Ch 30: When the Wild Goose Returns

“Yes, indeed. When I look at the Princess, I feel such closeness—like you’re my real sister. Maybe we truly were blood sisters in a past life,” Su Ruche said with an expression of pure innocence.

Real sister?

Qing Yan thought of Su Ruqing, who was now in the imperial palace.

Her expression didn’t change, and she replied warmly, “If I had such a sweet and kind younger sister in a past life, that would’ve been my great fortune.”

Su Ruche smiled shyly and said, “Then from now on, I’ll call you Sister Princess!”

“Good little sister,” Qing Yan responded without hesitation.

“Is Sister heading home already?” Su Ruche asked.

“It’s almost dark. Shouldn’t you head home too? Staying out overnight isn’t something good girls do.”

“You’re so funny, Sister. How could I possibly stay out overnight?” Su Ruche said with a sweet laugh, stepping up to the carriage and affectionately reaching for Qing Yan’s hand.

“I know a pastry shop nearby that makes excellent sweets. I was just about to buy some to bring home. Would you come with me?”

She pointed as she spoke. “See? Just that one over there—very close. Sister, since you’ve come from far away, you probably don’t know how famous Suyuan Pastry Shop is. Their lotus paste crisps, red bean cakes, and seven-layer brittle are especially delicious. Come, let’s go buy some together.”

Qing Yan had been about to decline—until Su Ruche mentioned the lotus paste crisps.

She suddenly recalled the lotus crisps she had eaten that day at the Prince Kang’s residence. Were the ones in the capital different from those in Zhan Yuan Prefecture? Did they also include that sweet green syrup?

The thought of that flavor gave her pause. Smiling, she nodded and stepped down from the carriage, walking with Su Ruche toward Suyuan.

Previously, Qing Yan had asked her guards to investigate famous eateries in the capital—Suyuan was on that list. She had meant to go eventually.

The shop was just across the street. Not far at all.

Wen Xi instructed the guards to wait outside and followed along with Sui’er.

As soon as Qing Yan and Su Ruche entered the shop, an attentive clerk hurried up to greet them. Noting their fine clothing and the maids behind them, he instantly recognized them as nobility.

He said smartly, “Ladies, we have a selection of rare new pastries upstairs as well. If you’ve seen everything on the ground floor, feel free to take a look above.”

Even before he spoke, Qing Yan had already selected a few items and handed them to Sui’er.

Su Ruche said, “Sister, go on upstairs first. No need to wait for me—I’ll browse a bit longer.”

“All right,” Qing Yan replied, taking Wen Xi with her up to the second floor.

Su Ruche’s eyes flickered briefly. Then she said, “Sister, your maid looks like she’s got her hands full. Why not have her stay and let one of these girls help? There are plenty of clerks upstairs to assist.”

Qing Yan hadn’t intended to take Wen Xi with her, but hearing Su Ruche’s comment, her eyes sparkled mischievously. She smiled brightly and slipped her arm around Wen Xi’s.

“No need. Sister Wen Xi has the best sense of taste. She’s here to help me pick. She’s my designated taster!”

Su Ruche opened her mouth to speak, but Qing Yan interrupted with a cheerful, “Once I find something good, I’ll bring some back for you.”

With that, she turned and headed upstairs.

The moment she turned, Qing Yan rolled her eyes.

Before, she thought perhaps Su Ruche had a personal feud with Su Ruqing. But now that Su Ruche kept pestering her directly, how could Qing Yan not realize she was the real target?

As for the reason… she had a suspicion, though she couldn’t yet confirm it.

The second floor was far more elegant than downstairs. The display cases held daintier, more refined pastries.

Aside from a few neatly dressed shop assistants, there was only one young man browsing pastries.

Qing Yan glanced briefly at his back as she followed the clerk toward the shelves.

The young man turned around—it was Cheng Ji.

He walked toward her, and as he passed, his hand suddenly trembled. The milk custard pastry he was holding brushed against Qing Yan’s sleeve.

“Sorry! I’m so sorry!” Cheng Ji said quickly, reaching for a handkerchief to wipe her sleeve.

