After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 62

“Alright, hurry back now, or people will think I’m bullying you again,” Qi An said airily, turning and walking back to the Main Hall. At that moment, Jiang Yu was following Shen Yun, bowing to bid farewell to Grand Secretary Shen and Madam Grand Secretary.

Shen Lian and her group would be staying later, so they only rose to see them off. Jiang Yu, visibly distracted, finally relaxed when she saw Qi An return, secretly clasping her fingers beneath her long sleeves.

“Qi An… let’s go home together!” Jiang Yu said, still looking as innocent and carefree as ever, without mentioning what had happened with Liu Xueyun. Embarrassed at first, Qi An gradually calmed down, returning the grip beneath their sleeves.

The words “let’s go home together” struck a chord with someone who hadn’t experienced family warmth in so long. Qi An’s icy demeanor, which had been directed at Liu Xueyun, softened. She simply nodded slightly, saying nothing.

This demeanor was actually very fitting for Qi An’s character. She understood everything, and was even smarter than most people, but she never said anything.

Jiang Yu obediently lowered her head and walked to the carriage parked in front of the Shen Residence. Only then did she raise her head. Keeping her head down for so long had made her neck stiff and uncomfortable. Just as she raised her hand to massage it, a pair of cool hands gently began kneading her neck.

Although the hands were cold, the warmth of the carriage made it bearable. Inside the carriage, it was just Qi An and herself. Jiang Yu didn’t need to guess who the hands belonged to. She suddenly recalled Qi An’s various unusual behaviors back at the Shen Residence.

“Do… do you really consider me a good friend?” Jiang Yu asked, her voice tinged with both happiness and nervousness. She was afraid that all of this was just her own wishful thinking, but a simple nod from Qi An would make her happy for days.

Qi An was still wondering whether Jiang Yu would dislike her for massaging her neck when Jiang Yu suddenly asked that question. Caught off guard, Qi An froze, even stopping her hands.

When Qi An didn’t answer immediately, Jiang Yu thought she’d been imagining things. She sat up straight and turned to Qi An. “Just tell me already…”

Though her tone was urgent, Jiang Yu’s soft, sweet voice held no trace of impatience. Qi An nodded slightly and murmured, “Yes.”

Jiang Yu didn’t find anything unusual in this response. After all, Qi An had always been this reserved. Having received the answer she wanted, Jiang Yu grinned like a child who’d just gotten her favorite candy.

The carriage began to move slowly, its jingling bells echoing down the street. Everyone knew it was the General’s Residence carriage and made way for it.

But as they traveled, a sudden clamor of horses and soldiers erupted, so loud it could have been mistaken for a battle on the frontier. Jiang Yu, who had been drifting off to sleep, snapped her eyes open at the noise.

“What’s going on?” Jiang Yu asked, tugging at Qi An’s sleeve. Qi An, equally alert, had already lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. They had arrived on a main street near Fengmen Village.

Jiang Yu and Qi An both knew this street well; it was the same road they had taken the night they left Fengmen Village. Shen Yun must have deliberately chosen this route to check on the village’s current situation.

“But that’s strange,” Jiang Yu said, her bright almond eyes shining with curiosity. “I don’t remember this street being on the way back to the estate.” Qi An couldn’t reveal that Shen Yun had secretly sent people to tail them. Instead, she replied coldly, “She probably wants to see how Fengmen Village is doing today. Remember when the little girl was taken away?”

Jiang Yu’s expression lit up with realization. She quickly squirmed under Qi An’s arm to peek outside the lifted curtain. As expected, soldiers surrounded Fengmen Village. But Jiang Yu didn’t see her father—instead, she saw… Liu Huaiji?!

“Why is it him?” Qi An asked, noticing Liu Huaiji at the same time. Logically, shouldn’t Jiang Shengrong have been the one to seal off Fengmen Village? That way, the credit would have gone to the General’s Residence.

Qi An frowned deeply. Could there have been a mistake that allowed Liu Huaiji to take the credit?

Qi An’s eyesight was excellent. From a distance, she observed Liu Huaiji turn around, his expression seeming less than pleased, as if he’d been forced into this role against his will.

To get a better look, Qi An gently leaned against Jiang Yu’s back, peering outside. Neither of them noticed their slightly… inappropriate posture.

“Maybe Father thinks Fengmen Village is too strange and wants to avoid trouble?” Jiang Yu suggested, tilting her head. Her seemingly random comment gave Qi An a new perspective.

After all, Fengmen Village hadn’t done anything truly harmful, and there was no clear evidence they still possessed the power to control minds.

