Chapter 34: Giving Her a Sense of Security

Such divine power could only be the work of a god.

“What’s going on?”

Jiang Yu stared in astonishment at the scene before him. “Princess, did you pray for this?”

Jiang Qingqing turned to look at him.

Pray?

Not exactly.

It just seemed that whenever she encountered trouble, the deity would always appear silently, bringing her unexpected surprises.

It always seemed to… protect her!

Was the deity helping her again this time?

Just as Jiang Qingqing was feeling uncertain, she heard Fu Zhengnan’s voice beside her ear.

He said:

“Escape first. I’ll be waiting for you in the bedroom.”

“I’ve been here all day.”

His calm voice carried neither sorrow nor pity, yet it was strong enough to give her an overwhelming sense of security.

Like a silent balm, it soothed her anxious heart, never once letting her feel abandoned.

At that moment, Jiang Qingqing, who had suffered grievances in this foreign world since the morning, suddenly felt an intense urge to talk to Fu Zhengnan.

Her throat tightened.

She nodded, knowing now wasn’t the time to dwell on emotions.

In a soft voice, she replied, “You have to wait for me.”

“Alright.”

Fu Zhengnan gave his promise, then added in a gentle tone, “This morning was my fault. I let you suffer.”

His voice was steady and unhurried.

Like coaxing, yet indulgent.

He didn’t mention what had happened, but Jiang Qingqing knew—

He had seen it all.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have said such words.

Jiang Qingqing felt her emotions wavering, her eyes turning slightly red.

She was never someone who liked to complain about her troubles.

Even when her mother was still around, she would always keep things to herself, digesting everything silently.

But now, suddenly, there was someone—

Someone who told her: Even if you don’t speak of your grievances, I understand them all.

Her thoughts ran wild.

Jiang Qingqing shook her head and denied,

“It’s not your fault. The man in the house was just an accident.”

Fu Zhengnan lightly touched the screen with his fingertip but did not continue the conversation.

He knew Jiang Qingqing had misunderstood, but he didn’t want to explain further.

A misunderstanding… was fine too.

Jiang Qingqing wiped away the few tears that had escaped from the corners of her eyes.

She tugged on Jiang Yu’s sleeve and seized the chance to slip away from the crowd.

“Jiang Yu, let’s head to the magistrate’s residence first.”

She wanted…

To resolve everything quickly and meet the deity.

Jiang Yu was utterly confused.

It was just food falling from the sky—why was she crying and smiling all of a sudden?

“You just now—”

Jiang Yu tried to ask what had happened, but Jiang Qingqing changed the topic.

“Let’s hurry, or we won’t get another chance if they find us.”

Jiang Yu reluctantly agreed.

He found a narrow alley, avoiding the patrolling officers, and rushed toward the magistrate’s residence.

At the end of the main road stood a small, elegant courtyard.

A large plaque hung above the entrance, bearing the words “Weizhou Magistrate” in Xu Jifeng’s own handwriting—renowned for his integrity and refinement.

“Is… anyone inside?”

Jiang Qingqing looked at the desolate entrance and turned to ask Jiang Yu.

There wasn’t even a doorkeeper, which was very different from her previous impressions of a magistrate’s residence.

As the highest-ranking official of the prefecture, there should at least be someone guarding the door.

Jiang Yu recalled what the Weizhou citizens had said by the river a few days ago.

His expression grew serious.

“I’ll go in and take a look first. I fear something has happened at the magistrate’s residence. Otherwise, given Xu Jifeng’s character, he would never let the people suffer like this.”

Jiang Qingqing grabbed his sleeve. “I’m coming with you.”

Waiting outside alone was pointless—she might as well go in with him and have some company.

—

The small courtyard was completely deserted.

Jiang Yu led Jiang Qingqing along the edge of the walls, wary of any potential ambush.

Suddenly, the sound of a woman crying and arguing came from the distant courtyard.

