Traveling through time and space to become a lady of a noble family, but she only wants to escape

Chapter 260 Passing on the Throne

Bai Zhi pressed further, "Why didn't you agree? Didn't you quite like Qiao Yuanshan? What did he do?"

“Well…a while ago I was repairing a local temple in Lanyang, and the war was almost over, so Brother Qiao came to help me. I didn’t want him to help me, but he was really capable. He knew what to do first, what to do later, and who to let do it. No matter how complicated the task, he handled it all methodically and did everything better than me. Then we went to a restaurant together, and he said he wanted to exchange hairpins with me.” Qiaoqiao sighed heavily. “No matter what he said, I didn’t agree, but I can’t explain why. At that time, I just didn’t want to exchange hairpins with him. I just didn’t want to.”

Just then, the waiter brought over a pot of tea. Bai Zhi poured a cup for Qiao Qiao, who tilted her head back and drank it down to moisten her throat. After a moment, she continued, "Brother Qiao... isn't very happy. I've been thinking about it for several days now, and I'm worried about Brother Qiao."

Bai Zhi nodded: "And then?"

“At least until I become very capable, I will not exchange hairpins with him.” Qiaoqiao looked at Baizhi seriously. “I wrote him a letter. Even if he finds another girl before that, it’s up to him. I will become someone like my mother, someone like Brother Qiao. Sister, I want to be someone who can stand on my own.”

Bai Zhi touched Qiao Qiao's braid, her eyes crinkling with a smile, and said without the slightest hesitation, "Okay, let's do it. Do you have enough money in your pocket?"

"enough!"

The two didn't mention Qiao Yuanshan again. Bai Zhi ordered some more snacks and asked Qiao Qiao in detail what she was doing and whether it was dangerous.

An hour passed in the blink of an eye, and people filed out of the main gate of the government office.

Qiaoqiao secretly slipped behind the waste pot at the shop entrance, stared for a long time, and suddenly whispered, "The seventh day of the lunar month! The seventh day of the lunar month! It's here!"

Lin Chuqi, who had just come out, looked around and found Qiaoqiao. After saying a few words to Wei Fuguang beside her, she walked straight over.

Qiaoqiao kept waving at him to hurry up, but Lin Chuqi rolled her eyes at her and ran into the store.

Bai Zhi ordered another bowl of braised pork belly and pushed it steaming hot in front of Lin Chuqi. Just as Lin Chuqi picked up his chopsticks, Qiaoqiao moved his bowl away and eagerly asked, "How was it? What reward did you give me?"

"..." Lin Chuqi ground her back teeth. "I didn't eat breakfast this morning."

Bai Zhi: "...You're following Wei Fuguang around, how come you're never warm enough to wear or get enough to eat?"

Lin Chuqi explained, "I went to bed late yesterday and got up late this morning, so I didn't have time to eat breakfast. I usually do have time to eat."

Qiaoqiao slammed her hand on the table and said, "Tell me quickly what the reward is!"

"What's the rush? Let me have a bite first."

"I wouldn't have come if I wasn't in a hurry! Tell me what the reward is first! One hand for the reward, the other for food!"

Lin Chuqi sighed briefly, holding his chopsticks, and said helplessly, "Brother Yun gave you a ninth-rank official position, I can't remember the name, you'll be a craftsman in Ningzhou, and there's also a reward of fifty taels of silver." As he spoke, he took out a money bag from his pocket and handed it to Qiaoqiao.

Qiaoqiao took the money bag, blinked, and remained silent for a long time.

Lin Chuqi: "What's wrong? Are you not satisfied?"

"I'm satisfied..." Qiaoqiao moved her stool closer to Baizhi and asked suspiciously, "Sister, don't you think Chuqi's temper has improved?"

Bai Zhi was taken aback: "Now that you mention it..."

"Right? He hasn't argued with me at all, which makes me feel a little uncomfortable."

Lin Chuqi: "..."

He rolled his eyes at Qiaoqiao again, ignored her, and said to Baizhi, "Sister, Brother Yun also gave you some gold and silver, saying that you helped the Yanxi army break through the city in the barbarian lands."

Bai Zhi nodded: "I heard him say that yesterday."

Lin Chuqi paused for a moment: "Also, Brother Yun will abdicate tomorrow, and the throne of Prince Jing will be passed on to Wei Fuguang."

Bai Zhi blurted out: "Tomorrow???"

Qiaoqiao laughed and said, "Brother Yun told you there would be a reward, but he didn't mention this?"

Lin Chuqi seized the opportunity to take back her braised pork belly.

Bai Zhi was stunned and said, "They really didn't say that... No, this is too fast, my hot spring can be used so soon?"

"What hot springs! Sister, I want to soak in one when I get back!"

"Why are you getting involved?"

After chatting for another half hour, the three of them went their separate ways.

There were hardly any people left at the Ningzhou government office. Bai Zhi asked a yamen runner and learned that Chu Yunchuan had already left. She then took light, quick steps and slowly made her way home.

That night, in the Ningzhou government prison.

Two guards stood watch at the door, their eyes gleaming. After a short while, a man walked over and handed over a waist token: "I am Qiao Wanwan, the Commander of the Garrison of Qizhou. His Highness Prince Jing has granted me permission to see the prisoners inside."

After carefully examining the waist tag and confirming its authenticity, the guard immediately clasped his hands respectfully and asked, "General Qiao, which one would you like to see?"

"The one whom Lord Zheng interrogated in a special way."

"General Qiao, please follow me."

The prison was a maze of intricate structures, and Qiao Wanwan followed the guards as they made their way to the innermost part. Upon reaching the deepest point, the guards used a key to unlock the cell door and then tactfully left.

The person inside sat cross-legged with his back to the prison door, and a sliver of moonlight seeped through the narrow window above, falling on his head.

Qiao Wanwan stepped into the prison cell and called out, "Qiao Fenglan."

The person remained motionless.

Qiao Wanwan didn't call out again, just watched his back, and said rather awkwardly, "I've heard... but Lord Zheng has always upheld the law impartially..."

She stopped mid-sentence, unable to continue. Years of resentment had made it difficult for her to say anything nice.

After a moment of silence, Qiao Banxian slowly said, "It was my mother's fate to die because of you and me, but you and I have our own destinies."

Qiao Wanwan: "Did you know a long time ago that I would die this year?"

"Very early."

Why didn't you tell me?

"I wish to exchange my life for this; if I speak out, Heaven will know."

"...Bai Zhi is my close friend. If you try to exchange her life for mine, I will never forgive you."

"It was my idea for Father to marry you off to the capital." Qiao Banxian turned around, his eyes clear and bright, staring directly at Qiao Wanwan. "Later, I calculated that you would leave the capital, and I realized that fate is hard to change. If I hadn't included Bai Zhi in your destiny, you would have surely died."

Qiao Wanwan turned her head away: "Since it's all fate, do you think I won't die in the capital? If I don't leave the capital, I'll die with the Marquis's mansion, and I'll die even faster."

"The Marquis's family would not have been wiped out."

"...What does this mean?"

"Bai Zhi's soul can influence karma. From now on, you will have no worries about food and clothing." Qiao Banxian closed his eyes.

Qiao Wanwan looked at him for a long time and said, "I beg Lord Zheng to spare your life. Consider this my repayment to you. From now on, I will take care of my own life."

She stepped out of the cell and locked it with her own hand. Qiao Wanwan took out the key, turned around, and left.

The clattering of the keychain faded into the distance. Finally, Qiao Banxian opened his eyes, his gaze fixed on Qiao Wanwan's back until she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.