The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 624 - 622 My Lord, the Khan has arrived (Second Watch)

Li Xianyun’s footsteps halted for a moment. She walked to the door, opened it, and stepped out.

Jinwu and Bater hurried forward to greet her. "My lord."

Li Xianyun said, "Keep a close watch on him."

Jiang Ying still couldn’t be killed; there were many matters that needed to be coordinated with Houliang through Jiang Ying.

"Yes." Jinwu took the command and went to make arrangements.

Li Xianyun looked at Bater and said, "Have you already sent someone to inform the Khan?"

"I have already sent someone," Bater replied. "I took the liberty of doing so, and I ask my lord to punish me for it."

As he spoke, he was about to kneel on the ground but Li Xianyun stopped him.

Bater stood upright and continued, "For such an important matter, I did not dare conceal it."

Although the contents of the intercepted letter were unknown, the urgency could be discerned from the Queen’s expression.

Li Xianyun said, "You did the right thing. I was also planning to see the Khan."

However, she couldn’t wait for Yelu Yan in Yanzhou now; she must go to Hengzhou herself.

If Yelu Yan heard the news and hurried back, they could meet on the way, which would save a lot of time.

Li Xianyun hurried back to her residence and packed her belongings quickly.

She brought along some clothes and daily necessities. The main purpose of taking these items was to conceal her poison and Sleeve Arrow—those were life-saving items.

Li Xianyun also brought along the medicine chest.

Youlan was about to pack her own things when Li Xianyun said, "Youlan, you need not pack anything."

"Why? Does my lord not intend to bring this servant along?"

"I have my reasons. I don’t have time to explain everything to you, but you will understand soon."

The reason Li Xianyun said this was to reassure Youlan; she didn’t have time to delay.

"But..."

Li Xianyun said, "No more buts. Bring me the cotton boots I made for the Khan."

Youlan could only stop asking questions; yet, she was determined in her heart. Alive she belonged to her master, and dead she would be her master’s ghost. She would follow her master wherever she went.

Never parting.

Li Xianyun took the cotton boots from Youlan.

These past few days, Li Xianyun had supervised the garment workshop by day and sewed cotton boots by the light of the lamp at night.

Finally, she had finished them yesterday.

She had intended to gift them to Yelu Yan on his birthday, but it seemed she wouldn’t be able to wait until then. She’d give them to him earlier, as a token of remembrance.

Thinking of how happy Yelu Yan would be to see the boots sweetened her heart like honey.

But, at the moment...

Li Xianyun appeared dazed for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

She wrapped the cotton boots in fabric separately and packed them into a bag.

After packing, Li Xianyun and Youlan emerged, holding their items.

Jinwu quickly took the items, and Bater had already hitched the horses to the carriage, with an extra small carriage prepared in the back, as per Li Xianyun’s instruction.

Li Xianyun said to Bater, "Later, go to the garment workshop, bind Jiang Ying, and tie him in the back on the small carriage."

"Yes."

Li Xianyun and Youlan boarded the carriage, went to the garment workshop to pick up Jiang Ying, and then the group left the Southern City Gate of Yanzhou without pause.

They had traveled for less than an hour when they saw billowing dust on the official road in the distance.

A large troop of horsemen was galloping towards them, the iron hooves pounding the ground with a tumultuous noise that shook the earth and the mountains.

Jinwu stayed by the carriage side, galloping his horse, "My lord, the Khan is here."

After Li Xianyun got on the carriage, she closed her eyes. Firstly, she didn’t want to worry Youlan, and secondly, she wanted to calm herself and think, What should she do next? She pondered the adverse effects her decisions might have on Yelu Yan and the consequences of those decisions.

Many thoughts whirled in her mind, knotted and chaotic.

But no matter how she turned them over in her mind, it seemed she couldn’t escape that initial decision.

She couldn’t afford to gamble, really didn’t dare to gamble.

Hearing Jinwu’s voice at this moment, Li Xianyun opened the carriage window to look outside.

Li Xianyun immediately spotted the tall, robust figure at the front of the procession.

He was furiously whipping his horse, and even though his expression wasn’t clear, she knew how eager he must be.

Yelu Yan outpaced his troop by a great distance, taking the lead alone.

Li Xianyun’s gaze was glued unwaveringly to her man.

Since their separation in Liuzhou, it had been several days since they last saw each other.

The exchanges of letters couldn’t soothe the yearning in her heart; instead, longing turned into the thickest, bitterest soup, staining her heart, both sweet and bitter, hard to endure.

Upon seeing Yelu Yan, Li Xianyun’s sense of grievance somehow rose to her chest, her nose tingled slightly, and her eyes began to mist up.

But as the tears gathered, they blurred the distant figure.

Li Xianyun could only keep blinking, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.

Tears were the weakest expression; she didn’t want to cry, but when her feelings were so intense, she could hardly control it.

Yelu Yan was so strong and mighty, so robust and healthy, yet at this moment in Li Xianyun’s eyes, he seemed pitiful.

Yelu Yan’s life had been full of hardships, half-spent in the military, living days licking blood off the knife-edge, and now, after finally finding a woman with whom he shared mutual affection and vowed to spend a lifetime, that same woman was about to abandon him.

Although Yelu Yan was silent and rarely smiled, he deeply valued loyalty and friendship.

After Tia left him, he didn’t even celebrate his own birthday anymore. And if she left him, what would he do?

However, the good thing was they were both alive. As long as they’re alive, there is hope, and they will be able to see each other again someday.

Li Xianyun had her reasons for having to go with the Houliang.

Besides needing to save her family, there were things she had to investigate.

How could Murong Ce have kidnapped her family while Yelu Yan was on high alert, with many guards protecting them?

Unless there was someone collaborating with Murong Ce from the inside.

But who could that person be, and what were their intentions?

As the saying goes, know your friends and foes, and you will be unbeatable in battle.

How could she avenge Huanhuan if she couldn’t even understand this?

As she struggled with her troubled thoughts, Yelu Yan had already approached.

From afar, his eyes fixed on the little head peeking through the carriage window, his intense gaze refusing to move away even for a moment.

Li Xianyun watched Yelu Yan, and tears welled up in her eyes again. The war had made this man all the more rugged and severe.

His deep-set, well-like eyes made his gaze even more profound and compelling, and the stubble-shaded side of his face bore a newly crusted scar, dangerously close to his eye.

He was injured, yet he hadn’t mentioned a word of it in his letters.

Yelu Yan raised his hand slightly, and the carriage came to a stop, the guards following behind also pulled on their reins to a halt.

In this wilderness, the two groups of men intertwined.

Yelu Yan dismounted and strode towards her.

Youlan had already tactfully stepped down from the carriage with Jinwu’s assistance, while Yelu Yan stepped forward and climbed into the carriage.

Naturally, someone pulled the carriage behind far away, the rest of the party retreating far enough to give the two some space to talk.

As soon as Yelu Yan got on the carriage, he stretched out his long arms and enveloped Li Xianyun into his embrace, the two of them clinging tightly together, neck to neck.

They both held each other with such strength as though they wished to meld into one another.