Chapter 399: Humiliated into a Rage, Who on Earth Are You?

The woman stood at the door and asked, "Chun Xing, why isn’t the carriage here yet?"

The maidservant pointed into the distance. "Madam, the one approaching now is our carriage."

The woman sighed sorrowfully. "Song is about to be a month old, but he still hasn’t met his father."

Chun Xing said, "The Princely Heir is busy with matters at the palace. I heard from Xiao Liu Zi that there’s been another locust plague in Huainan recently. The Princely Heir has pulled several all-nighters at the Central Province and is completely swamped. If he had a moment to spare, he would definitely come to see you."

The woman held the small baby in her arms with a practiced ease.

"My husband and I agreed in our letters. We’ll have a brief reunion at the palace gate tonight."

The woman pulled her hood down, hiding her face in the shadows, before turning. "It’s almost the appointed hour. Let’s go. We’ll take the carriage over so we don’t keep my husband waiting."

Chun Xing glanced up at the sky, then quickly fastened the collar of the woman’s cloak, muttering as she did.

"Madam, please keep your cloak wrapped tight. You’re still in your postpartum confinement. I tell you this every time, but you never take it seriously."

The carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the clinic. The woman and her maidservant boarded, and it sped away.

The driver was highly skilled. He handled the carriage less like a coachman and more like a lone rider, moving at a blistering pace.

The figures lurking in the shadows had long since noticed something was amiss and began to move, following the carriage.

Sure enough, the carriage’s destination was not the palace gate, but—

The city gate.

The Hidden Guards at the clinic received the signal and also moved toward the city gate.

The night wind was cold, and tonight it was especially strong, making it hard to keep one’s eyes open.

The city gate was still brightly lit. Lines for entering and exiting the city formed at the two gates on the left and right, where inspections were being conducted.

Even in the middle of the night, convoys passed through. The city gate guards meticulously checked everyone’s documents.

The carriage stopped before the three-meter-high city gate. Chun Xing, already prepared, presented a Token she held in her hand.

It was unclear who the black-and-gold Token belonged to, but upon seeing it, the gatekeeper immediately and respectfully opened the gate.

At almost the exact same moment, several shadows drifted silently onto the gatehouse roof, as well as into the grass and trees along the surrounding walls.

The carriage had not yet passed through the gate when it was stopped by the Dark Guard Leader, who was dressed all in black with his face hidden by a Mystic Iron Mask.

The surrounding Hidden Guards began to close in on the carriage. In the end, it was completely surrounded, with no blind spots left.

Seeing the Hidden Guards at work, the perceptive city gate guards immediately locked the outbound gate.

For the person inside the carriage, escaping from so many experts was an absolute impossibility.

Chun Xing disembarked from the carriage first. She surveyed the surrounding people, her heart filled with fear, but she was prepared.

She puffed out her chest and demanded arrogantly, "Who are you! Why are you stopping a carriage from Duke Zhongyong’s Mansion? Do you have any idea who is sitting inside? It’s Mr. Lu’s wife!"

The lead Hidden Guard walked to the side of the carriage and spoke respectfully, "Miss Ji, please do not make things difficult for us. Return to the clinic at once."

At the clinic entrance, "she" had deliberately disguised herself as Madam Lu, even carrying a baby.

But "she" had never shown her face. She claimed to be going to the palace gate, but in the blink of an eye, she had driven the carriage to the city outskirts.

It was self-evident who the woman in the carriage was.

Chun Xing’s confidence wavered, but she had to continue with the rehearsed plan.

"Back off, now! Otherwise, we’ll go back and report you to our Princely Heir! My master’s status is honored and respected now; you can’t afford to offend him!"

The Hidden Guard was over thirty and could tell with a single glance that the little maidservant was lying.

From inside, an annoyed female voice could be heard.

"Ignore them. Head out of the city. I’d like to see who dares to stop me!"

The Dark Guard Leader blocked the carriage with his body. He slapped his large, calloused hand on the horse’s head, and the animal immediately stopped obeying the driver. It twitched its ears and, instead of moving forward, took several steps back.

"The night is late. Please, Miss Ji, return and rest."

Through the heavy curtain, the woman’s voice was laced with obvious frustration and embarrassment.

She said angrily, "Don’t I even have the right to go out for a walk?"

The Dark Guard Leader replied, "Please return to the city, Miss Ji. You may go anywhere you wish within the city walls. But if you wish to leave the city, that is absolutely forbidden."

She sneered. "And what if I insist on leaving? Are you going to use force on me?"

The Dark Guard Leader said, "I am under orders. If there is no other choice, I will have to be impolite to you, Miss Ji. Please do not make things difficult for me."

The Dark Guard Leader had received word from Emperor Wu Su: Ji Qingwu could do whatever she pleased within the city—even commit murder and arson, it didn’t matter—as long as her safety was guaranteed.

But there was one condition: she was not allowed to take a single step out of Lin’an.

The curtain inside shifted, and the sound of someone stamping their foot could be heard.

She said, "What makes you so sure that I’m Ji Qingwu?"

A glint flashed in the Dark Guard Leader’s eyes. He turned to look at the young man hiding by the city wall, doing his best to merge with the shadows of the trees.

"Miss Ji, you have a major flaw in your plan. I wonder if you’ve noticed it?"

She said dismissively, "What flaw? I’m not Ji Qingwu. You don’t need to try and trick me."

The Dark Guard Leader chuckled. He had crossed paths with this Miss Ji several times.

He knew she was clever, intelligent, and bold.

The last few times, he had underestimated this seemingly delicate woman and was nearly fooled by Ji Qingwu’s flawless Disguise Technique.

After that, he had issued an order: all the Hidden Guards were to guard Ji Qingwu with the utmost vigilance, and no mistakes would be tolerated.

Even now, he couldn’t see through her masterful Disguise Technique, but he could see other things.

Unmasking Ji Qingwu’s identity wasn’t actually that difficult. No matter how perfect her disguise, there was always a giveaway.

That giveaway came from Si Hai.

Because wherever Ji Qingwu appeared, Si Hai would be hiding nearby. They were inseparable.

The Dark Guard Leader wasn’t familiar enough with this Miss Ji, but when it came to the Cultivation Technique of Si Hai, a fellow Hidden Guard, he knew it like the back of his hand.

In fact, he had personally taught Si Hai many of his skills.

The Dark Guard Leader said, "Si Hai is responsible for your personal protection. Do I need to drag him out for you to admit your identity?"

As expected, the figure pressed against the base of the wall stiffened.

The Dark Guard Leader leaped onto the carriage, pushed the driver aside, and took the reins himself.

"Miss Ji, hold on tight. I will now escort you back."

Just then, the carriage curtain was lifted. There were no candles inside, making it impossible to see the woman’s face beneath her hood.

"Sir, you are correct that my surname is Ji. However, I am now a married woman. It would be more appropriate for you to call me Madam Lu."

The Dark Guard Leader’s lips moved, just as he was about to speak, when "she" looked up and removed her hood.

"You and I are strangers. Why are you stopping me?"

Shock flashed in the Dark Guard Leader’s eyes. This person was not Ji Qingwu!