The next day, a mighty procession set off, escorting provisions to the border, accompanied by soldiers heading to the battlefield.
The common folk stood on both sides, suppressing their tears to see them off, for these were their loved ones. They must return alive!
Lan Yan was also in the procession, dressed in soldier's attire to avoid recognition. She glanced sideways, meeting Jun Yelan's gaze.
Under the guise of offering prayers, she had claimed to be taking Jun Yelan to a temple, but in reality, she had already infiltrated the ranks. As for palace affairs, she had entrusted everything to Lan Ting and Mei Dong.
They would handle everything well.
As the procession left the city, she and Jun Yelan also departed.
Following them was Xi Chen, who had been lurking there all along. With war breaking out between the two countries, he naturally had to return to witness Lan Yan's miserable state firsthand.
After a long day's march, the procession made camp at night.
Lan Yan mingled with the soldiers, chatting with them. "You are all fine women of the Yan Dynasty. I raise my cup with water in lieu of wine, to you all."
The soldiers laughed, "We toast you too. Seeing your delicate skin, why have you come here?"
"Of course, I'm like you, protecting our homeland," Lan Yan replied with a smile. "After this battle is won, what do you plan to do when you return home?"
The soldiers exclaimed, "Naturally, to reunite with our husbands and children."
"I am not yet married, so I must first find a gentle and considerate husband."
"Yes, and I must honor my parents."
Listening to these ordinary wishes, Lan Yan's eyes gradually welled up. If they didn't go to the border this time, the armies of the Hao Kingdom would advance, causing more and more civilian casualties.
These people carried the hopes of all the common folk, bearing their families' prayers, yearning for the day they would return victorious.
At this moment, she felt less like a quick-transmigrator and more like one of them. She drank the water in her cup and smiled, "Your wishes will surely come true."
She would find the elite soldiers and reduce casualties.
"Good." The soldiers' spirits were immediately lifted, and they chatted amongst themselves. By midnight, they all returned to sleep.
Only Lan Yan remained. Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, she turned and smiled, "Jun Yelan, why are you still awake?" As a man, it was difficult for Jun Yelan to mingle with the women without being recognized.
That was why Jun Yelan had stayed nearby.
Jun Yelan sat beside Lan Yan, seeing her somber expression, and simply said, "Rest, we still have a full day's journey tomorrow to reach the border."
"Mm." Lan Yan tilted her head, leaning on Jun Yelan's shoulder, and murmured, "I heard them talk so much earlier. I'm so glad I'm with you. Jun Yelan, do you have any other wishes you'd like me to help you fulfill?"
She had already helped Jun Yelan deal with the Jun family and brought him to the battlefield.
Jun Yelan did not answer, instead, he put an arm around Lan Yan's shoulder. This was his wish now. He turned to look at Lan Yan, seeing that she had fallen asleep, and smiled helplessly.
Dawn broke, and the procession set off again, reaching the border before dark.
Lan Yan and Jun Yelan left the procession, changed into common clothes, and headed to the border trading post.
This was where all the common folk gathered, making it the most convenient place to gather information.
Jun Yelan took out the jade pendant from his embrace and hung it on his waist. He said, "If they are truly here, they will come to us when they see this jade pendant. Then we can take our chance."
"For now, we act like everyone else." He took Lan Yan's hand and walked forward. The place was a mix of all sorts, and he worried someone might recognize Lan Yan and pose a threat.
Pulled along by Jun Yelan, Lan Yan smiled and nodded. She saw many vendors selling spices and furs around. If there were no war between the two countries, this place would be even more prosperous.
The stall owner, seeing their appearances, smiled enthusiastically, "You two must be from out of town. It gets cold here at night, would you like to buy a fox fur?"
"My goods are the best."
"Jun Yelan, let's take a look." Lan Yan approached the stall and browsed the fox furs, finding them indeed soft to the touch. She selected a pure white one and asked, "Jun Yelan, what do you think of this one?"
"Mm, it suits you very well," Jun Yelan replied, his peripheral vision catching figures behind them. Ever since they arrived, someone had been trailing them, though their identities were unknown.
He picked up the fox fur and draped it over Lan Yan's shoulders, using the opportunity to get a clear look at their pursuers. There were four or five of them, and rather than watching them, they seemed to be fixated on his jade pendant.
Seeing Jun Yelan frown, Lan Yan knew something was amiss. She pretended ignorance and smiled, "Husband, I like this one, let's buy it."
Jun Yelan was slightly taken aback by the term "husband" but nodded and paid. He continued to hold Lan Yan's hand and walked forward.
Subsequently, the two acted like a typical couple, looking at items on display and buying some.
When they reached an alley, they were stopped.
Jun Yelan shielded Lan Yan behind him, looking at the four or five women before him, and asked coldly, "Who are you?"
The women's eyes were fixed on the jade pendant, and they asked, "Is that jade pendant yours?"
"It is," Jun Yelan replied with a cold expression.
Seeing that Jun Yelan showed no fear, the women were somewhat impressed. They looked at Lan Yan behind him and asked, "Are you a couple?"
"Naturally," Lan Yan replied, looking at them. These people must be the elite soldiers from the Shen family, asking so many questions.
The women, seeing the composure of both of them, were convinced they were no ordinary couple. "Take them away." With that, they flung a cloud of powder, and the people before them fell to the ground, defenseless.
Lan Yan and Jun Yelan were separated and taken away, releasing their clasped hands. However, before letting go, they each drew a stroke on the other's palm, signifying that their consciousness remained.
A sack was placed over her head. Lan Yan felt herself being hoisted onto a shoulder, almost vomiting. She endured it, vowing to settle accounts once she found the elite soldiers!
Through the sack, she could not see Jun Yelan, and a hint of unease stirred within her. These people shouldn't do anything to Jun Yelan, should they?
Jun Yelan clenched his fist, feeling that he had been separated from Lan Yan, a sensation he disliked.
The women carried the sacks towards a hidden manor and addressed the woman seated at the front, "Leader, we've found the jade pendant, it's with the man we captured. And the accompanying woman is his wife, who likely knows the inside story."
They presented the jade pendant.
"Mm, confine them separately, and I will question them one by one." The woman, with a handsome and heroic face, stood up, caressing the jade pendant. "Ten years. This jade pendant has seen the light of day again. But who are they, and how did they obtain it?"
She turned and headed towards the room where Jun Yelan was being held.