A group of young ladies arrived outside the Guo family’s tent. Pei Bao’er, acting extremely anxious, walked ahead of everyone else. The young ladies following behind showed three parts surprise on their faces. Two whispered to each other, “Hey, look at that Pei Bao’er—she seems even more concerned about Miss Guo than we are. How genuinely sincere and heartfelt.”

Another sneered coldly, “Indeed, this scene is very strange. In the past, the Guo and Pei families were always at odds. Her showing such concern for Guo Jia instead makes one’s skin crawl.”

Miss Wang from the Court of Judicial Review smiled faintly and said, “When a weasel pays New Year’s respects to a chicken, what its true purpose is, probably only Miss Pei herself understands.”

Hearing this, everyone laughed. They all knew Pei Bao’er had no good intentions, but people have a desire to pry. The more they understood the enmity between the Pei and Guo families, the more they wanted to know why Pei Bao’er would come to the Guo family tent to visit Guo Jia—perhaps there really was something noteworthy here! Pei Bao’er’s joke was certainly worth watching, but that Guo Jia who stole the spotlight and acted so high and mighty naturally couldn’t be spared either!

The maid at the entrance stopped them. Pei Bao’er sneered as she looked over and saw it was an ordinary Guo family maid, not the usual Zhao Yue who carried a sword. She couldn’t help but sneer. Since camping here, Zhao Yue never left Li Weiyang’s side. Even when she rested, Zhao Yue would be guarding outside the tent. Several times before, she had passed by wanting to cause trouble for Li Weiyang, but seeing that maid with a soft sword at her waist, she didn’t dare approach. Now Zhao Yue wasn’t in front of the tent—what did this indicate? It proved her speculation was correct—Li Weiyang wasn’t in the tent at all!

Pei Bao’er sneered inwardly and took the initiative to step forward, saying, “We’ve come to visit Miss Guo. We heard she’s unwell and caught a chill—is this true?” The maid was startled, then instinctively glanced at the tent and said, “This… is indeed so. My young lady is unwell and probably cannot receive visitors.”

A trace of “as I expected” crossed Pei Bao’er’s face. She smiled, and that smile changed from recent gloominess to become very cheerful, as if full of concern for Li Weiyang. Her tone was also very gentle, “We’re all Miss Guo’s friends. Since she’s caught a chill, how could we not come to visit?”

The young ladies nearby watched quietly, all showing thoughtful expressions on their faces. This matter looked strange no matter how you viewed it. Pei Bao’er was acting overly enthusiastic, while that maid was overly timid and cowardly. When things are abnormal, there must be something amiss. Could there really be some scheme in the Guo family tent? Some even maliciously speculated—could Miss Guo also be hiding a man?

Miss Wang walked forward with a smile and said to the maid, “Go inside and report to your young lady that we’ve all come together to see her. Even if it’s a chill, there’s nothing to fear. I have a box of excellent medicine for treating chills at my place. When I return, I’ll send it over. I’m sure Miss Guo will recover quickly.” Hearing Miss Wang say this, the other young ladies all stepped forward, asking the maid to go inside the tent to inform Li Weiyang.

The maid didn’t move for a long time. “But Miss instructed that no one should disturb her, no matter who. Moreover, it wouldn’t be good to pass the illness to you ladies—”

Pei Bao’er’s face showed a cold smile, her eyes filled with piercing coldness. “We’re not afraid, so what are you afraid of?! Is it really that your young lady instructed no disturbances, or is she simply not in this tent at all?”

Hearing this, everyone’s expressions changed. Early in the morning like this, if Li Weiyang wasn’t in her own tent, where else would she be? The maid’s face turned pale, and she couldn’t help but say angrily, “Miss Pei, what do you mean? If our young lady isn’t in the tent, where else could she be?”

Pei Bao’er’s beautiful eyes glanced around as she laughed, “Yes, it’s not even time for meal distribution yet.” Having said this much, she looked at the other young ladies. Since arriving on the grasslands, everyone’s meals were uniformly supplied, though of course each family had to provide supplements. Depending on different contributions, different meals were provided. “So where could that Li Weiyang have run off to? This doesn’t follow proper rules at all!” She laughed coldly and continued, “I think she didn’t just go out this morning—she didn’t return at all last night! Proving it isn’t difficult either. Let us go in and look at whether someone slept in that bed. Oh, of course if you’re unwilling, that’s fine too. We might as well wait outside. When your young lady returns, spending a night outside versus sleeping a night in the tent are completely different. The dew on her body has probably soaked her clothes through!”

As she said this, her face showed an ill-intentioned smile. Miss Wang and the others nearby exchanged glances, all seeing shock in each other’s eyes. Li Weiyang wasn’t in her own tent and had run out for the night—what did this indicate? You must know Duke Qi’s household was famous for strict family discipline. For a young lady of the Guo residence to not return all night—if this matter spread, Miss Guo’s personal reputation would be secondary. It would affect the entire family’s reputation and honor. The Guo family would also be harmed to the point of being unable to hold their heads up…

Miss Wang’s face showed three parts hesitation. She had known early on that Pei Bao’er came to cause trouble this early morning and only wanted to be a spectator, completely unwilling to be drawn into it. She instinctively stepped back, disappearing among the crowd. Miss Liang, who had always been rather timid, spoke up, “Since Miss Guo isn’t here, let’s come visit her this afternoon.”

