Reborn Into A New Life, Everyone Loves Me Now (GL) - Chapter 26.3
Su Qishi snapped, “Hurry. Don’t waste my time.”
After Liu Jiangli mounted the horse, she noticed Su Qishi made no move to join her. Puzzled, she asked, “A’Shi, aren’t you riding with me?”
Su Qishi replied, “I don’t want any contact with you.”
At those words, tears welled in Liu Jiangli’s eyes.
Choking back emotion, she said, “A’Shi, I can endure it. You ride. I’ll walk.”
Su Qishi scoffed, her gaze icy. “Just seeing you annoys me. Sharing a horse with you? Impossible.”
Liu Jiangli said nothing more. She gripped the saddle tightly as tears streamed down her hands. She clenched her teeth, refusing to let a single sob escape—not wanting Su Qishi to hear her cry.
They walked for hours. Only as the sun neared the horizon did they encounter a man herding oxen.
Su Qishi stepped forward. “Sir, may I ask—what place is this?”
The man sized her up and down before replying loudly, “Miss, this is the outskirts of Yun City. Walk a bit further, and you’ll reach the city.”
Su Qishi felt unease but still smiled. “Thank you, sir.”
The man waved a hand and continued on his way.
Turning back, Su Qishi glanced at Liu Jiangli on horseback and sneered, “Didn’t you say you knew the way? How did we end up in Yun City?”
Liu Jiangli’s face flushed. She quickly explained, afraid Su Qishi’s impression of her would worsen. “A’Shi, I didn’t lie. Maybe too much time has passed… I remembered wrong.” She glanced at Su Qishi out of the corner of her eye, relieved to see no disgust on her face.
Su Qishi didn’t care to hear her excuses—none of them were believable. She simply told herself: Since we’re here, so be it.
By the time they entered the city, the sun had set, leaving only faint moonlight to light their way.
Su Qishi intended to find an inn. Rest was the priority before deciding what to do next.
Liu Jiangli followed closely, like a shadow.
As they entered the inn, the room went silent. Then, all eyes turned to them, staring as if they were objects on display. Su Qishi’s face darkened instantly. She swept a cold glance across the room. Seeing the sword at her waist and her regal bearing, the crowd quickly averted their eyes.
Approaching the counter, Su Qishi said, “Two top-tier rooms.”
The innkeeper didn’t even look up, continuing to fiddle with his abacus. “Only one room left.”
Su Qishi frowned. “Then give me whatever room is available.”
Only then did the innkeeper look up, a touch of impatience in his voice. “There’s only one room left in the entire city.”
Su Qishi’s temples throbbed visibly. She gritted her teeth and spat out the words with difficulty, “Then take the room.” A gold ingot was placed firmly on the counter.
The innkeeper’s eyes lit up at the sight of gold. He glanced around the room, subtly gauging the reactions of those nearby, then quickly hid the gold in his sleeve. His tone changed instantly, “My apologies! I failed to recognize your noble status, miss. This way, please.”
Su Qishi stepped forward, but felt a slight tug at her sleeve. Turning around, she saw Liu Jiangli staring at her with fear, her voice trembling slightly as she called, “A’Shi…”
Su Qishi’s expression remained cold as she yanked her sleeve from Liu Jiangli’s grasp. “Don’t touch me.”
At her words, Liu Jiangli stood frozen, not daring to move. When Su Qishi turned and went upstairs, she hurriedly followed behind.
The innkeeper led them to the room and warned, “Miss, it’s best not to wander around at night. Many men from neighboring cities have come to Yun City recently.”
Su Qishi’s eyes narrowed. She asked, “Why? Is something about to happen in Yun City?”
The innkeeper sighed and explained, “Nothing’s wrong with Yun City itself. It’s just that the wealthiest family here—the Gao family—has something going on. The young lady of the house, Gao Qianqian, is seeking a husband tomorrow. That news has drawn men from several surrounding cities. Whoever she chooses will live in luxury for life—and inherit the Gao family’s fortune. That’s why they’ve come.” He glanced at Su Qishi and added, “You’re just a young woman—best to stay out of it.”
Su Qishi snorted coldly. She felt sorry for the Gao family’s young miss. Not one of these men came for her—they only wanted her wealth. Still, she was now curious about this woman who had stirred such a frenzy. What kind of extraordinary lady was she?
After the innkeeper left, Su Qishi locked the door.
Liu Jiangli stood by the bed, eyes wide with anticipation, gazing at her. Su Qishi’s eyes were sharp and indifferent. She ignored Liu Jiangli entirely, climbed onto the bed, and lay down on the farthest edge with her back to her.
The message was clear.
Liu Jiangli sighed softly. Her long lashes veiled the sadness in her eyes. She sat in a chair, resting her head on her hand, quietly watching Su Qishi’s back. Her gaze was gentle, and a faint smile touched her lips.
Capital City, Imperial Palace
Su Zhi stood before the dragon throne, cupping his hands. “Father.”
Emperor Su Sheng glanced at him with calm eyes and asked gravely, “What do you make of the assassination attempt on Prince Yue?”
Su Zhi thought for a moment, then replied respectfully, “How could assassins suddenly appear in the royal hunting grounds? Patrols are conducted daily. I believe this matter must involve others behind the scenes.”
Su Sheng calmly continued writing, his manner composed. “I’m assigning you to investigate this. Do not worry about anything else—just conduct a secret inquiry and report to me alone. Do you understand?” He handed the completed document to Su Zhi.
“If you encounter any obstacles, show them this letter. They’ll understand.”
“Remember—investigate in secret. No third party must know.”
Su Zhi nodded solemnly, his tone resolute. “I understand, Father!”
Dawn slowly broke. Pale light filtered through the window, casting long shadows on the floor.
Su Qishi suddenly opened her eyes and sat up. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Liu Jiangli fast asleep, slumped over the table.
She actually slept there the whole night?
Su Qishi’s gaze grew complicated. Silently, she left the room and asked the inn’s servant to fetch two sets of clean clothes.
Returning, she sat on the bed, studying Liu Jiangli with a probing look.
Once, she never imagined things would fall to this point between them. Liu Jiangli’s gentle affection had ultimately succumbed to the lure of power.
To Su Qishi, Liu Jiangli should no longer exist.
After changing into a clean robe, Su Qishi placed the other set of clothes on the table, then quietly left the room.
She wandered aimlessly through the streets. Surprisingly, the usually bustling streets were nearly deserted. From a distance, she heard loud cheers and noise from a gathered crowd.
Exactly what she was looking for. Su Qishi’s steps quickened toward the commotion.
Meanwhile, atop Yun City’s grandest establishment, Moon Pavilion, a matchmaker adorned with flowers in her hair and a handkerchief in hand beamed with joy.
“Young masters, please settle down! Our city’s wealthiest heiress, Miss Gao, is about to appear. Then, the embroidered ball ceremony will officially begin!”
At her words, the crowd below erupted with excitement. Every man craned his neck, afraid to miss a moment. Each one hoping to seize the opportunity for fortune.
Seeing their enthusiasm, the matchmaker hurried backstage and urged, “My little ancestor, hurry up! If you don’t, this whole place will be overturned by those men!”