Chapter 85 Selling Her 2: More 'Money' Potential Than Following a Prince...
Ah Qi's brows seemed to furrow slightly beneath his mask. He withdrew his gaze from observing the outside world and looked down at the sharp-tongued woman in his arms, who remained quick-witted even in the face of danger.
Her eyes burned with anger, yet also gleamed with an unyielding spirit.
He tightened his grip on her waist, almost lifting her off the ground, forcing her closer to him until their noses nearly touched.
"A provocation? I navigate the world by assessing situations, not by reckless courage. Selling you to a caravan is the safest option right now. As for Hadan..." He sneered, "If I were afraid of him, I wouldn't have robbed his winery in the first place! You'd better behave yourself now, or I won't hesitate to 'turn yourself in' right now and tell Lord Hadan that the 'Xia person' he's been so eager to find is currently in my arms, and I'm plotting how to sell him. Tell me, will he arrest me first, or 'settle' you first?"
These words struck Fangru's weak spot precisely. Her plan with Hadan was a secret and could not be revealed prematurely, especially not in this situation or in this manner.
Her face paled instantly, and she bit her lip, speechless for a moment.
Seeing her expression of both hatred and helplessness, like a small animal whose vital organs had been seized, Ah Qi's lips seemed to curl slightly beneath his mask. His tone softened, carrying an almost roguish teasing tone: "Don't worry, I'm always fair in business. Even if it's just an ordinary merchant, I'll definitely find you the one who offers the highest price. Maybe it'll be more 'lucrative' than following that damn prince?"
Fangru turned her face away, not wanting to look into his eyes that seemed to see through everything.
The hope in her heart had not been extinguished; on the contrary, it became even more active because of Ah Qi's seemingly "second-best" decision. Infiltrating the caravan might be a safer and less noticeable way to approach Hadan than directly confronting the prince! What she had to do now was to be patient and wait for the right opportunity.
Aqi led her to a secluded spot on the edge of the market. A merchant, dressed somewhat wealthyly and with shrewd eyes, sized up Aqi and Fangru for a moment before finally strolling closer.
His gaze, like a sticky worm, crawled over Fangru's body before finally settling on Aqi's veiled face.
“My sir,” the merchant said in a low voice, a shrewd smile on his face, “this woman… she’s quite a sight. What’s the price?”
Ah Qi crossed his arms and leaned against an abandoned saddle behind him. He called out a number, his voice sounding somewhat muffled through the fabric, yet carrying an undeniable confidence.
The vendor's smile deepened, but a calculating glint flashed in his eyes.
"The price... is negotiable. But we should at least have a good look at the 'goods,' right? What if there are any hidden defects or flaws? Wouldn't we lose a lot of money?"
As he spoke, without waiting for Ah Qi's explicit agreement, he reached out his rough hand, grabbed Fang Ru's chin, and forced her to raise her head.
Fangru felt a strong wave of nausea; the grime and tobacco smell on the fingers made her stomach churn.
She gritted her teeth and did not resist, letting the other person examine her face from side to side like inspecting livestock, even roughly tearing open her collar a little to check the skin on her neck and collarbone.
The flames of humiliation burned within her, but she knew she had to endure it for the moment.
She glanced at Ah Qi out of the corner of her eye. He remained indifferent, seemingly unconcerned about everything around him. Only his exposed eyes were keenly observing his surroundings, including her interactions with the vendors.
"Hmm... his appearance is not bad," the vendor finally released his grip, took a step back, rubbed his fingers, and looked troubled. "It's just that his eyes are too stubborn; he doesn't seem like a docile person. He might be difficult to deal with on the road and easily cause trouble. How about this," he quoted a price much lower than what Ah Qi had asked for, "I'll take the risk for this price, how about it?"
Ah Qi scoffed, straightened up, and although his face was covered, his posture was full of contempt: "I'm not a beggar. This is the price, take it or leave it." His tone was firm and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation.
The vendor's face instantly darkened, and his feigned politeness vanished without a trace.
"Hmph, you won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences!" He sneered, his voice laced with threat. "In this territory, there's nothing I, Kurban, can't buy! Giving you money is giving you face, don't push your luck!"
Before he finished speaking, he secretly made a hand gesture.
Three burly men with short sticks immediately emerged from the shadows beside them, their faces menacing, and surrounded them, blocking any possible escape route.
"What? Can't afford it, so you're going to rob me?" Ah Qi's voice was not filled with fear, but rather with a hint of eager excitement. He slightly adjusted his posture, his whole body like a slowly drawn bow.
