Don't Provoke the Black Lotus O [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 67

67: Stop the Bluff

“A good idea my ass.”

The moment Jiang Ci saw “Qin Shuang” she regretted her decision. Why had she impulsively agreed to this? She could come and go freely in this mountain stronghold—with her skills, she could just kidnap Prince Duan and be done with it! Now, under “Qin Shuang’s” probing gaze, Jiang Ci couldn’t stop sweating.

None of them had expected to run into each other here.

In the dead of night, women from several different factions gathered in one place. Sai Na sat at the head, with Jiang Ci and Wei Yueyan on her left, and Xi Lingxue and Jin Yu on her right. The three groups each had their own agendas, silently sizing each other up.

Amid the eerie atmosphere, only Xi Lanhua remained unaffected, enthusiastically pouring tea for everyone as if she were hosting guests in her own home—completely lacking any awareness of being a hostage.

After bustling around, Xi Lanhua plopped down beside “Qin Shuang” and said breezily, “Here, you two, have some water first. Did the Grand Princess send you? At least she has a conscience~”

Xi Lingxue: “…”

Jin Yu: “…”

She had assumed Xi Lanhua had suffered greatly after being kidnapped by bandits—starving, sleep-deprived, possibly even beaten or humiliated despite her royal status. In short, she must have been miserable.

But now, seeing her in person, Xi Lanhua’s face was still fair and smooth, her spirits high even in the middle of the night, glowing with health—as if she’d been living the good life in this bandit den!

Sai Na had no intention of antagonizing Yu Kingdom. She’d kidnapped Prince Duan on a whim after hearing the words, “Why don’t you just kidnap me too?” She’d thought, Why not? and taken her on the spot, only to land herself in a mess.

But because of it, her band of outlaws had gained a new path forward.

Sai Na sighed and admitted bluntly, “Officer Qin, it was our fault for kidnapping Prince Duan. Rest assured, I’ll return her to you unharmed—but not now.”

Xi Lingxue’s eyes darkened.

She’d had her suspicions for a while. This group of bandits had traveled from the border deep into Liang Kingdom’s heartland—could the Empress Dowager really be unaware?

If she knew, then she was deliberately allowing it, delaying, even using Prince Duan as a pawn.

So the moment she’d confirmed Prince Duan’s whereabouts, Xi Lingxue had rushed here overnight. Whatever the Empress Dowager was plotting, she had to rescue Prince Duan before Wu Yi could make a move.

Xi Lingxue smiled faintly. “You must know we came prepared. If you release her now, we’ll let bygones be bygones. Otherwise—”

Her voice turned icy. “Not a single person in this stronghold will live to see dawn.”

The spies had already scouted the bandits’ numbers. Xi Lingxue had hired a group of rogue soldiers—storming the place wouldn’t be a problem. That said, she had no intention of slaughtering everyone. Her words were mostly a threat, a show of force. A bloodless victory was still the best outcome.

“Qin Shuang’s” voice wasn’t loud, her appearance unremarkable, yet the aura she exuded was overwhelming—like a god looking down, deciding life and death with a single word.

Sai Na’s heart clenched. Before she could speak, Xi Lanhua cut in, “Hey now! There are a lot of elderly and kids here—we can’t do something like that! Tell the Grand Princess I’m fine here. They haven’t mistreated me, and they’ll let me go in a few days. There’s really no need for violence. They’re not bad people—just forced by circumstances.”

Xi Lingxue: “…”

Right now, she just wanted to sew this woman’s mouth shut. Stop undermining me!

Jiang Ci stayed silent, sighing inwardly. She could see it now—Prince Duan’s heart had already tilted toward the outsiders. No wonder she hadn’t been willing to leave earlier!

Xi Lanhua squirmed under “Qin Shuang’s” stare. She had no idea where this envoy got such an overbearing aura.

As the stalemate dragged on, Sai Na suddenly spoke. “Officer Qin, you know we’re facing a formidable enemy. The Empress Dowager has ordered General Wu Yi to suppress us. Only with Prince Duan here will our plan succeed.”

“You want to use Prince Duan as bait?” Xi Lingxue demanded coldly.

Xi Lanhua stiffened. Though she’d suspected as much, hearing it outright still stung.

“I won’t let her come to harm,” Sai Na said through gritted teeth. “To be frank, the Empress has secretly sent General A Ta to assist us. She wants to use us to eliminate Wu Yi.”

