Reborn Into A New Life, Everyone Loves Me Now (GL) - Chapter 26.2
But were those first assassins really sent by the Qi Yan royal family? If so, it meant there were already Qi Yan spies within the court…
And the Emperor—his every move seemed to be part of a grand strategy. Su Hui, Su Qi, and herself—they were all chess pieces on his board, locked in opposition, ensuring none gained too much power.
Su Qishi’s mind spun with chaos.
Now that Liu Jiangli had regained memories of her past life… Su Qishi’s gaze darkened, and hatred rose in her heart.
Meanwhile, Liu Jiangli sat there, eyes red and swollen from crying, staring blankly at the ground, lost in thought. Her arms wrapped tightly around herself, shrinking into a ball. Her disheveled black hair was tousled by the night breeze, making her appear broken and fragile.
Su Qishi looked away after a single glance. Every time she saw Liu Jiangli now, disgust rose from the depths of her heart.
She held her sword and leaned against the tree, drifting into a shallow sleep. The gold-trimmed hem of her red dress swayed in the wind, suspended in the air.
No one knew how much time passed before Liu Jiangli cautiously looked up, searching for that familiar figure. Yet she didn’t dare look directly—afraid of A’Shi’s cold, disdainful gaze, afraid to see hatred in her eyes.
Everything she had done, she had brought upon herself. Yet in this lifetime, no matter how A’Shi treated her, she would stay by A’Shi’s side. Whether in life or death, she would remain with her.
Liu Jiangli’s eyes were bloodshot, her face pale. Seeing Su Qishi seemingly asleep, her gaze grew bold. She tilted her head up and stared at Su Qishi, memorizing her face over and over. Even the aching strain in her neck felt numb.
South Prince’s Manor, Capital City
Su Hui’s voice was sharp with anger. “Two waves of assassins, and you still couldn’t eliminate Su Qishi.”
His advisor, Yuan Guang, replied calmly, “Your Highness, though we failed to kill her, we succeeded in making her suspect Prince Chen. That alone makes the attempt worthwhile.”
Su Hui snorted coldly, worry in his voice. “After hearing of the attack on Su Qishi, Father was furious. He’s barred anyone but the imperial guards from entering the hunt and even dispatched half of them to search for Su Qishi. It shows just how important she is to him!”
Yet Yuan Guang offered another perspective. “Your Highness, has it not struck you—why has there been no word from Prince Yue all this time? The Emperor’s men may be searching, but how would we know what they’ve found?”
Su Hui froze, staring blankly at Yuan Guang. A chill ran through him, tightening every nerve.
Meanwhile, a certain residence in the capital was far from peaceful.
A graceful woman stood in the courtyard, her face veiled with purple gauze, clad in a long violet gown with a golden chain around her waist, the twisting serpent on her wrist marking her identity—the exclusive emblem of the Princess Royal of Qi Yan.
Princess Royal Qi Yan’s phoenix eyes glinted coldly. “Who gave you the order to assassinate Su Qishi?!”
A black-clad figure knelt trembling before her. “Your Highness, it was the Second Prince’s command.”
The Princess Royal’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You are members of the Eagle Alliance. Need I remind you whose orders you truly follow?”
The black-clad man stammered, “The Second Prince… he had Your Highness’s command token… He said it was your order.”
Upon hearing this, the Princess Royal of Qi Yan turned to the strategist beside her, who kept his head lowered, and said coldly, “Mo Bai.”
Mo Bai’s legs gave way, and he fell to his knees, trembling. “It was the Second Prince who threatened me. Your Highness, please forgive me this once!”
The Princess Royal said nothing. She drew the sword from the black-clad man lying before her and, with an expressionless face, slit his throat in one swift motion. Bl00d splattered her hand. Calmly, she took a handkerchief and wiped it clean. Her red lips parted. “Go receive your punishment.”
Still reeling from the scene, Mo Bai stammered, “Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life.”
