Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 41
41
“Be careful with it. Later, help me deliver it to your master. Remember to have the doctor check it over first before trying it. After all, it’s an old prescription from before; I’m not sure if it’ll work for Brother Xun.”
“I understand,” the servant replied, carefully taking the paper with still-wet ink.
Jiang Ciqing breathed a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but glance toward the delivery room, where the door remained tightly shut. These prescriptions were ones she had seen while helping Di Changjie flip through books a few days ago. After writing them all down, she surprisingly didn’t know what else she could do. As a young person experiencing this for the first time, this was all she could think of.
The Fifth Prince had been sensible enough earlier, knowing it wasn’t the right time to disturb them. He had only left behind the physicians from the prince’s mansion and some precious medicinal herbs before taking his leave.
Jiang Ciqing hesitated for a moment but ultimately chose not to go in and disturb the family’s warm moment. She gave instructions to the servant and left.
This trip into the city had truly been unexpected. She had rushed over on horseback in a hurry, only to find herself with nothing to do. She simply gave her guards the afternoon off to go buy some household necessities.
Now, Jiang Ciqing wandered aimlessly through the alley. Perhaps because people were out working, there were few passersby. The willow trees, with roots lifting the stone slabs, swayed their branches, adding an inexplicable touch of spring chill.
Her long boots splashed through puddles, her thoughts sprouting wildly like tender buds at this moment.
She did like children. Perhaps because her parents had passed away early, whenever she saw younger kids, she couldn’t help but soften, as if this could make up for her own childhood regrets.
She had imagined that if she ever had a child, she would spoil them endlessly—no need for them to be obedient or sensible. She just wanted them to grow freely, to be a mischievous little troublemaker who loved causing chaos.
But…
Her fingertips brushed over the gland covered with two layers of blockers. Even through such tight sealing, she could still catch a whiff of tequila’s aroma.
Her clear and elegant brows drooped listlessly, her high ponytail behind her head resembling a dog’s tail—like an unwanted puppy lying on the ground, pitifully wagging a tail no one cared about.
All of this was an impossible fantasy, just like the delusions under the osmanthus tree that day. When winter came, it would be buried in the wind and snow.
Her dark, glossy eyes took on a spring-like redness, her straight back slightly curved, exuding a winter-like dejection.
—Tap tap, tap tap!
Footsteps lighter than an adult’s rang out quickly. Jiang Ciqing didn’t think much of it, assuming it was a child from one of the houses running out. Running so fast, she wondered if they’d fall…
Until the footsteps suddenly stopped right in front of her, followed by a fierce pounce and a strong hug around her leg. The baby fat tinged with pink was especially noticeable as the child looked up, and a familiar, milky voice panted out: “Fiancée!”
The little girl’s voice was crisp and adorable, gathering all the vitality of spring.
Jiang Ciqing was stunned for a moment, instinctively bending down to steady the other. Looking at this pink-carved, jade-like little girl, she said slowly, “Why are you here?”
It was Qin Yun’er, the one who had exchanged tokens with her at the peach blossom banquet that night. Today, the little one was wearing a white cotton dress, her soft black hair tied into twin ponytails, her curled lashes fluttering, and her eyes like a vast blue sea—pure and clear, as only a child’s could be.
“Does Fiancée not want me here?” She puffed out her cheeks, pretending to be angry, but her eyes were full of joy.
Jiang Ciqing’s tone softened immediately, smiling as she called, “Of course not. I’m very happy to see little Yun’er.”
“But your parents aren’t around. I’m afraid if you run out like this, you might run into bad people,” Jiang Ciqing mimicked a child’s tone, drawing out the end with cute particles like “ah” and “ma,” adding a childish stickiness to her clear voice.
The little one nodded in satisfaction, hugging her leg and refusing to let go. “How can I meet Fiancée if I don’t go out? Besides, I didn’t run around randomly. My home is right here.”
Jiang Ciqing suddenly realized—indeed, many low-ranking officials chose to buy homes here. She rubbed the soft hair with its cowlick and smiled, “Why do you keep calling me Fiancée? Didn’t your family tell you who I am?”
The little one blinked, clever yet obedient. “They did. You’re the Prince.”
