Cao Yuqing hugged Qin Yining tightly and patted her thin back: “I’m fine. Aunt Cao has great abilities – how could anything happen to me? It’s you who has lost so much weight. You must have suffered greatly, haven’t you?”

This genuine concern and a warm embrace, though not broad, nearly made Qin Yining cry on the spot.

She sniffled and after a long while said: “I’m fine. Although there were dangers along the way, I ultimately endured them all. Now those hardships are past – you can see I’m perfectly well, can’t you? It’s just that after being captured that day, I worried about you all being buried underground. Everyone… everyone’s alright, aren’t they?”

At this moment, what Qin Yining least wanted to hear was news that someone had been harmed that day. Thinking of those vivid faces, those people who were all so young – if they had lost their lives protecting her, Qin Yining would probably carry that guilt for the rest of her life.

Cao Yuqing understood and patted her shoulder consolingly: “Don’t let your imagination run wild. This time even Heaven was on our side. None of our people were harmed. The Prince later brought people to the scene and had the entire underground tunnel dug up, rescuing everyone. Jingzhe and the others had already escaped beforehand, though they were seriously injured. I had them rest and recover properly – they should all be healed by now. Bingtang and Ji Yun were rescued by the Prince at the time, so there’s even less to worry about.”

“That’s good.” Qin Yining let out a long breath and sighed: “If everyone had really come to harm because of me, I would truly have carried that guilt for life.”

Seeing Qin Yining fall silent without asking about other matters, Cao Yuqing voluntarily said: “I used to think the Prince liked your appearance, but adversity reveals true feelings. Now I understand the Prince’s genuine heart toward you. Do you know? To stay and search for you, the Prince defied over thirty imperial edicts, enduring the Emperor’s repeated urgent orders for him to return to the capital. He stubbornly remained there, nearly turning the entire old capital and Yangxian upside down. Only after confirming they hadn’t found your body did the Prince reluctantly put down half his worries and return to the capital with his people.”

Qin Yining’s heart felt both sweet and sour hearing this. Thinking of Pang Xiao, tears nearly welled up again.

“Is he alright now? The Emperor didn’t blame him, did he? And my father and mother?”

Cao Yuqing patted her shoulder consolingly: “Don’t worry, everyone is fine. The Prince is a person of true talent and learning – the Emperor still needs to use him, so how could he move against him now? It’s you who disappeared that made him thin as if a layer of skin had been peeled off. You needn’t worry about your father either. Though he worries about you, he’s a man full of wisdom who knows what should be done at what time. He has the ability to protect himself.”

Hearing this, Qin Yining smiled joyfully, though tears were squeezed out even more by her smile. She wiped away her tears with her sleeve: “I know. As long as everyone at home is safe, everything else can be handled.”

Cao Yuqing said: “That day I watched helplessly as you were captured but was powerless to help. During this time I’ve been searching for your whereabouts. I infiltrated the Tatar capital but didn’t see you. Later I heard that A’na Ri Khan had been assassinated, then shortly after saw the proclamation issued by Wutejin Khan – only then did I know you had killed A’na Ri Khan. I contacted your father, and he asked me to find you by all means and bring you a message.”

“What message?” Qin Yining looked at Cao Yuqing attentively.

Cao Yuqing glanced around and saw that by the nearby campfire, everyone was straining their ears to listen to their conversation. She looked at Qin Yining inquiringly.

Qin Yining smiled understandingly: “It’s fine. During this time we’ve relied entirely on everyone’s care and protection – they’re all trustworthy brothers.”

Uncle A’erhan translated Qin Yining’s words for Chagan Bala and the others. The Minuo tribe people all showed kind smiles, and some young men and middle-aged men even looked at Cao Yuqing and Qin Yining with shy and evasive gazes.

Where had they ever seen such beautiful women, let alone two appearing at once?

Seeing Qin Yining like this, Cao Yuqing understood in her heart and said in a low voice: “Your father’s meaning is that you shouldn’t return to Great Zhou now – staying outside would be safer. Because Wutejin Khan has intentions of war, and you understand Great Zhou’s situation – the Emperor doesn’t want to fight. He’s seeking the simplest way to appease Wutejin Khan’s anger. So if you return, you’ll definitely be handed over to Wutejin Khan as the assassin – wouldn’t that be like a sheep entering a tiger’s den? So your father wants you to stay outside for a while and see how the domestic situation develops.”

Hearing this, Qin Yining couldn’t help but feel somewhat stunned, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Having finally seen a relative, yet being unable to return home for such reasons – to say she wasn’t disappointed would be false.

But Qin Yining also understood priorities. Now that she could know news from home and learn that Pang Xiao and her parents and relatives were all safe, she no longer had to worry anxiously about home – this was ultimately a good thing.

“I understand.” Qin Yining smiled: “I’m doing well here too. Aunt Cao, please also tell my father about my situation.”

