Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 60

60

—Bang!

Yu Tiande, like a bent shrimp, was kicked down the stairs with a single blow. The servants accompanying him had been sent to intercept the teahouse’s errand boy, so not a single one was there to stop his fall. He crashed into the railing and then the wall, tumbling down in a chaotic roll.

The clattering sound of his descent drew the attention of everyone below, who turned to look in astonishment.

His servants, seeing this scene, were both furious and panicked. They forcefully shoved aside the errand boy in front of them and rushed over, shouting, “Young Master!”

Yu Tiande’s well-tailored shirt tore as he rolled, its agate buttons popping off. He landed at the bottom step, his head slamming into the floor, splitting the skin on his forehead.

“Young Master!”

The servants nearby were so terrified their legs went weak. They scrambled to his side, hurriedly turning him over and propping him up, their faces pale with fear as they called out to him.

The man who had been so arrogant moments ago was now covered in bl00d, his eyes unfocused from the pain. It took him a moment to grimace and cry out in agony.

As a physically robust Alpha, and given that the staircase wasn’t particularly high, his injuries only appeared severe. His pained shouts were even louder than his earlier bravado on the third floor, full of vigor.

Looking up,

The figure in cyan didn’t flee. Instead, they descended the stairs leisurely, as if they had merely kicked aside a stray dog blocking their path. Their clear, refined features carried an air of casual indifference.

Footsteps echoed from behind—likely the people on the third floor reacting and hurrying over.

The man clutching his head in pain saw the other party not only showing no remorse but also acting nonchalant. The wounds on his body seemed to hurt even more, and he roared, “You little bastard! I’ll make sure you die a miserable death!”

“I’ll kill you, or my name isn’t Yu Tiande!”

“I’ll beat you to death!”

He had never suffered such humiliation. Back in Qingyang, from home to the streets, everyone fawned over and flattered him. If he saw someone he didn’t like, he’d send his lackeys to beat them up. This was the first time he had been so thoroughly disgraced.

The person in the cyan riding outfit, upon hearing this, inexplicably curled their lips into a smile. Their sharp features softened, and the smile took on an almost innocent, harmless charm.

It was hard to imagine that this was the same person who had kicked someone down the stairs.

Step, step…

The steady footsteps remained unhurried, completely ignoring the lackeys in front of them.

This only fueled Yu Tiande’s rage. Ignoring his pain, he shoved the servant beside him and bellowed, “What are you idiots standing there for? Go beat that little bastard to death!”

“What good are you lot?! Just standing there watching me get beaten, huh?!”

“Kill him! Or none of you will get off easy!”

The servants, pushed aside, didn’t dare retort. They turned their anger toward Jiang Ciqing, immediately rising with menacing expressions, ready to charge up the stairs.

But then, the Fifth Prince, standing at the top of the stairs, let out a cold laugh: “I’d like to see who dares touch the Prince of Huai’an!”

I…

In Nanliang, only princes and princesses could use this self-address. The golden hair and blue eyes were unmistakable markers of the Nanliang royal family, causing everyone below to tremble in unison.

And then there was the mention of the Prince of Huai’an.

The servants froze in place.

Even Yu Tiande, further back, was stunned. He might not recognize faces, but he wasn’t a fool. How could he not know the name of the Prince of Huai’an? On the carriage ride into the city, his doting father had sternly warned him about certain people he absolutely must not offend and should avoid at all costs.

The Jiang family, holders of the hereditary Huai’an Prince title, was one of those repeatedly emphasized as untouchable.

Yu Tiande stood there, dumbfounded. He never imagined he’d stumble into such a colossal mistake in a place like this, crossing paths with both a prince and the head of the Jiang family.

And if these two were so distinguished, what about the others at the tea table?

Especially the silver-haired woman he had set his sights on…

He suddenly recalled that the recently crowned princess, the Empress of the Barbarian Lands, was said to have silver hair and red eyes…

His mind went blank. Meanwhile, Jiang Ciqing had already walked up to him, a smile that didn’t reach their eyes carrying a mocking edge as they said, “Bastard?”

Yu Tiande snapped back to reality, his body trembling violently.

What had he just said?

He had called the Prince of Huai’an a bastard and threatened to kill them?

Jiang Ciqing raised an eyebrow, their gaze as chilling as a forest pool, instilling an inexplicable fear. Then, they lifted their foot and kicked Yu Tiande square in the face.

In his terror, Yu Tiande couldn’t react in time to block it. He was sent sprawling to the ground. Before he could beg for mercy, the cyan figure crouched down, grabbed his collar with one hand, and yanked him up like a ragdoll, landing a punch.

