Being an Embroidered Uniform Guard was already a relatively free life, but compared to following Miss Qi around, well, it suddenly felt completely dull and lifeless.
After all, every moment spent by Miss Qi’s side was grand and stormy, like sailing through tempests with wind at your back.
No one ever knew what would happen the next second, what bold move Miss Qi might make.
Not to mention, every time, she somehow managed to survive on the brink. When you thought for sure she was finished, when death seemed certain, she would always turn the tables with one beautiful, fatal blow.
Chunsheng couldn’t help but glance at her. “Miss Qi, I…”
Qi Yuan gave him a sidelong glance. “What, are you unwilling?”
Of course not.
Chunsheng swallowed the words he’d been about to say.
Forget it.
Whatever Miss Qi said, he’d just do it.
Besides, bringing Divine Physician Xue safely back to the capital, that was a deed of great merit!
After all, at Feilai Temple, Qi Changting’s injury had everything to do with Qi Yuan. One could even say he was entirely caught up in her misfortune.
Why had Qi Yuan come to Jiangxi in the first place?
At the root of it, it was to bring Divine Physician Xue back to treat her brother.
So if he could help her deliver the physician home safe and sound, that was more valuable than anything.
He agreed at once: “Don’t worry, Miss Qi. I’ll deliver the physician safely to Marquis Yongping’s residence.”
Qi Yuan gave a quiet “mm.”
After Divine Physician Xue picked up his medicine chest and followed Chunsheng away, she turned and sat on the steps.
Liujin and Beize followed behind silently. When they saw her sit down, they hesitated for a moment before asking: “Miss Qi, Qi Wang is having people search the whole manor. Shouldn’t we leave as well?”
Qi Yuan lowered her eyes and gave a mocking smile: “No need. Let them come.”
Let them come?
Liujin didn’t understand what she was thinking anymore. He only felt his heart clench with confusion and tension.
Meanwhile, Qi Wang had quickly thought of Divine Physician Xue.
He hadn’t forgotten what Gao Qing had said, that Qi Changting’s injury was so severe, he’d likely be paralyzed for life.
With that, he instantly realized why Qi Yuan had faked her illness to enter the manor.
It wasn’t for him at all, she was after Divine Physician Xue!
This woman, everything she did was coldly calculated, to the smallest detail!
Qi Wang stormed toward Divine Physician Xue’s courtyard with his men.
Because the physician preferred peace and quiet, his residence was located in the northwest corner of the estate, surrounded by bamboo and silence.
Burning with fury, Qi Wang kicked the gate open.
This time, he didn’t miss.
Across the courtyard, he and Qi Yuan locked eyes.
In that instant, for some reason, Qi Wang felt a sharp sting rush to his nose and eyes.
He clenched his fists tightly, staring at her.
Coldly, he took a bow from the hands of a nearby archer, and raised it toward her.
He was so furious that he couldn’t help but draw the bowstring hard.
Qi Yuan only looked at him calmly and tugged the corner of her mouth into a smirk.
Qi Wang pulled with force, but the arrow never flew.
With a loud snap, the bowstring broke.
He froze, stunned.
Qi Yuan gave a soft laugh: “The equipment in your manor sure is sloppy, Your Highness. What kind of bow breaks this easily?”
Qi Wang instantly realized something was wrong.
At the same moment, all the archers nearby discovered, their bowstrings were all snapping easily.
Even a gentle pull, and, snap.
There was no need to guess, Qi Yuan again!
This woman, she had even planned for this!
Qi Wang slammed the bow onto the ground, grinding his teeth.
“You think this means you’ll escape unscathed? Don’t get cocky, Qi Yuan! You only got away before because I never really meant to kill you!”
Qi Yuan scoffed: “Xiao Ling, stop pretending to be some tragic lover.” She sneered, “You let Qi Jin live, sat back as Duke Chu’s family hunted me down, and you’re calling that mercy?”
If she survived, it was her own ability, not because Qi Wang spared her.
Qi Wang flew into a rage. His face twisted as he stepped forward.
“Am I wrong? Ask your own conscience, if I hadn’t shown mercy, you’d be dead by now!”
Qi Yuan gave him a half-smile: “So what, I’m supposed to fall to my knees in gratitude?”
Qi Wang suddenly raised his wrist: “Return the secrets you stole from my study, or I’ll kill you right here and now!”
“Tch. So you do know fear, after all.” Qi Yuan clapped her hands, smiling: “So you realize, if the emperor sees those letters, you’re finished.”
Qi Wang grew restless and uneasy.
His frustration was boiling over.
He glared at Qi Yuan: “Enough nonsense! Hand everything over and I might let you live!”
Qi Yuan didn’t believe a single word.
Ever since he realized she had been faking unconsciousness, he’d wanted her dead.
Even if he didn’t kill her outright, he was probably planning to break her limbs and turn her into a living corpse.
Maybe to him, not killing her was already a supreme act of grace.
But as far as she was concerned, he could keep it.
She shook her head: “You’ll be disappointed. The letters, and Divine Physician Xue, they’re already gone.”
She paused, then added with a cheerful smile: “Oh, and one more thing, your urgent memorial to the capital? The one you sent at top speed? That won’t be arriving either.”
The moment she said it, Qi Wang reacted.
She was referring to the urgent 800-li memorial requesting imperial approval for their marriage.
She’d sabotaged it on purpose!
She wanted to enrage him, to publicly slap him in the face!
She had never cared for his feelings. She treated him like a venomous beast.
Even now, it was still the same.
His eyes gleamed with cold malice as he sneered at her: “So what if the letters are gone? You’re still here, aren’t you?”
Coldly, he added: “No matter how capable you are, against thousands of guards, you’re still dead meat.”
If she wouldn’t stay, then she could die.
Die!
The fury in Qi Wang’s chest was about to explode.
If she wasn’t really unconscious, she should know, he had humbled himself for her.
If even that couldn’t move her, then she could just die!
If he couldn’t have her, then neither could Xiao Yunting!
Qi Wang’s eyes burned with madness. He gave the order: “Attack! Kill her!”
Qi Yuan stepped back, raised her arm, and revealed a sleeve dart, instantly striking down the first few men who rushed at her.
Eunuch Feng’s heart nearly stopped from fright, he hadn’t expected this woman to be so fierce.
But Qi Wang just sneered.
Sleeve darts run out.
But he had more men than she could count.
