noffsinger Chapter 176 Rescuing the Concubine
Chapter 176 Rescuing the Concubine
Ye Beichen was frantic, as if a raging fire was burning within him. His eyes widened, veins bulging on his forehead, and he frantically searched the entire northern desert. He wouldn't let go of any inch of land, any corner, just to find that petite figure that haunted his dreams—Xiao Doukou.
But no matter how desperately he searched, no matter how loudly he called out Xiaodoukou's name, all he received in return was the boundless desert and the howling wind. Time passed second by second, and Ye Beichen's hope gradually faded. Finally, exhausted, he had to accept this cruel reality and reluctantly chose to give up the search.
With heavy steps, Ye Beichen led Su Yuning slowly around and headed towards the Song Dynasty. The two remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Although on the surface they had begun planning their future business ventures, Su Yuning's heart never ceased to yearn for Xiao Doukou.
Every night, when all was quiet, Su Yuning would toss and turn in bed, unable to fall asleep. The image of Xiao Doukou's adorable smiling face kept flashing through her mind, filling her with heartache. Finally, after countless sleepless nights, Su Yuning made up her mind to go back and continue searching for Xiao Doukou.
That night, the moonlight was as clear as water, and all was quiet. While Ye Beichen slept soundly, Su Yuning quietly got up and packed her things. She took out paper and pen, quickly wrote a note, and placed it in a prominent position on the table. Then, she took a deep breath, resolutely stepped out of the room, and embarked alone on the arduous journey back to the northern desert.
The next morning, as the first rays of golden sunlight pierced the clouds and fell upon the earth, Ye Beichen slowly awoke from his sleep. He instinctively reached for his side, only to find it empty. A sense of foreboding washed over him, and Ye Beichen abruptly sat up, looking around.
When his gaze fell on the letter on the table, his heart felt as if it had been gripped tightly by an invisible hand, instantly leaping into his throat. His hands trembled as he opened the envelope, quickly skimming the words, his face turning deathly pale.
"Ye Beichen, I'm sorry, please forgive me for leaving without saying goodbye. I was really worried about Xiaodoukou, so I decided to go back to Mobei alone to find her. Don't worry about me, I will definitely return safely..."
After reading the letter, Ye Beichen didn't dare to delay for a moment. He hurriedly jumped out of bed, hastily put on his clothes, and rushed out the door while loudly calling out the names of his trusted confidants. Before long, several capable confidants quickly gathered before him.
"Quick! Follow me! Su Yuning has returned to Mobei alone. We must catch up with her as soon as possible and prevent anything from happening to her!" Ye Beichen said anxiously. With that, he mounted his horse, cracked his whip, and galloped off. His trusted followers followed closely behind, and the group raced towards the direction Su Yuning had gone.
Along the way, Su Yuning braved the scorching sun, dragging her exhausted body, tirelessly inquiring about Xiao Doukou's whereabouts. In each place she visited, she would hopefully ask the locals if they had seen such a woman, but she was often met with disappointing answers. However, Su Yuning was not discouraged; she firmly believed that as long as she persisted, she would definitely find Xiao Doukou.
As the saying goes, perseverance pays off. Just when Su Yuning was almost in despair, she happened to encounter a passerby hurrying by. On a whim, Su Yuning stopped him and anxiously described Xiao Doukou's appearance and characteristics. Unexpectedly, the passerby actually knew something about Xiao Doukou. According to him, a few days ago he had seen a group of ruthless bandits kidnap a woman who matched Xiao Doukou's appearance. Hearing this, Su Yuning's heart clenched instantly, and a sense of foreboding washed over her.
Through further questioning, Su Yuning learned that the bandits had targeted Xiao Doukou because they had heard she was skilled in medicine and wanted to force her to treat their wounded brothers. The thought of Xiao Doukou possibly suffering torture and threats from the bandits filled Su Yuning with anxiety; she wished she could fly to her side immediately.
Upon learning this crucial clue, Su Yuning dared not delay. She immediately mounted her horse and galloped away. She raced along, the sound of her horse's hooves echoing throughout the valley, as if expressing her urgency and anxiety. As time passed, night gradually fell, the sky turned pitch black, with only a cold moon hanging high in the sky, casting a faint light.
Under the cover of darkness, all was silent except for the occasional eerie hoot of an owl. But Su Yuning paid no heed to these sounds; her only thought was to reach the bandits' camp as quickly as possible and rescue the trapped Xiao Doukou. Using the dim moonlight, she cautiously approached the bandits' camp. She saw that the camp was surrounded by sentries; the slightest misstep would expose her presence.
However, Su Yuning was not deterred by the difficulties before her. With her exceptional wit and agility, she skillfully evaded the sentries one by one. Sometimes hiding in the bushes, sometimes using the trees for cover, she stealthily made her way towards the center of the camp. Finally, after overcoming numerous hardships, Su Yuning successfully infiltrated the bandits' camp.
Meanwhile, Ye Beichen and his group arrived near the camp at breakneck speed. Just as Su Yuning was overjoyed to find Xiao Doukou, who had been trapped for many days, and was preparing to quietly leave with her, misfortune struck—their whereabouts were discovered by the vigilant bandits! In an instant, gleaming longswords were drawn, pointed at the unarmed Su Yuning and Xiao Doukou.
At this critical moment, a sudden, rapid, loud thud of hooves shattered the silence of the night, echoing like rolling thunder. Everyone turned to look, and saw a troop of people galloping towards them like lightning through the darkness. Leading them was Ye Beichen, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, his posture as upright as a pine tree, wielding a gleaming longsword, like a war god descended to earth.
