The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 19

By nightfall, Liu Qingyue had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Gu Qingjia looked at the person beside him, carefully got out of bed, and turned back to tuck the corners of the quilt around her. A hidden guard waited with lowered head in the outer room, not daring to look at his master’s movements or make a sound, fearing he might disturb the Princess Consort in the inner chamber.

“Master, someone was following us secretly during the day,” the guard reported in a low voice. Had he not discovered something unusual, he wouldn’t have dared disturb the couple’s rest.

“It’s Young Master Jiang’s people. Go and investigate his background.” Gu Qingjia had known for a while that Young Master Jiang’s men were trailing them. Being watched by two different hidden forces made him cautious, which was why he had summoned his hidden guards.

Liu Qingyue disliked having guards following them, but she didn’t know these guards were his own. Although Gu Qingjia lacked power and influence at court, he had to have some life-saving measures; otherwise, how could he have grown up safely in that predatory Imperial Palace? The hidden guards were his greatest protection and a trump card he could never reveal.

“Yes,” the guard answered and vanished on the spot.

Gu Qingjia was in no hurry to return to bed; he was also contemplating Young Master Jiang. If there was anyone in Ruzhou he cared about, it was this man. He unconsciously tapped his leg, his brow furrowed in thought. Ruzhou was outside their sphere of influence, and they were set to leave at noon. The hidden guards didn’t have much time; fully investigating a person thoroughly would be difficult.

He let out a soft sigh. Regardless of Young Master Jiang’s background, if he endangered their safety, Gu Qingjia would not hesitate to act. Lowering his eyes, he returned to bed, looked at Liu Qingyue’s healthy, flushed face as she slept, and slowly closed his eyes.

As he lay down, Liu Qingyue instinctively moved closer to the source of warmth. They had grown accustomed to each other’s presence; if one was missing from the bed, it felt somewhat strange. However, she didn’t wake up; she merely furrowed her brow, murmured a few words, and fell back into a deep sleep.

It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that Liu Qingyue woke up. She opened her eyes to find herself curled up in Gu Qingjia’s embrace. The man was still sleeping, his handsome face looking more serene than it did during the day.

It was rare for Gu Qingjia to wake up late, so she watched him with great interest. Since their marriage, they had been inseparable, and while she knew he was handsome, this was the first time she had simply admired his features for so long.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before his eyelashes began to flutter. Knowing he was about to wake, she instinctively closed her eyes and lay back down.

It feels a bit like ‘the more one tries to hide, the more one is revealed,’ she thought. But since she was already lying down, it would be awkward to sit back up. She had always been good at adapting to circumstances.

If she hadn’t transmigrated into a political sacrifice and didn’t have to scheme just to survive, she would certainly be much happier. Fortunately, her partner was sensible and didn’t seek out his own death. She was very satisfied with Gu Qingjia; along the way, he had not only taken care of her but also taught her to ride and dance with a sword. Even if her sword dance was average, it was better than nothing.

“Lady, stop pretending to be asleep.”

Gu Qingjia looked at the figure in his arms with amusement. Her act was very obvious—her curved lashes were fluttering like butterfly wings, and her breathing wasn’t steady. He just wondered why she was faking it. He could never have guessed that she had been observing him for quite a while before he “woke” up.

Caught in her lie, the tips of her ears instantly turned red. “I’m not awake yet!” she muffled out, pulling the quilt over her head. She truly regretted it—how could she have been so infatuated as to stare at this man and lose herself? Normally, she would never make such a low-level mistake.

Gu Qingjia didn’t miss her reddening ears. Seeing her hide herself away, he only found her adorable. “Come out quickly, it’s stuffy under there.” He propped himself up on one arm and gently pulled at the quilt covering her.

“Don’t worry about me. Go wash up first; I’ll be out in a bit,” she said muffledly. She wasn’t psychologically prepared to face him yet. Knowing she wouldn’t come out as long as he stayed in bed, he didn’t press the issue.

“Fine, I’ll get up first. Don’t stay under there too long.”

Listening to his movements, she only emerged once he had left the room. Her cheeks were flushed bright red, like a ripe apple. Luckily he wasn’t there, or she would have been utterly mortified.

Gu Qingjia likely gave her some buffer time, as he only returned once she was fully ready. As they ate, they chatted occasionally.

“We leave at noon. I’ll have the waiter buy two horses; I can ride on my own now.” She wasn’t lying—while he could carry her, it did slow them down.

