Lu Heng looked at Qin Yining with burning eyes, nodding approvingly: “You’re right.” His throat felt dry and itchy, and after coughing a few more times, he continued, “I believe that telling all the tribespeople these words, everyone will understand the meaning behind them and approve of our actions.”

While he was speaking with Qin Yining, Uncle A’er Han had already conveyed the meaning of Qin Yining’s words to the Ha’er Bala brothers and others who didn’t understand Great Zhou language.

Everyone listened while nodding repeatedly, their faces full of approval and moved expressions.

Each person harbored worries in their hearts. Fleeing in exile, being chased like homeless dogs, the path ahead was not smooth—what awaited them was the even harsher desert environment. This situation could be described as having wolves ahead and tigers behind.

They were worried and confused, but no matter how many knots were tied in their hearts, Qin Yining’s clear and logical analysis now made everything crystal clear.

They were all the hope of the Mino tribe’s future, carrying the heavy responsibility of reviving the Mino tribe. They needed to ensure all the tribe members could survive, rather than sacrificing those physically weak women, children, elderly, and kids right now.

Bringing them into the desert would be purely acting on impulse—that would be equivalent to taking their lives!

After discussing further, they split up to go to various tents to first convey these meanings.

Not to mention the tribespeople’s reactions after hearing these words, in the tent, after seeing everyone leave, Qin Yining asked Lu Heng with concern: “I noticed you’ve been coughing all day today. It must be from the cold wind choking you while traveling. I still have some fever-reducing and heat-clearing medicine from before. Take it first, don’t let the illness get serious. We still need to cross the desert. If you get sick, your body won’t be able to hold up.”

As Qin Yining spoke, she opened her travel bundle and searched through it.

Lu Heng watched Qin Yining’s extremely slender silhouette even under the heavy cotton clothing, his gaze becoming extraordinarily deep and gentle.

She was caring for him.

His heart felt very joyful.

Lu Heng was a shrewd person who had built his fortune from nothing, and his dealings had taken on some of a merchant’s calculating mindset. But he was also a person of upright character with clear principles in his actions. From the first time he met Qin Yining, he had been attracted by her appearance. As his understanding deepened, he was deeply impressed by her intelligence, capability, wit, and decisiveness. Even when he had fallen for that fake map scheme, he didn’t hate her at all—instead, he found it somewhat amusing and felt the pleasure of meeting a worthy opponent.

He knew Qin Yining’s heart belonged to another, and he maintained his principles because she was a married woman. Though he could control himself from acting beyond the boundaries of friendship, he couldn’t restrain his feelings from gradually warming.

During their escape, he watched her never complain or cry out in hardship even in such difficult circumstances. He watched her when facing A’na Ri’s harassment and harsh treatment—even when injured, even when facing death, that stubborn strength from deep within her heart never dimmed.

Even now, when everyone felt daunted at the mention of crossing the desert, her faith had never wavered.

His heart increasingly couldn’t help but lean toward her.

Even if he couldn’t have this person, being able to be her friend was something that brought joy whenever he thought about it.

Qin Yining found the medicine and turned around to meet Lu Heng’s eyes, which appeared especially gentle in the orange-red glow of the campfire.

Her thoughts were pure, and she didn’t think otherwise. She smiled: “Found it. I’ll go get some clean snow to melt and brew your medicine. Don’t worry anymore. Since we’ve all stopped to rest, let’s take this opportunity to properly take medicine and rest well.”

Lu Heng smiled and nodded: “I’ll listen to everything you say. Thank you for the trouble.”

Qin Yining smiled gracefully: “No need to be so polite. We’re friends who have been through life and death together. You saved my life, and I haven’t properly thanked you yet. If it weren’t for saving me, you had actually negotiated cooperation with Si Qin and wouldn’t have fallen to this state.”

Lu Heng shook his head: “Don’t think like that. Actually, I never concretely negotiated any cooperative terms with Si Qin. Even trapped in the enemy camp, I knew where I came from—how could I benefit Si Qin? I was just using ambiguous words to string him along, letting him see hope so he wouldn’t harm me for the time being. As for A’na Ri’s death being utilized by him like this, that wasn’t within your or my expectations originally.”

“Who would think alike with a pervert who murdered his own wife,” Qin Yining said. “Si Qin doing this will face retribution sooner or later. Though he’s proud now, I’m very much looking forward to seeing what he’ll look like when he falls.”

Lu Heng smiled: “Yes, I also believe that if we really faced him on the battlefield, he might not be a match for the Prince. Add Prince Consort Ji, and Si Qin would have no hope of victory at all.”

Thinking of Pang Xiao, longing surged over her like a tide. However, Qin Yining would never be fragile over such things. As long as she could grit her teeth and endure now, weathering all difficulties, she would soon be able to see Pang Xiao. She also believed that father and Pang Xiao must already be thinking of ways to rescue her—she knew her family wouldn’t abandon her.

Qin Yining’s thoughts weren’t wrong.

It’s just that Pang Xiao and Qin Huaiyuan had encountered trouble.

