Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 39
39
As the chill of the night deepened, the banquet finally came to a hasty close. With the flow of carriages leaving the imperial palace, the bamboo-patterned carriage swayed through the corners of the streets and alleys, eventually arriving at the residence of the Fifth Prince.
“Sir,” the Fifth Prince, who had been waiting outside, immediately stepped forward to personally greet Jiang Ciqing as the carriage approached.
Ever since their last late-night conversation, Liang Anmu had followed her advice and proactively requested a military assignment from the Emperor. He had then rushed to the border city. Although the journey was fraught with challenges—several times nearly being overrun by enemy generals—the rewards were immense. Just as Jiang Ciqing had predicted, the two northern Di tribes eventually retreated, allowing him to secure several victories and propose a timely peace treaty.
Though it cost the Southern Liang a hefty sum in reparations, they had secured the border city. Recalling the Emperor’s loud praise in court, Liang Anmu couldn’t help but feel buoyant.
He was self-aware enough to know that, despite being an A-grade Alpha, he was far less capable than his two B-grade royal siblings. It was only thanks to the Emperor’s favor that he could compete with them.
This battle had elevated his reputation, finally allowing him to establish a firm foothold in the court.
Young and sheltered by the Emperor’s favor, Liang Anmu had experienced little hardship compared to his older siblings. He wore his emotions openly, and now, with his thick brows raised, anyone could see he was in high spirits.
“Your Highness,” Jiang Ciqing responded indifferently, unconcerned with how others addressed her—whether as Ciqing, Master Jiang, the Prince of Huai’an, or even “Sir” as the Fifth Prince called her. She answered them all with equal composure.
“It’s cold outside. Let’s go in and talk,” Liang Anmu said with a hint of urgency, gesturing toward the open gates of his residence.
Jiang Ciqing had no objections and followed him inside with long strides.
Compared to their last meeting, Liang Anmu’s attitude was noticeably warmer, subtly treating Jiang Ciqing as one of his own.
Though the three royals had refrained from bothering Jiang Ciqing during the banquet, their subtle maneuvers behind the scenes were plentiful.
Unlike their overt pursuit of Xu Fusheng, which was justified by their interest in an Omega and carried out openly with sparks flying, their approach to Jiang Ciqing was different. As an Alpha, the heir to one of Southern Liang’s top aristocratic families, and someone favored by the Emperor, Jiang Ciqing was a delicate matter. If they courted her as openly as they did Xu Fusheng, vying for her in the royal succession struggle, it would not only anger the Emperor—who would likely “dismantle their bones”—but also provoke the conservative old ministers to prattle about how the Emperor was still alive, yet they were already fighting for the throne.
The truth was indeed so, but it couldn’t be displayed so blatantly, announcing to all that they were vying for the throne while the Emperor still lived.
Thus, while everyone coveted the Jiang family’s influence, they didn’t dare go too far. Instead, they mimicked the Emperor, sending rare tonics and gifts to the mountains where the Jiangs resided.
Liang Anmu had wanted to meet her upon his return, but heavy snow had sealed the mountains, and Jiang Ciqing had been ordered by the Emperor to stay put. He also feared that visiting her would be noted by the Emperor’s spies…
The three royals all knew that Aunt Sun was the Emperor’s spy within the Jiang family. The Emperor had not hidden this from them and had even explained it in detail.
The remnants of the old Chu dynasty, though granted high positions, could not be trusted fully. No matter how well they disguised themselves, their bl00d was still that of the former dynasty. If given the chance…
The Emperor had instructed them that if the Jiang family wished to uphold old traditions, they should not only allow it but go out of their way to support it, elevating them to great heights.
The Jiang family was a blade everyone wanted to wield, but they feared its sharpness might turn against them. Thus, the royal family acted like grinders, sharpening the blade to be thin and brittle—lethal yet easily broken.
Liang Anmu pushed aside his wandering thoughts and composed himself. Regardless of the future, the Jiang family was still key to seizing the throne.
The dagger Jiang Ciqing had given him last time had become his constant companion, even kept by his bedside when he slept. He knew well the lethality of the Jiang family’s blades—sharp enough to cut through iron like mud. It wasn’t an exaggeration; that dagger had saved his life once during the campaign.
Their steps didn’t falter as they entered the tea room on the west side of the residence. The Fifth Prince dismissed all the servants, then took the main seat. As if prearranged, a small charcoal stove boiled water nearby, and a sandalwood tea table was adorned with various tea snacks.
The Fifth Prince first rinsed the teapot and cups with hot water, then produced a sealed, intricately carved jade box with gold inlays. Smiling, he explained, “This is the first batch of Da Hong Pao this year. I begged Father for half a day to get just two ounces.”