Qing Yan stepped back.

Wen Xi’s face turned cold. “Be careful,” she snapped sternly.

Cheng Ji froze.

He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth—pampered and arrogant. This was the first time anyone had scolded him—let alone a servant.

“How dare you speak that way?” the servant behind him retorted.

Cheng Ji raised his hand to stop him and said slowly, “I was careless. My apologies to the lady.”

Qing Yan kept her head down and used her own handkerchief to clean her sleeve, ignoring him.

“This is the Princess Consort Zhan,” Wen Xi said coldly.

Cheng Ji licked his teeth and gave a strange smile. He looked at Qing Yan and said,
“I’m Cheng Ji. I failed to recognize Her Highness. I’ll visit to offer my apologies another day.”

With that, he turned and walked downstairs.

Qing Yan handed the soiled handkerchief to Wen Xi, then resumed browsing the pastries calmly.

After she finished shopping and went back downstairs, Su Ruche had also completed her purchase. The two exchanged a few polite words before returning to their own carriages.

Back at the estate, Qing Yan had dinner, then dismissed the other servants, keeping only Wen Xi behind.

“Sister Wen Xi, Chang Bai recognized me.”

“…What did you say?” Wen Xi looked shocked.

Qing Yan hesitated. “I’m not sure if he really did or not.”

Wen Xi pressed her, “Recognized how? How well do you two know each other?”

Qing Yan didn’t hide anything. “I told you before—I ran away on my wedding day. Chang Bai… he was the groom.”

There was a pause.

Then Wen Xi said firmly, “All right. I’ll take care of him.”

“…What?”

Qing Yan’s expression changed dramatically. “How can you even say that?”

“He knows you too well—he’s a huge threat that cannot be left alive,” Wen Xi said, turning to leave.

Qing Yan quickly ran after her and spread her arms wide to block Wen Xi’s path.

Rarely did she show such a stern face, but now she said firmly, “I forbid you to do that.”

“Do you even understand what you’re saying? If we don’t eliminate such a dangerous threat, once your identity is exposed, you know what the consequences will be!”

“That’s still no excuse for killing an innocent person!” Qing Yan shouted.

Wen Xi asked coldly, “And you’re willing to risk the Princess’s safety for his sake?”

Qing Yan gripped Wen Xi’s sleeve tightly. “The Princess once saved my life—I owe her a life debt. If one day the truth must come out, I’ll end my life while still under the name of Princess Huachao to protect her secret. But innocent people shouldn’t have to die. I won’t let you kill someone just to be safe!”

Wen Xi looked into Qing Yan’s pale violet eyes—eyes just like Princess Huachao’s. She recalled what General Li had said that day.

She hesitated.

Qing Yan softened her tone. “Sister Wen Xi, Chang Bai might not have recognized me. He thinks I’m dead. Let’s find a way to make him truly believe I’m Princess Huachao—just someone who looks like the girl he once knew. And then… we can send him away. Please? Please?”

Her voice turned gentle and pleading.

After a long pause, Wen Xi finally said, “I’ll watch him for another two days. If he really hasn’t recognized you, we’ll do it your way. But if he has—I’ll have to end his life.”

“Alright, alright! Sister Wen Xi is the best!” Qing Yan beamed, her eyes curling with a smile, dimples appearing on her cheeks.

Wen Xi looked at her closely and asked, “Why did you run from the wedding? Why does he think you’re dead?”

Qing Yan yawned, then turned and walked toward the bed, waving her hand. “Sleepy. Going to bed!”

“Qing Yan.”

Qing Yan flopped down on the soft bed and muttered into the mattress, “If you’ve got time to interrogate me, you should go look into that Cheng-whatever guy. Something’s fishy about him…”

She inhaled deeply. The bedding had been replaced, but she could still faintly smell the sandalwood fragrance that clung to Duan Wucuo.

Wen Xi gave it a thought, then left to investigate Cheng Ji—and to keep a close watch on Chang Bai.

To her, nothing was more important than the safety of Princess Huachao.