“Then why do you still…”
Before she could finish, she was interrupted. Qin Yun’er said matter-of-factly, “Can’t a Prince get a wife?”
Jiang Ciqing laughed, unsure what was going on in this little one’s head. Since she had nothing to do anyway, she knelt down to explain to the child what “loyalty from beginning to end” meant. You can’t just exchange tokens and call anyone Fiancée; this is serious and shouldn’t be said lightly.
But…
“I’m not calling just anyone. Only you are my Fiancée.”
Jiang Ciqing tried to smile.
“Fiancée, don’t be jealous. Don’t worry, I’ve divorced all the previous ones. From now on, you’re my only Fiancée.”
Jiang Ciqing’s smile stiffened.
“I’ve only exchanged tokens with you. I’ve taken back all the others’.”
Jiang Ciqing clenched her fist.
“You have to be good too. Don’t fool around. Wait for me…”
Jiang Ciqing held her forehead, wondering how the Qin family had raised such a quirky little one full of twisted logic. If she weren’t destined to have no children, she’d definitely go learn from them.
Her legs were numb from squatting, so Jiang Ciqing simply picked her up, letting her sit on her arm with legs bent, their eyes level. She smiled and scolded, “You’re so young and already so naughty.”
Without waiting for a reply, she continued, “Where’s your home? Take me there so I can recognize the door. Next time, it’ll be easier to find you.”
By the way, I’ll tattle to your parents and make them pay more attention to this, so you don’t call just anyone Fiancée. What if you meet someone with bad intentions?
“No can do,” Qin Yun’er unusually refused, her face wrinkled in difficulty. “I promised a sister I’d wait here for her. She’s buying me candied hawthorns.”
Jiang Ciqing laughed in exasperation. And she tells me not to fool around? This little one is the real flirt—a sister over there, a Fiancée here.
Feeling guilty, Qin Yun’er wrapped her arms around her neck and acted cute. Her eyes caught the white-skirted figure ahead, and she immediately bounced up with a sweet call: “Sister, you’re here!”
Jiang Ciqing’s eyes crinkled with laughter as she looked up, only for her expression to freeze and visibly cool.
At the corner of the alley stood a woman in a white skirt with silver hair. Her beautiful peach-blossom eyes sparkled with fragmented light, her excellent shoulder and neck lines visible, her slightly open collar revealing a straight collarbone. In her hand were two strings of crystal-clear candied hawthorns. Seeing they had finally noticed her, she unhurriedly stepped forward.
Jiang Ciqing instinctively stepped back half a step, but the child in her arms was heavy, pressing on her arm and forcing her to stay put.
She hadn’t expected this person not to return with the Fifth Prince. If she’d known she hadn’t left, Jiang Ciqing would rather stay at the Zha mansion disturbing that family than go out. Call her cowardly or avoidant, but she just didn’t want to face this person. Avoid if possible, hide if she could.
“Sister!” The child beside her was fixated on the candied hawthorns, grinning widely, her baby fat dimpling into two wine vortices.
Even Jiang Ciqing, who wanted to keep a straight face, couldn’t help but smile a little. Seeing the little one staring longingly, her heart softened, and she carried her toward Xu Fusheng.
On the other side, Xu Fusheng’s steps didn’t stop, but her eyes gained a spring-like breeze, looking in a rather good mood.
“Sister! Sister!” Qin Yun’er chirped like a sparrow, reaching out to grab the candied hawthorns.
Xu Fusheng had plenty of wicked fun, even with children. She seemed to hand the candied hawthorns to Qin Yun’er but stopped an inch from her reaching fingers.
Qin Yun’er had one arm around Jiang Ciqing’s neck and the other stretched out, half her body leaning out, but she still couldn’t get it. Her little face turned red with urgency, calling “Sister” over and over. The child’s voice was sweet and crisp; no matter how sticky, it wasn’t annoying. Xu Fusheng smiled and teased her for a long time, never tiring.
The green wind wound through the green stone alley, lifting skirt hems and scattering silver hair. Jiang Ciqing looked away, toward the moss flowers in the brick seams.
“Call me a few more nice things, and I’ll give it to you?” Xu Fusheng’s gaze shifted to Qin Yun’er, carrying the vibe of a bad aunt coaxing a child.