A loud thud of flesh hitting flesh rang out, and Yu Tiande’s head was forced to the side. The sound of cracking bones followed.

The onlookers winced, feeling the pain just from the sound.

But Jiang Ciqing didn’t stop. Another punch landed on the other side of his face. Their voice, usually as clear as a spring over stones, was laced with anger as they spat, “Your father’s a governor?!”

Another punch. Yu Tiande’s once-decent face was now bruised and swollen, bl00d streaming from his forehead like a fountain, staining his entire face.

“The young master of Qingyang’s governor?” This punch landed on his temple.

“Want to kill this Prince?!” This punch struck his jaw, sending a tooth mixed with bl00d and flesh flying out, rolling to the trembling feet of a nearby thug.

“This Prince despises nothing more than scum like you who bully others with your power and look down on people!”

Their bl00d-stained fist rose and fell again. Yu Tiande had no chance to resist; every time he tried to raise a hand to block, another punch came crashing down.

“See someone you like and just take them, then toss them aside when you’re bored, huh?!”

“You think others are what? Toys to summon and discard at your whim?! You cling to whoever catches your eye and hide at home when you don’t want to be seen!”

Another punch, this one heavier than the last, as if venting years of pent-up resentment. If not for the fact that both were Alphas, onlookers might have thought this was a jilted lover exacting revenge on a scoundrel.

Bl00d splattered onto Jiang Ciqing’s refined features, sliding down their sharp nose. The once-elegant young noble now looked like a terrifying demon in Yu Tiande’s eyes.

The next punch was weaker, as if their strength was waning, but Jiang Ciqing still gritted their teeth and cursed, “Think you’re something special because you’ve got power and status? Think you can toy with people however you like?”

The room fell silent, everyone stunned by the scene. Though the Empire Star valued martial prowess, such a brutal, bloody display was rare. The servants stood frozen, wanting to intervene but cowed by a single glance from Jiang Ciqing.

This was the Prince of Huai’an, the head of the Jiang family, deeply favored by the current Emperor, someone even princes and princesses treated with respect.

The people on the third floor had varied expressions, but none showed fear. Those in high positions had seen plenty of violence and filth. They didn’t find the scene shocking; instead, they were thinking of other matters.

For instance, Jiang Ciqing’s increasingly off-topic words.

Bullying others with power, looking down on people? Taking and discarding at will? Hiding at home when uninterested?

Their gazes shifted to the ashen-faced head of the Chu family, who likely understood the implications.

This was the first time the usually courteous and frail head of the Jiang family had lashed out in public. The ferocity of their punches suggested how long they had suppressed their grievances over being scorned by the Chu family, their frustrations finally erupting after being provoked today.

Yu Tiande had truly walked into the line of fire.

No one spoke. A mere governor’s son wasn’t worth their concern—an ordinary person. If beating him helped Jiang Ciqing vent, so be it. Even if he were beaten to death, no one would care.

Another punch landed, this one even weaker. Yu Tiande, his eyes swollen shut and face covered in bl00d, was unrecognizable, having passed out completely.

Jiang Ciqing let out a cold snort, finally releasing their grip and tossing him to the ground.

The Fifth Prince descended the stairs, looking at the servants with a stern expression and saying, “Take your young master back. And tell the governor that I will visit tomorrow. He’d better be prepared.”

The servants were terrified. Their young master hadn’t even had a chance to do anything before being kicked down the stairs and beaten unconscious.

Yet this prince was siding with Jiang Ciqing, not only allowing the beating but also planning to confront their master.

Pale-faced, they knew their young master had truly hit a wall this time. They were already mentally planning their escape from the Yu household, not daring to say a word as they hoisted the unconscious Yu Tiande and fled.

The Fifth Prince, unperturbed, turned to Jiang Ciqing with concern. “Is Sir injured?”

He furrowed his brow, not hiding his bias. Clearly, Jiang Ciqing was the one who had done the beating, yet he was worried about their well-being.

This gave the onlookers a renewed understanding of the rumors about the royal family’s favor toward the Jiangs, and new gossip was sure to spread soon.

Jiang Ciqing, one of the central figures, seemed somewhat dazed, as if the outburst had left them in a state of emotional blankness. After a moment, they replied, “I’m fine.”

But they looked somewhat fearsome, with bl00d sliding from their nose to their jaw, staining their wrist guard and dripping from their fist, leaving vivid red blooms on the wooden floor.

