17. Chapter Seventeen #2
The carriage rolls to a stop and I hear some muffled voices asking for papers before I hear Quanyu’s response. I wonder if the recent spirit scares have the security in the city so tight.
I feel the corner of my lip turn up as the carriage begins rolling again. And that’s exactly why I began smuggling. No one ever denies me access into any cities. No matter how tight the lockdown is. I am the Fourth Lord, free to go wherever I want.
Such a freedom makes smuggling as easy as breathing.
I glance toward Fanqing again and swallow. “While we are at the governor’s mansion, there’s something you ought to know.”
“I don’t need an etiquette lesson, Shu,” she says, keeping her head turned and her eyes trained on the back wall of the carriage.
I blow out a long breath, shifting my position so that I can study her more closely.
Other than the small dark circles under her eyes, she doesn’t look any different than yesterday when she was in a far better mood.
She is dressed up finely; in fact, she may have even put more work into her appearance. Maybe she is nervous.
After all, it’s her first official outing as the lady of the Fourth Family. That probably has put a lot of pressure on her.
I reach across the carriage, resting my hand over hers. I give it a small squeeze of encouragement. “I’m sure you will do wonderfully. There’s really nothing to worry about. However—”
Fanqing pulls her hand out from underneath mine. “You say I will do well, but you insist on lecturing me.” She rolls her eyes, twisting so that she is sitting further from me. I allow my hand to slide off her lap and awkwardly rest it on my knee. “How annoying,” she mutters under her breath.
I reach up, massaging my brow.
Fanqing shifts her eyes to me, they slice through the space between us like a knife. “You just worry about yourself, and I will worry about myself.”
I nibble the inside of my mouth as I try to tamp down my frustration. Is this what being married is like? I can’t even finish a sentence.
“Look—” I begin, but then suddenly the carriage rumbles to a stop, followed by a “Yee.”
I turn my head, lifting the curtain and almost curse when I see that we are at the steps of the governor’s mansion. We are all out of time and I haven’t even properly warned her about my rival being here.
Oh well, I guess that’s one of those things that she will find out soon enough then.
I sigh and push to my feet, ducking out of the carriage.
Quanyu already has the stairs set out for us.
Since I’m meeting the governor today, I’m dressed far more formally than I usually do in rich purple brocaded robes that feel heavy and stiff compared to my far lighter fighting robes.
I reach out, adjusting my jade pendant where it hangs from my belt and step down carefully from the carriage.
I turn to Fanqing and hold my hand out to her, but she simply steps down ignoring my hand. I stare at it for a second, wondering if she just didn’t see it, but it isn’t as if the gesture was subtle. Nor is my hand easy to miss with my draping sleeves hanging from it.
I turn to Quanyu who is watching everything looking half amused and half confused.
I press my lips together and shake out my sleeve, folding my arms together and turning to the two individuals striding down the stairs from the governor’s office.
One is a very strict official looking fellow, wearing brown robes that look unassuming at first but as he gets close, I can make out the exquisite golden thread work. He has a beard giving him a more aged and dignified look and on his head, he wears a black official hat.
The other person is a woman. Slim and elegant, walking with the practiced grace of a great warrior.
Her robes actually are simple, red trimmed and close cut with black gauntlets and a shoulder guard which are accented by her black cape.
Her long black hair is swept up in a braided bun at the top of her head, with jagged black hairpins holding it in place while the rest of it flows freely down her back.
She carries a sword in one hand. Her expression is cold and calculating as if she is already trying to find the advantage in a battle.
Both the woman and the governor stop at the bottom of the short staircase. The governor drops into a bow, exclaiming how honored he is to meet me, but my gaze remains locked on the woman. In turn she has not taken her eyes off me from the second she first stepped out here.
I finally rip my gaze away and turn to the governor, nodding my head. “Greetings Governor Ji.”
I fold my hands, inclining my head to the woman. She’s a female general and a daughter of the third family. She is one of the few people in Da Xian born a station above me. “General Gao.”
“Lord Xiao,” she says stiffly back, finally folding her hands.
However, in spite of the basic pleasantries we exchange, her black eyes bore into mine. Promising trouble to come.
Gao Liying may be the commander of the forces stationed here in Yanzhou, but more importantly, she is precisely the reason why I have never stepped foot in this city until now.
She’s the woman who swore she was going to marry me.