Qiyan

Xin Yi's stomach churned violently. He didn't answer that question, but supported himself and vomited profusely. However, his stomach was empty, and he had been frozen for a long time, so he could only dry heave.

Aoyun's brow relaxed. He hesitantly wanted to ask him something, but Wuyun Qiqige had already broken free from his hand and run over.

"What's wrong?" The girl's cheeks were flushed from the wind, but it couldn't hide her bright eyes. She leaned down to look at Xin Yi, saying nervously, "You can't go on like this; you need to drink some hot goat's milk."

"Qiqige!" Aoyun came over and pulled her behind him, saying with a headache, "What do you want to do? Take him back to the tent?"

"He's just a lost person," Wuyun Qiqige argued. "Didn't you say you wanted to help others? If we don't take him back, he'll die here. Are all the things you usually say false?"

"But he's a Great Lan person," Aoyun tried to reason with his sister. "He's also carrying a knife, full of scars, perhaps from the Beiyang Army. Qiqige, what if bringing him back brings danger?"

"He's only one person." Wuyun Qiqige held her fur hat, which was being blown by the wind. "Without us to guide him, he can't get out of the snowy wilderness."

Aoyun insisted, "No, don't mind him."

"But look at his horse!" Wuyun Qiqige's eyes darted, and she cleverly changed her tactic, wailing to her brother, "Look at that beautiful horse, what if it freezes to death with him? Or are you, the Qiyan's sapphire, favored by the Witch God, Qiqige's good brother, going to seize his horse after he freezes to death?"

Aoyun's slightly darkened cheeks showed a hint of embarrassment. He said, "I wouldn't do that." Then he added, "I wouldn't! If you want to take him back, are you going to carry him yourself?"

"He has a horse," Wuyun Qiqige shrugged. "You throw him onto the horse's back, and we'll lead the horse."

After speaking, the siblings both turned to Xin Yi, who was unstable on his feet.

"Well... alright," Aoyun walked over and complained in a low voice, "You'd better behave."

Xin Yi was supported by that powerful, strong arm. Although he leaned on it, his body remained tense. He was truly 'thrown' onto Chiye's back. For some reason, Chiye, who was usually irritable and unapproachable, was appeased by Wuyun Qiqige, who then led the horse into the depths of the wind and snow.

Xin Yi suppressed the Heavenly Dao, his consciousness gradually blurring.

Hot goat's milk boiled, its rich fragrance filling his nostrils. Wuyun Qiqige poured another bowl of goat's milk for Xin Yi, this time also handing him a warm, soft hot water bag. Xin Yi held it, feeling warm and comfortable all over, his stomach also much more at ease. He also developed a fever. Aoyun lent him an old robe from a few years ago; it fit him perfectly. Covered in furs, he began to sweat profusely.

Wuyun Qiqige took off her fur hat and sheepskin cloak, wearing a horse-riding skirt and small leather boots. Her braids were dark and beautiful, her eyes large and clear. She rolled up her sleeves, preparing milk tea for Aoyun.

"Isn't it much warmer?" Wuyun Qiqige tilted her head and smiled at him. "My brother's tent is the warmest one here."

"Thank you." Xin Yi's left hand rested on his stomach, his fingers moving uncomfortably, not quite used to the bewildered feeling of having lost his pinky finger.

"Your pinky finger was cut off by a scimitar, wasn't it?" Aoyun took the milk tea from his sister and drank a few sips.

Xin Yi pondered, "Perhaps... I can't remember clearly."

"The cut was quick and ruthless, timed and executed with full confidence. The person who cut off your pinky finger is a formidable Great Yuan person." Aoyun continued as if chatting about milk tea, "If it were me, I'd make a cleaner cut than him."

"What nonsense are you talking?" Wuyun Qiqige also held a bowl of milk tea, came over and kicked her brother's calf. "If you comfort people like that, even Mama would be angered back."

"But I'm speaking the truth," Aoyun said seriously. "If I were you, I definitely wouldn't have let him succeed." He added, "Since it was a scimitar, you really must be from Beiyang, right? Arslang's Southern Campaign Army is hunting you, and he's the one who cut off your finger, isn't he?"

Xin Yi drank the goat's milk and nodded.

"Then you're from the Beiyang Army." Aoyun's expression subtly darkened, and he said to his sister, "I told you he was from the Beiyang Army."

"Well, he didn't try to stab you with a knife, did he?" Wuyun Qiqige made a face at him, then turned to Xin Yi, "What's your name?"

"Yichuan." Xin Yi counter-asked, "You're Qiqige?"

"Qiyan Wuyun Qiqige." Wuyun Qiqige lifted her small chin, stating with a hint of pride, "The Flower of Wisdom of the Steppe."

"Every tribe on the steppe has eighty or ninety Flowers of Wisdom," Aoyun retorted. "Don't be arrogant."

Wuyun Qiqige snorted, "There's only one of me in the Qiyan Tribe, and in the future, Great Yuan will only have this one Flower of Wisdom." Saying this, she made another face, "You blue stone!"

"Aoyun." Aoyun said to Xin Yi, "My name is Aoyun. It doesn't mean blue stone, it means blue sapphire."

