Chapter 17: The Bitter Flesh Scheme

Although Qing'er is intelligent and often can read the princess's thoughts, the people of Sky City differ from the many lords in many ways, especially in matters of emotion, so regarding the replacement of guards, she merely thought the princess, having seen that Shen Guard could not defeat Wu Zhuoran, liked her talent and therefore wanted to keep her.

"Have you ever liked someone?" the school-uniform girl suddenly interrupted her, slowly turned around, and spoke in a very calm tone.

Qing'er thought for a moment and gently shook her head.

The school-uniform girl asked blankly: "Suppose... you really like someone, but around him there is a group of girls as beautiful as you, even more beautiful, who surround him all day. What would you do?"

"That would be fine," she replied.

This answer surprised her: "Fine?"

Qing'er nodded confidently and said, "Yes, as long as she has me in her heart. If they like to circle around him, it shows they also like him, and they can take on many tasks for me. My mother was like that; many people liked her, so I have many uncles."

It turned out this was their custom; the school-uniform girl sighed dimly, and after a long pause, looking out the window, said quietly, "But... where we are, that's not allowed. If two people are together and one still interacts with others, it's considered betrayal. Some can accept that, but I will never allow it."

"Then... if the person you like also likes you but also likes someone else, what would you do?"

The school-uniform girl said firmly, "You can only choose one and forget the other forever."

Qing'er asked in confusion, "Why must it be that way? If the one you forget is you, wouldn't that be painful?"

"A long pain is worse than a short one."

Qing'er still couldn't understand, murmuring, "I still can't see why, if everyone likes each other, they can't all be together. Though many unpleasant things would happen, they're just little bits. I often hear the elders say that loving someone is engraved in the bone, hard to forget for a lifetime; nothing is more painful than being forgotten by the one you love. Since it's painful, wouldn't it be better to have been together from the start?"

"In matters of the heart, we are not as open-minded as you are."

The princess laughed, her magnanimity was something Qing'er had never seen before. "I think... it's probably just regional differences, different customs. Perhaps where you are, feelings are like how we feel about the princess: if you betray your master, Sky City would deem it disgraceful, so no one betrays their master unless the master dislikes us and sells us away."

The school-uniform girl suddenly said, "Then, if the master does not dislike her, but rather trusts her greatly, yet sends her to serve under another master, what then?"

"Are you talking about becoming an inside agent?" the princess asked.

The school-uniform girl nodded.

"Since the princess likes the lord across the river, and the three of them refuse to stay and exchange with Shen Guard and his men, sending one person over would be a good solution. However, Shen Guard now has a foot injury, so we probably need to replace him. Perhaps... perhaps we could send Lin Guard..." At this point she noticed the princess's gaze fixed on her and thought, "The princess isn't planning to... Qing'er..."

…

In the reception hall, Wu Zhuoran and the other two were waiting to bid farewell to the school-uniform girl; Qing'er had gone up and hadn't returned for a long time, and if delayed further she might not make it back to camp before nightfall.

While they were anxious, a sudden clatter came from upstairs, as if something was being thrown, followed by the sound of a door being broken. Qing'er's voice cried, "Princess, Princess, please spare me this time; I will never dare again."

The school-uniform girl's voice scolded, "Spare you? How many times have I heard that phrase? I've told you more than once that anything can have a second, but not a third or fourth. Yet you, again and again, act on your own. Do you still see me, the princess, in your eyes? Continuing like this is unacceptable."

"Qing'er knows she was wrong, she will never dare again, please, Princess, spare me this time."

"Spare you? You've already caused two deaths and smashed something so important; how could I spare you?" She paused, then added, "You can no longer stay here; you should find somewhere else."

"I'll do anything, I beg the Princess not to drive Qing'er away. In this desolate wilderness, without the Princess, Qing'er cannot survive."

"Cannot survive? You caused two deaths; not executing you on the spot is already lenient. If you don't leave, don't blame me for being ruthless."

A sudden scream rang out, evidently Qing'er had been kicked; she rolled down the stairs, tumbling to the hall's stairwell, and lay there for a long time without getting up.

The three didn't know what had happened; she must have fallen hard, so they hurried over to help her up.

"What happened?"

