Liu Qingxu halted her steps, turned around, swept aside the stray hairs on her forehead, lifted her head, and cast a disdainful glance at the roof. With an air of proud arrogance, she declared, "I've heard that Prince Zhen is cursed with loneliness, bringing misfortune to his wives and children. As a new-era talented woman of this world—a high-caliber, outstanding individual excelling in morality, intellect, physique, aesthetics, and labor, versed in astronomy above and geography below, mastering both civil classics and martial laws to establish herself—I am a peerless, extraordinary woman who could almost soar to the heavens and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the sun. Men only hinder my intellect and slow down my money-making pace. To think I'd tie myself down to a single man…" She leveled her gaze at Jiang Jiu, a smirk curling at the corner of her mouth. "Do you think I’ve lost my mind?"
"…?!" Jiang Jiu stared at her, dumbfounded.
What kind of nonsense was she spouting?!
Not only him, but Yu Hui and Yan Siyuan were also staring at her as if she were a monster, utterly stunned. Especially Yan Siyuan, whose fists clenched tightly on his lap, his handsome face dark as if splattered with thick ink.
Calling marriage to him "losing her mind"…
Claiming to be a peerless, extraordinary woman…
Wasn’t that just an indirect way of calling him a worthless good-for-nothing?!
In his twenty-three years of life, he had never encountered a woman as shameless as her, boasting about herself to the heavens!
Sensing a murderous aura directed at her, Liu Qingxu followed its source and finally noticed the man who had been meditating with his eyes closed earlier, now looking extremely displeased.
"Lord Si, what’s wrong with you? Poisoned?"
"Ahem!" Jiang Jiu snapped back to reality, nearly choking on his own saliva. Seeing his prince on the verge of erupting in rage, he suppressed his cough and explained with a forced smile, "Miss Liu… perhaps… perhaps Lord Si’s earlier medicine was too bitter, and he’s feeling nauseous now."
Liu Qingxu reached into her pocket, pulled out two green jujubes, and offered them to Yan Siyuan. "Use these to suppress the bitterness of the medicine."
Yan Siyuan tightened his fists, his sharp gaze piercing through her, showing no intention of accepting them. Jiang Jiu quickly took the jujubes, subtly positioning himself in front of Yan Siyuan to block his murderous intent, and said to Liu Qingxu with a cheerful smile, "Thank you, Miss Liu. That’s very thoughtful of you."
Liu Qingxu suddenly sighed. "I don’t know how long Lord Si’s injuries will take to heal. If I leave one day, don’t come looking for me. Focus on nursing Lord Si back to health first. As for the future… we’ll see."
"Miss Liu, wherever you wish to go, we’ll accompany you. Although Lord Si’s injuries won’t heal overnight, with Yu Hui and me taking care of him, it won’t be a problem," Jiang Jiu hurriedly assured her. Since she had already agreed to the prince’s marriage proposal, if she were to run off like this, wouldn’t the prince become the laughingstock of the entire realm?!
"Where to go hasn’t been decided yet. We’ll see how things unfold." Liu Qingxu smiled lightly, then waved at them. "Alright, I’m heading back now."
Her purpose in coming here was to give them a heads-up that she might leave at any time. If she disappeared later, she hoped they wouldn’t make a fuss.
As for the agreement between her and Lord Si, she couldn’t afford to think about it now.
After she left, Yu Hui couldn’t help but mutter, "This Miss Liu is utterly arrogant to the extreme, daring to say the prince isn’t worthy of her! I’ve seen conceited people, but never one as conceited as her!"
Jiang Jiu shot him a glare, then crouched beside Yan Siyuan and said with a smile, "Your Highness, don’t take it to heart. After all, Miss Liu doesn’t know your true identity, so it’s understandable that she holds some prejudice against you."
Yan Siyuan’s face remained dark, his teeth gritted as he spat out, “Keep a close eye on her for this prince!”
Saying his manhood was small!
