In the depths of the Xu Family's mansion, a beautiful woman with fair skin, black hair that cascaded down like a waterfall, and exquisite facial features was sitting in a room. She was sitting in front of an intricate red sandalwood dressing table, facing a bronze mirror. Her head was slightly tilted as she combed her hair over and over again.
Spirals of smoke wafted out of the purple incense burner, filling the quiet and elegant boudoir. The woman's eyes were fixed on the bronze mirror, but her mind was elsewhere.
"I wonder how he's doing …"
Xu Yi-qin suddenly sighed, her eyes absent-minded.
It had been nearly two months since the clan had confined her to her boudoir. At the beginning, she had been able to obtain news from the maids, but later on, when her big uncle discovered her, even the maids had been transferred away.
At present, Xu Yi-qin had no way of receiving any news from the outside world.
Her big uncle, Xu Henian, had not only confined her, but had also dispatched four of the clan's elite guards to guard the four corners of the room to prevent her from escaping.
After several attempts, Xu Yi-qin was finally forced to give up on the idea.
"Qin-er, don't blame Big Uncle. In truth, Big Uncle is thinking for our Xu clan. Think about it, this is King Qi we're talking about. He's like the midday sun in the Imperial Court. How could our Xu clan oppose him?"
A voice came from the side. Xu Zhongnian, Xu Yi-qin's father, was standing not far behind Xu Yi-qin, his face earnest and well-intentioned.
Xu Qiqin's face was cold as she combed her waist-length, jet-black hair over and over again. She didn't seem to hear her father's words at all.
During this period of confinement, her father, Xu Zhongnian, would come by almost every day to give her a long lecture. In the past, Xu Yi-qin would at least listen to some of it, but this time, she didn't listen at all.
"Qin-er, don't get yourself into a dead end!"
Xu Zhongnian grew increasingly worried when he saw that Xu Yi-qin couldn't hear him.
"Think about it. What's so good about that Wang Chong? Is it worth it for you to go against Eldest Uncle and drag the entire Xu family into it? Is it worth it for you to take such a huge risk? Besides, you've been locked up in the clan for so long. Have you seen that Wang Chong or the Wang Clan do anything for you? "
"Father, you don't have to say anything more. I know what to do, and I also believe that he will come looking for me."
Xu Yi-qin finally interrupted her father.
"Qin 'er, you're too silly. Although his father was useless, he had lived in the capital for so long that he had seen all sorts of people. That Wang Chong is just using you. Furthermore, Father has also investigated that he has several female confidantes, and you are just one of them. Perhaps he has already forgotten about you, so why would he still look for you? "
"Father!"
Hearing this, Xu Qiqin's pretty face turned cold. The comb in her hand was halfway through when she slammed it on the purple dresser with a bang. The sound in the room suddenly stopped.
Xu Zhongnian was so frightened that he took several steps back. Although they were father and daughter, Xu Zhongnian had always been a cowardly person with no opinions of his own, so his stance was not very firm.
This time, under the pressure of his big brother, Xu Henian, he would run to Xu Yi-qin's room every day and talk to her from morning to night, trying to persuade her.
Thump thump.
Just when Xu Yi-qin was getting angry, someone knocked on the door.
"Who is it! Didn't I say not to disturb me if there's nothing important?! "
Xu Yi-qin angrily said.
"Young Lady, it's Young Master Wang …"
Before the maid could finish speaking, the door to Xu Yi-qin's room was pushed open from the outside. In a rush of air, a tall and handsome figure in bright red walked in.
"Xu Yi-qin, I've come!"
Wang Chong stepped over the threshold and smiled at Xu Yi-qin.
"Buzz!"
The room was silent. Xu Qiqin turned her head and looked at the high-spirited figure in red standing at the door. It was a familiar yet unfamiliar figure. She was stunned and her mind was blank.
"Wang, Wang … Chong!"
Xu Yi-qin muttered to herself, staring in disbelief at Wang Chong. She suddenly felt like she was in an illusion.
"Wang Chong!"
Before Wang Chong could react, Xu Yi-qin rushed forward like a gust of wind, throwing herself into Wang Chong's arms, tears pouring out of her eyes.
"It really is you, it really is you …"
Wang Chong was stunned, clearly not expecting this sight. But a moment later, he heard a familiar sobbing sound.
"Bastard, you bastard, I thought you were dead."
"Haha, didn't I say it before? I would definitely come back. How could I possibly die there?"
Wang Chong hesitated for a few moments at Xu Yi-qin's words, and then he smiled and softly consoled her. His hands also began to lightly hug Xu Yi-qin.
Xu Yi-qin said nothing, only hugged Wang Chong and wept.
In the war of the southwest, Wang Chong had only brought several thousand hired martial artists with him as he charged into the southwest. Everyone believed that he was doomed, because no one could defeat the massive Mengshe – Ü-Tsang army, not even Xu Yi-qin …
Although she had never said it, she deeply understood that Wang Chong's journey to the southwest was fraught with death. Countless times, when news from the southwest was cut off, Xu Yi-qin believed that Wang Chong had already died there.
