Looking at the top of the camp, Ning Que thought about the tiny details after leaving the Wei city.

In the entire trip that luxurious wagon’s curtain was tightly closed. No one exited except a boy, who obviously had barbarian bloodline, would occasionally get out of the wagon and play for a while. There was no chance to see the Princess. There was only that pretty and arrogant maid giving out commands from time to time.

For unknown reasons, the maid really loved to call Sang Sang over to have a chat.

Also, for unknown reasons, the maid did not hide her disgust toward Ning Que at all.

Ning Que thought she was a really good actor. Whether in Wei City, on the journey, the att.i.tude of those Great Plain subordinates, or from her own temperament, it was really hard to tell that she was not a maid.

This was the point that made him confused. He had always been thinking that the real Tang Empire upper cla.s.s n.o.bles would not have too much sympathy towards Sang Sang.

Yet these were not the things he was really concerned with. In these days he had constantly kept an eye on an elder wearing an old robe inside the wagon. If his predictions were right, this kind elder should be the Xiu Xing expert in the North Gate of Holy Sky Way, as mentioned by General Ma.

Since he was  small, Ning Que had been determined to step into that mysterious world of Xiu Xing yet he could not even feel the entry to it. The only reason why he was willing to follow this group to return to the Capital was because this group has a real Xiu Xingist.

Unfortunately, he still had not found a chance to talk with the elder, who was being highly protected. Only during dining time, could he occasionally make eye contact with the elder. On that moment, he felt like he could see the kindnesses and encourages from the elder’s eye, which caused him to think so much yet without getting an answer.

After having thought and a.n.a.lyzed the situation for so long but he still remaining confused. Ning Que gathered his mind. Then he realized that the pair of small feet in his arms was not warm yet and was still as freezing as ice. Even causing his own chest to feel cold. Involuntarily, he frowned.

The little maid Sang Sang had suffered too much when she was little. She was covered with corpses on the road. After picking up by Ning Que, she soon got really sick and she did not recover for many months.

He had taken her to the military surgeons in the Wei City and he even had taken her to the to the far away Kai Ping City. Yet all the doctors came up with the same diagnosis: her body was weak in nature, and therefore innately cold.

Because of her innately cold body, Sang Sang would rarely sweat, which means that metabolism doesn’t function well in her system. The daily toxins produced by her body could not be excreted out normally, so day by day the stacking of toxins caused Sang Sang to become really weak. Therefore, Ning Que listened to doctor’s words, let Sang Sang do ma.s.sive movements daily, in order to improve her cold body. This is also why in other people’s eyes, he always treated Sang Sang like a horse by giving her lots of work.

Even though she worked hard everyday, it didn’t always seem to help raise the temperature of Sang Sang’s body. Such as now, her body was still as cold as rocks that could make up an ice house.

Ning Que got up and rubbed his almost frozen stomach. He pulled out a cow feathered wine bag from a corner and woke Sang Sang up.  He then place the wine bag near her lip.

Sang Sang, still in a daze, slowly opened up her eyes. She naturally took the wine bag and started to drink the wine within. Although the wine didn’t spill even a single drop, there was already a strong and spicy scent in the night. What she was drinking seemed to be the strong wine on the Great Plain.

The short and skinny little maid held a big wine bag and drank drastically. It was known that two bowls of this type of wine could cause a strong adult to fall asleep instantaneously. However, she already drank a little less than half of a bag, until her belly became slightly swollen. This picture could hardly be described as manly, but rather somewhat weird.

She wiped her mouth. Willow-like eyes appeared to be bright and she looked like she didn’t even drink any. She gave Ning Que a smile, then lied down and went to sleep again.

The entire room was filled with wine’s scent. The pair of cold foot in his arms gradually became warm. Ning Que looked at the sweats on her nose and finally felt relieved. He wiped out the sweats on his own head.

He tightly wrapped the sheep wool-made quilt towards their bodies. Ning Que slowly closed his eyes. The worn-out scroll of “Extreme Sense”was placed near his face. Every night before sleep, he would read for a few pages. Even if he didn’t read, he would still recite it once inside his head. This is a habit formed over many years.

“Pray that all life to escape the pain of aging and death, every poison to not harm them. ”

“Pray that all life escape disease and disaster, protect its essence, marching bravely into the way of Wisdom.

In the shallow sleep, his spirit, alongside the words on the scroll,  alongside the seemingly simple yet confusing way of sensation. slowly began to Xiu Xing.

Gradually, the wool-made quilt that covered him and Sang Sang’s body disappeared. The little shabby camp disappeared. The green gra.s.ses outside of the tribe disappeared and the brook also transformed into white fog that then became nothing. The whole world became a s.p.a.ce involving only Ning Que and Sang Sang. Yet in this s.p.a.ce, they were breathing in a mysterious pattern. The breaths in this world slowing liquefied and became an ocean that surrounded the two figures with warmth.

This mysterious feeling was not strange to Ning Que. For many years after he started reading the Extreme Sense, he would often sense it before he went to sleep. Yet he knew a sad fact, this was not the actual sense he had after meditation, but simply a dream.

The warm sea, probably was only a false sensation in the dream because the pair of small feet in his arms were gradually heating up, but this was also an extremely pretty false sense.

As comforted himself, Ning Que went into a deeper level of sleep. It was another sweet night of no dream.

——————————————

Ning Que woke up the next morning. Although he had a quality sleep, his expression revealed his desire to sleep another three days and three nights.

“Why are we changing our route without previous preparation?” Ning Que looked at the maid, trying to conceal his rage and said softly, “My plan of getting through Mt. Min and traveling straight to the Hua Xi road have no errors.”

But no one in the camp answered his question, including the maid.

“I’m the guide, and you guys are not familiar with Mt. Min,” Ning Que looked at the maid, stayed silent for a moment and spoke again, “I know you guys are afraid of getting ambushed, but if you listen to me, I can guarantee you that there will be no danger ahead of us.”

The maid looked back at him, almost like looking at a rock. Her expression was clear, Ning Que has no right for her to explain the decision.

Returning to his camp, Ning Que found Sang Sang, who is packing the camp and items. “After I sent them into their route, we need to leave as soon as possible.”

Holding a simple handmade map, Ning Que pointed at a place and explained, “The farthest we can get to is this location, after this point, the enemy only need to send a few teams of troops and this group will be eliminated.”

“You should explain to them.” Sang Sang raised her head and said.

“I’m guessing that there will be people aiding the princess’s party, therefore they will not listen to me.” Ning Que answer, “Convincing a group of people as stupid as pigs isn’t my strength.”

Sang Sang did not speak, but rather used her eyes‘ expression to ask, “If there are people aiding them there, why are you still so worried, and wants to leave midway?”

“My instinct tells me there will be trouble ahead” Ning Que answered, “Because I believe the daring character who wants to a.s.sa.s.sinate the fourth princess of Tang empire won’t be as stupid as that woman and not prepare a few backup plans.”

Sang Sang wanted to say something but held it back, instead she advised, “You…..should talk more politely about her.”

“I know her true ident.i.ty,” Ning Que raised his eyebrows and mocked, “So what if she is the princess? I said it in Wei city, she is an idiotic princess.”