The Whole Family is Reborn, But I Transmigrated into a Book - Chapter 21

Jiang Fu was clearly a man of skill. The way he efficiently handled the wild chicken proved he was no ordinary coachman.

The hidden guards watching him from the shadows held their breath, terrified of being discovered. This was not a good sign. Gu Qingjia’s secret guards were meticulously selected elites; if they were outmatched by a simple coachman, they might as well return to headquarters for retraining.

Jiang Fu, however, seemed unaware of the guards. He knew Gu Qingjia didn’t trust him, and to remain in their service, he had to prove his worth through hard work. Having finished prepping the meal, he hurried back to the campsite.

“Master, Madam, I’ll get the chicken roasting right away.”

Jiang Fu’s movements were open and diligent, an unspoken message to Gu Qingjia that he was a man of integrity.

Gu Qingjia nodded. He knew Liu Qingyue was looking forward to the roasted chicken. On this journey, they had mostly survived on dry rations; she hadn’t had a proper hot meal in days. While Gu Qingjia was a capable hunter, Liu Qingyue lacked the means to protect herself, so he never dared to leave her side for long. Now that Jiang Fu was here and the secret guards had been summoned, Liu Qingyue could finally enjoy a fresh meal.

“Your technique is very practiced. Do you roast often?” Liu Qingyue asked, watching him with curiosity.

Jiang Fu’s hand paused for a split second before he smiled. “When I was a child, I was quite the glutton. I did this often back in the countryside.”

Liu Qingyue smiled back, neither confirming nor denying if she believed him. “In that case, do your best. I’m quite looking forward to your cooking.”

In Liu Qingyue’s world, nothing was more important than a good meal.

Jiang Fu wasn’t the talkative type. He merely acknowledged her words and went back to his work. As the sky darkened and the surroundings grew quiet, Liu Qingyue set aside her playfulness. She knew that night was the prime time for assassins to strike. Whether or not the enemy appeared, they could not afford to let their guard down.

Jiang Fu appeared oblivious to Liu Qingyue’s sudden tension. He flipped the spit, ensuring the meat roasted evenly. He knew he wasn’t trusted, which was understandable. But to fulfill the task his master had given him, he would be a perfect coachman, regardless of Gu Qingjia’s suspicion.

Deep down, Jiang Fu remained slightly confused. Why had his master so abruptly “gifted” him to the Prince of Jing? Young Master Jiang (Gongzi Jiang) had no intention of explaining himself to anyone—not even his closest confidants understood his motives.

Gu Qingjia was equally stumped. He had spent the whole trip pondering it but found no lead. Who exactly is Young Master Jiang? And why does he look so familiar?

The rustling of leaves broke the silence. Liu Qingyue pulled her cloak tighter and shifted closer to Gu Qingjia.

“It’s a bit cold tonight. Make the fire a bit brighter.”

Liu Qingyue was sensitive to the cold. Unlike the others, who were martial artists with high tolerance, she was a delicate lady raised in the sheltered inner chambers. Jiang Fu complied, using one hand to add more wood to the flames. Once the chicken was nearly done, he sprinkled on some seasonings.

“Jiang Fu, you carry seasonings with you?” Liu Qingyue asked with a laugh. She was bored and found herself constantly observing him.

“It’s a habit. On a long journey, you never know when you’ll have to camp out. Having seasonings makes the food a bit more palatable.”

Jiang Fu didn’t care for such luxuries himself, but the two people he was protecting were of noble birth and had never suffered hardships. He wondered if they could even stomach this rustic fare.

Liu Qingyue, unaware of his thoughts, could have easily shown him how “down-to-earth” she could be. Although she had never known poverty in either of her lives, the days in her past life spent bedridden, surviving on handfuls of medicine, had been far more grueling.

“The chicken is ready. Master, Madam, please sample my humble handiwork.”

Jiang Fu handed the spit to Gu Qingjia. After ensuring it hadn’t been tampered with, Gu Qingjia tore off a drumstick for himself and handed the rest of the chicken to Liu Qingyue. She had a healthy appetite, and a whole chicken was just enough to fill her. Gu Qingjia had snacked on some pastries earlier and wasn’t particularly hungry.