Qin Yun’er pouted, looking like she was about to cry from bullying, tentatively saying, “Good Sister? Pretty Sister, Beautiful Sister, Super Super Good Sister.”
These soft, pleading voices truly melted hearts and evoked pity. Jiang Ciqing couldn’t help but turn back and glare at the one still teasing the child.
Xu Fusheng’s eyes flowed, lightly glancing at her.
Jiang Ciqing pursed her lips and quickly stepped forward with Qin Yun’er in her arms.
No more pleading needed—the little one cleverly grabbed the stick and easily pulled it out, then loudly said, “Thank you, Sister!”
The next second, Jiang Ciqing returned to her original spot, avoiding the other’s glance.
Kids are like that—emotions change fast, crying one moment, laughing the next. She bit off a big chunk of candied hawthorn and immediately smiled brightly.
Jiang Ciqing found it both exasperating and amusing, helplessly saying, “You greedy little flirt. You’ve got your candied hawthorns now, so hurry and point the way. What if your family can’t find you and gets worried?”
Qin Yun’er grinned silly at her with half a candied hawthorn in her mouth. Who knows what’s so good about these things—the outside is sickly sweet, the inside sour enough to soften teeth, together they’re hard and tough to bite. Only kids like this would love them…
Her lashes trembled, unintentionally glancing across. That person was also eating a string of candied hawthorns, squinting in enjoyment.
Clearly an adult, yet loving sweets like a child.
Jiang Ciqing raised her sleeve to wipe the sugar residue from the child’s lips in her arms, her voice soft and softer: “Little glutton cat.”
Who knows where all these nicknames came from—she switched them endlessly for kids, but for her, it was always “Miss Xu” or “Xu Fusheng.” The rare few were ones she’d forced out.
Qin Yun’er bit off the remaining half, finally having room to point the way for Jiang Ciqing. Her free little hand pointed ahead, then quickly grabbed Jiang Ciqing’s neck again, as if afraid she’d run away.
Jiang Ciqing couldn’t stop smiling, turning her steps in the direction indicated. The person behind followed forward, lost in thought—Jiang Ciqing pretended not to see.
At this moment, the red sun began to set in the west, pale gray shadows lengthening in the empty alley, gradually merging as they walked, like an inseparable family.
“Fiancée, why did you only come to see me now?” Qin Yun’er mumbled, her cheeks bulging into arcs.
Jiang Ciqing’s black boots hit a raised stone brick, and feeling guilty, she pretended not to hear.
“I asked Mama and Mother to take me to find you, but they kept going on about the Prince’s status and wouldn’t let me go.”
Unexpectedly, this little one had been thinking of her. Jiang Ciqing’s smile deepened.
“I kept the jade pendant you gave me safe. The peach blossom I gave you…”
Before Jiang Ciqing could respond, someone interjected lightly from the side: “She came today to see another little kid.”
Qin Yun’er’s eyes widened, like an abandoned child in disbelief: “Fiancée, you actually…”
Seeing her on the verge of tears, Jiang Ciqing quickly explained: “That’s the newborn child of my good friend’s older brother.”
“Good friend…” Qin Yun’er latched onto the key point.
“A friend I grew up with, an Alpha,” Jiang Ciqing explained hurriedly, like a husband caught cheating.
“Okay…”
Jiang Ciqing hadn’t even relaxed when another faint voice came from the side: “She even gave them a peace lock.”
Qin Yun’er glared again.
Jiang Ciqing immediately promised: “I’ll make one for you when I get back, bigger than his.”
In her spare time from forging knives, Jiang Ciqing also made small trinkets. She had exceptional talent in this, no worse than outside silversmiths or blacksmiths.
Xu Fusheng bit off a piece of candied hawthorn, finding this stall Qin Yun’er recommended terrible—the hawthorns inside were sour and astringent, awful.
Qin Yun’er nodded in satisfaction, putting on a considerate air: “Fiancée is so good.”
Jiang Ciqing sighed in relief, thinking that having no children might not be bad—at least no constant balancing act.
Qin Yun’er hadn’t gone far from home; she must have been let out to play. Unexpectedly, she ran into Xu Fusheng right after leaving, then met Jiang Ciqing while waiting for the candied hawthorns. The three wound around a long alley to a small courtyard with an open gate.
