Consort Jing Chapter 47

After leaving the wide, surging canal, the great ship sailed into open sea. It had been traveling for a full day and still hadn’t reached its destination. The pale-blue water melted into the pale-blue sky, horizon and sea blending into one vast expanse. The wind brushing her face carried the sharp tang of salt and seaweed.

Only now did Meng Guqing finally piece things together. That night, when they were surrounded, why hadn’t Xiao Shuo taken action right away, choosing instead to wait until Zhao Donglin arrived? It turned out the ship he’d arranged had run into trouble and was delayed for half a day.

And his true destination wasn’t Fulan, as he had first claimed, but Zhou, a nation across the river and sea from Wu. She never thought that after ending up in ancient times, she’d even be leaving the country. But… did this count as smuggling? 

Would they even have legal identities once they got there?

Lost in these worries, Meng Guqing was pulled out of thought by footsteps outside the cabin. That day she’d thought half his men had been lost in battle, turns out, he’d sent them ahead to escort the ship.

Truly a man of audacity and skill, even when outnumbered, he dared to divide his forces. And yet, thinking back, she realized he hadn’t slipped up even once. Those he kept with him were all martial experts, masters of qinggong skills. If they couldn’t win, they could at least flee faster than anyone else. No wonder he was able to grow up in a killer’s organization.

Admiring Xiao Shuo’s strength didn’t stop Meng Guqing from worrying about her own fate. Now she was once again surrounded by his “impenetrable guard.” And this time, they’d crossed borders. Her chances of escape were slimmer than ever.

Worse, her earlier escape plan had already been discovered by Zhao Donglin. What would happen to her father and the others in Fusang now?

Unable to sit still, she rose and went to find Xiao Shuo.

After searching the ship, she found him at the stern… fishing. 

Fishing! On a ship traveling this fast, could he really catch anything?

She hesitated for a moment. Today, she wore a soft pink dress, her black hair done up in a gentle maiden’s style. Behind her stretched a boundless, crystal-blue sea. Her face, delicate as a lotus, glowed with color, her bright eyes dark and luminous— pupils slightly larger than most, so dark they looked endlessly gentle and pure.

Everything she wore, down to the hairpin, was chosen by Xiao Shuo. His taste wasn’t bad. And truly, when one lives off another’s care and gifts, it’s hard not to feel conflicted. She didn’t even know what kind of attitude she should have toward him anymore.

Before she could decide, the boy sitting by the sea turned, saw her, and patted the spot beside him. “As it should be, come keep me company while I fish.”

“You can actually catch fish like this?” She glanced at the bucket by his feet. To her amazement, there was a fish inside and a big one at that. The world never failed to surprise her.

But the next moment, he added casually, “Oh, I knocked that one out before hauling it up. Dinner’s handled. Happy?”

“…Not happy.” Meng Guqing sat down glumly, keeping a step of distance between them. Without even looking, he reached out, grabbed her stool, and dragged her, person and seat both, right up beside him. The space between them vanished to nothing.

His voice was slow, confident, self-assured: “When we get to Zhou, you can do whatever you want.”

Do whatever I want? 

Did he think he was the emperor, offering her the whole world on a platter? She was already used to this young madman’s strange confidence, so she only sighed and steered the talk elsewhere.

“My maid, and my father—what about them? Because of me, they might be in danger. If something happens to them, I’ll never have peace again.”

She glanced at him a few times, her tone full of quiet implication. He didn’t react at all. So she spoke directly: “I can’t go with you to Zhou. Let me go back, at least to see if they’re safe. That’s my father, please. Once I’ve made sure they’re settled, I’ll go with you. All right?”

“You are going with me right now.” He flashed that brilliant, infuriating smile again. He’d been smiling a lot lately, and every time it dazzled her yet somehow, it made her want to strangle him.

She’d been trying to reason with him, and he just talked in circles. Frustration rising, Meng Guqing stood up, walked to the railing, and looked down. The deep-blue water stretched endlessly below, so dark it made her dizzy. Her thalassophobia nearly flared up— but she still clenched her teeth, lifted one leg, and stepped over the railing.

Xiao Shuo’s expression instantly changed. He shot to his feet, voice low and damp with fury: “What are you doing, are you threatening me?”

Her hair whipped in the sea wind. Meng Guqing steadied herself, seeing that he was finally rattled, and smiled bitterly. “I’m not threatening you. I know I have no leverage to threaten you. But I truly can’t just abandon my family and run away with you. Even if you don’t let me go now, every day by your side I’ll be thinking of how to escape. Either I succeed, or you get tired of me and kill me. If that’s the end waiting for me, better to finish it now. My father will be punished because of me. If I can’t save them… at least let me atone for it this way.”

