Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 59
59
The spring day was perfect, with bright sunlight and gentle breezes. By the lakeside, willows swayed gracefully, and ripples danced across the green water. The wind lifted the edges of white gauze curtains, dispelling a veil of haze.
At this moment, the third floor of the wooden pavilion was oppressively quiet, with only the faint sounds of porcelain cups being picked up and set down.
The Fifth Prince’s side had already fallen silent due to the mention of a taboo topic, and now, running into the Third Princess only added to the tension…
Liang Anmu couldn’t help but feel irritated, suspecting that this was all orchestrated by his imperial sister. After all, their eldest brother had already rushed to the border, and the fragile balance of power among the three factions seemed to be breaking. In recent days, the two of them had been setting traps for each other, both openly and covertly.
On the other side, the atmosphere was equally heavy. The scholars who had been chatting and laughing heartily before ascending the stairs were now seated separately, sipping tea in silence. Occasionally, they exchanged a few words, but the conversation revolved solely around the tea.
Xu Fusheng, however, was content with the quiet. Perhaps unintentionally, she had chosen a seat at the far edge, where, with a slight lift of her eyes, she could see a certain Alpha still pretending to be lovesick and melancholic, looking utterly forlorn.
Today, Xu Fusheng wore a mist-blue silk qipao, its hem adorned with delicate bamboo branches extending upward. The coiled incense buttons fastened the dress from the side up to her neck, and her silver hair was neatly pinned up, covering most of her slender neck.
This Omega, usually radiant and alluring, was dressed unusually conservatively for her time in Nanliang, as if she had adopted the refined restraint of the region after staying there for so long.
Yet, her breathtaking beauty could not be diminished. Her peach-blossom eyes shimmered with a watery gleam, her red lips curved with a carefree smile, and even the line of her jaw exuded an innate charm. The conservative attire did nothing to dull her allure; instead, it was like adding a green leaf to a peach blossom, making her even more captivating.
It wasn’t that Xu Fusheng had deliberately chosen this look. Her nature was bold and proud, and she typically favored striking reds. The reasons for her sudden change in style were twofold.
First, a certain audacious person had left a trail of plum-blossom-like marks across her body, some shallow, some deep, some even bearing teeth marks. None of them would fade in just a day or two.
The second reason was also tied to that person. When Xu Fusheng was choosing her outfit, her gaze had briefly lingered on the small green bamboo at the hem of the dress. For a fleeting moment, her eyes lost focus, and she chose this piece.
Her autumn-water eyes flickered, casting a light, teasing glance at the person across from her.
It was said that marked Alphas and Omegas would gradually show signs of assimilation, their physiology and psychology aligning more closely. This rumor seemed to hold some truth now.
The mist-blue qipao and the cyan riding outfit—one soft and graceful, the other cool and aloof—complemented each other perfectly, as if they had been deliberately paired. Yet, no one would ever associate these two together, given their notoriously poor relationship.
The carefully hidden gaze was caught by the waiting hunter. Red pupils met black, and Jiang Ciqing’s eyelashes fluttered as she hurriedly lowered her head to avoid the look.
Xu Fusheng couldn’t help but want to laugh. This person’s acting was, as always, clumsy and full of flaws. The glance that pretended to be casual was filled with timid probing, like a guilty puppy unsure if its master had noticed its mischief, trying to act normal but clearly nervous.
She recalled how, just moments ago, the Third Princess, who had been walking ahead, suddenly paused, and then a familiar voice reached her ears…
Her little Alpha was quite skilled at feigning deep affection.
A clink of porcelain broke the silence nearby. The Third Princess froze, then heavily set her teacup back on the table. Such a crude action was a breach of etiquette, but in her foul mood, she couldn’t care less.
Regardless of what others might speculate, this time she truly hadn’t set out to trip up her Fifth Brother. The scholars around her were her trusted confidants, and with Xu Fusheng finally agreeing to join her faction, she had intended to gather everyone here for tea and casual conversation—a way to solidify her allies’ loyalty.
Forcing herself to calm down, she turned to Xu Fusheng. She couldn’t let her irritation keep her sullen and silence the group. With a strained smile, she said warmly, “Fusheng, try this flower pastry. This teahouse is famous for its tea, but the snacks are no less impressive. They’ve specially hired a master pastry chef.”
She pushed the plate closer to Xu Fusheng and added, “You don’t like overly sweet foods, but these flower pastries are crisp and soft, with a rich floral fragrance. They should suit your taste.”
Xu Fusheng gave a light laugh and said directly, “Your Highness is thoughtful.”
Across the room, Jiang Ciqing, ignoring the tea server’s protests, downed a cup of cold tea in one gulp, her expression growing even gloomier.
Nearby, the Fifth Prince began chatting idly with others, his gaze occasionally sweeping toward them, revealing a hint of resentment.
Deep down, he despised his imperial sister. Her rank was low, her strength weak, and all she did was scheme with words and charm at social gatherings. Xu Fusheng had clearly been swayed by her.
Recalling how he had tirelessly tried to win Xu Fusheng over earlier, only to fail, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated, convinced that Xu Fusheng was blind to choose her.
But when his eyes fell on Jiang Ciqing, his irritation eased slightly. A mere Xu Fusheng was nothing. He now had the support of the world’s greatest blade-forging family. When his sister learned of this, she must have been furious!
Feeling a touch of pride, Jiang Ciqing’s importance in his mind grew. He couldn’t help but think that if he ascended the throne one day, he wouldn’t need to suppress the Jiang family as harshly as their father had.