Xu Fusheng’s steps halted, stopping just out of sight behind the door.
Jiang Ciqing stepped onto the stone threshold and crossed in. As soon as she entered, someone came to greet her—a woman Omega with black hair pinned up, gentle brows and eyes.
Jiang Ciqing had met her once before and knew she was Qin Yun’er’s mother. She immediately greeted, “Madam Qin.”
The madam was flustered, quickly curtsying: “Your Highness, the Prince of Huai’an.”
Jiang Ciqing’s smile faded slightly. She told her to rise, then casually chatted a bit. Finally, pulled by Qin Yun’er, she promised repeatedly—that she’d definitely come see her, bring a peace lock next time, and be good without fooling around.
Jiang Ciqing couldn’t argue, so she agreed to everything, coaxing like with a child.
As she turned around the corner, as expected, she heard the madam scolding the child.
“You little rascal, daring to take advantage of the Prince of Huai’an…”
The child’s defiant voice rang out unyieldingly.
Jiang Ciqing waited at the door, confirming Qin Yun’er wasn’t being hit before truly stepping away.
Just around the corner, a waiting person reached out.
Jiang Ciqing was prepared, dodging her right hand back and sidestepping the grab. But it was a feint—the person stepped forward, bending her arm and pressing her elbow hard under the shoulder bone, while kneeing up against the abdomen. Jiang Ciqing lost strength instantly, trapped against the wall once more.
The day grew cooler, spring night’s chill creeping up her ankles, seeping into her bones.
Jiang Ciqing’s brows and eyes were cold as she looked at the other.
Xu Fusheng’s lips curved in a smile, showing no trace of her earlier ruthless decisiveness.
“Does the great Prince of Huai’an like children a lot?” She asked with a smile, her expression like when teasing Qin Yun’er—casual and mocking.
“This has nothing to do with Your Highness the Princess,” Jiang Ciqing replied coldly, deliberately pressing closer to the wall she couldn’t get any nearer to. Her black robe picked up lime from the stone, starkly visible.
Xu Fusheng laughed instead of getting angry, her eye corners blooming with peach blossom pink. Warm breath laced with alcohol swirled around the person’s earlobe below: “Does Your Lordship still remember you’re a marked Alpha?”
She paused, lifting her gaze with a half-smile, drawing out the upturned end like a silver hook: “Your Lordship better not forget whose dog you are.”
At these words, Jiang Ciqing’s brows darkened. Just as she was about to retort, she remembered the Qin family behind the green brick wall. Not wanting to alarm others, she only warned sternly: “Your Highness, please watch your words.”
The other scoffed: “Jiang Ciqing, do you only know those few lines, going in circles? I saw you were quite talkative earlier, fooling that little one into following you blindly.”
“Our matters—why drag others into it!” Jiang Ciqing snapped her head down, meeting the other’s eyes for the first time today, her suddenly tense back showing her nervousness.
Afraid Xu Fusheng would target the Qin family on purpose.
“I didn’t say I’d do anything to her. Why are you so tense?” There was an inexplicable anger in her tone, even Xu Fusheng herself unaware.
Jiang Ciqing’s tight jaw relaxed slightly, but she still said stiffly: “She’s just a child.”
“A child?” Xu Fusheng laughed: “A child who calls my Alpha ‘Fiancée’ every day? Jiang Ciqing, aren’t you protecting her a bit too much?”
“I told you, we have no relationship!”
“Jiang Ciqing, you think beautifully—running thousands of miles to the barbaric lands, tricking my trust, marking me, then disappearing like it’s nothing?!”
“Now you’ve toyed with me once too—we owe each other nothing.”
Black pupils and red pupils glared in fury, less like mutually marked AO and more like enemies ready to tear each other apart, full of rage and hatred.
Jiang Ciqing gritted her back teeth, lacking her former trust and tolerance—like a dog abandoned by its owner on the roadside, hostile to all, ready to bare teeth and pounce.
Xu Fusheng’s hair fell over her eyes, her right hand gripping the other’s collar tightly, veins bulging under thin skin as she forcibly held back from slapping her face. Her suppressed hatred sounded desolate: “Owe nothing? Jiang Ciqing, don’t forget I searched for you for three whole years.”
