Queen O's Timid Fugitive A - Chapter 63
63
If someone were to pass by, they would surely wonder what these two people, sitting face-to-face, were doing.
Like fools.
One leaned against the railing, brows furrowing and then relaxing, their obsidian-like eyes rippling with waves, the sea within them surging and falling, ever-changing.
The other sat opposite, raising a hand only to lower it, then raising it again to point at Jiang Ciqing. The silver-framed glasses on their nose tilted askew, lips opening and closing, a breath caught in their throat, unable to be released.
It wasn’t until night fell, and a bright full moon appeared on the horizon, that a sound finally broke the silence.
“You little…”
Jiang Ciqing’s expression was complex, and after a long pause, she finally said, “What incredible luck you have.”
When Li Zhile was young, she had followed her father’s merchant caravan to trade in Beidi. There, she found an abandoned, frail little girl on the streets. She shouldn’t have saved her—in a land that revered survival of the fittest, such abandoned children were countless.
But the girl’s fierce will to survive and the hand that tightly clutched Li Zhile’s sleeve inexplicably softened her heart. So, she brought the girl back to her carriage…
Just like this trade expedition, that year, the Li family’s caravan stayed in Beidi for an entire winter. After the snow melted, Li Zhile had intended to bring the girl back to Nanliang, but she was refused.
“Why haven’t I ever heard you mention this?” Jiang Ciqing said with a hint of dissatisfaction. It wasn’t some shameful secret, yet in all these years, Li Zhile had never said a word about it.
Her gaze fell on the person across from her, only to see Li Zhile lower her eyes. Jiang Ciqing immediately understood the reason.
Though the two had grown up together, their personalities were vastly different. Jiang Ciqing was cold on the outside but warm inside. Despite her usual aloof and distant demeanor, she was never unkind to those close to her.
For example, knowing that Di Changjie’s wife was pregnant and had no close family to help, Jiang Ciqing not only relieved him of all his official duties but also frequently sent gifts to their household. Even with Qin Yun’er, whom she had only met a few times, Jiang Ciqing remembered to tuck a bracelet into her pocket when descending the mountain, planning to give it to her later.
Li Zhile, on the other hand, was the opposite. On the surface, she appeared to be a refined and elegant young lady, always wearing a smile, effortlessly navigating the circles of nobles and merchants, even earning the scornful label of a “long-sleeved dancer” from jealous rivals.
But her actions were decisive and ruthless. After fully taking control of the Li family, her half-siblings were either married off or relegated to managing small shops, completely marginalized. She rarely saw them even once a year. If she could treat bl00d relatives this way, how much less would she care for strangers?
Jiang Ciqing understood immediately. It was rare for Li Zhile to show kindness and save someone, carefully tending to them and even planning to bring them back to Nanliang, only to be coldly rejected.
No wonder she never mentioned it in all these years. After all, the number of people Li Zhile truly cared about could be counted on one hand—Jiang Ciqing and her late parents, just the three of them.
But when Jiang Ciqing said she was lucky, it was because the one person Li Zhile had saved out of kindness turned out to be the abandoned princess of the royal family—the very same Beidi Regent who had disappeared for months.
Li Zhile’s emotions settled slightly, and she raised her eyelids, retorting defiantly, “Well, I haven’t heard you mention anything either.”
“Mine’s something I couldn’t talk about.” Jiang Ciqing shot back, unwilling to let the comparison stand. She had kept her matter hidden even from Di Changjie and others. If it weren’t for her relationship with Xu Fusheng now, she wouldn’t have considered revealing it.
Li Zhile opened her mouth, reluctantly muttering, “I just didn’t want to bring it up. Who could’ve known we’d meet again…”
And after meeting again, she had recklessly abducted Beidi’s Regent, second only to the emperor, back to Nanliang without even asking the Omega’s opinion. She had simply announced to her best friend that she was getting married.
Jiang Ciqing glanced at her sideways, knowing Li Zhile was bold—running caravans and killing bandits in her teens—but she hadn’t expected her to be this audacious. Though Li Zhile had glossed over many details, Jiang Ciqing could still sense a hint of coercion.
