Night Travelers in the Dust and Wind

The monotonous and dull sound of hooves striking the barren wasteland echoed across the empty plains, raising a trail of dust, like sighs in the vast wilderness. Qin Yi sat steadily on horseback, his posture as straight as a pine tree, as if he were one with the bumpy ride. The young woman clung tightly to his waist, her petite frame trembling slightly from the long journey and the previous fright, like a leaf fluttering in the wind. Her face was almost transparently pale, her almond-shaped eyes filled with lingering fear, trembling like a frightened deer. The night wind, carrying the unique fishy smell of the grasslands, buffeted the two, adding to the desolation and loneliness.

Feeling the subtle tremors of the person in his arms, a trace of almost imperceptible tenderness flickered in Qin Yi's heart, like ripples spreading across a calm lake disturbed by a gentle breeze. But his face remained as cold and stern as ever, as if covered with a layer of millennia-old ice. For him, this rescue was merely repaying a debt of gratitude to his benefactor, nothing more. He deliberately ignored the faint fragrance emanating from the young woman and the soft touch of her body against his, trying to focus his thoughts on the impending situation, as if only the cold reality could make him feel safe. However, the more he tried to ignore it, the clearer the presence of that softness became, like an invisible thread gently tugging at a long-dormant chord deep within him. Unbeknownst to himself, his hand holding the reins tightened unconsciously. What did this subtle action signify?

The bumpy ride gradually brought Duanmu Rong back from her shock. She belatedly realized that she was clinging tightly to Qin Yi's waist, and through the thin fabric, she could clearly feel the solid muscles and warmth of his body. A rush of heat instantly flooded her cheeks, as red as ripe cherries, spreading to her earlobes, and even her fair neck was tinged with a delicate pink. She慌乱 (huāngluàn - flusteredly) wanted to let go, her reason telling her to keep her distance, but her body seemed to be out of her control, clinging tightly to this only support, greedily savoring this fleeting warmth. Her heart pounded like a deer, filled with both the relief of surviving a disaster and a trace of indescribable shyness and throbbing. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes fluttering slightly, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes.

Qin Yi keenly noticed the young woman's change. In his deep eyes, a fleeting light seemed to flash, and the corner of his mouth twitched almost imperceptibly, then returned to its usual composure, as if nothing had happened. His tone, with a hint of barely perceptible helplessness, broke the awkward silence: "Are you alright now? If you're okay, can you let go? I can't ride properly like this!" His voice was still flat, devoid of any emotion, as if simply stating a cold fact, like an invisible sharp blade, instantly cutting off the warmth that had just risen in the young woman's heart.

The young woman's cheeks instantly became even more flushed, as if about to drip blood, and even her fair neck was dyed with a light pink, making her even more charming. Such a shy and beautiful appearance would be enough to make any ordinary man's heart sway and lose control. However, Qin Yi was no ordinary man. He only glanced coldly at the young woman, his eyes without the slightest ripple, his tone even more coldly unapproachable: "Alright, stop pretending. Since you're okay, get down yourself, don't delay me!" As if he were holding a lifeless piece of wood, not a pitiful young woman. His cold gaze, like a bucket of cold water, doused the faint hope that had just ignited in the young woman's heart.

The young woman's face instantly turned from red to white, then quickly to a purplish blue, as if a palette of mixed flavors had been overturned in her heart. She was filled with resentment: Was this guy really a heartless blockhead? With such a beautiful woman in his arms, he only thought about hurrying on his way? Did he really… feel nothing for me? This thought made her feel an inexplicable sense of loss, as if falling into a bottomless abyss. She bit her lip tightly, forcing back the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Despite her reluctance, the young woman obediently let go, leaving Qin Yi's warm embrace, sitting alone on the saddle, letting the cold wind blow against her slightly thin body, her heart icy cold, as if even her blood had frozen. She silently lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the loneliness and sadness in her eyes.

Qin Yi inadvertently touched his chest, where the young woman's slightly protruding parts had caused a faint ache. This unintentional small movement was keenly captured by the young woman. Her heart jolted, and an indescribable sense of shame and indignation surged into her heart, making her wish she could find a hole to crawl into. Was he… was he disgusted by me? This thought, like a poisonous thorn, stabbed deeply into her heart, making her feel extremely embarrassed and humiliated. She clenched the reins tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force.

Qin Yi didn't notice the young woman's complex emotions. He just glanced down at her and asked, "Weren't you traveling with your master before? Where is your master? And why are you still in the Northwest Grasslands?" His tone was still flat, as if just asking casually, not noticing the young woman's face, which had become even paler.

The young woman remained silent. She lowered her head, her gaze unconsciously falling on her chest, feeling even more frustrated. Am I really… too small? Otherwise, why would he be so disgusted by me? This thought, like a lingering shadow, shrouded her heart, making her even more depressed and self-deprecating. She bit her lower lip tightly, almost drawing blood.

Seeing that the young woman didn't answer for a long time, Qin Yi slightly raised his voice and asked again. Only then did the young woman come back to her senses. She took a deep breath, tried to calm her emotions, thought for a moment, organized her words, and explained: "That day, my master and I originally planned to return to the Physicians' Sect together, but I wanted to continue traveling, so I stayed. Later, on the road, I met this group of Qin people who were displaced, some of whom were injured, so I stayed to treat them. As for what happened later… you already know." As she said this, her voice became low, and her eyes slightly reddened.

