The news that Xi Qingyue had killed Wei Da and a group of guards at the restaurant spread quickly. Everyone in the capital who heard about it was utterly shocked.
Lu Qianning had just entered a secluded residence when she received the news. She could not help asking in surprise, “They’ve actually killed someone in the capital? Aren’t they afraid of being arrested by the authorities and the imperial guards?”
After thinking for a moment, she calmly instructed Mu Jin, “Mu Jin, go to Seventh Sister’s residence and ask her to let the two of them stay at my place. We’d better not cause Seventh Sister any more trouble.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Mu Jin replied before quickly departing.
Luo Ling could not help muttering from the side, “Where on earth did those two find the courage to do that? Wei Da was the Grand Tutor’s grandson, and his aunt, Consort De, is the emperor’s most favored consort. His Majesty will surely be furious this time.”
She knew that the Xi sisters were formidable, but this was the imperial capital. The people here were nothing like the refugees they had encountered on the road. Nearly everyone had powerful connections, and killing the wrong person could bring an endless string of trouble.
Once the emperor lost his temper, even the Seventh Princess might not be able to protect them. Could the sisters really intend to oppose the authorities?
Lu Qianning shook her head. “Not necessarily. They don’t seem like impulsive people. Besides, they still have many secrets we know nothing about.”
She knew that the Seventh Princess had taken the two girls in because of her. Now that she had returned, it was only natural for her to look after them herself. In any case, she and the Fourth Prince’s faction were already sworn enemies. One more charge would make little difference.
With that, she lightly tapped the tips of her toes against the ground and flew onto the roof. After a few leaps, she disappeared from the courtyard.
Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan had only just returned to the princess’s residence when Mu Jin arrived. She smiled faintly at the two of them.
“Her Highness says that she would like you both to stay at her residence for a few days.”
Xi Qingyue smiled and nodded. “All right. We’ll leave right away.”
She then took Xi Weilan and left with Mu Jin, merely instructing Xiaolian to tell Lu Jinshuang that they were going to stay with relatives for a few days.
Xiaolian was unable to stop them, so she ran to find Lu Jinshuang. The latter was in the middle of thinking about how to deal with the trouble that was soon to arrive.
“Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Miss Yue and the other girl left with an unfamiliar young woman. She claimed to be their relative, but they spoke privately, so this servant has no idea who she really is.”
Lu Jinshuang was puzzled when she heard this. If that woman truly was their relative, she should have come looking for them long ago. Why had she waited until now?
What was even more baffling was that there was no such considerate relative in the capital. Most people would avoid them like the plague after they had killed someone. Why would anyone come looking for them now? Could she have been sent by the authorities?
With that thought, Lu Jinshuang immediately rose and hurried outside after them.
Just as she was about to stride after them, a small stone struck her calf, bringing her to an abrupt halt.
She stopped and waved Xiaolian away. “You may leave first.”
Xiaolian was confused, but she still bowed and withdrew.
The moment she left, a slender figure landed beside Lu Jinshuang.
“Little Nine, it really is you!” Lu Jinshuang gazed at the woman before her, her eyes filled with delight.
She had known that with Little Nine’s martial arts skills, she would certainly be fine.
Lu Qianning smiled and nodded. “Yes, Seventh Sister. It’s been a long time. I was the one who had someone bring them away just now. The Fourth Prince and I are already locked in a life-and-death struggle, and those two girls killed one of his relatives, so they can stay at my residence. You just carry on with whatever you need to do.”
“Little Nine, don’t be such a stranger. They’re my sworn younger sisters. Of course I’ll do everything I can if they’re in trouble. Besides, your current situation is hardly reassuring.”
Lu Qianning paid no heed. “It doesn’t matter. No matter how bad my situation gets, how much worse can it become? Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. And they’re not as weak as you imagine. You’d better not hold them back.”
Lu Jinshuang was rather depressed by those words. She had already heard her guards’ reports. Miss Yue’s qinggong was astonishingly good—she moved as swiftly as a gust of wind when she killed those people at the restaurant. Lu Jinshuang had only taught the two sisters for a few days, so logically, that should not have been possible.
