Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 114 Disease in the Skin
Cai Kecao was even more confused than him: "Ah? No assassination attempt?"

Aisha frowned and said, "Master Kecao, could it be that you've made a mistake? Or is there something wrong with the report sent from the border to Andu?"

"This..." Is the information wrong? Seeing him act so matter-of-factly, Cai Kecao himself was a little shaken.

"We did encounter quite a few setbacks along the way," Aisha said, half true and half false. "From the Naxi River Valley to Yangguan, there were no safe inns to rest our feet, and the entire route was unsettled, so we often encountered wanton looting bandits.

"To ensure the safety of the princess, I entered the city ahead of the enemy and begged the Magistrate of Zhangye, Chi, to send someone to meet her. Fortunately, Chi acted promptly and notified the Zhenxi Army. General Lingchuan led the troops to bring the princess back to the city. This matter was known to everyone in the four Hexi counties, so how could it have changed when it reached Andu?"

"Then, then why did it take so long?" Cai Kecao asked in a daze.

"At the time, I was traveling light, with only a few followers, and was seriously injured by the swords of the sand bandits. Thanks to the careful treatment of Doctor Qiu from Zhangye County, I was able to save my life. When the princess entered the city and saw my injuries, she was extremely worried and insisted on waiting until I recovered before setting off again, which delayed our journey. What's the matter, is the guest officer impatient?"

“No, no hurry…”

"My sister and I just parted ways. She was a little frightened when the bandits attacked, and she's still a little uncomfortable with the climate. How could she have been missing? Humph, I'm afraid someone from Daxuan is trying to hinder the marriage and deliberately fabricated this false news, right?"

Cai Kecao wiped his sweat repeatedly, feeling as if he was being roasted on a fire, but he still had to ask for clarification: "If, if the princess hadn't been in trouble, why would the Third Prince come to the border in person?"

Zhou Wencong shook his head and sighed, "Alas, I heard the same false news. I heard from others that my marriage partner had been assassinated and her whereabouts were unknown. How could I not come to see it with my own eyes? After I arrived, I found out that it was all rumors. I followed the Zhenxi Army out of the city to bring Princess Alan back."

Tan Huaike, supported by her maid, quietly sat back down at the table. If she hadn't pretended to have no appetite, she would have wanted to eat her cakes while watching them tease poor Cai Kecao.

After being suppressed one after another, Cai Kecao really began to doubt the information he had received.

Zhou Wencong paused for a moment, "There was indeed an assassination attempt during the annual sacrifice ceremony in Zhangye County, and I was unfortunately implicated. I think Cai Kecao was still on his way from Andu at the time, so it's impossible for him to know about this in advance, unless..."

Unless he was also involved in the assassination and was waiting in Wuwei for the outcome of the assassination.

Cai Kecao quickly denied it, "No, no, no, Third Prince, I know nothing about it! The assassination attempt I mentioned took place far beyond Yangguan Pass, and should have targeted the marriage party. How could it have happened in Zhangye County?"

"Really?" Zhou Wencong looked at him meaningfully. "The assassination attempt in Zhangye clearly had nothing to do with Princess Alan. Princess Alan hadn't even entered the city at that time. Although the Chi County Magistrate claimed it was bandits trying to rob a wealthy merchant, I knew in my heart that the assassins were most likely targeting me."

"Who is so brazen as to plot to murder the Third Prince?" Cai Kecao wanted to confess his heart, hoping he wouldn't be misunderstood. He was merely sent here to confirm the princess's marriage, how could he suddenly be accused of plotting to murder the prince?
Zhou Wencong was just trying to scare him. Some of what they said were vague about the exact time and the people who were present. A rough check showed that it was true, which was enough to get away with it in front of this man.

He then asked back, "It seems Cai Kecao knew nothing about the assassination during the year-end sacrifice, but knew a lot about the assassination outside the Great Wall. This shows that the two assassinations were indeed carried out by different people. Their actions were both intended to disrupt the marriage, but their motives and goals were not necessarily the same, and there seemed to be no tacit understanding between them."

This is beneficial to them...

County Magistrate Lin, who had witnessed the entire confrontation and reversal, finally found an opportunity to smooth things over. With his strenuous efforts, the banquet finally ended in a false peace.
-
Cai Chang drank a lot of fruit wine that night and was scolded by this group of people one after another. He felt dizzy and confused, and almost forgot the important task assigned to him.

