The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 81

What followed was somewhat beyond Gu Qing’s expectations. With the intervention of the Fifth Prince, the situation became quite severe.

Despite being a mere prince, the Fifth Prince acted as an eyewitness to the scene. He took the lead in proclaiming that the law applies to the sovereign and the commoner alike, demanding that Gu Qing be punished with the utmost severity. Having such a person stirring the pot did not change the ultimate trajectory of the plan, but it was certainly a nuisance.

Xie Zhibai put on a look of great difficulty, appearing to be caught in a dilemma. After all, all existing evidence pointed directly at Gu Qing. The Consort and a General of the Geng Dynasty caught at a brothel, treating a courtesan with such alleged cruelty.

Throughout the ordeal, Xie Zhenzhi remained silent. She stood off to the side, quietly observing, though even she found the current direction of the plot a bit hard to decipher. Ultimately, after much deliberation, Xie Zhibai reached a verdict: Gu Qing was to be thrown into the Great Prison, with the case to be handled by the Court of Judicial Review.

Gu Qing leaned against the rough wall of her cell. This particular cell was the result of some back door influence. While the layout was simple, it was quite luxurious for a prison, being clean, tidy, and equipped with all the basic necessities.

Reflecting on the day’s events, she had to admit the outcome was surprising. While she had guessed that Yuan Shu harbored ill intentions, she truly had not expected the Fifth Prince to join the fray. Still, if they thought this was enough to bring her down, they were being naive.

A common white pigeon slipped quietly through the window. Gu Qing untied a letter from its leg. As she read the contents, a smile spread across her face. Since the prison was not exactly a place for filing correspondence, she simply reattached the letter to the pigeon and let it fly.

The silence of the empty prison did not last long before footsteps echoed down the hall. Judging by the sound, there were two people, a man and a woman.

Sure enough, it was not long before Yuan Shu and the Yu Dynasty Prince appeared before her, separated only by the iron bars. Gu Qing was not sure if the act was supposed to continue, so she remained silent, simply watching them.

Yuan Shu wore a look of deep contrition. “Gu Qing, you must believe me. What happened to you truly had nothing to do with me,” she began. “Under normal circumstances, we should have opened our eyes back in the modern world after drinking that talisman water. But someone sabotaged my formation, blocking our path home and taking you away while we were unconscious.”

As if to bolster her credibility, Yuan Shu pulled out a letter. “This is what I managed to uncover.”

Realizing the play was still in motion, Gu Qing did not take the letter. Instead, she put on an act of being furious over Yuan Shu’s betrayal.

Yuan Shu sighed, looking heartbroken. “This was all orchestrated by your Fifth Prince. He likely wanted to take this opportunity to sever the Emperor’s right arm, so he reached out to target you. I know you’re still angry with me, but Gu Qing, you must understand. Since the Fifth Prince has acted, he intends to drag you under. That woman is dead, and the Court of Judicial Review has ruled that she died of an overdose of aphrodisiacs.”

Every word Yuan Shu spoke painted a picture of a desperate situation. Had Gu Qing not just received the letter from Xie Zhenzhi, she might have actually believed it.

“We took a huge risk just to find a way in here,” Yuan Shu continued. “Our people have heard that your Emperor plans to abandon you. Combined with the Princess Royal demanding a divorce, the Emperor no longer has any reason to hesitate in dealing with you. This is your only chance. Come with us.”

Gu Qing finally understood their game. They had conspired with the Fifth Prince to corner her, all because they wanted to poach her for their own side.

Once Yuan Shu finished playing the good cop, the Yu Dynasty Prince stepped in as the bad cop. He spoke with his usual unpleasant, aggressive tone. “Master, why bother being so polite to this Gu Qing? Staying here means certain death. It is an act of mercy for our Yu Dynasty to offer her refuge.”

Gu Qing found the performance amusing, though the plot twist was indeed unexpected. She needed to get rid of them first and find a way to update Xie Zhibai and the others. This was the perfect opportunity to trap Yuan Shu for good.

A light flashed in Gu Qing’s eyes, but she quickly feigned hesitation. “Let me think about it.”

A hint of urgency touched Yuan Shu’s face, but she did not push too hard. “We will find a way to come back at this time tomorrow. Remember, this is your last chance.”

Once they left, Gu Qing waited until she was sure they were far enough away before blowing a whistle. Once the message was sent, she did not need to worry about the rest.

The next day, Yuan Shu arrived without the Prince. She brought a decoy to take Gu Qing’s place. Gu Qing changed into the decoy’s clothes and left easily; the prison guards had clearly been bribed.

Yuan Shu led Gu Qing into a carriage decorated with the distinct style of the Yu Dynasty. They began their journey out of the capital. When they reached the city gates, the guards performed a routine check. But as soon as Yuan Shu leaned out, the guard saw her Buddha-like face and immediately bowed, apologizing for his rudeness. Who would suspect a world-renowned Master of any wrongdoing? Without hesitation, they let the carriage pass.

While on the road, Gu Qing asked out of boredom, “Is that bit about being able to go back actually true?”

Now that she had successfully kidnapped Gu Qing, Yuan Shu was thinking of the wealth this would bring her. She felt immensely proud, and her gaze toward Gu Qing grew kinder. She replied arrogantly, “Of course it is true!” Her two years of studying Buddhist texts and charms were not for nothing.

Gu Qing propped her chin on her hand, looking more puzzled than ever. “Then why haven’t you left yourself?” Surely, she had not stayed in the ancient world just for Gu Qing’s sake.

Yuan Shu froze, realizing something was off. Her smile faltered as she began to weave a new lie. “I only discovered the method to return recently. I guessed long ago that you were a modern person too. Since we’re both going back, naturally I wanted to help a fellow compatriot.”

Gu Qing smiled, not bothering to dwell on the clumsy lie. She continued, “What did the Yu Dynasty offer you that made you willing to frame your compatriot for their sake?”

This time, Yuan Shu was genuinely stunned. She asked in disbelief, “You, you knew?!”

Gu Qing figured they were close to the designated spot. She smoothed her dress and hair, preparing to see Zhenzhi. “You really took me for a fool.”

In the next instant, the carriage ground to a halt. The driver’s voice outside was trembling with fear. “It is, it is the Geng Dynasty soldiers!”

Yuan Shu threw back the curtain and immediately saw Xie Zhenzhi standing amidst a sea of soldiers. The Princess was still dressed in her exquisite, noble robes, looking strikingly out of place in the dusty environment. Her beautiful face was layered with frost, and the look in her eyes now bore a faint resemblance to Gu Qing’s own intensity. Her cold voice rang out like clear water.

“Master Yuan Shu, just where do you intend to take my Consort?”

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