"So what if it is? If you know what's good for you, take the money and get out of here! Otherwise, I'll take care of you too!" the merchant Kurban shouted sternly, his arrogance evident.
Now!
Fangru's heart almost jumped out of her chest.
Just as everyone's attention was drawn to the tense standoff, and even Ah Qi's muscles tensed slightly in preparation for battle, she suddenly took a breath, used all her strength, turned around and shoved aside a thug who had relaxed his guard due to his focus on the fight, and like a rabbit finally breaking free of its cage, she ran desperately towards the direction she remembered coming from, towards the most brightly lit main tent area!
She could hear a suppressed angry shout from behind Ah Qi, followed by muffled thuds of fists and feet hitting flesh, screams of pain, and the merchants' furious curses.
The chaotic sounds assaulted her eardrums, but she dared not turn back. She just ran desperately, her heavy breathing burning her throat, her disheveled hair whipping against her face. She pushed through the crowd blocking her way, her eyes fixed on that one target.
She finally staggered and nearly collapsed to the largest and most heavily guarded tent, only to be immediately stopped by two guards with knives.
"Let me in! I need to see Lord Hadan! It's an emergency!" Fangru gasped for breath, her voice trembling sharply from extreme tension and running.
Hadan, who was inside the tent, seemed to hear the commotion outside and came out by lifting the curtain.
When he saw Fangru, whose clothes were disheveled, hair was messy, and face was as pale as paper, a flash of extreme surprise crossed his eyes, which then turned into deep scrutiny and suspicion.
He waved for the guards to step back, then strode forward, his voice low and urgent: "It's you?! How...how did you escape?" His gaze swept over her quickly, "That kidnapper...he...didn't do anything to you again..."
Fangru's mind was filled with the horrific experience of being brutally violated in the dark corner of the brewery. The pain and humiliation caused her heart to clench, and she almost lost her balance.
But she forcefully suppressed the shame and indignation that almost overwhelmed her; now was not the time to be vulnerable.
She shook her head, her voice hoarse with the shock of surviving a close call: "Not yet. Lord Hadan, that kidnapper, the one called Ah Qi, he's in the market! He was about to sell me to a merchant, and I escaped during their fight! Quickly take men to catch him! He's masked, near the livestock shed over there!"
Just then, Prince Arslan also came out upon hearing the noise.
He stood tall and straight, dressed in the magnificent robes of the Northern Di nobles, with an air of authority about him.
He had obviously learned about the brewery incident from Hadan, and upon hearing Fangru's words, his face immediately darkened, and a hint of coldness flashed in his deep eyes.
He looked at Hadan, his voice not loud, but carrying an undeniable command: "Hadan, how dare such a madman run wild on my territory and even buy and sell the guests I invited? Immediately take a squad of elite guards and capture that bandit! Remember, I want him alive. I want to interrogate him myself and find out who gave him the audacity!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Hadan bowed and accepted the order, his expression solemn.
He immediately gathered a small team of well-equipped guards outside the tent and hurriedly headed in the direction Fangru had indicated, his figure quickly disappearing into the bustling crowd.
The tent curtains were drawn, shutting out the noise from outside.
In the vast space, only Fangru, still shaken and barely able to stand by leaning against the door frame, and Prince Arslen, with his powerful aura, whose gaze had returned to her.
The atmosphere became somewhat tense for a moment.
The prince did not speak immediately, but instead strolled back to the center of the tent, which was covered with a gorgeous carpet. He pointed to a low stool with a soft cushion next to him and said in a gentler tone than before, "You must be frightened. Sit down and rest."
He walked to the low table in the center, picked up an exquisite silver wine pot, and slowly poured a small half-cup of amber-colored mare's milk wine into another empty cup.
The tent was brightly lit, and the air was filled with a faint scent of spices and leather.
The prince held his wine cup but didn't drink immediately. He turned around, his gaze fixed on Fangru with a palpable intensity, a gaze that held scrutiny and intense curiosity. "Hadan mentioned you to me before," he began slowly, his voice exceptionally clear in the quiet tent. "He said you... are not an ordinary Xia woman. You know many... even secrets little known within our Northern Di?" He stepped closer, leaning slightly forward, lowering his voice, which carried a compelling pressure. "He also said that you seem... to be able to foresee some things? For example, the obstacles I might encounter in inheriting the Khanate?"
The prince's gaze was sharp as an eagle's, fixed intently on the most subtle changes in Fangru's expression. "I'm very curious," he said, gently swirling the silver cup in his hand, the wine rippling within, "how did you, a woman from the southern Xia Kingdom, learn of these secrets concerning the core of my Northern Di royal court? What is your source of information?"
