Qiao Xi hurriedly cooperated and extended her hand.
But because her movement was too quick, it seemed to pull at something, and she let out a stifled groan of pain.
As her arm reached out, fresh red blood seeped through the white cloth covering her shoulder.
The Emperor's eyes darkened. "What's going on?"
Qiao Xi said with little concern, "I took on a mission a few days ago and got a minor injury. I was afraid you'd worry, so I didn't let the imperial physician tell you. It'll heal in a few days."
On the surface, Qiao Xi had been convalescing in the depths of the palace all these years.
In private, she was either training at the Dark Agency or doing things for the Emperor, moving in the shadows, where injuries were unavoidable.
A few days ago, the Emperor had indeed assigned some tasks, and he had also heard from his informants that Qiao Xi was injured, but he hadn't cared about the severity—as long as she didn't die, it was fine.
Now, seeing the wound bleeding again, it must have been a serious injury. If it was severe, then her sudden weight loss made sense.
Then he saw Cao Ying slowly shake her head at him, and knew Qiao Xi's memories hadn't recovered. The Emperor's suspicions eased somewhat.
He put on a worried expression again. "You're always so considerate that it pains me. Quickly, let Cao Ying tend to your wound again."
He then ordered Cao Ying, "Use the best medicine. If anything happens to Xi'er, I won't spare any of you…"
After saying many concerned words, Qiao Xi was moved to tears on her lashes, and only then did the Emperor allow her to leave.
As she stepped out of the imperial study, Qiao Xi's eyes were ice-cold.
After her rebirth, she had learned the truth of everything. The pain and hatred in her heart made her flesh visibly waste away.
She had anticipated the Emperor would grow suspicious, so she deliberately injured herself during a mission to deal with today.
Fortunately, she had muddled through.
But the Emperor was suspicious and vicious; he wouldn't just let her leave the capital without doing anything.
In the imperial study, the Emperor said to Cao Ying, "Take that medicine to her. Tell her it conceals her internal energy, making it convenient for her to operate outside."
The previous medicine had altered Qiao Xi's memories, but it could only last about six or seven years. Now that five years had passed, the Emperor always worried that Qiao Xi's memories might recover early.
Cao Ying hesitated slightly.
That medicine would suppress Qiao Xi's original memories and also conceal her internal energy.
But it was a death warrant.
When Qiao Xi received the medicine, she put it into her mouth without any hesitation.
In her previous life, she had also taken this medicine, though it was half a year later.
At that time, the Emperor had her disguise herself as different identities to assassinate the heads of various military governors.
Being able to hide her internal energy and make others let down their guard was a good thing for her, so she hadn't suspected anything.
But this medicine became her death warrant.
Cao Ying waited until she estimated the medicine had dissolved in Qiao Xi's body before leaving.
Once the person was gone, Qiao Xi spat out the pill, still wrapped in its thin film.
Because she had prepared in advance, the medicine hadn't dissolved at all.
She tucked the pill into her bosom, used the Disguise Art to dress as a eunuch, and left the palace.
"Customer, what would you like to forge?"
As soon as she entered the blacksmith shop, an apprentice came up to greet her.
Qiao Xi spoke in a shrill voice, "Please deliver a message to the Prince of Jiangbei."
The wariness in the apprentice's eyes dispersed, and he smiled. "You jest. I'm just a blacksmith. What prince would I know?"
It had taken Qiao Xi some effort to discover that this place was Jiangbei's secret outpost in the capital.
Without beating around the bush, she said, "I can help him seize grain."
The apprentice's smile gradually faded, as if pondering something.
Then a low male voice sounded from behind the forge. "What are your terms?"
Qiao Xi looked toward the voice. The man's face was hidden behind the forge fire, flickering between light and dark, making it hard to see clearly.
"Kidnap someone for me. Pretend to be interested in her and keep her in Jiangbei for the time being."
"Who?"
"Someone the Prince of Jiangbei can afford to kidnap."
Qiao Xi mimicked the eunuchs, raising her fingers in an orchid gesture, and drew a piece of paper from her sleeve. "This is my sincerity."
The shop assistant took it, his heart surging with waves of shock—it was actually a grain transport route.
Such a vital thing, and this person gave it away just like that. Just as suspicion began to stir, he heard Qiao Xi say, "If the Prince of Jiangbei fears a trap, there is no need to go in person."
The paper was passed into the man's hands. The assistant asked, "Aren't you afraid we'll take the grain and not do your bidding?"
Qiao Xi smiled. "A Prince of Jiangbei who would risk danger for the common people cannot be a petty man. If I misjudged, then let it be my charity to the people of Jiangbei."
The man let out a soft chuckle and stepped forward. "Jiangbei accepts this cooperation."
Qiao Xi glanced at him, her eyes narrowing slightly. The man's features were cold and sharp, and even in coarse short garments, he could not conceal the noble bearing about him.
She gave a slight nod and turned to leave the shop.
Two months passed in a flash.
