Chapter 43: Plan

Chapter 43: The Plan

By the end of April, Lingjing was already getting hot.

In previous years, whenever the weather turned hot, Qiao Wan’s chest tightness and pain would become increasingly severe. She usually had to rely on cooling tea or ice to feel a bit more comfortable.

This year, perhaps because of the decoctions Yicui prepared, unless she was out in the blazing sun, she only felt her chest was more stifling and warmer than in winter and spring, without any other discomfort.

Especially now that Qiao Wan had the key to the ankle shackles. The guards usually stayed outside the courtyard and never dared come in uninvited. So Qiao Wan would take off the shackles and relax in her bedchamber or go to the secluded corridor behind it to catch a breeze.

One day, Si Li, following the young master’s instructions, finished inspecting the major city gates of Lingjing and came to the Princess’s residence to deliver the herbal ingredients. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard hurried footsteps coming from behind the bedchamber, running straight inside.

Due to years of martial arts training, Si Li’s hearing was sharper than most. He clearly heard the crisp sound of chains clinking inside the bedchamber.

Si Li knocked on the door, and Yicui came to answer. She stepped out and quickly closed the door behind her, giving an uneasy smile. "Guard Si Li, here to deliver the herbal ingredients again?"

In that brief moment, Si Li caught a glimpse of a mess of chains and Princess Changle sitting with her back to him at the table.

Si Li nodded. "Yes." He handed the ingredients to Yicui and left.

When he returned to the Mu residence and saw Mu Chi, he reported on the inspection of the city gates. After finishing, he added, "The Great Qi wedding procession has already entered the borders of the Li Kingdom."

Mu Chi’s hand, which had been flipping through documents, paused. He thought about how Li Muxuan, who had wanted to marry this person since he came of age, would be quite "surprised" to find her a different person entirely.

Li Muxuan.

Mu Chi’s expression gradually turned cold. Just thinking of that name made him feel sick to his stomach.

Si Li did not leave. He glanced at Mu Chi a few times, wanting to say something but clamping his mouth shut instead.

Without looking at him, Mu Chi said calmly, "Is there something else?"

Si Li, who never lied to Mu Chi, remained silent for a few moments before answering honestly, "When I went to deliver the herbal ingredients at the Princess’s residence earlier, I noticed that Princess Changle was able to come and go freely from her bedchamber."

After saying this, Si Li lowered his head, waiting for the young master’s anger. After all, the young master disliked being deceived or disobeyed the most.

But after waiting for a while, he heard not a sound.

Boldly, Si Li looked up and was stunned.

The young master showed no trace of displeasure or surprise. It was as if he had already known about it—even... there was a hint of relief in his expression.

Mu Chi himself didn’t know why he felt no anger.

He had once wondered if that spoiled little princess, after witnessing the decay of the Li Kingdom and having her wings forcibly clipped, could still be so arrogant and willful.

But when he discovered she had removed the ankle shackles, he inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

As if... it was meant to be this way.

Even though she always wore the shackles obediently when he visited at night, he felt that for someone as headstrong and defiant as Qiao Wan, it would be out of character for her to keep them on after getting the key.

He even thought... this was exactly the kind of thing Qiao Wan would do.

Only she would treat his words as nothing more than wind going in one ear and out the other.

"Young master?" Si Li called out, puzzled.

Mu Chi suddenly snapped back to reality. Meeting Si Li’s gaze, he unconsciously avoided it. After a long moment, he scoffed lightly. "She’s got nerve."

Si Li understood—the young master had no intention of pursuing the matter. He didn’t bring it up again and instead said, "I have already ordered people to secretly monitor Minister Wen’s every move. We will not let him succeed."

Mu Chi grunted in acknowledgment. Thinking about what the traitor had revealed a few days ago, his expression gradually turned grim.

After a moment of thought, Si Li added, "Should we send more people to the Princess’s residence, young master? If this is a plot between Princess Changle and Minister Wen..."

"Impossible," Mu Chi interrupted without hesitation.

