After leaving the residence, Su Lingqing secretly doubled back. While no one was paying attention, she led a horse out of the stables and swiftly mounted it.
Qiuyun, who had been following her, froze in surprise.
Su Lingqing had lived every day under Madam’s watchful eyes. Since when had she learned to ride a horse?
The girl rode off like a streak of dust toward the east. Qiuyun couldn’t catch up and had to give up.
Fortunately, she had already sent word ahead. Madam must have begun taking action by now.
The cold wind cut against her face like knives, but Su Lingqing seemed not to feel it as she rode straight toward her destination.
To the east of the capital was a black market. Rumor had it that powerful people protected it. Inside, all kinds of shady characters gathered, and anything could be bought as long as you could pay the price.
Taking a shortcut, she hurried along. She had to prepare everything before Su Huai returned.
In Fusheng Courtyard.
When Zheng Rui heard that Su Lingqing had secretly ridden out on horseback, she frowned and shook her head.
“Impossible… When did she suddenly learn to ride?”
Qiuyun lowered her head.
“This servant is puzzled as well.”
The woman set down her teacup.
“It doesn’t matter. She won’t be returning alive anyway. Bandits have been rampant in the mountains lately. Lingqing is such a delicate girl if she were captured, she might end up wishing she were dead.”
Zheng Rui smiled with gentle pity.
Half an hour later, the sun was already setting, casting warm golden light across the capital.
After riding hard all the way, Su Lingqing dismounted. Her hands and face were red from the cold.
Without even warming herself, she quickly walked to a courtyard that looked completely ordinary.
“Who goes there?” a young boy guarding the door asked in a low voice.
Su Lingqing glanced at him and realized that although the boy was young, he possessed martial skills and not weak ones.
She looked around briefly before handing him a token.
“Someone from the Ji family.”
The Ji family?
The boy lowered his head and examined the token. It was heavy, with the unique secret pattern belonging only to the Ji family.
His eyes flickered. He pushed the door open.
“Honored guest, please come in first. Allow me to inform my masters.”
Anyone who could find this place through the black market clearly had connections.
Finally inside the warm courtyard, Su Lingqing rubbed her frozen ears with her palms.
When the boy stepped outside, he took a quick look at her, trying to recall the appearances of the Ji family’s important figures but nothing came to mind.
And if he remembered correctly… the Ji family had only sons, from top to bottom, aside from a few married women. There were no young ladies.
Using light-footed skills, he leapt onto the roof and soon landed before another room. After explaining the situation, he pushed the door open.
Warm air greeted him.
Expensive wool carpets covered the floor, and the boy crawled forward on his knees.
“Master, a woman claiming to be from the Ji family has arrived. The token is indeed theirs, but she is unfamiliar. This servant doesn’t recognize her.”
A handsome young man stepped out barefoot onto the carpet.
“If you don’t recognize her, then the token must have an unclear origin. Take the token and drive her away.”
Just as he finished speaking, another voice interrupted.
“Wait, don’t chase her away yet. How old is she? Is she pretty?”
More than one distinguished guest was present today. The boy said nervously,
“V-very pretty. Around the same age as me still young.”
Another young man, elegant and flirtatious, appeared, lazily waving a folding fan despite the cold.
“That’s perfect! I’ll go see her myself!”
While the two argued, the door of the innermost room opened.
A clear, jade-like male voice sounded.
“Bring it here.”
Just two simple words, yet filled with authority.
The man with the fan grabbed the token first and looked at it.
“Oh! It really is from the Ji family!”
While he was speaking, the owner of the voice had already appeared behind him.
His face was extraordinarily handsome. A pair of fox-like eyes curved in a smile, and the tear mole at the corner of his eye added a hint of charm.
He hooked the token with his little finger. A faint fragrance drifted to his nose.
It’s her.
Good thing he had waited here these past few days. He had known she would come.
Jiang Ciyan’s eyes curved like spring water as he smiled.
“I’ll go myself.”
He gripped the token tightly in his hand.
When he left the room, the other two men couldn’t resist their curiosity and immediately followed.
The young boy remained kneeling on the ground, completely confused.
Who exactly was she, to make all three masters go personally to receive her?
Su Lingqing sat on a warm couch, finally feeling alive again.
Her cloak was wrapped tightly around her, its collar lined with snow-white rabbit fur that made her small face look even more breathtakingly beautiful.
Sitting there, she looked obedient and gentle.
Jiang Ciyan pushed open the door and saw this scene.
Su Lingqing looked up and met his gaze for two seconds before quickly looking away and standing up.
His pupils trembled slightly, but he soon returned to his usual smiling expression.
“Miss, carrying such a valuable token you must be in quite a hurry.”
He took out the token and waved it lightly.
Su Lingqing extended her red, frostbitten fingers.
“My token. Give it back.”
Jiang Ciyan handed it over, a trace of carefulness hidden in his movement though the girl didn’t notice.
When their hands touched, her icy fingertips brushed against his warm palm, sending an unexpected itch straight into his heart.
The door opened again.
Two young men strolled in lazily.
“Brother, why didn’t you wait for us? Really ”
The man with the folding fan froze mid-step, the rest of his words stuck in his throat.
What… what a face!
A beauty like snow and frost, timeless and flawless!
Jiang Ciyan’s eyes turned slightly cold. He glanced sideways at them.
“Get out.”
Three light words instantly pulled them back to their senses.
“Alright, alright! Wen Chong and I won’t disturb you!”
The two quickly ran out of the room.
One muttered as he left,
“My goodness. Little Prince Jiang actually chased us out? I remember he once swore he hated beautiful but useless ‘vase-like’ women the most!”
Wen Chong replied,
“Maybe she isn’t a vase. But she certainly is beautiful.”
Inside the room, after they left, Su Lingqing bowed.
“Greetings, Little Prince Jiang.”
Jiang Ciyan, twenty-one years old, was already the Regent of the current dynasty young, capable, and ruthless. Everyone who saw him addressed him respectfully as “Little Prince Jiang.”
Truly second only to the emperor, above ten thousand others.
With a smile and a few words, he could send someone to their death.
A smiling tiger like him was the most terrifying kind.
Because you never knew whether he was friend or enemy.
Jiang Ciyan leaned closer, looking at the girl whose height barely reached his chest.
“You actually recognize me, Su Lingqing.”
Hearing her name spoken from his lips made her heart tremble violently.
This man was the most dangerous and troublesome person she had ever encountered.
Even Zhao Mingcheng could sometimes offer a chance to survive.
Jiang Ciyan never would.
“Little Prince Jiang, I came here today to do business. This Ji family token should be enough for me to ask about two pieces of information and buy two people.”
Su Lingqing didn’t ask how he knew her name.
That wasn’t important.
Once the transaction ended, they would never cross paths again.
“The original owner of this token isn’t you, is it?” Jiang Ciyan asked instead.
They stood very close close enough to see the slightest change in each other’s expressions.
“No.”
The token had belonged to Su Lingqing’s mother.
Seeing her lower her eyelashes and answer honestly, Jiang Ciyan realized his presence might be too intimidating, so he stepped aside.
“The Ji family once showed great kindness to the Jiang family. Naturally, your request can be granted.”
He looked at her calmly.
“So what two pieces of information do you want? And which two people do you wish to buy?”