As she said this, two or three others chimed in. Pei Bao’er looked at them and sneered coldly, “You ladies are so timid! Everyone says the Guo family has great power and influence. You’re not from small, insignificant households yourselves—why do you show such a cowardly appearance? We’re just making an open and proper visit, not doing anything wrong. Why should we hide from her?”

Having said this, she pushed the maid aside and actually barged right in. The other young ladies, seeing her such rudeness, all hesitated, not knowing what to do. Miss Wang looked at everyone and made up her mind, “Since we’ve come all this way, let’s go in!”

They had already reached the entrance. If they didn’t go in, it would appear they had guilty consciences. This whole matter was stirred up by Pei Bao’er. They were just spectators—after watching the excitement, they’d leave with some gossip for after-meal conversation. What was wrong with that? Having said this, she also followed Pei Bao’er inside. The other young ladies exchanged glances and filed in one after another.

Miss Wang had just entered the tent when, unprepared, she bumped into Pei Bao’er’s back. She couldn’t help but say angrily, “Why are you blocking the entrance?”

But Pei Bao’er didn’t move, as if completely frozen in place. The maid from outside the tent hurriedly caught up, saying, “Oh my, I already told you all—my young lady is unwell and not receiving guests.”

The scene inside the tent left everyone stunned. Behind the heavy curtains, a slender figure sat half-reclining against pillows on the bed, covered with thick blankets. One hand extended through the curtain, and an imperial physician was examining her. That thin face, those jet-black eyes, that delicate frame—though separated by the curtain, more than half could be seen. Who else could it be but Li Weiyang?

Pei Bao’er was startled, then blurted out, “You! How are you inside?!”

The imperial physician, seeing so many beautifully dressed young ladies arrive bringing a gust of fragrant powder, quickly retreated to the side.

Li Weiyang slowly lifted the curtain with one hand, revealing a pair of jet-black eyes. She looked at everyone, her face showing a half-smiling expression. “This early in the morning, what does Miss Pei want to accomplish by mobilizing troops like this? If I’m not in my own tent, where else should I be?”

Seeing Li Weiyang’s expression, Pei Bao’er couldn’t help but recall that night of slaughter that she would never forget. She suddenly retreated another step, heavily stepping on Miss Wang’s embroidered shoe. Miss Wang wanted to cry out but, mindful of appearances, could only forcibly endure it, glaring fiercely at Pei Bao’er.

But Pei Bao’er had no time to apologize. She stared at Li Weiyang, her eyeballs nearly falling out. She hadn’t expected Li Weiyang to really be inside the tent. Then she heard the other party smile faintly, “Have all you young ladies come to see me together? It seems there really are no secrets on this grassland. I merely caught a chill yesterday and got up a bit late, yet this has made everyone so concerned. Jia’er feels truly sorry in her heart.” As she spoke, she instructed Zhao Yue beside her, “Go get stools so the young ladies can sit and talk.”

Zhao Yue looked at those young ladies, her gaze extremely cold. She said, “Miss, the imperial physician has already instructed that you need quiet rest. These people rushing in so rashly is really too inappropriate. If we let them stay here, won’t it disturb your rest?”

Li Weiyang’s face was flushed, her voice hoarse, her cloud-like hair slightly loose—she truly looked ill. Hearing this, Miss Wang’s face reddened. A pair of coral earrings swayed brilliantly by her ears as she smiled very gently, “No need, no need! I, I just came to see you. I’ll have someone send you a box of medicine later. I wish you a speedy recovery. We should be going.”

Immediately someone nearby chimed in, “Right, we should go. It’s almost time for meal distribution. We’ll come visit Miss Guo again later!”

With that, the group of chattering ladies quickly stepped out of the tent, as if ghosts were chasing them from behind. Only one person still stood dazed in place—that was Pei Bao’er. Li Weiyang’s pair of jet-black eyes fell upon Pei Bao’er’s exquisitely beautiful face, her smile carrying a trace of indifferent mockery. “Miss Pei, did you come to my place specially as a guest?”

Pei Bao’er surveyed the entire environment and felt the whole tent had an oppressive, eerie feeling, especially with Zhao Yue still gripping the soft sword in her hand, looking quite frightening. She felt her scalp tingle and didn’t dare say more, turning to quickly leave.

Li Weiyang sneered and said to the imperial physician beside her, “Imperial Physician Liang, thank you for today.” The imperial physician nodded and smiled, “Miss has indeed caught a chill, and this chill has entered your body. The illness is not light. In my opinion, it would be best to rest in bed for the next couple of days.”

Li Weiyang nodded and said to Zhao Yue beside her, “See the imperial physician out.” Zhao Yue bowed in acknowledgment, then led the imperial physician outside.

Li Weiyang sighed softly, but then saw from behind the screen nearby, Guo Cheng’s figure emerged. Guo Cheng smiled and said, “Today was truly a false alarm—so dangerous.”

