring back good news.
Only the Western Liang people showed no concern about this matter. Liu Yun especially hoped that Tuoba Hong would die on the mountain!
In the Western Liang main tent, Liu Yun’s face was covered in medicinal ointment, and his lower abdomen still ached faintly. His attendant said sympathetically, “That Northern Wei princess is too savage, actually beating Your Highness like that. With her behavior, she’ll surely never find a husband in the future.”
Liu Yun touched his face and immediately drew in a sharp breath from the pain, his eyes filling with even more resentment. “Tuoba Wu, I want to see if Tuoba Hong can return safely this time!”
The attendant’s eyes flickered, “Your Highness, should we mention that day…”
Liu Yun glared at the attendant, “Mention what? What does Tuoba Hong’s matter have to do with us!”
The attendant immediately dared not speak further. Liu Yun thought of his bruised and swollen face and felt frustrated and resentful. “What has the Fifth Princess been doing these past two days?”
The attendant quickly replied, “The Fifth Princess has been staying by the Empress’s side. Yesterday when Little Blue went missing, the Fifth Princess was very worried. Later, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guards helped find it back. Now she treasures Little Blue like a precious jewel.”
Liu Yun gritted his teeth, “We can’t just keep waiting like this. If Tuoba Hong is found today, our chances of success are too low. Do this – find a way to send that thing to the Fifth Princess now-“
A glimmer flashed in the attendant’s eyes as he nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Although the rain had lessened, it had not stopped. Grey clouds loomed over the camp, and no one knew when another torrential downpour would begin. Qin Wan accompanied the Empress Dowager in the main tent. Soon after, the Empress arrived with Yan Che and Yan Zhen.
Yan Zhen held Little Blue lovingly in her arms. Yan Sui’s eyes were fixed on Little Blue, but since Yan Zhen didn’t offer to let him pet it, he didn’t dare approach. The Empress Dowager saw this and couldn’t help but sigh.
Zhao Shuhua then said, “With last night’s heavy rain, Empress Dowager, do you find the dampness too heavy here? If it’s uncomfortable, we should have the servants light the braziers.”
Spring nights were already cool, and with the heavy rain, there was indeed some dampness in the tent. However, since the main tents were built on elevated platforms, conditions were somewhat better. The Empress Dowager waved her hand and smiled, “Ninth Miss has brewed some warming tea. After drinking it, we all feel warm, and a little dampness is nothing-“
Zhao Shuhua made an “oh” sound, “Ninth Miss has good things, why let only the Empress Dowager enjoy them alone?”
Qin Wan hurriedly stood up to apologize. The Empress Dowager smiled, “Share your tea with the Empress. It’s indeed effective, consider it medicinal tea.”
Qin Wan quickly went with Fu Ling to fetch the medicinal tea from the back. When they returned, Zhao Shuhua saw that Qin Wan had divided the tea into small packets, which looked quite pleasing to the eye. Qin Wan handed them to the Empress’s maid and explained the brewing method.
The Empress said with satisfaction, “This time we’re fortunate to have Ninth Miss accompanying the Empress Dowager. Not only is the Empress Dowager’s health good, but Little Nine has also become more lively. It’s just a pity that today’s sudden incident with the Northern Wei Crown Prince interrupted what would have been another grand hunting day.”
The Empress Dowager sighed, “Indeed. How is Western Liang’s Third Prince?”
Yan Che quickly replied, “Grandson has already visited and comforted him. He’s no longer in serious condition.”
The Empress Dowager shook her head, “This Northern Wei princess is far too unruly-“
Zhao Shuhua also nodded, “Yes, I wonder if all Northern Wei women are like this.” She glanced at Yan Zhen, “If they truly are this way, Great Zhou’s daughters would suffer if they went there.”
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow, “Does the Empress mean…”
The Empress Dowager’s gaze swept over Yan Zhen – could it be that the Empress was thinking of sending Yan Zhen for a political marriage?
The Empress gave a bitter smile, “Of course, I would be unwilling to part with her. However, if the Northern Wei Crown Prince is unharmed, someone will ultimately have to go to Northern Wei, right? These past few days, His Majesty has been discussing with the court officials, and most think an alliance marriage with Northern Wei wouldn’t be a bad idea.”
The Empress Dowager nodded but remained silent for a moment. After this incident, she no longer supported a marriage alliance between Great Zhou and Northern Wei. However, marriage alliances between countries were for mutual political benefit. She had no way to interfere, nor would she interfere. In the end, it would depend on Yan Huai’s decision.