“So I should let you toy with me over and over until, like those prisoners you keep, you get bored and kill me offhand?!”
The one who knows you best knows your weaknesses. Both went for the kill, stabbing knives into each other’s hearts.
“You still remember that roommate of yours? Still want to stand up for her? I took them into the mansion, gave them food, clothing, shelter—and they betrayed me. Shouldn’t I punish them?!”
Xu Fusheng sneered mockingly: “Do you know that family you sent money to from afar rushed to provide your information for the reward?”
She concluded coldly: “Traitors are traitors, and their whole families too.”
Jiang Ciqing was stunned, then retorted coldly: “And you? With Southern Liang royal bl00d in your veins—what good are you?”
She lowered her voice to a whisper only they could hear: “Don’t tell me you still don’t know about Liang Ji exterminating the Chu Xiang Prince’s entire family back then? Xu Fusheng, when did you become so naive?”
As soon as the words fell,
Xu Fusheng’s pupils contracted sharply, almost instinctively choking Jiang Ciqing’s neck, shocked and furious: “How do you know…”
She suddenly stopped, looking into the other’s ink-black eyes, trembling: “You tricked me!”
Whether Jiang Ciqing knew or not didn’t matter, but Xu Fusheng could only know what Liang Ji told her. Liang Ji was suspicious and ruthless; if he learned Xu Fusheng remembered the past but still submitted to Southern Liang…
Now, they each held the other’s leverage: Xu Fusheng knew she’d concealed from everyone and left Southern Liang; Jiang Ciqing knew she hadn’t lost her memory.
Jiang Ciqing let her grip, turning her head to avoid the gaze, only saying: “Xu Fusheng, the time isn’t right yet. After I complete my mission, what I owe you will naturally be returned.”
Even in such a tense atmosphere, Xu Fusheng couldn’t help but scoff at the other’s naivety: “How do you plan to return it?”
Currently, there was no method on the Emperor Star to remove markings; otherwise, noble families wouldn’t be so cautious. Marking an Omega meant lifelong inseparability, except through death…
At this thought, her red pupils condensed, looking at her in panic.
But Jiang Ciqing was utterly calm, as if she’d thought it through a thousand times, her tone carrying a peaceful deadness: “After it’s over, Jiang Ciqing will cut out her gland and repay Miss Xu’s freedom with her life.”
Xu Fusheng seemed to hear a snap like a rope breaking. For the first time, she clearly felt their bond sever—or rather, a chasm had long formed that couldn’t be crossed; she just hadn’t noticed. The dog she’d once held by the leash had finally rebelled, wanting to cut their ties clean.
Her gaze scattered for a moment, a sudden unacceptable panic rising in her heart. Her fingers curled back, gripping Jiang Ciqing tightly, like clutching slipping moonlight.
Trembling, she struggled to maintain her former lofty, unquestionable superior image, as if pitying the groveling human below: “Jiang Ciqing, as long as you’re obedient and don’t betray me again, I can let bygones be bygones.”
Just like that day when she sat high and bestowed the collar.
“Xu Fusheng…” The one being choked, with her life in the other’s hands, became the dominant one instead. Jiang Ciqing sighed, whether in regret or disappointment, her voice light as wind scattering.
“It’s getting late; Your Highness should head back soon,” she said flatly, pushing casually to escape the previously inescapable cage.
Dusk’s orange tinted the city; inside the houses, willow branches swayed, and a reluctant child was forced to recite family rules, her voice as crisp and cute as before.
Xu Fusheng stepped forward but didn’t know how to salvage it, only struggling to call: “A’Ci.”
The back in black riding attire paused but didn’t turn, only slowly saying: “A’Ci is my childhood nickname, known and used only by those extremely close. Your Highness the Princess better not forget.”
If others heard and realized our past relationship, and it reached the Emperor’s ears…
The rest needed no saying. Jiang Ciqing’s steps didn’t stop, soon disappearing around the corner.
The woman in white seemed powerless, leaning against the previous wall. Her ankles under the skirt turned blue from cold, trembling slightly. Only when night fell and lively family laughter echoed from the dining hall inside did she rise, back slightly bent, and leave.