Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 25
25
Outside the forge, in the bamboo grove, two figures stood at a distance, conversing in hushed tones.
“Don’t you think the Family Head has been acting a bit off these past couple of days?” asked Di Changjie, his dark skin contrasting with the thoughtful way he rubbed his chin with his index finger, his eyes half-squinted in a knowing manner.
“Obviously,” replied Ah Fu, pale-faced and clean-shaven, with just two curt words.
“You noticed it too? Why didn’t you say anything?” Di Changjie looked at him in surprise.
“I thought you’d already figured it out.” Ah Fu said, rolling his eyes.
Di Changjie immediately shot back, “I thought you hadn’t noticed.”
The two exchanged a glance before silently turning their attention to Jiang Ciqing, who was nearby.
A massive round stone, hauled here by some ancestor long ago, sat not far from the forge for resting after forging sessions. Jiang Ciqing, dressed in simple short robes, was perched cross-legged on the stone. In her left hand, she held a freshly quenched camping knife, while her right hand worked with military-green paracord, wrapping it around the knife’s handle.
Perhaps the afternoon sunlight was too harsh, or something was off—she wrapped the cord a few times, frowned, and undid it to start again. The creases on the thick rope showed this wasn’t her first attempt.
“Tch, ninth try.” Di Changjie noted, shooting a sidelong glance. “Is the Family Head losing her memory or what? She can’t even wrap a cord properly now.”
Jiang Ciqing’s brows were tightly knit. Her black hair, tousled by the forge’s bellows, stuck out messily. A smudge of charcoal stained her cheek, and the muscles on her forearm, still tense from forging, twitched with visible veins, betraying the sheer effort she’d put into her work. She clearly hadn’t yet recovered.
“Who forgets how to tie a cord but still remembers how to forge a knife?” Ah Fu retorted irritably.
“What if she only forgot some things? Maybe forging is just muscle memory. How else do you explain taking three days to make one dagger?” Di Changjie ventured boldly.
The person beside him couldn’t be bothered to respond.
Di Changjie muttered alone. “Ever since the Family Head came back from the autumn hunt, she’s been acting weird. A couple of days ago, she suddenly told me to buy osmanthus cakes. I got them, left them on the table, and she didn’t even touch them. Then she’s been holed up in the forge for three days straight, only coming out with one dagger. And now she’s struggling to tie a simple cord.”
He paused, then added, “Oh, and those two wild rabbits—she used to treasure them like they were gold. Anyone who so much as looked at them got an earful. Then the next day, she suddenly told us to roast and eat them…”
Before he could finish, Jiang Ciqing, still on the stone, glanced up at the sky, as if pondering something. When she lowered her head, it was like a switch flipped. Without hesitation, she deftly tied the cord into a neat, intricate knot in just a few moves.
Di Changjie froze, blinking in disbelief, his face blank with confusion.
By the time he snapped out of it, Jiang Ciqing had already gripped the knife, hopped off the stone, and was walking toward them.
“Family Head!” Ah Fu, quick on his feet, stepped forward and called out.
Jiang Ciqing gave a casual wave in response, instinctively moving to hand over the dagger. But halfway through, she paused, muttering to herself, “This knife’s not quite right. I won’t give it to you.”
Jiang family long knives, worth a fortune outside, were commonplace within the family. Jiang Ciqing, in her prime and brimming with talent, could produce a fine blade every few days. Sometimes she forged so many that they ran short on magic cores to power the process.
Fortunately, there was a secret beast-fighting arena where they could quickly acquire cores. To avoid drawing attention, Jiang Ciqing only visited occasionally, wary of winning too much and attracting trouble. Most of the time, she sent others to buy cores at a high price.
This meant the Jiang family never lacked for knives. Except for a few masterpieces displayed in the Blade Vault, Jiang Ciqing casually gave away most of her creations. So, neither Di Changjie nor Ah Fu thought much of her retracting the offer. They simply followed her as she walked out of the bamboo grove.
Until—
Jiang Ciqing, lost in thought as she walked, suddenly stopped and turned back, frowning. “Why are you two following me?”
To protect you, obviously—what else?
The two stared back at her with wide eyes, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“There’s a banquet at the palace tonight. Aren’t you two going to get ready?” Jiang Ciqing’s brows furrowed, her tone tinged with impatience.
As was customary, on the third evening after the autumn hunt, the emperor would host a banquet in the palace, inviting participants of the hunt and eligible Omegas from various families. It was a thinly veiled matchmaking event—first showcasing Alphas’ prowess, then providing a platform for introductions.
Tonight was that night.
The two finally snapped to attention, hurriedly clasping their fists in salute before rushing off.
Jiang Ciqing watched their retreating figures, scratching her head. Those two are such idiots, she thought.
Tonight, the Southern Liang capital was bound to be lively. The sun hadn’t even set, yet eager attendees had already set out. Ornate sedans and carriages, decked out for the occasion, formed a long line at the palace gates, snaking through the streets and looping around several times as more continued to arrive.
