After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 58

When Qun Qing was suddenly hugged by Fang Xie, her body stiffened, her hair standing on end. But as soon as she heard his trembling words, her heart was thrown into chaos. No wonder he had seemed so uneasy earlier.

Fang Xie whispered, “Sister, something has happened to Master.”

Her heart sank. “What happened?”

“The boat was traveling along Jiangnan Road when it was attacked by soldiers from Southern Chu during the night. The ship capsized. Yao Niang, who went with him, wrote to say they haven’t found Master.”

The border between Beichen and Southern Chu along Jiangnan Road was known for constant friction, but news of a passenger ship meeting such a calamity was still shocking.

Qun Qing knew Fang Xie’s background—raised in a Buddhist temple due to his frail health as a child and later taken in by Physician Li, who taught him medicine. Physician Li was not only his benefactor but like a father to him.

Fang Xie sobbed, leaning heavily into her arms. Though taller than Qun Qing, he was still only fifteen, far too young to face such a devastating loss alone.

Qun Qing, however, was different—an adult, and burdened with guilt. Physician Li had been in trouble because of her mother’s search. How could she not feel responsible?

Feeling Fang Xie tremble in her arms, she gently stroked the loose hair at the back of his neck, offering silent comfort. Calming herself, she asked steadily, 

“What are your plans now?”

“I’ve sent Xiaosong away and calculated my savings from the past few years. It’s enough to buy a house. I plan to close the medicine shop and start fresh in the south.”

“You’re planning to leave?” Qun Qing asked. “You mean to go to Jiangnan Road?”

“Master hasn’t been found. I need to retrieve his body,” Fang Xie said, resting his head on her shoulder. “Sister, please come with me.”

“Of course, I’ll go with you,” Qun Qing replied without hesitation.

Physician Li’s trouble wasn’t something she could ignore, and leaving Fang Xie to face it alone was unthinkable. Together, they would travel to Jiangnan Road to search for him.

“I’ve already made plans to leave the palace. Princess Yan has agreed to help me when the ceremony for welcoming the Buddha’s bones takes place,” she explained. “The ceremony is scheduled for the second day of the winter month. In the meantime, prepare your money and belongings. Find a cargo ship on the Chan River heading south that day and wait for me.”

Fang Xie blinked in surprise but then nodded. 

“I’ll wait for you. But—will those people let you go?”

He was referring to the spies from Southern Chu.

“I’ve found someone willing to help exchange the talisman. I’ll try to leave using that,” Qun Qing said firmly. “If they get suspicious, I have an excuse ready. If things go wrong, I’ll deal with them later once you’re settled.”

Fang Xie stood up straight, his expression complex. 

“Sister, I don’t want you to face danger alone. From now on, we only have each other in this world. Promise me, no matter what happens, you’ll never leave me behind.”

Seeing the pain in his young face, knowing he had already lost so much, Qun Qing couldn’t refuse. 

“I promise,” she said softly.

Fang Xie relaxed a little. “We’re leaving in such a hurry. Sister, you get seasick—will you be able to handle the journey?”

He didn’t fully grasp the risks she faced within the palace, but Qun Qing did. She sighed, her voice calm but tinged with urgency. 

“The palace holds too many ties for me. I want to leave, but the longer I stay, the harder it becomes. If I delay, something bad is bound to happen.”

Fang Xie had just taken out the Hanxiang Pill Qun Qing had requested earlier. Hearing his words, she glanced up at him, slightly surprised. He asked directly, 

“Is this Hanxiang Pill meant to deal with those entanglements?”

His perceptiveness startled her. He continued, “After you mentioned it, I searched through medical books and even wrote to my master several times, but I couldn’t find any record of such a medicine. Eventually, I came across it in an ancient text—it’s a secret medicine of the palace.”

Qun Qing opened the medicine box and saw only one Hanxiang Pill inside. She looked up and asked, “Can you get another?”

“I bought this from an old eunuch, a former exile from the State of Chu. He only had one,” Fang Xie replied.

