Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 28
28
Perhaps because His Majesty came and went in haste, this year’s banquet ended earlier than usual. One by one, small sedans rolled out of the palace, shattering the silence of the night.
Inside a bamboo-patterned carriage, far steadier than an ordinary one, Jiang Ciqing, dressed in a loose robe, reclined against soft furs, cradling a silver-carved hand warmer, eyes closed in quiet repose.
The horse’s hooves clattered over cracked bluestone bricks, the carriage jostling as it wound from the main street into a deserted alley. Ah Fu, who had been waiting in the shadows, leaped onto the carriage with a single bound, lifting the curtain to enter without delay.
“Family Head, Chen Ya is gone.”
The deliberately hushed words had barely landed when Jiang Ciqing’s eyes snapped open, though her expression betrayed little surprise. She merely raised a hand, signaling for him to continue.
Ah Fu’s face was grave as he added, “The Northern Di and Eastern Xia jointly launched a surprise attack on the border. Although Southern Liang had taken precautions, they underestimated the threat. They sent only Chen Ya with fifty thousand troops to the border, but they were forced to retreat repeatedly, left with no choice but to hold the city walls and request reinforcements…”
“Reinforcements?” Jiang Ciqing’s brow furrowed, as if wondering whether she had overlooked this matter.
“It’s said that a messenger was sent to inform His Majesty, but His Majesty suppressed the news.”
Her clear, refined features instantly turned cold, her jaw tightening. Jiang Ciqing repeated in a low voice, “Suppressed?”
Ah Fu, aware of how absurd this was, gave a complicated look and confirmed with a single word, “Yes.” Then he continued, “Last night, Eastern Xia and Northern Di launched a midnight raid. The border city fell, and the fifty thousand troops were completely…”
He couldn’t bear to finish, pausing there.
Jiang Ciqing fell silent for a moment before asking, “How did Chen Ya die?”
The carriage circled through the alley, looping through the city.
“He was hacked to death by chaotic blades when the city fell. His sword broke into pieces during the resistance,” Ah Fu said, having already investigated thoroughly, ready to report to the Family Head.
Even the finest blade couldn’t withstand a mob’s reckless slashing.
Jiang Ciqing clutched the hand warmer tightly, feeling the autumn night’s chill seep into her bones.
Ah Fu waited for a moment before cautiously asking, “Family Head, shall we return?”
The silver patterns of the hand warmer pressed painfully into her palm. Jiang Ciqing pursed her lips, then leaned back fully against the seat, sighing, “Not yet. Let’s head to the Fifth Prince’s residence. He invited me to meet a few days ago, and now seems like a good time.”
Ah Fu nodded in acknowledgment.
When the carriage arrived at the Fifth Prince’s residence, his sedan was just pulling in from not far away. Logically, Jiang Ciqing’s group, having circled the city for so long in a carriage, should have arrived much later than Liang Anmu. Yet, judging by the direction he came from, it aligned with Wuyi Lane…
Jiang Ciqing’s eyes turned cold as a frozen pond.
The Fifth Prince, however, was overjoyed, feeling as though all the good fortune of the day was converging on him. He stepped down from his sedan with a cheerful grin and walked toward the bamboo-patterned carriage.
Jiang Ciqing glanced at the side of the carriage, where a dagger she hadn’t given away earlier lay carelessly discarded. A flicker of thought passed through her eyes. She reached out, tucked the dagger into her wide robe, and stepped down from the carriage.
The young Fifth Prince had yet to master the art of concealing his emotions. Spoiled and sheltered by His Majesty since childhood, those around him praised his bold and open nature. Compared to the other two heirs, he was far easier to read.
His thick brows arched, and though he tried to suppress a laugh, the corners of his mouth betrayed him as he welcomed Jiang Ciqing into the reception hall. Along the way, he even kicked a servant or two, ordering them to prepare well for the esteemed guest.
This was a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor at the autumn hunt, where he couldn’t wait to leave. Back then, blocked by his royal siblings, he rarely had the chance to meet Jiang Ciqing. Hearing rumors that she would likely align with one of them, he had been eager to win her over but lacked enthusiasm.