But she could not say anything, could not do anything. The only thing she could do was do her utmost to help Wang Chong send all kinds of provisions and armaments to the southwest.
Xu Yi-qin had never imagined that she would be so worried for a single person, so worried about their gains and losses, so deeply concerned. When the entire empire was in a precarious situation, when everyone was filled with fear and worry, he was the only one who resolutely and decisively charged into the battlefield without any hesitation.
That was the first time Xu Yi-qin had gotten to know Wang Chong, and it was also the first time she had sensed that the young and upright body of that seventeen-year-old contained a burning, courageous heart, brimming with boundless strength and responsibility.
After the southwest war, although the maid had told her that Wang Chong was still alive, Xu Yi-qin had always been under house arrest and had no access to news from the outside world. Without seeing it with her own eyes, how could she believe the maid's words?
But at this moment, when Wang Chong truly appeared in front of her and felt the heat and warmth from his body, Xu Yi-qin finally believed that Wang Chong was still alive.
He had truly returned from that perilous battlefield in the southwest.
The only sound in the quiet and elegant bedroom was Xu Yi-qin's soft sobs. Wang Chong lightly patted her back, a warm smile on his lips the entire time.
In the room, Xu Zhongnian stared in a daze at the pair. At this moment, he chose to quietly stand to the side.
At this moment, silence spoke louder than words.
… …
While the entire Tang Dynasty was immersed in joy, the wheels of history slowly began to move. In the distant Western Regions, close to the Qixi Protectorate headquarters, the tinkling of bells could be heard in the air.
In the sparsely populated desert of Qixi, a white camel was slowly making its way forward, two bells of gold and silver hanging from its neck. The tinkling that echoed through the desert was coming from these bells.
"Ahman, how far do we have to go before we reach the Tang Dynasty?"
A woman's voice, even more melodious and pleasant than an oriole's, came from the camel's back.
"Princess, we should arrive in about half a month."
The maid called Ahman was leading the camel, softly comforting the beautiful girl wearing a white veil on the camel's back. She had a graceful and delicate figure, but a sorrowful expression on her face.
The sound of the camel's bell was crisp, and on this eastward journey, only the voices of master and servant could be heard. However, whether it was the white-clothed girl on the hunchback or the female attendant holding the reins, none of them spoke in the language of the Central Plains.
In truth, if one looked carefully, one would discover that these two had a very foreign air to them. Whether it was their deep and enchanting brown eyes, their naturally wavy hair, the contours of their faces, the lines of their faces, or the temperament they exuded, they were all completely different from the Tang people.
"… Princess, don't be sad. Although the Tang Dynasty of the Central Plains is very far from our homeland, there are still many of our people here. In addition, I hear that the Tang Dynasty is extremely wealthy and civilized. At the very least, we won't have any problems living here. As long as we complete our mission, the Caliph will let us return. "
Ahman said softly.
On the back of the horse, the white-veiled girl looked ahead with a sorrowful expression. With every step she took, the sorrow in her heart increased.
"Ahman, tell me, is that young Tang people called Wang Chong really that important?"
Aliya said softly.
"Princess, you know how much importance the Caliph places on WuZi Steel. We are known for our forging skills. But the Hyderabad ores have been in our hands for so long. His Majesty has gathered so many skilled craftsmen, but none of them can forge that magical WuZi Steel. Many of the Hyderabad ores have been wasted. Even the weapons forged by Master Usama cannot compare to the WuZi Steel made by that young Tang Dynasty boy. Moreover, they are black and ugly, without any sense of beauty. "
"We, the Abbasid Caliphate, have always been known for our excellent weapons. But so many masters can't forge a single piece of WuZi Steel. To His Majesty, this is completely unacceptable. Princess, you can imagine how angry His Majesty is."
Ahman tried to persuade her.
Aliya only gave a long sigh and said no more.
She was an Abbasid Caliphate princess, and logically speaking, she should be living a life of luxury, being served by hordes of servants, and living a luxurious life in a magnificent palace. She should not have to travel tens of thousands of li and wander around a foreign country.
But only Aliya knew that the Abbasid Caliphate was different from the princesses of other empires.
Although her father was the Caliph of Arabia, equivalent to the Emperor of Arabia, he had more than one hundred princesses, and Aliya was only one of them. With so many siblings, it was easy to imagine how little importance Aliya was placed on this princess.
Her fate was sealed from then on.
"I wonder what kind of person that young Tang people called Wang Chong is?"
Amidst the tinkling of camel bells, the Abbasid Caliphate princess called Aliya stared ahead in a daze. When everything was sealed and could not be changed, she suddenly only wanted to know, what kind of person was that foreign youth who had changed her fate?
Ding ding ding!
With the tinkling of the bells, the white camel slowly advanced, bringing master and servant along with a group of Arab cavalry behind them.
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