“It’s fine.” Qun Qing tucked the pill away. The world was unpredictable, and she had long grown accustomed to accepting less than she desired. One pill was better than none.

In the distance, the sound of a gong rang out sharply as an old eunuch struck it, signaling the palace maids to return and the gates to close. Around them, the noise of weeping grew louder, forcing Qun Qing to bid Fang Xie farewell and rejoin the crowd heading back to the palace.

Lost in thought, she trailed behind the others, her steps slow and unhurried. She didn’t even realize when she became separated from the group, left alone walking on the shadowed blue bricks under the night sky.

Her leads on her mother were once again at a dead end, and now Physician Li was dragged into the chaos. Everything before her felt like an elusive fog, dense and impossible to clear. Misfortune seemed to follow her relentlessly.

Had she been neglecting to burn enough incense recently?

Still, Qun Qing understood that anxiety would get her nowhere. Relying on others only left things beyond her grasp. If she wanted clarity, she had to act herself. At least her body in this life was strong and healthy—she had time to search for her mother.

This thought brought her some solace. Feeling the coolness of the night wind, she loosened the shawl wrapped around her shoulders. A faint citrus fragrance wafted through the air, carried by the breeze.

Ahead, a figure leaned casually against a corridor pillar. Even in the dim light, Lu Huating’s flamboyant presence was unmistakable.

Among the civil servants Qun Qing knew, no one lingered in the shadows like he did. Yet Lu Huating thrived in defiance of convention, always willful and unpredictable.

It didn’t surprise her. Perhaps he had come here after clashing with court officials to gather his thoughts, or maybe it was the mounting pressure from their recent animosity toward him.

Qun Qing walked past the shadow without pause.

Then she stopped abruptly.

She felt Lu Huating’s gaze lingering on her, sharp and unrelenting. Trusting her instincts, she turned and approached him.

Could her earlier meeting with Fang Xie have aroused his suspicion? After all, in her past life, she had never dared to meet anyone from outside the palace.

“Congratulations, Advisor, on clearing Prince Yan’s grievances and solidifying his standing in court,” she said smoothly.

Lu Huating remained silent, seemingly uninterested in her words. In the dim light, his face was calm, but his eyes held a strange intensity. His gaze traveled deliberately over her attire, starting at the hem of her skirt and lingering at the folds around her waist.

“It’s because the other person hugged me too tightly and messed it up.”

Lu Huating’s gaze shifted to her face, cold and probing, as if searching for a crack in her composure. Under his scrutiny, Qun Qing felt both a chill to her bones and a twinge of guilt.

Had he seen through her intentions or overheard her conversation with Fang Xie earlier? She averted her gaze and said calmly, 

“There’s something I cannot report to Princess Yan. If the Advsior is overseeing the ceremony for welcoming the Buddha’s bones, please pay attention to the carpets chosen by the Shangfu Bureau.”

“Why mention it at all?” Lu Huating’s sharpness cut through her words.

“Like you, we have our own schemes and struggles for power,” Qun Qing replied evenly. “That’s all I have to say.”

Lu Huating’s eyes lowered slightly, noting something unusual—her collar, always neatly fastened, was undone.

This small detail stirred his emotions more than her words had.

His gaze settled on her neck with the intensity of a blade pressed to her throat. Qun Qing instinctively turned to leave, but unease coiled in her chest like a forewarning.

With her back to him, she reached up to touch her neck. Back when Prince Yan’s Mansion was still weak, Lu Huating had reluctantly cooperated with the spy from Southern Chu. Now, with power returning to his grasp, if he chose to strike against her, she would have to face it, no matter how terrifying it is.

Her fingers brushed against the loose button on her inner collar. Fang Xie must have accidentally tugged her clothes earlier, loosening it. Qun Qing, always meticulous about her appearance, felt a wave of embarrassment and quickly fastened it with one hand.

But the moment her hand moved, she felt a subtle tension behind her, as if a predator had caught its prey.

Lu Huating had grabbed her shawl again, his grip firm, his intent unwavering.

“Lady Qing, few in this world dare to take advantage of me repeatedly,” he said, his tone a mix of curiosity and warning.

