The Villainous Consort (GL) - Chapter 30.2

“Who does the Young Master wish to bring? Do you have an inside agent within the Princess’s Manor?” Han Feng’s eyes lit up. Aside from the two thousand Imperial Guards, everyone else was from the Princess’s staff.

Qi Yu went quiet. Could she say she had “flipped” Han Shui? Would they believe it? She didn’t even believe it herself. Must I really risk my life alone?

She gave a light cough. “Let me think on it. I shall go ask the Eldest Princess about the upcoming arrangements.”

Naturally, she wasn’t actually going to “ask.” She needed to discuss with that woman how to ensure her safety. Otherwise, she wasn’t going anywhere near that den of lions.

“The Young Master is truly thorough. Please go and find out what you can; I can contact the Great Elder at any time.” Han Feng took her at her word and went back to guarding the door.

As the sun set and the sky darkened, Qi Yu strode toward the Eldest Princess’s room. Han Shui had just returned and was reporting on the female lead.

“That Second Princess of the Western Isle ditched Chu Shanyi and left the city. She seems to be heading toward Pingman Province. I’ve arranged for two clever scouts to follow from a distance. As for the Second Prince, he hasn’t followed. Reports from the capital say he is still there and even attended court two days ago.”

Qi Yu rolled her eyes inwardly. Ditched? Could you put it a bit more nicely? Still, the Second Prince’s absence was unexpected. She wondered what the male lead was plotting, letting Ai Ye come here all by herself.

The Eldest Princess tapped the table twice. “Keep watching. Report any movement immediately.”

She then turned her gaze to Qi Yu and said with a faint smile, “What business does the Prince Consort have with me? Have you grown so accustomed to sleeping together that you are dissatisfied with having your own room?”

Qi Yu’s face soured. She wasn’t a masochist; she preferred a bed to the floor any day. “The people from the former dynasty sent word through Han Feng. They want to see me once we enter Pingman. I wonder what the Princess thinks.”

The Eldest Princess was silent for a moment. “If they want to see you, then see them.”

Qi Yu was stunned. Just like that? Did she hear correctly? What about her safety? Were there no other arrangements?

As if reading her mind, the Princess added, “You are their recognized master. Whether it is true or false, you are of great use to them, so you will not be in danger. If you are truly uneasy, I shall send a squad of skilled guards to follow you in secret. If anything goes wrong, they will escort you back.”

That’s more like it. Qi Yu nodded. she had agreed to come here for three thousand taels of silver. While people might “die for wealth,” she wasn’t about to literally trade her life for cash.

Two days later, Chu Shanyi and the staff from the Prime Minister’s residence remained in Honglü Prefecture. The Princess’s Manor staff were also ordered to wait in the city to provide backup. The Eldest Princess and Qi Yu, accompanied only by Han Shui, Han Feng, and a few elite guards, departed under the escort of the two thousand Imperial Guards.

The current Governor of Pingman Province, surnamed Wei, was not an imperial appointee but was chosen by the Barbarian tribes themselves through generations. Hearing of the Eldest Princess’s arrival, he and a host of officials gathered early at the city gates to welcome her.

He had even thoughtfully inquired about the whereabouts of the divine physician skilled in bone-setting. No matter how complex the internal politics of Pingman were, everything appeared perfect on the surface.

Desperate for a cure, the Eldest Princess took half the Imperial Guard to find the physician immediately upon arrival. The Prince Consort, citing exhaustion from the long journey, chose to rest for half a day.

Once the Princess and Han Shui had left, Han Feng sent word to the former dynasty faction. He found Qi Yu and said, “The Young Master is truly clever. Let us set off then.”

He believed Qi Yu had feigned exhaustion specifically to meet the Great Elder. In reality, this was the Eldest Princess’s plan—rather than making a suspicious effort to “get lost,” it was more convincing to openly create an opportunity for the other side.

Qi Yu nodded and followed Han Feng out.

Compared to Honglü, Pingman was even more mountainous. Once outside the city, the landscape turned into dense forests with no major roads—only a network of complex, narrow paths barely wide enough for a single carriage. An unremarkable carriage was waiting nearby; at Han Feng’s signal, Qi Yu boarded.

Along the way, she occasionally lifted the curtain to look out, ostensibly out of curiosity, but actually to see if the Princess’s guards were following. To her dismay, she couldn’t see a single soul. She assumed they must be well-hidden.

After traveling for over an hour, the carriage stopped. The driver bowed slightly. “There is a half-hour trek through the mountains ahead. It will be taxing for the Young Master.”

Qi Yu looked deeply at the path behind them. Still no one. She feigned composure, nodded, and followed the driver into the dense forest, while Han Feng stayed behind to guard the carriage.

After walking for thirty minutes, the view suddenly opened up. Before her was a large-scale mountain stronghold. Standing before the gates were nearly a thousand people. Upon seeing her approach, they knelt in unison and cried out:

“We welcome the Young Master!”

Qi Yu was stunned; she hadn’t expected such a grand display. She straightened her neck and said in a deep voice, “Everyone, please rise.”

A leading elder struggled to look up, and two people quickly helped him to his feet. This, she presumed, was the Great Elder.

Once standing, the Great Elder nodded to the people on both sides, and everyone rose. He took two steps forward. “This subordinate has finally lived to see the day the Young Master arrived. Please, follow me inside to change and dine.”

Several women dressed as maids surrounded Qi Yu to help her change into clothes they had prepared. Qi Yu watched as they took her original clothes away, her lips twitching but saying nothing.

She could only take this one step at a time, acting her part. Speak little to avoid mistakes, she reminded herself. She wanted to see exactly what these people were up to.

Next, she sat down to a meal with the group led by the Great Elder. It turned out to be… just a meal. Of course, the meal was served with a side of the Elders venting their grievances.

“Everyone has hoped and prayed for this day. This subordinate offers a toast to the Young Master.”

Qi Yu raised her cup blankly, wondering if it was poisoned. She recalled the Princess’s words—that she was of “great use” to them. For now, there seemed to be no danger, so she composed herself and took a sip.