Chapter 79
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Ming Yu and Xie Yi Xiu would hide during the day and move at night. To avoid drawing attention, they even changed their appearances and disguised themselves as borderland locals.
Though the people of Suixi were somewhat different from those of Great Yan, this was a border area where intermarriage between the two had gone on for generations. As a result, the appearances of many borderland locals had blended, and the differences between them and the people of Great Yan weren’t pronounced.
It was under these circumstances that they covered their skin with grass juice and donned the clothing of local shepherds they encountered along the way. The first two days went smoothly, with no trouble encountered.
However, by the third and fourth day, they could see squads of cavalry galloping by and questioning the locals.
Chacha Qi was determined to capture the two this time. Naturally, he had arranged his men to conduct thorough searches, nearly turning the entire Suixi borderland upside down.
Looking at Xie Yi Xiu, Ming Yu chewed on a stalk of grass and smirked, “They’ve set up a dragnet, just waiting for us to fall into it.”
“Yeah, that’s why we should be even more careful from now on,” Xie Yi Xiu nodded, securing the Thousand Mile Eye back to his waist and pressing down on Ming Yu’s head that had popped out.
Ming Yu shrunk his neck back. Soon after, another troop of soldiers raced past them, kicking up a cloud of sand and dirt.
Once everything quieted down, Ming Yu spat out a few mouthfuls of sand and frowned in worry, “What should we do? Based on the situation, it seems we might have a tough time advancing.”
Xie Yi Xiu’s face didn’t betray any worry. “Let’s go back first and discuss the route further.”
Ming Yu nodded. They retraced their steps to the makeshift cave where they had been hiding. Xie Yi Xiu then took out the map he had on hand and studied it under the dim light.
Watching Xie Yi Xiu’s serious expression, Ming Yu inexplicably felt reassured.
“We need to bypass this valley. There’s a small shepherd camp on the other side. We have people there who can provide us shelter temporarily. If we follow their migration northward for a certain distance, we can evade our pursuers,” Xie Yi Xiu pondered for a while before laying out his plan.
Following his finger on the map, Ming Yu finally fixed his gaze on a gathering spot on the other side of the valley. “Is it trustworthy?”
Xie Yi Xiu nodded, affirming, “It’s a place where we’ve placed our people. It’s absolutely trustworthy.”
Ming Yu understood. In Suixi, they had inserted many agents and spies, like Gan Jiu, who had infiltrated the construction of the city. His true identity was an unprivileged prince of Suixi. And the Wang family that ran the pharmacy also had issues. These were all things that had been uncovered in this incident. There were likely even more undiscovered threads lurking in the shadows. In retrospect, he was too naive. He had never considered that an undercover drama would unfold around him. He had thought that Liangcheng was safe, but dangers were everywhere.
It seemed that after returning, he should focus on this aspect too. He couldn’t let their arrangements go to waste, right? Since he had received an attack, how could he not retaliate?
Listening to Xie Yi Xiu, it was apparent that Great Yan was no slouch either. Understanding the enemy’s moves was an age-old strategy known to all. Without inserting spies and agents, how could they possibly comprehend the enemy’s intentions?
Since Xie Yi Xiu had said it this way, Ming Yu naturally felt at ease. However, in the current situation, it was clear that this Hunle Wang wouldn’t easily let them go. If even a small mistake was made, disaster might befall them.
They went about it this way. Even though they had their own people to provide assistance, there was always the possibility of some oversight, which no one could guarantee against.
Seeing Ming Yu’s concern, Xie Yi Xiu understood. “I’ll send a message first, trying to come up with a secure plan that won’t raise suspicion or give anything away.”
Ming Yu nodded. This was a good approach. Being well-prepared would offer solutions in case any issues arose.
The Suixi grasslands were vast, the herders followed the water and grass, moving their herds to fertile areas according to the changing seasons. For fear of encountering bears or wolf packs, the herders gathered together voluntarily. As a result, numerous small and large gathering places formed.
Lan Duo was a pretty young girl, warm and generous. She had a pair of dark eyes, vibrant black hair tied into two braids hanging down her chest, highlighting the exuberant and wild beauty of the grassland women.
She used to think she was the prettiest, but now she no longer thought so. That’s because Han Da’s family had just welcomed a new young woman who was incredibly beautiful. She was Han Da’s nephew’s newlywed wife.
Han Da’s nephew had arrived three years ago. He rarely spoke and kept to himself, leaving behind the impression of being cold and distant. Some days ago, a marriage had been arranged for him, he had gone out to receive the bride from a neighboring land. He had returned with the young bride only the day before.
Han Da was overjoyed. He would tell everyone how lucky his nephew was, and that his new wife was absolutely lovely.
Curious, Lan Duo had to see for herself. She couldn’t believe it until she laid eyes on her. And true enough, this Han girl had a beauty that was hard to put into words. She couldn’t quite pinpoint what made her different from the grassland women, but there was an indescribable allure about her every gesture and move.
Due to the mixed population of the borderlands, intermarriage between Han people and Suixi people was considered normal, and nobody would make a fuss about it. Lan Duo remembered that A Zhuo’s mother was also a Han person, but the newly arrived young wife was entirely different from A Zhuo’s mother. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was different, but she sensed a distinct aura in everything the young woman did.
The envy and admiration Lan Duo felt towards this new bride, Ming Yu, was currently inside a small tent, adjusting the cuffs of his clothing.
It wasn’t something he could have anticipated, that he would be wearing Suixi women’s clothes right now, with jingling ornaments on his waist and neck, severely limiting his movements, making him feel clumsy and restricted.
He found it strange. How did he end up disguising himself as a woman again after coming out of seclusion? Before, he had been forced to pretend to be a woman, and now, to blend into this small tribal gathering, he had to pretend to be a woman again.
