Qin Yining hid behind some shrubbery with Lian Xiaozhou, unspeakable fear and loneliness descending at she listened to the popping sound of burning trees.

Having lived in the mountains, she felt a connection with each blade of gra.s.s and tree. She sometimes even felt that they were conscious. Who knew how much wildlife would suffer with this fire? But she had to do so in order to protect Lian Xiaozhou.

As she grasped Lian Xiaozhou's hot, little hand, she suddenly understood Pang Xiao's resignation a lot more. She felt guilty enough burning the mountain, Pang Xiao surely felt even worse when he had to slaughter untold numbers of people for the sake of eventual peace.

As her thoughts ruminated, she suddenly heard a whistling arrow break through the air in the distance. She quickly stood up, but a dozen spots around her answered with whistling arrows before she could react.

This must be the rescue party. But who would've thought there'd be so many?

Having never heard so many whistling arrows before, Lian Xiaozhou was petrified when they rang out in close proximity. Her tiny hands clung tightly to Qin Yining's sleeves as she fretfully cried out for her big sister. 

Qin Yining stroked her head soothingly with a smile. "Don't be scared. The people looking for us is here. They're here to take me home."

Lian Xiaozhou didn't seem to fully understand. "People from, big sister's home?"

"That's right, so you don't need to be afraid."

"I'm not afraid." Lian Xiaozhou nodded firmly, but was plainly still frightened as her grip remained tight on Qin Yining's sleeves.

To be honest, Qin Yining was also slightly nervous. What if her pursuers hadn't all left yet? She would've just attracted their attention with the fire.

Not long after, the girls heard footsteps slowly approach them. The crisp crunch of snow and withered branches tramped ominously onto their hearts. 

In their position behind the shrubbery, they held their breath and stilled their movements. From c.h.i.n.ks between the leaves and branches, the Qin fourth miss could tell that the group's leader was a small, skinny, and slightly hunchbacked young man. He was wearing the accoutrements of a Valiant Tiger commandant [1]. The dozen that followed behind him were also dressed as Valiant Tiger soldiers.

What??

The Valiant Tigers had long since returned to the Great Zhou capital, what were they doing in the mountains?

Had Pang Xiao hurried here after learning of the convoy being attacked?

As waves of shock roiled in Qin Yining's heart, the young man in the lead shouted in a raspy voice, "The Valiant Tigers are here on orders from the Faithful Prince of the First Rank to search for Riceball…"

After repeating this ten times, the soldier next to him took over for the next ten times, and another one after that.

The announcement travelled down the line of soldiers as the men searched.

Qin Yining's anxious heart could finally settle back in its rightful place, ensconced with new degrees of joy and sentimentality. Pang Xiao really had sent the Valiant Tigers to look for her! And he'd given them this code out of concern that she wouldn't recognize his men!

She left the shrubbery, Lian Xiaozhou in hand.

Her movement instantly drew the attention of the rescue party, heads whipping back to her position. The young man in the lead came up with a cupped fist greeting. "Are you Miss Qin?"

His features were quite ordinary, but the look in his eyes exceedingly sharp. He looked at Qin Yining with seven parts a.s.sessment and three parts judgment, but gave off no hint of hostility.

"I am, where is the prince?" She kept her arm around Lian Xiaozhou and patted the child lightly.

The young man glanced at the child before responding respectfully with cupped fists. "Please come this way, Miss Qin." He turned to a soldier next to him. "Fire the whistling arrow."

An audible alert immediately rose into the air, answered shortly by another whistling arrow to the northeast, quite far away from their location.

"This way please, Miss Qin." The young man finally smiled.

Though she was perplexed, Qin Yining nodded without a flicker of change in expression.

With the dozen soldiers guarding them, Qin Yining and Lian Xiaozhou didn't have to worry about wild animal attacks or enemy ambushes. The trip proceeded quite smoothly.

At the foot of the mountains, the commandant looked into the distance and pointed at the smoke from cooking fires rising into the air. "We're heading that way, Miss Qin. The search parties look like they've already congregated there."

Qin Yining nodded, then asked with befuddlement, "How come your prince hasn't come find me himself?"

The young man looked around, then responded lowly, "After the prince returned to the capital, the emperor bestowed upon him a hundred acres of fertile farmland, a hundred taels of gold, ten beauties, and a month's worth of leave. Out of consideration for the prince's efforts, the emperor had him hand over the Valiant Tigers command token. Their commander now is Zuo Jinwei."

1. A very low military t.i.tle.