Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 22

Sitting alone in the waterside pavilion, Gong Yu carefully opened the envelope, which contained only a single thin sheet of letter paper.

[“Letter received. All is well. Expect to return to the capital around Mid-Autumn Festival. Do not worry. Dai Ru Yan.”]

Gong Yu read it over and over for a full half-hour, but the few dozen words were so brief that Gong Yu couldn’t discern any deeper meaning.

The cicadas seemed to drag their chirping intentionally long, their shrill cries incessantly buzzing in Gong Yu’s ears. Lying sideways on the low couch, Gong Yu could only conclude that Dai Ru Yan’s letter truly held no hidden significance.

Not a single word in the letter mentioned the peach blossom sachet. Gong Yu lay flat, holding the letter up with both hands before letting it drop in frustration. The paper slid down Gong Yu’s cheek and fell to the side.

“What is this supposed to mean?” Gong Yu closed their eyes, picked up the letter again, and pressed it lightly against their chest, murmuring in quiet exasperation.

As autumn arrived, Gong Yu counted the days and realized Mid-Autumn Festival wasn’t far off. Restlessness began to stir inexplicably once more.

The newly opened shop was staffed by employees selected by the old steward. Gong Yu had visited twice, but most of the customers were merely curious onlookers drawn to the exotic goods from foreign lands, far outnumbering actual buyers.

So Gong Yu repurposed the shop into something akin to an exhibition, charging an entrance fee. Of course, visitors could still purchase items they fancied, and for popular goods, auctions could even be held. This quickly piqued the curiosity of many nobles and dignitaries in the capital.

As for Qin Hua, Gong Yu had sent someone to investigate his background and discovered that he had once been a retainer under the eldest prince, Gong Quan. However, after Gong Quan was deposed and placed under house arrest for a year, most of his retainers left, and Qin Hua was among them.

August was the season when osmanthus flowers filled the air with fragrance, and warm osmanthus cakes could be enjoyed. Gong Yu arranged for guards to escort Qing Yun out of the capital and take her to the borderlands to investigate her true identity.

With household affairs running smoothly, Gong Yu kept busy and gradually stopped fretting over Dai Ru Yan’s impending return.

But just after bidding farewell to the teary-eyed Qing Yun, Gong Yu visited a pastry shop to sample their new offerings and unexpectedly ran into the woman in red.

Turning to flee, Gong Yu heard laughter ring out beside them: “Isn’t this the young master from that day?”

Gong Yu stepped over the threshold and called back, “I have matters to attend to. I must go.”

“What’s the hurry?” Despite the crowd separating them, the woman in red slithered through like an eel and was suddenly right beside Gong Yu.

“That day, you called me ‘sister.’ How have we grown so distant in just a few months?” The woman leaned in, her body soft and boneless as if she might collapse onto Gong Yu at any moment.

Gong Yu quickly grabbed Qin Hua, using him as a shield against the woman’s overwhelming presence. “Please, sir, hold her off for a moment.”

Qin Hua looked at Gong Yu in stunned silence before reluctantly agreeing, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Gong Yu dashed out of the pastry shop, still clutching the warm cakes, oblivious to the astonished stares around them.

Only after weaving through the streets and turning a corner did Gong Yu finally slow down. The capital’s labyrinthine alleys should have made it impossible for the woman in red to catch up.

“Ah, the richest man in the land has had his family property confiscated for colluding with corrupt officials!”

“Who would have thought? Master Gu was such a renowned philanthropist.”

“The Gu family’s wealth could rival the nations. It’ll take ten days and nights just to haul away all the confiscated silver!”

Gong Yu approached the crowd and saw a wanted poster displayed above them. The fugitive’s portrait looked oddly familiar—wasn’t that the man who had been with Dai Ru Yan in the teahouse that day?

Alright, when she saw the name “Gu Qing,” Gong Yu was certain this person was the handsome young nobleman who had been with Dai Ru Yan.

Just as Gong Yu was reading intently, something sharp suddenly pressed against her back, and a woman’s low voice whispered in her ear, “If you want to live, don’t make a sound and come with me.”

“Alright.” Gong Yu guessed it was probably a dagger pressed against her back.

She had brought guards with her when she left today, but earlier, when she entered the pastry shop, she had told them to go have tea.