Bixiang was full of complaints. "If you didn't want to marry, you could have feigned serious illness. High-ranking nobles and powerful officials won't take a sickly woman into their households, so naturally they wouldn't set their sights on you."
Why insist on leaving the capital?
And dragging her along too.
They had traveled at full speed and finally reached Jiangnan, but before they could rest even a day, the grain escort convoy turned back toward the capital.
Every day was nothing but rushing along the road, jolting her until her bones felt like they would fall apart.
Today, they even encountered a landslide on the mountain road. The grain carts could not pass, so they had to take a detour, missed the post station, and could only stop at this shabby little inn.
Though she bore the title of palace maid, her status was special. In the palace she had lived better than most masters—how could she have ever suffered like this?
Qiao Xi listened to her grumbling and curled her lips coldly.
But on the surface she said, "Even if I feigned illness, there would still be those who covet my favor with the Emperor and want to use me to climb up to His Majesty.
Besides, there are many imperial physicians in the palace. Externally, I have been ill for years without recovering. I do not want people speculating that His Majesty is not doing his utmost for me."
She constantly professed loyalty to blind the Emperor.
Bixiang also knew Qiao Xi's identity in the Dark Agency, and that the Emperor would never possibly let her marry out. What Qiao Xi said made sense.
But she was still angry and wanted to say more when her vision went black and she collapsed toward the ground.
Before her eyes closed, she vaguely saw Qiao Xi collapse as well…
Outside the inn.
A line of black-clad figures appeared like ghosts, moved the unconscious grain escort soldiers to one side, then pushed cart after cart laden with grain and swiftly departed.
Qiao Xi stood by the window, watching their movements—swift yet orderly—and curved her lips.
Jiangbei had gone a year without rain, and the people's days were hard.
When she resolved to use this batch of grain for disaster relief, Jiangbei was the first place she thought of.
Jiangbei had once been the land the Qiao family guarded for generations, and also because the current Prince of Jiangbei, Su Heting, though notorious for his ferocity, had emptied his own coffers to aid the people in the face of the drought.
Only by delivering the grain into such hands would the people truly benefit.
But because Su Heting had not existed in her previous life, Qiao Xi had spent considerable effort investigating.
The door creaked open.
Qiao Xi still faced the window, her figure unmoving. "No wonder the Emperor fears you. The Prince of Jiangbei trains his soldiers well."
In those years, when regional military governors carved out their territories and barbarian tribes invaded, the court had no strength to resist the enemy, so it issued a Hero's Call.
Su Heting went alone into a bandit den and subdued a thousand mountain bandits to form a volunteer army.
In three years, the volunteer army grew to a hundred thousand and became the main force resisting the barbarians. The people of Jiangbei supported him as the Prince of Jiangbei, and the court turned a blind eye to it.
Last year, after the barbarians were driven out of the borderlands, Su Heting, who had seized control of Jiangbei, became the Emperor's greatest worry.
Yet constrained by reputation, he dared not move openly against Jiangbei, and could only repeatedly send assassins. But Su Heting was no easy target either.
Hearing her voice, the newcomer paused mid-step.
There was no response. Qiao Xi turned and looked at Su Heting.
She had already guessed his identity last time—the man in the blacksmith's shop.
Seeing Su Heting standing motionless, she asked suspiciously, "The Prince of Jiangbei?"
The man finally moved, lazily seating himself in the chair beside Qiao Xi, his long legs crossed and propped on the low table.
Qiao Xi had grown up at the Crown Prince's side and was accustomed to his impeccable posture—standing like a pine, sitting like a bell. Seeing Su Heting like this, she frowned.
Then she heard the man say, "I've long heard that the Emperor and Princess Zhaoyang share a bond like father and daughter. This prince truly never expected that the one who would help me seize the grain would be Princess Zhaoyang.
Even less did I expect that Princess Zhaoyang is the Commander of the Dark Agency. From the looks of it, the one the Princess let me abduct was the Princess herself."
Qiao Xi had her own schemes.
She wanted the world to know that the daughter of the Qiao family had returned to Jiangbei, which was why she had not disguised herself tonight.
Su Heting had been to the capital and recognizing her was no surprise. That he would be shocked was also within her expectations—but none of this had any bearing on their cooperation.
"You already have the grain. You need only follow our agreement and abduct me to Jiangbei."
Su Heting still wore that lazy expression, gazing at Qiao Xi for a moment. Suddenly he rose, and with a strong, powerful arm he pulled Qiao Xi into his embrace, his tone domineering and brazen: "This prince lacks a princess consort. Prepare to be married, Princess Zhaoyang."
"What do you mean by this?" Qiao Xi was baffled.
Su Heting had no intention of answering. He released her, flicked some powder from his fingertip onto Bixiang on the ground, and strode out the door.
Qiao Xi wanted to chase after him and demand an explanation, but seeing that Bixiang was showing signs of waking, she had no choice but to lie down on the ground and feign unconsciousness.
Her mind raced, pondering why Su Heting had arbitrarily changed their agreement.
And Su Heting, having stepped over the threshold, was equally unsettled inside—the hand beneath his sleeve trembling uncontrollably…