Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 24

24

No one had expected that the victor of this autumn hunt would be the Third Princess, a female Alpha who not only had the lowest rank among the three contenders but was also considered weaker than her male counterparts.

When the official tallying the numbers announced the result, the Fifth Prince stood up in shock.

The surrounding Omegas fell silent, their gazes uniformly fixed on the triumphant female Alpha.

Compared to her grim-faced elder brother and incredulous younger brother, the Third Princess appeared far more composed, her face adorned with a faint smile as she attributed her victory to her father’s guidance.

Not far away, Jiang Ciqing showed a trace of surprise. Having hunted in the same area as the Fifth Prince over the past few days, she naturally knew more of the inside story than others.

The Fifth Prince had placed great importance on this competition, setting out at dawn and only resting when the sun was nearly set. He also had help from several companions, such as Xu Fusheng, who gave up most of his prey to him.

While other princes and princesses could theoretically do the same, they were mindful of their own rankings and would never act as selflessly as Xu Fusheng, who kept only two foxes for himself and gave the rest to Liang Anmu.

Initially, Jiang Ciqing had thought the Fifth Prince was assured of victory. Her eyes flickered with thought. Apart from the winner, this result mirrored the last hunt—once again, the Fifth Prince had fallen short by just one pheasant…

By all accounts, Liang Ancheng was more skilled in socializing and typically played to his strengths, avoiding direct competition in areas like archery where he was less proficient. He usually lacked the competitive drive to push himself to the last moment in the hunt.

Jiang Ciqing glanced at the silver-haired woman in the distance, her silky hair fluttering in the wind.

What followed was a series of rewards and praises, culminating in the old emperor’s closing remarks.

Jiang Ciqing listened half-heartedly, her peripheral vision fixed on the red-dressed woman surrounded by the three princes, letting out a soft, inexplicable tsk.

The closing ceremonies were tedious, and it wasn’t until sunset that Jiang Ciqing and her party returned to the Jiang residence. After washing up and other routines, Jiang Ciqing used the excuse of exhaustion from the hunt to retire early. In reality, she had already slipped out to the capital, standing outside Wuyi Lane.

Dressed in a silver round-collared robe, the Alpha leaped over the high wall, landing lightly under a sweet-scented osmanthus tree with a graceful posture—until she caught sight of the bamboo rocking chair swaying beneath it.

The person under the tree lay half-reclined, eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the intruder who had scaled the wall. Silver hair spilled loosely under the moonlight, adorned with fallen osmanthus petals. Her delicate features were relaxed, and a black qipao embroidered with magnolia flowers accentuated her exquisite figure. A round fan in her hand swayed occasionally, brushing against soft skin.

The Alpha’s throat bobbed as the fan moved, her gaze darkening. The lingering taste of wine danced on her tongue, and the heat of her still-unabated estrus surged down her spine, tinged with impatient desire. She leaned forward, steadying the rocking chair with one hand, her lips inching toward those red ones.

It wasn’t her fault for being impulsive. During their estrus, Alphas found it nearly impossible to stay away from their Omegas, yearning to be inseparable, as if fusing them into their very bones. In the laws of Nanliang, there was even a provision allowing married Alphas and Omegas to take leave during their estrus.

Yet Jiang Ciqing, still in the throes of her heat, had been apart from her Omega for an entire day, her steps quickening as she approached.

“Hm?”

Standing before her, bending down to close the distance, Jiang Ciqing let out a puzzled sound, halted half an inch away.

The seemingly delicate round fan was pressed against her collarbone, blocking her advance.

The young Alpha looked bewildered, even showing a pitiful expression like a scolded puppy.

The culprit finally lifted her eyelids, her peach-blossom eyes glimmering with a teasing smile, their watery depths carrying a tender, lingering charm.

Mesmerized by those eyes, Jiang Ciqing mistook it for permission and leaned in again.

The slender fingers gripping the fan’s handle pushed her back with a slight exertion.

