QT: The Rescue Of The Miserable Bigshots-Chapter 308 - 10.9

"Your subordinate takes his leave, General... take care!"

After a long moment of silence, Zhang An, who was nearly unable to withstand Jiang Jiamian’s cold, all-seeing gaze, finally gritted his teeth and yielded to the struggle in his heart.

"If the General gives an order, I will depart immediately, no matter when or where. I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Zhang An finally clasped his fists toward Jiang Jiamian, then raised his hand and signaled the Jiang family army behind him to follow.

Jiang Jiamian nodded. "Alright. For now, you will lead the Jiang family army to guard Huainan Pass. Someone will arrive within three days at the latest. When that time comes, you will know what to do."

"Yes. This subordinate obeys."

Zhang An cast Jiang Jiamian one last reluctant look, then lowered his eyes and waved his arm sharply behind him. "Move out!"

Watching Zhang An lead the Jiang family army away, Xiao Jinan let out a deep, cold laugh. He turned his head and looked at Jiang Jiamian, whose red robe fluttered in the wind, his tone strange and teasing.

"’Go through fire and water without hesitation? You really do have a loyal subordinate..." He said slowly. "So loyal that it doesn’t look like a simple subordinate at all."

Jiang Jiamian: "..."

Damn it. Whose bride was this?

Why did he sound so petty all of a sudden?

Jiang Jiamian loosened the chains wrapped around Xiao Jinan’s spear, then lifted the hem of his bright red wedding robe, which was nearly indistinguishable from Xiao Jinan’s own.

He said lazily, "King of Huainan, do you think your clothes aren’t red enough, or mine? Instead of being jealous here, shouldn’t we hurry back to your Huainan King’s Mansion and finish this wedding ceremony in all this festive red?"

Xiao Jinan was stunned.

The surprise hit him so suddenly that he couldn’t react at first. After a brief pause, his eyes lit up, and he bent down excitedly, scooping Jiang Jiamian into his arms.

"So my queen is already this impatient?" Xiao Jinan laughed, his voice brimming with delight. "Good! Then let’s return to the Huainan King’s Mansion, hold the wedding ceremony, get married, and enter the bridal chamber!"

Jiang Jiamian rolled his eyes. "Enter the bridal chamber? You’ll have to beat me first."

Otherwise, he’ll be the one lying down in the end.

Hearing this, Xiao Jinan laughed loudly, utterly unconcerned.

"Once you enter my Huainan King’s Mansion, you’ll be my queen." He said arrogantly. "As for the wedding night, that’s only a matter of time."

If he didn’t even have this level of confidence, how could he be the Huainan King whom even the imperial court feared?

"I want to rest." Jiang Jiamian said, pointing toward the sedan chair below in the wedding procession.

This was Huainan Pass, the place where the Jiang family army and the Huainan King’s forces had been locked in a stalemate for four years. It was still half a day’s journey from here to the Huainan King’s Mansion.

Xiao Jinan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Are you afraid I can’t carry you back?"

It was a long road, but this was his newlywed queen.

Even if his legs broke, he would still carry him back.

Jiang Jiamian clicked his tongue. "I’m worried that if you carry me all the way back, you’ll be so exhausted you’ll have to lie down tonight. If you don’t even seize your chance, then don’t blame me for taking it back."

"No!"

Holding Jiang Jiamian, Xiao Jinan leapt forward. In the blink of an eye, the two landed in front of the wedding procession’s carriage. He lifted the curtain and entered decisively.

"Let’s go!"

The wedding procession outside finally saw that everyone, including the King of Huainan himself, had entered the carriage. At once, they understood that the matter was settled.

They didn’t dare delay any longer.

At the head of the procession, a gong sounded, and the convoy began moving toward the Huainan King’s Mansion.

Inside the Huainan King’s residence, red silk fluttered everywhere, lanterns glowed brightly, and people hurried back and forth.

Yet Mu Qingfeng, the King’s trusted confidant and strategist in charge of the arrangements, felt increasingly uneasy.

"Where is the King?" He asked.

"Reporting to Young Master Mu." A subordinate replied, "We haven’t seen him either."

"Alright. You may leave."

Mu Qingfeng waved his hand, but the unease in his heart only grew stronger.