“And what about me?” he ground out between his teeth. “Have you ever cared about me?”

It was the first time he’d asked such a clingy question, and even he seemed embarrassed by it, his ears went red.

The guards who had been quietly watching the scene from afar nearly dropped their jaws. In their lifetime, they were actually witnessing their young lord being threatened and looking reluctant to fight back! That tone, pitiful, wounded—heavens! What news to bring back. But before they could enjoy the drama, self-preservation kicked in, none of them wanted to die for eavesdropping. They all retreated three silent steps, ears perked high, mouths shut tight.

Meng Guqing, of course, didn’t know she had an audience. But even if she had, she would’ve said the same: “You’re a good person, and you’ve been good to me. When I was in the harem, I owed you much. But you took me without even asking. I’m not some object you can just grab because you like it. You forced me to go with you; I couldn’t win, so I accepted my fate. But if my family dies because of it, how could I ever live with that?”

He truly seemed to lack some essential sense of empathy. She didn’t know if he’d even understand her reasoning. So she softened her voice: “Please, let me go back, just to make sure they’re safe. Once I know they’re unharmed, I’ll go to Zhou with you.”

She just needed to stall him. Once she was back home, she’d figure out a way to shake free. And if, worst case, he dragged her away again. Well, at least then she’d be free of worry, and she could treat it as a journey abroad.

Xiao Shuo, who never bowed to threats, watched her precariously balanced on the ship’s edge, the sea wind tugging at her skirts, and for the first time felt something like fear. He was afraid, afraid she might really fall.

The feeling was so unfamiliar it stunned him. Her figure looked so frail, as if the next gust might carry her away. At last, the thought of compromise began to twist within him like a fine thread, until he found himself sighing, reaching into his robe, and slowly pulling out a small gourd-shaped porcelain vial, no bigger than a finger.

“This,” he said, “can save your family.”

Meng Guqing, gripping the railing tight, leaned closer to look. “What is it?”

But before she could see clearly, the world spun, she was pulled straight into a lean, strong embrace. Above her head came his low, dangerous murmur: “The next time you try to threaten me, don’t bother. Just say the word, and I’ll make it happen.”

The men hiding nearby exchanged looks. There it was. Ten years of killing and robbing, he’d been away from normal life too long. Even when courting a girl, he sounded like a villain.

Sure, he said it harshly but look at how tightly he was holding her! Didn’t he know that girls liked sweet words, not threats? All his good deeds ruined by that stubborn, poisonous mouth.

One by one, they slipped away to avoid being caught listening.

By the time Meng Guqing gathered her thoughts, she was already in his arms. She’d seen his impossible agility before, so it didn’t surprise her. And as for his threats, she’d long since built immunity. What did catch her attention was the little vial in his hand.

Holding onto his arm, she asked, “What is it? Can it really undo the trouble I caused by running away?”

Her tone was urgent, her gaze earnest as she looked up at him. Something in Xiao Shuo’s anger melted instantly. He suddenly wanted to kiss her soft cheek, her pink lips.

But then he remembered, every kiss between them had always been initiated by him. That thought soured his mood again. He turned his head slightly, muttering with mock arrogance, “Why should I tell you? What do I get out of it?”

Meng Guqing had been in love before, her relationship with Zhao Donglin hadn’t been devoid of feeling. This boy held her tightly, but behind the cold tone, his heart was soft.

Then—an impulse. 

She rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

In his eyes, bright and sly, was written plain as day: Not enough.

Her cheeks burned. But—she’d already kissed him once, what difference did a second make? So she leaned in again, and this time didn’t pull away. Her lips brushed his, her tongue traced lightly against his teeth.

She felt the arm around her waist tighten and quickly drew back, hands braced against his chest, voice gentle even to her own surprise: “Tell me, won’t you? Once I’ve settled everything behind me… I’ll try to be with you. Okay?”

For someone used to showing no emotion, maintaining a cold face had never felt so hard. He pressed his lips together, barely stopping himself from saying something cruel.

When he finally spoke, his voice carried an unfamiliar softness— tinged with desire, with vulnerability. 

“You’re not lying to me?”

Meng Guqing said solemnly, “I’m not lying. Even if I wanted to, you’ve got me in your hands, haven’t you?”

And indeed, spending every day so close, even unwilling hearts might someday give in completely.

She didn’t know that he, too, wasn’t only driven by force and possession. What he truly wanted was her heart: her gentleness, her devotion. Just like what he’d once seen her give Zhao Donglin— no, more than that. 

He wanted her love, deeper and truer than any she had ever given before.

