Impératrice douairière Xiaoxuan

Chapitre 115

Zhao Yu was completely bewildered by these nonsensical words, and Xiao Guanyin couldn't help but shake her head inwardly. Only Yelü Pusa Nu remained expressionless, staring at Zhao Yu with icy eyes.

"You don't recognize me?" Xiao Xin asked curiously when Zhao Yu didn't react. He scratched his head and then laughed, "You've only been here a short time. You'll recognize me later. Your Highness is like my elder brother, and you are my sister-in-law."

Even more confused by him, Zhao Yu was still in a daze.

At this moment, Yelü Pusa Nu slowly spoke up: "This is Princess Ruixiang's elder brother, Prince Qi, Xiao Xin."

It turned out he was Xiao Guanyin's brother, and he was probably up to no good. Zhao Yu instinctively became wary and said indifferently, "Forgive my rudeness, it is Prince Qi."

Xiao Xin did not harbor the same hostility towards this Song princess as he would towards a younger sister. Seeing that Zhao Yu was delicate and pitiful, a stark contrast to the beauty of Liao women, he felt an immediate liking for her, thinking that she was born to be pitied.

Under his enthusiastic invitation, he practically dragged her away, so Zhao Yu had no choice but to accompany them. But before they had taken two steps, they heard Xiao Guanyin speak softly and gently.

"The princess and the Empress Dowager have never met before, yet she was so heartbroken just now. It is truly remarkable."

This question was exactly what he had expected. Zhao Yu calmly replied, "I have long admired Empress Dowager Xiao, who is the mother of the nation, but I never imagined that I would never have the chance to meet her. These past few days, every time I think of her, I cannot help but feel sorrow." As she spoke, she wiped away her tears with her sleeve, her delicate and gentle demeanor leaving Xiao Xin stunned.

"I never expected that you Song people would also have such admiration for our Liao Empress Dowager." Xiao Guanyin looked at her coldly and said indifferently, "Those who don't understand the princess might think that she is putting on an act to please Brother Cha Ci."

It was all an act, but it wasn't really to please Yelü Hongji, Zhao Yu thought to herself. Just as she was about to retort, Xiao Xin spoke up, "Sister, you're overthinking it. People will only say that the princess is kind-hearted; they won't think it's an act."

This foolish brother of hers, he's so naive! Xiao Guanyin wanted nothing more than to shut him up. Zhao Yu, however, assumed Xiao Xin was being sarcastic, that the siblings were deliberately trying to humiliate her. She pursed her lips, remaining silent, and kept walking. The ground was all grass, which she wasn't used to walking on, and she was feeling frustrated. She didn't notice her footing and tripped over a stone in the grass, falling backward, almost landing face-first…

Thankfully, she fell into a broad chest. Zhao Yu looked up with relief, only to meet a pair of cold, indifferent eyes, and immediately lowered her gaze. She'd rather have fallen than have this person help her.

Yelü Pusa Nu helped her steady herself and continued walking forward as if nothing had happened. Zhao Yu had expected him to take the opportunity to make sarcastic remarks, but to her surprise, he said nothing at all, which greatly surprised her. The place where his hand had been on her waist seemed to still be warm; she could feel the heat, and her face suddenly flushed.

Author's Note: I apologize to those who feel the pace is slow, but time and energy are limited, and I simply cannot update more frequently. Furthermore, maintaining a fast-paced plot within each chapter of just over two thousand words would likely result in a monotonous, disjointed narrative. Therefore, I suggest that those who find it slow check back every week or two; this will likely improve the experience.

Chapter Forty-Eight

The "cooking" on the altar is underway.

Two white camels were tightly bound and knelt side by side. They had pulled Empress Xiao's carriage countless times, but now they were to be buried alive with her. Seemingly understanding their impending fate, the white camels knelt quietly and resignedly, their snow-white fur gleaming brightly in the sunlight.

After the priest finished reciting the lengthy incantation, the horns sounded mournfully. The camels trembled at the sudden noise, their eyes darting around uneasily. Behind them, out of sight, the priest held a dagger inlaid with precious jewels high, its blade gleaming...

Below the altar, Zhan Zhao lowered his eyes slightly, unwilling to look any longer. Although his sword had killed people before, it had never killed such innocent lives.

As the knife sliced across the camel's neck, he heard a very faint tearing sound, like the sound of wind rushing past, but it was immediately drowned out by a loud, mournful cry.

It was the white camel on the altar that was mourning, as if weeping and lamenting.

Immediately, the other camels and horses around, hearing this mournful cry, also began to whinny and bellow. The neighing of horses and the braying of camels, both inside and out, sounded like a mournful elegy, almost engulfing the crowd.