After Si Qin’s accession, he sent a national letter to Great Zhou, questioning Li Qitian for actually sending people to Tatar to assassinate Khan A’na Ri, and threatening that blood debts must be paid in blood.

Li Qitian looked at the national letter, so angry he threw the memorial, immediately summoning the bedridden Elder Lu who had retired to his home, along with Qin Huaiyuan and Pang Xiao, to scold them together.

“The fine son and daughter you’ve raised! They actually dared to run to Tatar to murder the Tatar khan! Elder Lu, you’ve also been a veteran minister by my side. I trusted you so much, trusted the Lu family. Even after Lu Heng’s scheme for the treasure map, I didn’t have the slightest doubt about the Lu family, but your precious grandson actually did such a thing!

“If he had no interest in treasure, how could he have been captured! Even after being captured, he couldn’t stay quiet. Without waiting for our envoys to negotiate with Tatar, he actually dared to assassinate Khan A’na Ri! Is he afraid our Great Zhou’s empire is too stable?

“And Minister Qin! The fine daughter you birthed! Being kidnapped was pitiable, but she also couldn’t go stirring up trouble in Tatar! A woman of the inner quarters, instead of properly maintaining her dignity and waiting for rescue, she actually dared to conspire with the Lu family’s second son to murder the Tatar khan. Did she grow up eating bear hearts and leopard gall!

“Such a woman who disrupts family and country—I really cannot approve of her womanly virtue!”

With the final angry rebuke, Li Qitian directly smashed the teacup on the dragon desk.

Porcelain shards fell to the ground with loud shattering sounds, frightening all the eunuchs in the room along with Li Guanwen to fall to their knees with thuds, pressing their foreheads to the ground. Not caring whether they’d be cut by porcelain shards, none dared say a word.

Elder Lu knelt on the ground, gasping heavily, his whole body trembling. Whether from his terminal illness causing physical discomfort, or being angered by that unfilial grandson Lu Heng, or being angered by Li Qitian—no one could tell.

Qin Huaiyuan knelt properly and upright with a composed manner, eyes downcast so no one could see what he was thinking, but he appeared to have no guilt whatsoever.

Pang Xiao knelt with his back straight, neither lowering his head nor eyes, gazing levelly at the desk beside Li Qitian. On it were two thick stacks of memorials. He said nothing, and no one knew what he was thinking.

With the treasure lost, the national treasury empty, and Tatar having a new khan who might very well use this opportunity to incite war—in such circumstances, Li Qitian was truly unprecedentedly troubled.

He had thought that after venting his anger, Pang Xiao, Qin Huaiyuan, and Elder Lu would surely bow their heads in acknowledgment of error, and he could take the opportunity to push them further, making the three of them figure out ways to solve this trouble. Whether providing money or ideas, at least someone could share the burden. Who knew they would all refuse to take the bait!

Li Qitian gritted his teeth and cursed silently: “A bunch of foxes!”

His temper became even more uncontrollable.

“I truly regret that knowing Prince Zhongshun disliked the Qin family, I still agreed to Minister Qin’s request! Look now—what great trouble this family-disrupting woman has caused us! Assassinating the khan, provoking disputes between two nations. If war really breaks out, who knows how many innocent border people will lose their lives! This is all the Qin family’s fault! Minister Qin, what do you say should be done!”

Li Qitian’s voice grew higher and higher, shaking until dust nearly fell from the ceiling.

Qin Huaiyuan remained unperturbed and unangered.

But Pang Xiao suddenly stood up and said in a deep voice: “Your Majesty!”

Pang Xiao had lost much weight recently. Now with his stubbled, haggard appearance, plus his increasingly sharp and angular handsome face and the cold, keen light in his slanted phoenix eyes that couldn’t be concealed, combined with his currently deep and authoritative voice, made everyone in the imperial study feel a chill in their hearts.

Li Qitian was also startled by Pang Xiao’s sudden outburst, then flew into rage: “Pang Xiao, are you trying to rebel!”

Pang Xiao clenched his fists and looked directly at Li Qitian: “Your Majesty, watch your words! How the Qin family was captured initially—Your Majesty knows as clearly as this subject. Everyone present is neither a fool nor a traitorous criminal, including my humble wife—she too is an innocent victim!

“How much did she contribute to disaster relief? How many people’s lives did she save? If she hadn’t provided money and effort then, without father-in-law’s support behind the scenes, the old capital would have erupted in civil unrest long ago! If there had been civil unrest, would Your Majesty have had silver to suppress it? Has Your Majesty forgotten all her contributions!

“As for the assassination, must we believe whatever Si Qin says? Without seeing it with our own eyes, we cannot determine whether A’na Ri was killed by our people. Si Qin is treacherous, cunning, full of schemes, and wildly ambitious. His desire for power made him endure humiliation at A’na Ri’s side for so many years.

“First, rising from nobody to win the princess’s favor, then becoming prince consort, then helping the princess usurp power, and finally killing the princess. To put it plainly, A’na Ri was merely a stepping stone and chess piece for Si Qin to ascend to power. Such a simple matter—Your Majesty’s heart surely understands clearly. Why must you say such irrational words because of momentary anger!”