“Xu Fusheng,” the pushed-back Alpha enunciated each syllable of the name, her warning carrying no real threat, her brows furrowed in confusion.

Xu Fusheng ignored her, tapping her foot lightly on the ground. The bamboo chair creaked loudly in the quiet night, the hem of her qipao swaying, revealing a glimpse of her slender ankle and its delicate, moon-white bone.

The fan pressed against Jiang Ciqing’s collarbone didn’t yield, causing a faint sting. Jiang Ciqing lowered her gaze to the yellowed rice paper fan, where ink-drawn goldfish swam playfully.

Her grip on the chair’s armrest tightened, veins pulsing beneath her skin as if she might crush the bamboo. The sapphire ring on her finger glinted faintly, and the sweet, tender scent of bamboo filled the air.

Xu Fusheng only smiled at her, resembling a pedigreed Persian cat lounging on a noblewoman’s lap, her ruby eyes sparkling with light, yet her depths held rationality and indifference, coolly observing her servant’s excitement at her proximity.

The heavy, sticky fragrance of osmanthus filled the courtyard, overpowering the faint bamboo scent, which could only linger in the small space around the Omega named Xu Fusheng.

Jiang Ciqing, kept at this torturous distance, found it harder to endure than the day’s events. Her eyes misted, as if on the verge of tears from being teased.

The fan tapped her collarbone rhythmically, like a dull wooden fish striking her chest. Jiang Ciqing’s sensitive skin reddened slightly under the pressure, and fallen osmanthus petals mingled with the faint flush, causing a tingling sensation.

Xu Fusheng chuckled softly, her voice carrying a melodious lilt. “Miss Jiang, in broad daylight…”

Jiang Ciqing, impatient and unable to tolerate phrases like “broad daylight,” grabbed Xu Fusheng’s wrist, flicked the obstructing fan aside, and pressed her lips against the ones she’d been yearning for.

The rest of Xu Fusheng’s words were smothered. The seemingly forceful Alpha’s touch was impossibly soft, her heated breath carrying the sweet scent of tender bamboo as it breached Xu Fusheng’s defenses, claiming every inch with fervor.

Though Xu Fusheng appeared to yield, she maintained control. Her fingertips brushed the nape of Jiang Ciqing’s neck, resting on the now-useless inhibitor patch. Even through the rough fabric, she could feel the burning, damp heat of the gland. She could easily pull back to avoid the eager “puppy’s” advances, but Jiang Ciqing’s performance was satisfactory enough, so she indulged her, occasionally responding as a reward.

The fan fell to the ground. The hand gripping Xu Fusheng’s wrist slid to intertwine their fingers, while the other, no longer steadying the chair, pulled it closer, closing the distance further.

Perhaps finding it troublesome, the Alpha devised a solution. She propped one knee on the chair’s edge, her free hand finally wrapping around Xu Fusheng’s slender waist, pulling her domineeringly into her embrace, bending her as if her waist might snap.

“Xu Fusheng…” Jiang Ciqing murmured her name, her voice thick with obsession and longing, causing the woman beneath her to dodge slightly, finding her clinginess bothersome.

The dark night enveloped them, and from beyond the lane came the mournful sound of a zither, perhaps played by some heartbroken lady abandoned by a lover, playing her sorrowful tune deep into the night.

Xu Fusheng turned her head to avoid further contact, her breathing slightly uneven, her earlobes, hidden beneath her silver hair, flushed red.

The Alpha above her retained a shred of consideration, rubbing her nose against Xu Fusheng’s cheek, giving her a moment to catch her breath.

“Don’t get involved.” Jiang Ciqing said abruptly, without context.

The fingers resting on her nape withdrew briefly before returning to the vulnerable gland. Her voice hoarse from prolonged breathlessness, Xu Fusheng lazily replied, “Why not?”

Jiang Ciqing resumed her clinginess, trailing kisses from forehead to lips. “The situation is still unclear. Making a move now isn’t wise.”