Li Weiyang glanced at him and smiled faintly, “With grassland people familiar with the terrain helping, I was able to return before dawn. This is all thanks to Princess Ali.” The Guo family was also very clever. As soon as Li Weiyang entered the tent and settled in, they invited an imperial physician to treat her, but said nothing else, only that she had caught a slight chill.

Guo Cheng laughed. He looked at Li Weiyang and said, “I’ll thank her in person, though I think right now she probably has no mood to hear us talk.”

Hearing this, Li Weiyang’s face showed a trace of surprise. “I haven’t seen Fourth Brother or Fifth Brother since earlier. Where did they go?”

Guo Cheng smiled faintly, his voice hearty. “Your Fifth Brother of course had to go report to Father, otherwise it wouldn’t be good to make him worry. As for Guo Dun…” Having said this much, he suddenly smiled ambiguously. Li Weiyang, seeing his strange expression, couldn’t help but press, “What about Fourth Brother?” Though she asked this, her heart knew something must have happened.

Sure enough, she heard Guo Cheng laugh loudly, “Last night Princess Ali, in order to find you, took people out but accidentally fell from her horse. Her ankle was sprained, and in the end it was your Fourth Brother who carried her back onto the horse. He’s in Princess Ali’s tent right now, accompanying the grassland shaman to examine her injuries.”

Li Weiyang was startled, but saw Guo Cheng winking and making faces at her. Her thoughts turned and she couldn’t help but say, “It seems Fourth Brother really likes Princess Ali. In the past, I’ve never seen him be so attentive to any young lady.”

Guo Cheng smiled and said, “Your Fourth Brother is a blockhead. That day when he saw Princess Ali dance, his eyes wouldn’t turn away. I see his personality is straightforward and open—he’s quite a good match for Princess Ali.”

Li Weiyang thought about it and sighed softly, “But the person Princess Ali favors is Prince Jing. If not for this, it would indeed be an excellent match.”

Not considering the conflicts of interest between nations, for young men and women to be mutually attracted was quite normal. If Princess Ali could turn her affections toward Guo Dun, it would truly be a beautiful thing. After all, compared to Prince Jing, Duke Qi’s residence was not a bad choice. Marrying Prince Jing meant marrying into great trouble, but marrying Guo Dun—Li Weiyang thought of how Duke Qi Guo Su treated Madam Guo, and could imagine Princess Ali’s future life would certainly be very comfortable. At least none of the Guo family men took concubines, and there were no messy maids in their chambers. This was quite rare in the capital and was also why many young ladies of noble birth looked favorably upon the Guo family’s young masters. After all, the Guo family’s power and influence were at their zenith, and the Guo family’s young men were also handsome and brave, accomplished in both literature and martial arts—truly heart-stirring. Princess Chenliu and Madam Guo were both kind-hearted people, and also magnanimous and open-minded. They were very friendly toward daughters-in-law. Like the eldest sister-in-law and second sister-in-law—having entered the family for so long yet producing no offspring—in other households, there would probably already be several maids and concubines placed in the son’s room. But in the Guo residence, this was never even mentioned, showing they were very open-minded about their children’s matters.

However, could Princess Ali change her feelings? Sometimes, marriage wasn’t about greatest love, but about best suitability. Princess Ali, such a young girl, might not think this through very clearly yet. Thinking of this, Li Weiyang sighed softly again. Seeing her appearance, Guo Cheng said in surprise, “Why do you keep sighing every other day? You don’t act at all like a girl your age!”

Li Weiyang’s faint smile was exceptionally warm. “Perhaps I’m already very old—you just don’t know it.” Guo Cheng looked her up and down and said, “Could it be you’re an old witch with some rejuvenation technique, which is why you look like an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl? You must teach me this method so I can preserve my youth forever too!”

Li Weiyang, seeing he’d completely misunderstood, only smiled faintly and said nothing more.

In her previous life, she lived to thirty-seven without understanding life. In this life, she was nineteen. Adding both lifetimes together, wasn’t she already an old woman with wrinkled skin and frost-white temples? No matter how young her appearance, her heart was already aged. So when she said she was old, she really wasn’t joking. But this Third Brother before her obviously thought she was jesting. Just then, the maid outside once again hurried in, her face panicked, gasping for breath. Zhao Yue looked at her and couldn’t help but scold, “Didn’t I tell you to guard the entrance? Why have you barged in again? What urgent matter…”

Before she finished speaking, Li Weiyang saw a familiar figure quickly pass by the maid and enter the tent. She couldn’t help but be startled, then saw that figure quickly walk over and grab her, holding her in an embrace. That warm feeling left Li Weiyang momentarily speechless. After a long while, she took a deep breath and said softly, “Mother, how did you come?”

Guo Cheng’s face also showed a surprised expression. He looked at Madam Guo, simply at a loss for words. After a while he said, “What’s going on? How did you get here?”

Madam Guo glared at him and said, “On the third day after you all departed, I quietly set out! Look at your father’s behavior—he absolutely wouldn’t let me come along! Are there some flood or fierce beasts on this grassland that would eat me?”