The Jiang family was a loyal and sharp blade in his hand—how could he let it break so easily?
A marriage alliance with the Chu family was also viable. After all, their father had already tormented Jiang Ciqing to such an extent that she was unlikely to live past thirty, let alone produce heirs…
His thoughts drifted, and a faint smile curved his lips.
“This flower pastry is indeed quite good.” Xu Fusheng said with a light laugh, holding a piece with a bite taken out.
The magnolia pendant on her wooden hairpin swayed with her movements, matching the earrings dangling by her ears.
Jiang Ciqing quickly averted her gaze, privately thinking how well the white jade suited her. The decision for Xu Fusheng to join the Third Princess’s camp had been a mutual agreement between them. For now, the news of the Northern Di Regent’s disappearance had not yet fully spread.
With the Eldest Prince absent, the two siblings were eagerly pulling courtiers to their sides. By each aligning with one of them, Jiang Ciqing and Xu Fusheng could maintain the balance between the two while speeding up their efforts to undermine the Eldest Prince.
The sooner chaos engulfed Nanliang, the better…
Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted from below, and everyone frowned, turning toward the staircase.
“Get out of my way! Who do you think you are to block my path? Do you know who my father is?”
An arrogant voice accompanied the sound of tables being overturned and porcelain shattering. The shopkeeper’s pleading followed: “Young master, the third floor is fully occupied today. Please come back another day, and I’ll offer you two pots of our finest tea as an apology, how about that?”
“I want to go up and enjoy the view today! What’s your tea worth? It’s not like I can’t afford it! Hu Zi, Zhang Xun, drag him away!”
Another wave of chaos ensued. The tea server, worried for her father, accidentally spilled scalding tea on her fingers, causing small blisters to form. But she had no time to care about the pain and started to stand.
“Sit down,” the head of the Chu family said sternly.
The earlier incident had left him simmering with anger, and now someone had walked right into his crosshairs. His stern brows were like ice, and he was curious to see which young noble dared to act so brazenly.
No one else intervened. The tense atmosphere was grating, and if someone foolish wanted to barge in, they were happy to watch the drama unfold.
Moments later, rapid footsteps echoed, accompanied by the clamor of servants trailing behind.
A young man in a shirt and vest appeared at the staircase, holding a gold-carved cane. Instead of using it to tap the floor like others, he held it horizontally, as if it were a stick for beating dogs.
His handsome features were overshadowed by a frivolous arrogance. His unsteady steps paused at the staircase, and his emerald-green eyes immediately locked onto Xu Fusheng.
Setting the “dog-beating stick” on the ground, he adjusted his shirt sleeves, cleared his throat, and flashed a smug, insincere smile, calling out, “Miss…”
So, this trouble was drawn by Xu Fusheng.
When he entered the shop earlier, he had caught a glimpse of Xu Fusheng’s graceful figure ascending the stairs and was instantly smitten. He tried to follow but was held back by the shop’s attendants. Only after his servants pushed them aside did he make it up.
Seeing the group seated inside, he felt no inclination to retreat. Though the people looked exceptionally refined, he didn’t think much of it. In his mind, the kind of people he couldn’t afford to offend in Nanliang wouldn’t be casually sipping tea in a small teahouse like this.
The people inside showed a hint of curiosity. The group gathered on the third floor included princes, princesses, lords, generals, and ministers—the most esteemed figures in Nanliang. Hearing the young man’s brash tone, they assumed he was from some noble or aristocratic family, only to realize he was a stranger.
“My name is Yu Tiande. My father is Yu Haozheng, the governor of Qingyang.”
Fortunately, he announced his identity outright, a tactic he often used. Normally, mentioning his father’s position was enough to make people tremble and offer him what he wanted.
Confident, he looked at the silver-haired woman across from him, expecting her to greet him with a charming smile. Then…
He swallowed hard, his eyes fixed on her. The capital was truly something else. Cars he’d never seen, silks he couldn’t buy in Qingyang, and beauties far surpassing those in his hometown were everywhere.
Hearing his words, Xu Fusheng couldn’t help but laugh. Her flowing gaze carried an enchanting allure, like a peach-blossom fairy from early spring, her earrings glinting softly.
Yu Tiande’s knees weakened, and he leaned on his cane to steady himself, his eyes dazed as if his soul had been stolen by the fairy.
“A governor?” someone nearby murmured, then added with realization, “The grand court assembly is in half a month.”
The grand court assembly was an annual event in late spring in Nanliang, where local officials and titled nobles gathered to report on their achievements, review the past year’s merits and faults, and face promotions or demotions.
It seemed this young man had come to the capital with his governor father for the assembly and was taking the opportunity to stir up trouble.
“A governor’s son, huh…” Xu Fusheng’s voice carried her usual melodious charm, lingering on the tip of her tongue, as if whispered from the heart yet tinged with nonchalance, like a peach blossom petal drifting gently to the ground.
Yu Tiande’s face lit up, thinking his usual tricks were about to succeed. But to his surprise, Xu Fusheng lost interest, lowered her head, and took a bite of the flower pastry.
Looking around, he noticed that the group, upon hearing his father’s title, showed none of the fear he was accustomed to. They continued sipping tea and chatting casually, which infuriated him. Just as he was about to shout…
A cyan figure suddenly stood and strode forward. With a swift kick to his stomach, Yu Tiande’s words caught in his throat, and he doubled over, tumbling down the stairs.
It was none other than Jiang Ciqing, who was supposedly frail!