书斋小说网

第 20 章（第1页）

Chapter20—TheWeddingCaravan

TheweddingcaravaYounisbeforesuhesettlementwasstillcoveredindarknesswhenthefirsthorsesbeganmovingthroughthegates。Lanternshungfromthesidesofthecarriages，theirwarmlightswayingwitheverystepofthehorses。mIhelargestcarriagesatYula，sheworeSuyuansweddingclothes。Theredveilcoveredherface，hidingtheonlypersonwhokhetruth。Sheheldherhandstightlyinherlap。ShewasfrightenednotbecauseofKhasarbutbecauseshekeptthinkingaboutthesistershehadleftbehind。

Outside，thecaravanstretchedalongthesnowyroad。Severalridersapa，alongwithservants，guards，andmessengerscarryingtheKhansgifts。Tarkanrodeamongthem。AsamemberoftheKhansfamilyandanenvoyforYounis，hehadbeeoapanythebrideanddelivertheformalgiftstoKharun。Atthefrontofthevoy，Khasarrodequietlybesidehishorsemen。

Forthefirsttimeinmanydays，hefeltrelievedthatSuyuanwasfinallywillingtoleaveYounis。Herememberedthepalegirlbesidetheriver，thestrangeprincesswhohadlookedmoreahanfrightenedwhenherescuedher。HehadworriedaboutherhealtheversinowshewasgoingtoKharun，awayfromtheKhanshousehold。Hebelievedhecouldgiveheraquieterlifethere。Helookedbackatthecarriageandafaintsmileappearedonhisface。HehadnoideathatthewomanbehindtheveilwasYulaandtherealSuyuanwasstillinYounis。

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Bythetimethecaravandisappearedbeyondthedistanthills，theOrchidCourtyardwassilent。Suyuanstoodaloneinherroom。HermothersasheswerealreadygohNannyZhang。

Ayaowasgone。

Yulawasgone。

EveryoneshecaredabouthadbeenremovedfromYounis，exactlyjustasshewanted。

Shesatbesidethesmalltableandopenedawoodenbox。Insidewerethefewthingsshehadgatheredoverthepastweeks。Nothinglookedremarkable。Suyuanlookedatthemforalongwhile。Herhauallystoppedtrembling。Shehadalreadydecidedwhatshewoulddo。

TherewouldbenomorewaitingfortheKhantoshowmerdnomorehopingXianwouldarriveintime。Nomorewatganotherwomanbesacrificedtopreserveapeacethathadneverprotectedhermother。Shequietlypreparedwhatsheneededforthefinalpartofherplan，keepingeverythinghiddenfromtheservantswhooccasionallypassedoutside。

Hermothersdeathhadtakensomethingfromherthatcouldneverbereturnedbutithadalsoremovedthelastthingthatmadeherhesitate。Suyuanclosedthebox。Thenshelookedtowardthewesternhorizon。Somewherebeyondthosemountains，NannyZhangandAyaoweretravelingtowardXian。Theybelievedtheywouldreturn。

TheybelievedSuyuanwouldstillbeherebutSuyuanhopedtheywouldneveruandthetruthuntiltheywerefarenoughaway。

Sheloweredhereyes。

“Livewell，”shewhispered。

TheurnedbacktowardtheKhanspalace。TheweddingcaravanwasalreadyhalfwaytoKharunandnooneinYouniskhatthegirltheybelievedhadbeeabridehadneverleftatall。