Guo Cheng smiled bitterly. Seeing Madam Guo’s travel-worn appearance, he knew she had traveled day and night to rush here. He quickly explained, “Father was naturally worried about your health. Mother, you know very well—the grassland has heavy wind and sand, and large temperature differences between day and night. You really can’t withstand it here, so every year during the hunt, Father leaves you at home. This is completely for your own good.”

How could Madam Guo not know her husband’s good intentions? However, at this time, how could she rest easy staying at home? Guo Jia was the apple of her eye—not seeing her for even a day made her heart panic. Moreover, she kept thinking that her three sons were all rough and careless, probably unable to take good care of her daughter. If something happened on the grasslands, what would she do? So she hurried along, secretly following. Just arriving here and at the entrance, she heard that maid say something about the young lady catching a chill! So she couldn’t wait to enter the tent and hold Li Weiyang tightly, looking her over from left to right, then touching her forehead. “You do have a bit of fever. Guo Cheng, I told you to take good care of your sister—how can you not even do this properly?!”

Li Weiyang smelled the unique fragrance belonging to a mother coming from Madam Guo in waves, and her heart settled down. She smiled and said, “Yesterday during the ritual it suddenly started raining. I accidentally got wet and caught a slight chill. This small illness—Mother needn’t worry about it. It will be fine in a couple of days.”

As soon as she finished speaking, there was a slight cough. Worried Madam Guo would be uneasy, she quickly suppressed this bout of coughing. Madam Guo looked at her with heartache and said, “Silly child, of course you’d get sick without Mother by your side. But now that I’m here, everything’s fine!”

At this moment, they heard a voice say, “Xianglan, you came all this way specially without telling me—are you trying to scare me to death?!”

This voice made Madam Guo’s body tremble. She then turned around somewhat guiltily and saw it was her husband, Duke Qi Guo Su. Although Guo Cheng and the others wanted to conceal it, Guo Su had long guessed something was wrong. With a little pressing, he learned of Li Weiyang’s disappearance. But just as he was about to go search, an imperial edict arrived. The Emperor insisted on playing chess with him, giving him absolutely no way to leave and search. Wanting to quietly slip away, he feared the Emperor would notice something amiss, so he could only forcibly sit there for three hours, anxiously sweating all over. Only when Guo Cheng quietly sent a message in telling him Li Weiyang had been found did his heart finally settle.

Duke Qi had just returned and immediately rushed here to see his daughter. But he hadn’t expected that upon entering the tent, he’d hear Madam Guo’s voice. He thought he was hallucinating—yesterday he’d just sent someone with a letter home to report their safety, yet today she’d arrived. Could Madam Guo have sprouted wings and flown here? Thinking it over, he immediately understood the reason and couldn’t help but scold, “Your body is already weak. Such a long journey, so physically and mentally exhausting—don’t you want to live anymore?”

Madam Guo glared at him coquettishly. “I already said it’s fine, but you absolutely wouldn’t let me come. These past two years my health has improved considerably. You won’t let me see Jia’er and won’t let me accompany you all—that’s what makes me uneasy!” Then she suddenly remembered the other two sons and couldn’t help but ask, “Where are those other two boys? Nothing’s happened to them, I hope?” In Madam Guo’s view, hunting involved sharp blades and was very dangerous. These three sons of hers were also precious. Under no circumstances could any be lost. Not seeing the other two, she was naturally somewhat worried.

Guo Cheng was about to explain when he saw Guo Dao smiling faintly as he entered the tent. He quickly stepped forward and said loudly, “Dao’er pays respects to Mother.”

Madam Guo smiled and said, “Where’s your Fourth Brother?”

Guo Dao was startled, then looked at Guo Cheng. Guo Cheng winked at him ambiguously. Guo Dao immediately understood and said, “Fourth Brother? Right now he should be standing guard outside Princess Ali’s tent.”

Madam Guo was startled, then said with some surprise, “Princess Ali? A grassland woman?” Having said this, her face showed several parts displeasure. She turned to Duke Qi and said, “You knew early on that our son would like a grassland girl—why didn’t you tell me in advance? When it comes to selecting a daughter-in-law, shouldn’t I be the one?”

Duke Qi laughed despite himself. “It’s completely premature—what are you rushing for? Whether Princess Ali will even take a liking to your family’s Fourth is still uncertain.” Actually, he didn’t approve of such a match—it would probably bring many troubles to the Guo family. But what if Fourth really liked Princess Ali…

Madam Guo thought about it and shook her head. “Forget it. Better she doesn’t fancy him. Our family’s daughter-in-law should be learned and reasonable, gentle and virtuous, able to soothe Guo Dun’s hot temper. If we marry an enthusiastic, cheerful, and unrestrained grassland girl, I’m afraid the two would go crazy together every day.” As she said this, she heard Li Weiyang laugh. Madam Guo looked at Li Weiyang strangely. “What are you laughing at, girl!”

Li Weiyang said lightly, “Mother, many things can’t be rushed. Even if you’re unwilling, if Fourth Brother likes her, what can you do? Moreover, Princess Ali is a grassland girl—enthusiastic and cheerful, generous and polite. Mother will like her too when you see her.”

Madam Guo thought about it and nodded. “That’s true. That boy is more reckless than anyone. Let nature take its course!”