Among Liang Kingdom’s three major factions—the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and General Wu Yi—the latter was the most dangerous. A military hero with immense prestige, Wu Yi was the royal family’s greatest threat.

This bandit suppression was the perfect opportunity.

Sai Na would agree to release the hostage, while A Ta would lie in ambush, waiting to strike.

Wu Yi would lose this battle.

“Officer Qin, I know this isn’t ideal, but—” Sai Na took a deep breath. “Please believe me. Prince Duan won’t be in danger. None of the factions involved want to harm her.”

“Once Wu Yi is dealt with, the Empress will grant us amnesty. Everyone here can finally live in peace…”

Xi Lanhua looked at the woman at the head of the table, her gaze complicated. She’d known Sai Na was in contact with A Ta but hadn’t realized this was the plan.

Sai Na had no choice, not with so many lives at stake. Seen that way, being bait wasn’t so hard to accept.

Xi Lingxue remained unmoved. “Your Liang Kingdom’s internal strife has nothing to do with our Prince Duan. Tonight, I will take her—”

Before she could finish, Xi Lanhua slammed the table and declared heroically, “Then I’ll stay a few more days! It’s just Wu Yi—I’ve heard he’s no saint either! Give me a dagger, and when he gets close, I’ll stab him right through! He’d never expect it from me—wouldn’t that make the plan even better?”

She could already picture it—herself, majestic and righteous, taking down the enemy in one strike.

“Ahahahaha! This prince is truly brilliant, noble and just!”

As Xi Lanhua laughed proudly, Xi Lingxue silently clenched her fists, her gaze sharp enough to shoot daggers.

Jin Yu broke out in a cold sweat. “My lord, please don’t take it to heart… Don’t argue with Prince Duan…”

Sai Na stared at Xi Lanhua in shock. If not for “Qin Shuang’s” sudden arrival and forceful pressure, she never would’ve revealed the plan.

Who would want to be bait?

Once Wu Yi was dead, she’d let Xi Lanhua go, and they’d part ways forever.

Yet to Sai Na’s surprise, after learning the whole plan, Xi Lanhua had volunteered to stay.

Watching the fool grin, Sai Na’s heart skipped a beat. Something inside her had shifted.

As everyone lost themselves in thought, Jiang Ci—silent until now—finally spoke. “As far as I know, A Ta serves the Empress Dowager.”

When she’d first arrived in Liang Kingdom, Helian Ping had told her as much.

Jiang Ci guessed Sai Na, being outside court politics, wouldn’t know the intricacies—especially since A Ta was deeply embedded, his public image spotless.

The moment she spoke, “Qin Shuang’s” attention snapped to her. Until now, Jiang Ci had kept quiet, doing her best to stay unnoticed.

The woman scrutinized the sect leader, her gaze sweeping over the mask before trailing downward.

Like Jiang Ci, she was tall and slender, with a narrow waist and long legs. Dressed in form-fitting black, she cut a striking figure.

But beyond their similar builds, their auras couldn’t be more different.

The sect leader was decisive and lethal, striking to kill without hesitation. Jiang Ci, as a healer, had never even killed a chicken.

…Could they really be the same person?

Xi Lingxue was lost.

“No, A Ta serves the Empress,” Sai Na said firmly. “I doubted it too at first, but A Ta has the Empress’s secret decree. He’s been scouting for talent on her behalf.”

A Ta had sought them out earlier, providing supplies and helping them evade the Empress Dowager’s notice. Without him, they’d have been caught long ago.

Jiang Ci pressed, “What if the decree was forged by the Empress Dowager? What if this entire game is hers alone?”

Sai Na froze.

Xi Lanhua waved it off. “Eh, it’s too late now! Wu Yi’s troops will be here tomorrow. Whoever A Ta serves, Sai Na has no choice but to ally with him—how else can she fight back?”

“If we run now, what happens to the elderly and children? Just abandon them? Stop pushing Sai Na—she’s out of options!”

Our Sai Na…

Unintentional as it was, the words struck a chord—especially in Sai Na, whose face flushed instantly.

Jin Yu tugged discreetly at Xi Lanhua’s sleeve, whispering, “Prince Duan… Why do you keep siding with the outsiders?”

“…Do I?”

“Yes! Not once have you stood with us!”