“Little Nine, did you teach Yueqing qinggong? I heard that when she killed those men at the restaurant today, she moved as fast as the wind. I’ve only been teaching the two of them for a few days. That shouldn’t be possible.”
Lu Qianning looked genuinely surprised. “You taught them qinggong too?”
She remembered that Xi Qingyue’s qinggong was even better than her own. She hardly needed anyone to teach her. Xi Weilan, on the other hand, had always wanted to learn qinggong.
Lu Jinshuang smiled proudly. “Of course. I really like the people you take a liking to. Little Lan’er has excellent talent and learns very quickly.”
As for Xi Qingyue, Lu Jinshuang had previously assumed that her astonishing skills were simply due to natural talent. Only today had she realized that the girl had been concealing her true strength. Otherwise, how could she have killed Wei Da’s men so cleanly?
Lu Qianning chatted with her for a while longer before leaving the Seventh Princess’s residence. Neither of them knew what they had discussed.
By the time Xi Qingyue arrived at Princess Wenqing’s residence, the gates were already open.
A woman came out to greet them first. Upon closer inspection, Xi Qingyue recognized her as the same woman who had driven the carriage before.
“Miss Yue, this way, please.”
As they entered the residence, Xi Weilan looked around curiously. The estate was clearly smaller than the Seventh Princess’s residence.
After walking for the time it took to finish a cup of tea, they arrived at the rear courtyard. Lu Qianning was already waiting beneath a pear tree in the middle of the courtyard.
“Elder Sister Lu, your home is a little small,” Xi Weilan called out before running over.
Lu Qianning picked her up and smiled faintly. “There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not favored, so this residence is naturally not as nice as Seventh Sister’s. So, do you still want to stay here?”
Xi Weilan hurriedly nodded. “Yes! I’m not picky.”
Xi Qingyue, meanwhile, surveyed Lu Qianning’s residence. Although it was not especially large, there were quite a few highly skilled martial artists here. She could not help feeling surprised.
Xi Qingyue already knew that Lu Qianning was highly skilled, but there were not merely one or two experts in this residence—there were dozens of them.
“These people only entered the city recently. Some of them came from Yuncheng. Normally, only a few people guard the residence,” Lu Qianning said with a teasing smile. “They probably couldn’t withstand a single move from you.”
“Elder Sister Lu, you’re joking. I’m only a child, while they’re all martial arts experts. I still have a long way to go.”
At those words, Lu Qianning nearly rolled her eyes. She was indeed only a child—a child who could casually kill highly skilled martial artists.
She had someone prepare food for Xi Qingyue and Xi Weilan. Knowing how much they enjoyed eating, she ordered more than usual.
Xi Qingyue could not help asking curiously, “Elder Sister Lu, you returned to the capital in secret, didn’t you? When are you planning to reveal yourself?”
Lu Qianning smiled calmly. “I’m still trying to decide how to make my appearance. Should I be high-profile, or should I use a ruse involving a serious injury to win the sympathy of the capital’s people? I originally planned to stage an assassination outside the city and establish that the Fourth Prince had sent people to hunt me down. But I’m afraid a fake attack could turn into a real one. If I actually died, I’d be so aggrieved.”
At that, Xi Weilan burst into laughter, and Xi Qingyue could not help chuckling as well.
“That’s easy. Just let someone assassinate you. As long as you’re still breathing, it’ll be fine. I guarantee I can bring you back.”
Lu Qianning stared at her in utter astonishment. “Really? You know medicine too?”
But after thinking it over, she shook her head again. “That still sounds too miserable. What if I end up half-dead and someone kills me during that time? That would be awful. I think it’s better to be as brazen as you are.”
Hearing this, Xi Qingyue hurriedly shook her head and tried to dissuade her. “Sister Lu, think about it. You were nearly killed and only barely made it back to the capital alive. Wouldn’t that make the letter far more believable? Even if His Majesty is furious, he won’t be able to do anything to you openly. Playing the victim is quite effective. That way, you’ll have every right to move about openly in the capital. Later, we can find a time to hang the Fourth Prince from the city gate. By then, with you still half-dead, no one will suspect you. Wouldn’t that be perfect?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Qianning nodded in agreement. “All right, we’ll do that.”
