“My dear, you don’t really think His Majesty will agree to the Tubo people’s demand and cede our Sichuan and Shu regions to them, do you?”
Even when it was time to sleep at night, Guan Xiaorou was still worrying about the Tubo matter.
“The Sichuan Plain is one of Great Kang’s granaries. Every year, the military grain for the northwest border passes is supplied by our Sichuan and Shu. If we cede Sichuan and Shu, the soldiers at the northwest border will go hungry in a few months!”
Jin Feng said, “Moreover, ceding territory for peace will be recorded in history books and cursed by all future generations. The current emperor’s grandfather already carries this infamy. Unless he has truly lost his mind, he would never agree to give Sichuan to Tubo.”
“If Great Kang refuses, will there be war?” Guan Xiaorou asked nervously.
“Tubo only ended its internal strife a few years ago, so it probably doesn’t want war either. It just sees Great Kang as easy to bully because we pay tribute to the Xixia and Khitan every year. They’re jealous, so they’re trying to extort us.”
With no outsiders present, Jin Feng spoke much more casually. “I reckon the Tubo people themselves know the emperor can never cede Sichuan and Shu. Right now they’re just asking an exorbitant price, simply waiting for Great Kang to bargain down.”
“You mean that from now on, besides Xixia and Khitan, Great Kang will also have to pay tribute to Tubo?”
Guan Xiaorou propped herself up. “How will ordinary people survive then?”
“The Ninth Princess is in Western Sichuan… let’s hope she can find a solution,” Jin Feng sighed.
Current events had already gone beyond what he could control. The only thing Jin Feng could do was deliver the trebuchets and heavy crossbows that Qing Xinyao had ordered to Western Sichuan as quickly as possible.
Everything else depended on how Western Sichuan’s governor Qing Xinyao and the Ninth Princess handled it.
Yet who could have known that seven days later, Xiao Yu sent someone to inform him that the Ninth Princess had already crossed Black Wind Ridge and was hurrying towards West River Bay.
Jin Feng was eating dinner when he heard the news. He nearly dropped his chopsticks.
At this precise moment when relations between Tubo and Great Kang were tense, instead of staying in Western Sichuan to manage the situation, why was the Ninth Princess returning to West River Bay?
By the time the princess reached the village entrance, Jin Feng could only suppress his questions, take Guan Xiaorou, and go to greet her.
The messenger had not been much faster than the princess. Just as Jin Feng arrived at the entrance, he saw a mounted team galloping towards them.
Every rider led two spare horses.
One person with three horses was the standard formation for urgent military travel.
At the front of the team were the princess’s chief guard Qin Ming and several guards.
Behind them rode the Ninth Princess, Qing Mulan, A-Mei, and others.
“Master, Wuyang thought our parting last time would be forever. I never expected to see you again so soon.”
The Ninth Princess remained on horseback, smiling as she greeted Jin Feng.
“Is Your Highness returning to the capital?” Jin Feng asked.
On the way to the entrance, Jin Feng had been pondering why the Ninth Princess had come to West River Bay.
This seemed the most reasonable explanation he could think of.
Yet the Ninth Princess shook her head. “No, Wuyang has come especially to find you, Master.”
“Find me?” Jin Feng was stunned. “What matter brings Your Highness to me?”
“Master, we have been riding since nine in the morning and haven’t eaten yet. Our stomachs are completely empty!”
Qing Mulan glanced around, smiling. “It’s a long story. Let’s talk after we get back.”
“Look at my brain!”
Jin Feng laughed and tapped his forehead. “Da Liu, send someone back to tell Runniang the princess has arrived. Have her prepare food quickly.”
“Right away!” Da Liu kicked one of the guards.
The guard turned and ran.
Since Jin Feng had come on foot to greet them, the Ninth Princess thought it improper to ride into the village, so she voluntarily dismounted.
Because she had ridden too long, her legs were numb. Her foot did not find the stirrup properly, and she tumbled straight off the horse.
Jin Feng was right beside her and caught her with quick reflexes.
“Your Highness!” Qin’er swooped down, glaring at Jin Feng with fire in her eyes. “Let go of her at once!”
Only then did Jin Feng realise that, in his haste, his hands had caught her in rather improper places…
He steadied the Ninth Princess and hurriedly released her.
Having grown up in the palace, this was the first time the Ninth Princess had ever been touched by an unrelated man. Her heart suddenly beat several times faster.
Yet after dealing with old foxes at court for so long, she quickly composed herself and gave Jin Feng a small curtsey. “Many thanks, Master!”
“Not at all, not at all!”
Jin Feng waved his hands quickly. “Your Highness, after you!”
“Master, wait… just a moment!” The Ninth Princess said with some embarrassment. “My legs are still a bit numb.”
“How long have you all been riding?” Jin Feng asked Qing Mulan.
“We left yesterday afternoon and, apart from changing horses, rested only three times before riding straight through until now.”
Qing Mulan continued, “Wuyang has never ridden this long before. Her thighs are rubbed raw, yet she refused to rest…”
“Sister!”
The Ninth Princess hurriedly cut Qing Mulan off.
Qing Mulan realised she had misspoken and quickly covered her mouth.
When they walked back, Jin Feng indeed noticed the Ninth Princess’s gait was slightly odd.
It made sense. A princess formerly raised in luxury had suddenly ridden day and night. It would be strange if her thighs were not chafed.
This only made Jin Feng more wary.
What matter could be urgent enough for the Ninth Princess to ride through the night from Western Sichuan just to find him?
Back at the house, the table already held two pots of meat soup, two plates of pickled vegetables, and a large bowl of rice porridge.
“Your Highness, time was short and I couldn’t prepare much. Please make do with these for now to ease your hunger while I quickly stir-fry a few more dishes,” Runniang said.
“No need. This is plenty.”
The Ninth Princess waved her hand. While Qin’er checked the food, she touched the table and said, “Mulan was right. The atmosphere when eating at your house is truly nostalgic. Even in Western Sichuan, I had the cooks follow Runniang’s methods, but the food never tastes the same.”
“That’s easily solved. When we leave, just take Runniang with us,” Qing Mulan interjected.
“As if Runniang were an object you can just take?”
Jin Feng kicked Qing Mulan lightly under the table. “Besides, if we took Runniang, would you cook for my whole family?”
“If I cooked, would you dare eat it?” Qing Mulan shot back.
“If you dare cook, I’ll dare eat it!”
“Then wait. Tomorrow I’ll put arsenic in a bowl of noodles for you. Let’s see if you dare!”
“I seem to recall someone still owes a military punishment with the rod. Should we settle that first?” Jin Feng looked at Qing Mulan with amusement.
“Oh dear, Runniang, you’ve brought all this food but no bowls. How are we supposed to eat?”
As soon as Qing Mulan heard that, she backed down and slipped away.
Watching Qing Mulan’s retreating figure, Jin Feng’s heart grew heavier.
Qing Mulan was usually quite proper. Her unusual behaviour today meant the Ninth Princess’s visit to West River Bay definitely concerned something major.
“Master, where is Lady Xiao Bei?”
The Ninth Princess glanced around, not seeing Tang Xiaobei, and asked with a smile.
“She has gone to Jiangnan to purchase grain.”
Seeing Qing Mulan return with bowls and chopsticks, Jin Feng cleared the room of everyone else and had Guan Xiaorou close the door.
Only Jin Feng, Qing Mulan, Qin’er, and a few others remained in the room.
“Your Highness, just tell me directly. What matter brings you to West River Bay to find me?”
Jin Feng asked outright.