Then, coincidentally, she ran into that woman in red again, and Gong Yu had slipped away alone. Could this woman have been following her all along?

Forced into a deserted alley, Gong Yu said calmly, “We can talk this out. If you want money, I can have someone bring it to you immediately.”

Still shaken from the last attack, Gong Yu hesitated, but the woman snarled, “Shut your filthy mouth!”

Fine.

Gong Yu was taken to an underground wine cellar in a ruined building, her body bound with ropes. Though the woman’s face was covered, her figure and voice suggested she was about the same age as Dai Ru Yan.

Outside, the sky was gradually darkening. Gong Yu figured Qin Hua and the steward must have noticed her disappearance by now, and the capital was likely being searched.

The wine cellar was dimly lit, with only a single oil lamp casting a faint glow.

The woman calmly wiped her dagger, her demeanor composed. She seemed like a seasoned assassin.

Gong Yu cleared her throat and asked, “I’ve never seen you before. Who sent you?”

The woman chuckled lightly. “You forgot about me so quickly after I failed to kill you last time, Your Highness?”

That laugh sent a jolt through Gong Yu, vividly recalling the life-threatening chase. Her heart raced as she asked, “But I’ve never wronged you. Why are you doing this?”

“Never wronged me?” The woman gripped the dagger and stepped closer. “Has Your Highness forgotten the corruption case that started because of you?”

Corruption case?

“The embezzlement case where the funds for my residence were skimmed?” Gong Yu snapped back to reality. “But the corruption was investigated and confirmed by the Ministry of Justice. I was innocent too.”

The woman reached up and pulled off the black cloth covering her face, revealing several scars on her cheeks. She pressed the dagger lightly against Gong Yu’s neck and smiled. “My father, mother, and elder brother—my entire family—were executed because of these baseless corruption charges.”

“Baseless?” Gong Yu stiffened, not daring to move, feeling a faint sting at her neck. “You don’t think I was the one who pinned the blame on your family, do you?”

“Of course, not you.” The woman moved the dagger to Gong Yu’s cheek. “My father was just following orders, yet when things went wrong, he bore all the blame. And the whole thing started because of Dai Ru Yan’s casual accusation of guilt.”

“Why doesn’t she think about it? My father was nothing more than a dog under her father’s command. Why should I suffer such a cruel fate?”

Gong Yu stared into the woman’s furious eyes, her back pressed against the cold wall, when it suddenly struck her—those eyes looked familiar.

She had seen them before on the pleasure boat that day, but the atmosphere had been lively then, and Gong Yu had been too focused on the fruit wine to pay much attention.

“She really does care about you. Ever since you were injured, she’s had shadow guards protecting you.” The woman smirked triumphantly, tapping Gong Yu’s cheek lightly with the dagger. “Everyone says the Dai women are graceful and elegant, destined to be empresses of the palace for generations. But who would’ve guessed Dai Ru Yan is actually a madwoman?”

“What did you say… a madwoman?”

“Lady Qing Ji only had one son and one daughter. Do you know why Dai Ru Yan, as the legitimate daughter of the Dai family, never once stepped outside the Dai household before the age of twelve?”

The woman lowered her voice, speaking like a demon: “Because she was insane. Can you imagine a twelve-year-old Dai Ru Yan personally killing two of her own maids?”

Gong Yu thought this woman must be insane herself and murmured, “What on earth are you talking about?”

The woman furrowed her brows, her eyes gleaming with malice. She stepped back and drove a dagger straight into Gong Yu’s shoulder. Blood soaked through Gong Yu’s robes, the pain so sharp she didn’t even have time to scream.

“Why won’t any of you believe me?” The woman pulled out the dagger, then turned to grab a medicine bottle and sprinkled powder over Gong Yu’s wound, laughing. “You can’t die just yet.”

“Dai Ru Yan returns to the capital tomorrow. I want her to watch as your blood drips, drop by drop, down the city walls.”

Gong Yu endured the pain and smiled, glancing around the sealed wine cellar. She pressed the button on the chain around her wrist, and smoke slowly began to fill the space.

The woman glared at her in displeasure. “What are you laughing at?”