With a roar from Ye Beichen, his men charged towards the bandits like tigers descending a mountain, unstoppable. In an instant, the entire battlefield descended into chaos, with flashing swords and the sounds of battle cries and screams filling the air.
Despite the large number and ferocity of the enemies, Ye Beichen showed no fear. He moved nimbly through the enemy ranks, his swordsmanship sharp and precise, each strike aimed precisely at the vital points of his enemies. His trusted followers were also brave and skilled in battle, cooperating seamlessly, and engaging the bandits in a thrilling life-or-death struggle.
Time ticked by, and the battle grew increasingly fierce and brutal. Both sides fought with all their might, neither willing to yield. But in the end, Ye Beichen's side proved superior. After a long and arduous battle, the notorious bandits gradually succumbed to their fierce onslaught and began to retreat in disarray.
Finally, with the last bandit falling, the fierce battle came to an end. Ye Beichen and his men successfully subdued the despicable bandits and averted the crisis.
At this moment, Su Yuning quickly walked to Ye Beichen's side, her beautiful eyes filled with concern. She looked Ye Beichen up and down, and only after seeing that he was unharmed did she feel slightly relieved. Then, she raised her head, staring intently at Ye Beichen, and said earnestly, "Beichen, shall we take Xiaodoukou back to the Southern Song Dynasty?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen met Su Yuning's unwavering gaze, and a sense of helplessness welled up within him. He knew full well that the journey back to the Southern Song Dynasty was long and fraught with peril, but looking at Su Yuning's expectant expression, he couldn't bear to refuse. After a moment's hesitation, he sighed softly and nodded slightly in agreement.
And so, on this peaceful night, Ye Beichen, Su Yuning, and Xiao Doukou embarked on their long journey back to the Song Dynasty...
Along the way, Xiaodoukou began to recount her experiences after being kidnapped. Her thrilling tales caused the other two to sometimes furrow their brows and sometimes sigh with emotion. At the same time, they also planned the business they would run once they arrived in the Song Dynasty. Words of anticipation for a bright future filled the air, and their joyful laughter echoed like silver bells throughout the journey home.
However, having lived for so long in the northern deserts and vast grasslands, Xiaodoukou was accustomed to that unrestrained and carefree life. When she found herself in a bustling city, she found it difficult to truly integrate. This was especially true during her time working at the Nishang Pavilion, where the constant stream of customers and haggling made her feel immense pressure. Customers would often argue with her over a few coins, the sounds of bargaining filling the air, often bringing tears to the eyes of the straightforward Xiaodoukou.
Besides, her deep longing for her child back home in the northern desert also surged like a tidal wave. Finally, Xiaodoukou could no longer suppress her inner impulse and began to urge Ye Beichen to take her back to the northern desert to live their old life. At first, Ye Beichen patiently tried to persuade her, but as Xiaodoukou became more and more stubborn, his face gradually darkened. Finally, Ye Beichen couldn't help but lose his temper with Xiaodoukou: "You're the one who wanted to go out and explore, and now you're the one making a fuss about going back! Can't you be a little more mature? Be more sensible, okay?"
Upon hearing these words, Xiaodoukou's eyes instantly flushed slightly, and crystal-clear tears welled up as if they were about to fall. Like a child who had suffered a great injustice, she pitifully lowered her head, fidgeting with the hem of her clothes with her hands.
Standing to the side, Su Yuning witnessed everything. Seeing Xiaodoukou's state, a pang of pity welled up in her heart. So, she gently reached out and tugged at Ye Beichen's sleeve, then tiptoed closer to his ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Beichen, don't be so harsh on her. She's just missing her hometown so much."
Ye Beichen was taken aback by Su Yuning's words, then realized that he had indeed said something too harsh. He shook his head helplessly, sighed deeply, and looked at Xiao Doukou, who was bowing her head and remaining silent.
Just then, Xiaodoukou, who had been silent all along, slowly raised her head. Her beautiful eyes were still brimming with tears, shimmering like dewdrops on the grass in the morning. However, although the tears had not yet dried, her eyes revealed an unusually firm and stubborn look.
“I know… I might have been a bit willful. But… but I really have a hard time adapting to this place! In the far north, there is my child. Every day and every night, I can’t help but think of his lovely little face, his laughter, and the way he calls me ‘Mother’…” By the end, Xiao Doukou’s voice was clearly trembling with sobs, making one’s heart ache.
Ye Beichen gazed silently at the tearful woman before him. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Alright, since that's the case, let's settle our business here first, and then we'll send someone to escort you back to Mobei. However, you must promise me that you will never act so rashly and impulsively again, otherwise what if you encounter any danger?"
Hearing Ye Beichen's words, Xiaodoukou nodded repeatedly as if she had grasped a lifeline, saying, "Yes, yes, I will definitely be obedient and will never cause trouble for anyone again!" After saying that, she raised her hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and a grateful yet slightly shy smile bloomed on her face again.
In the days that followed, they sped up their business dealings. Su Yuning helped Xiao Doukou familiarize herself with city life and taught her some customer service skills. Meanwhile, Ye Beichen was busy allocating manpower and goods. Finally, everything was ready, and Ye Beichen personally escorted Xiao Doukou back to Mobei. Upon arriving in Mobei and seeing Xiao Doukou's joyful reunion with her child, Ye Beichen's lingering displeasure completely vanished.