This plan was devised by Xie Yi Xiu and Han Da. Ming Yu had every reason to doubt if they had intentionally set it up this way. Even if the people from Suixi were investigating him and Xie Yi Xiu using the portraits, why couldn’t they just pretend to be siblings instead of making him pretend to be a young bride?
Their explanation was that there was no other option. Introducing two unfamiliar newcomers would undoubtedly raise suspicions. The best option was to impersonate someone already in the tribe, and Han Da’s nephew fit that bill perfectly.
Han Da’s nephew wasn’t actually his blood nephew, nor was Han Da originally called Han Da. He was a spy dispatched by the Great Yan. To establish his position, he had taken on the identity of the original Han Da and had lived on the grasslands for many years. He had also brought back a lot of information for the Great Yan.
Originally, Han Da’s nephew was called Ba Lun. His family was gone, and he had sought refuge with Han Da. To avoid suspicion, Han Da had to take him in and they had lived together for three years. But suspicion had gradually grown in Ba Lun’s heart. Han Da, as a spy, was always walking on thin ice, being alert and sensitive was his primary duty. When Ba Lun’s behavior became suspicious to Han Da, he had to act preemptively and eliminate him to cover his tracks.
Having someone suddenly disappear was suspicious, so Han Da had fabricated a story that Ba Lun had gone to the border to marry. He had planned to announce later that Ba Lun wouldn’t be returning. Since both men and women often married into other tribes, this excuse was plausible.
Unexpectedly, he had suddenly received a summons from General Xie. He had been aware of the recent events in the borderlands, and he had been anxious. Wang Ye and the general being trapped within the borders of Suixi Kingdom was an enormous matter, so he was constantly keeping an eye on this situation.
Receiving a sudden summons from General Xie, he had mentally prepared himself. With news of Wang Ye and the general’s predicament, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. He was certain that this summons from General Xie had a mission to be assigned. He didn’t dare to delay and, in the quiet of the night, he discreetly met with General Xie to avoid any prying eyes.
General Xie instructed him to conceal the identities of the two to evade pursuers. Since they needed to hide within the tribe, it was crucial to have a suitable cover story that would withstand scrutiny.
Thus, the suggestion was made for General Xie to assume the role of his nephew, Ba Lun, and naturally, Ming Yu would play the part of Ba Lun’s newly wedded wife. This plan would eliminate any suspicions.
Luckily, Ba Lun was typically reserved and not prone to interacting with others within the tribe. While people knew of his presence, he hadn’t left a strong impression on them.
Additionally, General Xie’s and Ba Lun’s appearances were not significantly different. With a few adjustments in demeanor, skin tone, and facial hair, General Xie could easily pass as Ba Lun.
As for Ming Yu, they could only present him as the wife Ba Lun brought back from his journey. Though it might be a bit uncomfortable for him, it was the most secure option, and Ming Yu could only reluctantly agree.
The curtain of the tent was lifted, and General Xie walked in. Upon seeing Ming Yu, his initially alert eyes softened.
Seeing him, Ming Yu hurried over, asking, “How did it go? Did anyone suspect?”
Shaking his head, General Xie went to sit down on the side, pouring himself a steaming cup of oil tea and taking a sip. He replied, “I walked around outside, and no one suspected anything.”
Han Da had been undercover in this tribe for many years and had gradually gained a bit of reputation. People regarded Han Da’s nephew with a friendly attitude. However, since Ba Lun was not sociable and rarely interacted with them, it was easy for him to just nod and acknowledge greetings when they met.
When Ba Lun returned with a new bride, no one had suspected anything unusual. People congratulated him, and Ba Lun just lowered his head and nodded, as was his usual manner. It wasn’t strange at all, given that they didn’t know him well. If anything, they thought that marrying a wife hadn’t changed his reserved demeanor.
With no suspicions raised, Ming Yu could finally relax. Their presence within the tribe would remain hidden, allowing them to evade pursuit.
Not long after, Han Da arrived. He attempted to bow in greeting but was stopped. “In times like these, we must be cautious at all times and avoid exposing any signs. Just treat us as if we were nephew and uncle,” General Xie cautioned.
Han Da understood the unspoken meaning, he sat casually next to General Xie. In hushed tones, he said, “I’ve already relayed the message. I believe the Great General will receive it soon, then he’ll arrange for reinforcements to come and pick us up.”
General Xie nodded, showing his trust in Han Da’s abilities. “How’s the situation outside?”
“I’ve heard that neighboring tribes not far from here have already been inspected. I’m sure it won’t be long before those people start investigating here. So, if you both can avoid going out, that would be best,” Han Da said cautiously. He paused and continued, “As per your instructions, I’ve prepared contingency plans. You can rest assured.”
They knew that sooner or later, pursuers would arrive. They were mentally prepared for this. Their plan was in motion, but success ultimately depended on fate. They had made extensive preparations, if even this level of caution was discovered, then it was just unfortunate circumstances.
General Xie was satisfied, he instructed Han Da, “Convince the tribe to migrate northward as soon as possible. Once we move further north and avoid the pursuers, we can set off on our journey back to the Great Yan.”
Han Da responded confidently, “Sure, it’s about time for the migration. I’ll bring up the topic of moving soon. You both can trust that I have influence in this tribe.”
After Han Da left, Ming Yu approached General Xie, a curious glint in his eyes. “What kind of contingency plans have you prepared? I wasn’t aware of them.”
Ming Yu’s eyes sparkled playfully like peach blossoms, his long and dense eyelashes seemed to dance on the canvas of his heart. General Xie cleared his throat, calmly shifting his gaze away, and took a sip of the oil tea to soothe his dry throat. “Of course, contingency plans must be kept confidential.”
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