Chapter 5 A Shocking Crisis

“My Lady!”

Ting Feng’s desperate shouts came from outside the carriage, but Gu Qiang’s mind was befuddled in a constant buzzing noise. Until the curtain of the carriage was drawn open, she raised her head in reflex.

“Are you alright?” A voice rang coolly.

Gu Qiang stared blankly at the person in front of her. “A-Are you the Ninth Prince?”

That person looked surprised and nodded promptly. “Yes. It’s surprising that Young Lady Gu recognizes me.”

The Ninth Prince—Shen Qianshan.

A long time ago, she followed her father to a birthday celebration and saw him once from afar.

She had a good impression of him and heard that he had glorious achievements in wars. Logically speaking, he was even more qualified than the previous Emperor for the throne.

However...

Gu Qiang raised her head and looked at Shen Qianshan in front of her. For a moment, she felt a whirlwind of emotions.

He was a patriot who devoted everything to his country and yet had such a tragic ending; he would even accept a poisonous wine from the previous Emperor, and everyone in the Ninth Prince’s mansion would all be beheaded in public.

It was appalling and sorrowful.

“Young Lady Gu?”

Somehow, Shen Qianshan felt unsettling under this young lady’s commiserative gaze. He only recognized this carriage belonged to the Gu Family because of the word 'Gu' printed on the outside of the carriage, but this young lady seemed to have known him for years.

Despite his puzzlement, Shen Qianshan coughed awkwardly and reached out his hand to the flipped carriage. “Your maids are also injured, so you might want to get out from the carriage now.”

What?

Carriage?

Upon his reminder, Gu Qiang realized that she was still in the carriage, and was even staring blankly at him for quite a while.

“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll get out by myself.”

Although her forehead was still in pain and her body stiff, Gu Qiang avoided Shen Qianshan’s extended hand and got out of the carriage by herself.

Due to her embarrassment, Gu Qiang did not notice the astonishment that flashed across Shen Qianshan’s face. Soon, she would know why Shen Qianshan, a Prince, would help her.

Gu Qiang gasped in shock when she saw the scene before her eyes. Other than Gu Family’s carriage which was knocked over on the ground, a black horse was dead on the ground.

The condition of the dead black horse was peculiar. Every piece of its bones appeared to be dislocated and distorted. White foam flowed from its mouth while tears streamed from its eyes.

“This is—”

“My horse.”

Shen Qianshan stood beside Gu Qiang. The guards from the Prince’s mansion were starting to clean up the aftermath, but he was standing still, staring at the carcass of the black horse. Yet, his voice was still calm.

“My horse went berserk suddenly and crashed into your carriage. I hereby apologize for the inconvenience caused.”

Why would the horse go berserk all of a sudden?

Needless to say, Gu Qiang figured that there must be something fishy about this mishap. However, Shen Qianshan’s response was apathetic, as if he was not bothered at all.

Was he really unconcerned about this, or he had other plans?

Gu Qiang was analyzing the whole situation in her mind. Her intuition told her that Shen Zhongbai, or the imperial family was related to this incident. It was three years before the death of the Ninth Prince. Had the imperial family been secretly planning to kill him for a long time?

“Where are you going, Young Lady Gu?”

Suddenly, Shen Qianshan interrupted her thoughts. When his eyes landed on Gu Qiang’s pensive face, his eyes dimmed. “I have instructed my people to compensate your damaged carriage with a new one from my mansion. But now—”

He paused for a while before continuing his sentence in an indifferent tone, “Where are you going in this desolated North City, Young Lady Gu? I’ll send you there.”

Gu Qiang also realized that her attitude was indeed unusual today. She rejected Shen Qianshan’s offer instantly. “Thank you for offering, but I’ll be fine on my own. I’m just going to Tongan Medicine Shop. It is not far ahead.”

Tongan Medicine Shop?

Shen Qianshan’s eyes became even dimmer, but he just gave a slight nod and replied nonchalantly, “What a coincidence. I am going to Tongan Medicine Shop too.”

“My Lady, is this the Ninth Prince?”

Due to the fact that she was thrown out of the carriage because of the accident, Chui Xue was limping. Out of curiosity, she asked, “I heard that the Ninth Prince rarely comes out of his mansion, why would he want to visit the Young Master’s shop?”

“Shh, be careful of what you say. There are many people here and they might misinterpret what we say,” Gu Qiang warned her in a low voice. She was sitting in the Ninth Prince’s carriage now, and people might overhear them.

She had never heard of any connection between her brother and the Ninth Prince.

Could it be that…