Qing'er's pale green long dress had several spots stained red with fresh blood; she gritted her teeth against the pain and said, "The Princess is often not here; many things we try to find her for have no trace of her. This time the Goblin raiders killed two people, yet the Princess blames me for not sealing the camp wall. We've only been here three days..."

The three exchanged uneasy looks; building the camp into this state in two days was already lightning fast.

At that moment, the school-uniform girl appeared on the stairs, snarling, "You needn't help her; she deserves to die, she's no longer mine." She then turned to Qing'er and said, "Still not leaving? Do you expect me to send someone to force you out?"

Qing'er broke free from the three's grasp, staggered under the gaze of four people to the hall entrance, nearly falling several times, barely clinging to the wall, and slipped out of the camp gate amid the bewildered looks of the subordinates.

"Princess..."

Wu Zhuoran wanted to plead on her behalf.

The school-uniform girl cut her off sharply, "You needn't plead for her; her offenses are more than a few, I can tolerate her, but others cannot." She continued, "This time I appreciate your effort; we should have let you stay longer, but too many events have occurred these days, fearing to spoil your enjoyment, so we must wait until next time."

The Lord gave us only one day, and we were about to bid farewell to the Princess.

"Hmm, fine then," she said, handing her a bundle, "This is a modest gift prepared by your Lord; convey my thanks to him. After we finish this business, perhaps in a few days I'll go see him." …

The three took the gifts, Shuang'er escorted them out, and after reporting to Li Bucai, they returned to the camp.

…

"Ran sister, Ran sister..." While the three were worrying about Qing'er, they reached a willow grove and found her leaning against a willow, weakly calling to Wu Zhuoran.

"Qing'er! Go check on her quickly." Shedding his envoy title, Wu Zhuoran called her by name and ordered Wan'er to come forward and examine her injuries.

Qing'er brushed aside her hand, sobbing, "You needn't worry about me any longer. If any of you have a chance to return to Sky City, please give my mother a message: Qing'er has disgraced her; just consider me a non-existent daughter."

The three all knew what being expelled by a lord meant; although she only had superficial wounds, even without them, leaving the camp meant certain death.

Wan'er said, "Ran sister, she looks pitiful alone. How about we take her with us? The Lord is benevolent; perhaps he'll take her in."

Wu Zhuoran hesitated; after all, she had been driven out by her master. Even if her master was at fault, she bore some responsibility. Yet the camp needed a first-class worker, so he explained the situation to the Lord, leaving the decision to him. After explaining, Qing'er gladly agreed.

Wan'er briefly tended her wound, and when the four reached the shallows, Li Bucai had already arrived at South Bank.

"My envoys have finally returned in triumph; this time you all have worked hard. Hey, who is this... could it be a messenger sent by my beloved consort?" Li Bucai, seeing among the companions a stranger, a peerless beauty, examined her and, noticing her injuries, hurried, "How did you get hurt like that, and encounter Goblins again?"

"No, it's like this..." After meeting Li Bucai, Wu Zhuoran explained the events to him in detail.

After understanding the situation, Li Bucai said, "Since that's the case, you can stay with me for now. I don't think your Princess is that clueless; perhaps she was impatient, and you got unlucky as her scapegoat. When she changes her mind in a few days, she'll miss you, and then you can return."

"Qing'er thanked the Lord for his hospitality," she said, about to bow.

Li Bucai replied, "Alright, alright, I like everything except these formalities; from now on just be casual here. It's getting late; let's cross the river first, otherwise it'll be hard to travel when night falls."

Seeing her leg injury making walking difficult, Li Bucai approached, bent over, turned his back to her, and curled his fingers, indicating she should climb onto his back.

Qing'er, startled by the favor, said, "I'm a fallen woman; how dare I let the Lord carry me across the river?"

"You are injured; here I'm the chief of the sick, the Lord is second, so you are above me now; nothing to be ashamed of," he said, pulling her by the strap onto his back, and several people pulled each other into the water.

The group crossed the river safely, and by the time they returned to camp it was already dusk.

During that day, Li Bucai erected two tents, cut down some treetops to bring back, reinforced the surroundings, and for now could only make a temporary arrangement.

Qing'er entered the camp with the others and saw more clearly: apart from a few crude tents, there was nothing else. She thought to herself, "My god, it's so primitive; this is not a place for people to live. They'd rather stay here than remain with us. Looks like we'll have to suffer from now on. Princess, when will you take me back? Come quickly!"