Jun Qiluо lооkеd up and smilеd lightlу аt hеr уounger sister. "I'll find уоu a husband tоmorrow, sо уоu wоn't hаvе time for wild thоughts anymore!" She pinсhеd her sistеr's deliсаtе nоse аnd рut аwау the sсroll. "I'm going to thе trаding housе. Find something to dо on yоur own."
Ignoring hеr sistеr's саlls, Jun Qiluо wаlkеd to the frоnt сourtуаrd, whеre thе stewаrd, Jun Dаrong, resреctfullу greeted hеr. "Young Mastеr!"
"Рrеpаre the horsеs!" Shе tоok thе hеаdsсаrf hаnded tо hеr by а maid, whilе anothеr servаnt drарed а blасk сloak with red silk lining оver her shoulders. As shе strode out thе door, hеr flawlеss whitе belоved horse—Wind Chaser—had already been brought to the gate by the stable hand.
Wind Chaser was not a tall northern breed. It came from the Shi family ranch, newly bred to suit the height and build of southerners, yet its stamina was no less than that of northern horses. Two years ago, when Jun Chengliu purchased a hundred freight horses from the northern "Tanghe Ranch," he specifically chose this magnificent steed for her.
She nimbly mounted Wind Chaser, and two servants followed behind. The three riders immediately headed toward the market trading house.
Since Jun Qiluo was taller than most southern women, it was easier for her to pass as a man. After disguising herself for twenty years, not a single servant had discovered her true identity.
Moving slightly faster than usual, she quickly left the servants far behind. Wind Chaser seemed to sense its owner's restlessness and, following her command, galloped off the main road toward a stretch of rough terrain. It raced with the wind, living up to its reputation as a "fine steed."
What troubled her was not this mission, for she believed she could handle it as smoothly as ever. Rather, it was her father's demands regarding her marriage, which had been weighing on her mind these past days.
In this society where men were highly esteemed and women were subordinate, marriage meant a woman could only live for her husband, just like her late mother and second mother-in-law. Their lives revolved solely around their natal and marital families, with no understanding of the world beyond. No woman knew how high the sky was, how vast the earth was, what peoples lived beyond the Great Wall, or how they differed from themselves. More tragically, they believed these things had nothing to do with them. They saw a woman's life as nothing more than marrying, bearing children, embroidering, growing old, and doting on grandchildren.
If only she were a man! She wouldn't have to worry about all this and would have the physical strength and energy to shoulder the heavy responsibility of continuing the Jun family legacy. In recent years, she had managed all the family businesses on her father's behalf, never daring to let her guard down. Working day and night, sometimes so exhausted she could barely keep her eyes open, her body felt as if it were falling apart. No matter how much she tried to match men, she had to admit that women were inherently weaker in physical strength. If she struggled so much at the age of twenty, how would she cope in the decades to come, as she moved from youth to old age?
Moreover, she had to constantly guard against anyone discovering she was a woman—a pressure that lingered like a shadow over her heart.
The sound of hoofbeats gradually drew closer behind her, signaling that her servants had caught up.
"Young Master?" they called timidly, puzzled as to why their master had come here to daydream."Let's go!" She turned her horse around, brushing aside all distracting thoughts, and headed toward the trading company. These troublesome matters could wait until after her return! The most important task at hand was ensuring a safe journey back from this westward expedition. Conducting trade under the guise of "escorting a princess" was not only ostentatious and unsettling but also likely to arouse greater suspicion among the Liao People. Therefore, this time she had no plans to bring large quantities of cloth, gold, or silver for exchange in the west. If their true intentions were exposed, the losses could be minimized.