Xin Yi also nodded to him, "Thank you."

"No need to thank me," Aoyun sighed. "It's this Flower of Wisdom who insisted on saving you. If you appreciate her kindness even a little, then leave once your wounds are healed. Whether it's the Beiyang Army or the Southern Campaign Army, don't bring them here."

"What's wrong?" Wuyun Qiqige leaned forward, teasing Aoyun, "Does the blue sapphire not want to meet the Lion King? Or are you scared?"

"Qiqige." Aoyun's expression became serious. "Don't talk so much."

Xin Yi's heart stirred, and he asked, "Is this... the Qiyan Tribe?"

Aoyun suddenly stared at him, his gaze sharp like an eagle's, entirely different from the helplessness and politeness he showed when speaking to his sister. It was as if once fixed by his gaze, one couldn't escape the fate of being torn apart.

"We are indeed the Qiyan Tribe," Aoyun lowered his voice. "What's wrong, Beiyang person, is that not allowed?"

Xin Jing pursued and forced the thirty-two Great Yuan tribes northward, relocating them along the glacier's edge. At that time, the Qiyan Tribe was the ruling power. The Qiyan Tribe was a major tribe of Great Yuan, but because they abandoned the Zhadalan Tribe, led by the Lion King Arslang, during the northern migration, the Zhadalan Tribe was left to hold Jianan Mountain. They then switched their allegiance to the current Habugeqin Clan. The Qiyan Tribe thus lost the Great Yuan kingship and no longer attracted attention.

It was actually the Qiyan Tribe.

Xin Yi looked at Aoyun and repeated, "Thank you."

Aoyun said indifferently, "Actually, I don't want to hear a Beiyang person say thank you. You can say something else."

"I appreciate your care."

Wuyun Qiqige pursed her lips and smiled, "An interesting Beiyang person. I heard the Lion King went to Shangjin, has he reached the banks of the Chang River?"

"No." Xin Yi paused. "He's still outside Shangjin."

"This is a thankless southern campaign." Wuyun Qiqige smiled at Aoyun. "I told you he wouldn't get far. Do you still think I'm talking nonsense now?"

Aoyun said, "I thought no one could stop him."

"Why do you think Arslang won't get far?" Xin Yi gently placed the empty bowl back on the small table, wondering, "He's your Great Yuan's Lion King."

"He's their Lion King." Wuyun Qiqige blinked slyly. "This is the Qiyan Tribe; we never raise lions. Since you know he's called the Lion King, you should also know he's called the Sky-Draping Iron Wings, but this title is limited to Jianan Mountain. Jianan Mountain is Arslang's foundation. But if he doesn't come out to hunt again, the name of Lion King will fall." She added, "You Beiyang have always been Great Lan's defense line, and there have been people like Xin Jing. If Beiyang falls, Great Yuan still has a chance. But I heard that Beiyang has a new Prince of Yan, Xin Jing's younger brother."

Aoyun continued, "Are you this person's subordinate?"

Xin Yi smiled. "No, I'm just an ordinary person guarding Shangjin."

"Lions don't hunt ordinary people," Aoyun also put down his bowl. "I hope you can hold your ground."

"Don't you hope Arslang doesn't reach the banks of the Chang River?"

"No, we don't." The siblings said in unison.

"But this is our business, it has nothing to do with you." Aoyun withdrew his piercing gaze and said to his sister, "It has nothing to do with him."

"Of course it has nothing to do with him." Wuyun Qiqige stuck out her tongue. "He's not the Prince of Yan anyway."

The conversation ended abruptly there. Aoyun removed the gauze from Xin Yi and tended to his wounds, and he fell asleep once more.

Wu Yu lifted the cellar door and peered down. Inside, there were only a few green vegetable leaves left; not even a radish. The little brats' stomachs were rumbling, and Wu Yu himself was dizzy with hunger.

"That damn Old Dog Chou." Wu Yu swore irritably, 'Would it kill him to stock a granary?'

But Chou Deyao was already dead.

Wu Yu scooped up a few handfuls of clean snow from the side and put them in his mouth. He crouched there, looking distressed and in a predicament, because they only had these vegetable leaves left, yet Arslang still showed no signs of retreating outside, and Xin Yi was also missing.

Wu Yu thought, 'If I don't die in battle at Shangjin, Bai Jiu will kill me later anyway. What should I do? Either way, I'm going to die, so I might as well leave a good name...'

"General!" A soldier rushed over, ecstatic, waving his arms at Wu Yu from a distance. "General!"

Wu Yu swallowed the snow water, saying feebly, "What is it?"

"Grain!" The man gestured wildly, unable to contain his excitement. "It's grain!"

"Huh?" Wu Yu stood up and looked out through the fine snow, vaguely seeing people approaching. He couldn't help but take a few steps forward, and upon a closer look, his teeth started aching first.

'What one fears most comes to pass.'

It was none other than Prince of Pingding, Bai Jiu!

He didn't recognize the fair-faced young man who followed closely behind, but from his green robe and cloak, one could tell he was extraordinary. Moreover, although dressed as a scholar, his gaze was sharp and direct, clearly belonging to someone accustomed to making decisions.

The ones who arrived were none other than Bai Jiu and He Anchang.