His gaze swept forward. That slender figure was mostly blocked by the dark mass of military formation, only blood-stained clothing hems and scattered long hair blown by the wind fluttering out, reflected in his pupils.

He asked: “Is she wounded?”

That Wei general froze, then felt somewhat ashamed: “This… this subordinate hasn’t had time to ask yet.”

Xiao Li said: “Don’t let her die before bringing her back to camp.”

Having spoken, he turned his horse’s head. Beneath his slightly lowered black lashes, the light overflowing from his eyes was especially indifferent, carrying something unclear and indescribable—as if he found everything utterly tedious to the extreme.

These words frightened that Wei general’s heart into jumping. He hastily sent someone again to ask about Wen Yu’s injuries.

Finally turning back to look at Xiao Li’s departing figure, feeling his attitude was strangely cold, he said to Song Qin beside him: “Why do I feel the State Mentor’s complexion isn’t good? Is he unhappy that the military merit in hand just disappeared like that?”

Song Qin said: “Failed to capture Princess Hanyang, and the Yang clan members escaped too. When we return this time, the Second Young Master will certainly make trouble again. After all, this morning the State Mentor had a conflict with the Second Young Master over not letting all the volunteer armies continue south to pursue Pei’s forces.”

That Wei general was named Wei Ang. He was a Wei household retainer who, ostensibly assigned by Wei Qishan to serve under Xiao Li to jointly clear out Pei forces and recover lost territory, was actually a pair of eyes Wei Qishan had placed beside Xiao Li.

With all thirty thousand volunteer troops under Xiao Li’s command, Wei Qishan couldn’t completely set his mind at ease.

Fortunately, this person had been recommended by Yuan Fang and conducted affairs with great propriety. Hearing Song Qin’s words now, he understood what the other truly wanted to say.

Their mission here was to capture Princess Hanyang. Xiao Li had once been a Liang general—his identity was inevitably sensitive.

No wonder after Xiao Li stabilized the battle situation, he didn’t personally interrogate that woman but let him do it instead. Likely also to avoid suspicion.

He immediately said: “The Second Young Master has been in the military for too short a time and doesn’t understand the State Mentor’s concerns about not continuing the entire army’s southern march. The Marquis surely knows the State Mentor’s painstaking efforts. Liang’s army is cunning, releasing false intelligence to lure us here to tangle with Pei forces while they rescued the Yang household members to escape. This truly caught us unprepared. However, at least we captured alive that Chen general Jiang Yu’s concubine. We can use this to demand more compensation from both Liang and Chen camps for the twenty thousand sons who died miserably at the Battle of Majia Liang—this too is a great achievement!”

Song Qin then smiled: “With the general’s words, we can rest at ease.”

Wei Ang waved his hand, sighing: “The Second Young Master is young. I must trouble the State Mentor and all brothers to be more understanding. I’ll go check on Jiang Yu’s concubine again.”

—

When that Wei general called out “State Mentor” and headed toward the rear of the troops, Wen Yu also raised her eyes to casually observe, her five fingers tightly gripping her palm.

The other party absolutely must not be someone who recognized her!

The wilderness was desolate on all sides. After that Wei general passed, the cavalrymen mounted on tall horses around them made way for a narrow path that one person could pass through.

But even as that Wei general stood aside, Wen Yu still couldn’t clearly see what this “State Mentor” he spoke of looked like. She only glimpsed half a horse’s head with glossy black mane and a corner of a dark great bow.

She immediately thought of those arrows that had forced Pei Fifteen to awkwardly release his grip when he’d captured her onto horseback.

Had this Wei army general shot those arrows?

Unable to see the person on horseback, Wen Yu tried to concentrate and listen carefully to what they were saying, but the other party’s voice seemed extremely low, the wind was strong, and her hearing wasn’t as sharp as martial artists’. Apart from the few sentences that Wei general had shouted in his booming voice initially, she couldn’t make out a single word of what the two discussed afterward.

Finally, when that person turned his horse to leave, she hastily lowered her eyes, only glimpsing with the corner of her eye a corner of the other’s raised cloak.

Soon another young Wei general rushed over to ask how her injuries were.

Wen Yu’s nerves were now so tense they’d become somewhat numb. Apart from that acute pain when Pei Fifteen had grabbed her onto horseback earlier—as if her shoulder bone was about to be crushed—she felt no other pain. So she silently shook her head.

