The Princess and Her Rough-Rider Khan-Chapter 29 - 0 When the Khan calls you (first night watch)

Chapter 29: 029 When the Khan calls you (first night watch)

Chapter 29: 029 When the Khan calls you (first night watch)

Zha Xi reported truthfully, “Your servant watched as the pig iron couldn’t be transported in, so I sent people to urge them on, but the other party always gave perfunctory responses. Your servant then grew suspicious and had a fellow townsman in Yanzhou investigate, only to learn about the collapse of the iron mine, which is said to have killed many people.”

Yelu Yan’s gaze was exceptionally cold; those who deceived their superiors and hid the truth were truly unforgivable.

Li Xianyun had developed a habit since childhood to approach any task with utmost seriousness. After she had finished the rough sketch, she noticed Yelu Yan standing beside her, though she had no idea how long he had been there.

“Finished?” asked Yelu Yan.

Li Xianyun nodded slightly and said, “I don’t know if they will be able to understand it.”

Yelu Yan glanced at Zha Xi who was waiting in the distance.

Zha Xi immediately came forward, took the sketch, and looked at Li Xianyun in shock; the draft was clear and detailed.

The craftsmanship of the Princess Consort was truly remarkable.

Li Xianyun had first drawn the components of the Trebuchet separately, then for each part, she clearly indicated the material, connections, and dimensions at the side for easy reference.

She also drew the steps of the construction process clearly. Following the sketch to build the Trebuchet would not be difficult.

Zha Xi couldn’t help but marvel, never expecting that Li Xianyun, despite her young age, would have such a thorough understanding of weapon manufacturing.

“Is there anything you don’t understand?” asked Li Xianyun.

Zha Xi did have a question and spoke up, “May I ask the Princess Consort, can materials other than cowhide be used for the pouch, as it is quite improbable to obtain so much cowhide in a short time?”

Li Xianyun said, “The material for this pouch isn’t fixed; as long as it’s sufficiently resilient and sturdy enough to bear the weight of the stones or fireballs, that will do. Also, whatever the material, it needs to be coated with a layer of fire-resistant resin on its surface, otherwise, it will be burnt by the fireballs.”

“Understood,” said Zha Xi. “And these straps must also be strong enough?”

“Yes,” Li Xianyun said, “prepare several extra as spares. These straps are often pulled and easily worn out. If they break, they can be quickly replaced with the spares, so as not to waste time.”

On the battlefield, every second counts; a moment’s delay or error could make a world of difference. Therefore, it’s essential to take all possible precautions.

Zha Xi sincerely praised her, “The Princess Consort has truly thought of everything.”

Li Xianyun replied, “My lord flatters me. Please have another look and see if there’s anything else you do not understand.”

Heeding her words, he scrutinized the sketch once more. Confident that there were no further questions, he said, “Princess Consort, there is nothing I don’t understand for the moment, but if later on…”

Li Xianyun interjected, “If you have any questions in the future, you may ask me.”

Zha Xi was delighted and, with a respectful bow, said, “Thank you, Princess Consort.”

Yelu Yan, seeing the slightly reddened eyes of Li Xianyun from exhaustion, said, “Let’s return to the palace.”

“All right,” she said.

While focusing on the sketch, she had not felt sleepy, but once she finished her task, the tension in her mind suddenly eased, and a wave of drowsiness flooded over her.

One characteristic of Li Xianyun was her fondness for sleep, and when tired, she could fall asleep quickly; unless there was a major disturbance, she would sleep heavily, just like a piglet.

As she walked on, yawning, every yawn made her eyes redden and moisten, as though she had been crying.

After climbing into the carriage, Yelu Yan saw her eyes, red and moist, and asked, “Feeling unwell?”

Li Xianyun covered her mouth with her hand and yawned again. The yawn was very untimely. She lifted her fair little hand to wipe the water from the corners of her eyes and said, “I’m not uncomfortable, just sleepy.”

Her voice was lazy, and very comforting to hear.

Yelu Yan said, “Sleep for a while in the carriage, and I’ll call you when we arrive.”

Li Xianyun murmured an “Mm,” leaned her head against the wall of the carriage, and gently closed her eyes. She really was too sleepy to pay attention to anything else.

Before long, her head began to droop bit by bit, like a pecking chick.

Because her head had nowhere to rest, Li Xianyu slept restlessly, but she was so sleepy. She became both anxious and irritated, inadvertently furrowing her delicate brows, pouting her lips and letting out a soft grunt to express her dissatisfaction, looking as adorable as a child.

Seeing this, Yelu Yan hesitated for a moment, but finally sat down beside her.

He was really too tall and muscular. Li Xianyun’s little head just reached his neck.

Yelu Yan paused for a moment, then slowly leaned towards her. As their clothes brushed against each other, Yelu Yan reached out his rough hand to gently place Li Xianyun’s little head on his shoulder.

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His hand accidentally touched her little face, her skin as smooth as silk and cool to the touch, yet it made his palm tingle with numbness.

Yelu Yan placed his hand on his knee, gently making a fist, but the tingling sensation only intensified.

Now that Li Xianyun’s head finally had a place to rest, her eyebrows slowly unwound, and she raised her hand to wrap it around Yelu Yan’s arm, squeezing it and muttering with dissatisfaction, “Xiaobai, have you been overeating again? When did you become so sturdy?”

She then thought of Xiaobai, the cat she had raised for five years, only that Xiaobai felt somewhat different to the touch, much sturdier than the soft creature she remembered.

Yelu Yan stiffened, and finally lowered his head to look at Li Xianyun.

She slept soundly, eyes closed, while Yelu Yan gazed at her delicate face, his mouth curving into a slight smile. An affection he had never felt before slowly flowed in his heart, bringing pleasure and fulfillment, and a tranquil peace, as if the fatigue of the day had entirely vanished.

Suddenly, the carriage jolted slightly, and Li Xianyun let out a soft grunt, annoyed by the disturbance to her sleep.

Yelu Yan watched her until she found a comfortable position to continue sleeping, then lifted the curtain and whispered to Jinwu outside, “Drive more steadily.”

Jinwu was so shocked to see Li Xianyun asleep on Yelu Yan’s shoulder that he almost fell off his horse.

The Khan usually had an air of inaccessibility about him. How could he be so approachable today, and even content to serve as a pillow for the princess?

Seeing Yelu Yan’s icy gaze, Jinwu immediately came to his senses and hurriedly replied, “Yes!”

He rode ahead and spoke in a low voice to the carriage driver, “Choose the smoothest path, and be careful not to jostle the Khan and the princess.”

The driver had heard Yelu Yan’s voice earlier but hadn’t understood it completely. Now, terrified, he promptly responded, “Your servant obeys.”

After saying this, he gently reined in the horses, and the pace slowed. The carriage proceeded smooth and slow, and their speed was noticeably reduced.

Having done this, the driver wiped the sweat from his brow. They had rolled over pebbles on the way to the arsenal, jolting the Khan and the princess. If he wasn’t careful now, he wouldn’t just lose this cushy job but might also be exiled to the frontier.

It was best to be cautious, always cautious.

Li Xianyun exuded a faint, subtle fragrance. Now that the two of them were so close, this delicate scent enveloped Yelu Yan, refreshing and evocative, stirring up distant thoughts.