Chapter Forty-Eight: Witnessing Qin Jianyu and Lady Kong
Before the emperor had left, Xiao Yi emerged from Prince Shou’s residence and asked Xiao Yi, “Did you see Qin Jianyu and Miss Kong together?”
Xiao Yi shook his head calmly, “Don’t you already know?”
Xiao Yi fell silent.
This subordinate was particularly disobedient.
After considering for a moment, Xiao Yi lifted his robe and vanished into the boundless moonlight.
…
Suddenly, the horses pulling Madam Xue and Xue Fanzhi’s carriage became frightened.
The carriage stopped. Xue Fanzhi was about to step out to investigate when Madam Xue frowned, “This is too strange. It’s too dark—let’s wait a bit longer.”
She then asked the driver outside, “What happened?”
The driver inspected the situation and replied, “I’m not sure, the horse suddenly neighed!”
Madam Xue asked, “Is everything alright now?”
“It’s fine!” The driver patted the horse’s flank, and it snorted docilely.
“Then let’s hurry on. We must return quickly!” Madam Xue ordered.
The driver agreed, climbed back up, and the carriage continued forward.
In the carriage ahead, Xiao Yi was beside himself with anger. Even now, this Lady Xue didn’t bother to stop and check? So lazy! Right by the roadside behind them, he watched Qin Jianyu and Miss Kong boarding their own carriage.
Fiddling with the marble in his hand, Xiao Yi was about to flick it when his gaze shifted. He lowered the curtain and declared to those outside, “We’re not going any further!”
His carriage stopped immediately, blocking the road.
The Xue family’s driver, seeing a carriage obstructing the way, stopped and jumped down to ask, “Why aren’t you moving?”
The driver from the Ninth Prince’s residence pretended to fix the carriage, crouching on the ground, “Look, it’s broken!”
The Xue driver reported to Madam Xue, “The carriage ahead has broken down, Madam. I’ll go help them repair it.”
Madam Xue replied, “It’s only right to help. Go on! Fix it as soon as possible!”
The driver acknowledged her and then fell silent.
Hearing the commotion from behind, Xue Fanzhi turned to Madam Xue, “Grandmother, the people in the carriages behind probably don’t know what’s happening. I’ll go take a look.”
Madam Xue cautioned, “At times like these, it could be someone acting deliberately, trying to stir up trouble. Let’s not be careless. Stay in the carriage for now.”
…
Madam Xue finished speaking and closed her eyes to rest.
Xue Fanzhi, quiet by nature, followed suit.
The Xue driver, unable to find any fault with the carriage ahead, asked, “Your carriage doesn’t seem broken.”
The Ninth Prince’s driver was silent.
“Why else would I stop here if it weren’t broken? To admire the scenery?” he retorted, glancing up at the starless, overcast sky.
The Xue driver thought it made sense. “Should I try driving it forward?”
The Ninth Prince’s driver hurried, “If I recall correctly, the axle was creaking when I left—perhaps that’s the trouble!”
The Xue driver rolled up his sleeves, “Repairing axles is my specialty. Our family’s axles are lighter than any other, all made by me. Let me help you!”
The prince’s driver was speechless.
He had only pretended the carriage was broken, yet encountered someone so exceedingly helpful.
With no other choice, as the Xue driver crawled under the carriage, he gently tapped the window.
The person inside tapped back.
The driver understood: no matter what, keep the carriage “broken.”
Because of the blocked road, the carriages behind could still bypass, but it slowed the procession. Some couldn’t change lanes in time and were stuck, causing the convoy to move at a snail’s pace.
Imagine how many people were heading to the Xie family, and this road was the only way.
Madam Xue, wary of danger, overheard curses from every passing carriage.
Unable to bear it, she called out to Xue Fanzhi, “Perhaps you should go and check.”
Xue Fanzhi agreed, hopped down, and stood behind their carriage, alerting any drivers unable to bypass.
As three carriages passed, a carriage bearing the Qin family crest appeared.
That carriage, aware of the jam, had detoured early, but Xue Fanzhi still caught sight of it. She frowned slightly, wondering if it was the Qin family she knew.
Just then, the curtain lifted, revealing a delicate young woman. Her gentle features were familiar to Xue Fanzhi—she’d seen her before, that afternoon at the Xie residence, Miss Kong. Looking past her, though the light was dim, the fleeting profile belonged to Qin Jianyu.
Suddenly, Xue Fanzhi recalled the scene in the garden: Miss Kong had arranged to meet someone, but she hadn’t seen who it was. Now, thinking back, the figure matched Qin Jianyu.
…
So the two had been conspiring long ago. No wonder, in her previous life, Qin Jianyu married a concubine-born woman. Oh, when the engagement was broken, Qin Jianyu’s sadness was just an act!
In her past life, she’d been quite familiar with Qin Jianyu!
How much had these people concealed from her?
Xue Fanzhi ground her teeth in anger.
She felt the man glance at her and quickly turned away, standing behind the carriage.
Inside were Qin Jianyu and his lover, Miss Kong. With the carriage moving slowly, Miss Kong, curious, lifted the curtain.
Suddenly, Qin Jianyu asked nervously, “Whose carriage is that?”
Miss Kong’s heart shifted. She knew Qin Jianyu was already engaged.
She smiled with jealous affection, “It seems to be the Xue family, isn’t it, your fiancée’s household? If their carriage is broken, shouldn’t you go help?”
Qin Jianyu did want to check whether anyone from the Xue family recognized him.
Linglong had been careless—why show her face? Their family might regain its standing soon, but nothing was settled yet. It was unwise to openly fall out with the Xue family. His mother was right: even if the engagement must end, it shouldn’t be their family who initiates it. There must be a reason to make the Xue family feel guilty and propose the break themselves.
Unable to sit still, Qin Jianyu truly wanted to get off the carriage. Miss Kong’s delicate face grew aggrieved, “My lord!”
Qin Jianyu could never resist her gentle, tender voice. He embraced her and smiled, “I’m only afraid the Xue family will recognize me. After all, we’re still engaged.”
He had already promised Miss Kong he’d break off with Xue Fanzhi. Miss Kong was clever and didn’t press him; instead, she said, “Does the Xue family know your face? If they didn’t see you before, wouldn’t your appearance now arouse suspicion?”
Qin Jianyu nodded, “I won’t get off.”
He said so, but remained uneasy and resolved to visit the Xue family the next day to see if they’d noticed anything.
…
The Qin family’s carriage finally passed. Xiao Yi knocked twice on the carriage wall—this was a signal, meaning they should leave.
But the driver knocked back twice in apology, unable to move. The Xue family’s driver was simply too persistent, now insisting on dismantling a perfectly good axle and unable to reassemble it.
Xiao Yi was speechless.