I Transmigrated and Already Had a Wife - Chapter 68

After leaving the Minister’s Residence, Jiang Zhou went to the Ming Pin Restaurant. Since it was lunchtime, the first floor was almost full. The manager at the counter saw her and subtly signaled to a waiter. Before long, Ming Zhiqin rushed downstairs and pulled her aside, asking in a hushed voice, “Why are you here? The Seventh Prince is upstairs.”

Ever since she learned that her young fellow time-traveler had resigned from office, Ming Zhiqin finally heard from her that she had brought a “golden finger” cheat or special ability when she crossed over. Unlike herself, who had only landed in the body of a county magistrate’s daughter, with a scummy county magistrate for a father, and nothing else. The original owner was even inexplicably murdered.

Just thinking about it was upsetting.

Now that she knew her fellow time-traveler had a “golden finger,” she was even more excited than if she had one herself.

She was fortunate that she had the foresight to give her fellow traveler some shares in the Ming Pin Restaurant. Now that her friend was free of official duties, she could use her “golden finger” to manage the restaurant properly for her, allowing Ming Zhiqin to completely retire and relax.

The thought alone was exciting.

To hell with the Seventh Prince—he didn’t look like a good person. As fellow travelers, they should help each other, and getting rid of these unimportant people for her bestie was simply her duty, wasn’t it?

Jiang Zhou glanced up towards the private room, slightly swayed by her friend’s urgency, and also lowered her voice, asking softly, “When did she arrive?”

Then she immediately realized: she hadn’t done anything wrong, so why should she hide from Xiao Qi?

She narrowed her eyes, observing the shifty-eyed Miss Ming, and twitched her lips.

Ming Zhiqin quickly scanned the surroundings. “She’s been here for a while. I sent the restaurant staff to your house to invite you twice, but you weren’t there.”

“Oh, I’ll go up and see her. It might really be important.”

With that, she lifted her foot to head upstairs, but her arm was pulled back. “What are you going for? Aren’t you afraid she’ll kill you to silence you?”

Jiang Zhou was speechless.

It hasn’t come to that yet. Although Xiao Qi had entertained the thought, she had ultimately given up on it. Jiang Zhou truly didn’t want to think the worst of her.

As for Xiao Qi, even if she did want to kill her, it wouldn’t be now. But if Jiang Zhou kept avoiding her, the consequences might be unpredictable.

It would be safer to just go up and see her.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine,” Jiang Zhou said.

Ming Zhiqin thought for a moment. “Ugh, fine. I’ll go with you.”

Jiang Zhou smiled and agreed. She knew that although her friend wanted her to help make money, she was genuinely worried about her.

Besides, since Jiang Zhou had crossed over, this friend had given her shares and helped her out.

She had provided one of the few sources of warmth in this foreign land.

The two emerged from the corner and went up to the private room on the second floor together.

Pushing the door open, Jiang Zhou saw a solitary Xiao Qi drinking. At the same moment, Xiao Qi saw her. Their eyes met. Xiao Qi, already slightly intoxicated, tried to stand up, swayed, and tumbled back onto the stool. She said, aggrieved, “I sent people to your residence several times to invite you, but you weren’t there.”

Jiang Zhou felt a little awkward and rubbed her nose. Of course I wasn’t there! I was busy having a secret rendezvous with my wife at the Minister’s Residence.

But could she say that?

Of course not; that was her secret.

She cleared her throat. “Your Highness, what is it you sought me for?”

Xiao Qi looked troubled, glanced at Ming Zhiqin standing behind Jiang Zhou, and hesitated to speak.

Ming Zhiqin was inwardly thinking, Want me to leave? Absolutely impossible!

She couldn’t let her fellow time-traveler fall into another person’s clutches.

Ming Zhiqin deliberately looked away, pretending not to understand Xiao Qi’s hint. Want to drive me away? No way. I won’t even leave a window open for you.

Xiao Qi was speechless.

Jiang Zhou was also speechless.

Sensing Xiao Qi’s difficulty, Jiang Zhou took a step back, leaning towards Ming Zhiqin. “Didn’t you say you had things to do?”

