Chapter 24: Bai Wan Was Once That “Deity”

Jiang Yanting’s thin lips pressed tightly together, his sharp gaze fixed on An Yi below the high platform.

“Did I ever say to bring her back?”

His deep, cold voice echoed through the grand hall, making the twelve secret guards tremble with fear.

Ever since Consort Wan had gone missing, His Majesty’s hostility had grown heavier.

Only this morning, when the news of the princess’s sudden disappearance from the courtyard reached the palace, did a trace of tension flicker across his otherwise icy face.

Standing nearby, An Er, who was originally Jiang Qingqing’s personal guard, couldn’t help but step forward and plead:

“Your Majesty, the princess has been through something unknown in the courtyard, and now that she has returned, why do you still push her so hard?”

“Why do you allow the Empress Dowager and the Chancellor’s household to humiliate her like this?”

“Her Highness was once the most cherished in the palace, living in luxury. The suffering she has endured these past few days has been immense. I implore Your Majesty to show mercy and bring the princess back!”

With An Er taking the lead, the twelve royal secret guards all knelt before Jiang Yanting, clasping their swords in unison and bowing:

“We implore Your Majesty to show mercy and bring the princess back!”

“We implore Your Majesty to show mercy and bring the princess back!”

“…”

But in truth, everything displayed in the palace now was a facade.

All of it was a deception carefully orchestrated by Jiang Yanting himself.

Why had so many ministers, once loyal to the Emperor, suddenly turned against him and sided with the Chancellor’s family? That, too, was under Jiang Yanting’s command.

Yet, no one knew why.

Why would he allow his only child to suffer humiliation?
Why did he let the Jiang family army, loyal to Da Liang, be dishonored and imprisoned?
Why had he sent no reinforcements to the hellish battlefield of Yingzhou?

No one knew…

The murmurs of the court officials grew louder.

Jiang Yanting looked down at the twelve secret guards kneeling before him, his gaze turning even colder.

“If anyone dares to secretly aid Jiang Qingqing… then they will be executed without mercy.”

With that, Jiang Yanting strode out of the grand hall.

He walked alone to a dilapidated palace courtyard, where the sharpness in his expression faded, replaced by helplessness.

His hoarse voice resonated in the empty surroundings:

“What do I have to do?”

“What must I do for you to return? You can disregard my life, ignore the people of Da Liang. But what about Qingqing? Have you abandoned even her now?”

Jiang Yanting’s eyes reddened with despair.

He had once been nothing more than an insignificant prince in the eyes of the late emperor.

Thrown into this remote palace courtyard, left to suffer humiliation from others.

But one day, suddenly, a woman’s voice appeared in his room.

She despised his weakness, scoffed at his lack of ambition.

Yet, she also understood his helplessness.

Then, he began to notice:

When the weather grew cold, new cloaks and thick blankets would mysteriously appear in his wardrobe.

When he was starving, steaming hot meals would show up on his table.

She would punish those who bullied him, gift him divine artifacts, teach him strategies, and help him rise from an unknown prince to the emperor’s throne.

And then one day, she suddenly appeared on his bed.

Two years later, she bore him a delicate little princess.

No one knew how deeply moved he was when he first held Jiang Qingqing in his arms.

She was the only person in this world who shared his blood, the child of the woman he loved.

He had sworn to bring them the most beautiful things in the world.

But twenty years later…

The woman he loved vanished from the world, just as suddenly as she had appeared in his room.

Jiang Yanting gazed at the house where he had first met Bai Wan, his face streaked with tears.

For the past half a month, every form of self-torment he had inflicted upon himself…

Was only to make Bai Wan reappear.

But…

She never did.

—

In just a few days, Jiang Qingqing had experienced so many highs and lows that her expression had grown numb.

Curled up inside the carriage, she kept stuffing pieces of candy into her mouth.

Only the sweetness of the hard candy could bring her a sliver of happiness.

“Jiang Yu, do you want some candy?”

