Nangong Cheng had never felt such despair. All he could see was an endless sea of sand. The scorching sun beat down on him, as if a raging fire was trying to melt him away.
His throat felt parched, his lips cracked and dry. The blood that seeped out would instantly congeal into scabs. His skin was peeling from the sun. Nangong Cheng slumped onto the hot sand, too weak to get up. Hallucinations began to plague him; he thought he saw a waterhole ahead, believing he could reach it if he crawled just a little further. But no matter how he struggled, all he saw was an expanse of yellow sand.
"Water, water..."
The sound of camel bells drifted from afar, like a mirage, a fleeting illusion.
The camel bells grew closer, sounding as if they were right beside his ear. The remaining group of just over a dozen people lacked the strength to even lift their heads. They were too exhausted, too thirsty, and visions already danced before their eyes. Sudan Novel Network.
"Miss, she's alive, but severely dehydrated."
"Give her some water and take her away."
Sweet water was poured into his mouth. Nangong Cheng drank greedily, swallowing as if he were parched to the bone. He never knew water could be so sweet, pulling him back from the brink of death.
When Nangong Cheng finally awoke, he and the remaining dozen or so individuals were lying in an oasis on the edge of the desert. There was no sign of the camel caravan; it was as if the camel bells they had heard before losing consciousness were merely a hallucination.
"Your Highness, we've been saved, we've been saved!" The rescued soldiers shouted wildly, jumping into the lake and drinking their fill. The joy of surviving such a ordeal made them ecstatic.
Nangong Cheng scooped up some water and drank. The taste was different. He remembered the water he had drunk earlier was even sweeter. Who had saved them?
"Your Highness, shall we return to the capital now?"
"Yes, of ten thousand soldiers, only a few of us remain. Upon returning to the capital, I fear we will face our Emperor's severe punishment," Nangong Cheng said softly. This battle had made him realize that in the battlefield, the conspiracies in the imperial city were useless, and military power was not so easily seized. It also made him understand that Nangong Yu, who held military power, was a greater threat than the Crown Prince.
As Nangong Cheng's group emerged from the oasis, they were ambushed by soldiers from the Wuyue Kingdom who had been lying in wait. The joy of their rebirth had barely subsided before they were reduced to prisoners. Nangong Cheng felt immense despair; fate was always so cruel to him, lifting him to the heavens one moment only to cast him down into hell the next.
Having captured Nangong Cheng, the Wuyue Kingdom did not delay. They immediately sent an envoy to Yunsheng to negotiate peace. Wuyue had expanded its territory tenfold in a short period, controlling the trade routes of the four kingdoms. However, they had to guard against Yunsheng's desperate counterattack and further military incursions.
Xiao Man had returned to the capital a step ahead. Seeing her return safe and sound, Xiao Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. "It's good that you're alright."
"Father, aren't you going to ask where I've been?" Xiao Man leaned in beside Xiao Zhen, asking with a smile.
"You little monkey, always running around. I can't control you anyway. As long as you return in one piece, I don't care where you go," Xiao Zhen sighed. He had a vague inkling of where Xiao Man had been and was even quite shocked. He felt as if he were seeing Xiao Man's mother, who was just as strategic and daring.
"I heard that Third Sister's engagement was broken off?" Seeing that Xiao Zhen wasn't asking, Xiao Man changed the subject.
"It wasn't broken off; she herself went to break it. She said that a daughter of the Xiao family would never be a concubine, so she went to the Qi Prince's manor and broke off the engagement." Xiao Zhen spoke these words with a hint of pride.
"She does have some spirit."
"Right, wasn't your sister-in-law with you when you went out? Why don't I see her?" Xiao Zhen inquired, not seeing Chu Qingge.
"Sister-in-law isn't returning for now. Don't worry, Father, Sister-in-law will be fine."
Xiao Zhen nodded. "The National Teacher wants to see you at the National Teacher's mansion after you return."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Man's expression remained unchanged. She nodded calmly, "I'll pay my respects to Master after I freshen up."
Xiao Zhen watched Xiao Man's receding figure, sighing with emotion, "Old Lu, don't you think Man'er is becoming more and more like her mother."
Steward Lu nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Miss is more and more like the Mistress. Her every move exudes grace and nobility. If the Mistress knew, she would be at peace."
Xiao Zhen smiled. "I'm just waiting for her to truly mature so I can retire early."
"General, you might not be able to retire. With our young lady's knack for getting into trouble, if you retire, won't she just tear a hole in the sky?"
"One hole wouldn't be enough. If she doesn't poke holes all over the sky, she wouldn't be herself. Do you know what she was doing this time? Meddling in Wuyue's affairs!" Xiao Zhen lowered his voice and said through gritted teeth. Although it was good for the student to surpass the teacher, his heart couldn't take it.
"Hush!" Steward Lu quickly motioned, advising him not to speak of it. If people found out that their young lady had interfered in Wuyue's affairs, it would be disastrous.
Xiao Zhen immediately closed his mouth. He truly dared not be careless about having such a troublesome daughter. He had initially thought she only wanted to target Nangong Cheng, but she had taken Wuyue into her grasp and directly controlled the trade routes of the four kingdoms. Such ambition was beyond his wildest dreams. If His Majesty knew, how could he tolerate her existence!
"Have the loose ends of this matter been cleaned up?"
"General, rest assured, your subordinate has left no trace. The young lady herself is very cautious, and the people around her are even more so, not daring to expose her identity. However, General, the Scarlet Feather Iron Cavalry is too ostentatious!"
Xiao Zhen frowned. Yes, the Scarlet Feather Iron Cavalry was too ostentatious. He was happy that his daughter could command the Scarlet Feather Iron Cavalry; it was a fierce army and a powerful asset. But at the same time, it would attract a lot of trouble. He didn't want Xiao Man, already surrounded by enemies, to also provoke Yun Qi!
"Let nature take its course. It's useless to be afraid of this and that. Besides, is the daughter of Xiao Zhen a coward?" Xiao Zhen said loudly.
"Then, the Prince of Qin..."
Xiao Zhen's expression turned somewhat subtle. The Prince of Qin was an unpredictable factor, and he couldn't fathom what the Prince of Qin truly intended to do. Moreover, that young man was quite capable. If they clashed, he might not be a match for the Prince of Qin. Forget it, he wouldn't meddle in the affairs of young people.
"The Prince of Qin, let Man'er handle it herself."
"General, you can't say I'm spoiling the young lady this time; it's you who is spoiling her," Steward Lu teased. "If the eldest young lady causes any more trouble in the future, you can't blame me."
Xiao Zhen, half-angry and half-amused, replied, "Alright, it's all my fault for spoiling her. Is that enough?"