Claiming he wasn’t worthy of her!
That damned thing—once he recovered, he’d strangle her with his bare hands!
Jiang Jiu knew he was truly furious. To save his own skin, he signaled to Yu Hui with his eyes, “You stay here with the prince. I’ll go keep an eye on Miss Liu.”
Yu Hui stole a glance at his prince, his scalp tingling, and rushed to leave instead, “You stay with the prince. I’ll go to Miss Liu!”
However, Jiang Jiu was quicker, darting out of the lodge and closing the door behind him.
Bang!
Yu Hui’s dark face stared at the wooden door, black lines practically dripping down his forehead.
He turned back with a nervous chuckle, “Prince, please rest first. This subordinate will go prepare your medicine.”
With that, he pulled open the door and shot out of the room.
…
In the neighboring lodge.
Liu Qingxu was just about to climb into bed for a nap when suddenly, Little Oriole came knocking.
“What is it?” she asked, opening the door with an expressionless face.
“Miss, there’s a man named Dai Fangzhi outside the monastery asking for you,” Little Oriole reported respectfully.
Liu Qingxu’s willow-like brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of doubt darkening her eyes.
Why would he come to the monastery instead of teaching at the school?
“Bring him in.”
“Yes.”
Before long, a tall, thin middle-aged man hurried anxiously into her lodge.
Liu Qingxu immediately dismissed Little Oriole, then closed the door and asked, “Teacher, why have you come here instead of teaching at the school?”
“Miss Liu, Xiao An and the others are missing!” Dai Fangzhi dropped to his knees, his voice trembling with urgency.
“What?” Liu Qingxu’s expression stiffened.
“Xiao An disappeared yesterday. I thought he’d just run off from school to play, but he still hadn’t returned by this morning. Just as I was about to send someone to look for him, I realized Xiao Cong and Hai You were missing too. When I asked the other children, they said Xiao Cong and Hai You had slept with them last night, but no one knew when they disappeared. And… I found one of Xiao Cong’s shoes nearby.” Dai Fangzhi choked back a sob as he spoke, pulling a black cloth shoe from his sleeve and continuing, “I went to report it to the authorities, but they said since they were all refugees, there was nothing they could do. I had no choice but to come to you.”
“How could this happen?” Liu Qingxu’s face darkened, and she immediately rushed outside. “Teacher Dai, come with me back to the city to check!”
She owned a small school called Laughing Academy.
There were eight children in total at the academy. They were either homeless orphans, street beggars, or even those who had sold themselves to bury their mothers. She had encountered them on the streets one day and was deeply moved, so she gathered them all together, bought a small courtyard, and settled them there.
At the time, she had made over a thousand taels from her dealings with the gambling den and was feeling rather inflated, so on a whim, she hired scholar Dai Fangzhi as a teacher. Dai Fangzhi was responsible for teaching the children to read and write, while his wife took care of their food and clothing.
For these children, she spent several days compiling the Tang poems, Song lyrics, Yuan songs, and other poetry she had memorized into booklets. She worked tirelessly for a month, staying up all night, just to get Laughing Academy up and running.
Now, with these children missing, how could she not be frantic?
But just as she and Dai Fangzhi rushed out of the monastery, they were stopped at the monastery’s main gate.
“Miss, please stay your steps.”
The people blocking them were guards from the Liu residence, specifically sent by Liu Jingwu to keep an eye on her.
Liu Qingxu spoke with a cold expression, "I have urgent matters and need to go down the mountain immediately."
The guard said sternly, "Miss, without the General's permission, you cannot leave the monastery."
Liu Qingxu shot him a glare and strode straight ahead.
Seeing this, the two guards immediately reached out to stop her.
Liu Qingxu showed no fear, using both hands and feet to push one aside and kick the other down, her movements agile and decisive.
Before they could try to stop her again, she glared fiercely and threatened, "I don’t want to start killing, so if you value your lives, get lost!"
