Quick Wear: Oh no, the lady is running away with the ball again

Chapter 249 The Living Abandoned Empress of the Cold Palace X The Invading Unruly Buddhist Son 83

Yun Qian looked up at him, her tone calm but with a hint of teasing, "Your Highness, he only proposed such a condition because he despises women. He thinks I'm timid and afraid to keep the appointment, so he dares to put on such an attitude."

Qi Heyao's frown deepened, and he spoke to her coldly, a rare gesture. "How do you know this isn't his plan? If anything goes wrong once you go there, even if he doesn't take action, the entire Northern Frontier Iron Cavalry will be able to surround you."

Yun Qian sighed softly upon hearing this, his tone softening slightly. "Your Highness, I know my limits. Besides, if he really dares to make a move, why bother with all these probing attempts? This trip is risky, but the rewards are too tempting. Your Highness, if peace talks can be reached, how many lives can be saved, and how much more peace can be restored to the people? Isn't this... worth it?"

Qi Heyao was speechless when he heard this. He had never thought about this. He only wanted to capture all the Northern Iron Cavalry in one fell swoop. He had never thought about...these.

In a moment he exclaimed again, "But you are my Crown Princess! How could I?"

"It's true that I'm His Highness's Crown Princess, but precisely because I am, I must go. I'm not afraid of any conspiracy or trickery he might employ. I'll make an agreement with him to gaze at each other from afar."

In fact, Yun Qian still had a lot to say. Doesn't Your Highness know that we lack good cavalry to fight against them? We lack imported equipment. Yun Qian is well-versed in history books and knows the power of the northern cavalry. Even if we try to defend ourselves, we must rely on fortifications. Now the fortifications are not yet completed, and we need time...

"But this is too risky!" Qi Heyao said angrily, "Why does he insist on you going? Yun Qian, have you ever considered that he just wants to capture you?"

"Does the Queen Mother know about this? If she knew, she would definitely not allow you to go."

Yun Qian lowered her head and gently stroked her wrist, smiling faintly: "Since Your Highness is unwilling to accompany me, what else can I say?" Unexpectedly, she changed the subject and softened her tone: "Your Highness's concerns, I understand in my heart. I can assure you that I will protect myself on this trip and will not let anyone hurt me."

As she spoke, she raised her eyes, her tone gently revealing a hint of mystery: "Don't worry, when I come back, I will definitely give you a surprise."

"Surprise?" Qi Heyao was stunned, a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but seeing Yun Qian's calm expression, he felt a little hopeful. The uneasiness in his heart seemed to be alleviated a little, his eyes gradually softened, and his tone slowed down: "Can you really guarantee your own safety?"

Yun Qian nodded gently, a sly smile on her face. "Of course I won't act rashly. I'll be riding in a sedan chair with the curtains tightly closed, and I won't reveal my face. He won't be able to see me, nor will he be able to figure out my background. Besides, won't we have someone secretly arranging to pick him up?"

Qi Heyao watched her soften his attitude, and the anger and worry in his heart gradually dissipated. Her rare soft attitude seemed to gently touch his heartstrings, making him feel excited. He even wanted to nod involuntarily, but when he said it, he still said,

"No, I still can't promise you."

"Since Your Highness has made the decision, I can no longer disobey. In this case, I can only go back and report to my mother first." Seeing this, Yun Qian came up with an idea. She spoke softly, with a gentle smile between her eyebrows.

Qi Heyao hadn't received a good look from her in a long time, and for a moment he was speechless. He sighed and unconsciously took a step forward, wanting to pull Yun Qian into his arms. Yun Qian didn't say much, but saw him raise his hand and gently stroke his Crown Princess's hair. But in his heart, there was an inexplicable panic, a fear that had been lingering in him ever since Lu Zheng's surprise attack on the enemy camp and the crushing defeat of the enemy army.