After waking up the next day, he sorted out the whole story and felt that what the Third Prince, Princess Mohe and the eldest prince said was consistent in every way, but something seemed to be wrong.

Although the female historian who had sat beside the princess last night hadn't said much, Cai Chang knew she was a trusted confidant of the Empress Dowager, and that she had a well-publicized, but ultimately broken, engagement with the Third Prince. If even she believed there was nothing wrong with the princess's marriage, could it be that the report had gone awry, that the assassins had failed? Had they killed the wrong person?
After careful consideration, Cai Chang decided to be conservative.

After that, he no longer openly provoked Princess Mohe, but kept looking for suitable excuses to test her indirectly and politely.

For example, he casually asked her about the customs and practices of Mohe and the special etiquette of the royal court. The most interesting time was when he was discussing his experience fighting the Ti Nu cavalry with Zhou Wencong and Aisha, and suddenly and respectfully interrupted the conversation, saying that Princess Alan was quick-witted and had witnessed her country being bullied, and wondered if she had any ideas for fighting the Ti Nu cavalry. At that time, Tan Huaike and Xu Guanbai were playing with the three little cats in the county governor's mansion. Although they were in the same warm room with everyone, they didn't listen carefully to what others were discussing. When he heard Cai Chang's question, he pointed at himself and asked back, "Fight the Ti Nu cavalry? Are you asking me? If I had a way, would I still need to be sent here in marriage?"

Cai Chang: “…” Yes, he realized that he had asked a stupid question, and thought to himself that he was too impatient, so he made many stupid moves and lost his temper when speaking.

Tan Huaike teased the raccoon with a bell and said nonchalantly, "I don't know how to fight, but I know I must not give in to Ti Nu again and again or give him whatever he wants.

"Unfortunately, many people in the royal court have been frightened by the blows they've suffered. They're even considering surrendering, just to earn rewards from the Ti-Nu, so they can avoid slavery and become nobles under the Ti-Nu's feet... It's truly foolish.

"Of course, those people think that my marriage to His Highness the Third Prince of Daxuan is the same as their surrender to the Emperor, that they are both fawning and begging for mercy. Who is more noble? But I don't think so."

Before they knew it, everyone in the warm room had their eyes on her.

Zhou Wencong and Aisha also stopped talking.

Tan Huaike was still teasing the raccoon slave, as if he was just casually expressing his own opinions and did not care what others thought.

She said: "Those people want to surrender because they are cowardly, selfish, and afraid of power, but I asked to come here to marry in order to resist, to unite the most powerful allies, and to take back our homeland.

"I am a sacrifice, and also a living weapon. One day, we will be able to break through the Ti-Nu cavalry's battle formation and return to our homeland with our people. Brother Wang, don't you agree?"

She looked up at Aisha, her eyes full of expectation.

At this moment, Aisha almost mistook her for Alan again.

Zhou Wencong was also greatly shocked. He knew that Tan Huaike was talented and strong-willed, but he had never expected that she, a merchant girl of the Hu ethnic group, could have such profound insights and broad-mindedness.

Who says she is not the real Princess Mohe?

She is.

Cai Chang also lost his temper at this moment and gave up further attempts, thinking that he was incompetent and could not tell the truth from the false.

After the troublemakers left, Tan Huaike poked Xu Guanbai's arm and whispered, "According to your suggestion, every word you say is from the heart. So, am I pretending well?"

Xu Guanbai narrowed his eyes: "Similar, very similar..."

Seeing that Tan Huaike was about to get carried away, Fu Feng, who was decocting medicine outside, reminded him in time: "Your Highness, have you recovered from all your symptoms of acclimatization?" She was so busy pretending to be a princess that she forgot to pretend to be sick!
Tan Huaike immediately swayed twice, held his forehead, and said weakly: "Oh, Doctor Fufeng, my head hurts so much, I'm afraid it's coming back. Please take a look at me quickly."

Fu Feng pretended to feel her pulse and said, "Well, the disease is in the skin and muscles, so it can be treated with hot compresses and hot springs."

Tan Huaike suppressed his laughter and muttered, "Thank you, Doctor Fufeng. Please treat me bravely and treat the serious illness."

　Next chapter: Just an ordinary cleaning servant.

　　(End of this chapter)