Chapter 27: Want to Play?

“Did I… kill someone?”

Jiang Qingqing murmured.

Jiang Yu felt uneasy as well. He knew this was probably the first time Jiang Qingqing had ever wielded a blade. “Princess, from now on, leave these things to me. You don’t have to force yourself.”

A sudden wave of hatred surged within him—hatred for his own weakness.

He couldn’t even protect Jiang Qingqing.

Jiang Qingqing denied his words. “I wasn’t forcing myself. This was the only way we could escape this pursuit unharmed.”

As long as Liu Xubai was seriously injured, the Prime Minister’s residence wouldn’t abandon him.

That was their chance to escape.

The silence behind them indicated that no more horses were in pursuit. Jiang Qingqing turned to Jiang Yu and suggested, “I want to wash up by the river.”

Jiang Yu nodded and steered the horse toward the water source.

When they arrived at the stream, they were surprised to find that a large number of commoners had gathered there, camping with their families.

Jiang Qingqing found it odd. This was the wilderness—where had all these people come from?

She cautiously hid her bloodstained hands within her sleeves, but a sharp-eyed child still noticed.

Startled, the child screamed, “Mother! She has blood on her hands! The bad guys are here to catch us!”

The villagers by the stream, who had been going about their business, froze in fear upon hearing the child’s cry.

Some, overcome with panic, immediately grabbed their belongings and fled.

“Who are you?”

A man named Huang Shan, who held some authority in the camp, stepped forward and blocked Jiang Qingqing’s path to the stream.

Since she had already been exposed, Jiang Qingqing simply pulled her hands from her sleeves, revealing the blood. “I just want to wash my hands. That’s all.”

Huang Shan scrutinized the two strangers.

Seeing that they didn’t seem hostile, he finally said, “Wash up and leave. Don’t disturb our lives.”

Jiang Qingqing nodded, choosing a vacant spot by the stream to clean her hands.

Jiang Yu stood guard beside her, murmuring uncertainly, “Their accent… they sound like people from Weizhou.”

Jiang Qingqing frowned. “Weizhou? But Weizhou hasn’t fallen to enemy forces. Why would they come all the way here?”

Once Jiang Qingqing finished washing, Jiang Yu helped her up.

Switching to fluent Weizhou dialect, he addressed Huang Shan, who was still watching them cautiously. “Did something happen in Weizhou? Why is everyone heading for the capital?”

Huang Shan’s vigilance wavered at the sound of a familiar accent.

He observed their fine clothing and assumed they must be of some status.

With a sigh, he began venting his grievances:

“You’re from the capital, right? Where are you headed?”

“Ah, you wouldn’t understand. Weizhou has become unlivable.”

“Ever since Yingzhou was defeated, people from there have been pouring into Weizhou. Weizhou is small—how can it handle both the military and the refugees? Not to mention those useless local officials.”

“They’re demanding a hundred taels of silver per person as a settlement fee for the refugees from Yingzhou.”

“People gave up everything they had just to enter Weizhou. But once they ran out of money, what could they do? Steal, kill—commit all sorts of crimes…”

“We simply couldn’t stay in Weizhou any longer.”

Jiang Yu frowned in doubt.

He was well acquainted with the governor of Weizhou, Xu Jifeng—a kind and just man. There was no way he would allow such exploitation of the people.

“You said the local officials… Are you referring to the governor’s office?”

Jiang Yu asked.

Huang Shan was about to answer when his wife quickly silenced him.

“Don’t say too much…”

Huang Shan’s wife rose from her straw mat and offered a polite apology. “Honored guests, it’s best if you leave. We commoners don’t dare interfere in government affairs. Please forget what my husband just said.”

After Jiang Yu and Jiang Qingqing left, Huang Shan’s wife smacked his arm and scolded him:

“Do you have a death wish? You don’t even know who they are, and you just spilled everything! The new governor is the Empress Dowager’s man.”

“No matter how noble they are in the capital, can they compare to the Empress Dowager?”

“What, do you think they’ll actually fix Weizhou for you?”

Huang Shan looked embarrassed as he defended himself.

“I was just venting… I feel bad for my ten grain stores in Weizhou. That was my life’s savings.”

His wife cut him off.

“Enough. In times like these, you’re lucky to be alive. Tomorrow, gather whatever money we have and see if we can bribe the city guards to let us into the capital.”

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[International Waters]

In the open seas near L Country, a massive cruise ship sailed steadily eastward.

Soft lighting illuminated the grand hall, where a gambling table stood at the center.

Stacks of chips, worth millions, were piled high on the table—a world where wealth and power ruled supreme.

At the head of the table sat Fu Zhengnan, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit. He leaned back in his chair, his slender fingers idly pinching two playing cards. He remained silent, his sharp, sculpted features exuding an air of indifference and aloofness.

The people around him were clearly eager to please him.

“President Fu, your move?”

Fu Zhengnan didn’t hesitate. Lifting his dark lashes slightly, he glanced at the speaker before tossing his cards onto the table.

“I heard that President Wang wants a piece of the L Country project?”

His tone was calm—almost casual.

Yet, the man called President Wang suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

“Haha… President Fu, you must be joking. Tonight, we’re just here to have fun. Once the L Country representatives arrive tomorrow, we’ll still need your help.”

As he spoke, President Wang exchanged a look with his assistant.

Several tall, scantily clad women carrying glasses of wine sauntered over, swaying their hips seductively.

One particularly bold woman placed her hand on the table beside Fu Zhengnan and started a provocative dance.

“President Fu… how about some fun?”

President Wang, seeing Fu Zhengnan’s lack of reaction, decided to push further.

These were beauties he had handpicked from across the country. He hadn’t even touched them himself—saving them to curry favor with Fu Zhengnan.

Everyone said that the heir to the Fu Group was cold and unapproachable.

But really, all men had their weaknesses, didn’t they?

“You—go serve President Fu.”

President Wang pointed to the most alluring woman among them.

The moment he spoke, Zhang, Fu Zhengnan’s assistant standing behind him, darkened.

This President Wang really had a death wish.

If he had just focused on discussing business, the deal would have gone through smoothly.

The Fu Group had already planned to bring the Wang family into the project—otherwise, they wouldn’t have arrived a day early.

But now…

He had just ruined himself.