Jiang Ciqing raised an eyebrow. The tea from their last meeting was precious but affordable for any aristocratic family. However, this first batch of Da Hong Pao was exclusively for the royal family, its rarity evident. Liang Anmu was truly sparing no expense this time.
Despite his rough appearance, his tea-making skills were impeccable, exuding an air of nobility with every gesture. The dark tea broth poured into a round purple clay cup, which he offered to Jiang Ciqing with both hands.
“Sir, try it. How does this Da Hong Pao compare to other teas?” Liang Anmu asked with a smile.
Jiang Ciqing took the cup with both hands and sipped lightly.
The clamor of carriages and palanquins leaving the palace finally faded, and the capital sank into silence once more. The croaking of frogs in the rice fields, the chirping of cicadas on the willows, and the barking of dogs outside the houses blended into a unique symphony.
After tasting the tea, they exchanged pleasantries, with Liang Anmu expressing gratitude for Jiang Ciqing’s earlier advice to volunteer for the campaign. Jiang Ciqing responded as needed but avoided directly addressing his invitations.
After circling the topic for a while, Liang Anmu lost patience and asked bluntly, “In the opinion of the Jiang family head, who among me, my royal brother, and my royal sister has the best chance of sitting on that seat?”
The directness caught Jiang Ciqing off guard, and the lingering bitterness of the Da Hong Pao lingered on her tongue. After a pause, she replied with feigned difficulty, “The Jiang family has an ancestral rule forbidding descendants from participating in the struggle for the throne.”
Liang Anmu’s expression cooled instantly. “And what about you, Sir?”
The Jiang family may be forbidden, but what about you, Jiang Ciqing?
Unhurried, Jiang Ciqing spoke slowly, “Your Highness has the demeanor of Emperor Wu and is the only A-grade Alpha among the princes…”
The Fifth Prince’s eyes lit up, catching her meaning. While she couldn’t support him openly, that didn’t mean she couldn’t act in secret. His foundation was weaker than his siblings’, and he needed discreet support more than public endorsement. Being too prominent could provoke his siblings to unite against him.
He broke into a smile. “Sir, you think of everything. Anmu is far inferior to you.”
Shifting the topic, he asked, “What should I do next?”
Finally reaching the crux of the night, Jiang Ciqing inwardly sighed with relief, adopting a more cautious and serious tone. “Your Highness only needs to wait.”
“Wait?”
“The court is already divided between the Eldest Prince and the Third Princess. No matter how hard you try, it’s difficult to break into their sphere. Instead, focus on developing elsewhere.”
The Fifth Prince frowned, then suddenly brightened as realization dawned. “You mean the border city? Like last time, using military achievements to boost my reputation.”
Jiang Ciqing nodded. “The northern Di and eastern Xia won’t easily let us grow stronger. It’s still early spring, too cold to deploy troops. Your Highness only needs to wait a few months patiently.”
Liang Anmu wasn’t surprised; instead, he grew even closer to Jiang Ciqing. His advisors had reached the same conclusion after much discussion, and now he was fully convinced that Jiang Ciqing was on his side. His attitude grew warmer, and their conversation became lively with laughter.
Half an hour passed in a few words. When the Fifth Prince escorted Jiang Ciqing out, his steps were light, his face beaming with an irrepressible smile. After seeing her onto the carriage, he sent a hundred guards from his residence, sternly instructing them to escort her to the foot of the mountain before returning.
Inside the carriage, Jiang Ciqing’s lips curled slightly as she clutched the newly made hand warmer. The Fifth Prince was well aware of the assassination attempt on her last time.
Crack!
Ah Fu swung the long whip sharply into the air, the crisp sound cutting through. Surrounded by armored guards, the bamboo-patterned carriage swayed as it left the city gates.
Strangely, this time the journey was calm, with no sign of any reckless attackers. The carriage leisurely entered the mountains, where Aunt Sun was waiting as usual.
After exchanging a few words with her at the entrance and urging her to rest early, Jiang Ciqing watched the old woman’s retreating figure. It suddenly dawned on her that Aunt Sun hadn’t pressed her about marriage in a long time.
Standing at the entrance, Jiang Ciqing’s lips twitched into a half-smile.
Had he deemed the Chu family unsuitable again?
Shaking her head, Jiang Ciqing strolled leisurely toward the library in the back mountains, thinking of the peach blossom in her arms. She planned to find a thick book to press it in—after all, it was her first token of affection and deserved to be cherished.
Passing through layers of security, she arrived at the three-story wooden library. Since the Jiang family’s rise, they had consciously collected all kinds of books. The early ancestors, illiterate blacksmiths influenced by the era’s belief that “all things are inferior, only scholarship is supreme,” collected books indiscriminately, hauling them home by the sackful.
Later generations, though literate, grew up immersed in this chaotic library. Not only did they see nothing wrong with the miscellaneous collection, but they continued the tradition of bringing every book they could find home.
