Chapter 6: Rescue Beauty (Part 1)

  ument.write(

  "Old Shen, are you still holding a grudge against me for exchanging so much food salt and tea leaves for just a worthless ring?" Zhu Yinglong asked with a smile as he looked at Shen Xi's disappointed face following behind him.

  Actually, Xiong Tingxi couldn't figure out why Zhu Yinglong was doing this. He had been worried about Xiong Hu for a night, but surprisingly, it seemed like nothing had happened. However, he knew that something had indeed occurred because he saw his daughter secretly crying. As they walked, he looked preoccupied with thoughts, and the matter had slipped to the back of his mind. Just then, Zhu Yinglong brought it up himself, temporarily putting aside his concerns about his daughter, and perked up his ears to listen.

  "I didn't, Your Highness!" Shen Creek hastily shook his head in denial after hearing this, although he was thinking the same thing in his heart, but he didn't dare say it out loud!

  Shen Creek went south and north, still doing the antique jewelry business. He had seen a lot and was knowledgeable. Not exaggerating at all, he took the ring from Zhu Yinglong's hand, glanced at it and said: "The jade is indeed high-quality blue田jade, but it's just a new piece of jade, not over 100 years old. The workmanship is barely fine, even if it was a token of Dorje's trust, it can't be worth more than our salt!"

  "Hey, take another look and see what's special about it!" Zhu Yinglong said with a smile, looking at Shen Xi.

  Shen Creek Fox carefully examined it, looking at it from the front and back, touching it again and again, but in the end shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, I really can't see what's special about it!"

  Zhu Yinglong said with a smile, "You can't see it, you might as well ask General Xiong next to you, maybe his eyesight is much better than yours."

  Shen Creek handed the appraiser's finger to Xiong Tingyi, thinking to himself, I've been immersed in this jewelry for decades, General Xiong, you're better at fighting than me, but when it comes to appraising jewelry, you're not good enough.

  Shen Creek stared at Xiong Ting's appearance, Xiong Ting took over the pointer and scanned it only once, his face turned solemn, Shen Creek's eyes were bulging out, could this rough old man who only knew how to fight really see something extraordinary? He looked disbelieving.

  Xiong Tingbi slowly opened his mouth and said, "This thing is what Nurhaci loves, I have seen him wear it many times in the border town, I didn't expect that he would give this thing to Dorgon!"

  "Ah……” Shen Xi was shocked, it turned out that this thing wasn't Dolon's, but his father Nurhaci's. Just because of this, its value would increase tenfold, a hundredfold, no wonder the prince didn't show any dissatisfaction, he had been blaming himself for nothing.

  Zhu Yinglong was also shocked, he saw that this ring was not ordinary, and it wasn't because he knew its origin, but because he saw the totem of the Manchu people carved on the ring, a soaring sea eagle, which is the symbol of the highest and most sacred hero in the Jurchen people. So not everyone can have a carving of a sea eagle as an ornament, so Zhu Yinglong was certain that this ring must have an extraordinary origin, but he didn't expect it to be Nurhaci's thing, and only Nurhaci was worthy of owning a jade ring carved with a sea eagle as an ornament. He gave it to Dorgon, the implication is self-evident, no wonder Xiong Tingbi changed his expression.

  "Your Highness, this ring..." After a long pause, Xiong Tingyi finally spoke up.

  "Does General Xiong mean for me to return this ring to Dorgon?" Zhu Yinglong saw through Xiong Tingbi's mind at once.

  Xiong Tingbi nodded, meaning his thoughts had all been guessed by Zhu Yinglong.

  "It's too late to return now, it was fine at first, perhaps this is fate, this ring should not have been in Dolegun's hands!" Zhu Yinglong exclaimed, but no one could understand the meaning behind his words.

  "Your Highness, a forest ahead has signs of a fierce battle, and there are also many bloodstains on the ground!" At this time, one of the two soldiers from the Hu Ben Camp who were scouting ahead came back to report, interrupting the discussion between Zhu Yinglong and others about the finger problem.

  Xiong Tingbi ordered everyone to be on guard and then followed the soldier at a slow pace to the place where the problem was found.