Yan Che sat below Zhao Shuhua, his gaze resting on the Empress Dowager while occasionally glancing at Qin Wan. Qin Wan stood behind the Empress Dowager, very close to Yan Sui who sat beside the Empress Dowager. Yan Sui showed no interest in the adults’ conversation, his eyes only looking toward Qin Wan. Although Qin Wan maintained her dignity and composure, she was using her eyes to comfort Yan Sui.
Yan Che naturally had no interest in getting close to a child-like Yan Sui, and he knew of Yan Sui’s antisocial nature. However, he hadn’t expected Yan Sui to be so close to Qin Wan. This Qin Wan seemed to always surprise him.
After chatting with the Empress Dowager for a while longer, seeing it was noon and the Empress Dowager needed to rest, Zhao Shuhua left with her two children. Looking at the medicinal tea in the maid’s hands, Zhao Shuhua casually said, “Just keep this for now.”
Zhao Shuhua had no intention of actually drinking it.
The three returned to the main tent. Zhao Shuhua was also tired and went to rest in the inner hall, leaving Yan Che and Yan Zhen to sit outside. After standing for a moment, Yan Che suddenly ordered Tang Fu, “Go get the medicinal tea that Ninth Miss gave us since Mother doesn’t like the medicinal taste anyway.”
Tang Fu was slightly surprised but still complied, taking the medicinal tea. After some thought, Tang Fu instructed the maid that there was no need to report this to the Empress, then returned to the Crown Prince’s tent. Yan Che lifted his chin slightly, “Brew a cup for me to taste.”
Tang Fu was surprised again – the Empress didn’t like medicinal tastes, and neither did his master, so why…
Despite these thoughts, Tang Fu still went to brew a cup. After taking a sip, his brows furrowed tightly, “It tastes terrible.”
Tang Fu quickly said, “Then this old servant will go prepare fresh tea.”
He moved to take away the teacup to pour it out, but Yan Che’s hand wavered, not letting Tang Fu take the cup. “I also feel somewhat weak. Even if it tastes bad, I should drink some. Put the rest away properly and you may go.”
Tang Fu’s eyes widened, and after a long moment, he turned to put away the medicinal tea.
Just as Tang Fu was about to withdraw, as he exited the tent, he saw Qin Zhao Yu approaching with Yan Zhen. She was accompanied by two maids, one of whom carried a birdcage. Tang Fu’s face broke into a smile as he went forward to pay his respects. Although Qin Zhao Yu had not yet married Yan Che, she was the appointed Crown Princess, so Tang Fu dared not be the least bit careless.
With the continuous rain, Qin Zhao Yu had grown bored staying in her tent. Moreover, these past few days she had few opportunities to see Yan Che. Therefore, she first went to pay respects to Zhao Shuhua, then had Yan Zhen accompany her, using the pretext of presenting birds to visit Yan Che’s quarters. It would have been improper for her to come alone, but coming together with Yan Zhen removed the need for such concerns.
“Is His Highness the Crown Prince present?”
Tang Fu quickly nodded, “Yes, yes. Princess and Eighth Miss, please wait a moment.”
Saying this, Tang Fu hurried into the main tent to announce them. Upon entering, he saw that Yan Che had nearly finished the medicinal tea. Tang Fu’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly announced that Qin Zhao Yu and Yan Zhen had arrived. Yan Che’s brows furrowed slightly, but he had Tang Fu invite them in.
Yan Che covered the teacup and sat up straight, maintaining his composure.
Yan Zhen held Little Blue, showing no interest in talking with Yan Che. Qin Zhao Yu entered the main tent with some reserve, but still said, “Your Highness, the other day Her Majesty the Empress bestowed upon me a pair of bluebirds. I find them even more beautiful than those sold in the bird market. Moreover, their song is particularly melodious. I know Your Highness keeps a bird in your palace, so I specially came to present these bluebirds to Your Highness. Please look-“
Qin Zhao Yu stepped aside, and Yan Che immediately saw the bluebirds in the cage.
The birds were about half a palm in size, with emerald green wings and bright yellow beaks. Their feathers were glossy, and when they chirped, their voices were clear and melodious – they were indeed a beautiful pair of birds…
“You want me to take them into the palace?”
Qin Zhao Yu had thought Yan Che would be happy to see these birds, but unexpectedly, his expression remained unmoved.
