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Chapter 71: Seventy-One Treasures ?

Snowflakes danced in the air as the horse neighed loudly.

On the open ground, Xun Qianchun's steed never slowed, galloping through the snow towards her military tent.

In the distance, a bonfire exploded with a loud bang. Everyone present was terrified, bowing deeply without daring to look up. They listened to the hoofbeats fade away, like the roar of a wild beast.

Even though Xun Qianchun had entered the tent, everyone was left sweating in fear. The overwhelming aura made them fear for their lives, as if they might lose their heads at any moment.

This was their master. The God of Death who slaughtered Heishui. The Northern Frontier King, feared by all. Yet, why did the Northern Frontier King rush into the military tent holding a female servant? Could it be a mistake? Or perhaps, deep down, the Northern Frontier King truly had a weakness for slender-waisted Central Plains women in white robes... and this girl happened to fit the bill perfectly?

Considering this possibility, the patrolling Hu soldiers felt their knees go weak, unable to stand even if they wanted to.

The military tent was chilly, but Xu Zhen, wrapped in a cloak, felt the warmth of the tent on her exposed ankles. Fortunately, the charcoal soon started burning, and Xu Zhen was placed on a soft bed.

Just as she was about to remove the cloak, she was suddenly embraced tightly. Arms wrapped around her shoulders, covering almost her entire body, and not a word was spoken. Xu Zhen struggled to free herself. The grip only tightened. She kicked, but the person refused to let go. Finally, using all her limbs, she pushed the person away, tore off the cloak, and shouted, "Are you trying to suffocate me?!"

Standing before her was Xun Qianchun. It had been ages since their last meeting. Although the little beggar had grown taller and her dark circles had deepened, she remained unchanged in essence. She was still the same little beggar Xu Zhen knew so well.

Xu Zhen was deeply moved, reaching out to touch Xun Qianchun's cheek. She hadn’t seen this beautiful face in such a long time. There was so much she wanted to express, yet words escaped her in that moment. She could endure the cold with her own resilience and laugh off any beating, but encountering the little beggar again made tears well up in her eyes.

It had been almost two years. Life is short, and every year is crucial for everyone. Yet, she had been absent from the little beggar's life for two years.

Suddenly, tears streamed down Xu Zhen's face, leaving her speechless. She was engulfed by a wave of emotions, an overwhelming surge of feelings that caused her tears to flow freely.

Xun Qianchun watched Xu Zhen intently, awkwardly wiping away her tears. Xu Zhen allowed her to do so, crying a little longer before taking Xun Qianchun's hand and asking, "Why didn't you come looking for me?"

Xun Qianchun knelt before Xu Zhen, her lips tightly pressed together, her body trembling slightly, but she remained silent.

Xu Zhen, not noticing anything unusual, continued in a hoarse voice, "You weren't bullied these past two years, were you?"

Xun Qianchun shook her head.

Xu Zhen said, "You're not telling the truth. How could you not be bullied when even your territory in Yongzhou was taken?"

Xun Qianchun quietly explained, "It was intentional."

Xu Zhen was momentarily confused.

Xun Qianchun added, "We're allies."

Xu Zhen understood that the little beggar had formed alliances and even pretended to be pushed back to Hu. She felt reassured.

"That's good," Xu Zhen said, holding back her emotions and forcing a smile. Her greatest fear had been that the little beggar was being bullied during her absence. Knowing that wasn't the case, she felt a wave of relief wash over her.

She released Xun Qianchun's hand and wiped her tears with the back of her hand. Remembering the little beggar's preference for fair skin, Xu Zhen discreetly tucked her bruised and swollen feet under the blanket.

However, this subtle action did not go unnoticed by Xun Qianchun. Observing it, her eyes reddened, and she bit her lips hard enough to draw blood.

...What had she done? Regret washed over her intensely.

Xun Qianchun closed her eyes, tears trembling on her eyelashes, unseen by Xu Zhen, who continued to encourage the little beggar to lie down.

Xun Qianchun didn't comply with Xu Zhen's urging to lie down. Instead, she went to the cabinet, retrieved some medicine, and gently took Xu Zhen's hands and feet, applying ointment to the wounds scattered across them. At first, Xu Zhen felt self-conscious about the state of her scratched hands, but she quickly let go of her inhibitions, thinking: after all the hardship and distance, meeting the little beggar made all the suffering seem sweet.

Seeing the little beggar again was truly wonderful.

Author’s Note: Sweet! The merit points have reached fifty thousand! But the store hasn’t been refreshed yet!