The Fifth Prince let out a relieved sigh and said with a helpless smile, “Next time, leave such matters to the servants. Your health is delicate, Sir. You shouldn’t injure yourself over someone insignificant.”

Jiang Ciqing seemed to recover, forcing a smile. “Thank you for your concern, Your Highness.”

Unfortunately, their current appearance wasn’t exactly pristine, like a bamboo stalk smeared with mud. Thankfully, the teahouse manager hurried forward, apologizing and offering a clean handkerchief.

“It’s not your fault. Whatever was damaged, put it on my tab. Calculate it and send someone to Zhushan to collect.” Jiang Ciqing said, taking the handkerchief and relaxing their tense jaw. They wouldn’t unreasonably blame others for this incident.

The manager, relieved that no blame was placed on him, said, “It’s just a few items, not worth much…”

The Fifth Prince interrupted, “Put it on my tab.”

His face showed a hint of guilt as he sighed, “I invited Sir and the others here to enjoy the spring lake view, but I didn’t expect to attract such people.”

“Put it on the Chu family’s tab,” a gruff voice came from behind. The head of the Chu family descended the stairs, looking at Jiang Ciqing. “If Your Highness has time tonight, I’d like to invite you for a simple meal to apologize.”

The manager immediately fell silent. Running such a large teahouse, he was no fool. He knew this matter was no longer just about compensation; it was beyond his control.

Before Jiang Ciqing could respond, someone else spoke up: “This incident started because of me. Put it on the Princess’s tab.”

The voice was melodious and captivating, each word dripping with allure. Everyone turned to look.

A woman in a qipao leaned against the stairwell, the white curtain behind her swaying in the breeze, sunlight breaking into dazzling patches. She stood in the interplay of light and shadow, her white jade pendant swaying, her peach-blossom eyes brimming with a smile, like a seductive enchantress.

The crowd suddenly remembered who had sparked this incident. Jiang Ciqing had merely used it as an opportunity to act.

Ignoring the gazes—some admiring, some covetous, some probing—Xu Fusheng looked only at Jiang Ciqing, chuckling softly. “Thank you, Your Highness, for punishing that lecher on my behalf. Your clothes are dirty. Shall I have a servant fetch some clean ones from the mansion?”

“No need. This has nothing to do with you, Princess.” Jiang Ciqing said, momentarily stunned as if just noticing her. Their brow furrowed, and the poorly concealed disdain was obvious to everyone. They took a step back, rejecting her outright.

Xu Fusheng’s face darkened, her smile flattening instantly.

Jiang Ciqing acted as if they hadn’t noticed, turning to the tea girl hiding behind her father. Their tone was much gentler than when addressing Xu Fusheng: “I was reckless and frightened you, miss.”

The relationship between Jiang Ciqing and Xu Fusheng was clearly as bad as the rumors suggested.

“N-No, it’s fine,” the tea girl stammered, her face flushing. Despite Jiang Ciqing’s disheveled appearance, their refined looks and the gentleness after their outburst were heart-stopping. Clutching her father’s sleeve, she thought the Prince of Huai’an was even more captivating than the heroes in storybooks.

Jiang Ciqing smiled and addressed the others: “The teahouse’s losses will be handled by the head of the Chu family. I’m not in the mood today, so let’s reschedule the meal.”

The head of the Chu family visibly relaxed. This meant Jiang Ciqing accepted their apology, and the Chu and Jiang families wouldn’t become enemies. He silently thanked Yu Tiande for taking the brunt of Jiang Ciqing’s anger, diffusing the situation.

But it was a fleeting thought. If the Yu family faced trouble later, he wouldn’t lift a finger to help.

“Another day, then. I’ll be waiting,” he said.

Jiang Ciqing nodded slightly, then turned to the Fifth Prince with an apology. “Your Highness, I’m feeling unsettled today, so I’ll take my leave.”

“Alright, I’ll send someone—”

“Thank you, Your Highness, but I’d like to walk alone,” Jiang Ciqing politely declined.

Liang Anmu frowned briefly before advising, “Be careful, Sir. Have your servants follow you, so you don’t run into more trouble.”

“I understand,” Jiang Ciqing said, returning the handkerchief. As they turned to leave, their gaze inadvertently swept over the stairwell.

The Third Princess, who had cut contact with Jiang Ciqing after they joined the Fifth Prince’s faction, stood on the third floor, her expression blank, as if she didn’t know them at all.

And the woman leaning against the railing…

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment. Jiang Ciqing looked away and walked downstairs.