“No, we’re taking a carriage,” Gu Qingjia said, shaking his head. “The more we tried not to attract attention on this trip, the more people noticed us. In that case, we might as well travel openly.”

“We were targeted by Young Master Jiang the moment we rode into the city. Who knows who we’ll meet as we head further east? Besides, no matter how careful we are, assassins still came for us. We might as well travel in comfort.” His reasoning was sound, and she saw no reason to refuse.

“Then I’ll leave the arrangements to you.” She wasn’t one to make things difficult for herself; given the option, she naturally preferred comfort.

“Young Master Jiang has been sending people to follow us. While I don’t know his goal, and I won’t let you be alone, we must be careful.” He wouldn’t hide things from her; they were a team now, and information had to be shared.

She nodded. She wasn’t overconfident and knew she had zero combat ability, so she would be extra cautious as they left Ruzhou. “I know, don’t worry—”

Gu Qingjia raised a hand to cut her off. Someone was approaching their room, and it was no ordinary person. She swallowed her words; they had a basic level of unspoken understanding.

A knock sounded at the door. Gu Qingjia rose, one hand resting on his waist, gripping the hilt of his sword. If the person burst in, his blade would be at their throat.

“Young Master, my master has sent me to you,” a low, respectful voice said from outside. “My master knows you and the Madam have been traveling hard and likely need a groom, so he has sent me.”

The two looked at each other; they both knew who the “master” was. Young Master Jiang—what on earth was his goal? Regardless of his purpose, they couldn’t refuse. Liu Qingyue gave a small nod. Gu Qingjia opened the door to let the man in, though he remained alert.

“I am called Jiang Fu. This is my ‘death contract’ (irrevocable deed of sale).”

Jiang Fu was thin and small with a very simple, honest face. He looked unthreatening, but Gu Qingjia didn’t lower his guard. He drew his soft sword and used the tip to flick the contract over.

“I have no prior acquaintance with Young Master Jiang. Why did your master send you?” He sounded casual, but he was prepared for anything.

Jiang Fu had been instructed that no matter Gu Qingjia’s attitude, he had to find a way to stay and protect him. Hearing the question, he rolled his eyes slightly and said with a smile, “The Young Master is a dragon among men. My master simply wishes to make a friend of you.”

Gu Qingjia’s identity was no secret to Young Master Jiang. He understood the subtext. “A friend?” Gu Qingjia raised an eyebrow. “Fine, you stay then.”

He knew Young Master Jiang’s recent behavior hadn’t been flagged as hostile by his hidden guards. Now that the man had sent someone right to him, he wanted to see what he was planning.

Liu Qingyue observed Jiang Fu. Though he looked honest, he was clearly sharp; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been chosen for this mission.

“Jiang Fu, I have a few questions for you,” she said, propping her chin on her hand in a leisurely manner.

“Please ask, Madam. I will tell you everything I know.” Jiang Fu immediately showed his stance. He knew that as Young Master Jiang’s man, they would naturally be wary of him.

“Since your master has given you to us, will you hide our movements from your former master?”

Jiang Fu hadn’t expected her to put such a question on the table so bluntly, and he was momentarily stumped.

“We won’t keep a groom who betrays his current master,” she continued. “A groom is a small role, but he holds our location in his hands. We’ve faced assassinations and been followed. The hidden forces are complex; if we aren’t careful, we might lose our lives before reaching Jiangzhou.”

She spoke as if she were naive, but Gu Qingjia knew she was testing him. The person who had been following them was exactly Young Master Jiang’s man.

Jiang Fu felt a bit guilty. Although he was given to Gu Qingjia, his “Master” was still his Master. But he remembered his instructions. “If the Young Master and Madam require it, I will hide your movements.” He made up his mind—his primary mission was to stick with Gu Qingjia.

“I’ll believe you this once. But if you leak our location, don’t blame me for being heartless.” She nodded, brushing the matter aside lightly, which actually made Jiang Fu feel more unsettled. “Go ready the carriage; we’ll be down shortly.”

He bowed and left the room, wiping sweat from his forehead. He felt this pair of new masters was not easy to fool; he would have to serve them with extreme care. Though he didn’t know the exact relationship between Gu Qingjia and his master, he would follow orders to the letter—even at the cost of his own life, he would protect Gu Qingjia.

With those thoughts, he stopped guessing and focused on his task.