That young officer, seeing her covered in blood, felt she didn’t look uninjured at all. Moreover, she’d said earlier she was with child—perhaps the child was lost too, and she was currently in shock.

When Wei Ang came over to ask about the situation, that young officer spoke in a pitying tone: “She may have been frightened into stupor. Her hand is still bleeding, but when asked if she’s injured, she actually shook her head.”

Only after that young officer said this did Wen Yu notice a gash had somehow appeared on her wrist.

Wei Ang thought to himself: just now she could answer clearly and logically—how could she be frightened into stupor?

But looking at Wen Yu’s appearance, then recalling how she’d been dragged by the horse yet recklessly fought to seize Jiang Yu’s severed head, he suddenly felt this shouldn’t be fright-induced stupor, but rather grief to the extreme—all hope lost, nearly mad.

Thinking of Xiao Li’s earlier words, his heart couldn’t help but jump wildly again. He consoled Wen Yu: “Young lady, in everything consider the child in your womb. When we return to camp we’ll find a military physician to examine your pulse.”

Seeing they’d misunderstood, Wen Yu simply stopped speaking, going along with their assumption and continuing her silence.

In her condition she absolutely couldn’t ride a horse. Wei Ang called for subordinate soldiers to cut tree branches to make a stretcher to carry Wen Yu.

But Song Qin drove over a carriage whose left and right walls had been destroyed by the lackeys, saying: “We brought no carriages on this campaign. The State Mentor saw two intact carriages in the forest ahead and ordered us to repair them somewhat to make do for now.”

Wei Ang was delighted: “The State Mentor thinks of everything!”

After Song Qin finished handing over the carriage, when leaving, he deliberately—or perhaps not—glanced once more at Wen Yu.

Wen Yu was certain she didn’t recognize this person, but that look in his eyes made her feel somewhat strange.

Could he be someone who recognized her?

While Wen Yu worried, she also thought that with her current blood-covered face, unless someone was extremely familiar with her, they shouldn’t be able to recognize her.

After boarding the carriage, while still deep in thought, she felt her skin beginning to burn, her face showing faint stinging pain. Wen Yu gripped the newly re-nailed carriage wall, forcing herself to slow her breathing, knowing this was hives breaking out.

Many animal furs would trigger hives when she merely smelled them. Earlier while dodging arrows on horseback, her entire body had been pressed against the horse’s back, her breath filled with the scent of horse mane. As expected, it had caused her body to break out in hives.

Though she didn’t know if this method would still work, at least the hives could help conceal some of her features. Even after washing the blood from her face, people wouldn’t immediately notice anything unusual about her appearance.

After Wen Yu recovered from that initial discomfort, she removed the red cord with a bead tied at her wrist. She unscrewed the bead—inside was a medicinal pill.

Wen Yu tilted her head back and swallowed the pill.

It was a false pregnancy pill. When she’d previously planned to persuade the ministers of Chen Kingdom’s royalist faction, she’d ordered Physician Fang, who was loyal to her, to develop this pill.

She’d originally intended that if she couldn’t persuade the royalist ministers, she would take this pill and falsely claim pregnancy. Then, using the excuse that the fetus was still small and she feared targeting by the Empress Dowager and the Jiang family, she’d say she was temporarily concealing the news externally. After the royalist ministers supported her in seizing power and she returned to Liang territory to clean up the mess there, she’d find another way to smooth over the matter.

But she’d never expected this false pregnancy pill would ultimately be used here.

However, she also had to “be pregnant” to deceive Northern Wei’s side and become their bargaining chip in negotiations with both Liang and Chen camps, to be sent back to the southern territories.

Otherwise, a concubine Jiang Yu had taken in midway had no value whatsoever.

—

When the great army returned to the garrison, the sky had already darkened. The tall fire basins used for illumination between military tents had already been lit.

Wei Ang went to ask Xiao Li where to settle Wen Yu. Xiao Li seemed utterly unconcerned with the matter, riding his horse directly toward the central command tent, only dropping one sentence: “You arrange it.”

Wei Ang thought to himself this avoidance of suspicion was excessive. Just as he was troubled, he saw Song Qin, who’d been following Xiao Li, turn back, saying: “The military camp has never housed women. Since the other party is Chen general Jiang Yu’s concubine and carries a child, there must be no mishap. Better settle her near the central command tent.”

Wei Ang hastily said: “Vice General Song’s guidance is correct.”