Xi Lanhua paused, then glanced at “Qin Shuang.” The woman’s lips curled, but her eyes were cold—clearly laughing in anger.

Thinking back, she had been doing that. Guilt washed over her.

“Ah… I really owe you two an apology. You came all this way to rescue me in the dead of night, but I just… can’t bring myself to abandon these people.”

Xi Lanhua licked her lips, as if she could still taste the chicken wings—a little girl had saved them just for her.

Most of the people here were simple, honest folk. They’d kidnapped her on impulse, then spent days regretting it.

The thought almost made her laugh.

What’s wrong with these people…?

“Qin Shuang” must think she’d lost her mind, defending the bandits who’d kidnapped her.

“You don’t understand them. They’ve treated me well—not because I’m Prince Duan.”

The children—what did they know of royalty? They followed her around because they liked her.

Here, for the first time, someone had called her “Huahua.”

As Consort Yao’s daughter, she’d grown up pampered, surrounded by admirers. People flattered and feared her, but few dared speak honestly, few genuinely cared.

These people were different.

“Officer Qin, I’m sorry.” Xi Lanhua met “Qin Shuang’s” gaze squarely. “I want to help them.”

Xi Lingxue blinked, startled. Only now did she realize she might never have truly understood this elder sister of hers.

Jiang Ci was equally surprised.

Is this the same arrogant, hedonistic Prince Duan from before? A total transformation!

Xi Lanhua grew more impassioned, oblivious to Sai Na’s conflicted gaze. She felt bathed in golden light, her very soul shining!

Carried away, Xi Lanhua planted a foot on the table and stood, sweeping her hair back dramatically as she raised a hand. “Let me do it! Isn’t the whole plan’s success riding on me? What would they do without me?!”

Silence.

Jiang Ci was speechless. Ah, this… Yep, that’s Prince Duan alright. Same as ever.

Jin Yu gaped up at her, at a loss for words.

Finally, Xi Lingxue rubbed her temples. “Sit down first… It’s not that we can’t help. Let me think.”

“Oh, you should’ve said so earlier.”

Xi Lanhua hopped off the table, shooting Sai Na a reassuring smirk.

Sai Na had been staring at her, and when their eyes met, her pulse stuttered.

This Xi Lanhua…

Always so frivolous—since when had she become so… so bold?

Xi Lingxue pondered quietly, her gaze drifting unbidden to the figure across from her.

Warm firelight flickered over the mask, the black demon face half in shadow, adding to its mystique.

Xi Lingxue couldn’t figure it out—why was this person here?

Did the Xiaoyao Sect have ties to Sai Na too?

Noticing her stare, Jiang Ci chuckled. “Officer Qin needn’t worry. I have a solution.”

Xi Lingxue started. She hadn’t expected the infamous sect leader to address her so courteously—this was someone who disdained even Liang Kingdom’s court.

“What might that be?”

Wei Yueyan, silent until now, couldn’t hold back. “Our sect leader has countless brilliant strategies. Nothing in this world is beyond her. A mere Wu Yi is nothing.”

Jiang Ci nearly choked.

Stop hyping me up in front of Xi Lingxue! I still have to come clean later!

Xi Lanhua gasped. “A mere Wu Yi? He’s Liang Kingdom’s top general!”

Wei Yueyan waggled a finger, mimicking Jiang Ci’s usual arrogance. “Hardly worth mentioning.”

Xi Lanhua’s eyes bulged. “Then what about Hong San, the Empress Dowager’s right-hand man?”

Wei Yueyan snorted. “Trash.”

“Holy sh1t! Your sect leader’s that amazing?!”

“Of course. The sect leader is invincible.”

Jiang Ci: Enough, enough! Stop the bluff!

She was cringing so hard she could’ve dug a hole with her toes. Who knew her subordinates held her in such high esteem?

Thankfully, the mask hid her burning face.

Just then, a shadow fell over her as a cool voice spoke from above. “Sect Leader, might I ask you a question first?”

Jiang Ci’s breath hitched. At this distance, she could smell the woman’s hair.

Frozen in place, she felt scorching eyes boring into her.

“Qin Shuang” had stepped up to her table, leaning in closer. “Why… are you helping me?”

Xi Lingxue had been replaying Jiang Ci’s words: “Officer Qin needn’t worry.”

Why reassure her, a mere envoy, and not Sai Na or Prince Duan?