  Lu Haotian observed the traces of the fight at the scene and said, "From the terrain and chaotic situation at the scene, there was a battle involving more than 100 people here."

  Xiong Tingbi also nodded in agreement with Lu Haotian's point of view.

  "Master, come quick and look! This piece of cloth is just like the fabric on the uniforms of those Zhēng Huáng Qí cavalrymen we encountered from the Dōrgon tribe!" Shen Xi exclaimed, drawing everyone to his side.

  The crowd rushed over to take a look, and basically everyone could confirm that the torn piece of cloth was indeed from the uniform of the Houjin cavalry led by Dolgeon, who had parted ways with them less than half a day ago.

  "Was anything else found at the scene, any bodies?" Zhu Yinglong asked in a low voice. What happened, could it be that someone dared to attack Dorje's people within Houjin's control area?

  "Report to the young master, apart from some scattered weapons and arrows, no bodies were found!" Not long after, the soldiers of the Hu Ben Camp who had searched a radius of ten miles all returned. The weapons weren't particularly valuable, just common waist knives often seen in Hou Jin and Mongolia, nothing special about them.

  It's almost sunset, and the bloody ground can't stay for long. Hurry up and order to withdraw from the forest, rush forward on the road, and at the same time send people to nearby villages to inquire if there are any gains. From the scene of bloodstains, even if no one is dead, someone should be seriously injured. Moreover, Dorgon has been separated from them for less than half a day, and after such a fierce battle, with personnel injuries, they shouldn't go far.

  "Your Highness, we've found more bloodstains ahead!" Just as they had set out and walked less than half a mile, the scouts rushed back to report.

  Zhu Yinglong glanced at the sky and thought to himself that since he was in enemy territory, it would be better not to get involved in other people's business. So, he steeled his heart and said, "Don't interfere unless you find Dolon's trail; otherwise, don't get involved!"

  They lost over 4,000 catties of salt and several hundred catties of tea bricks. Everyone's speed has also increased significantly. It's been five days since they left the pass. After crossing these few mountains, they should be entering the territory controlled by the Ming dynasty. However, it is unknown how Liao Yu is doing now. The first battle to defend Liao Yu probably hasn't occurred yet; otherwise, he wouldn't have encountered Dorgon on the road. There would be no need to send scouts to the territory of the Mongols who depend on him either. At the same time, such a simple military task couldn't be entrusted to his own son. Dorgon must have had some special business to attend to. Was he contacting the Mongols to attack the Ming together? It doesn't seem likely. If that were the case, he wouldn't let them go no matter what, because they are also enemies. By killing them, the salt and tea would be theirs. He definitely wouldn't use this precious signet ring as an exchange. However, it can be confirmed that Dorgon left in a hurry without bringing any money. What was he doing with over 50 elite cavalrymen? Until now, he has been thinking about this question but hasn't gotten any clues from Dorgon's face, so there is still no lead.

  "Your Highness, I think it's unusual that we ran into Dolgun unexpectedly," Lu Haotian suddenly whispered to Zhu Yinglong.

  Zhu Yinglong nodded and agreed: "What's your opinion, Commander Lu?"

  Lu Haotian was shocked and hastily said, "I think that Dorgon is the Heir Apparent of the Later Jin, his identity and status are self-evident. He only brought more than 50 people with him, and they seem to be in a hurry, as if something big has happened. I guess that something must have happened in the Later Jin!"

  Zhu Yinglong's body shook slightly, and Lu Haotian reminded himself that he had originally only wanted to know if Dolon had suddenly appeared in the Mongolian people's territory for some reason. However, he forgot whether something had happened to Houjin. If something had happened to Houjin, Zhu Yinglong could guess that it must be related to Liao Yuan. If Dolon went to the Mongolian people's territory, it was likely that he would unite with them. If he rushed back, it was likely that Nurhaci would take action against the Ming Dynasty. It seemed like everything had been figured out, but all of this was based on his own knowledge of history, and there was no convincing reason to say it out loud. Therefore, Zhu Yinglong couldn't openly tell Xiong Tingbi and others about it. Moreover, he didn't want to enter Ningyuan City for the time being. He wanted to see with his own eyes whether Yuan Chonghuan was really that formidable!