Song Qin nodded once and rode away. Only then did Wei Ang call subordinates to clear out a military tent near the central command tent, and sent someone to report to Wei Pingjin, who was staying in a nearby town.

—

Xiao Li returned to the central command tent. Without removing his armor, he went to the medical camp.

Today’s pursuit of that Pei force had left many soldiers wounded. Physician Tao and several military doctors were treating the wounded soldiers when a subordinate boiling medicine suddenly entered to relay that the State Mentor sought him.

Physician Tao had to set aside his current work, using a handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains and medicine residue from his hands before going out to see Xiao Li: “The State Mentor seeks this old one?”

Xiao Li leaned against the wooden post where the medical camp’s flag was raised, seemingly lost in thought. Hearing Physician Tao’s voice, he only then raised his head, saying: “Shortly someone will come requesting you examine a woman. Just pretend you don’t recognize her. After checking her pulse, say she’s with child.”

Having given these instructions without preamble, Xiao Li turned and left, leaving Physician Tao somewhat puzzled in place.

—

When Wen Yu descended from the carriage, her entire body had already broken out severely in hives. Her clothing soaked in muddy and bloody water had only dried from her body heat along the way. She’d likely caught a cold, feeling quite dizzy and lightheaded, her walking steps unsteady.

Wei Ang could see something was wrong with her and hastily sent someone to fetch a military physician, telling her to rest in the tent first.

Wen Yu, uncomfortable from being covered in blood and mud, asked him for a bucket of hot water to wash.

The military camp had no serving women. After subordinate soldiers brought hot water into the tent, Wen Yu forced herself to wash up. Fortunately, a trunk in the carriage hadn’t been lost in the chaos—it contained several sets of her clothing she could change into.

By the time the military physician arrived, Wen Yu had developed a low fever, vomited sour water several times, and was utterly weak.

Her combination of hives and fever frightened Wei Ang considerably. Fearing she wouldn’t make it through, he hastily sent someone to report to Xiao Li again.

Wen Yu’s entire being was in a daze. Only through sheer willpower did she avoid fainting. When that elderly military physician took her pulse, her vision already showed double images. Yet she still felt the military physician’s appearance was somewhat familiar. In her confused consciousness, she murmured: “Tao…”

Physician Tao applied needles to Wen Yu’s hand, saying gently: “Your Highness need not fear. You’ve already escaped.”

His words were artfully connected. Wei Ang standing nearby heard nothing amiss.

Wen Yu seemed truly calmed, wearily half-closing her eyes, saying nothing more, allowing Physician Tao to apply needles.

Wei Ang, fearing to agitate Wen Yu, didn’t dare ask about the fetus in her womb in her presence. Only after Physician Tao finished applying needles and written a prescription, when the two were outside the tent, did he ask: “How is that woman inside?”

The guards ahead suddenly called “State Mentor.” The two looked up to see Xiao Li, who’d received the subordinates’ report, had also come over.

Wei Ang clasped his fists and greeted Xiao Li. Xiao Li nodded, asking: “What’s the situation?”

Wei Ang said: “Just asking the military physician now.”

Physician Tao, pretending unfamiliarity with Xiao Li, bowed to him before saying: “That woman has pathogenic cold invading her body and has suffered fright—she needs rest and recuperation. The hives on her body aren’t serious—it’s wind hives. With medicine they’ll heal in a few days. However, she’s currently with child, and the pregnancy pulse is extremely unstable. Other medicines must be used cautiously.”

Xiao Li’s face remained coldly indifferent as before, saying: “Then let the medicine focus primarily on stabilizing the pregnancy.”

Having personally witnessed the military physician complete the pulse examination, Wei Ang now truly didn’t believe that woman could be Princess Hanyang. After all, if Princess Hanyang were pregnant, how could people from the Liang and Chen camps possibly let her come to the northern territories?

He clasped his fists toward Xiao Li: “This subordinate will first return to write a letter informing the Marquis of this matter.”

Xiao Li nodded in approval.

After the person had gone far away, Physician Tao saw Xiao Li staring at that distant military tent, not knowing what he was thinking. He couldn’t help but say with somewhat complex expression: “Her body is weak. Several pregnancy-stabilizing medicinal ingredients need to be changed to ones with gentler properties. The military camp doesn’t have them—we’ll need to send someone to look in nearby market towns.”

Xiao Li suddenly snapped his head around.

Physician Tao sighed: “She truly is with child.”