The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan
Chapter 229: Khan 229, haven’t you come back yet? (Second update)

Chapter 229: Khan 229, haven’t you come back yet? (Second update)

Li Xianyun, after giving Bater his instructions, took the woman onto the carriage, with Zhuo Ma driving from outside, while Youlan kept Li Xianyun company inside the carriage.

Bater knew that Khan had assigned many people to covertly protect the princess’s safety. His presence wouldn’t make a difference, so he did not follow but devoted himself to carrying out the princess’s orders.

The carriage arrived at the northernmost settlement of Tianshui County. Unlike the orderly and spacious houses in the county center, the roads here were pitted, and the people’s dwellings were tattered and torn. Walking on the narrow roads, a putrid stench lingered long in the nostrils.

The road was uneven, with the carriage wheels sinking in and then coming out, over and over again, making the ride terribly bumpy.

The child in the woman’s arms was jolted awake, pouting before his eyes were even open, and the next moment he began to cry with his eyes closed, looking extremely adorable.

The woman softly cooed, "Don’t cry, don’t cry, mommy is here, mommy is here."

The child cried a few times then stopped, quite obedient and easy to look after.

Li Xianyun loved children, and she placed her slender index finger into the child’s hand.

That soft, tender little hand clutched hers tightly, with his tiny fingernails lightly pressing against her. Such a sight could melt even the hardest of hearts.

Li Xianyun really wanted to hold the child, but ultimately she refrained. Very small children, their families do not like others holding them, especially strangers like herself.

After a bumpy journey, they finally arrived at the woman’s dwelling:

A low wooden fence enclosed three low and dilapidated houses, with a small yard that stored whips for herding cattle and horses, yokes, and cart shafts.

The three houses consisted of a main room and two side rooms, with mottled and damaged plank doors. The earth walls showed straw stubble, and a large crack on one wall extended from the roof to the ground, with the whole wall tilting and on the verge of collapse, propped up by a thick tree trunk.

The house was in constant danger of collapsing, living in such a house was very dangerous.

The other peasants’ houses were not much better, all shaky with the threat of falling apart.

The woman, seeing Li Xianyun contemplating the houses, opened her mouth and said, "Previously, the Official Government Office sent people to inspect the houses here, saying that they would renovate them. But many came and went, and there was no action taken. At first, the people held hope, but it finally turned into complete despair. In this world, nobody cares whether you live or die."

"Life will always get better, you have to believe me,"

Li Xianyun said, handing the bundle to the woman, "If you need any help in the next few days, just go to the residence behind the County Government Office to find me. There’s a big locust tree at the entrance to the residence, it’s easy to recognize. My surname is Li, just report my surname to the Young Servant at the door."

Inside the residence, everyone was Khitan except for her and Youlan. By mentioning her surname, the disguised guard at the door could surely recognize them immediately.

Upon hearing this, the woman was of course extremely grateful.

Li Xianyun looked at the woman and said, "I will come here again tomorrow afternoon. If there are people here who want to see a doctor, they can line up and wait for me at the clearing at the entrance tomorrow at 11 AM."

The woman was ecstatic to hear this, "That’s great. People here have no money for medical treatment. Every time, we just grit and bear it. Those who get through it live; those who can’t only have one path to death. With you treating them, everyone will surely be extremely grateful."

"I am happy to be able to help everyone," Li Xianyun replied, looking up at the sky, "It’s getting late, we should go back."

"Okay."

Seeing the woman wanting to send them to the carriage while holding her child, Li Xianyun said, "You’re holding the child, there’s no need to send us off."

The woman was very simple and sincere and insisted on escorting them onto the carriage.

Li Xianyun got onto the carriage and lifted the curtain of the rear window. The woman stood in the doorway, looking their way, and when she saw Li Xianyun looking back, she raised her hand and waved.

Even when the carriage had traveled far away, the woman still stood at the doorway.

Seeing this, Li Xianyun felt an indescribable sensation in her heart.

Youlan, looking at that frail figure, commented, "My lady, she is truly pitiful."

Li Xianyun wore a solemn expression and responded with a "hmm," "I hope the number of pitiful people in the world decreases."

When the group returned to the mansion, Bater was waiting under the big pagoda tree.

Li Xianyun stepped off the carriage and was taken aback on seeing Bater, "The diviner confessed so quickly?"

Bater scratched the back of his head, "He was hesitant and reluctant to write, trying to fob us off with perfunctory confessions when he did, avoiding the important points. It infuriated me, so I gave him a good beating until his face was swollen and he was crying for his parents. Finally, he obediently confessed everything and wrote it down on five or six pieces of Xuan paper. His crimes are numerous and heinous, too many to record—it’s utterly detestable."

Li Xianyun, seeing this, curved the corners of her mouth upwards, "You handled the matter well. You’ll receive a reward from the master later."

To conceal her identity, she had no choice but to refer to Yelu Yan as "master."

Upon hearing this, Bater’s face beamed with happiness. If he could win the Khan’s favor, it would be a blessing that many lifetimes of good karma could not bring.

"Thank you, my lord."

Li Xianyun smiled as she entered the mansion, then headed straight into the study of the main building and began to draw something on the desk.

As night fell, Youlan and Zhuo Ma came in to light the lamps.

Youlan said to Li Xianyun, "Master, it’s time for dinner."

Li Xianyun did not look up, "Has the Khan not returned yet?"

Every time Yelu Yan returned, he would come to find Li Xianyun, first embracing and kissing her, and then he would bury himself into her embrace without any restraint...

But today, he was unusually late.

"He has not," replied Zhuo Ma.

Li Xianyun paused in her drawing, a trace of worry flickering in her heart, unable to continue her sketch.

With no alternative, Li Xianyun placed her brush on the inkstone tray, stood up, and walked outside, "Let’s have dinner then."

Youlan and Zhuo Ma bent their arms in salute, "Yes!"

The two followed Li Xianyun to the main building’s dining hall where several dishes had already been laid out on the table, including milk tea, naan bread, roasted meat, and hand-pulled rice pilaf—all Khitan delicacies.

Li Xianyun glanced at the table full of dishes and said to the waiting maidservant, "There’s too much food; keep it warm on the brazier for the master."

Saying this, she pointed to several dishes, including the roasted meat and naan bread.

The maidservant duly carried away the indicated food, while two other maidservants stood by to tend to her needs.

Li Xianyun addressed them, "You can step back for now."

"Yes."

Li Xianyun was not yet accustomed to these new faces, and ever since she entered the mansion she’d felt as though she was being watched, a sensation that made her skin crawl.

She needed to catch that person. Otherwise, she would be uneasy day and night and unable to do anything properly.

Li Xianyun looked at Youlan and Zhuo Ma, "Both of you, keep an eye on the people in the mansion over the next few days. If you notice anything suspicious, tell me immediately."

"Yes."

"And..." Li Xianyun gave the two of them a meaningful look.

Youlan and Zhuo Ma stepped closer as Li Xianyun whispered a few sentences to them.

The two nodded seriously.

After dinner, Li Xianyun returned to her room to continue painting, while Youlan and Zhuo Ma prepared the hot water in the bathtub.