Chapter 344 Internal and External Danger
It was so weird. Obviously, the body was no more than a dead person. How could it disappear so suddenly? Following Leng Shuang, Qin Yunuan entered the military camp. The atmosphere inside seemed to be a little solemn. Seeing that Leng Changxi was not in the little team, all the people seemed to be suspicious.
After looking around indifferently, Qin Yunuan ordered Leng Shuang calmly, “Prepare hot water. General must be tired when he comes back.” Qin Yunuan’s tone was very calm as if Leng Changxi had just postponed coming back for a while from outside. Her composure and assuredness gave all the people enough confidence.
Approaching the camp where Sima Ray’s body had been deposited previously, Qin Yunuan’s nose twitched. It seemed that she had smelt an unusual odor. Leng Shuang was about to lift the curtain and enter, but she was stopped by Qin Yunuan. Qin Yunuan called Yuanyang, who had been guarding in front of the camp to protect the scene and gestured inward with her eyes. Yuanyang stepped back and picked up a one-arm-long branch from the ground. She lifted the camp curtain lightly first, then explored inside with sharp eyes and opened the camp suddenly. There were two swishes. Yuanyang quickly pushed Qin Yunuan to the other side. Two short arrows passed by Qin Yunuan at that moment. It was almost a millimeter away that they could directly rub her cheek.
Several figures flashed inside at once. Yuanyang and Leng Shuang glanced at each other.
“Chase them!” Just when the two people were about to run out, they were stopped by Leng Wu, “You should stay here to protect Madam. I’ll go.”
Leng Wu left after speaking. Indeed. Leng Wu’s light skills were only second to Leng Changxi. What was more, he was better than Leng Shuang and Yuanyang in experience and strength. Looking at Maner, who was saved but remained unconscious, Qin Yunuan shook her head before leading people into the camp.
As soon as Qin Yunuan entered the camp, she immediately became busy. After taking a deep breath, she gave orders one after another, “Yuanyang, take people to put Maner in the tent beside us. She is now severely dehydrated. Remember, feed her some salt water once in a time for a cup of tea. Leng Shuang, take some people with excellent light skills. Go along the marks I left to look for the general.”
The moment she finished her words, Leng Shuang and Yuanyang were ready to take the order and leave. However, they were stopped by one sentence of Qin Yunuan, “Wait.”
Qin Yunuan glanced at Leng Shuang with complex emotions and said, “Leng Shuang should stay. Yuanyang, lead some people to look for the general.”
“Why?” It was the first time for Leng Shuang to have doubt about Qin Yunuan’s orders, “Isn’t it better for me to go? I can get to know how Heiying is sooner.”
Qin Yunuan thought in her mind. It was exactly because I couldn’t let you know Heiying’s current situation that I forbid you from going.
“No need for that. You are more familiar with Maner, so you can take care of her better. As for Heiying, General is helping him. Are you still worrying about him?” Qin Yunuan’s tone was so firm that Leng Shuang was a little dubious. Yes. After all, who was the general? Leng Changxi had never had a failure. Would it not even be able for him to save the life of a follower?
Leng Shuang nodded. Qin Yunuan turned her head. Leng Shuang was worried about Heiying. She was also worried about Leng Changxi. However, it was so pitiful that there must be someone guarding the army now. Time flew. Night came in a blink of an eye. Yet Yuanyang still didn’t come back, and there was no news from the people to investigate. Leng Wu, on the other hand, had chased back the two people ambushing in the camp to attack Qin Yunuan. But unfortunately, one had committed suicide by biting his tongue. Although the other was caught, he was as tough as nails, refusing to say anything.
Although Leng Shuang was caring for Maner, she was obviously absent-minded. Mu Qingyu had come here once in the middle, probably wanting to ask the situation. Qin Yunuan had never dared to tell her the truth. Leng Changxi’s chance of life or death was still hard to predict. It was such a piece of horrible news.
When the moon was over the willow tree, Mu Qingyu still came here. Dressed in light grey casual clothes, she looked very simple, not like the most favored infanta in West Xia, but a woman in the village.
But the inborn elegance and an indescribable stubbornness between her eyebrows had set her apart.
“Is there still no news?” Mu Qingyu came straight to the point. None of her words was long drawn.
At that moment, Qin Yunuan was lying under the oil lamp, lost in thought. There were supposed to be soldiers guarding outside. It seemed that Mu Qingyu had asked the soldiers not to report and entered directly.
Qin Yunuan looked at the writing paper beside her hand that had been painted by her. She didn’t know what she wanted to write. It seemed that she only wanted to get rid of the worry and unhappiness now.
“What?” Qin Yunuan straightened up, pretending to be very calm.
“Do you still keep lying to me?” Mu Qingyu moved closer to ensure that the people outside could not hear their conversation inside, “We are both women. I know it only with a glance. Tell me, did something happen in the military camp?”