He refused to believe Qiao Wan would abandon everything in Lingjing and leave.

He couldn’t believe it.

After a long silence, Mu Chi said hoarsely, "During this time, tighten security at all city gates."

*

The Great Qi wedding procession entered Lingjing on the second day of May. After three days of rest, the celebration was held on the sixth day of May. Princess Zhaoyang bid farewell to the emperor and Noble Consort Yun and officially set off for Great Qi.

Lingjing suspended its curfew for three days, and fireworks were set off in the city for three nights.

During these days, Lingjing was especially bustling.

Yicui was guarding outside the bedchamber.

Qiao Wan sat by the window inside, resting her chin on her hand as she watched the fireworks blooming one after another in the night sky far away.

The fireworks in Lingjing were truly beautiful.

It wasn’t until three knocks sounded outside the window that Qiao Wan jolted out of her thoughts.

She knew—the people sent by Minister Wen had arrived.

A few days earlier, Qiao Qingni had sent another box of supplements. Among them, a piece of paper was hidden inside a ginseng root, stating that Minister Wen would send someone tonight.

Qiao Wan took one last look at the fireworks and was about to close the window when a shadowy figure suddenly appeared outside.

Startled, Qiao Wan took half a step back.

"Princess, it’s me," the person hurriedly waved his hands.

Qiao Wan forced herself to calm down and looked up. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You bookish scholar?"

The person dressed entirely in black was none other than Cheng Qingchuan.

Cheng Qingchuan smiled faintly and said, "Pardon the intrusion." With that, he climbed smoothly into the room, cautiously looked around, and then closed the window. When he turned around, he found Qiao Wan standing right behind him, just two steps away.

Cheng Qingchuan’s cheeks flushed, and he quickly took half a step back.

"Are you the one Minister Wen sent?" Qiao Wan asked softly.

Cheng Qingchuan offered a formal bow to Qiao Wan before nodding. "Indeed, it is I—"

His voice trailed off when he saw the gilded shackles on Qiao Wan’s ankles.

He still remembered the rumors throughout Lingjing about how free-spirited and bold Princess Changle had been when she rode through the streets on horseback. Now, however, she was like a captive songbird, trapped in this luxurious bedchamber, the gilded shackles making a light, metallic sound with every slight movement.

"Bookworm?" Qiao Wan waved her hand in front of his face. "Say something!"

Cheng Qingchuan snapped out of his thoughts. The smile on his lips faded, replaced by a sigh of mixed emotions. "The day after tomorrow, the bridal party from Great Qi will leave the city. The guards at the city gates will be less vigilant. At that time, I will get you out of the residence and straight to the city outskirts. There will be horses and men waiting outside to take us southward."

Qiao Wan frowned. "Is Minister Wen sure?"

"Yes," Cheng Qingchuan gave a nod.

Qiao Wan went quiet in thought until Cheng Qingchuan called her name, puzzled. She then said, "Bookworm, what about you? Are you certain?"

Cheng Qingchuan was taken aback. If it were before, he would have shared Minister Wen's view.

After all, the one leaving the capital was merely Princess Changle, who held no significant importance to the grand scheme of things.

But after the Spring Banquet, he hesitated.

That day, he clearly saw the killing intent in Master Mu's eyes—directed at him, all because of Princess Changle.

From beginning to end, Master Mu never once glanced at Princess Zhaoyang by his side.

"You're not certain, are you?" Qiao Wan asked softly.

Mu Chi was cunning and nearly demonic; it was impossible that he had no defenses against Minister Wen.

Cheng Qingchuan lowered his gaze and said, "I and a group of guards will definitely keep Princess Changle safe."

But Qiao Wan didn't answer. She remained silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Bookworm, you must have guessed where the least inspected place was that day."

Cheng Qingchuan's eyes froze, and he looked up at her.

Qiao Wan smiled. "You know."

It was the carriage from Great Qi that was supposed to take Qiao Qingni away.

Mu Chi had chosen a substitute bride. To avoid any mishaps, he would have given orders not to inspect it too thoroughly.