Xiao Shuo shook the small medicine bottle. “This is the antidote, the one that can cure the poison in Zhao Donglin’s body. Once we get off the ship, I’ll send someone to deliver it to the capital. If he wants to live, he’ll have to show some sincerity.” The medicine was something specially made by his organization. Even if there were skilled physicians in the capital capable of researching an antidote, it would take at least two or three years to develop one. Could Zhao Donglin afford to wait that long?

Meng Guqing had always heard Zhao Donglin say he had already sent someone to fetch the medicine, and his calm demeanor made her believe the poison wasn’t too severe. But now she realized he must have been hiding the truth from her. Thinking back, she could believe it when he said he wanted to return to Gaochang with her, perhaps that really was his heart’s truest wish. Only when he thought his life was running out would he confide in her at all.

The antidote was in Xiao Shuo’s hands so the person behind everything was now clear as day. She had always thought his talk about killing Zhao Donglin was just to tease her! For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. “You… you really plan to kill him?”

“I never waste my breath,” he replied flatly. “It’s only you who keeps stopping me for who knows what reason.” After a pause, he added, “This is already the mildest poison I have. Taking it won’t kill him immediately. That’s merciful enough, isn’t it?”

He actually thought sparing someone instant death and instead letting them live with slow-acting poison was merciful? Meng Guqing was speechless. Pretending not to hear, she turned her head and muttered softly, “People are supposed to persuade others to do good, not encourage them to kill.”

At least now that she had the medicine, her family might be safe. Zhao Donglin wasn’t a cruel man by nature, and her father, being the emperor’s brother-in-law, had served loyally since the previous reign. Even if he had no great achievements, he had certainly earned merit. Surely Zhao Donglin wouldn’t be so ruthless as to take his life.

Meng Guqing thought of sending Zhao Donglin another letter, but after a while, she decided against it. Better to let things end here with a full stop, to go their separate ways, each wishing the other well from afar.

And as for the man before her, petty as a needle’s eye, since he had forcibly kept her by his side, there was no sense in making things harder for herself. In truth, apart from abducting her in the beginning without consent, he had treated her with surprising gentleness along the way. A man raised in blood and violence, his ways were extreme and his thinking skewed but perhaps it wasn’t so incomprehensible. She knew resisting him head-on was like an ant trying to stop a chariot, so she’d better be sensible about it.

Fine then! She told herself all this just to feel better, but the real reason was simply that she couldn’t run. Since she couldn’t escape, she might as well go with the flow. Now that the most important matter was settled, she felt much lighter and could finally look ahead. After another night sailing across the sea, the ship finally reached Zhou territory.

Meng Guqing had been in this world for six or seven years, but she had never traveled so far. Back in Gaochang, even her longest journeys, like going out hunting took only three to five days on horseback. And during her three years as Empress in the capital, she had never once truly relaxed. Wanting to escape had always been her deepest impulse, wasn’t her current freedom just the rebound from long suppression?

Once she disembarked, she felt like a fish returned to water, blending easily into the lively markets. But the joy was short-lived, she was a cautious person, always thinking ahead, and she couldn’t tell what Xiao Shuo’s intentions were. He was, after all, a hostage prince of Fulan. Could he really just abandon Fulan so easily?

Zhao Donglin was ambitious, once he reclaimed Former Yan, his next move might well be against Fulan. There was no doubt this feud ran deep. Yet whenever she brought up such things, Xiao Shuo would just laugh and say, “You haven’t even married into my family yet, and you’re already worrying about your in-laws?” Embarrassed, she wished she could crawl into a hole. After that, she never dared bring it up again. Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that his teasing was a deliberate way to avoid the question. Even now, he was still hiding something from her.

With so little trust between them, how solid could his love really be? Though they were inseparable, and his words to her were soft and yielding, something in her heart still felt unsteady. Lost in thought, she looked at him lounging opposite her, hands behind his head, playing idly with the tassel on her jade pendant.

After leaving the harbor, they spent one night in the city before hiring a carriage and continuing south. They traveled by day and stayed at inns by night. He still insisted they share one room. To her surprise, each time they entered a room, Xiao Shuo would check the roof beams, windows, and even the door latch. His meticulousness really did resemble that of a man trained in counter-surveillance.

Rubbing her sore back from a day in the carriage, Meng Guqing asked weakly what he was doing. He only frightened her in return, saying he was checking for rats and cockroaches and that when he used to be on missions, if the hiding place was bad, he had to endure poisonous snakes and insects crawling all over him without moving. Meng Guqing imagined that scene and instantly lost her appetite. Still, she was tough, after all the traveling, she managed to hold up, though she was too tired to eat much. After washing up, she just wanted to collapse into bed.