Usually, she left the monastery at night and took small, hidden paths, so she had never encountered these guards face-to-face. But now she was in a hurry—even taking the main road down the mountain to the city would take over half an hour, while the small paths would at least double that time.
She didn’t have that much time to waste.
The two guards stared at her, taken aback by her ferocity, a hint of panic flickering in their eyes.
"Teacher Dai, follow me!" Liu Qingxu glanced back and then hurried down the mountain.
In the monastery quarters.
After listening to Jiang Jiu’s report, Yan Siyuan frowned deeply.
Over the past few days, he had observed Liu Qingxu’s routine of leaving at night and returning early in the morning. He had also managed to coax some information from her, learning that she had matters to attend to outside.
However, he didn’t know exactly what she was doing out there. Whenever he asked, she would evade the question, only saying she would take him along once his injuries healed.
Now, she had ignored the Liu residence guards’ attempts to stop her and even broke her usual routine of leaving at night and returning early to rush down the mountain. Something urgent must have happened…
"Jiang Jiu, go down the mountain quickly, keep a close eye on her, and assist her if necessary."
"Yes." Without hesitation, Jiang Jiu acknowledged the order and swiftly left.
After watching him leave, Yu Hui frowned and asked, "Prince, Miss Liu’s actions are so mysterious. What do you think she’s really up to?"
He didn’t comment on his master’s affection for Miss Liu, but he was deeply puzzled by her behavior.
As the legitimate daughter of the prestigious Zhenguo General’s household, she should, in theory, be a refined, gentle, and elegant young lady from a noble family. Yet, after spending time with her, he hadn’t seen any trace of the qualities expected of a well-bred lady. Her words and actions were completely out of sync with the typical young women of the time.
"Yu Hui, go to Miss Liu’s room and gather all her belongings. We’ll return to the city shortly," Yan Siyuan said gravely.
"Prince, you’re returning to the city? But your injuries haven’t fully healed yet!" Yu Hui looked at him disapprovingly.
"My Internal Power still needs recuperation, but otherwise, I’m fine," Yan Siyuan replied as he rose from the meditation cushion.
He didn’t know what kind of miraculous medicine Liu Qingxu had used on him, but it was more effective for healing wounds than any he had used before. In just a few days, his wounds had already scabbed over. As long as he was careful, no one would be able to tell he had been injured just by looking at him.
Seeing that his master was truly determined to return to the city, Yu Hui said nothing more and quickly went to the neighboring room.
…
At Xiaoxiao Academy, several children were reciting texts in the classroom, while Qiu Shi, the wife of Dai Fangzhi, watched over them. Everything was quiet and normal, as if nothing had happened.
To keep the children from worrying, the couple had only told them that Xiao An, Xiao Cong, and Hai You had sneaked out to play and would be punished with copying texts when they returned.
Of the five remaining children, Liu Qingxu watched secretly from outside the window. Compared to when she had first taken them in, they were now cleanly dressed and neatly groomed, earnestly swaying their heads as they recited Tang poems one after another—utterly adorable.
Suddenly, her expression darkened. She quietly left the study hall and signaled to Dai Fangzhi to speak with her outside the main gate.
"I'll find a way to look for Xiao An and the other two. You and Sister Qiu stay here and make sure the other children are safe."
These children were all homeless orphans. Here, they had food, shelter, and the chance to study. She couldn't believe they would simply leave on their own.
In other words, the disappearance of Xiao An, Xiao Cong, and Hai You was definitely suspicious!
"Miss Liu, don't worry. We'll definitely keep a close eye on the other children and won't dare to be careless again," Dai Fangzhi nodded repeatedly, assuring her.
Seeing his distressed expression, Liu Qingxu comforted him, "Alright, go back inside now. Don't let the other children notice anything is wrong."
Dai Fangzhi bowed to her with clasped hands, wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve, and then headed back inside the gate.
Leaning against the wall, Liu Qingxu took out the shoe Dai Fangzhi had found and examined it over and over. Her brows furrowed heavily, and a gloomy aura churned in her eyes.