“Is one drumstick enough?” she asked politely, though her eyes were shining at the sight of the whole bird.

Knowing she was just being courteous, Gu Qingjia smiled. “It’s enough. Eat your fill.”

Liu Qingyue didn’t press further and focused on her meal. Although the conditions were limited and the taste wasn’t as spectacular as she had hoped, she finished it nonetheless. She hated wasting food, and it was certainly edible.

When she was finished, she was about eighty percent full.

“Wipe your hands; they’re covered in oil,” Gu Qingjia said softly, handing her a handkerchief.

Accustomed to his care, Liu Qingyue took it and wiped her fingers, but they still felt greasy. “I think I need to wash them,” she sighed.

Gu Qingjia looked at her shiny little hands and couldn’t argue. “I’ll take you to the water.”

Even with the moonlight, he wasn’t comfortable letting her go alone. He took her hand and led her forward.

“Husband, what do you think of Jiang Fu’s performance?” she whispered. Even with her “God’s eye view” as a transmigrator, the character “Young Master Jiang” had never appeared in the original book, let alone sending a servant like Jiang Fu.

“Jiang Fu is not simple,” Gu Qingjia replied. “Though I don’t know his goal, we must be careful at every turn.”

The secret guards hadn’t found much on Young Master Jiang either; the man seemed to have prepared for any investigation long ago.

“In that case, we’ll just stay alert. Once we reach Jiangzhou, we’ll dismiss him,” Liu Qingyue suggested. She disliked having too many people following them; more people meant more loose lips, and one wrong word could bring disaster. They were currently traveling under the guise of “searching for the First Prince” as an excuse for a pleasure trip, and she didn’t want her actions scrutinized.

“Madam is right. When we reach Jiangzhou, we’ll rent a small courtyard for a few days and hire our own guards. Even if Jiang Fu has ill intentions, he won’t be able to leak any secrets then.”

As they spoke, Gu Qingjia knelt by the water, taking her hands into his own. He washed them clean, dried them with a fresh cloth, and led her back.

On the walk back, Liu Qingyue felt a sudden chill down her spine. She instinctively wanted to look back, but the darkness made it impossible to see anything.

“Why do I feel like someone is behind us?” she whispered. She didn’t know if she was being paranoid or if they were truly being followed.

Gu Qingjia knew someone was there. His secret guards had been trailing them all day, but they shouldn’t have been detectable by her. Are there other assassins?

He didn’t believe the low-level assassins from the last encounter could evade his guards. A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. If these new ones were that skilled, they were in real danger.

Just then, his secret guards gave him a signal: Assassins are approaching.

Gu Qingjia’s hand moved to the hilt of his sword. “Don’t look back, and don’t be afraid,” he whispered to Liu Qingyue. “No matter what, I will protect you.”

The secret guards didn’t move to intercept yet; they didn’t dare leave Gu Qingjia’s side. They couldn’t determine the number or direction of the enemies yet. Although they didn’t know how the Madam had sensed them, they felt they had failed in their duty.

“I know. I’m not afraid,” Liu Qingyue nodded. This was her first time facing direct danger, but she had absolute faith in Gu Qingjia.

He held his sword with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist, cautiously scanning the surroundings. They managed to return to the campfire without incident.

Hidden in the dark, the secret guards decided to strike first. The enemies clearly didn’t know about Gu Qingjia’s hidden detail; his guards were always deeply concealed. Gu Qingjia’s men were masters of killing—it didn’t matter the method, only the result.

Liu Qingyue waited for a long time, but the expected attack never came.

“Was I just imagining things?” she muttered, keeping her voice low so Jiang Fu wouldn’t hear.

“It’s late. Get some sleep,” Gu Qingjia said, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

After the tension, Liu Qingyue’s energy was flagging. “And you?”

She guessed he wouldn’t sleep, given their distrust of Jiang Fu.

“I’ll take turns resting with Jiang Fu,” he reassured her. With the secret guards on watch, there was no need to exhaust himself completely.