Cheng Qingchuan looked utterly astonished and suddenly clasped his hands in salute. "Princess Changle, you must not."

"Why not?"

"..." Cheng Qingchuan fell silent for a moment before whispering, "The substitute bride will surely die." The marriage alliance between the two nations was, from the start, a gamble of life for life. Moreover...

"Minister Wen said that Princess Changle has done a great service to Great Li and must be safely escorted out of the capital."

Qiao Wan was stunned. She had never had much interaction with Minister Wen and never expected him to look out for her like this.

But the next moment, it suddenly occurred to her that perhaps Minister Wen had overheard her conversation with Qiao Heng in the palace that day.

Given Minister Wen's current status, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to have people planted in the palace.

Did Minister Wen think that she had known all along about Mu Chi's plan for a palace coup? That was why she chose to jump off the cliff at Yanming Mountain with Mu Chi, sending him to Chu Zhou?

Just as he had chosen to help Mu Chi launch the palace coup?

Qiao Wan looked at Cheng Qingchuan. "I have never done any great service to Great Li. I only acted for my own future wealth and honor."

Cheng Qingchuan lowered his eyes. "I never judge people by what they say, only by what they do."

"You bookworm!" Qiao Wan grew annoyed, pacing a couple of steps before suddenly stopping in front of Cheng Qingchuan, the golden shackles chiming crisply. "What if this princess insists that you help me?"

Just as Cheng Qingchuan was about to speak, Qiao Wan interrupted him again. "I won’t die."

Cheng Qingchuan was slightly taken aback and quietly watched her. After a long moment, he sighed. "Even if Princess Changle truly manages to sneak into the wedding envoy group, she will be discovered before getting far."

Knowing he had relented, Qiao Wan added, "As long as I, as Princess Zhaoyang, die in front of everyone before being discovered, won’t that suffice?"

Cheng Qingchuan’s face fell.

Qiao Wan smiled. "This way, Great Qi won’t be able to tell if Princess Zhaoyang is real or not—after all, you shouldn't speak ill of the dead, and they won’t dig too deep. Meanwhile, I can leave Lingjing."

"But what if—"

"Prepare a carriage identical to the one used by the Great Qi envoy," Qiao Wan interrupted him. She stepped closer to Cheng Qingchuan, looking at him intently. Seeing his hesitation, she pursed her lips and added, "Consider it repayment for saving your life at the hunting grounds that day."

Cheng Qingchuan looked at the woman standing so near, then lowered his gaze to the golden manacles on the ground. After a long pause, he asked hoarsely, "Where does Your Highness wish to arrange the carriage?"

Qiao Wan knew from his question that he’d agreed. Still, she paused.

She stared straight into the dim corner untouched by the candlelight.

Cheng Qingchuan did not rush her, waiting quietly instead.

Qiao Wan thought that being a substitute bride wasn’t all bad—she could even choose where she would "die."

This place couldn’t be too far from Lingjing, lest she be captured and brought back before the envoy could arrive; nor could it be too close. Even if it was all an act, she didn’t want to "die" in Lingjing.

Besides, she wanted to pick a place with excellent feng shui, after all... after this, there would be no more Princess Changle.

Yet, once again, Qiao Wan found herself thinking of Mu Chi from before he became a little bastard—a memory that came at an inappropriate time.

She actually hadn’t thought of those days in a long time.

One day, looking into her eyes, he told her, "Princess seems very lonely."

So, after that, she had seriously thought about bringing Yicui and him along when she left Lingjing.

After a long pause.

Qiao Wan looked up, raised her eyebrows, and said with a smile, "Yanming Mountain."

Author's Note:

I fell short—I didn't manage to write the escape scene TNT.

Stayed up too late last night; my head is killing me. (Alternatively: Stayed up too late last night, I have a migraine.)

It's been a while since I handed out little red packets (a platform's virtual tipping feature).

Dropping 50 little red packets for this chapter! (These are virtual gifts redistributed to readers as part of author-reader interaction common in Chinese web novels.)

47838453: 4;

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