Qin Zhao Yu found this strange and smiled, “Of course. Since Your Highness likes birds, and these are a rare matching pair…”
As she spoke, Qin Zhao Yu showed some shyness. Gifting paired items always carried some hint of intimacy. However, when her words fell, Yan Che remained silent. After a moment, Yan Che said, “Let’s set them free instead.”
Qin Zhao Yu was stunned. “Set them free?”
Yan Che looked at Qin Zhao Yu, “They are mountain birds by nature. How can they be happy confined in a cage? You think their chirping sounds clear and pleasant, but don’t you know those are their cries of sorrow?”
It hadn’t seemed like anything before, but after hearing Yan Che’s words, Qin Zhao Yu suddenly felt a chill down her spine. The birds’ chirping became unbearable to hear. Her smile became stiff, and she didn’t know where to put her hands. “Well… if Your Highness hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have thought of it. Indeed, capturing them like this is too cruel. I’ll have them released right away.” After speaking, Qin Zhao Yu looked toward Mo Yi, who was holding the cage.
Mo Yi nodded and walked to the entrance to open the cage door.
As soon as the door opened, both birds immediately flew out with urgent chirping, disappearing in the blink of an eye – clearly showing how desperately they wanted to escape the cage. Qin Zhao Yu let out a breath. Yan Che said, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, but it’s better not to confine birds in cages. The bird I keep in my palace has an injured wing and can no longer fly away.”
Worried that Qin Zhao Yu might lose face, Yan Che offered this brief explanation.
Qin Zhao Yu forced a smile, “So that’s how it is. I misunderstood. I didn’t know before, but I’ll remember from now on.” As she spoke, her nostrils twitched as she suddenly caught a faint medicinal smell. “Did Your Highness just take medicine? Are you unwell?”
Yan Che’s brows furrowed slightly. Tang Fu’s heart also jumped – for some reason, he felt very uneasy about his master drinking Qin Wan’s medicinal tea in front of Qin Zhao Yu…
“I’m not unwell. I just got some scratches during yesterday’s hunt and applied some medicinal ointment.”
Yan Che told this lie without showing any emotion, while Tang Fu lowered his head.
Qin Zhao Yu felt relieved, and seeing that Yan Che had no intention of further conversation, she took her leave.
Yan Che rose to see her off, which finally gave Qin Zhao Yu some comfort.
After Qin Zhao Yu and Yan Zhen left, Yan Che stood at the tent entrance, somewhat dazed.
He didn’t need to lie, since Qin Wan’s medicinal tea was effective. But just now, for some reason, he instinctively chose to lie. Thinking of Zhao Shuhua’s previous words, Yan Che strode out toward Yan Huai’s main tent. These weren’t things he should be thinking about – right now, he should be doing what he ought to do.
An incense stick’s time later, Yan Che selected fifty horsemen and also left the main camp, heading straight for Mount Wei.
First, the Imperial Guard Commander was sent to search the mountain, and then even the Great Zhou Crown Prince led troops up the mountain. When Tuoba Wu learned of this, the anger in her heart finally diminished slightly. However, until Tuoba Hong returned safely, she couldn’t set her mind at ease. Looking at the dark, gloomy sky outside, Tuoba Wu’s heart was also shrouded in gloom.
After a whole day of anxious waiting, when night fell, Lin Zhang and Yan Che returned to the main camp with the main force. To everyone’s disappointment, there was still no trace of Northern Wei Crown Prince Tuoba Hong.
In the vast Mount Wei, hiding one person should be quite easy, yet with Lin Zhang, who was familiar with the mountain terrain, leading a thorough search, concealing someone should have been very difficult. Still, Tuoba Hong remained completely untraceable.
Yan Huai summoned Yan Chi, Yan Qi, and others to the main tent. Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui sat in the primary positions on the left.
“Still no sign of Crown Prince Tuoba. Does anyone have good ideas, or has anyone thought of other possibilities? Speak freely!”
The second night had already come. If Tuoba Hong was injured, the longer they waited, the smaller the chance of rescue. Even if he had just gotten lost, two nights and a day of heavy rain would be enough to wear him down.
Yan Che, who had gone up the mountain today, said, “Father, when we went up the mountain today, we discovered several landslides on Mount Wei, with many rocks sliding down from above. Could it be…”
Could Tuoba Hong have been buried by the landslide?!