How could there be so many coincidences? Falling short by just one pheasant again? To Jiang Ciqing, it was clear someone had tipped off the Third Princess, allowing her to win by such a narrow margin.

“Oh? I’d love to hear the Jiang family head’s insights.” Xu Fusheng tilted her head, indulging Jiang Ciqing’s antics.

Jiang Ciqing paused, a flash of clarity in her eyes. After a moment, she said, “The Third Princess seems charming and generous on the surface, but she’s narrow-minded and intolerant of the slightest flaw…”

“She’s not a good choice,” she warned in a low voice, their lips brushing against a fallen osmanthus petal, its sweet juice mingling in their kiss.

Xu Fusheng chuckled and leaned in, coaxing her to say more. “And the First Prince?”

“What’s the point of gilding the lily?” Jiang Ciqing countered.

“The Fifth Prince?”

“If not for the emperor’s protection, the grass on his grave would be three feet tall by now.”

Perhaps swayed by beauty or still preoccupied with the afternoon’s events, the usually refined and courteous Jiang family head let slip a few sharp words.

“So the Jiang family head plans to stay out of it?” Xu Fusheng’s peach-blossom eyes shimmered with a watery glint.

“Xu Fusheng,” Jiang Ciqing paused her actions.

Dark eyes met ruby ones—one heavy with restraint, the other casual, even amused.

“Xu Fusheng,” she repeated, her tone a mix of a sigh and resignation. “Don’t get involved.”

Xu Fusheng raised an eyebrow, her voice lilting. “And if I insist on getting involved?”

Jiang Ciqing’s gaze darkened, her tall frame blocking the faint moonlight, casting the woman beneath her into shadow. “The royal struggle is far crueler than you imagine.”

“So you’re hoping the old emperor lives a few more years to keep the Jiang family out of it?” Xu Fusheng, misunderstanding something, said sharply.

Jiang Ciqing frowned, falling silent whenever the topic turned to this.

“Miss Jiang is quite naive.” Xu Fusheng concluded, nodding as if in agreement.

“Miss Xu insists on stepping into that quagmire, not caring if it costs you an arm or a leg?” Jiang Ciqing retorted.

“Better than Miss Jiang’s timidity, hoping an incompetent fool lives longer.” Xu Fusheng shot back.

“You think they’re all fools to be manipulated at your whim?”

“Foolish as Miss Jiang, relying on someone utterly unreliable!”

The earlier intimacy dissipated, leaving only sparks of confrontation.

Jiang Ciqing turned her head, softening her tone to persuade. “The situation in Nanliang isn’t as simple as you think.”

“Oh? Has Miss Jiang seen through it?” Xu Fusheng’s words carried a spark of defiance.

“You…” Jiang Ciqing’s anger flared, but before she could speak, Xu Fusheng pushed her back forcefully. Caught off guard, Jiang staggered back, only to be pinned against the osmanthus tree by the now-standing woman, her neck gripped tightly. The rough bark scraped her cheek, and she hissed in pain. Xu Fusheng restrained her hands behind her back, her knee pressing Jiang against the tree. The Alpha struggled instinctively, but Xu Fusheng mistook it for defiance, leaning in from behind, her cool body temperature a balm to Jiang’s fevered state.

Jiang Ciqing pressed her lips tight.

Xu Fusheng tore off the inhibitor patch and bit into the sweet, juicy gland, her domineering tequila-like scent slicing through Jiang’s body.

Jiang let out a muffled groan, her legs nearly giving way without Xu Fusheng’s support.

“Instead of worrying about all that, Miss Jiang should think about what we are to each other.”

“Lovers? Or just bedmates using each other to ease our heats?”

Her sharp canines sank into soft flesh, Xu Fusheng’s tone casual, as if she didn’t care. “Why did you venture alone into the wilderness three years ago? Miss Jiang has never explained, has she?”

“Jiang Ciqing, don’t try to control me,” she said heavily, her words the most effective warning of the night.

Osmanthus petals fell to the ground, and aside from occasional muffled groans, no one spoke.