Chapter 37: Qin Ye being followed

Qin Ye did not hesitate.

She bent down and helped Dongfang Jiang up from the ground, wrapping one arm around his waist and draping his other arm over her shoulder.

He was a full head taller than her, and his weight pressed down heavily, but Qin Ye’s steps were steady.

For her, Dongfang Jiang’s weight was completely acceptable.

She glanced at Xi Fritz, lying on the floor.

Qin Ye had seen this reporter before, at the banquet, standing beside Dongfang Jiang with a notebook in hand, her eyes carrying a professional sharpness.

Now she lay pale-faced on the stone floor of the corridor, the transparent ring on the ring finger of her right hand completely dimmed.

Qin Ye sighed.

Supporting Dongfang Jiang with one hand, she lifted Xi off the ground with the other.

With the weight of two adults on her, her breathing remained steady.

“What a hassle.”

She muttered softly, carrying both people along the corridor toward the side gate.

The side gate of the Royal Palace was not far from here—through two archways and they would arrive.

The guards at the gate saw Qin Ye approaching with two people.

They didn’t ask her any questions, simply silently stepping aside.

“General Qin, this…”

One guard couldn’t help asking.

“Don’t ask too many questions. Open the door.”

“Yes, sir.”

The guard dared not speak further and pushed open the heavy wooden door.

The night wind, carrying the fragrance of the garden’s flowers, rushed in.

Qin Ye’s white ponytail swayed gently in the breeze.

Her carriage was parked not far outside the side gate.

The driver, seeing the general carrying two people out, quickly jumped down and lifted the carriage curtain.

“General, this is…”

“Return to the mansion. Quickly.”

Qin Ye stuffed Dongfang Jiang and Xi into the carriage, then climbed in herself.

The driver didn’t hesitate.

With a flick of the whip, the four black horses pulled the carriage speeding away into the night.

Inside the carriage, Dongfang Jiang leaned against the cushion, his face pale as paper, but his breathing was much steadier than before.

Xi lay on the seat next to him, her right hand still in the posture of transferring energy, fingers slightly spread.

Qin Ye looked at the tiny needle hole on the back of Dongfang Jiang’s neck.

The purple toxin traces had mostly faded, leaving only a faint greenish tinge.

“This isn’t ordinary poison.”

She muttered to herself, reaching out to touch Dongfang Jiang’s forehead.

His body temperature was normal, his pulse normal—even stronger than most people’s.

Qin Ye’s brow furrowed slightly.

She had seen poisoned people before.

They weren’t like this.

Once toxin entered the body, either the immune system would reject it, or it would invade the internal organs.

Either way, there would be traces.

But the purple patterns inside Dongfang Jiang’s body were fading at a visible rate, as if something inside him was actively devouring them.

“Your body… what exactly is going on?”

—

When the carriage stopped at the gate of Qin Ye’s mansion, her villa was on the edge of the Royal Capital, so by the time they returned, the night had grown deep.

The magic lamp in front of the mansion gate was still lit, its dim yellow light shining on the gray stone walls, casting a warm glow.

The guard at the gate recognized Qin Ye’s carriage and quickly opened the gate.

“General Qin? At this hour…”

“Mister Dongfang is injured. Go notify Miss Yisela and Miss Douglas. Quickly.”

The guard’s expression changed, and he turned to run toward the Badan Family Mansion.

Qin Ye helped Dongfang Jiang out of the carriage.

Just as she was about to head into the mansion, a hand suddenly landed on her shoulder.

“Wait a moment…”

A weak voice came from behind.

Qin Ye turned her head and saw Dongfang Jiang’s eyes open.

His gaze was still a bit unfocused, but he had regained consciousness.

He used one hand to support himself on the edge of the carriage, trying to stand on his own.

“You’re awake?”

Qin Ye stopped and helped him steady himself.

“Mm… how long was I out?”

“Not long.”

“I see…”

Dongfang Jiang rubbed the back of his neck.

The silver needle was still stuck there.

He pulled it out, looked at the remaining purple on the tip, and handed the needle to Qin Ye, who was standing in front of him.

“This thing—can you trace it?”

“I’ll try.”

Qin Ye carefully took the needle from Dongfang Jiang’s hand and placed it into the Storage Ring on her left hand.

After finishing that, Qin Ye turned around and looked at Dongfang Jiang, who seemed to be thinking about something.

She began to speak.

“The poison is already cured?”

“Pretty much.”

Dongfang Jiang moved his neck, and his joints let out a crack.

“A blessing in disguise. I’ve lived again.”

Qin Ye glanced at him.

She didn’t ask what he meant by “again.”

The relationship between her and Dongfang Jiang wasn’t that close yet.

Qin Ye pointed at Xi, still unconscious.

“That reporter saved you.”

“Ah, I know.”

Dongfang Jiang turned his head to look inside the carriage.

Xi was still lying there, pale-faced, with a transparent ring now on the ring finger of her right hand.

“Hmph… the fourth one. The progress is faster than I expected.”

“She’s just exhausted. A few days of rest and she’ll be fine.”

Qin Ye said.

“Mm.”

Dongfang Jiang carried Xi and stood at the gate of Qin Ye’s mansion.

The night wind brushed his clothes.

His dark blue formal wear was still stained with dust and blood from the corridor.

“General Qin, there’s something I’d like to ask of you.”

“Speak.”

“Help me contact Pandana and Yisela. Have them come to the mansion to find me. Don’t alert anyone else.”

Dongfang Jiang pulled out paper and a pen from somewhere—he had no idea where—and quickly wrote a letter.

“They both recognize my handwriting.”

Qin Ye looked at him, then nodded.

“Alright.”

She turned to leave, but Dongfang Jiang called out to her.

“Also, about tonight—don’t let the Duke know. At least not yet.”

Qin Ye was silent for a moment.

Then she gave a soft “Mm,” mounted her horse, and galloped away into the night.

Dongfang Jiang watched her retreating figure, then carried Xi into the mansion.

—

Qin Ye rode through the streets of Gray Tower City.

The night wind poured into her collar, making her white ponytail whip noisily behind her.

From the Badan Family Mansion to Qin Ye’s mansion, it took about a quarter of an hour by horse.

She had traveled this road during the day, so she knew where the shortcuts were and which roads had good conditions.

But she hadn’t gone far before she sensed something was off.

Someone was following her.

The aura was well-hidden.

If it weren’t for her sharp Combat Intuition, she would never have noticed.

Qin Ye didn’t look back.

She simply sped up without changing expression, while pressing her right hand onto the Long Spear at her waist.

Her horse rounded a corner and entered a narrow alley.

On both sides of the alley were high stone walls, the tops covered in dark green vines, casting eerie shadows in the moonlight.

Qin Ye pulled the reins, and the horse stopped.

Not because she had reached her destination, but because someone was standing at the end of the alley.

Under the moonlight, it was a young girl dressed in a white dress.

She was taller than most women, but still a few centimeters shorter than Qin Ye.

Her long silver-white hair spilled down her back, the ends drifting gently in the night breeze.

Her features were delicate and cold, her brow carrying a fierceness that belied her age.

In her right hand, she held a Katana.

The blade gleamed cold in the moonlight, a half-length longer than her own height.

“Trouble’s here.”