Duke Qi looked at his wife and asked with concern, “The hunt won’t end for another fifteen days. Are you planning to stay here for the full fifteen days?”

Hearing this, Madam Guo’s eyes widened. “What do you mean by that—are you trying to drive me away?”

Duke Qi certainly didn’t mean that, but the wind and sand here were too harsh, the environment poor. The imperial physician had long said Madam Guo’s physical condition was worrisome. If she stayed in this environment, she could very possibly lose her life. He didn’t want to take such a risk, so he said, “I’ll report to His Majesty and personally escort you back.”

Madam Guo couldn’t help but get angry. “I just arrived and you’re already trying to drive me away—where’s the sense in that? I don’t care! I’m not leaving.” With that, she plopped down on Li Weiyang’s bed. Guo Su looked at her, troubled. “You’re not even on the accompanying roster. If His Majesty finds out, what will it look like!”

Hearing this, Madam Guo’s temper flared. She stood up in one motion and said, “Fine then, I’ve only just put down my luggage. I’ll go pack it up right now and leave immediately. But you’re not allowed to escort me either!” With that, she quickly walked outside. Guo Cheng beside her hurriedly tried to persuade her, “Mother, you just arrived—rest a while. Even if you leave tomorrow, it won’t be too late. We’ll personally escort you back then.”

Madam Guo glared at him. “I’ve been tired of staying in the capital these days. Seeing the weather gradually warming, I thought to come walk around the grasslands, stay a while, and experience the exotic atmosphere! But your father is so heartless, insisting on driving me away. Why should I beg him?”

Watching Duke Qi’s helplessly bitter smile, Guo Cheng laughed despite himself. “Mother, Father wants you to return only out of concern for your health. Moreover…” Before he finished speaking, he exchanged a glance with Li Weiyang. Right now the grasslands were in a troubled period—truly unsuitable for keeping a weak woman like Madam Guo here. If danger occurred, they couldn’t protect her. Given Duke Qi’s devoted love for his wife, he naturally wouldn’t let her risk danger. Madam Guo glared at Guo Cheng, then instructed Li Weiyang, “After I leave, Jia’er, you must take care of your health! Guo Dao, your Third Brother is useless—you must take good care of your sister. You absolutely cannot let her illness worsen, otherwise when we return, I won’t spare you.”

Guo Dao quickly said, “Yes, your son understands.”

Madam Guo nodded and instructed again, “Just send me one letter each day. I need to know the situation here!”

Guo Dao smiled bitterly. “Yes, Mother, your son remembers.”

Madam Guo snorted coldly. “Then I’m leaving.” She had just walked to the center of the tent when she turned back around. “Guo Dao, remember what I told you—one letter every day!”

Guo Dao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He bowed and said, “Your son understands. Mother needn’t worry.”

Duke Qi, seeing Madam Guo’s angry face, quickly said, “Don’t rush. I’ll escort you back.”

Madam Guo snorted coldly, not engaging with him, and walked outside on her own. Li Weiyang, however, smiled faintly, watching Madam Guo’s actions without saying a word. Duke Qi hurriedly caught up with her. Madam Guo suddenly stopped. “You’re not allowed to come with me. I want some peace and quiet and don’t want to see you!”

Duke Qi was startled and couldn’t help but show a troubled expression. He truly had no way to deal with this wife. He turned back to look at Li Weiyang as if seeking rescue. Li Weiyang coughed once and pretended not to see. Seeing no one would keep her, Madam Guo grew angrier and said loudly, “Oh my, I should be tactful! I’m an eyesore to others! If I don’t leave now, people might use a big plank to slap me out!”

Duke Qi smiled bitterly. “Madam, saying such things—aren’t you stabbing my heart?”

Madam Guo ignored him and just said to herself, “Forget it, go back. I’m leaving.”

Duke Qi finally couldn’t bear it anymore and grabbed her sleeve. “Alright, alright—you can stay.”

Madam Guo raised her eyebrows, very angry. “You tell me to leave and I leave, you tell me to stay and I stay—am I your maidservant or your subordinate?”

Seeing Duke Qi’s face full of helpless amusement, Li Weiyang finally smiled and said, “Mother, Father sincerely and genuinely asks you to stay. Moreover, I’m still sick—wouldn’t it be good if you stayed to keep me company?”

Madam Guo looked at her daughter, her heart softening. She shook off Duke Qi, walked back, and sat down beside Li Weiyang. “Fine, it’s only for your sake!” Clearly using this as a graceful way down.

Everyone laughed. Duke Qi’s heart, however, was thinking he should have a word with the accompanying imperial physicians. His wife’s health really wasn’t very good. Letting her stay here required extreme caution—they absolutely couldn’t let her fall ill from any carelessness…

Just then, everyone saw Princess Ali limping as she walked in. Seeing her appearance, Li Weiyang couldn’t help but feel somewhat surprised. Princess Ali, seeing the tent full of people, was a bit taken aback, then, unable to think of anything else, said to Li Weiyang, “Miss Guo, did you see our Great Khan last night?”