Now, her late-night visit was like a signal of possibility, and his smile grew broader as he practically dragged her into the house.
Rare and precious tea leaves swirled in boiling water, filling a blue-and-white porcelain cup with rich, dark tea. It was handed to Jiang Ciqing with both hands.
She nodded slightly in thanks.
The two began with small talk, mostly led by Liang Anmu, with Jiang Ciqing responding and occasionally asking questions to keep the conversation flowing.
Setting down the teacup again, the brown tea rippled, reflecting the Fifth Prince’s face. Unlike his royal siblings, his features bore little resemblance to the current emperor. His thick brows and fierce eyes framed a rugged face, showing no trace of similarity except for his golden hair and blue eyes. Yet, according to His Majesty, the Fifth Prince resembled Emperor Wu of Liang by six parts and was an A-rank Alpha, making him the emperor’s favorite.
“What does Family Head Jiang think I should do?” The young prince, unable to contain his impatience, finally cut to the chase after circling the topic.
Jiang Ciqing’s expression remained neutral, her eyes like a still, deep pool. “Eastern Xia and Northern Di have allied to invade our borders, yet General Chen Ya had only fifty thousand troops. Defending the city must have been difficult.”
Liang Anmu’s smile faltered. He glanced cautiously around, ensuring no one else was in the room, before lowering his voice. “Does Family Head Jiang know something?”
Her face remained impassive as she replied, “During the banquet, I stepped out for some air and happened to see bloodied soldiers moving through the palace.”
Liang Anmu’s expression turned regretful, his teeth clenching as if resolving himself. “Does Ciqing know about the fall of the border city?”
Jiang Ciqing froze, blurting out, “Fifty thousand troops couldn’t hold it?!”
“Yes,” he said, his voice low and heavy. “The news of the city’s fall came today. Father originally summoned us to the side hall… but then this happened, so he had my royal brother take his place to open the banquet.”
Us?
She recalled Xu Fusheng trailing behind the royal siblings at the banquet’s start.
For a moment, neither spoke, the silence filled by the deepening night.
“I originally…” Jiang Ciqing paused, then sighed. “Your Highness has trained in martial arts since childhood and is an A-rank Alpha…”
Liang Anmu, impatient by nature, couldn’t stand her hesitation. “What do you mean, sir?”
She didn’t keep him waiting, answering promptly, “Your Highness could request His Majesty’s permission to lead troops and reclaim the border city.”
Though not the most composed, Liang Anmu wasn’t foolish. He instantly grasped the implications. It was already autumn, and winter was approaching. The border was bitterly cold, with endless snowstorms, multiplying military expenses. For Northern Di and Eastern Xia to choose this moment to seize the city…
Their aim wasn’t the city itself but Southern Liang’s response.
Liang Anmu’s eyes lit up. “Sir, you want me to lead troops to claim military glory!”
If he led troops now, he’d engage in a tug-of-war with the two enemy states. Once Southern Liang secured a modest victory, they could propose a ceasefire with Eastern Xia and Northern Di. Those two nations, seeking only reparations, wouldn’t press Southern Liang as harshly as before and might even secretly ease up.
This was military merit within reach!
Jiang Ciqing didn’t respond directly. Instead, she drew the dagger from her robe and placed it on the table, smiling. “I wish Your Highness a triumphant return.”
Liang Anmu’s eyes gleamed at the sight of the braided dagger. His excitement surged. This was a blade personally gifted by the Jiang Family Head. Though not a longsword, its significance was profound.
Hadn’t Jiang Ciqing’s friend Li Zhile received a dagger as well?
A Jiang family longsword was rare, but a dagger held even greater meaning.
Grinning widely, Liang Anmu carefully accepted the dagger. “Thank you, sir.”
The night deepened, and the clatter of hooves sounded unusually sharp. As the carriage passed through the bluestone alley, Jiang Ciqing seemed to casually lift the curtain, glancing at the osmanthus branches extending over the wall. The fragrance lingered, scattered petals falling under the wheels as the carriage moved on.