Though they had shared a bed for some time, she still wasn’t used to it. Half-asleep, she felt the bed shift, his warm body slid in beside her, stubbornly wrapping her in his arms. She had protested many times before, but after failing again and again, she no longer bothered. Being held by him, his clean, youthful scent surrounding her, had come to bring a strange sense of security and dependence. With her face buried in his neck, listening to his steady heartbeat, she quickly fell into a deeper sleep.

Xiao Shuo gazed down at the soft figure in his arms. In the dim light, he bent to kiss her fragrant skin. Her sleeping face was flushed, her breathing even. For the first time, he understood what it meant for one’s heart to soften. He couldn’t get enough of looking at her nor kissing her. The feeling was foreign and new, and it drew him into a sweet, helpless surrender.

A heart once hard as stone could bloom after all, she was like a delicate flower, and by touching her, he too had grown a tender weakness. For a killer, that was dangerous. But fortunately, he no longer needed to live by killing.

After watching her for a long while, he kissed her cheek again, nuzzling her ear to breathe in her familiar scent like an addict finding his fix. Only then did he finally fall asleep.

The next morning, Meng Guqing woke in a jolting carriage. She’d been too tired the night before, and now her whole body ached. It had been ages since she’d slept in, but this morning she couldn’t bring herself to move. She vaguely remembered him calling her twice; now, clearly, he had carried her to the carriage himself. Embarrassed, she sat up and complained, “Why didn’t you wake me? If you’d called me again, I would’ve gotten up. Now everyone saw you carry me, how mortifying! If people misunderstand, I’ll have no face left!” She covered her burning cheeks.

Sitting opposite, Xiao Shuo found her flustered complaints more endearing the longer he looked like a startled rabbit. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then calmly poured warm water from a flask, dampened a handkerchief, and began to wipe her face. Startled by the gesture, she reached to take it from him, but he dodged and insisted on doing it himself. He’d clearly never done such delicate work before, water splashed everywhere, leaving her face dewy and glistening like a camellia with morning dew. It was the first time Meng Guqing had ever been “served” in such a clumsy way, and she barely managed to hold back laughter until the end.

They washed up and ate breakfast in the carriage. Outside, the forested landscape raced by and it seemed they were traveling into more and more remote areas. Meng Guqing started to suspect he meant to find some quiet place to live in seclusion with her. “Just the two of us, no one around?” she asked. “That might sound romantic, but it’s hardly convenient.”

He actually folded his arms and thought it over seriously. “Just the two of us? That sounds fun. If you want to try it, we can.”

“No.” She shook her head firmly. She preferred the bustle and liveliness of city markets, remote mountains were terribly inconvenient in ancient times. But seeing how expectant he looked, she made sure to clarify, “Where exactly are we going? The moment we got off the ship, you started rushing us onward. You can’t expect me to just follow you blindly without knowing, can you?” Judging by the distance they’d traveled, seven or eight days now, he clearly knew their destination. So why wouldn’t he tell her?

He grinned. “Didn’t you always say two people have to get married before they can sleep together openly? I’m taking you to get married.”

Meng Guqing blinked, utterly confused. Wasn’t he a prince of Fulan? If he was really getting married, shouldn’t it be in Fulan? What were they doing here in Zhou? She didn’t think he was lying, odd as he was, he had never lied to her before. Still, she hadn’t meant her earlier words literally, she’d only said that to avoid sharing a room! Now she didn’t even know how to respond.

Xiao Shuo didn’t care what she thought. Since she had agreed to be with him, he had no intention of letting her back out.

Saying they were going to get married, that evening he actually took her out shopping, seriously buying red cloth for her wedding dress, gold and silver jewelry, dragon-and-phoenix candles, even longan and peanuts. Watching his men trying to stifle their laughter behind them, Meng Guqing wanted to dig a hole and bury herself. Who got married like this? He was clearly just making things up as he went! Surely he wasn’t serious about it?

In the clothing shop, after carefully looking around, Xiao Shuo picked out a bridal gown and told her to try it on. Meng Guqing protested weakly, “Isn’t this a bit too soon? Didn’t you say it’ll still take a few more days to reach our destination? We’ve only got one carriage, where will all this fit? Let’s wait until we arrive, all right?”

“No. Go try it on. If you don’t want to move yourself, I can help you.” The way he smiled made her skin crawl, he was the type who’d bully her just because he could. Her earlier sense that she’d be “handled” by him had turned out entirely correct. Things couldn’t go on like this, if they were to spend a long time together, she couldn’t always be the one being pressed down.

So that night, she refused to share a room with him. Facing his darkened expression, she stood firm in her decision to defend her boundaries.

Unfortunately, luck really wasn’t on her side. After all those nights sleeping in the same room without incident, this time, the one night she refused, they were ambushed.

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