The Southern Kingdom soldier, after hearing what was said, was stunned for a moment before running towards the captain and saying something in the Southern Kingdom’s tongue.
The captain then looked at the carriage with disbelief, put down the wolf-tooth club in his hand, and walked forward—
Ti Le emerged from the carriage, gently smoothing her temples.
Naturally, she was not the same as when she had first left the Southern Kingdom.
But after staring at Ti Le for a while, the captain still recognized her appearance, “You… you are truly… Princess Ti Le?!”
Song Chaoyu even heard the captain’s voice tremble as he spoke.
Indeed, how could they forget that a person from the Southern Kingdom was still seated in the carriage?
Perhaps to ensure Song Chaoyu and the others could understand, Ti Le nodded, then replied to him in the Great Yue dialect, “I am Ti Le.”
“Your Highness!”
The man knelt on one knee before Ti Le, seemingly overcome with emotion, “Your Highness! How can you be here? Do you know how many years we have been searching for you?!”
Actually, Ti Le had never considered returning to the Southern Kingdom before.
After all, she had changed so much from before. Having experienced so much, she felt she had failed her status and her mother, and was unworthy of returning to the Southern Kingdom. She also feared that upon her return, she would have no place to belong.
But at this moment, seeing her own people and hearing the Southern Kingdom’s tongue she had longed for, Ti Le could no longer hold back her sorrow.
Her eyes reddened, and she said to the man, “Do not call me Your Highness anymore. The moment I left the Southern Kingdom’s royal palace, I was no longer your Highness. Rise, what are you doing here?”
The man looked at Ti Le with confusion, “Your Highness… why are you with them?”
Actually, when he mentioned this matter, Song Chaoyu’s heart began to beat nervously.
After all, the Song family had done such things to Ti Le, and now this man clearly respected Ti Le, and could even take Ti Le back to the Southern Kingdom.
As long as Ti Le spoke, Song Chaoyu had no doubt that this man would lead his men to slaughter them all.
Under Song Chaoyu’s apprehension, Ti Le wiped away her tears and said to the man, “They saved me. Without them, I probably wouldn’t be standing before you now. So, are you going to kill them?”
The man clearly had not expected things to become so complicated.
He was stunned for a moment, then took a step back, “Since they are Your Highness’s benefactors, then we will let them go. Your Highness… what are your plans now? Do you wish to return to the Southern Kingdom with us?”
They were letting them go so easily?
Song Chaoyu finally felt a sliver of warmth in this cold world.
If they had not saved Ti Le this time, and had not kept Ti Le by their side, would they not have been let off so easily?
Song Chaoyu’s worry for Tiao Hong grew with each passing moment.
She didn’t know how Tiao Hong and Qiu Qing were doing, and she desperately wanted to find Tiao Hong.
Hearing the man speak, Ti Le could only sigh, “I will not return for now. I have heard that Ti Ya is in the capital, and I will be going to the capital with the Song family. If you continue to harm the female members of the Song family, you will be putting me in danger.”
“Yes.”
The man finally bowed his head and signaled to the people around him to put down their weapons, “We did not know Your Highness was here. We beg Your Highness for punishment!”
Ti Le glanced at Song Chaoyu. Although she had lived in fear in the Song family for many years, her gaze was always a little hesitant.
But her mind was clear, and she now asked the man, “Who is it that sent you to do this? Do you know that for people of the Southern Kingdom to actively cause trouble within the Great Yue, and to cause trouble for the officials’ families of the Ministry of Personnel, what does that represent?”
The man lowered his head, “Apologies, Your Highness! We cannot reveal who sent us. But since they saved Your Highness, we people of the Southern Kingdom are grateful for kindness received. What happened today was my fault, I should not have moved against them. Please rest assured, Your Highness, the road ahead will be safe for them, and we will not act again!”
He knelt before Ti Le again, causing Ti Le to sigh, “Go find the people who ran away earlier. We will wait in the town ahead, do not act against us again! Although I am no longer a princess of the Southern Kingdom, I hope that you will, for my sake, let us leave safely!”
“Yes! Your subordinate knows his mistake!”
However, it seemed that in the man’s heart, Ti Le would always be his princess.
Ti Le nodded at Song Chaoyu and the others, “Come up, I guarantee they will not act again.”
Then, as if remembering something, she looked at the man again, “My mother, how is she?”
The man was stunned for a moment, then sighed, “Her Majesty passed away two years ago from illness. Before she passed, she was still thinking of you!”
“I understand.”
Unexpectedly, Ti Le appeared very calm upon hearing this news.
She sat back into the carriage, then lowered the curtain.
But the moment she sat back, she suddenly covered her face and wept—
After all, these years of separation had caused Ti Le to lose too much.
Seeing the First Madam about to touch Ti Le, Song Chaoyu stopped her, “Let her cry for a while. She has suffered too much these past years.”
“Wuwuwu—”
Song Chaoyu’s words caused Ti Le to cry even louder.
Their carriage, amidst such crying, slowly moved towards the town ahead.
—
As the man had promised, the coachman drove the carriage from the woods onto the main road, and no one stopped them again.
Even as night fell, the main road was still bustling with people.
The Great Yue Dynasty was now considered a peaceful and prosperous era, with extensive trade between regions, and no one paid attention to their carriage.
The town was brightly lit, and no one knew what had happened in the woods just moments ago.
The maidservant accompanying the First Madam found the best inn in town.
The carriage stopped in front of the inn, but Song Chaoyu did not enter the inn for a long time, only gazing towards the direction of the town entrance.
The Old Madam naturally knew what Song Chaoyu was waiting for.
She stepped forward and gently patted Song Chaoyu’s shoulder, “Fourth girl, they will be fine. Didn’t Ti Le send someone to look for them? Granny Yin has also gone to notify the authorities, don’t worry.”
How could she not worry?
But she still forced a smile at the Old Madam, “Grandmother, we have traveled far today and have been frightened. Please go in and rest quickly! Don’t worry about Tiao Hong, I will handle it myself.”
She was determined to wait, and the Old Madam understood her stubbornness.