Thus, the library’s collection was vast and varied. Her mother had once found seven or eight lost xiao flute scores here. As a child, Jiang Ciqing had spent countless hours curled up reading storybooks, so when she saw Di Changjie flipping through a pregnancy cookbook, she wasn’t surprised. She even pointed him in the right direction.
Di Changjie immediately tossed aside the book in his hand and walked toward the section she indicated, saying, “Why are you here too, Family Head?”
Jiang Ciqing answered casually, then added, “Does your wife prefer sweet or spicy food?”
Di Changjie’s face fell. “How can I care about sweet or spicy right now? It’s good enough if she can eat a couple of bites.”
“That bad?” Jiang Ciqing asked, pressing the peach blossom into a thick book.
“Otherwise, why would I be flipping through cookbooks here?” Di Changjie rolled his eyes, speaking freely due to his close relationship with Jiang Ciqing.
Jiang Ciqing thought for a moment and sympathized. Most people had parents to help care for a pregnant Omega, but Di Changjie, alone, knew nothing and had to learn everything. Even though she had lightened his duties, he still had to accompany her whenever she went out.
Feeling a pang of guilt, Jiang Ciqing turned and crouched beside him to search for cookbooks.
Di Changjie suddenly frowned, a strange expression crossing his face. Turning to her, he asked, “By the way, Family Head, how did you know where the pregnancy cookbooks were?”
Jiang Ciqing froze, her expression betraying a hint of youthful embarrassment and awkwardness.
Di Changjie instantly understood, a teasing smile spreading across his face. “Which Omega is lucky enough to marry our Family Head, already looking up pregnancy recipes?”
Her ears turning faintly red, Jiang Ciqing tried to save face. “Unlike you, only flipping through books at the last minute!”
“Yes, yes, you’re the most thoughtful,” Di Changjie grinned, then hesitated before adding, “Is there really no chance with that Miss Xu?”
Jiang Ciqing’s face darkened. She tossed the book she’d found at him and said coldly, “Don’t mention her to me.”
Di Changjie caught the book with a sheepish smile, flipping through a few pages before nodding. His voice grew quieter. “It’s rare to see you care about an Omega…”
Jiang Ciqing cut him off. “Have you told them? No one’s allowed to let her in again.”
“I told them, I told them,” Di Changjie said, exasperated at being dragged into these romantic matters as a burly man. Struggling, he added, “What if she sneaks past us?”
Jiang Ciqing shot him a sidelong glance. “How many lashes do you want? Name a number, and I can add a few more.”
Choking on his words, Di Changjie coughed and awkwardly changed the subject. “Family Head, who do you think the old Emperor wants as the crown prince?”
“No one,” Jiang Ciqing replied bluntly, turning back to the cookbooks. She vaguely recalled there were several more, which she pulled out for Di Changjie to take home. Perhaps one would have a dish his Omega could stomach.
“Huh?” Di Changjie was confused, unsure why she made such a judgment.
“I said you’re slow, and you still don’t believe me,” Jiang Ciqing snapped, still holding a grudge from earlier.
Perhaps because she was an outsider and had seen the Emperor’s facade of benevolence masking his ruthless cunning, Jiang Ciqing understood the old man better than most.
He didn’t want to choose any of the princes. The current rivalry among the three royals was exactly what he had orchestrated and wanted to see.
The year-end military campaign was an obvious opportunity for merit, so why had it been given to the Fifth Prince?
It was merely to help the weaker Fifth Prince gain a foothold, enabling him to compete with his siblings. Jiang Ciqing had seen this and encouraged the Fifth Prince to lead the campaign.
An aging emperor is a pitiful thing, especially a mediocre one with no notable achievements. He clung to the throne, desperate to live another twenty years. Accepting Xu Fusheng’s allegiance was a risky move, a desperate gamble that cared little for the people of Southern Liang or his own children. Either Southern Liang would surpass the other two nations, or it would fall to ruin.
Their emperor was inherently cold and ruthless.
“Here, take these two,” Jiang Ciqing tossed the books at him, adding, “Spend some time with your wife. Don’t follow me around everywhere.”
Before Di Changjie could respond, she quickly asked, “Any news from Zhile?”
Caught off guard, Di Changjie forgot to argue and replied, “Not yet. I’ve sent people to wait along the way. If there’s any news, they’ll rush back immediately.”
Jiang Ciqing nodded, then added, “If you get a letter, notify me at once.”
“Yes,” Di Changjie agreed solemnly.
Jiang Ciqing let out a heavy breath, recalling the faint marks on the previous letter’s envelope—three ordinary dots, meaningless to anyone else.
Only the two of them knew it signified that Li Zhile had finally found an unclaimed iron mine.
Outside, the crescent moon hung high, another day gone.