Song Jue

An inconspicuous carriage with blue curtains traveled south along the official road at an unhurried pace, tucked in the middle of a merchant caravan.

Several mounted escorts led the way, while two more carriages followed behind, each guarded by two escorts. It looked like an ordinary party of merchants, hardly worth a second glance.

Inside the carriage in the middle, however, it was another world.

The interior walls were lined with thick felt and covered in fine Shu brocade. Its gray-blue fabric was woven with flowing cloud patterns in dark silver thread, inconspicuous at first glance but clearly precious upon closer inspection.

The window frame was made of huanghuali wood, carved with a simple curling-vine pattern and fitted with a small pane of crystal. No one outside could see in, but anyone inside could see out perfectly clearly.

A small ebony tea table was fitted in the center of the carriage. A set of Ding ware white porcelain teaware sat on it, along with two plates of candied fruit.

Two spacious couches flanked the tea table, both covered in thick white fox fur.

Qiao Shuyi reclined against two large bolster pillows on one couch, a thin felt blanket covering her legs.

She was reading a book, a medical text.

The caravan was proceeding smoothly along the official road when someone suddenly appeared ahead and blocked its path.

Yan Po reined in his horse, his right hand already resting on the hilt of the saber at his waist without betraying his movement.

"Who are you?"

The man wore a fitted black outfit. Lean and powerfully built, with eyes like an eagle's, he was clearly a ruthless character accustomed to fighting his way through the jianghu.

He cupped his fists, his tone reasonably polite but carrying an insistence that brooked no refusal.

"I have been ordered by my master to capture a petty thief. He stole something important from my master and slipped into your caravan. If you would do me the favor of letting me search, I will let you pass afterward."

Yan Po's gaze darkened slightly, though his expression remained unchanged.

"I am Yan Po of the Yishun Escort Agency. We are carrying legitimate goods on this trip. Under heaven, I doubt there is an escort agency that would let someone inspect its cargo halfway along the road."

The man in black showed no anger. He merely cupped his fists again.

"In that case, please search it yourselves. The thief must be hiding among you. I only want the man; I will not touch your cargo."

Yan Po did not want to invite further trouble, so he gave his deputy a look.

Several escorts dismounted and split up to search the carriages at the front and rear.

Meanwhile, the man in black took two steps forward and called out:

"Song Jue, you little brat, listen well! If you come out now and return what you took just as it was, I'll spare your life for the sake of our old ties. If you insist on hiding, today will be the day you die."

When his voice fell, the official road was silent for a moment. No one answered.

The escorts finished searching the carriages at the front and rear and returned to Yan Po, shaking their heads.

"Chief, we didn't find him."

The man in black frowned and swept his gaze over the caravan before fixing it on the blue-curtained carriage in the middle.

"Hasn't that one gone unchecked?" He raised a hand and pointed at the carriage in the middle. "That thief is extremely crafty. He's probably hiding in there."

Yan Po's gaze turned icy in an instant.

This man was courting death. If Yan Po had not feared exposing his martial arts and bringing unnecessary trouble upon them, he would have cut him down already.

And he dared demand a search of the young lady's carriage?

The horse beneath him seemed to sense its master's killing intent. It snorted uneasily and pawed the ground twice with its front hoof.

Just then, a scream suddenly rang out from inside the carriage-

"Help-who are you?!"

Yan Po's heart tightened. Moving like lightning, he darted into the carriage in an instant.

Seeing this, the man in black could no longer concern himself with courtesy. He pushed off with the tip of his foot and followed close behind, plunging headfirst into the carriage.

The moment he lifted the curtain, he froze.

Shu brocade covered the interior walls, crystal was set into the huanghuali window frame, white fox fur covered the couch, and thin wisps of smoke curled up from an incense ball-

What ordinary merchant caravan possessed such luxuries?

His gaze finally fell on the woman seated on the couch.

She wore plain clothes, her black hair half pinned up, and her face was breathtakingly beautiful.

He froze again.

But in that brief moment-

Yan Po had slipped silently up behind him.

When experts clashed, life and death hung on a single thought.

The man in black's pupils contracted sharply. He was about to turn around when Yan Po clamped both hands around his head and gave it a violent twist-

Crack.

The man in black went limp, his eyes still open, the astonishment from a moment ago lingering in them.

Expressionless, Yan Po bent down, picked up the corpse with one hand, and dragged it out of the carriage.

He casually tossed the corpse onto the ground.

"Someone, drag him away and bury him. This man wasn't looking for anyone at all; he only wanted to rob the shipment. The person inside was with him and just ran off. Let's tidy up and continue on our way."

Several escorts answered and efficiently dragged the corpse into the woods by the roadside.

From inside the carriage, Song Jue had seen everything outside through the half-raised curtain.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the woman in front of him.

When he had just slipped into the carriage, he too had been momentarily dazzled by its luxury, just like the man in black.

He had thought it was merely a woman from some wealthy family traveling and that he would hide for a while and then leave.

But this young lady, raised in the women's quarters, had shown no fear at the sight of him and had even looked at her with complete composure.

Before long, she had let out a cry, feigning panic.

Then she had fallen quiet.

She had quietly watched the man in black have his neck broken, quietly watched his corpse being dragged away, as calm as if she were watching a rather dull play.

He even felt that, if the man in black had not died, she would have found a way to kill him.

"Why... did you help me?" He heard his own voice, a little strained.

Qiao Shuyi leaned against the white fox fur, rubbing her chin with her fingertips as she tilted her head and studied him.

"Hmm..." She drew out the sound. "Maybe because you're very handsome?"

Song Jue was stunned.

He opened his mouth, but for a moment he did not know what to say.

She was certainly no ordinary young lady from the women's quarters.

He had met plenty of noble young ladies in the capital before. Some were reserved, some spoiled and willful, some cold as ice, and some gentle as water.

But none had been like her, looking utterly harmless while able to kill without changing expression.

She had not helped him because he was handsome.

But he could not see through her.

Qiao Shuyi's intent deepened somewhat.

Of course she had not saved him because he was handsome.

She had saved him because the man in black had called out his name-Song Jue, the novel's second male lead.

In the book, Song Jue came from humble beginnings and had received Su Yunyan's help as a youth. Later, he distinguished himself in the northern frontier, became Zhao Huchen's disciple, and rose all the way to become an important minister at court.

After Zongzheng Heng made Su Yunyan Consort Shu, she had neither power nor influence in the imperial harem. Her health had been damaged, making it extremely difficult for her to conceive.

The court ministers and the empress dowager all opposed making her empress. It was Song Jue who played both sides at court, winning ministers over for her and suppressing the voices against her.

Later, Zongzheng Heng had a child adopted in Su Yunyan's name, and the matter of making her empress was finally settled.

In the third year after she became empress, Su Yunyan gave birth to a legitimate son, and the novel ended there.

Su Yunyan, Song Jue, Zongzheng Heng.

Of those three, one was the white moonlight, one the guardian, and one the emperor.

And she, Qiao Shuyi, was merely cannon fodder who had already "died."

But even cannon fodder had a path to walk.

Two years later, when she appeared before Zongzheng Heng under another identity, she too would need help.

Since Song Jue had appeared before her of his own accord, there was no reason not to make use of him.