Under what circumstances would someone lose a shoe and not even bother to pick it up?
In other words, Xiao An and the other two must have encountered some kind of accident!
But they were all orphans—no parents, no money, no influence. The oldest, Hai You, was only ten. What reason would anyone have to target them?
As for the possibility of being kidnapped by traffickers, that was unlikely too. Although child traffickers existed in this era and could openly buy and sell people, these children were too young and lacked sufficient labor value. Traffickers wouldn't even look at them. If they did, there wouldn't be any children begging on the streets.
So, what hidden motives lay behind the disappearance of Xiao An and the others?
"Miss Liu."
She quickly put the shoe away and turned to look at the newcomer, her face instantly regaining its composure. "Why are you here?"
Jiang Jiu smiled. "Miss Liu, how can you say that? The three of us are now under your care. Since you're out handling business, of course I should follow you."
Liu Qingxu stared at him intently.
This guy's Qinggong was no less than hers. He might actually be able to help.
"Miss Liu, what happened?" Jiang Jiu asked curiously, glancing up at the gate beside them.
How unusual—the Swallow's Nest actually had a plaque hanging on it!
And it read 'Xiaoxiao Study Hall'?
"Jiang Jiu, there's something I'd like to ask your advice about."
"Miss Liu, advice is too strong a word. You're our master now. Whatever you need, just give the order," Jiang Jiu hurriedly bowed to her.
"I want to ask the yamen for help with something, but they won't listen. As you know, although I'm from the general's household, my father is strict, and I can't reveal my identity. What should I do to get the yamen to help me?" Liu Qingxu said with a troubled expression.
She had forced her way out of the temple, and Liu Jingwu would definitely try to drag her back. If she showed her face at the yamen now, she'd only be caught even faster.
Her intention was to play the victim in front of Jiang Jiu, then have him step forward, take some silver to the yamen, and smooth things over so she could borrow a few men from them. Money could make even ghosts turn millstones—she didn't believe silver couldn't win over the yamen.
But Jiang Jiu clearly didn't grasp her thoughts. After pondering for a moment, he smiled and suggested to her, "Miss Liu, if the people from the General's Manor can't be used, then why don't you borrow someone from Prince Zhen Manor! Didn't you agree to Prince Zhen's marriage proposal? If you go to seek an audience with Prince Zhen, he will surely help you."
Liu Qingxu twitched her lips fiercely.
Go beg Prince Zhen?
She didn't even know what Prince Zhen looked like!
But…
Her eyes darted around rapidly.
Suddenly, a plan formed in her mind!
"Jiang Jiu, I need to ask you for a favor." Having made up her mind, she looked at Jiang Jiu pleadingly.
"Miss Liu, please don't be like this. If there's anything, just give the order."
Given the urgency of the matter, Liu Qingxu didn't stand on ceremony with him. She immediately pulled him to a secluded corner and told him about the three children's inexplicable disappearance.
Finally, she pleaded, "Please keep watch here for me. If any suspicious person approaches, it doesn't matter if you beat them to death or injure them—I'll take full responsibility. I'm going to Prince Zhen Manor tonight. Once I succeed, I'll return as quickly as possible to meet up with you."
Jiang Jiu was somewhat confused. "Succeed? What are you going to Prince Zhen Manor for?"
Could it be that she plans to win over their prince tonight?
Although this would be a good thing for their prince, his injuries haven't fully healed yet. If she forces herself on him, would their prince be able to handle it?
Seeing that he didn't understand, Liu Qingxu lowered her voice and explained clearly, "I'm just going to steal an item from Prince Zhen Manor, then use Prince Zhen's name to search for Xiao An and the others."
"…?!"
Black lines seemed to fall across Jiang Jiu's forehead. His mouth hung open, unable to utter a word, as if a violent storm had swept through his body, leaving him utterly disheveled.
It could be done like this?!