Chapter 569. Civil Unrest (2/2)

Xiao Rong believed that he was hiding his identity very well, but he didn’t know that his reaction and action did not escape Zhu Junyang and Su Ran’s sharp eyes. The two people exchanged glances but decided to bide their time for now.

Zhu Junyang already noticed a few things. Judging from Xiao Rong and his two guards’ build and appearance, they looked slightly different from people who came from the Central Plains. Based on the way he talked and his manners, he was different from the commoners living outside the border. It was obvious that he had caught a big fish. A man with the surname Xiao? Didn’t the leader of the Tuha’erhanbu tribe use the same surname, Xiao, from the Liao Empire?

If he was indeed the leader of Tuha’erhanbu tribe, then it was strange for him to suddenly appear in the Great Ming Dynasty’s territory. From his current attire and wounds, he looked like he had run away! If he could boldly guess the reason, then he would assume that perhaps, there was civil unrest in the Tuha’erhanbu tribe.

Zhu Junyang was a talented military strategist. He was able to guess the other party’s identity quite accurately and quickly.

“This...warrior, would you like to have some barbecue?” Yu Xiaocao pointed at the rabbit they were roasting over the fire as she greeted the three guests enthusiastically.

In the past few days, in order to hide from the rebel army that was trying to kill them, Xiao Rong and his men had not had a warm meal for many days. To be more precise, they had not eaten in the past two days because the soldiers chasing after them were hot on their heels.

After he hesitated for a moment, Xiao Rong took the roasted rabbit from Xiaocao and divided it among the remaining two guards with him and devoured the food. The rabbit meat was grilled until charred on the outside, and the meat was tender on the inside. The rabbit meat was coated with honey and an unknown spice, making the meat flavorful and delicious.

“If that’s not enough, then the roasted lamb over there will be ready soon. Have some soup to moisten your throat!” Seeing how the three men were choking until their necks were straight, Xiaocao hurriedly gave them the remaining hazel grouse soup. They seemed quite pitiful. How long had they survived without food? How are they living worse than refugees?

Xiao Rong gnawed at the roasted rabbit and drank the bowl of fragrant hazel grouse soup that Xiaocao had given him. His belly was finally somewhat full. He sighed happily and looked up at the innocent young girl. He sincerely expressed his gratitude, “Thank you for your help and the food. Xiao Rong will not forget your kindness!”

Zhu Junyang nodded at him indifferently. He continued to roast the wild goats that Little White had hunted. Under the flame’s light, Zhu Junyang’s handsome and charming face dazzled Xiao Rong. It was such a pity that such a beautiful and charming face belonged to a man.

The people from the Central Plains were as beautiful as the rumors had said. The two men standing close by, one looked charming and the other one looked refined. Even the young girl who had yet matured looked as pure as the cold spring in the high mountains. There wasn’t even a trace of dust or dirt in her large eyes.

Did he guess incorrectly? Why would an innocent and young girl appear in the middle of a marching army? Furthermore, these people had tents set up and are barbecuing meat. They didn’t look like a marching army, instead, they looked like people who came out to play.

Xiao Rong thought of another possibility. Didn’t the Great Ming Dynasty have an imperial hunting ground? In the previous year, the emperor had also hunted in the hunting ground! Could it be that the three people standing before him were people from the Great Ming Dynasty’s imperial family? Could the well-trained guards who were standing beside them be the imperial guards that were assigned to protect these people?

Xiao Rong’s eyes flickered with that in mind. If this was the case, if he can contain these people, then wouldn’t he have enough bargaining chips to negotiate terms with the emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty? Wouldn’t he be able to ask him to send their army to help him regain his position as the head of his tribe?

However, he needed to take his time to make a final decision. Among the three people, the two handsome men were unlike the warriors he had fought against before. This was especially true for the charming and beautiful man. He gave off a dangerous aura. When his cold gaze met his eyes, he looked like a wild beast that was about to escape. Xiao Rong couldn’t help but tremble at that thought. The man dressed in white was a mystery. There was a glint in his eyes from time to time, and he couldn’t be underestimated. It seemed like, among the three people, he should start with the young girl who seemed like she knew nothing about the cruelty of the world.

“Have a taste of the roasted lamb leg made with my secret recipe. I added cumin, honey, and tomato sauce on it. It’s crunchy on the outside, and soft and fragrant on the inside. I promise that you will never be able to forget the taste once you eat it!” Yu Xiaocao was arrogantly flaunting off her cooking skills. However, the seasoning she made for the roasted lamb was finally made after many repeated attempts to perfect the recipe. Everyone praised her after eating it!

Xiao Rong subconsciously took the roasted lamb leg from her. He took a bite of the roasted lamb leg under the young girl’s expectant gaze. Sure enough, the meat was crispy on the outside, and soft and rich in flavor on the inside. The meat was tender and fragrant. In contrast, all the roasted lamb he had eaten before suddenly tasted like flavorless dregs.

After he finished the meat and soup, the young girl gave them the only unoccupied tent to them and said, “The three of you are injured, so sleep in the tent tonight! You can sleep peacefully because Little White and Little Black will keep guard. The wolves won’t dare to come close with them guarding!” With that said, she patted the two formidable wolves that were snuggling her.

Although the two wolves had a different colored coat compared to ordinary wolves, Xiao Rong had lived in the grassland for nearly 30 years. How can he fail to recognize the difference between a wolf and a dog? The black wolf had just killed off the leader of the wolf pack with just a few bites. The white wolf looked feistier and more difficult to deal with. It just happened that the two ferocious wolves were snuggling up against the young girl standing in front of him. They acted more docile and gentler than regular dogs. From a glance, it was impossible to believe that they were once wild animals. He felt incredulous at the sight.