Xu Fusheng…
What exactly are you planning?
I’ve added fuel to the fire. Will you make it burn brighter?
Lowering the curtain, she gripped the hand warmer tightly. The charcoal inside had burned out, leaving only faint warmth, much like someone else’s body heat.
The guards at the city gate spotted the bamboo-patterned carriage from afar. Without even inspecting it, they opened the gate, watching as it departed.
The moon shone brightly, speckled tree shadows fractured by the wind. The autumn night carried a chill that seeped into the bones.
Ah Fu, leading the horses, leaned against the carriage, his sharp eyes occasionally scanning the surroundings. For the palace visit, they had brought only five guards, dressed in ordinary robes with longswords at their waists, striding alongside the carriage without horses.
“Family Head, let me tell you, pursuing an Omega is an art…” Di Changjie, pressed against the carriage window, was muttering his so-called wisdom.
Jiang Ciqing responded now and then.
—Swish!
A silver streak shot from the dense forest! An arrow sliced through branches, heading straight for the carriage!
—Thud!
The arrow pierced the wooden panel but was stopped by the iron plate within, leaving only a finger-sized dent.
The four black horses startled, rearing up with panicked whinnies. Ah Fu yanked the reins tightly, while the four guards drew their swords in unison. Under the bl00d-red moon, their four-foot blades gleamed with chilling light!
The hidden assailant, seeing the carriage was iron-reinforced, shrank back, shouting, “Kill!”
A hundred black-clad figures charged out, swords drawn, their killing intent palpable!
Ah Fu hurriedly steadied the horses, then leaped down, drawing his sword, ready to shout to protect the Family Head. But before he could, the person inside had already flung back the curtain.
Casting aside her silk robe, Jiang Ciqing wore only a narrow-sleeved white undergarment, gripping a four-foot Tang-style straight blade. The blade was slender and sharp, its edge understated yet gleaming at the tip like a fallen star. Unlike the typical Jiang family Damascus steel pattern, it shimmered with a soft, jade-like silver-white glow. The guard bore the ancient characters “Han Guang” (Concealed Light).
Once the top-ranked blade on the Emperor Star list, the Jiang family’s ancestral sword, it had faded into obscurity in the era of magical beasts and core-forged blades, known to few today.
The black-clad assailant, unaware of its significance, saw only the target emerging from the carriage. A glint of joy flashed in his eyes as he charged forward, sword raised.
“No need to protect me. Leave none alive,” Jiang Ciqing said swiftly, then leaped down. One hand near the guard, the other gripping the hilt’s end, her boots hit the ground, and with a push of her toes, she lunged forward.
The black-clad man reached her, his strike a lethal slash aimed at her waist.
Jiang Ciqing’s dark eyes gleamed like a wolf’s, unshaken. She countered, raising her blade to block leftward.
The blades clashed, the force rippling through. The assailant’s sword notched, and he staggered back three steps, his right forearm numb from the shock. His heart reeled.
This was the frail, near-death Jiang Ciqing of rumor?
Before he could think further, Jiang Ciqing charged, her loose black hair whipping in the wind. Gone was the refined, breezy elegance of a noble heir—here was a killing god forged in bl00d, striding over corpses. She raised her blade diagonally, its cold light streaking like a meteor toward him.
He could only instinctively raise his sword to block.
—Clang!
Han Guang struck without hesitation, cleaving toward his face. His supposedly peerless steel blade shattered instantly.
In his final moment, he saw his comrade sneaking up behind Jiang Ciqing. But before he could rejoice, his vision faded, and he collapsed backward.
Unfazed by the sneak attack, Jiang Ciqing seemed to have anticipated it. Her blade spun, parrying the lethal strike. Her right foot stepped forward, left knee bending into a bow stance, shifting to a single-handed upward slash.
The sneak attacker tried to retreat, but Jiang Ciqing was faster, switching from an upward cut to a double-handed thrust.
Another body joined the unseeing corpses on the ground.
Jiang Ciqing showed no flicker of emotion, charging into the fray without hesitation.