Chapter 99: Preparing to Win Over

As Chang’an was now the head of the Jinyiwei, Zhang Xiao did not dare to be vague. She explained without concealment how they were ambushed that day, how Qiu Shuzhi and Jiang Si fell into the river together, and how Her Highness discovered the body.

The more Chang’an listened, the more she felt something was not right. There was likely something suspicious about Qiu Shuzhi’s assassination attempt, and the body before her might not be Qiu Shuzhi at all.

Moreover, why was Qiu Shuzhi’s body found, but the body of Jiang Si, who fell into the water with her, remained untraceable?

Qiu Shuzhi wasn’t dead; someone deliberately used a fake body!

A bold idea suddenly surged in Chang’an’s mind.

At this moment, there was a sudden commotion outside. A Jinyiwei rushed in, his face still bearing wounds: “Sir, Her Highness has woken up… This subordinate is incompetent and couldn’t persuade Her Highness. Please go and see.”

Chang’an walked into the room with a solemn expression. Yue Guanyi had already awakened.

He swatted away the medicine with one hand, his eyes filled with malice like a ferocious trapped beast, his voice torn: “Bastards! Can I not even control my own life and death? Whoever dares to interfere, execute them immediately! Tear them to pieces!”

Yue Guanyi’s chest heaved violently with anger, the wound on his abdomen that had just stopped bleeding burst open, and fresh blood soaked the bedsheet.

“Your Highness, please pull yourself together. This subordinate just went to see Master Qiu’s body and felt that this matter is full of suspicions. Master Qiu is likely not dead. Please don’t torment yourself!”

“What did you say?” Yue Guanyi’s eyes burst forth with a gaze as cold as shattering ice, clutching Chang’an’s collar tightly, a faint glimmer flickering in his gloomy, despairing eyes: “You say Qiu Niang isn’t dead?”

“Doesn’t Your Highness find it strange? Why are the faces of so many bodies intact, yet only Master Qiu’s face was eaten beyond recognition by river fish? And even the jade pendant Your Highness gave to Master Qiu has disappeared without a trace? And Lan Er, where is Lan Er?”

Chang’an voiced all her doubts.

She knew it was impossible to dissuade Her Highness from seeking death for the sake of the child now; only Master Qiu could make Her Highness want to live.

Sure enough, upon hearing that Qiu Shuzhi might not be dead, Yue Guanyi’s decaying face finally showed some semblance of a living person.

“Qiu Niang is still alive, Qiu Niang is still alive,” Yue Guanyi kept mumbling.

Chang’an continued: “You care deeply for Master Qiu, but excessive concern clouds judgment. You may not have noticed many things at the time. This subordinate believes that this matter is likely Jiang Si’s doing. Perhaps he deliberately put Master Qiu’s clothes on a stranger’s body to deceive you, while Master Qiu is now very likely being held captive by him.”

“Jiang Si, you wretch!” Yue Guanyi’s pale face twisted with hatred, a surging tide of boundless hatred roaring.

He clutched his bleeding wound tightly, his fingers curling and twitching from the constant waves of excruciating pain.

This wretched man coveted his wife-master, schemed and set a trap to snatch away Qiu Niang, causing him to kill the unformed child in his womb with his own hands… He would make this wretch pay, tear him to pieces, seal his corpse in boundless yin swamps of malice, never to be reincarnated for generations, forever unable to transcend, to accompany his child in death!

The crisp calls of birds and insects awakened Qiu Shuzhi. She propped up her soft body as she woke, wearing the attire of a Miao woman, not as delicate as a man’s, but the tightly bound narrow waist accentuated her slender waistline even more.

She sat on the threshold of the bamboo house, supporting herself with her hands, watching a six or seven-year-old Miao child playing with a bright green bamboo pit viper in the clearing in front of the door. The mildly venomous snake’s cold body coiled around his chubby arm. A child from the Central Plains would have been scared to tears, but this child played with the bamboo pit viper as if it were a docile toy.

Suddenly, a rare green peacock leapt down from a towering ancient tree, its brilliant feathers particularly beautiful in the morning light.

It was the first time Qiu Shuzhi learned that peacocks could actually fly.

The green peacock seemed to have taken an interest in the bamboo pit viper in the Miao child’s hands, repeatedly trying to peck at it with its beak.

The child protectively held the bamboo pit viper in his arms, pouting unhappily: “A’Du, this is my pet, you’re not allowed to bully it.”

A’Du?

Qiu Shuzhi vaguely remembered that when Lan Xuezhao was crying like a child back then, he also mumbled this name.

She had been here for so long and discovered that the Miao people seemed to keep all sorts of pets, from snakes and insects to rats. Was this green peacock Lan Xuezhao’s pet? It was indeed a good match.

Unfortunately, it was separated from its master; one flying freely among the jungle, while the other became a caged bird in the deep palace, probably never to see each other again.

“A’Du?” she called out tentatively.

A’Du’s head moved slightly, the blue-green crest on its head gently swaying. It looked at her and slowly walked towards her with elegant steps.

A’Du’s temperament seemed extremely gentle. No one could dislike such a beautiful and obedient creature. She gently stroked the gorgeous feathers on its tail, and it seemed to respond by lightly nuzzling her palm, even gently spreading its magnificent feathers, making a comfortable sound in its throat.

