Chapter 61: Snatched Away
Yaoying smiled lightly and asked, “Where are my guards?”
The young man froze for a moment as the sound of a horse neighing suddenly rang out from downstairs. Several people were startled and looked at each other. The man gritted his teeth and went forward to pull Yaoying: “Princess, if we don’t go, it will be too late!”
Yaoying swung her sleeve, avoiding the man’s hand, and said aloud, “I am grateful that you all are willing to risk your lives to save me, but the alliance between Great Wei and the Yelu tribe has been made. Yelu has kept their promise to help Wei recover Liangzhou, so Great Wei cannot break its promise to others. As a princess of Great Wei, I cannot leave with you gentlemen.”
The man’s face sank, his big hand reaching out to grab at her.
Yaoying raised her voice, her eyes deep, as she watched him intently: “Are you all planning to take me away by force?”
The man was rendered guilty facing her clear and bright eyes, and his imposing manner was suddenly timid.
At that moment, the sound of laughter came from outside the window. The sound of footsteps abruptly rang out. Qin Fei, dressed in military attire, pushed open the door and stepped into the room, followed by dozens of armor-clad soldiers with torches.
“Getting rid of me with just that little trick?”
Qin Fei unhurriedly drew his sword, the corner of his mouth tilting up.
He was one of the bravest and fiercest warriors under Li Xuanzhen’s tent. He quickly subdued a few of these noble family’s sons who only knew a little bit of martial arts, and ordered his men to tie them up and carry them out.
“I’m sorry to have frightened the princess.”
Finished dealing with these immature noble sons, Qin Fei returned his sword to its sheath and turned towards Yaoying with a cupped fist.
Yaoying stood in front of the window, her face calm: “Where are my guards?”
Qin Fei said, “Maybe they went to take a piss somewhere.”
Yaoying’s gaze fell on Qin Fei’s face, “Commander-in-Chief Qin does not need to play dumb with me. You knew that those few people would make a move, and deliberately distracted Xie Qing and my other guards. You pretended to have been tricked, allowing them to break into my bedchamber…”
A surprised expression surfaced on Qin Fei’s face.
Yaoying paused for a moment and voiced her guess: “Commandment Qin, you deliberately delayed just now, thinking that you could test me and see if I would go with them?”
Qin Fei scratched his head and graciously admitted, “Not bad. Princess is indeed exceptionally clever!”
He bowed deeply with his hands placed together towards Yaoying.
“Please forgive me, Princess. I was also acting under someone’s orders.”
Yaoying said indifferently, “You go back and tell the Crown Prince that the deal between him and me is between the two of us. Meanwhile, the marriage between Great Wei and the Yelu tribe is diplomatic relations between the two countries. I will not go back on my word, nor will I break the covenant between the two countries for my own selfish reasons.”
Qin Fei repeatedly agreed saying yes.
Yaoying looked at him: “What are you going to do with them?”
Qin Fei shrugged his shoulders: “They acted out of immaturity. Tie them up first then bring them back for their old man to give them a good beating.”
Yaoying thought about it, and her voice was lighter: “You go back and tell Minister Zheng that these people may have colluded with Southern Chu, so they must be carefully investigated and not let go.”
Qin Fei froze for a moment.
The fire in the stable had been extinguished, and it was dark outside the window. Yaoying said softly, “They just said they were going to take me to Southern Chu, and there was someone to meet them on the way. I do not know who encouraged them to save me, but that person perhaps has an ulterior motive. If I really went with them, the Yelu tribe is sure to be furious. The alliance would collapse, leaving Great Wei in a mess. Who would profit the most?”
Qin Fei’s mouth opened wide, thinking of the possible consequences. His heart jumped for a moment, and dense beads of sweat surfaced on his forehead.
“I was careless!”
He slapped his head, turned around, and left. Passing through the doorway, he turned around again and stood by the threshold, and finally bowed to Yaoying with clasped hands.
Earlier, the bow was merely to appease Yaoying, but now, this obeisance was a sincere action carrying admiration.
At this time, the princess was still thinking about the big picture.
Yaoying had an indifferent face: “Trouble Commandment to send someone to explain clearly to the Yelu tribe’s Eldest Prince, so that they will not be suspicious. Since Southern Chu can incite the armed guards to save me, they may also be fanning the flames on the Yelu tribe’s side.”
Qin Fei’s cold sweat was close to overflowing. He agreed and sent someone to report to Chang’an, and personally found the Yelu tribe’s Eldest Prince to report that their stables had caught on fire but it had not disturbed Princess Wenzhao.
The next day, Yaoying appeared in front of the envoy of the Yelu tribe, still dressed in magnificent clothes and as elegant as before.
Last night, when he heard about the fire and the shouting and yelling in the relay station, he was inevitably suspicious. At present, seeing Yaoying’s stunning face, looking rather like a goddess, his heart could not help but sway. He only itched to get closer and see her from up close. How could he still remember yesterday’s suspicions?
He laughed loudly. His eyes followed Yaoying as she boarded the carriage, his expression wanton.
Qin Fei quietly breathed a sigh of relief, and then felt his heart tighten.
It seemed that the Yelu tribe would not become suspicious.
However, the Eldest Prince’s lustful intention for the Seventh Princess was already Sima Zhao’s intention1. Everyone knew that Tribal Chief Yelu was old. When they, the armed guards and ceremonial guards who were sending her off, left, would the Eldest Prince not let go of the Seventh Princess?
No matter how much Qin Fei worried about the Seventh Princess’s safety, three days later, when they arrived at the encampment and saw the mountain ranges extending into the horizon from afar, he had to count his men and horses and bid farewell to Yaoying.
“Princess, this humble one can only see off until here.”
Qin Fei spoke with difficulty.
“From now on, you will only have Xie Qing and a few dozen of your personal soldiers by your side… You take care.”
Yaoying smiled, lifted the curtain of the carriage, and looked into the distance toward the east.
“Commandment, take care.”
Qin Fei’s heart was heavy. Not daring to raise his head up to look at her, he turned and climbed on his horse, riding like he was running away.
The Yelu tribe’s cavalry soon met them and surrounded the carriage. The Eldest Prince’s voice reached Yaoying’s ears, “Beauty, the coming road will not be easy.”
This was followed by a burst of loud laughter.
The carriage heaved and swayed a few times.
Yaoying sat in the carriage, not saying a word.
…
Chang’an.
Zheng Biyu finished taking care of the palace affairs, so she fed her son a bowl of hot millet congee and coaxed him to sleep. She was just about to lie down and rest for a while when a maid hurriedly crossed the long corridor and knelt on the ground.
“Madam, there is some commotion in the palace.”
“What’s the commotion?”
The maid did not dare to make a sound.
Zheng Biyu instructed the palace people standing in front of the corridor to withdraw.
The servant girl got up, took a few steps forward, and whispered, “Slave heard from the people in Noble Consort Xue’s palace that Concubine Rong died!”
Zheng Biyu looked down at her nails: “What’s the big fuss about that?”
Concubine Rong poisoned Empress Xie and was sentenced to the court prison. She had offended so many concubines over the years; she would certainly not live to the end of the year.
The maid took a few breaths and came closer: “Your Highness, there is nothing strange about Concubine Rong’s death. However, Concubine Rong said some nonsense before she died and frightened Noble Consort Xue.”
Zheng Biyu raised her eyebrows: “What did Concubine Rong say?”
The maid bowed her head and said, “Concubine Rong said that Princess Wenzhao is not His Majesty’s bloodline!”