This wasn’t what Yan Huai wanted to hear, though it was certainly possible.
Yan Qi stepped forward, “Father, could it be that the Crown Prince went in the wrong direction and is getting further away from us?”
Yan Huai preferred Yan Qi’s suggestion over Yan Che’s. He looked at Lin Zhang, “What do you think?”
“Both Princes’ suggestions are possible. It is indeed easy to get lost on Mount Wei.”
“Impossible.” The objection came from Tuoba Wu. She said coldly, “My brother doesn’t get lost even in the endless snow plains, how could he possibly get lost in mere mountain forests?”
“Princess, anything is possible. Right now, we can only make optimistic speculations.”
Lin Zhang said this, and Tuoba Wu hesitated before speaking again, “Then what do we do now? My brother disappeared in Great Zhou’s royal hunting grounds. Your Majesty must give us an explanation.”
Yan Huai replied calmly, “That’s natural. Until now, we’ve been doing our best, haven’t we?”
On this point, Tuoba Wu had nothing to say. Yan Huai thought for a moment, “Perhaps we need to expand the search area. The foothills on both the east and west sides, as well as the mountains seven or eight li to the north, all need to be searched. Lin Zhang, you go rest for two hours first. Crown Prince, gather another two thousand troops. Yan Chi, I need you to lead a team.”
Finding someone was much simpler than fighting a war. Among these people, if anyone had the best chance of finding Tuoba Hong while leading troops, it would undoubtedly be Yan Chi. However, since Yan Chi now held a civil official position, Yan Huai hadn’t assigned him.
Yan Chi stepped forward, “Yan Chi obeys the command.”
Hearing that Yan Chi would lead troops to find Tuoba Hong, Tuoba Wu felt conflicted. She admired Yan Chi, but she couldn’t catch his eye. Moreover, Yan Chi had killed her Moon Blade, and now, she didn’t know if he held a grudge against her – would he try his best to find Tuoba Hong?
“Commander Lin will lead one team, Crown Prince another, and Yan Chi another, each taking a direction. The Fifth Prince and the other guards will also split up to accompany them. Try to find any traces related to Crown Prince Tuoba. Now everyone rest up, we’ll set out at midnight. Use the night for travel, and by dawn, we’ll reach the search area. If we still can’t find him this time…”
The main tent fell silent. Yan Huai narrowed his eyes and said, “I will naturally give Northern Wei an explanation.”
Once the orders were given, the entire camp sprang into action. At this moment, heaven smiled upon them as the rain gradually lessened. Soon, two thousand new troops were selected. Yan Chi and the other two each led about seven hundred men. Since Lin Zhang and the Crown Prince had been up the mountain during the day, they were now resting, so Yan Chi was organizing the troops in the square.
This search would cover an extremely long distance, and they might not return for two or three days. Therefore, the soldiers had to carry not only weapons but also dried rations. As the departure time drew near, Tuoba Wu suddenly appeared in tight-fitting combat attire. She rode her black horse brought from Northern Wei and went directly to Yan Chi’s side.
“Prince Chi, I want to go find my brother too!”
Yan Chi, sitting on horseback, turned his indifferent gaze toward her when he heard this. “This journey requires marching through the night. Can the Princess handle it?”
Tuoba Wu lifted her chin, “Of course-“
Yan Chi looked at Tuoba Wu expressionlessly for a moment, then nodded.
Tuoba Wu was surprised, not expecting Yan Chi to agree so easily. “You-“
Soon, Lin Zhang and Yan Che also arrived at the front of the formation. Now the question became who Tuoba Wu would go with. Lin Zhang looked at Yan Che, then at Yan Chi, “Which direction does the Princess wish to take?”
Tuoba Wu raised her chin, “I want to go north.”
At these words, Yan Che and Lin Zhang both looked at Yan Chi. Tuoba Wu frowned – she had merely chosen a direction, not realizing she had chosen Yan Chi’s troops. Her heart filled with mixed emotions, but at this moment, Yan Chi firmly said, “I refuse.”
Lin Zhang and Yan Che were surprised, and Yan Che even said, “Yan Chi…”
Tuoba Wu’s eyes widened, “Why?! Don’t tell me you think-“
Don’t tell me you think I just want to follow you?!
Yan Chi didn’t even look at Tuoba Wu, “I won’t take a burden with me.”