High on the altar, atop the pyre, lay several beautiful Liao maids, bound to wooden posts and awaiting their burning. Their expressions were vacant, as if in a dream. They had served Empress Dowager Xiao for many years, and now they too had to go with her. As the fire blazed, heart-wrenching screams pierced the soul…

No one uttered a sound below the altar. Zhan Zhao kept his head down, his hands clenched into fists within his sleeves, almost dripping with sweat. He hated that as a Song citizen, he had no say, utterly powerless to stop it. Yet, none of the Liao nobles and officials around him spoke. Even beasts have a sense of compassion, but humans…

At that moment, he suddenly wished Mo Yan were by his side. Even if he couldn't hold her in his arms, just holding her hand would be incredibly comforting. But then he thought, it would be better if she weren't there. She was in the Datong Pavilion in Zhongjing, perfectly fine; he could see her as soon as he got back.

He couldn't help but sigh softly: there's nothing better than her being with him.

Although they were far apart and still inside the tent, the neighing of the camels and horses was impossible to block out; it pierced through the thick felt and reached everyone's ears clearly.

Zhao Yu and Xiao Guanyin both looked somewhat uncomfortable. Xiao Xin listened intently, then sighed after a while: "What a pity about those two white camels. Those were Tian Shan snow camels that could travel eight hundred miles a day. I remember that the Southern King went to great lengths to find them three years ago, didn't he?"

Yelü Pusa Nu nodded expressionlessly, without saying anything more.

"What a pity, what a pity." Xiao Xin shook his head again and sighed, "It would have been better to give it to me back then."

Xiao Guanyin, annoyed by his endless rambling, said, "Brother, what nonsense are you spouting? The white camel being buried with the Empress Dowager is an unparalleled honor, how can it be a pity? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll tell Father and have him punish you by forbidding you from leaving the house."

"It's a pity anyway..." Xiao Xin said, but seeing his sister's expression, he quickly added, "Alright, alright, I won't say it then."

Zhao Yu had remained silent since entering the tent. Listening to the faint mournful cries, even though it was early summer, a chill still seeped into her bones. She pulled her collar tighter before lowering her head to pick up her teacup. The tea was milk tea, made from tea, milk, and salt, with a fragrant aroma that was surprisingly calming. Since arriving in Liao, this was the only Liao food she hadn't disliked. She sipped it carefully, trying her best not to hear the sounds outside the tent.

"Princess, do you enjoy hunting deer?" Xiao Xin, never one to sit still, turned to Zhao Yu and asked with a smile. He found Zhao Yu's elegant manner while drinking tea as beautiful as the ladies in the paintings he had seen as a child, and he couldn't help but want to talk to her, but he didn't know what to say, so he couldn't find a way to start a conversation.

“I have never shot a deer,” Zhao Yu replied curtly, hoping this attitude would create distance between them.

Xiao Xin, however, was not one to read between the lines. Upon hearing this, he became quite excited and said, "So you've never shot a deer before? You must try! Now is the perfect time to hunt deer. You can use a wooden whistle made of birch wood to make the sound of a doe calling, which will lure the male deer over so you can surround and shoot them. It's a lot of fun. You must come with us next time we go hunting; I guarantee you'll be amazed."

Faced with Xiao Xin's excessive enthusiasm, Zhao Yu didn't know whether to nod or shake his head, so he could only lower his eyes and smile slightly to brush it off.

Xiao Xin was about to continue speaking when suddenly the curtain was lifted, and a maidservant entered carrying a large pot.

"This is the blood of the Tianshan snow camel. His Highness ordered me to deliver it to you all," the maidservant reported, bowing.

Xiao Xin's eyes lit up, and he laughed, "The blood of the Tianshan snow camel is very beneficial to the body. It's rare that Brother Cha Ci still remembers it and specially sent someone to bring it to us to drink."

As soon as the maid brought the pot into the room, a bloody smell filled the tent. Zhao Yu almost vomited, but for the sake of politeness, he forced himself to hold it in. When he heard Xiao Xin say that this thing was actually for drinking, he immediately felt dizzy.

"Mixing it in the wine can also mask some of the fishy smell. Sister, you are weak, you should drink more. Brother Cha Ci must have been thinking of you, so he specially sent it over." Xiao Xin said whatever came to mind, talking to himself without noticing the troubled look on Xiao Guanyin's face.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yu, though dizzy, couldn't help but scoff inwardly: "These people from the Xiao clan never forget to try and put me down."

The Liao people were fond of wine, and there were wine jars readily available in the tent. Xiao Xin ordered a maid to pour the wine, and then personally held the pot and slowly mixed the camel blood into the wine. He took a big gulp first, smacked his lips, and said, "It really is real snow camel blood. This blood is hotter and drier than ordinary camel blood."

The wine bowl was placed in front of Yelü Pusa Nu. He glanced at it indifferently, picked it up, and drank it all in one gulp.

When the wine bowl was placed in front of Xiao Guanyin, she frowned as if she wanted to dodge it, but considering that it was Yelü Hongji's good intention, she reluctantly drank it down.

The wine bowl was placed in front of Zhao Yu. She mustered her courage and glanced at it, seeing thick blood swirling in the wine, and a strong, fishy smell assaulted her nostrils...

She didn't utter a sound and immediately fainted.

Seeing this, the other three people in the tent looked at each other in bewilderment.