Ming Zhiqin was speechless.

So what?

Ming Zhiqin stared at Jiang Zhou in disbelief, feeling very hurt. What could she say?

Her fellow friend was actively seeking a potential killer, and her attempt to intervene was useless.

She shot a resentful look at Jiang Zhou. Fine, I have things to do. Ming Zhiqin gritted her teeth and squeezed out a sentence, “I have other commitments. You two chat. Your Highness, I shall take my leave first.”

Xiao Qi smiled and agreed.

Ming Zhiqin stomped out of the private room, muttering curses under her breath.

The private room door closed again. The atmosphere inside was silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The two stared at each other, equally embarrassed.

Xiao Qi was embarrassed because she had once harbored murderous thoughts toward Jiang Zhou. Now, thinking about it, Jiang Zhou seemed to be the only friend she could speak frankly with.

Jiang Zhou was embarrassed because she had heard Xiao Qi’s almost repentant inner thoughts. And she realized that she herself was not as good as Xiao Qi’s inner monologue suggested.

In short, the atmosphere was extremely awkward.

Jiang Zhou covered her mouth and cleared her throat, trying to break the tension. “Your Highness, what did you need to talk about? You can say it now.”

“Yes,” Xiao Qi paused, then immediately adopted a look of grievance. “I will be getting married in a few days.”

Jiang Zhou looked at her and pursed her lips. This marriage was her suggestion initially, and Xiao Qi later risked a great deal to ask the Emperor for the decree. Now, Xiao Qi had secured a firm footing in the court with the help of the Marquis of Zhenbei’s military power.

Xiao Qi took a sip of wine and continued, “A few days ago, I found out that Xu Yuning went to see the Fourth Prince.” A hint of defeat was hidden in her tone.

Seeing that Jiang Zhou remained silent, she pointed to the empty seat beside her, inviting Jiang Zhou to sit down, and poured a cup of wine, pushing it towards her.

‘I really want to kill him.’

‘If I kill him, will Xu Yuning hate me?’

‘I was killed by him in my past life. What’s wrong with me coming back for revenge?’

‘Xu Yuning agreed to marry me, yet she goes to provoke others. That is too much.’

Jiang Zhou watched her, silently sat down, and listened to the clamor of her continuous inner thoughts. Her gaze towards Xiao Qi was filled with an indescribable complexity.

There were some things she couldn’t say directly. It was understandable that Xiao Qi wanted to kill the Fourth Prince, who was her enemy. But she genuinely didn’t understand this Xu Yuning. Logically, the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince had been deposed, and Lin Muwan was with her. The novel’s ending had already been changed, so why would Xu Yuning go to see the Fourth Prince again?

Could she have already been in love with the Fourth Prince before?

A terrifying guess flashed through Jiang Zhou’s mind, and her eyes subtly sought out Xiao Qi.

If this guess was true, Xiao Qi was truly miserable.

She suddenly felt a reluctance to look at Xiao Qi, guiltily shifting her gaze away from her. It felt as if this whole situation was somehow partially her fault.

The dream had only mentioned that the Fourth Prince married Xu Yuning to gain the support of the Marquis of Zhenbei. Nothing else was elaborated, as the character was merely a pawn for the male protagonist’s ascent to the throne, not needing detailed background.

This time, when Xiao Qi went to the palace to request the marriage decree, the Emperor had sought the Marquis of Zhenbei’s opinion before issuing the decree. Therefore, in the context of the novel’s original plot, Xu Yuning must have consented to marry the Fourth Prince.

Following this reasoning, the situation now appeared increasingly pessimistic.

Of course, she couldn’t tell Xiao Qi all this directly; it would be quite disheartening. Since they were still friends, accompanying a friend for a drink when they were down was the right thing to do.

Thinking this, she raised her glass and drank with Xiao Qi.

The capital was bustling with life. As soon as night fell, lights were lit throughout the streets and alleys. The entire Chang’an Street was brightly lit, lined with stalls, and filled with the cries of vendors.

“Master Jiang, we’re here. Let me help you out of the carriage.”