Guards, clad in silver chainmail, patrolled in groups of ten every ten minutes. The palace entrance, already heavily fortified, was overseen by a lead guard whose nerves were stretched taut, not daring to relax for a moment.
Commoners, having finished their dinners, spilled out onto the streets to gawk, pointing and debating which family’s carriage was the most extravagant. But with every family flaunting their finest jewels to flex their status, no clear winner emerged, and the onlookers were left dazzled.
As a patrol of guards passed by, a carriage adorned with bamboo motifs brazenly cut through the line, heading straight for the palace gates.
The lead guard opened his mouth to reprimand them but froze when he spotted the green bamboo crest. He quickly shut his mouth, signaled his men to step aside, and lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
A new recruit, confused, whispered, “Big Brother Wu, didn’t the Captain say that, given tonight’s special circumstances, no family is allowed to cut the line, and violators can be expelled?”
The man called Big Brother Wu wiped the cold sweat from his brow and snapped, “No matter how special the circumstances, the Jiang family is an exception. Even if the Captain himself were here, he’d bow and usher them in respectfully.”
The rookie, still green and rigid with regulations, saw his superior’s anger and reluctantly swallowed his words.
Another guard stepped in to smooth things over, whispering, “The Jiang family enjoys the emperor’s favor and is one of Southern Liang’s top clans. They’re always different.”
Big Brother Wu nodded in agreement, saying no more as he led his men onward.
Meanwhile, a black sedan nearby rolled up its window. A pair of eyes, filled with jealousy and disdain, glared out. As the window fully closed, a cold snort echoed: “The Jiang family? Hmph.”
Back to the Jiang family’s side, their elegant bamboo-patterned carriage clattered forward. The coachman, wearing a round straw hat, kept his head low, unfazed by the curious stares around him.
Before the carriage even reached the gate, the inspecting guards spotted it and stopped checking the next vehicle’s invitation, standing stiffly at attention.
“Master Jiang,” the Captain of the Guard called out as the carriage approached.
The person inside leisurely lifted the curtain, her dark eyes glancing at him. The Captain, upon seeing her, immediately ordered his men to let her through without even glancing at the meticulously prepared invitation.
The Southern Liang palace was vast and intricate, built upon the foundations of an older dynasty’s palace and expanded with new, elaborate European-style spires. The mix of ancient wooden structures and modern opulence resembled a malformed beast, swallowing the stream of incoming carriages.
The carriage stopped at the designated spot, and Ah Fu and the others entered a side hall to wait.
Jiang Ciqing, dressed in a bamboo-patterned, ink-green robe with wide sleeves, stepped into a crowd of people clad in Western suits and gowns. The younger generation, born in a new era, had long abandoned traditional attire, embracing modern culture as a point of pride. Their families had discarded old dynasty garments, opting for shirts, suits, and canes to align with royal trends.
Jiang Ciqing, out of place like a relic of a bygone era, strode confidently into this new world illuminated by a massive, luxurious crystal chandelier.
Her only friend had left Southern Liang, leaving her without anyone to casually chat with. She wanted nothing more than to slip away to a quiet corner, but despite spreading rumors of an injured gland and frail health, people still flocked to her, eager to make connections or at least get acquainted.
They might not seek her hand, but they’d certainly seek her blades.
The bored Alpha had to muster her energy to deal with them.
“I never expected the Third Princess to take the top spot…”
“I know, I thought it’d be a tie between the First Prince and the Fifth Prince…”
“I heard the Fifth Prince was furious—smashed a bunch of things when he got back to his residence.”
Jiang Ciqing nodded absently, her peripheral vision catching the pyramid of stacked glass goblets blocking the entrance.
It’s awfully late this year, isn’t it?
By tradition, the emperor would appear before the banquet began, give a brief speech—usually encouraging the young attendees to relax and enjoy—then sit for a short while before leaving the event to the younger crowd.
Oddly, though it was already night, the emperor was nowhere to be seen.
Jiang Ciqing frowned, a flicker of doubt rising in her chest. While Emperor Liang Ji wasn’t particularly talented, he was never one to be late.
“Has Master Jiang’s health improved?” A familiar Omega approached, dressed in an elegant gown, her chestnut curls framing a round, charming face. Her freckles, once visible, were now concealed by flawless makeup. It was Chu Nongxi, someone Jiang Ciqing had briefly interacted with before.
“Miss Chu,” Jiang Ciqing greeted softly, then added, “I’m much better, thank you for your concern.”
Chu Nongxi wanted to explain that their previous matchmaking attempt wasn’t just her family’s idea—she’d been interested in Jiang Ciqing for a while. But her parents had forbidden her from approaching Jiang Ciqing recently. Now, at the banquet, she finally had a chance to speak. “Ciqing, you should take better care of yourself. Forging knives can’t be rushed…”
Before she could finish, a commotion from outside interrupted.
The crowd fell silent, their laughter halting as they turned toward the open doors. There stood the First Prince in resplendent attire, followed by the Fifth Prince, the Third Princess, and—unexpectedly—Xu Fusheng, who had no business being there.
Jiang Ciqing’s eyes narrowed, her gaze locked on the group.