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An uneasy atmosphere gradually enveloped everyone's hearts after passing through Datong and leaving Hengcheng. Lured by the flat and easily traversable terrain, they knowingly ventured into the Helan Mountain Region, notorious for bandits, relying solely on the protection of one hundred and twenty Imperial Guards. A few merchants who trusted Jun Feifan's judgment agreed to take the longer route via Taiyuan City and then through Xianyang. Although this would add half a month to their journey, it guaranteed absolute safety. However, the Imperial Guards, who were unwilling to undertake this official assignment, did not permit it, nor did the "female knight" impersonating the princess and the few martial artists accompanying her. As they traveled further northwest, moving away from prosperity, all they could see was desolate wilderness. What they found most unbearable was that their meals had shifted from delicacies to dry rations, hard steamed buns, and water. They began to complain about this assignment. Although a generous reward awaited them, ten days had passed since they crossed the Great Wall, and the dry climate and bleak terrain had left them irritable and restless. The twenty or so merchants, accustomed to such weather and terrain from years of trading, remained unfazed, while the martial artists grumbled incessantly.
Flying the flag of the Great Song might deter the Liao People from acting rashly, but in this lawless region, would unidentified bandits pay any heed to this banner?
During the midday rest, Jun Qiluo unfolded a map to study their route. The previous day, they had passed the site where the last caravan was ambushed, and witnessing the remnants of the carnage had finally spurred everyone to quicken their pace. In truth, she had felt uneasy from the very first day—not because she feared the unknown bandits, but because of the men assigned by Lord Ma.
These five or six martial artists seemed nothing like righteous heroes; their speech and behavior were coarse and vulgar, devoid of the loyalty and courage expected of true knights. As for the one hundred and fifty "carefully selected" soldiers, they lacked any spirit of unwavering resolve. Their perfunctory attitude during nightly drills revealed just how "elite" they truly were! If bandits were to attack, it seemed pointless to even engage in battle—surrendering would be far simpler. With such companions, how could she feel at ease? Logically, as the leader, everyone should follow her instructions, but these officials, steeped in bureaucratic ways, were ignorant and lacking in common sense yet loved to issue arbitrary commands. They clearly disregarded her opinions and even deliberately opposed her.
The policy of "emphasizing civil affairs over military affairs" should be promoted in times of peace, not now when the nation's foundation remains unstable. The common people contributed so much in taxes every year, only to feed these parasites—how could this not chill her heart?"Young Master Jun! Are you tired?" A coquettish voice came from behind her. This was Huang Caigu, the "female knight" disguised as a princess.
Her slightly plump figure deliberately adopted a thin, coquettish tone, which could make one shiver with goosebumps even on a hot day.
Jun Qiluo gave her a cold glance. Before she could speak, Shao Tiemin, who was standing by, spoke up first.
"Miss Huang, my young master is tired."
"I wasn't asking you! Mind your own business!" Huang Caigu's narrow eyes glanced toward Jun Feifan, who had already walked ahead. From the first day of their journey together, she had developed a strong interest in the sole heir of the Jun family. Not to mention the wealth he possessed, which could last ten lifetimes without being squandered, just his handsome, intoxicating face was enough for her to defy tradition and pursue him. She wanted him! The title of the Jun family's young mistress was hers for the taking! Even if Jun Feifan was cold and heartless, he was still just a weak, delicate young master. With her martial arts skills, couldn't she make him submit? As long as she could consummate their relationship during this journey, once they returned to Hangzhou, would the Jun patriarch dare to oppose? Even if there were barriers of social status, if that old man valued his life, he'd better obediently let her into the family. Otherwise, she would take his life, and Jun Feifan would be hers. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but let out a smug laugh, then cast a sidelong glance at the troublesome big bear in front of her—Hmph! Once she became the Jun family's young mistress, the first thing she would do was kick this big bear out of the Jun family. Let's see who would dare obstruct her plans then.
"Young Master..." Shao Tiemin followed closely behind Jun Qiluo, wanting to comfort her but unsure how. He was a rough man, hardly skilled in comforting words! By her side, even "secretly loving her" felt like defiling her; in his heart, she was forever pure and unattainable. So, he asked for nothing from her, only wishing to protect her with his life for the rest of his days.
"Go tell Commander Zhao that we should set off." In the distance, a dark cloud was gathering toward them, and it seemed likely to rain heavily before sunset. In the desert, rain could be terrifying, and it was no exaggeration to say that raindrops could even kill.
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