Li Weiyang was startled, then remembered what Yuan Lie had mentioned—that the grassland Great Khan was the mastermind behind yesterday’s assassination. Her face couldn’t help but darken slightly. However, she was someone who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievance. Though the Great Khan had moved against her, Princess Ali had helped her. If not for her sending people to search, Prince Jing Yuan Ying wouldn’t have found them so quickly. She thought about it and said, “Yesterday we only got lost on the grasslands and didn’t encounter anyone else. Why—is the Great Khan missing?”

Princess Ali’s face showed a trace of anxiety. “Yes, Third Brother just came. He said starting from last night, the Great Khan hasn’t returned. The guards outside the golden tent also knew nothing when asked. Where could he have gone?”

Li Weiyang’s expression changed. She suddenly thought—last night with such heavy wind and rain, could the grassland Great Khan have also gotten lost in the storm? Was this possible? No! This was absolutely impossible! The Great Khan was very familiar with the grassland environment. Ordinary people might die here, but this was their home! How could he disappear into the vast grasslands because of a storm? It made no sense at all. She glanced at Princess Ali, then her gaze immediately fell on Guo Dun, who had just entered with Princess Ali. She smiled faintly. “Perhaps the Great Khan had some important matter to handle, so he was delayed and didn’t rush back. Your Highness needn’t worry.”

The Princess shook her head. “In weather like yesterday’s, ordinary grassland people wouldn’t go out. My father has always been a cautious person. If there were anything to do, he could easily order others to do it! Unless it was extremely urgent, he wouldn’t go personally! Looking at last night’s situation, I’m afraid he’s in danger!” Having said this much, tears welled up in those bright eyes.

Li Weiyang sighed. After all, the Great Khan was Princess Ali’s biological father and had always doted on her greatly. It was understandable that Ali would be so worried. However, last night Li Weiyang could barely take care of herself—she had no way to answer where the Great Khan had gone.

Ali grew more and more anxious. Duke Qi Guo Su beside them spoke up. “Your Highness needn’t be anxious. The Great Khan’s disappearance is no small matter. In my opinion, it’s best left to the khans to handle!”

Princess Ali’s face showed a trace of panic. She hurriedly interrupted, “No, we can’t tell them!”

Li Weiyang and Duke Qi exchanged a glance. Duke Qi had long understood Princess Ali’s concerns. After contemplating for a moment, he said, “That’s right—if we tell those khans, the entire grassland might be stirred up! But you must understand, there are no secrets in this world that can be kept. The Great Khan’s disappearance will soon reach their ears. At that time, it will probably be even more serious than if we told them ourselves! Your Highness, you must think this matter through clearly. Since the Third Prince already knows, the other princes and khans will know too. Making preparations early is best.”

Hearing Duke Qi’s words, Princess Ali felt enormous dread descend upon her. She was very nervous. If the Great Khan had an accident, then for the entire grassland, the person who could maintain this stable situation would be gone. The entire grassland would probably descend into slaughter. Her khan uncles each supported different princes. They would soon begin fighting each other for the Great Khan’s position. Even if someone could break through the siege and achieve victory, it would come at an extremely painful cost. Princess Ali wasn’t afraid of other things—what she feared was that if the Liefire tribe weakened because of this, the other seventeen tribes her father had worked so hard to subdue would probably also take the opportunity to cause trouble. So right now was the most critical time…

Duke Qi sighed. “Truly a time of chaos and separation.” Having said this, he said to Princess Ali, “I’ll go report to His Majesty right now and ask him to deploy the Imperial Guards to temporarily maintain balance in the entire situation. With the Emperor present, I think those khans won’t go too far either.”

Princess Ali’s face showed gratitude. In fact, the Yuexi imperial family never participated in grassland disputes. The Emperor only wanted a final result. If the grasslands became fragmented and divided, they would only be happier, because the grassland’s power would be weakened—but she hadn’t expected Duke Qi would actually be willing to speak up to help them at this time. His opinion would have very important reference value for the Emperor. This would obviously help the current situation. Princess Ali said gratefully, “Thank you, Duke Qi.”

Princess Ali didn’t notice that Madam Guo beside them had been smiling as she looked at her, her gaze containing a trace of friendly assessment.

Duke Qi only smiled faintly. “Just repaying you for saving my daughter.” With that, he had already quickly walked out. Li Weiyang’s heart felt a warmth. She vaguely felt that Guo Su was someone not good at expressing emotions. The care he gave his sons and to her, an outsider, was actually the same. He hoped everyone would be safe and even used a forbearing exterior to maintain the entire family’s peace. Such a person was obviously worthy of respect.

Li Weiyang couldn’t help but cough softly again. Madam Guo immediately turned to look. Guo Cheng quickly said, “We won’t disturb your rest. If there’s anything, we’ll discuss it ourselves.” With that, he gave Guo Dun a meaningful look. Guo Dun immediately understood and said to Princess Ali, “Your Highness, for now, you’d best return to your tent quickly. Otherwise, it will cause even greater trouble.”

Ali nodded and said to Li Weiyang, “After we settle the situation, I’ll come see you again.” With that, she turned and quickly walked out of the tent. However, because one foot was injured, her posture looked very awkward. But right now she couldn’t care at all about her bearing.