Lin Zhang’s three teams would each take a direction – the east and west routes were on the plains, but the northern route required crossing mountains and ridges. To ensure finding Tuoba Hong quickly, their mountain-crossing speed needed to be fast, and regardless of the purpose, Yan Chi absolutely would not take Tuoba Wu along.
The word “burden” made Tuoba Wu’s eyes turn red with anger!
“You call me a burden?! How about we fight and see?!”
Tuoba Wu had just beaten Liu Yun, and in her view, actions spoke louder than words, especially since Yan Chi’s words clearly showed his contempt.
But Yan Chi just gave her a cool look, “The Princess isn’t worth my effort. Although the Princess practices martial arts, the northern route has many mountains and difficult paths. For the sake of finding Crown Prince Tuoba quickly, it’s better if the Princess doesn’t cause trouble. Both east and west routes are on plains – if the Princess wishes to help her brother, choose either of those-“
Yan Chi’s words were truly hurtful, yet he spoke each word with perfect calm and rationality, without seeming deliberately discourteous. This made it even harder for Tuoba Wu to vent her anger.
“You-“
As Tuoba Wu tried to speak again, Yan Che said, “Yan Chi makes sense. The Princess insisting on coming along is already risky. The mountain paths are slippery, and there might be wild beasts and rockslides. The chances of accidents are extremely high. If something happened to the Princess on the mountain, should we rescue you or search for Crown Prince Tuoba?”
Lin Zhang also agreed, “Indeed, I hope the Princess will think this through carefully.”
Tuoba Wu’s lips were pressed tightly together. Though she was extremely unwilling in her heart, her reason told her that Lin Zhang and the others were right. Gritting her teeth, Tuoba Wu said fiercely, “Fine, I’ll take the western route!”
Yan Chi remained noncommittal, his expression unchanged throughout. Hearing this, he walked to the front of his troops. Lin Zhang said, “Then the Princess will accompany me. There might be heavy rain again tonight – please be mentally prepared, Princess.”
Tuoba Wu snorted lightly, “No need to tell me, I know.”
Tuoba Wu wore a dark cloak with tight-fitting combat attire underneath, showing she was well-prepared. She also carried a bow, arrows, and a sword. Sitting straight on horseback, she cut quite a gallant figure.
As they prepared to depart, Yan Huai, the Empress Dowager, and others came to see them off. The Empress Dowager said, “I had some pastries prepared for Yan Che and Yan Chi to take along. Who knows how many days it will be before they return.”
As she spoke, she had people deliver the pastries. Matron Chen went to Yan Che, while Bai Ying delivered to Yan Chi.
Tuoba Wu recognized Bai Ying, and when she saw Yan Chi’s eyes soften as he glanced toward the Empress Dowager after receiving the pastries, she immediately understood they were likely prepared by Qin Wan. Her heart filled with a complex mixture of sourness, resentment, and bitterness!
Yan Chi wasn’t always cold and unfeeling – his tenderness and affection were all given to Qin Wan!
Tuoba Wu gripped her reins tightly. When the order to depart was given, she was the first to crack her whip and gallop away. However, at that moment, through the misty night rain, a horse’s neigh suddenly rang out from outside the main camp.
The neigh was distant, barely audible through the rain curtain, but in an instant, Tuoba Wu reined in her horse!
She stopped abruptly, blocking everyone behind her. The massive formation ready to depart was thus halted at the camp entrance-
“Princess, what’s happened?!”
Lin Zhang called out loudly. Tuoba Wu said, “Listen!”
Everyone concentrated, and another neigh rang out. People’s expressions changed slightly as their eyes fixed unmoving on the darkness ahead. Soon, a tall brown horse appeared in everyone’s view. As soon as it appeared, Tuoba Wu called out in disbelief, “Royal Brother!” and immediately rode forward. Lin Zhang and others quickly followed. Soon the horse was close, but its back was empty – just a single horse had returned.
Tuoba Wu’s eyes immediately moistened, “This is Long Feng! This is my Royal Brother’s horse! This is my Royal Brother’s horse!”
Tuoba Wu was extremely excited, and after speaking these words, she began to choke up. She turned to look at Lin Zhang and the others, continuing, “This is my Royal Brother’s horse, I recognize it! I absolutely cannot be wrong!”
At this time, Tuoba Rui also came forward from behind, “Yes! This is Long Feng! You can tell by the bell!”
Tuoba Rui was also full of disbelief, “How did Long Feng return alone? Where did he come from?!”