Cao Yuqing nodded with a smile and kindly smiled at Lu Heng and the others nearby, bowing: “During this time, my Yining has been much indebted to your care. If there’s ever an opportunity in the future, I will certainly repay you.”

The others couldn’t understand Cao Yuqing’s words, but Lu Heng and Uncle A’erhan could.

Hearing Qin Yining call Cao Yuqing “aunt,” Lu Heng assumed she was her elder and stood up to politely return the courtesy: “You’re too kind. We’re all friends who’ve shared hardships together – we don’t calculate such things.”

He had originally wanted to call Cao Yuqing “aunt” like Qin Yining, but Cao Yuqing looked far too young and beautiful. Time seemed especially kind to her, leaving no traces of wind and frost on her charming face. Looking at her this way, Lu Heng actually felt Cao Yuqing looked younger than him. He guessed this person was either young in age but high in seniority, or was Qin Huaiyuan’s concubine, so he dared not address her carelessly.

Uncle A’erhan’s entire face turned red as a large red cloth. Though Qin Yining was also beautiful, in Uncle A’erhan’s eyes, she was just a pretty young girl who could be his daughter. Cao Yuqing’s beauty was different – mature and charming, full of allure. Though also young, she made it difficult for people not to be moved.

He frantically waved his hands, saying in broken Zhou language: “No need to be polite, no need to be polite. The Princess Consort is our tribal leader who helped us get revenge. We all support her – protecting her is what we should do!”

Seeing this, Cao Yuqing understood and smiled gracefully, saying gently: “I still must thank everyone.” She bowed again.

In this world, beautiful people always received preferential treatment, especially when that beautiful person was so polite, spoke so gently, and was also their “tribal leader’s” relative. This made the entire Minuo tribe very accepting of Cao Yuqing.

After everyone exchanged courtesies, the other Minuo tribe members couldn’t understand what they were saying, but seeing everyone chatting happily, they were also delighted.

Qin Yining glanced at Lu Heng, then asked: “Aunt Cao, do you know any news about the Lu family?”

Hearing this, Lu Heng was startled. When he looked at Qin Yining again, his gaze was full of tenderness.

Cao Yuqing keenly noticed Lu Heng’s unusual reaction and understood in her heart, saying without showing any emotion: “I’ve been outside searching for you and don’t know much about news in the capital. However, the Lu family’s affairs caused such a big stir that I heard some things, though I can’t be certain if they’re true.”

Lu Heng asked with some worry: “Did my grandfather fall ill and the Lu family patriarch position get replaced?”

Cao Yuqing blinked in surprise.

Seeing Cao Yuqing’s expression, Lu Heng sighed: “I indeed guessed correctly.”

Cao Yuqing gained a new understanding of Lu Heng’s intelligence and couldn’t help but ask curiously: “How did you guess?”

Lu Heng smiled bitterly: “The Lu family’s situation is what it is. I had already angered the Emperor by coming out before, and now with this assassination incident, the family will definitely push me out to bear all the blame. My grandfather and I are of the same faction… In short, with something happening to me, a power shift at home was inevitable.”

Cao Yuqing nodded: “Though Minister Lu hasn’t yet retired, his health isn’t very good now.”

Hearing this, Lu Heng felt great pain in his heart.

From childhood to adulthood, even his father had never shown him much care – only his grandfather had truly cherished and taught him! But he had ultimately let his grandfather down. Not only had he failed to stay by his side to show filial piety, but because of his affairs, he had caused his previously robust grandfather to become so haggard.

Lu Heng knew Cao Yuqing was just being euphemistic.

What did “health isn’t very good” mean? Actually, his grandfather very likely had already fallen seriously ill.

He understood the interest disputes within the family all too well. Once his affair broke out, his several uncles would definitely take advantage to seize his grandfather’s family head position. If this happened, even if he could return alive to the Lu family, there would be no room for recovery.

Seeing Lu Heng’s unprecedented dejected expression, Qin Yining couldn’t help but console him: “Second Master Lu, don’t worry. My Aunt Cao has been outside all along and doesn’t know the details of capital affairs. Perhaps there are things we don’t know about. Even if there are difficulties, when we return to the capital in the future, we can think of solutions together. We conquered that difficult desert twice – other things are just matters of using our brains. What’s there to fear?”

Hearing this, Lu Heng’s frozen heart was like being instantly placed in a hot spring, warming him thoroughly from inside out.

Hope finally grew in his heart.

Lu Heng couldn’t help but smile, his eyes and brows full of tenderness: “You’re right.”

Actually, he very much wanted to ask Qin Yining: In the future, would you be willing to think of solutions together with me?

But even without asking such a question, he could guess the answer.

Qin Yining would definitely agree to help him, because she considered him a companion, a friend, but definitely not a lover.

Cao Yuqing observed Lu Heng’s expression and couldn’t help but feel moved. Lu Heng’s appearance was truly very similar to her own in the past – unable to obtain what he desired, yet unwilling to force it, because he feared that once he forced it, he would lose even what he currently possessed.