After hesitating, she said, “Have you thought this through? Make sure you’ve considered everything before deciding.”
“You know me,” Li Zhile said with a slight smirk, meeting her gaze. “I’m a merchant with big ambitions. I love deals that involve a bit of risk for a massive reward.”
“This risk isn’t small.”
“But the reward is even greater.”
“That’s Beidi’s pillar of strength.”
“And Xu Fusheng is the queen of the Barbaric Lands, currently Nanliang’s princess, and in the future…”
Li Zhile paused, her smile deepening. “You haven’t forgotten what Aunt Jiang once said, have you? If she truly is the daughter of the King Xiang of Chu, then she’s the master the Jiang and Li families are meant to serve. If this plan succeeds, she’ll restore her kingdom and become an empress.”
Her tone shifted, carrying a teasing edge. “What’s your take on the position of ‘Imperial Consort,’ A’Ci?”
The Nanliang emperors’ wariness of the old Chu royal family and clans wasn’t baseless.
Back then, when the Chu royal family was forced to abdicate, they hadn’t been without schemes. Otherwise, the Jiang family wouldn’t have withdrawn from the capital to settle on Coal Mountain. They had simply never had the chance to act.
Moreover, Nanliang had continuously weakened and suppressed the old Chu forces. Of the prominent families from that era, only the Jiang and Li families had barely survived. With the extinction of the old Chu royal family, both had thought this chapter of history was closed, never to be reopened.
“Does she know about this?” Li Zhile asked, her tone ambiguous.
“I’ve told her.” Jiang Ciqing said, her expression turning serious as the conversation shifted to business.
“And how did she respond?”
“She…” Jiang Ciqing paused, her gaze dropping to the table. “She’s governed the Barbaric Lands very well.”
At the very least, she had transformed a place once feared and despised as chaotic into a relatively peaceful and stable region, even posing a threat to the other three kingdoms, who had begun taking steps to obstruct her.
“Tch, looks like the duck you haven’t even caught is about to fly away.” Li Zhile said, looking at her with a playful smirk.
Jiang Ciqing rolled her eyes, retorting irritably, “If you like eating it, I’ll let you have it.”
“No thanks, I’m not interested.” Li Zhile immediately shook her head.
The throne, coveted by so many, was nothing but a massive hassle in their eyes. They had even privately discussed who would take the emperor’s seat if the plan succeeded. Though Li Zhile was shrewd and skilled at manipulating people, her true passion lay in the ways of merchants. Jiang Ciqing, after much thought, decided she’d rather be a wandering flute master.
“I’m more interested in being the ‘best friend’ of the Imperial Consort,” Li Zhile said with a grin, winking. “The tax breaks can’t be less than what we have now, right? Nanliang’s taxes are so high—every time I come back, it’s like they’re peeling off a layer of my skin.”
The conversation was veering off track. Jiang Ciqing shot her a glance, not to be outdone. “I’d rather be the ‘best friend’ of the Regent’s consort. If I ever travel to Beidi, I hope she’ll take good care of me.”
It was a case of wounding the enemy a thousand times while losing eight hundred.
Li Zhile opened her mouth, finally managing to say, “Take care of you? You’d be lucky if she doesn’t kill you.”
Jiang Ciqing raised an eyebrow, picking up on a lot from that single sentence. Her childhood friend had likely done plenty of mischief. She’d even brought the person back to Nanliang but didn’t dare let Jiang Ciqing meet her—things were probably more complicated than she let on.
Though they were close friends, they rarely meddled in each other’s decisions. Still, Jiang Ciqing couldn’t help but warn, “Don’t play with fire and burn yourself.”
“Is this A’Ci’s voice of experience? Telling me not to follow in your footsteps?”
Li Zhile clearly didn’t want to dwell on the topic, playfully shifting the focus back to Jiang Ciqing. “No wonder you were so secretive last time, asking me to deliver that sword to the Barbaric Lands and making sure no one knew it was you.”
Unable to outtalk her, Jiang Ciqing, exasperated, grabbed a steamed bun from the table and tossed it at her. “Eat more and shut your mouth.”