Several thousand people had searched Mount Wei, looking for both Tuoba Hong and the horse, finding neither person nor mount. Yet now, the horse had returned on its own?!
Yan Chi and Yan Che also wanted to know where it had run back from!
Yan Chi glanced and noticed the horse had no obvious major wounds. Meanwhile, Tuoba Wu was already saying, “Long Feng, Long Feng, where did you come from? Where is Royal Brother?”
The horse seemed spiritual as if hearing Tuoba Wu’s words. It began turning anxiously in place, its head repeatedly pointing toward Mount Wei. Tuoba Wu quickly said, “Long Feng, will you take me to find Royal Brother? Long Feng! Will you take me to find Royal Brother?”
Long Feng continued neighing but only turned in place.
Lin Zhang watched with furrowed brows, “It must be somewhere very far. Perhaps it remembers the way but doesn’t know how to lead us there. Moreover, two days of rain would certainly interfere with their memory.”
The horse kept turning, snorting one after another in front of Tuoba Wu. Tuoba Wu grew anxious, “What should we do?! Long Feng would never separate from Brother! It must know where Brother is!”
This sudden development had halted the large force outside the main camp. Yan Huai received the news and immediately came out with his people. Even the Empress Dowager, Zhao Shuhua, and others came out under servants’ umbrellas to look.
Everyone had been worried for two days, but now the horse had returned – where was Tuoba Hong?
“Your Majesty, this is Crown Prince Tuoba’s horse, it returned on its own!”
Yan Huai had already seen it and couldn’t help but furrow his brows with tension, “It must know where Crown Prince Tuoba is.”
Lin Zhang said regretfully, “It’s a pity we can’t have it lead the way.”
Yan Huai thought for a moment, “Call the Horse Master over, see if he can make this horse obey.”
Just as Lin Zhang was about to give the order, Tuoba Wu said, “You can’t train Northern Wei horses.” Then she added anxiously, “But this time, we didn’t bring any horse trainers with us.”
As she spoke, Yan Chi had already dismounted. He walked slowly toward Long Feng, getting closer and closer.
Perhaps because a stranger was approaching, or perhaps because of Yan Chi’s imposing presence, Long Feng tried to run away when Yan Chi approached. Yan Chi glanced at Tuoba Rui, who understood and quickly went to hold Long Feng still. Only then did Long Feng stop moving. Yan Chi walked to the horse’s side, first stroking its back to soothe it, then carefully examining every part of Long Feng’s body.
Long Feng showed no obvious wounds but had some minor injuries. Yan Chi looked carefully, and when he reached the tail, his brows suddenly furrowed. Long Feng’s tail was covered in mud. Although much had been washed away by the rain, the tail hair was still dirty and matted together. Among the tail hairs, Yan Chi spotted a bit of muddy green.
While continuing to calm the horse, he picked out that green matter.
Turning around, Yan Chi looked toward Qin Wan, who was supporting the Empress Dowager, “Would Ninth Miss please help?”
Yan Huai seemed to understand Yan Chi’s intention and immediately looked at Qin Wan, “Ninth Girl, go-“
Qin Wan nodded and hurried to Yan Chi’s side. From the moment Yan Chi dismounted to examine Long Feng, she knew he was trying to find traces of the horse’s movements. Now that Yan Chi had discovered something, he needed her help.
The green matter on Yan Chi’s fingertip was only half a fingernail in size and mixed with mud, appearing dark green. Yan Chi offered his fingertip to Qin Wan, “Can you tell what this is?!”
The crowd stood at a distance, unable to see what was on Yan Chi’s hand. Qin Wan took the green matter from Yan Chi’s fingertip, brought it to her nose to smell, looked at it carefully for a moment, and then said, “This is a water chestnut leaf.”
Everyone’s expressions brightened as they stepped closer. Tuoba Wu also dismounted and came near, but when she saw only a tiny bit of green in Qin Wan’s hand, she frowned and said, “What is water chestnut?! How does knowing this help find my brother?”
Her tone was quite unfriendly. At such an important moment, Yan Chi still had to call Qin Wan over, and his tone even softened when speaking to her. How dare they act so intimately in front of everyone!
They could be lovey-dovey, but they shouldn’t delay finding her brother!