Jiang Qingqing casually grabbed a handful and offered them to Jiang Yu, who was driving the carriage.

Right now, they were taking a small, hidden path toward a town near Yingzhou. The Jiang family members had all been imprisoned there.

Jiang Yu accepted the handful of brightly colored fruit candies.

But he did not eat them.

Instead, he tucked them into his sleeve—to save for Jiang Qingqing.

“Your Highness, let’s rest in the forest tonight and continue our journey tomorrow,” Jiang Yu said, his grip on the reins weakening. His body was clearly exhausted. His wounds were severe, and forcing himself to continue would only make things worse. Resting for a night would be better.

By now, the Chancellor’s household had likely received word of their escape.

But Jiang Yu truly couldn’t hold on any longer.

Jiang Qingqing popped the last piece of candy into her mouth and spoke slowly:

“Alright. Find a secluded place and stop there.”

With her approval, Jiang Yu immediately steered the carriage into a deserted forest.

After confirming there were no signs of other people, Jiang Qingqing stepped down from the carriage.

Closing her eyes, she pushed open an invisible door.

The sight beyond the door left Jiang Yu utterly stunned.

Was it the house he had entered that day?

“Stay here for the night.”

Jiang Qingqing stood outside the door, holding it open as she gestured for Jiang Yu to step inside. She was about to close it.

Jiang Yu looked at her actions in confusion. “Your Highness, are you not planning to… uh… come in with me?”

Inviting the princess to share a room with him—Jiang Yu felt sinful just thinking about it.

Jiang Qingqing shook her head. “I have another house. You go in yourself. I’ll open the door for you again tomorrow. You can use everything inside, and there’s plenty of food in the fridge.”

Standing outside, she briefly explained how to use the items inside the house to Jiang Yu.

Then, she opened another door—one that led to an identical version of Fu Zhengnan’s house.

She waved at Jiang Yu, who stood there, completely stunned.

“Go in. I’m going to rest now.”

Jiang Yu didn’t protest further. He walked into the room stiffly, his arms and legs moving awkwardly in unison, a clear sign of how shocked he was.

What was all this?!

This was… beyond magical.

Jiang Yu felt as if he had stepped into a world of cultivation and immortals. No wonder his father had always insisted he stay close to His Majesty.

Just looking at the things the princess had brought out was enough for him to take a long time to process.

…

“You’re back?”

As soon as Jiang Qingqing stepped into her new home, Fu Zhengnan’s voice rang out.

For a brief moment, she was mesmerized.

She nodded.

Then, she voluntarily started recounting what had happened that day.

“I went to the secret passage today, but Father blew it up. I don’t think I can go back to the palace now. I have no choice but to head to Yingzhou. But Yingzhou… I just hope I can make it there…”

Jiang Qingqing spoke in broken sentences, without any logical flow, jumping from one thought to another.

From childhood memories of Emperor Liang and Consort Wan flying kites with her…

To just recently, when their whole family was still having a hotpot meal together in the imperial study…

Some of her phrasing was imprecise, her words jumbled.

But Fu Zhengnan understood what she meant.

He knew his little princess had suffered a great deal today.

Because he had access to the external surveillance view of the house, he had witnessed everything that had happened.

Fu Zhengnan glanced at his watch.

21:22—there was still over an hour before Jiang Qingqing’s usual bedtime.

In a gentle tone, he tried to shift her gloomy mood:

“Jiang Qingqing, that painting you made for me last time—could you paint another one? My grandfather really liked it.”

Jiang Qingqing paused, her rambling thoughts interrupted. Her mind briefly stalled at the sudden request.

Softly, she asked, “You mean the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix painting? Is the deity’s grandfather your Father God?”

Fu Zhengnan had already prepared painting tools and set them up on the large desk in the bedroom.

His tone carried a hint of coaxing:

“Mhm. If you can finish a complete painting before bedtime, I’ll grant you one wish. How about that?