Fangru's heart jumped into her throat.
She forced herself to meet the prince's gaze, her mind racing as she tried to weave a plausible and easily exposed lie. Should she claim it was a divine revelation from a dream? Or should she say she had accidentally saved a fallen nobleman from the Northern Di who knew the inside story, and that the man revealed it before his death? Various thoughts rushed through her mind, yet each one seemed full of holes.
Just as her lips parted slightly, and a clumsy excuse about a "dream from a grassland shaman" was about to slip out, a sudden and unexpected change occurred during this seemingly calm interrogation!
Prince Arslan, who had just raised his silver cup as if to take a sip of wine to moisten his throat and continue asking questions, suddenly froze!
The muscles in his face contorted in an unnatural arc, his pupils suddenly contracted, revealing extreme pain and disbelief!
He tried to speak, but only a creepy, gurgling sound came from his throat!
"Clang!" The silver cup slipped from his loosened fingers and slammed onto the thick carpet with a dull thud, the amber liquid quickly spreading into a dark stain.
The prince's tall body swayed violently, his hands gripping his neck tightly as if trying to tear free from some invisible restraint, his eyes bulging outwards in a terrifying manner.
He staggered forward half a step, and finally, like a felled tree, he fell straight down face down with a loud bang. His body convulsed violently twice, and then fell completely silent and motionless.
All of this, from beginning to end, took only a few breaths!
Fangru was completely stunned, her mind went blank, and she seemed to have forgotten how to breathe.
She stared blankly at the prince, who had been so imposing just moments before but was now lying lifelessly on the ground. After several seconds, she suddenly sprang up from the stool as if she had been burned!
"Your Highness... Your Highness?!" Her voice trembled as she practically scrambled to her feet and rushed to the prince's side.
She reached out her hand tremblingly, cautiously trying to check his breath, but her fingers froze in fear when they were still an inch away from his mouth and nose.
Just then!
"Bang!" The tent flap was suddenly ripped open from the outside, bringing with it a gust of wind!
Hadan returned, followed by several guards, seemingly having failed to find anything or received some other information.
As soon as he stepped into the tent, his gaze was instantly locked onto the shocking scene in the center of the tent: Prince Arslen lay on the ground, while Fangru, a woman from the Xia Kingdom, was kneeling beside the prince, with one hand hovering near the prince's head!
"Prince!" Hadan cried out in anguish, his face turning deathly pale in an instant! He rushed forward and roughly shoved Fangru away!
Caught off guard, Fangru was pushed backward and fell to the ground, her elbow hitting the ground and sending a sharp pain through her.
Hadan quickly knelt on one knee, his fingers trembling as he reached towards the prince's neck and then lifted the prince's eyelids to examine him.
After confirming that the prince was lifeless and his pupils were dilated, he suddenly raised his head. His eyes, which had originally held the shrewdness of a strategist, were now bloodshot, burning with a raging rage and a kind of... cold despair as if he had seen through everything!
He stared intently at Fangru, who had collapsed to the ground, her face filled with terror and helplessness. His outstretched fingers trembled violently with rage, and his voice, as if pulled from an ice cave, carried a chilling coldness as he accused her, each word sharp and forceful:
"You! It's you! You viperous woman! How dare you plot against Prince Arslan!!"
His gaze swept sharply across the fallen silver cup and the damp wine stains on the floor, as if he had found irrefutable evidence! "You poisoned the prince's wine! You poisoned the prince!"
Fangru was stunned by this bolt from the blue accusation. She frantically struggled to get up, stammering, "No! It wasn't me! Lord Hadan, please let me explain! The prince was perfectly fine when I came in. He poured the wine himself. I didn't even go near the wine jug, I..."
"Shut up! Stop trying to deny it!" Hadan didn't give her a chance to speak. He stood up abruptly, pointed at Fangru, and addressed the guards who were equally stunned by the turn of events and then surged with anger. His voice was filled with grief and determination, "I have long suspected your identity! It has now been confirmed that you were a concubine of the Great Xia Emperor in the capital of Xia! Speak! Did the Great Xia Emperor send you here under the guise of cooperating with us, but in reality, to assassinate the prince, intending to ignite a war between the Northern Di and the Great Xia, and to destroy the alliance between the Northern Di and the Kang Prince's Mansion?!"
He gave Fangru no chance to breathe or defend herself, turning to the guard leader and sternly ordering: "Seal off this place immediately! Send a messenger by hawk to report to the Great Khan as quickly as possible! Prince Arsleng... was poisoned by a spy from the Xia Kingdom and has tragically died!"
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