"Heaven truly has blessed us—blessed us!" Li Xu was ecstatic. They weren't dead! His own life, at last, had been spared. "Men, come! Take them away!"Through the storm, soldiers carried the two women from the ruined temple, preparing to deliver them to the carriage where Qing Ling awaited. Suddenly, Li Xu called out, "Wait!"
These three women had already attempted suicide and suffered disfigurement—who knows what chaos they might bring next! The journey to Qiongyue would still take more than ten days. After some calculation, Li Xu spoke solemnly: "Separate them. One per carriage. They must not see each other again. Also, lace their drinking water with sedation powder. They must arrive in Qiongyue alive—no exceptions!"
"Yes, sir!"
The three women were promptly shoved into separate carriages. Until they reached Qiongyue, they would have no chance to reunite—no opportunity to even leave the carriage.
Sisters of the Qing family, do not blame me. Blame your own fate. Blame your beauty, which could topple kingdoms. Blame your brilliance, your fame across six nations. Women handpicked by Qiongyue's emperor—disfigurement or death means nothing. You are destined to perish in Qiongyue. This is fate—inescapable and cruel.
Early spring. The season of blossoms in riotous color.The empire of Qiongyue was vast and prosperous, its capital, Huanyang, resplendent. Even before reaching the gates, one could hear the vibrant hum of activity from within. Along the official roads, merchants and commoners bustled in and out of the city, creating a lively scene.
A gentle breeze caressed the face, the fragrance of flowers and the songs of birds filling the air. As the party neared Huanyang's gates, Li Xu was filled with a mix of joy and dread. Joy—because after ten days of perilous travel, they had finally arrived. Dread—because of the state of the young ladies' faces…
Inside the carriage, a slender arm strained toward the low-set window frame. Just before reaching it, it fell, powerless, to her side again. So close!Zhuo Qing made another effort, stretching her right arm. This time, her fingertips brushed the wooden edge. Gasping deeply, she braced herself with her left hand and, after much effort, finally managed to sit upright.
Sweat slid from her forehead down her cheeks. The pain on the right side of her face sharpened her clarity. She had been confined in this tiny space for days. Daily, they fed her drugs laced with imidazopyridines. In recent days, she'd pretended to be in a deep coma—they would stop after forcing in a few mouthfuls.Her mind was still sharp, though her limbs remained weak.
Where was Gu Yun? Were they taken together after the attack in the office? Who were these people? What did they want? And where in the world still used horse-drawn carriages?
Zhuo Qing's quick mind raced for answers, but only questions came.
Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt. Outside, a familiar male voice rang out with deference and flattery: "My lord, the three young mistresses of the Qing family have arrived. Shall we proceed…?"
She recognized that voice. It had been outside her carriage often these past days. He must be the one overseeing this abduction.
There was some commotion outside. After a moment, a deeper male voice replied coldly, "The Emperor has given his command. The eldest daughter of the Qing family shall enter the palace. The second daughter to Chancellor Lou's estate. The third to General Su's residence. Lord Li, you have done well. You may leave."
The Emperor? The palace?What country in the modern world still followed absolute monarchy?
She had been taken out of China.
From their conversation, one thing was clear—there were three of them. Was Gu Yun one of them?
Zhuo Qing held her breath, straining to hear more.
Outside, Li Xu bowed deeply. "I thank His Majesty for his grace."
The officiant barely glanced at him before turning to the three carriages. "Which one holds the eldest daughter?"
Li Xu quickly pointed to the center carriage. "This one, sir."
Two men in palace robes stepped forward, took the reins, and at the official's command—"To the palace!"—they departed through the eastern gate.
Beyond the gate stood two more groups. One in blue robes, refined and courteous—clearly men from the Chancellor's estate. The other in grey, sturdy and fierce—soldiers from the General's household.
Nodding politely, Li Xu smiled and said, "Sirs, the second young lady is in this carriage, and the third in that one."Each group took its assigned carriage and departed—one south, one north.
Watching the three carriages disappear in different directions, a soldier leaned in and whispered, "Lord Li, what do we do now?"
Cracking his whip, Li Xu barked, "We ride through the night. Return to Haoyue at once!"
That the Emperor of Qiongyue had refused even to grant them entry to the palace, had handed over the young ladies without a second glance—it was insulting.But then again, what were they, if not gifts from a small, insignificant nation? Why would Qiongyue hold feasts for mere offerings?
Looking one last time at the three parting carriages, Li Xu sighed quietly. May the heavens protect you, young mistresses…
The carriages resumed their journey, slowly. Zhuo Qing leaned against the wall, lifting the bamboo curtain slightly.Sunlight pierced her eyes, forcing her to shut them at once. After a moment, she adjusted and gazed outside. Her breath caught.
Where… is this place?
She couldn't remember the last time she saw such a pure, azure sky. The air carried the scent of fresh grass.On either side of the road stood towering, vigorous trees. Ahead of her, four men in blue long robes rode ebony steeds.Their hair was long.
She looked down. She was wearing a bright red bridal gown—ancient in style. Something wasn't right. Reaching for her hair, she pulled free a strand from her bun.
Black.
No—her hair had been chestnut brown. And it had never been this long.
Her heart, always calm, now beat wildly. Lifting her sleeve, she stared at the porcelain-like skin of her right arm. Her hand began to tremble uncontrollably.
This wasn't her body.
Her right arm bore a ten-centimeter scar. This one was unmarked.
What was going on!?
Zhuo Qing clenched her fists. She needed to stay calm—only then could she uncover the truth.
But before she could compose herself, the carriage jolted to a sudden halt, nearly throwing her off balance.
From the dense thickets on either side of the road, over a hundred people burst out—peasants, judging by their coarse clothing. They ranged in age from teens to the elderly, wielding hoes and poles.
Lan Ziqi froze. These didn't look like bandits. He loosened his sword slightly, then called out loudly, "Who are you people?"
Before anyone could answer, a burly man shouted, "Take it!"
They charged—chaotically, but with singular focus—toward the lone carriage.
Lan Ziqi and the three guards drew their blades, but they were outnumbered. Several men clambered onto the carriage and rode off with it. Seeing the carriage escape, the others scattered, unwilling to fight.
As he fled, the brawny man shouted, "Tell Chancellor Lou—if he wants his woman back, he'd better come to Niujia Village himself!"
Were it not for the hoes left behind and the vanished carriage, they would have doubted it had happened at all. It felt like a farce.
A guard looked at Lan Ziqi in disbelief. "What now?"
"Report to the authorities!" he snapped.
What else could they do? Lan Ziqi's face was drawn with frustration. He was merely a minor guard in the Chancellor's household. When Steward Jing pointed at him to fetch a girl, he never imagined such madness could happen beneath the capital's walls.
The carriage sped on for half an hour before finally stopping. Outside was a cacophony of voices. Then a respectful male voice called from beyond the curtain: "Miss, please step down."
Zhuo Qing cursed under her breath. She wanted to disembark. The problem was—her limbs were still like jelly.