Guo Dun watched her retreating figure, his face showing a trace of tender concern. Li Weiyang smiled faintly. “Fourth Brother, do you truly like Princess Ali?” Guo Dun turned back around, his face completely red. He said, “Don’t tease me. Of course not! I just think she’s very strong!”

Li Weiyang shook her head. “Princess Ali once publicly expressed her feelings to Prince Jing. You don’t mind this either? You know, in the eyes of Yuexi nobility, marrying a woman whose heart belongs to another—Guo Dun, you’d become a laughingstock.”

Guo Dun raised his eyebrows. “Jia’er, you really underestimate me. If I were that kind of person, I wouldn’t follow Princess Ali around at all. She likes who she likes, I like who I like. If one day she can accept me, that’s naturally best. Even if not, I won’t regret it. What does this have to do with other people!”

Li Weiyang smiled. “I’m just afraid that perhaps one day you’ll regret it. After all, people’s words can be fearsome.”

Guo Dun’s eyebrows twitched. He said angrily, “I’m not afraid of those gossips. Haven’t I heard enough rumors and slander? Princess Ali is a strong, good young woman. Sister, you needn’t worry for me. I know what I’m doing.”

Li Weiyang nodded, her smile very calm. “Let’s hope so then.”

Madam Guo was forcibly made to rest by Li Weiyang. Afterward, Guo Dun and Guo Cheng also left one after another. Li Weiyang fell into contemplation. Where had the grassland Great Khan gone? This matter seemed strange no matter how you looked at it. How could a ruler familiar with grassland terrain disappear for no reason? Or perhaps, while the Great Khan was setting up his scheme against them, someone else was secretly laying out a plan. Who exactly was the chess player? Li Weiyang smiled faintly, that smile very quiet, looking somewhat mysterious. Zhao Yue, watching her, couldn’t help but worry. “Miss, about what happened yesterday…”

Li Weiyang looked back at Zhao Yue, her smile warm. She said, “It has nothing to do with us now. All we need to do is quietly wait.”

In the afternoon, Princess Ali once again entered Li Weiyang’s tent. Li Weiyang, seeing her expression, understood everything. She sighed and asked, “Still haven’t found him?”

Ali bit her teeth. She fixed her gaze on Li Weiyang’s face and didn’t speak for a long time. Only after quite a while did she answer, “No.”

This was within Li Weiyang’s expectations. She said in a low voice, “Then have all the people sent out to search returned?” Ali’s expression became even more pained. She said, “We’ve nearly turned the entire grassland upside down. That night, someone said they saw the Great Khan take a secret troop out, but didn’t know what he was doing. So we searched all the places he might have gone, but there’s not a single clue.”

Ali’s expression was very dejected. They had already searched the surrounding area within a hundred li radius, but because of last night’s heavy rain, all the horse hoof tracks had been washed away. Nothing could be seen.

“Where could the Great Khan have gone? Why can’t we find him—not even a body?” Princess Ali’s eyes carried a layer of tears.

Li Weiyang smiled faintly. “If no body was found, that proves the grassland Great Khan is still alive, doesn’t it?”

Princess Ali’s face showed a spark of hope. She looked at Li Weiyang and said, “If he’s still alive, why can’t we find him? We clearly deployed the most elite troops…”

Li Weiyang looked at her silently without answering. Princess Ali calmed herself for a moment before gathering her determination to ask, “I came to ask you—the people you encountered last night were…” She had heard from Guo Dun that Li Weiyang had been attacked, which made her instinctively connect the dots…

She didn’t finish her words, only quietly looked at Li Weiyang, those clear eyes showing an inquiring expression. Li Weiyang’s heart stirred slightly. She nodded at her and said, “Last night we did encounter an attack. Looking at those people’s adornments, they were indeed grassland warriors. You just said the Great Khan took a troop out but no one knew what for. I speculate that the people who attacked us last night were sent by the Great Khan.”

Princess Ali was startled, then stared at Li Weiyang dumbfounded. If it was truly the Great Khan who sent people to assassinate Miss Guo and Prince Xu Yuan Lie, then they were enemies, not friends. She instinctively stepped back. Li Weiyang, seeming to see her thoughts, smiled faintly. “The Great Khan moved against us not because he had a grudge against us. I think he did this because he accepted gifts from Empress Pei. But rest assured—last night we didn’t see the Great Khan himself. So even if he’s disappeared, it has nothing to do with us. You must know we only had a few dozen guards. We couldn’t possibly have killed thousands of grassland warriors, much less broken through the siege to take the Great Khan’s life. So there must be something else amiss here. You should return to the place where we were found last night and follow that road back. You’ll surely find some clues.”

Princess Ali didn’t speak for a long time. She thought of those gifts in her father’s tent… The Great Khan had said there was a very exquisite precious mirror to give her. Thinking about it now, it must have been a gift sent by Empress Pei. Her face showed a trace of guilt as she looked at Li Weiyang. “I’m sorry. I didn’t expect things would turn out this way.”

Li Weiyang only smiled faintly. “One matter is one matter. This has nothing to do with Your Highness. If not for you yesterday, we wouldn’t have escaped danger so quickly.”

