Palace Coup, Chapter 6

After galloping for dozens of miles on horseback, Xie Miaoxuan ordered a halt. She felt a burning pain where the saddle rubbed against the inner side of her thigh.

Having been raised delicately, this was her first long journey—from Nanhai Commandery to the capital—and she had traveled in a carriage lined with thick velvet pads. Suddenly enduring such a wild ride was naturally overwhelming.

She stood still, leaning against a tree by the roadside to catch her breath, ordering one of her guards to fetch water. Lowering her gaze, her mind raced: if Xie Yuanju had truly betrayed her, what should she do now?

Her identity seals were still in the carriage, and she had even given him the jade pendant—the only token securing their foothold in the capital. Without official registration, would she be forced to return to the Xie family’s main household, where ruthless scheming awaited?

Logically, it shouldn’t be so. If Xie Yuanju harbored such thoughts, he wouldn’t have waited until now. There were countless opportunities to act during their thousand-mile journey north; why wait until the last moment?

Moreover, in the original memories, he had sincerely escorted her safely to the capital last time.

After a brief rest, a strong voice suddenly exploded by her ear, startling her back to focus.

“My lady,” a vigorous guard knelt at her feet, looking her straight in the eye with a grave expression. “I suspect that the bandits who seized our carriage just now were impersonated by Xie Yuanju.”

Xie Miaoxuan’s brow twitched.

“Oh?”

Seeing her disbelief, the man abruptly rose. Following his movement, her gaze lifted as well. His tone grew urgent: “Please believe me, my lady. Throughout this journey north, Xie Yuanju was always at the forefront. This time, however, during the attack, he was nowhere to be seen. Besides, during our daily training, I often sparred with that man and am very familiar with his techniques. Only someone with his extraordinary strength could be responsible. Just now, the leader Yang Wei was beheaded after a mere glance—such a feat could only be done by someone of immense power.”

Xie Miaoxuan noticed the thick calluses on his hands, worn from years of wielding blades—strong and sturdy. She asked slowly, “Why would he do this? What benefit does killing Yang Wei bring him?”

“I am but simple-minded, but I dare to guess—it is because of your recent coldness toward him that he harbors resentment.”

His face grew hesitant, as though reluctant to speak, then as if having made a decision, he said, “He was originally betrothed to you by the young master, but everyone knows you have long despised him and stripped him of his position, reducing him to a lowly servant. You are soon to have the backing of your clan. Seeing no favor forthcoming, and with the capital nearly reached, everyone’s guard lowered. Our guards have suffered heavy losses, more than half gone. He seized this opportunity, disguised himself as a bandit, and fled with a fortune.”

Xie Miaoxuan paused, as if absorbing his words, her brow furrowing deeply. “Then what do you suggest?”

“In my opinion, my lady, I should escort you back to the clan immediately. Once you report this to the family head and dispatch men to pursue, he won’t get far with such wealth. When brought back, you can entrust me with his punishment.”

“Hmm.” Xie Miaoxuan gave a perfunctory response, then walked toward the other guards observing the scene nearby, her face deep in thought. “What you say is not without reason.”

At this moment, the guards, indifferent to her as a lady, only cared about the treasure and dealing with the man.

Seeing her move, the guard’s eyes suddenly flashed with a fierce light, and he reached out to grab her.

Xie Miaoxuan had already been wary. The moment he raised his hand, she bolted, shouting toward the others, “Seize him! He has ulterior motives!”

But already aching in her thigh and wearing a long, flowing dress, she thought she could run swiftly, but to others, she moved as slowly as a tortoise. Her shoulder was instantly clamped, a sharp pain like broken bones shooting through her, and her face went pale.

Nearby guards reacted quickly, drawing their weapons to come to her aid.

She glanced at the distance between the two sides. By the time they arrived, she would already be in his grasp, making it impossible to attack without hesitation.

With her whip tied at her waist, there was no room to wield it. She suddenly pulled the hairpin from her head and stabbed fiercely into his shoulder. A dull, flesh-piercing sensation followed, warm liquid splattered on her cheek, but his grip remained as tight as pincers.

The guard, annoyed by her insolence, raised his palm to strike her back, aiming to subdue her resistance.

Had that blow landed, internal injuries would have been certain.

At that moment, a sharp sound sliced through the air by her ear.

Pft.

The pressure on her shoulder suddenly loosened, and Xie Miaoxuan was forcefully thrown to the ground.

Pressing her ear to the earth, she heard the pounding of horse hooves drawing near. In the brief daze, she soon felt herself being lifted up.

She felt like a mere lump of dough, dragged about at will. At this peak moment of frustration with her frail body, she looked up at the broad chest holding her.

From his sharp jawline and the close proximity, she saw his eyes gleam with a blue-green hue, his expression cold and stern.

It was Xie Yuanju, who slowly lowered the longbow in his hand.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

She shook her head and turned to look. The guard who had grabbed her earlier was now pierced through the chest by an arrow, the shaft still trembling. Crimson blood poured from the wound.

He lay on the ground, gasping harshly. Having been raised by Xie Qi, he was accustomed to a life of luxury despite the hardships of training, believing all this was his due.

Feeling life slipping away, he roared, “Heaven is unjust! Even if you are the lady, you were only matched with a servant like Xie Yuanju. Such a fortune falling to others—what harm is there in my scheme?”

So what if she returned to the clan? As an orphaned eldest daughter, she would only marry beneath her. The family head had no heirs, and he had been adopted and trained beyond ordinary noble sons. Why could he not inherit? His face twisted with resentment.

After witnessing the head of Yang Wei roll in the dust, Xie Miaoxuan felt no fear. Remembering the original disdain toward Xie Yuanju, she tried to change her expression, but could not bring herself to feign cruelty. She silently pushed away Xie Yuanju’s embrace.

Squatting by the guard, she looked into his dark eyes and spoke slowly and clearly, “The world is indeed unjust. Princes and nobles are born superior, but no matter how unwilling you are, you must not forget the family head’s care. Without his acceptance, you would never have learned to read, write, or fight. Your parents would have sold you to some filthy place, and this cruel world would have consumed you to the bone. You should not harbor ill will toward the pearl he holds in his palm. Even beasts know not to repay kindness with hatred!”

In this era, literacy was monopolized by the gentry. Knowledge was hoarded by the upper class.

The imperial examination system had not yet been established. To enter officialdom, one had to be recommended or nominated. Offices were passed down through family connections and patronage, forming entrenched noble lineages. The more so, the less willing nobles were to share their knowledge.

Newly wealthy families, desperate to learn to read and write, would willingly offer vast sums or their entire fortunes to nobles in servitude, enduring humiliation for the chance to borrow books. Whether one could learn depended solely on personal aptitude.

The guards left behind by Master Xie were all recruited from those on the brink of being sold, starving and poorly clothed. They were trained with great care to serve as her personal retinue. Their diet and attire matched those of ordinary noble offspring, resulting in strong, agile men with abundant strength.

They had free access to all the treasured calligraphy and literature in the Xie household.

Rubbing her aching shoulder and brushing off the dust, Xie Miaoxuan stood, coldly watching the guard’s face flush red until his last breath.

“Why did you come so late?” she asked in a calm, steady voice.