That night, while Qing Yan was asleep, a figure dressed in dark-colored eunuch robes silently crept into her room.

Usually, Qing Yan would have been sleeping soundly at this hour. But seeing Chang Bai again had stirred up countless memories. She couldn’t even tell whether she was dreaming or overthinking—her mind was murky and chaotic.

So when that shadow lifted the bed curtains, Qing Yan’s eyes suddenly snapped open.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

Qing Yan trembled and instantly sobered. She instinctively opened her mouth to scream—

But Cheng Ji’s hand clamped over her mouth.

He bent down and stared closely into her pale violet eyes.

He whispered, “I’ve seen Your Highness from afar many times. I was always curious about those eyes. Seeing them up close now… tsk, they really are beautiful.”

After the initial shock, Qing Yan calmed quickly and glared at him.

Cheng Ji was displeased by her reaction. He had hoped for a frightened, trembling beauty.

He especially wanted to see what her eyes would look like if they were filled with fear and helplessness—how delicate and pitiful she would seem.

In a low, coaxing voice, he murmured, “A lonely princess in a foreign land, newly married but already abandoned… how pitiful. Let Cheng Ji show you the pleasures of the bedchamber, let you taste joy. Don’t worry—it’ll just be one night. You’ll still be Prince Zhan’s consort tomorrow. No one will ever know our little secret.”

Cheng Ji gave a chilling smile. “If you scream, I’ll just say we’ve been lovers all along. Who would believe in the innocence of a princess sent away in marriage? Prince Zhan won’t let you off easy.”

His voice turned more sickly sweet. “There now, I’ll let go. Just don’t make a sound, alright?”

Qing Yan nodded.

“That’s right. The spring night is short. Let’s take our time. Let me teach you—”

As soon as he let go, Qing Yan whipped out a folding knife from under her pillow. The blade snapped out and slashed toward Cheng Ji.

Startled, he staggered back just in time.

Just as he regained his footing, Qing Yan shrieked, “Wen Xi—!”

“You little bitch!”

Cheng Ji lunged onto the bed to grab her. Qing Yan rolled into the corner, gripping the knife tightly.

He easily caught her wrist and yanked her toward him.

Qing Yan grabbed onto a bedpost, trying to hold on.

Suddenly, a short arrow struck Cheng Ji’s shoulder from behind.

Shocked, he turned his head—

The second arrow hit him squarely between the eyes.

His pupils glazed over instantly.

Wen Xi stood in the doorway, face cold and expressionless. When she saw Cheng Ji’s face clearly, she froze.

“Cheng Ji?”

Qing Yan sat collapsed at the edge of the bed, gasping for air. Memories she had forced down surged up all at once, nearly suffocating her.

Wen Xi quickly checked his breath, then said grimly, “He disguised himself as a eunuch—I didn’t know it was him. Otherwise I would’ve killed him earlier.”

“I checked already. Cheng Ji is the legitimate eldest grandson of the Left Prime Minister. The only son. He’s been wreaking havoc in the capital for years, but since he grew up in the Empress Dowager’s quarters, no one dares touch him.”

“He died here. That’s bad. We’d better dispose of the body quietly.”

Chang Bai hadn’t slept. The moment he heard Qing Yan’s voice, he rushed over.

Standing outside her door, he restrained himself from barging in. “What happened?”

Wen Xi replied, “The Princess had a nightmare. It’s nothing. You may go.”

But Chang Bai didn’t leave.

His shadow loomed on the door, prompting Qing Yan to snap, pretending to be annoyed: “Leave!”

Chang Bai’s lips tightened. He slowly let go of the doorframe and turned stiffly away.

He had only taken two steps when he saw someone approaching.

He stopped in his tracks. “Your Highness.”

Prince Zhan frowned. Years of experience had made him especially sensitive to the smell of blood.

Even from a distance, he had caught the metallic tang in the air.

Inside, Qing Yan heard the door creak open and began to scold: “I told you to—”

But the second half of her sentence died in her throat when she saw who had entered.

Duan Wucuo’s gaze rested on her face for a moment—then lowered to the corpse of Cheng Ji.

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