Princess Ali nodded and bit her teeth. “Thank you for telling me this without holding a grudge. I know what I should do now.” Just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly saw Zhao Yue rush into the tent, her face covered in sweat. Zhao Yue looked at Li Weiyang, then at Princess Ali, and quickly said, “Miss, this servant heard that the Great Khan has returned!”

Ali was startled, then quickly rushed out of the tent. Li Weiyang looked at Zhao Yue, her face showing a half-smile. “Did the Great Khan return safely?” Zhao Yue shook her head, looking at Li Weiyang with a trace of gravity in her eyes.

Princess Ali rushed to the golden tent. The entrance was heavily guarded, the anxious khans pacing in circles, and her dozen or so royal brothers all wore tense expressions on their faces. Seeing her arrive, Bashu quickly pulled her aside. “Where have you been? We were looking for you everywhere just now.”

Princess Ali’s face paled. She quickly grabbed him. “How is the Great Khan? Is he still safe?”

Bashu shook his head. “We still don’t know the situation. It seems…” Having said half his words, looking at Princess Ali’s face, he showed a hesitant expression, as if not knowing whether he should continue. Princess Ali anxiously urged, “What can’t you say? Tell me quickly—don’t make me more anxious!”

Bashu sighed, looking at Princess Ali’s young face, and slowly said, “The troops the Great Khan sent out almost none returned safely. Only three or four personal guards survived, but they couldn’t say anything—only that last night in the heavy rain, unable to distinguish direction, they accidentally entered a wolf pack.”

Princess Ali froze, almost unable to speak. “Wolf pack? You just said they accidentally entered a wolf pack? So is the Great Khan injured now? How serious…”  Before she could finish, the shaman inside had already quickly walked out. Everyone tensely looked at him. The shaman looked at everyone’s gazes and sighed. “The Great Khan, because he was surrounded by wolves, had both arms and one leg bitten off. I did everything I could but still couldn’t save him. I’m sorry.”

Hearing this, everyone’s faces showed panicked expressions. Princess Ali suddenly burst into tears. She hadn’t expected the brave grassland Great Khan would fall into a wolf pack. She even vaguely felt this was all karmic retribution. If last night the Great Khan hadn’t gone to assassinate Li Weiyang and Prince Xu Yuan Lie, if he’d stayed properly in the golden tent, he definitely wouldn’t have encountered wolves. You must know, the most terrifying animals on the entire grassland were wolves—not because a single wolf’s power was so fearsome, but because wolves always appeared in packs. Even the grassland’s bravest warriors had no way to deal with so many terrible wolves. But thinking it over, the Great Khan had countless soldiers around him, and he himself was a very brave and clever person, the grassland’s best hunter. Even if he couldn’t eliminate all the wolves, he shouldn’t have been injured to death, dying so miserably. This made Princess Ali cry almost uncontrollably.

Just then, she heard her brothers erupt in fierce argument. Second Prince Balu loudly said, “Since the Great Khan is no more, we should immediately establish another Great Khan!”

Hearing this, Bashu laughed coldly. “The Great Khan just died, his bones not yet cold, and you already can’t wait to fight for the position? You’re truly a filial son!”

Balu couldn’t help but rage. “What do you mean by that? Don’t you want to be Great Khan?”

Bashu sneered. He looked at Balu, his gaze ice-cold. “Don’t think that because you’re ranked second you can fight for the Great Khan’s position. The Great Khan said long ago that he would personally choose his successor!”

Balu flew into a rage and said fiercely, “But he’s already dead!”

The other princes’ eyes all gleamed with dangerous light. The khans began discussing among themselves. Some even subtly showed signs of drawing their blades. Princess Ali, watching this situation, instinctively retreated several steps, not even daring to glance toward the golden tent, and quickly ran away. She was very afraid. She could almost sense what would happen next. No, she must find someone to stop this! She must!

At this time, Prince Xu Yuan Lie was in Li Weiyang’s tent. He smiled at her gently. “By now, I imagine the entire grassland has descended into chaos!” Li Weiyang looked at him, her gaze carrying a trace of surprise. “You’re saying the grassland Great Khan encountering wolves has something to do with you?”

Yuan Lie gently shook his head. A strange gleam flashed through his amber eyes as he said, “No, last night I had no mind for revenge. The reason the Great Khan encountered wolves has nothing to do with me. Too many people wanted him dead.”

Li Weiyang looked at him in surprise. His gaze carried a trace of mockery, or perhaps a sigh. She suddenly understood. The grassland Great Khan didn’t die at anyone’s hands but died in the struggle for imperial power and position. She furrowed her brows slightly and said, “Then who did this?”

Yuan Lie tucked in the corner of her blanket and only smiled faintly. “Whoever did it has nothing to do with us. What’s important is that the Great Khan is already dead.”

Li Weiyang looked into those amber eyes of his. There was no gloating, no excitement of revenge—only faint mockery. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the curtain, shining on his face, making his eyes bright as crystals, like a star, utterly intoxicating.

She smiled and gripped Yuan Lie’s hand tightly. Her eyes were deep and quiet as a lake. She said softly, “Yes, the grasslands are about to be engulfed in bloody storms again.”