Chahar had been gone for two days.
According to Zhana, the fighting had reached a stalemate.
The Daye Tribe wasn’t large, but every one of their warriors excelled at guerrilla tactics. They fought in coordinated teams and used wolfdogs to support them. They would strike, gain a small advantage, and immediately retreat, never committing to a prolonged battle.
They were as irritating as flies and as slippery as eels.
There was nothing Lin Jiayan could do to help on the front lines.
All she could do was continue caring for the sick in the tribe.
Now everyone was required to boil water before using it to prevent further infections. She had also begun modifying prescriptions for patients with different constitutions and underlying conditions, carefully recording everything in a small handbook.
Cheren followed her everywhere, treating her instructions like sacred decrees.
After finishing another prescription, Lin Jiayan was about to hand it to him when the world suddenly spun.
Her knees slammed into the table.
The next moment, she collapsed onto the floor.
A deafening roar filled her ears.
Her arms felt weak.
She couldn’t even push herself up.
Gritting her teeth, she bit down hard on the wound on her tongue that had yet to fully heal.
The sharp pain cleared her mind.
After sitting quietly for a moment, she forced herself upright and carried the prescription to Cheren.
“The elderly patients from yesterday all have underlying illnesses.”
She handed him the paper.
“I adjusted the formula. Prepare it according to this version and give it three times a day.”
Cheren accepted it as though receiving an imperial edict and hurried off immediately.
The mildly ill patients had mostly recovered by now.
Many were already helping around the camp.
She no longer needed to prepare every dose personally.
Dulan had recovered considerably.
A’ming no longer required constant supervision.
For the first time in days, it seemed she could finally relax.
Slumping into her chair, she couldn’t help worrying about Chahar.
She wondered how things were going at the front.
Meanwhile, Chahar stormed into the military tent and slammed his riding whip onto the table.
“Those bastards are impossible.”
His frustration was obvious.
“They ride small horses. Fast. Agile.”
“They refuse to fight head-on.”
“The moment they’re losing, they run.”
“And if that doesn’t work, they send their dogs.”
He scowled.
“My horse’s leg was bitten. It can’t even run properly anymore.”
Ajina sat nearby with his injured arm hanging in a sling.
He had been thrown from his horse during one of the skirmishes.
For the past two days, the Daye Tribe had harassed them relentlessly.
Whenever Chahar sent troops, they immediately fled.
Heavy cavalry couldn’t catch them.
Without armor, their horses became easy targets for the wolfdogs.
The entire situation was infuriating.
Yet something about it felt wrong.
Their harassment wasn’t causing significant casualties.
Both sides were simply locked in place.
As though someone wanted to keep them occupied.
“At least the Princess Consort’s medicine worked.”
Ajina scratched his head.
“Otherwise we’d all be lying sick right now. Who knows what advantage they’d have gained.”
At first, he had never believed the seemingly naïve Southern princess possessed such abilities.
But now he’d witnessed the results with his own eyes.
The people who drank her medicine genuinely recovered.
His respect for her had grown immensely.
“The medicine…”
Chahar murmured.
Then realization struck.
If not for Lin Jiayan, the Daye Tribe might already have overrun the camp.
Poisoning the water source had clearly been intended to weaken them before launching an attack.
But thanks to her intervention, the tribe remained healthy and organized.
The enemy’s plan had failed.
So why were they still stalling?
Still dragging things out?
Unless…
They had another objective.
“Taiji.”
Ajina frowned.
“Are we really going to keep wasting time like this?”
“Wasting time…”
Chahar’s eyes widened.
That was it.
The Daye Tribe wasn’t trying to defeat them.
They were trying to keep them here.
Prevent the army from returning.
Then strike where it mattered most.
At the tribe itself.
“Ajina.”
Chahar jumped to his feet.
“Continue engaging them.”
“I’m taking half the cavalry back.”
“Don’t let them realize what’s happening.”
“Taiji, the tribe—”
Before Ajina could finish speaking, Chahar had already mounted his horse and ridden off.
Back at the camp, Lin Jiayan had dozed off in her chair.
Through the haze of exhaustion, she thought she heard Dulan calling her.
The voice grew closer.
Eventually it reached the door.
Lin Jiayan opened her eyes and slowly sat up.
“Yanyan!”