“Hmm?” Jiang Zhou opened her eyes and nodded. She remembered drinking a bit too much and being helped into the carriage by a waiter from Ming Pin Restaurant when she left. She swayed and sat up straight, lifting the curtain. A plaque hung above the mansion gate, bearing two large characters: Jiang Residence.

“Master Jiang, let the junior help you down,” the waiter stood by the carriage, speaking respectfully.

Jiang Zhou fought the constant churning in her stomach, her brows furrowing tighter and tighter. “This isn’t my house.”

The waiter was speechless.

Everyone in the Ming Pin Restaurant knows Master Jiang; she’s practically half a manager. We naturally know where she lives. The waiter helplessly said, “Master Jiang, this is indeed your home. If you don’t believe me, I’ll help you down and you can check inside.”

Jiang Zhou shook her head and looked at the two large black characters again, a look of displeasure on her face.

Does he really think I’m stupid?

How could this be her home? Her wife didn’t even live here.

“I want to go to the Minister’s Residence,” Jiang Zhou said.

The Minister’s Residence?

The waiter gasped. “Master Jiang, please don’t make this difficult for me. I’ll help you down now.”

“I’m not getting off!” Jiang Zhou swayed and tilted to the side, hitting the inner wall of the carriage with a loud thud. She gripped the carriage door and managed to sit up again with difficulty.

“Master Jiang—”

“Master Jiang—”

The buzzing noise in her ears was overwhelming. At this moment, she just wanted to cover her ears and loudly demand, “I want to go to the Minister’s Residence! Take me to the Minister’s Residence!”

The waiter was helpless. He really couldn’t afford to offend this noble guest. He had no choice but to drive the carriage and take her to the Minister’s Residence. This time, Jiang Zhou obediently got out of the carriage, swayed, leaned against a stone lion, and tilted her head, examining the surroundings for a long time before her gaze landed on the brightly lit Lin Residence.

“Lin Residence,” she said. Yes, this is it. She chuckled twice. Just as she was about to step forward and knock on the door, she suddenly stopped and slapped her own forehead.

Look at me, how could I be so muddled by drink? The back door! I have to use the back door.

Thinking this, she swayed and looked around.

Hmm? Which way do I go?

The waiter behind her couldn’t bear to watch any longer, genuinely afraid that his employer would cause trouble again. He quickly stepped forward and supported her. “Master Jiang, how about I take you back now?”

By ‘back,’ he meant the Jiang Residence, of course.

As for the Minister’s Residence, the waiter shook his head; it was best to avoid trouble here.

Jiang Zhou used her sluggish brain to seriously think about it. After a long pause, she let out a burp. “Help—help me to the back door.”

The back door?

If making a scene at the front door wasn’t enough, going to the back door might get them arrested as thieves.

He held Jiang Zhou’s arm tightly, afraid that she might head to the back door if he wasn’t careful. “Master Jiang, I think I should help you back into the carriage. Look, it’s getting late.”

What a mess!

He never expected the usually gentle and easygoing Master Jiang to be like this when drunk.

The waiter was on the verge of tears.

“Let go! I want to go to the back door! My wife is waiting for me!”

The waiter was speechless.

This Master Jiang is truly wasted. Why would her wife be at the Minister’s Residence?

Alas!

The waiter was resigned. If this drunkard wasn’t practically half his boss, he would have simply walked away.

Even though Master Jiang was tall and slender, her strength was surprisingly great. He couldn’t hold her back. Under the circumstances, he had no choice but to support her to the back door.

Jiang Zhou let out another burp, a rush of wine flavor flooding her mouth. She pulled her arm free from the waiter’s grasp, took two steps, stopped, and turned her head. “You can leave now. Thank you for bringing me back.”

The waiter was speechless.

The moment she finished speaking, Jiang Zhou stepped forward, pushed open the back door, swayed, and then closed the door. The entire process was executed fluidly.

The waiter watched, his heart pounding. He quickly drove the carriage back to the Ming Pin Restaurant. He had to tell the manager about this. If they didn’t find someone to rescue Master Jiang soon, who knew what kind of trouble she might cause!