After speaking, the young woman raised her head and looked at Qin Yi curiously with a pair of clear eyes, and whispered, "I heard from my master before that your injuries were very serious, almost impossible to recover. Why do you look no different from ordinary people now? Even stronger than ordinary people?" She carefully looked at Qin Yi, as if trying to find the answer from him, her eyes full of exploration and curiosity.

Upon hearing this, a trace of almost imperceptible strangeness flashed across Qin Yi's face. He hesitated for a moment, and finally chose to speak vaguely: "I encountered some… opportunities before, and luckily recovered." He didn't want to explain his secrets too much, and a trace of almost imperceptible vigilance flashed in his eyes.

The young woman nodded thoughtfully, a pair of bright eyes flashing with curious light: "No wonder my master said you have great fortune, it seems to be true." She became even more curious about Qin Yi's experience, and a strange feeling of goodwill also surged in her heart.

Qin Yi quickly changed the subject. He didn't want to continue dwelling on this question: "You should already know my name, but I still don't know yours. I can't keep calling you 'Miss,' can I?" The corner of his mouth slightly curved, revealing a faint smile, breaking the slightly awkward atmosphere between the two.

Upon hearing this, the young woman gently pointed to her delicate nose with her slender finger, and a playful smile also appeared on the corner of her mouth. She said softly, "My surname is Duanmu, and my given name is Rong." Her voice was clear and melodious, as pleasant as a mountain spring, completely different from her previous low spirits.

A trace of surprise flashed in Qin Yi's eyes. He murmured in a low voice, "Duanmu… this surname is quite rare." He quickly searched his mind for memories of this surname, but didn't find too many relevant clues, which made him even more puzzled.

Suddenly, Duanmu Rong seemed to remember something important. Her expression instantly became serious. She turned to Qin Yi and said seriously, "Qin Yi, I overheard their leader talking to others in the Xiongnu camp, saying that the Xiongnu will launch a large-scale invasion of the Qin border next year. I don't know if it's true." Her words carried a trace of worry, and the surrounding air instantly became heavy.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yi's heart tightened. He quickly weighed the credibility of this information. He turned his head to look at Xuan Jian, who had been silently following beside him, and asked in a deep voice, "Xuan Jian, has the Shadow Secret Guard recently detected any movements of the Xiongnu around us?"

Xuan Jian nodded expressionlessly. His cold black iron mask showed no emotion, only his eyes calmly gazing at Qin Yi: "Reporting, Lord, the Shadow Secret Guard has recently sent news that the Xiongnu tribes around Fancheng are frequently dispatching troops and supplies. Their actions are very abnormal. Your subordinate originally thought they were just preparing for a battle to compete for territory, but now it seems that there may be other hidden motives." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a sense of sternness, which also cast a shadow over Qin Yi's heart.

Upon hearing this, Qin Yi's brows furrowed tightly. The image of the black-robed man's cold gaze in the Xiongnu camp involuntarily surfaced in his mind. He faintly felt that behind this Xiongnu invasion, there might be not only the Xiongnu's unilateral actions, but also the shadows of other countries secretly pushing it forward. This thought made him feel a burst of unease.

He shook his head, temporarily putting aside the chaotic thoughts. With a tap of his heels, he increased his speed and galloped towards Fancheng. On the way, they met up with the cavalry led by Zhang Han, who had successfully shaken off the Xiongnu pursuers, and the group hurried towards Fancheng without stopping.

Night completely fell, enveloping the earth. Only the sparse stars in the sky emitted a faint light. The tall city walls of Fancheng loomed in the night, like a crouching beast, quietly guarding the people inside the city. However, the main mansion of Fancheng was brightly lit, illuminating the entire mansion like daylight, forming a sharp contrast with the dark night outside the city.

Inside the city lord's hall, all the high-ranking generals of Fancheng were gathered, the atmosphere was solemn and quiet, and a tense atmosphere seemed to condense in the air. Meng Tian and Wang Ben, who had recently joined the army, were also among them, their expressions solemn, their eyes full of worry about the future. Gongshu Chou, the patriarch of the Gongshu family, sat in the left-hand seat, closing his eyes and resting, as if indifferent to everything around him. Only his occasionally twitching beard showed that he was not really in meditation.

Qin Yi sat upright in the main seat, his sharp gaze sweeping across everyone present. An invisible majesty emanated, making everyone feel a little breathless. His face was calm, without the slightest ripple, but his clenched fists revealed the gravity of his heart. Duanmu Rong stood beside him, having shed her previous weakness and shyness, and seriously recounted the information she had gathered in the Xiongnu camp. Her voice was clear and firm, echoing clearly in the hall, every word like a heavy hammer, striking everyone's hearts.

"It was said personally by the Xiongnu leader of the Tianlang tribe that they will mobilize a large army next year to launch a large-scale invasion of the Qin border. That's all I know. Whether you believe it or not is up to you to decide." After Duanmu Rong finished speaking, she silently sat down at the low table beside Qin Yi, no longer speaking, as if she had completed her task. She raised her head and secretly glanced at Qin Yi, only to find that he was staring intently at her, his eyes so deep that she couldn't see through them. She hurriedly lowered her head, her heart pounding like a deer.

As soon as her voice fell, the originally somewhat quiet hall suddenly burst into exclamations, followed by a burst of noisy discussions. Everyone's faces were filled with shock and worry. Some clenched their fists, their veins bulging; some were pale and silent; some whispered to each other, discussing countermeasures. The atmosphere in the entire hall instantly became tense and heavy, like the eve of an approaching storm.