Chapter 36-Part 2

As the carriage sped happily along the spacious post road, Jiang Xiurui let out a slow, relieved breath. She checked the map and skillfully directed Qian’er to turn from the main road onto a side path, taking a shortcut straight towards the state of Liang, which bordered their homeland of Bo.

Looking ahead, the only country that had fallen out with the Great Qi was Liang. Even if Feng Liwu later discovered that they had escaped to Liang, he wouldn’t be able to demand their return.

And according to what she knew, Liang would be a stable and prosperous place in the coming years, a place where they could live. Once they reached Liang, if she could find a way to conceal her and her brother’s identities, they could live in peaceful seclusion.

The blood of the hostage from Wei had not yet cooled; every step she took had to be meticulously planned.

Thus, they traveled for five days. Although they were still within the borders of the Great Qi, they were getting further and further from Luo’an.

Ever since he woke up, Jiang Zhi has been crying continuously. Several times, he attempted to sneak back, only to be caught by Qian’er each time.

Finally, Qian’er couldn’t take it anymore. She slapped the weeping young master and, pointing at his nose, scolded him: “What kind of brother are you? You and your sister lost your mother early, and your father is a beast who, after taking a new wife, has forgotten you! He never saw you as his children! People say an elder brother should be like a father! In that case, you should take on the responsibilities of a father. Can’t you see how hard life is for the young miss? Instead of thinking about how to help your sister survive, you cause trouble everywhere, wanting to show loyalty and filial piety to your father! If I were your dead mother, I’d rather have given birth to a stick for stoking the fire than to you!”

Jiang Zhi had never been scolded so harshly in his life. First, he was stunned by the maid’s slap, and then her barrage of insults snapped him out of his previous state of lamenting for his country and people.

He then looked at his sister, who was leaning against the carriage and sleeping. Even though it had only been five days since they fled, she had already lost a significant amount of weight, making her face look even smaller. Her eyes had dark circles under them, as if she hadn’t slept well for a long time.

Guilt overwhelmed him.

Among the Bai sisters, Bai Ying was much gentler. She had been washing millet by the stream and was initially startled by her sister hitting the young master. She ran over angrily and gave her sister a light punch, whispering, “Who do you think you are hitting? Quickly kneel down and apologize to the young master!”

Jiang Xiurui, resting against the carriage, was not fully asleep. She had heard Qian’er’s actions but did not open her eyes to reprimand her.

Her brother… did indeed need someone to teach him a lesson. Otherwise, he would likely follow his old path of blind loyalty, jumping off a tower. But there were some harsh words she couldn’t bring herself to say, while Qian’er had no such reservations.

After Qian’er gave a half-hearted apology with a scowl and a fierce look, the temporary campsite became unusually quiet.

Jiang Zhi stopped sobbing and silently gathered firewood nearby, adding it to the fire. Soon, an iron pot hung on the rack, and millet was rolling in the boiling water, releasing a tantalizing aroma…

Most people would assume that if someone escaped from Luo’an City, they would choose the shortest route out of Great Qi.

However, Jiang Xiurui did the opposite, taking a longer, more circuitous route. The more remote the countryside, the laxer the inspections. Sometimes, they didn’t even need to show their transit passes; enough gold served as the best pass.

After traveling this way for ten days, they finally reached the border of Great Qi.

Once they crossed the border, they entered the neighboring state of Han. Another ten to fifteen days of travel would bring them to the northern border of Liang.

During this time, Jiang Xiurui noticed there were no bounty notices for the escape of the hostages from Bo.

This puzzled her.

By all rights, the Crown Prince’s residence should have discovered their escape by now. Why was there no reaction?

When the hostage from Wei escaped, not only were notices posted in all the major cities and towns of Great Qi, but even the neighboring countries were plastered with bounties. That was why the Wei hostage ultimately failed to escape.

Fortunately, Jiang Xiurui had made thorough preparations. She had not only prepared fake mustaches and moles but also women’s clothing. If the inspections were too strict, she could switch back to women’s attire.

However, traveling in men’s clothing was more convenient. So she affixed a fake mustache to cover her slightly youthful face.

In addition, Qian’er had provided her with a useful item: a fake Adam’s apple made from the bones of a Jingjie fish. The fish’s skin was delicate and fair, resembling the skin of a beautiful woman. After drying and shaping it around the fish bones and attaching it with glue to her neck, it blended seamlessly and looked almost real.

With it, Jiang Xiurui could even expose her neck, and when she spoke, the “Adam’s apple” would move with her words. Coupled with the short mustache, it added a masculine touch to her appearance.

By now, Jiang Zhi had stopped lamenting their fate. Watching his sister look less and less like a woman, he joked, “Looking like this, how will you ever get married?”

Jiang Xiurui laughed, “If I can’t get married, I’ll just marry one back and become sisters-in-law with your wife!”

This jest made everyone in the carriage burst into laughter, temporarily dispelling the anxiety of their escape.