“If you’re so bold, why don’t you confront Dai Ru Yan directly instead of cowardly targeting me?” Gong Yu sucked in a breath, enduring the pain as she spoke. “You claim you want to use me to torment her, but the truth is, Dai Ru Yan and I are neither relatives nor close friends. At most, we’re just the subject of capital gossip.”

“So, the real reason is that you’re afraid. You’re terrified of Dai Ru Yan, aren’t you?”

The woman lunged at Gong Yu, not even bothering to pick up the dagger nearby. She wrapped her hands around Gong Yu’s throat, her eyes bloodshot and terrifying.

“What do you know? I dream of slicing Dai Ru Yan’s face to pieces, one cut at a time! Do you have any idea how cruel she is?”

Choked and unable to speak, Gong Yu could only stare wide-eyed at the scar-covered woman before her.

Suddenly, the woman met Gong Yu’s gaze and abruptly released her grip, stumbling backward in panic. Her hands flailed as if pushing something away, her entire body convulsing as if struck by some unseen horror.

Then she covered her face with her hands, sobbing quietly. “My face… she ruined my face.”

Gasping for breath, Gong Yu collapsed to the ground, her wrists bound so tightly she was nearly numb. The pain from her wound sent tears welling in her eyes.

“You had no right to kill my father.” The woman wept into her hands, the scene grotesque and blood-chilling.

Struggling to prop herself against the wall, Gong Yu realized this woman must possess considerable martial skill. Ordinary people would have succumbed to the smoke by now.

Just then, the woman seemed to sense something was wrong. She looked around at the mist-filled cellar, and Gong Yu’s back broke out in a cold sweat. Fortunately, the woman collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

“Hey?” Gong Yu tentatively called out.

Seeing no reaction, she struggled to her feet and shuffled toward the dagger on the small table. Her bound hands had nearly lost all feeling.

After what felt like an eternity, she managed to cut the ropes. Clutching the dagger, Gong Yu hurried out of the cellar. The moment she breathed in fresh air, her vision blurred, and she nearly collapsed.

Pain jolted her back to awareness. Darting through the maze of alleys, she was relieved to run into Qin Hua, who was searching for her with guards in tow. Gong Yu finally relaxed and said, “Sir, there’s a criminal still in the cellar… you must capture her quickly.”

Before she could hear a response, Gong Yu blacked out.

When she woke, the sky outside was just beginning to lighten. Gong Yu thought she had slept for a long time, only to realize it had barely been half the night. The wound on her shoulder was rather deep, bandaged by a maid sent by Dai Ru Yan.

Her entire left arm would likely remain immobile for several months. When she inquired about the woman, Qin Hua replied, “That person killed several guards with brutal methods before escaping.”

The poison in the bracelet’s knockout drug was incredibly potent. Though Gong Yu had taken the antidote when she first bought the bracelet, she was still affected by its toxicity, her head heavy and muddled.

That the woman had still managed to injure others proved her martial skills were indeed formidable. The memory of the scars on the woman’s face sent a lingering chill down Gong Yu’s spine, prompting her to order an investigation into the corruption case.

Yet the woman’s words still echoed in her ears. Gong Yu couldn’t discern how much of it was true or false, but she had to admit Dai Ru Yan seemed to carry endless secrets.

Outside, the sun blazed brightly, yet Gong Yu, reclining on the soft couch, felt an unusual coldness seeping in. She squinted at the folded paper crane hanging nearby and murmured, “At least this crane was already finished. Otherwise, I might not have had time to give it as a gift.”

The sunlight was warm, and aside from the throbbing pain of her wound, Gong Yu had slept soundly. When she woke again, the sky outside had darkened considerably, leaving only the last remnants of twilight before nightfall.

But when she turned her head and saw Dai Ru Yan sitting beside her, Gong Yu froze, momentarily unable to process the sight.

The pavilion was dim, with no lanterns lit. Dai Ru Yan wore a plain blue dress, her dark hair cascading down her back. Though the light was faint, Gong Yu could feel the weight of Dai Ru Yan’s gaze upon her—gentle yet intense.

It was a look that always made Gong Yu instinctively overlook the question of why Dai Ru Yan treated her with such closeness.

Dai Ru Yan appeared gentle and considerate, but that was merely the surface. Gong Yu had also witnessed firsthand the indifference Dai Ru Yan held toward the lives of others.

It wasn’t mere detachment born of habit. It was a chilling disregard for life itself.