He didn't like Yun Qian's meddling in government affairs, and he didn't want... himself to become an emperor in name only like his father.

Seeing Yun Qian soften, he couldn't help but let out a "relieved" smile, "Go back and have a good rest, Qian Qian. You've been complaining to me about being tired these days, and you're so spoiled. Let's not talk about this matter again."

"...Yes. As you command."

But when night fell and the stars hung low over the plain, Qi Heyao was in a good mood for the first time in recent days. Just when he wanted to go to his wife's tent to find her for some tenderness, he only found traces of the wind...

Yun Qian's sedan chair gradually went away until it disappeared from view and disappeared beyond the horizon. Only then did Qi Heyao realize this maddening fact.

------

"Wow, host, you are so smart. This way, by the time Qi Heyao realizes you are missing, it will be too late."

The small system continued to flatter as usual, but its restless body showed the hidden worries in its heart.

"I'm not afraid, what are you afraid of?"

Yun Qian raised her eyes slightly and glanced at it, not understanding.

"What if Qi Jueyu plays dirty tricks and won't let you go?"

"Have you forgotten what I sent Lu Zheng to do?" Before setting off, Yun Qian had secretly dispatched Lu Zheng to lead a small team to garrison outside Yongcheng. Their purpose was nothing more than to prevent any changes in the situation. This would allow them to make a feint to the east and attack in the west, thus sieging Wei to save Zhao. However, Yun Qian hadn't anticipated that the battlefield would be ever-changing, while people's hearts remained constant. Even though she could accurately predict the battle's opportunities, mishaps still occurred.

… The wind and snow filled the air, blanketing the grassland like a thick layer of silver gauze, merging the sky and earth into a vast expanse of white. The howling wind, mixed with snowflakes, lashed my face, stinging and painful, as if every flake carried a chilling edge.

The hills in the distance loomed and then vanished, like a lone boat on the waves, appearing and disappearing with the wind and snow. Withered, yellow grass stalks occasionally peeked out from under the snow, stubbornly resisting the harsh winter chill.

Yun Qian's men and horses marched through the snowy wind. Frost clung to the manes of their sturdy horses, and the subtle crunching of their feet broke the dead silence of the white world. The sky seemed to droop, merging with the snow, creating a breathtakingly oppressive feeling. The wind howled like a wolf, seemingly recounting every word of the grassland.

The next morning, Yun Qian arrived at the gates of Liaoshun City. She was thinking about how to talk to Qi Jueyu and how to get him to put down his butcher knife. After all, killing Qi Heyao could solve the problem, so why bother to harm the people?

Yun Qian sat in the sedan chair, peering through the curtains outside. The world was covered in snow, and the world was completely silent, with only the gentle sound of the sedan chair's wheels rolling over the snow. She gently stroked her belly, feeling a little uneasy.

Although Qi Jueyu had promised not to hurt her, the tone of his letter that day still made her feel uneasy. Could he really still have feelings for her as he said in the letter?

Thinking of this, she sighed softly: "This can't be entirely blamed on me, right? How could Yun Piao let him go back then? It's just that the situation has changed today."

The sedan chair stopped, and the accompanying guards whispered, "Crown Princess, we have arrived at the foot of Liaoshun City."

Yun Qian didn't need to lift a corner of the curtain to see the scene outside. The sedan chair she rode in was made entirely of precious sandalwood, delicately carved with patterns that shone gently. The eaves were outlined with gold thread, and the dome was covered with snow-white brocade. The curtains hanging from the four corners were not ordinary gauze, but brocade, soft yet resilient, with patterns faintly resembling phoenix feathers. A thin layer of crystal flakes was embedded in the curtains, which, while not conspicuous, provided an unobstructed view from within the sedan chair.

Yun Qian sat in the sedan chair, surrounded by soft blankets and emitting a faint sandalwood fragrance. She didn't need to lift the curtain herself; she could vaguely see the scenery outside through the crystal gauze.