The Emperor’s decree likely only aimed to dismantle this “city within a city.” The remaining villagers would probably be dispersed or housed in inns within the Capital, with no intention of detaining them.

So, the Bone Tribe must be in a very free state now. Even the bells on their wrists have likely been removed after that scare.

If someone wanted to harm them secretly, it would be all too easy, especially if it was the handiwork of her own brother… Qi An’s lips curled into a smirk. Jiang Shengrong had risen to his current position for a reason; he wasn’t the fool others took him for. He knew better than anyone how to protect himself. When it came down to it, his own life and his family’s safety always came before any trivial achievements.

When Jiang Yu looked up, she caught Qi An’s dangerously arrogant smile. Her composure faltered momentarily before she steadied herself and asked, “An An, have you noticed something amiss?”

Qi An simplified her earlier thoughts and explained them to Jiang Yu, mainly to alleviate her worries.

Jiang Yu, ever perceptive, immediately grasped the implications from those few words. She couldn’t help but admire her General father. Such a clever man—had he not been driven to his downfall by the original owner’s reckless actions, he might have avoided that tragic end.

Jiang Yu suddenly felt a pang of sadness. Perhaps because she was now inhabiting this body, the scenes described in the original work made her feel a physical ache.

Qi An noticed the dejection in Jiang Yu’s eyes and tried to cheer her up with a joke. But then she realized the awkward position they were in…

“Miss… isn’t this position a bit… uncomfortable?” Qi An asked, her expression innocent. Jiang Yu’s eyes widened, and she scrambled to free herself from beneath Qi An. But in her haste, she accidentally slammed her forehead against the carriage window, letting out a muffled groan.

Qi An immediately abandoned her teasing. She quickly moved aside and helped Jiang Yu up. Jiang Yu’s skin was easily bruised, and her forehead was already flushed and tender from the impact.

As Qi An watched, a tenderness she hadn’t realized she felt welled up in her eyes. Jiang Yu clutched her forehead, tears glistening in her eyes.

Without thinking, Qi An reached out to touch Jiang Yu’s forehead. She knew it probably wouldn’t do anything, but she wanted to offer some comfort.

“Why did you suddenly look upset?” Qi An asked softly, gently massaging Jiang Yu’s forehead. Jiang Yu wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes like a child, but she didn’t dare reveal her true feelings.

“I wasn’t upset!”

“Really?” Qi An could tell Jiang Yu didn’t want to talk about it, so she stopped asking. The carriage rocked gently as Jiang Yu slept peacefully in Qi An’s arms. Just as they were about to reach the General’s Residence, the carriage came to an abrupt stop, jolting Jiang Yu awake. She frowned.

“What’s going on?” Jiang Yu’s voice carried a hint of irritation. Qi An, brimming with murderous intent, lifted the carriage curtain to look outside. It seemed another carriage was blocking their path.

Who dares to stop the General’s Residence carriage? Qi An wondered who this person was, but more importantly, she was calculating how much longer they might live. For some reason, she found the sight of someone blocking the General’s Residence carriage deeply irritating.

“Who dares to obstruct the General’s Residence carriage?” Shen Yun’s personal maid, holding her official pass, stepped down from the carriage and demanded to know.

The carriage blocking their path was opulent, yet it was escorted by surprisingly few guards. Its unguarded appearance was distinctly reminiscent of the Qi Family, who had been stripped of their titles only a few years prior.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the General’s Residence. My apologies for the oversight,” a woman called out, leaping gracefully from the opposing carriage. Dressed in a crimson military uniform, she exuded a spirited and carefree aura.

Her long hair was tied back in a ponytail that swayed with her movements. Jiang Yu needed only hear this single line to immediately recognize the woman’s identity.

Every Emperor of the Dàyuān Dynasty had harbored ambitions of unifying the realm. However, four or five small neighboring states, though small in territory, boasted fierce and valiant warriors. Recognizing that constant warfare was unsustainable, a delicate balance of coexistence had been maintained between the Dàyuān Dynasty and these smaller states.

Chen Qianqian, the third princess of the neighboring state, lived in an era where women were permitted to hold official positions. Her nation, the Li State had even set a precedent by crowning a woman as Empress. The third princess was widely regarded as the most promising candidate to ascend to this position. Yet her heart seemed uninterested in courtly affairs, leading her instead to become a General and wage wars across the land.

With the Dàyuān Dynasty’s growing power, Chen Qianqian had been sent by the Empress on a special mission: to assess the dynasty’s true capabilities and to establish friendly relations. In essence, she was a high-ranking envoy.

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