Chapter 379: You can afford to cause a scourge with your lordship (2/2)

“Mm,” Long Feiye assented without even raising his head. He greatly disliked being disturbed while studying his papers. In truth, it was more accurate to say that he’d brook no interruptions from other people while doing anything.

Han Yunxi didn’t probe further, and instead left the carriage to wash up and eat. It was then that Long Feiye exchanged the Annals of the Seven Noble Families in his hands for The Complete History of Cloud Realm Continent. The entire way, Long Feiye’s attention had been split between observing events at the Hidden Pavilion and studying the Annals of the Seven Noble Families. While researching historical texts, he’d sent men to investigate into the last living scions of each clan. Meanwhile, Tang Li had yet to meet the black-robed man again at the Hidden Pavilion, which only puzzled Long Feiye. For this purpose, he’d specially sent someone to investigate the Mu Clan in Medicine City and seek out Gu Qishao. As to his reasons–that was something he kept to himself.

Han Yunxi returned soon enough with news from one of the guards. “Your Highness, I heard the Chu Clan in Western Zhou has prepared 10,000 fine blood-sweating foals for Chu Qingge’s dowry!”

Both Western Zhou and Northern Li teemed with battle horses, with their calvary forces acting as their trump card in fights. Western Zhou’s blood-sweating horses were known for thin heads and high necks, long limbs and light steps. They were fleet of foot and possessed powerful stamina! Northern Li specialized in hardy Mongolian horses that didn’t fear the cold nor did they startle in the midst of battle. They were bold and full of valor beyond compare! Their raw fighting capacity was superior to that of the blood-sweating horses. In comparison, Tianning had no battle horses of its own, so its calvary forces were rather weak. Their strength was completely at Western Zhou’s whims. 10,000 blood-sweating foals was a truly generous dowry. Even Long Feiye was a little surprised.

“What is Western Zhou’s Chu Clan planning?” he mused.

Han Yunxi didn’t know much about the Chu Clan, but she was very certain of one thing: Chu Qingge didn’t want to marry Emperor Tianhui! She was torn between anticipating Chu Qingge’s arrival and worrying over the powerful family backing her in Western Zhou.

“Your Highness, could it be that the Chu Clan and Western Zhou’s imperial clan are….?” Han Yunxi trailed off without finishing the sentence, but Long Feiye understood her meaning well enough. The Chu Clan had a high position and status in Western Zhou Country, so the Western Zhou imperial clan would naturally take precautions against their might. It was very possible that Chu Qingge’s marriage alliance was a way for her clan to seek foreign support. To put it bluntly, if Chu Qingge could become Emperor Tianhui’s new empress, then nobody would dare to touch a hair of the Chu Clan in Western Zhou.

“Emperor Tianhui must be deliriously happy!” Han Yunxi said faintly. She somewhat regretting pushing the girl into Emperor Tianhui’s lap.

But Long Feiye only gave a cold laugh. “Not necessarily.”

Great General Ning was the man in charge of Tianning’s cavalry forces. His younger sister was none other than one of Tianning’s original four Noble Consorts. Once Chu Qingge came to vie for favor, Noble Consort Ning would be a formidable foe! It is a complicated tangle of relationships. Han Yunxi felt the same after hearing Long Feiye’s explanation. Emperor Tianhui was going to have his share of headaches soon.

She didn’t know how the marriage alliance would affect the Duke of Qin’s estate, either, but whatever the case, it wasn’t due to happen for another six months. Right now, it was better to take care of matters at hand. She took out a piece of gauze and some medicine from her medical pouch and said with a smile, “Your Highness, it’s time to change your dressing.”

Long Feiye had a good body to begin with. Coupled with her meticulous care, his wound had recovered excellently. She hardly needed to wait on him anymore. Although Long Feiye had told her to always serve him in the future, the two of them tacitly agreed to treat it as a joke.

Long Feiye took off his robes as Han Yunxi sat by his side and carefully used her tweezers to get off the old dressing and medicine. After cleaning it off with liquid medicine, she reapplied the gauze and wrapped it anew.

“Has it closed up completely?” Long Feiye asked.

“Mhm,” Han Yunxi murmured without looking at him.

“How long before it recovers completely?” Long Feiye asked next, but Han Yunxi didn’t reply. Just like how Long Feiye disliked being disturbed during his reading, Han Yunxi disliked being disturbed during her treatments. She kept her head down and eyes hooded as she focused on his injury. Was there anyone else in the world who could blatantly ignore Long Feiye like that?

Long Feiye had gotten used to the process after going through it multiple times. He didn’t ask her anything else, but simply stared at Han Yunxi. His eyes rested on her graceful brows, her high nose, and tender pink lips. It was as if he was inspecting each aspect of a precious gem. Of course, by the time Han Yunxi finished and looked up, Long Feiye had averted his gaze elsewhere. The two of them traveled like this for half a month, more than enough time for news of the Duke of Qin’s embezzling ways to spread all the way to Northern Li and Western Zhou. Everyone seemed to know that the His Highness Duke of Qin had absconded with the relief funds!

On this day, the caravan of grain stopped north of the South Ning regions. Long Feiye and Han Yunxi left their ride empty-handed before switching to a different carriage to enter the city itself…