Heroic Wife Reborn
chapter-47

Chapter 47: The Carriage in the Imposing Courtyard

Yu Xiaoxiao dashed through Complacent Winery searching for a pillar. There were guards on duty, but they all knew she was the eldest prince’s honored guest and didn’t move to stop her when she wasn’t doing anything particularly outstanding.

Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei were left supporting the fractured remains of the original column, which had split in three separate places. Their faces were covered in dust, making it hard to breathe.

“What happens if this building collapses?” Xiao Zhuang asked Xiao Wei.

Xiao Wei was using all his strength to brace against the pillar. “We’ll just pay for damages. Eldest Prince Jing couldn’t very well go after the princess’s life.”

Xiao Zhuang spat out more wood dust from his mouth as he scowled miserably. “Who would believe that the princess knocked it down with one slap?”

Xiao Wei gritted his teeth. “Right, ah. All for the sake of killing a moth!”

The sound of snapping wood travelled upwards, making the duo tremble with fear. But they didn’t dare to flee. If they left now and the building fell over, all of their plans were for naught.

Meanwhile, Yu Xiaoxiao finally found a pillar standing in the southeast area of the winery about the same length and girth of the broken one. She looked up and saw that there was a bamboo railing platform resting on top. This was a viewing platform, but doubled as a defense outpost if an archer was stationed there. As an army drillmaster, Yu Xiaoxiao could see the uses of such a structure, but she didn’t think much of it. Zombies were capable of biting through wood with their teeth, so things like this were only used for kindling in the apocalypse.

Beneath the moonlight, the coast was clear except for autumn insects calling in the woods. Yu Xiaoxiao jumped onto a wall to check her surroundings. Outside was a small and empty alleyway and beyond that stretched another expansive estate. It was illuminated with lanterns but had no people in sight. Once she was sure it was safe, Yu Xiaoxiao hopped back down, hugged the pillar, and pulled it straight out of the ground. After some hesitation, she loosened the platform from the pillar before giving a mighty swing that sent the platform flying over the high walls of Complacent Winery.

At this time, a single horse-drawn carriage had just pulled out of the estate next door to enter the small alleyway. There was a man sending it off, but he’d hardly smiled and waved goodbye to the carriage’s sole occupant before he saw a large, rectangular structure fall down from the skies.

BANG!

CRASH!

“……”

Yu Xiaoxiao pretended not to hear the commotion from outside the walls as she fled with her goods.

—

The unwanted platform was smashed to pieces on the ground, crushing the driver and the carriage occupant beneath it. Ironically, the horse was unaffected and stood in place without a single whinny. The man sending them off could only gape from the doors, too shocked to react. Rather, it was the winery’s men who heard the noise first and rushed over with torches in tow. Yu Xiaoxiao hid from people the entire way until she brought the pillar to the covered walkway.

Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei saw her holding the thing like a blade of grass and felt cold sweat break out on their foreheads. With that much strength, the princess can making a killing even without any martial arts.

Yu Xiaoxiao shouldered the pillar into the covered walkway before setting it up behind its cracked cousin. Xiao Wei looked at the rain of wood dust still falling around them and asked in a low voice, “Will this be enough?”

Yu Xiaoxiao ran off. “Take the Royal Son-in-Law and let’s get out of here, fast.”

Xiao Zhuang chased after her, “What if Eldest Prince Jing comes knocking on our door?”

“Tch,” Yu Xiaoxiao clicked her tongue, “He didn’t catch us in the act, so we’ll deny it until death.”

Xiao Zhuang felt that wasn’t honest and opened his mouth to say so, but Xiao Wei only kicked him in the butt and snapped, “You shut up and just run faster!”

Meanwhile, music was playing in the banquet hall, but the host and guest weren’t speaking. Jing Mo seemed rather leisurely as he tasted more fine wine. Besides Qingyu, he hadn’t sent any other men to spy on Yu Xiaoxiao; after all, his methods were too despicable and included love matters between husband and wife, so the fewer people who knew, the better. Currently, he was waiting for Yu Xiaoxiao to return so he could watch the fallout.

Gu Xinglang appeared calm, but he was uneasy in his seat. At this moment, Yu Xiaoxiao and the two shadow guards hurried into the hall. Jing Mo set down his wine goblet and observed the girl, who didn’t seem red-faced or short of breath. As usual, her expression was wooden, but the two guards by her side were more flustered. “Princess, you–”

“Finished eating?” Yu Xiaoxiao asked Gu Xinglang promptly. “It’s getting late, let’s go home.”

Gu Xinglang couldn’t wait to leave, so he nodded his head.

“Hurry,” Yu Xiaoxiao urged Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei. “Carry him and we’ll be off.”

The two shadow guards ran forward and lifted Gu Xinglang into the air.

“See you later,” Yu Xiaoxiao waved at Jing Mo.

Jing Mo had only said three words before the trio and Gu Xinglang already reached the doors. He rose to his feet and flickered out of sight before immediately reappearing in front of Yu Xiaoxiao. “Your Royal Highness, you’re leaving just like that?”

Yu Xiaoxiao had no choice but to halt. “I just remembered, there’s something to take care of at home. Little Gu and I will have to leave now.”

“Little Gu?” Jing Mo’s smile fell. He’d never heard of a girl calling her husband a nickname like that.

Gu Xinglang was anxious to explain to Yu Xiaoxiao all about Qingyu, so he didn’t care what Yu Xiaoxiao called him. Even “bastard” would be fine. He cupped his fist at Jing Mo and said, “Farewell.”

“Princess, were you satisfied with Chuqiu’s care?” Jing Mo asked while ignoring him.

But then one of Jing Mo’s guards scurried to his side and whispered something in his ear. Xiao Zhuang and Xiao Wei were both sweating: had that wooden building collapsed?

Jing Mo’s grin didn’t waver at the whispers, but he said to Yu Xiaoxiao, “Since Your Royal Highness still has matters at home, I won’t delay you. I’ll invite you over another day, princess.”

“Sure, no problem,” Yu Xiaoxiao copied Gu Xinglang and cupped her fist as well, then turned and walked through the doors. Jing Mo didn’t send her off, but the retainer who led them in took over the job. As soon as she was on the carriage, Yu Xiaoxiao urged the driver, “Hurry, let’s go.”

Gu Xinglang was half-lying in his seat, wondering why Yu Xiaoxiao was in such a rush. He was beginning to suspect she bought Qingyu’s words and was dashing home so she could beat him up. Yu Xiaoxiao waited until they were off the street that housed Complacent Winery before she turned to Gu Xinglang. “Xiao Zhuang said the head of the big stone bridge has good wontons and tangyuan, let’s go there.”

Whenever she mentioned food, her eyes would light up. Gu Xinglang watched those shimmering irises and felt like his wife wasn’t angry or holding back her temper until they got home.

Meanwhile, Jing Mo had taken a few men to head for the southeast alleyway outside Complacent Winery.