Hearing this, Prince Ping's face twisted in pain, yet he forced himself to issue an order: "I've already taken an antidote... your poison won't work on me. Seize her!"
Jiu Yue burst into laughter. "Who said I gave you poison?"
The shadow guards hesitated, unsure whether to act.
Prince Ping also sensed something unusual in his body. Suppressing his emotions, he spoke as calmly as possible, "May I ask when I have offended you? Please give me a chance to make amends."
Jiu Yue raised an eyebrow, grinning arrogantly. "Oh, you haven’t offended me... But I hit whoever I want—no reason needed."
Prince Ping: "..."
He clenched his teeth, his mask barely containing his fury.
Jiu Yue pulled out another vial and tossed it playfully in her hand. "Well? Don’t you feel like you’re burning up, hot all over?"
A shadow guard finally realized. "You—you gave him an aphrodisiac?!"
"Shallow," Jiu Yue corrected. "An expired aphrodisiac."
Prince Ping: "..."
The effects were unbearable. Prince Ping’s voice was strained. "What do you want?"
Jiu Yue jutted her chin. "That horse. Give it to me."
Prince Ping clenched his fist, about to order his men, but Jiu Yue cut in, "If they move, forget about the antidote."
"...Then will the esteemed lady retrieve it herself?" Prince Ping slumped weakly against the carriage, his gaze fixed on her face, searching for any weakness.
Unhurried, Jiu Yue walked over, drew a dagger from her boot, and sliced the rope tethering the horse.
"Since you’re being so cooperative, I’ll make this quick." With a smirk, she generously tossed the vial toward the nearest shadow guard.
But just as the guard reached for it, Jiu Yue plunged her dagger straight into Prince Ping’s chest.
Prince Ping gasped, his pupils reflecting her murderous glare.
"You—" His voice was barely a whisper.
"My Prince!" The shadow guards surged forward.
"Must cost a fortune to keep so many useless men," Jiu Yue mocked. She yanked Prince Ping up and hurled him at the guards. While they scrambled to catch him, she seized the moment, spurring the horse into a gallop.
With a handful of hidden weapons and the horse’s speed, she was confident she could lose them.
She even had the leisure to glance back at Prince Ping.
By now, a guard was helping him drink the "antidote."
Jiu Yue couldn’t help but laugh.
Antidote? What a joke. There was no antidote for an expired aphrodisiac.
That bottle? Just chili oil.
A whole bottle down his throat—Prince Ping wouldn’t have the mind for lust anymore. In a way, wasn’t that a cure? She was practically being merciful.
With a sigh, Jiu Yue rode off into the distance.
The inn wasn’t far. Qiu Dongfang had been craning his neck, waiting anxiously for Jiu Yue, regretting his decision.
He’d been careless.
He shouldn’t have listened to her and run ahead. If she’d been overpowered, he could’ve bought her time. If she’d tried to follow Prince Ping, he could’ve knocked her out and carried her away.
Qiu Dongfang stewed in misery, leaning out the window until sunrise—still no sign of her.
Qiu Dongfang: "..."
His world collapsed.
Resigned, he sent a message back to the capital, bracing for his lord’s wrath. Just as he was about to leave—
A figure suddenly appeared on the bridge.
There she was, grinning, arms full of oil-paper parcels, a pancake stuffed in her mouth—who else but Jiu Yue?!
Qiu Dongfang: "..."
Did she have to toy with his heart like this? He was too young for this kind of stress!
Cursing under his breath, he rushed down and cornered her mid-stroll.
"Hey! I was just coming to find you!" Jiu Yue scratched her cheek sheepishly, offering a parcel. "Want some? I waited forever for this—totally different from the capital’s flavor."
Qiu Dongfang peeked inside—a roast goose.
He accepted it grudgingly, gnawing on it while grumbling, "What took you so long? Do you know how long I waited? One more moment, and I’d have left for the capital alone!"
(He’d never dare, but he could bluff.)
Jiu Yue winced guiltily and quickly explained last night’s events.
"So..." Qiu Dongfang paused mid-bite, staring at her in disbelief. "You actually stabbed him?"
Jiu Yue smirked. "I just couldn’t pass up the chance. But he’ll live."
When she’d driven the dagger in, she’d felt something hard beneath Prince Ping’s robes. Even her strength couldn’t pierce through fully.
"At most, an inch deep," Jiu Yue mused, a little disappointed but mostly satisfied.
That stab repaid the one she’d woken up to long ago.
"Couldn’t keep the horse, so I sold it this morning. Used the money for souvenirs!" She tugged Qiu Dongfang along cheerfully. "Let’s eat breakfast and hit the road!"
Her energy was infectious, and Qiu Dongfang finally relaxed.
Though... he felt like he’d forgotten something.
He scratched his head.
Capital.
Sima Qing read the message, his expression darkening.
Mo Jin and Fu Yu exchanged glances and silently retreated from the study.
"It’s happened," Mo Jin muttered, crouching on the steps. "Our worst fear. How could Qiu Dongfang lose her like that?"
Fu Yu sighed. "He said Jiu Yue insisted on settling scores with Prince Ping..."
"Scores? Don’t you see? She pretended!" Mo Jin jabbed Fu Yu’s shoulder in frustration. "She wanted to ditch Qiu Dongfang and go after Prince Ping!"
Fu Yu didn’t argue. "Let’s hear the details when Qiu Dongfang returns."
Mo Jin snorted and stormed off.
...
The next morning, Jiu Yue and Qiu Dongfang arrived at the capital’s outskirts.
"Give me the horse. You go report to His Highness first," Qiu Dongfang said, leading the horse on a detour.
Daylight meant no reckless riding—especially not for them.
So Jiu Yue waltzed into the Regent’s mansion, arms laden with parcels, beaming like a triumphant hero returning home.
The thought amused her, but her laughter died when she nearly collided with Fu Yu in the courtyard.
"You—" Fu Yu blinked in shock. "You’re back? Where’s Dongfang?"
"Taking care of the horse." Jiu Yue tossed him a bundle. "Souvenirs! Gotta see His Highness now!"
Fu Yu stared at the parcel, then suddenly remembered something. He opened his mouth to warn her—
But she was already gone.
Mission accomplished ahead of schedule, plus a bonus stab at Prince Ping—Jiu Yue was in high spirits. Even the withered flowers in the courtyard looked charming to her.
Humming a little tune, Jiu Yue pushed open the door, but before she could make a sound, she was startled by Sima Qing standing behind it.
When she looked up, she met his deep, unreadable gaze.
"You finally decided to come back," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Jiu Yue: "?"
What was he being so weird about???