Dulan’s voice trembled with panic.
She was knocking urgently outside.
Lin Jiayan dragged herself to the entrance and opened it.
“What’s wrong, Sister-in-law?”
“A’ming suddenly got worse.”
Tears streamed down Dulan’s face.
“Please come quickly.”
Lin Jiayan’s mind snapped awake instantly.
How?
The illness had already stabilized.
Why would he suddenly deteriorate?
The two women hurried to the tent.
A’ming lay pale and motionless on the bed.
His breathing was rapid and shallow.
Lin Jiayan immediately took his pulse.
Weak.
Rapid.
His hands and feet were cold.
Her heart sank.
Not good.
A complication.
Pressing her ear against his abdomen, she listened carefully.
His intestines were active.
When she pressed certain areas, he reacted with obvious pain.
Internal bleeding.
Most likely intestinal hemorrhage.
Lin Jiayan’s expression darkened.
She remembered examining Cheren’s medical supplies earlier.
They had herbs for external wounds.
Nothing suitable for internal bleeding.
That meant there was only one option.
She would have to return to the mountains.
Hopefully the herb she needed was growing there.
“Don’t panic, Sister-in-law.”
She stood immediately.
“Prepare a fast horse for me.”
“I’m going to gather medicine.”
Dulan froze.
“But Chahar isn’t here.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Lin Jiayan grabbed her cloak.
“I remember the route now.”
“I can go myself.”
Dulan hesitated.
She clearly didn’t want to let her go alone.
“Sister-in-law.”
Lin Jiayan’s voice became urgent.
“A’ming doesn’t have time.”
“Every minute we delay increases the danger.”
At last, Dulan relented.
She led out a chestnut-colored horse from the stables.
Smaller than most warhorses.
Gentle-eyed.
“This is my horse.”
She handed over the reins.
“Zhuiyun.”
“She’s smart and well-behaved.”
“Let her take you.”
Dulan helped secure the basket to the saddle and assisted Lin Jiayan into place.
“Be careful, Yanyan.”
Lin Jiayan nodded.
“I’ll be back soon.”
With a flick of the reins, she rode into the mountains.
Zhuiyun wasn’t nearly as fast as Longxiang.
But she was light and responsive.
Her size was similar to the horses Lin Jiayan had ridden during modern riding lessons.
Before long, she found her rhythm.
The herb she sought was known as Blood-Seeing-Sorrow.
A famous medicinal plant often found in shaded undergrowth.
She pushed into grass taller than her waist, using her riding whip to clear a path.
Then she crouched and searched carefully.
Eventually, she found a small patch.
Relief washed over her.
She dug up every plant she could find, roots included.
Just to be safe, she gathered extra.
As she prepared to return to Zhuiyun—
A sound drifted through the forest.
Barking.
Several barks.
Her body stiffened.
Dogs?
Why would there be dogs in the mountains?
Then she remembered.
The wolfdogs.
The Daye Tribe’s wolfdogs.
A chill ran down her spine.
Why would they be here?
Unless—
They weren’t targeting the army.
They were heading for the tribe.
An ambush.
Cold sweat spread across her back.
She had to warn them.
Immediately.
But the moment she moved, the dogs would notice.
Thinking rapidly, she made a decision.
Drawing her sickle, she sliced open her finger.
Using the blood, she wrote a single character on the bamboo basket:
Dog.
Hopefully Dulan would understand.
She secured the basket onto Zhuiyun’s back and gently stroked the mare’s neck.
“Good girl.”
Her voice trembled.
“Run.”
“Run as fast as you can.”
“Don’t let them catch you.”
Zhuiyun snorted softly.
As though she understood.
The mare rubbed her head against Lin Jiayan’s cheek.
Then she bolted downhill.
“What was that?”
A voice echoed in the distance.
Another immediately shouted:
“After it!”
The Daye warriors had noticed the movement.
Just as she’d feared.
They released the wolfdogs.
Lin Jiayan reacted instantly.
She crushed several medicinal plants and smeared the pungent juice across her clothes and skin to mask her scent.
Then she searched frantically for shelter.
At last, she found a narrow crevice hidden among the rocks.
Squeezing herself inside, she held her breath.
Outside, the barking grew louder.
Closer.
Closer.
And then—
Silence.