Qiu Shuzhi imagined how stunning it would look when it spread its tail feathers, showing her first smile since arriving in Miao territory.

“Wife-master,” a soft, ingratiating voice called from beside her.

Jiang Si was bringing breakfast over. Seeing Qiu Shuzhi playing with A’Du’s feathers, seemingly in a good mood, he dared to call out to her softly, like a little wife who had made a mistake.

But upon hearing his voice, the smile on Qiu Shuzhi’s face immediately cooled, and she turned back into the room.

On the day she first arrived in Miao territory, Jiang Si had confessed everything to her, including the fact that he was both the resurrected Jiang Si and the true Holy Child of the Miao.

Jiang Si had kept this from her for so long; anyone would be angry after being deceived, especially regarding matters of the state. Qiu Shuzhi couldn’t possibly not be angry.

Although she had known all of this long ago, she had to play her part thoroughly if she was acting.

If her reaction was too calm, it would arouse suspicion.

So she first pretended to be angry, giving him the cold shoulder for a few days, then pretending to understand and forgive him, saying things like “In my heart, you are more important than the empire,” and other such insincere words. This way, she could fully gain Jiang Si’s trust.

“Wife-master,” Jiang Si put the breakfast on the table, looking at her cold face, feeling a pang in his heart.

Before, when he was Lan Er, Qiu Shuzhi would never treat him so coldly, only endlessly tolerating and loving him.

“Wife-master, don’t be angry with me. I know I was wrong. I swear I’ll be honest with you about everything from now on, never hiding anything from you…” Jiang Si slowly embraced her waist from behind, his coquettish voice carrying a hint of nasality.

He had deceived her first, so it was right for her to punish him. He had no right to ask for her forgiveness.

But he still wanted so much for Qiu Shuzhi to forgive him, to love him tenderly again as before.

They would hold a wedding ceremony in front of the Miao people, becoming a legitimate couple.

She had already given him the cold shoulder for three days, pretending to be in pain and conflicted every day, not speaking a single word to him. Now the act was about done.

She sighed softly: “Jiang Si, you’ve deceived me to this extent. How can I trust you?”

Hearing her finally speak, Jiang Si was so excited he almost wept bitterly, willing to swear on his life: “Wife-master, I was also forced by circumstances. Otherwise, how could I have hidden it from you? But my heart is devoted to you alone. I brought you back to marry you in front of my people, to be your rightful husband openly. From now on, the entire Miao territory will belong to us two, and no one can prevent us from being together anymore.”

As he spoke, he knelt before Qiu Shuzhi, completely disregarding his current status as the Holy Child, begging for her forgiveness.

Qiu Shuzhi embraced him lovingly, pulling him up from the ground.

“Wife-master, you’ve forgiven me?” Jiang Si’s tears welled up in his eyes.

Qiu Shuzhi nodded silently.

“Although your intentions are good, Her Highness is not one to give up easily. Unable to find me, she will surely search everywhere.”

Jiang Si wiped away his tears: “Don’t worry, wife-master. Yue Guanyi won’t come looking for you anymore.”

The spy he sent reported that Yue Guanyi had found the body he had prepared in advance, was grief-stricken, and even gave up the child in his belly.

Jiang Si sneered coldly. It was just as well that the child was gone.

If Yue Guanyi had really given birth to the child, it would have been an endless trouble for him. There was no guarantee that Qiu Niang wouldn’t soften her heart for the child’s sake and return.

He would bear children for Qiu Niang himself.

Jiang Si didn’t say it explicitly, but Qiu Shuzhi had already guessed roughly what he had done.

But these were not the most important matters now.

“Miao territory is within the Dian King’s sphere of influence. You rashly brought me back here. Aren’t you afraid the Dian King will come?”

Jiang Si shook his head, the silver ornaments on his head making a clear, crisp sound, illuminating his reddened eyes: “Don’t worry, wife-master. Although Miao territory is nominally under mother’s control, her deliberate efforts to weaken Miao power in recent years have already caused discontent among our people. Although Miao’s power is not what it was a dozen years ago, at this critical moment, the Dian King wouldn’t dare to rashly move against Miao.”

Discontent meant there was an opportunity to exploit.

Qiu Shuzhi suddenly understood: “So that’s how it is. But have you considered who the next opponent will be if the Dian King really defeats the imperial court?”

Jiang Si was silent for a moment: “Miao.”

Qiu Shuzhi pressed on: “Indeed, remaining in isolation is not a good strategy in the long run.”

This was also a hidden worry in his heart. He resented his father for falling completely into the trap of love and not knowing how to fight for the interests of their clan, leading to the once-powerful Miao being gradually weakened.

But Jiang Si knew that his mother still feared Miao.

The former Miao had almost ruled the entire Yunnan. If it weren’t for her conquering his father’s heart back then, she would never have become the only non-imperial surname king of Da Qi.

Now that his mother’s power had gradually grown, her attitude towards Miao was still guarded, especially since Miao excelled in poison and insect magic. If they were to fight in the miasma-filled mountains and dense forests, the Dian army would have almost no chance of winning.

But if she ruled the Central Plains, everything would be different.