“I’m helping you,” Qun Qing replied, her voice steady.

The shawl was cold and soft beneath his fingers, yet he didn’t let go. Instead, he wrapped it around his hands, pulling her back to face him. His gaze locked onto hers with unrelenting intensity, bright yet ruthless, reminiscent of the merciless official he had been in her previous life.

“You know whether you’re using me as a pawn,” Lu Huating said with a sharp smile. “Do you understand the cost of doing so?”

Qun Qing met his gaze, unflinching. “If you don’t want to help, then forget it.”

Her words were deliberate. She knew Lu Huating had no choice but to assist her. If anything went wrong during the ceremony, Prince Yan’s Mansion would face the emperor’s wrath.

She had won this round, but it came with a price. Moving forward, she would have to tread even more carefully.

The Imperial Astronomical Observatory calculated the date, and the autumn hunt, delayed three times due to state affairs, was finally about to begin.

Concubine Lu gave the order, and the female officials of the Clothing Division in the Shangfu Bureau busied themselves organizing riding clothes for the nobles. With time running short, everyone—regardless of rank—pitched in to help.

The sudden arrival of the secret guards brought everything to a halt. Gu Shangyi frowned and asked, 

“The Clothing Division is on duty. What’s the meaning of this?”

Cui Yu entered alongside the guards and bowed. 

“Princess Yan requests a follow-up based on Lady Qing’s report. There are issues with the equipment for the Buddha’s Bones Reception Ceremony, and we must verify them.”

The guards immediately began inspecting the warehouse. Some of the female officials appeared confused, others indifferent. Jian Su, standing off to the side, observed their reactions quietly.

“Why is Lady Qing doing this?” Xu Siyi fumed. “I accompanied her during the warehouse inspection the other day, and she said everything was fine! Why pick the busiest day to cause trouble?”

Gu Shangyi sneered. “She’s targeting me, no doubt.”

Noticing Xu Siyi’s confusion, Gu Shangyi explained, “Qingxuan Pavilion complained about the prayer gown’s material being too thin and demanded the Shangfu Bureau make a new one. But the gown’s design and fabric were decided by the Ministry of Rites long ago. How could we change it just because of a maid’s complaint? If we did, what would happen when other ladies voiced their dissatisfaction? I refused.”

“Arrogant!” Xu Siyi snapped. “Does she have any idea how many people would have to work because of her whim? She’s not even formally appointed, yet she dares to make demands of the Shangfu Bureau. All because she leans on Princess Yan’s favor and thinks she’s someone important!”

While they spoke, the secret guards returned, carrying a few pieces of jewelry and a carpet. 

“These items do not meet quality standards and have caused offense. We’ll provide replacements later,” one of them explained.

Among the female officials, Chu Dianyi’s eyes briefly lingered on the carpet before she quickly looked away.

When night fell, Jian Su emerged from the bamboo forest, shaking off dew as he reported to Lu Huating. 

“Among the officials, Chu Dianyi threw a wax ball out of the window. It seems he used a trained bird to send a message to his superior. The message has just been sent and can still be intercepted.”

“No need to stop him,” Lu Huating replied curtly before turning away.

Jian Su and Zhu Su exchanged glances, both unsettled by Lu Huating’s increasingly unpredictable temperament.

Later, Lu Huating sought out Cui Yu. 

“What did Lady Qing and the princess discuss that day?”

“I was too far away to hear,” Cui Yu replied honestly.

Lu Huating pressed on. 

“May I review the government matters the princess has been overseeing recently?”

Cui Yu’s expression turned grim. “Absolutely not. It’s bold of the Advisor to even make such a request. If you bring it up again, I’ll report this directly to the princess!”

Unbothered, Lu Huating offered a faint smile. “Then at least let me see the note Lady Qing left regarding her meeting with the princess that day.”

With reluctance, Cui Yu handed it over. “Fine, take a look. It’s just an appointment.”

Lu Huating unfolded the note, glanced through it briefly, and then discreetly slipped it into his sleeve.