Li Zhile caught it with a grin, took a cheeky bite, and admitted she was indeed a bit hungry. The two of them, as if by silent agreement, picked up their chopsticks.
“That iron mine is at the border of Nanliang and Beidi, a no-man’s-land. I’ve already sent people to negotiate buying that mountain range.” Li Zhile said, chewing on the bun while stuffing braised pork into her mouth.
“That far?” Jiang Ciqing frowned slightly.
“Transportation’s a hassle, but the mine’s rich, and it’s free from both countries’ control. The nearest village is a hundred miles away, so no matter how much we stir things up, no one will notice.”
“You’re transporting it from there?”
“Yeah, the Li family will send caravans to Beidi every month from now on. I’ll arrange a few carriages to detour with the ore to the back mountains.” Li Zhile replied, her decision already made.
“I’ve got no issues here. As long as you deliver the ore, we can start work immediately.” Jiang Ciqing said promptly.
Nanliang’s control over iron and coal was strict. Even the Jiang family had to buy in small batches over many years to supply the guards of both families. This was one reason they hadn’t expanded their forces in years.
“And recruitment?”
“As fast as possible. Nanliang…”
A willow leaf fell onto the lake, creating ripples. The timid carp, finally daring to resurface, gathered at the water’s edge to play.
Jiang Ciqing’s tone was calm. “Nanliang won’t hold out much longer.”
Li Zhile, eating her meal, suddenly laughed. “It’s held on long enough.”
Jiang Ciqing often visited the Li residence, and the chefs there knew her tastes, so half the dishes on the table were her favorites. She picked up some vegetables with her chopsticks, placed them in her bowl, and ate. She had waited for Li Zhile all day, and though she hadn’t felt it earlier, now that the weight in her heart had lifted, she realized she was starving.
“By the way, about the Regent…”
Before she could finish, Li Zhile cut in. “She’s coming to my wedding next month.”
So, she wouldn’t be returning to Beidi anytime soon. Beidi was likely in for some chaos.
Jiang Ciqing shook her head. Their plans would need adjustments, but at least an uncertain factor had been resolved—a decent outcome.
Neither spoke again, and the only sound was the clinking of chopsticks against porcelain bowls. The full moon shone brightly in the sky, its light briefly veiled by thin gray clouds, only to be swept away by a strong breeze. The calm lake remained undisturbed, with only fallen leaves piling up.
Who could have imagined that a plot to overturn Nanliang and reshape the entire empire would be discussed and decided so casually over a meal, less seriously than their earlier talk of personal matters, as if it were just a trivial topic to wrap up the conversation?
Li Zhile set down her chopsticks. Used to the fast-paced life of caravans, she ate quickly without lingering. She grabbed a napkin, wiped her mouth, and said, “It’s dark already. Staying over tonight?”
Jiang Ciqing nodded at first, then shook her head.
Li Zhile frowned, puzzled, watching her.
Jiang Ciqing leisurely set down her bowl and chopsticks, saying, “My carriage is parked here, but I’m heading out tonight.”
Seeing Li Zhile’s confusion deepen, she touched her nose and explained, “Yesterday, my Omega asked me to meet her, but I had to wait for you today, so I turned her down. I need to go make it up to her tonight.”
The air fell silent for a moment. Li Zhile’s expression twisted, and she burst out laughing, cursing, “Get out, get out, get out! ‘Your’ Omega? I bet you’re the one who belongs to her!”
Jiang Ciqing didn’t get mad, instead flashing a grin, her clear eyes tinged with a bit of silliness. “If you want to put it that way, fine by me.”
Li Zhile, furious, threw the remaining bun at her. “Useless! We agreed to get wives together, and you secretly went and became someone’s consort!”
“Kidnapping someone like a bandit to force a marriage isn’t much better than me becoming a consort, is it?” Jiang Ciqing shot back, far more quick-witted with her friend than with Xu Fusheng.
Li Zhile grumbled angrily, “Don’t you dare come back tonight!”
Jiang Ciqing smiled faintly. “I wasn’t planning to.”
Li Zhile: …
Li Zhile silently snapped her chopsticks, deciding to lock the back gate so Jiang Ciqing would have to climb the wall in the morning.