Tuoba Wu glared at Qin Wan. Others also seemed confused. Qin Wan calmly explained, “Water chestnut is an annual aquatic herb. Its fruit has medicinal properties. Water chestnuts love water and primarily grow in lakes, marshes, or ponds. As far as I know, there are no lakes on Mount Wei, so these would grow in marshes or small ponds. This leaf fragment is small but hasn’t been washed away by the rain yet, suggesting the horse must have struggled through a water chestnut grove, causing it to stick firmly.
“Horses are intelligent and can sense danger – they wouldn’t willingly enter deep water or marshes. So there’s only one explanation: these water chestnut leaves are connected to Crown Prince Tuoba. To find the Crown Prince quickly, we just need to locate where these water chestnuts grow. That would greatly increase our chances of finding him.”
Facing Tuoba Wu’s questioning, Qin Wan remained completely unruffled. In the cold rain, her voice was equally calm and composed. Though her demeanor wasn’t as domineering as Tuoba Wu’s, when she spoke her decisive words, her presence had already overwhelmed Tuoba Wu. Standing within everyone’s view, in just an instant, the difference in their bearing became clear!
After hearing Qin Wan’s words, Tuoba Wu’s presence faltered. Yan Huai immediately said, “So we should look for marshes and ponds?”
Lin Zhang also quickly said, “Mount Wei has no lakes, but it does have mountain springs and collected pools, and there should be marshes too. If we search in this direction, the range would be much smaller!”
Originally, people were going to split in three directions to search aimlessly, but unexpectedly Long Feng returned. Though Long Feng came back, it couldn’t lead the way, and everyone was still clueless. But when Yan Chi discovered the water chestnut leaf and Qin Wan provided such analysis, suddenly the direction to find Tuoba Hong became extremely clear!
Qin Wan nodded slightly and turned to look at Long Feng again.
She hadn’t intended to take the lead at such a time, but since she had stepped forward, she should do her best.
Her gaze fixed intently on Long Feng, and others also looked at her. Lin Zhang wanted to speak, but Yan Huai raised his hand to stop him. Others didn’t know Qin Wan’s abilities, but he and Yan Chi did, which was why he immediately approved when Yan Chi asked for her help earlier. Watching Qin Wan’s bamboo-straight figure, Yan Huai felt full of admiration.
Tuoba Wu and Tuoba Rui exchanged glances, while others looked even more confused.
At such a crucial moment, it wasn’t surprising that Qin Wan, as a young medical fairy, could identify medicinal ingredients. But why let her stand there looking at the horse? Moreover, this should be a place for men to speak. Qin Wan, a delicate woman, seemed quite out of place. Yet when everyone looked over, they saw Qin Wan in elegant, even plain attire, but it couldn’t hide her pearl-like radiance. Her delicate features appeared even more gentle and ethereal in the fine rain, giving her an otherworldly air. Her straight posture and extraordinary bearing – though a young lady of jade-like years – carried a presence that not only surpassed Tuoba Wu but could even match Yan Chi! This was simply amazing!
“This is the Ninth Miss of the Loyal and Brave Marquis’s household.”
“Is she the little medical fairy who cured the Empress Dowager?”
“Yes, it’s her. I heard she’s been by the Empress Dowager’s side these days.”
“So it’s her. I was wondering who that exceptionally beautiful young lady following the Empress Dowager was. I must say, even the Princess’s bearing can’t compare to hers…”
Low discussions arose frequently, spreading from soldier to soldier, ten to hundred until even the soldiers at the back knew the situation at the front. And just as everyone was praising Qin Wan, she suddenly shook her head.
“No, it’s not a pond, nor a marsh.”
Yan Huai raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean?!”
Qin Wan focused her gaze and said, “Long Feng’s wounds are mostly long, thin cuts, mainly distributed along its sides, as if scratched by some sharp rocks. There are also small cuts on its hooves. Such wounds couldn’t be made from ordinary stones – they must be from an area with many slate rocks. And judging by the location of the wounds, it likely passed through a very narrow, confined place, like a passage, with protruding slate rocks on both sides.”
“There’s water, enough to grow water chestnuts, like a passage, with slate rocks…”
Qin Wan’s gaze sharpened, “It must be in a mountain ravine. Your Majesty, we should search the ravines!”
From marshes or ponds to suddenly becoming a mountain ravine – though the target area was still reduced, Tuoba Wu didn’t like this feeling. At such an urgent moment, with all the masters present, it seemed Qin Wan was taking the lead, with everyone following her thinking…
“Couldn’t these wounds have been caused by some fierce undergrowth, or perhaps scratches from tree trunks?”