“Xu Jifeng! You love your people, you love your Jiang family army, you love your court! But does that mean you can just ignore me and Lin’er?”

“Lin’er has been burning with fever for three days! He’s still so small—how can you be so heartless?”

“Go and beg the Empress Dowager! Go plead with the Prime Minister’s estate!”

The woman’s voice was hoarse, her sobs heartbreaking.

“Say something! The Empress Dowager only wants you to hand over your letters to the Jiang family from these past years—why won’t you obey?”

Madam Xu stepped forward, pounding on Xu Jifeng’s chest.

She truly wanted to dig out this man’s heart—so cold and unyielding that it terrified her.

But facing her cries, Xu Jifeng only stood in silence, head bowed, not uttering a single word.

Jiang Qingqing and Jiang Yu exchanged a glance.

“That’s the Weizhou Magistrate?”

Looking visibly exhausted.

Jiang Yu listened to Madam Xu’s words and roughly pieced together what had happened over the past half-month.

The Empress Dowager had attempted to find and fabricate letters between the Jiang family and Xu Jifeng to create false evidence of treason. But Xu Jifeng refused to side with her faction, leading to relentless persecution.

Jiang Yu led Jiang Qingqing forward.

“Ziyu, it’s been a long time.”

Xu Jifeng, who had remained silent, turned around the moment he heard Jiang Yu call him by his courtesy name.

His eyes held a trace of disbelief as he looked at Jiang Yu.

“You… you’re still alive.”

He had known that Jiang Yu escaped from the imperial prison and had been waiting for him to report the situation in Yingzhou and Weizhou to the Emperor. Once the court was informed, reinforcements would surely be sent.

But that wait had lasted over half a month.

Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager’s forces had grown more rampant and reckless in Weizhou.

Xu Jifeng had assumed that Jiang Yu had perished on his journey to the capital. He never expected to see him standing before him today, completely unharmed.

Jiang Yu responded with a faint “Mm.”

He stepped aside, revealing Jiang Qingqing behind him, and introduced her.

“The princess of the Liang Dynasty. She came to Weizhou with me.”

“Princess?”

Xu Jifeng looked at Jiang Qingqing with slight confusion.

After a moment of thought, realization struck him.

“This must be Her Highness, the princess? Good, good… So the court has finally sent someone, have they?”

“Where are the reinforcements? The food supplies? Are they stationed outside the city?”

His eyes gleamed with excitement, the relief of suffering finally coming to an end.

Jiang Qingqing couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth.

In reality, she was nothing more than a powerless princess with an empty title.

And at this moment, she was even a wanted fugitive.

The court had not sent anyone at all.

“I…”

Just as she was about to explain, Fu Zhengnan spoke.

“Tell him that in an hour, food rations will be distributed in front of the governor’s office. Have him gather a few people to help.”

Jiang Qingqing froze.

Food rations?

Did she have such a thing?

…Probably not.

Fu Zhengnan, seeing her dazed expression, immediately knew she was still in a state of shock.

He patiently explained,

“I will provide the food rations soon—enough for every citizen in the city to receive their share. You just need to ask Xu Jifeng to find a spacious place to store them.”

Jiang Qingqing nodded in understanding.

“Got it.”

She repeated what Fu Zhengnan had told her.

“Governor Xu, please gather a few reliable helpers. In an hour, food rations will be distributed at the front of the governor’s office.”

Xu Jifeng readily agreed.

He wasn’t surprised by her words—if the princess herself had come, then naturally, food supplies wouldn’t be lacking either.

Without hesitation, he rushed outside to gather people.

But Jiang Yu, standing off to the side, had a completely different reaction.

His expression was dark and conflicted, like he was suffering from constipation, wanting to speak but holding back.

He and Jiang Qingqing knew each other far too well.

They had come today to seek Xu Jifeng’s help—not to help others!

How could they possibly have food rations?