Qin Yunuan remained the calmness in her eyes. She took a sip of the herbal tea on the table and glanced quickly, “No.”
“Madam Leng,” Mu Qingyu was a little agitated. Her delicate eyes blinked, “Why do you force yourself? We are in the same boat. If there is anything wrong, you should tell me directly. If you keep it only to yourself, it means that you are not taking me as your friend. Tell me, did something wrong happen to General Leng? And what about Mr. Cang? Do they never come back?”
Qin Yunuan took half a sip of tea again. Her face looked as calm as ice and water. She stared at Mu Qingyu silently for a while before said, “I can tell you. But Your Grace, you have to answer my question, too.”
Mu Qingyu paused slightly, then continued, “Go on.”
“Fine,” Qin Yunuan stood up, took off the coat that had been draped over her body, put it on the back of her chair, and flicked the dust off it unhurriedly, “It’s drizzling outside. The roads in the camp are also muddy. There is only one question I want to ask you. Why did you come over so hurriedly while your shoes were so clean? Is it because your light skills are really good? Or is it because you have been hiding in the camp without leaving since the last time you entered it?”
The corner of Mu Qingyu’s mouth twitched imperceptibly, “What do you mean?”
“I’ve already spoken euphemistically,” Qin Yunuan glanced at Mu Qingyu, “Should I ask you directly why do you have the hobby of eavesdropping? Is it all right?”
“How dare you,” Mu Qingyu finally took up the pride of infanta. There were the grievances and unwillingness of being misunderstood all over her face, “Why do I need to eavesdrop?”
Qin Yunuan also wouldn’t acknowledge defeat. She didn’t yield or retreat because of the other person’s identity as an infanta, “Your Highness, then why did you never care about how to deal with Sima Ray’s army after your arrival? Instead, you kept asking about the internal business.”
Qin Yunuan widened her eyes. There were unusual excitement and high spirits in her bloodshot, tired eyes, “Your Highness, tell me! Did the 200,000 soldiers really come to be our reinforcement? Or…” Qin Yunuan took a deep breath and squinted, “Or do they prepare to hit us completely and arrest us after you prove that we have another aim to borrow army from West Xia? Are you going to take us back to West Liang?”
“You…” Mu Qingyu went dumb. She put down her hand subconsciously, which was raised up to accuse Qin Yunuan. She sighed, “How can you think like that?”
“Because this is the truth,” Qin Yunuan had already been ready to risk everything. Now Leng Changxi’s situation remained unknown, so she was not going to socialize with Mu Qingyu anymore, “Although Yuanyang is a maid, she had been following the old princess before. What’s more, she had adventured in the world for many years. Now that she can protect my two servant girls for me in troubled times and take them out of Qi, it’s obvious that she has an extraordinary ability. I just ask her to go out to look for someone. How come she hasn’t come back yet?” Qin Yunuan looked directly at Mu Qingyu, “Your Highness, be honest. Do you hold my person?”
Mu Qingyu turned her head, “What if I say no?”
Qin Yunuan sneered, “I won’t believe it.”
“Yes. I do hold your person. So what?” Mu Qingyu wouldn’t admit defeat, too. Previous life had allowed her to grow up in glory and love. While she was not as spoiled and unreasonable as other noble ladies, her family education made her have her own independent ideas, which could not be changed by anyone, “After all, your recent behaviors are all too weird. Do you know how worried His Majesty is in the capital? Although General Leng is his biological son and the Elder Princess of Qi is also in West Liang, General Leng has never got along with him. Since there is no emotion as the foundation between them, adding to the instigation of civil and military officials, His Majesty has no choice but to do that.”
“The one who contributed the most in the instigation must be your father,” Qin Yunuan tilted her head slightly to glance at Mu Qingyu, “Your Highness, I believe you. However, man’s heart is incomprehensible. Your father has tried so hard to let you lead 200,000 soldiers to the front. He must be ambitious.”
Mu Qingyu shook her head repeatedly, “How can it be? My father has worked so hard for West Xia all his life.”
“It’s exactly because after the lifetime dedication, he still can’t get what he thinks he deserves,” there was a sneer on the corner of Qin Yunuan’s mouth. From Sima Ray, Wanyan Su to the prince of West Xia, they all had the power in their grips and got whatever they could get. However, people’s desires were endless. Once they had good things, they would want better, “The throne. Your father hasn’t got the throne yet. How can he accept it?”
“You…” Mu Qingyu covered her mouth subconsciously, “Do you mean…? No, it’s impossible! Nobody knows my father better than I do. My father is a great hero of West Xia. He won’t…”
At this time, there was suddenly the sound of footsteps outside as if a team of people was stepping in shattered steps to encircle the camp. A low voice came from outside, “Your Highness, hasn’t the witch in it been cleaned up yet?”