Tuoba Wu frowned deeply, thinking her question piercing.
Qin Wan looked at Tuoba Wu calmly, “Undergrowth can cause injury, but it can’t wound a horse with such thick hide. Long Feng’s wounds are thin, narrow, and deep. Due to the rain’s washing, the flesh has curled outward. The edges of scrape wounds would never be so even. If the Princess doubts this, you can try making a horizontal cut on Long Feng with a knife.”
As Tuoba Wu was about to speak again, Lin Zhang said, “Princess, don’t doubt anymore. Ninth Miss is correct. Ordinary stones can’t hurt a horse like this – only sharp-edged slate can do so. Now that the Princess has set our target, we don’t need to search in all directions. Mount Wei has mountain springs, and where there are springs, there are ravines. I suddenly realize we’ve searched many places but haven’t checked those hidden ravines. If the Crown Prince fell into a ravine, we couldn’t find him just by crossing mountains and ridges.”
Mountain ravines are usually very deep trenches. If someone fell in and was covered by branches and undergrowth above, it would indeed be difficult to discover traces of them. When Lin Zhang explained this, everyone felt Qin Wan’s words made perfect sense!
Yan Huai decided immediately, “Good. Since that’s the case, you’re familiar with the terrain – take people immediately to search places where there might be ravines. Don’t miss a single inch! Go now-“
With the situation changing dramatically, the troops needed to be reorganized. Lin Zhang felt that taking too many people up the mountain at night would be inconvenient, so he selected only five hundred men. Yan Che and Yan Chi would also go along. Seeing the increased hope of finding Tuoba Hong, Tuoba Wu, and Tuoba Rui also requested to join. Yan Huai, understanding their urgent desire to save their brother, hesitated briefly before agreeing. Two incense sticks time later, the main force truly set out, with Tuoba Wu now riding Long Feng, hoping it could help when they got near the incident site.
Watching another “dragon of fire” depart, Yan Huai turned to look at Qin Wan, “Ninth Girl, if we find Crown Prince Tuoba this time, you’ll have achieved another great merit!”
Qin Wan’s lips curved slightly, “Barring accidents, Crown Prince Tuoba will certainly be found tonight!”
Seeing Qin Wan so certain, Yan Huai laughed heartily, “I’m truly grateful that the Empress Dowager brought you along this time. You little girl are truly formidable. Your examination of the horse was excellent.”
Yan Huai’s tone was meaningful. Qin Wan lowered her eyes modestly, while others just thought Yan Huai greatly admired Qin Wan, not knowing what deeper meaning lay within.
Seeing the main force leave, everyone returned to the main camp.
Previously without direction, everyone had waited anxiously. Now Qin Wan’s examination and analysis had firmly established where Tuoba Hong’s accident occurred. Was Qin Wan’s reasoning sound? Could they successfully find Tuoba Hong?
Not just Yan Huai, but others all harbored this doubt.
Though everyone returned to their camps, tonight was destined to be another sleepless night.
The Empress Dowager held Yan Sui and asked with a smile, “Do you believe what Ninth Sister Qin said is correct?”
Qin Wan naturally dared not act as Yan Sui’s sister, but after several days, Yan Sui and Qin Wan had become quite close, so the Empress Dowager simply referred to them as siblings. Yan Sui looked at Qin Wan and nodded.
The Empress Dowager then said, “Ninth Girl, last time we made a bet, you lost to me. This time, if you’re right, I have a great reward for you-“
Qin Wan said modestly, “I only did what was easy for me.”
The Empress Dowager shook her head, “Of course not. Though you only spoke a few words, firstly, others couldn’t have done this, and secondly, this concerns diplomatic relations between Great Zhou and Northern Wei – you took a risk.”
Qin Wan understood. If she had pointed in a direction but they didn’t find anyone, it would have wasted time and military resources. Given Tuoba Wu’s temperament, she might well have held Qin Wan accountable.
With this said, even the Empress Dowager couldn’t sleep, and Yan Sui, being young and energetic, stayed awake too. All three remained awake, and looking outside, most tent lights were still burning.
After waiting more than three hours, near the fifth watch, a fast rider galloped into the camp!
Just reaching the main tent, the messenger soldier shouted, “The Northern Wei Crown Prince has been found! The Northern Wei Crown Prince has been found!”
This shout brought everyone in the entire camp rushing out!
In the main tent, Qin Wan, who had been getting somewhat drowsy, raised the corners of her lips.