As he turned to leave, the Princess Royal’s voice rang out across the silent courtyard, calm as still water yet filled with authority. “Control yourself. If there is a next time, don’t bother coming to see me again.”
At that moment, the Second Prince arrived, passing by Mo Bai and meeting his gaze briefly before stepping in front of the Princess Royal. Frowning, he asked, “Aunt, why did you punish Mister Mo Bai?”
The Princess Royal’s phoenix eyes narrowed. “Did you give the order?”
The Second Prince hesitated a second, then answered solemnly, “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Aunt, I did it for you. You’ve been hiding in Yun Dynasty for so many years, and everything is now in place. Why don’t you return with me to Qi Yan? Father is urging you.”
The Princess Royal lowered her gaze, concealing the hesitation in her eyes. “Wait a little longer. When the time is right, I will return.”
The Second Prince was confused and raised his voice, “Why, Aunt? Is it because of that Prince Yue of Yun Dynasty?”
At the mention of Su Qishi, emotion finally flickered in the Princess Royal’s phoenix eyes. “Who gave you permission to speak of her?!”
The Second Prince pressed on, “Aunt, what’s so good about her? Why are you staying for her? She doesn’t care about you at all. You are the most honored woman in all of Qi Yan—she doesn’t deserve you!”
A flash of anger passed through the Princess Royal’s eyes, and her voice turned sharp. “She is not someone you can speak of! Go back and tell your father—give it some time. I will return to Qi Yan.”
The Second Prince sighed heavily. “Understood. I will take my leave.”
After he departed, the Princess Royal stood alone, her expression desolate. What he said was not wrong—A’Shi had never once looked her way.
“Continue searching. Once you find her, protect her from the shadows. As for the one beside her—eliminate him at the first opportunity.”
“Understood, Your Highness!” the shadow guard responded.
Early the next morning, light crept across the sky, the thick fog not yet fully dispersed.
Su Qishi landed softly on the ground. Hearing the sound, Liu Jiangli immediately stood up and called out softly, “A’Shi!” When she realized Su Qishi hadn’t left her behind, a brief hope stirred—only to recall that things were no longer as they once were. A’Shi didn’t want her anymore. The thought felt like a giant hand gripping her heart, making it hard to breathe. Her face turned pale, and her gaze silently followed Su Qishi.
Su Qishi glanced at her from the corner of her eye, noticed the redness in her eyes, but ignored it. Coldly, she said, “Stop following me.” Then she mounted her horse.
Behind her, Liu Jiangli acted as if she hadn’t heard, stubbornly trailing after her. Even though Su Qishi rode on horseback and she had only her legs, she would still chase after her. Only by doing so could she ease the pain in her heart.
After a while, Su Qishi sighed and looked back. “Stop following me. From this day forward, we’ll go our separate ways—there will be no more ties between us. Once we return to the capital, I will ask Father to annul our engagement.”
Liu Jiangli lowered her eyes, her long lashes concealing her sorrow. Her voice was faint, and her body swayed unsteadily, held up only by sheer will. “A’Shi… I know the way out.”
Her words struck the very problem Su Qishi was facing. It was not a good feeling.
Turning the horse around, Su Qishi asked in surprise, “These tangled paths, the towering, dense forest—how do you know the way out?”
Liu Jiangli hesitated, then chose to speak the truth, even though it would likely make A’Shi hate her more. She didn’t dare meet Su Qishi’s eyes and bowed her head slightly. “I… came here once in my past life. I remembered it.”
There was no need to explain further.
Su Qishi felt nothing. She just wanted to leave this forest as soon as possible. Dismounting, she handed the reins to Liu Jiangli. The sudden closeness and the faint scent of cold fragrance made Liu Jiangli blush.
Su Qishi said coldly, “Mount up. Lead the way.” Not a word more than necessary.
Liu Jiangli froze for a moment. The withered flower in her heart seemed to stir with life. Joy flickered in her eyes. “A’Shi…”