The wedding procession was supposed to arrive today. At such a critical moment, why wasn’t Xiao Jinan waiting at the residence?

And that Jiang Jiamian... Wasn’t he merely a prisoner?

Everyone knew that this so-called Queen Consort of Huainan was nothing more than a captive brought back by the King to settle old grudges. In the end, he would only face humiliation and a miserable death.

Yet as someone who had served the King for eight years, Mu Qingfeng found himself unable to understand this decision.

Once the person was brought back, there would be no need to care about appearances. So why had the King ordered preparations days in advance, making it look like a grand wedding?

Why even host a banquet for guests from across Huainan?

Could it be that the King truly intended to treat Jiang Jiamian as a queen?

No.

Impossible.

Mu Qingfeng quickly rejected the thought.

The King had never been interested in either women or men. He had been that way for many years.

That was precisely why Mu Qingfeng had dared to secretly harbor his admiration, asking for nothing, content with nothing more than standing at the King’s side as his confidant.

He already felt different from everyone else.

Yes. Even if the King were to develop feelings for someone, it would most likely be him, Mu Qingfeng.

The least likely person would be the very obstacle who had blocked the King’s northward advance for four years, Jiang Jiamian.

That was the least possible outcome.

This elaborate banquet must simply be a premeditated plan to humiliate Jiang Jiamian, the once lofty young general, in front of countless guests.

That had to be it.

And he, as the King’s confidant, only needed to cooperate and make Jiang Jiamian suffer enough embarrassment.

Thinking this, Mu Qingfeng took a deep breath and gently straightened his robes.

Calm down.

He needed to remain calm.

Jiang Jiamian would not end well in the King’s hands.

"The Queen Consort of Huainan has arrived!"

At that moment, the sound of approaching troops came from outside the residence. The commotion was loud, and soon a clear shout echoed through the gates.

Mu Qingfeng immediately turned to his subordinate. "Still no sign of the King?"

The subordinate shook his head. "Reporting to Young Master Mu, we still cannot find him."

"Very well." Mu Qingfeng’s expression cooled.

Even though he knew that this so-called Queen Consort of Huainan was a title in name only, and he understood the truth behind it, the words still made him uneasy.

After a brief pause, he said quietly, "You, come with me. We will welcome the Queen Consort of Huainan on behalf of the King."

"Yes, Young Master Mu."

Outside the gate, when the carriage came to a stop, Xiao Jinan immediately reached out to carry Jiang Jiamian down. However, Jiang Jiamian suddenly pressed a hand against his shoulder and slowly pushed him back into the carriage.

Xiao Jinan raised an eyebrow. "What’s wrong, my queen? You’re not so impatient that you want to do something inside the carriage, are you? We’re almost home. The queen can’t even wait for the wedding ceremony?"

Jiang Jiamian: "..."

This bastard. Not only did he speak sarcastically, he was also unbearably annoying.

The corner of Jiang Jiamian’s mouth twitched as he lowered his voice. "No. Don’t go out yet."

Xiao Jinan shook his head. "That won’t do. Everyone in the Huainan King’s Mansion knows we don’t get along. They all think I brought you back to torture you and take revenge. If I’m not present, they’ll definitely cause you trouble."

"Of course I know." Jiang Jiamian sneered. "And that’s exactly why I want to go out first."

He lifted his chin slightly, his eyes cold. "I want to personally warn them. I want everyone to know my status in this mansion, even when you are not here. That way, no random people will think they can come and provoke me whenever they please."

With Xiao Jinan backing him, intimidating the people in the Huainan King’s Mansion would be easy.

But that would be Xiao Jinan’s authority, not his.

Jiang Jiamian wanted more than protection.

He wanted equality.

Whether Xiao Jinan was present or not, no one would dare treat him arrogantly.

As for which unlucky soul would become the stepping stone for establishing that authority, Jiang Jiamian couldn’t care less.

Xiao Jinan narrowed his eyes. "So you want to shake my absolute authority in the Huainan King’s Mansion, my Queen Consort?"

Jiang Jiamian raised an eyebrow, a faint, dangerous smile curving his lips. He leaned closer, a loose strand of hair brushing deliberately across Xiao Jinan’s cheek.

"Is that not allowed?" He murmured. "Hmm?"

The drawn-out ’hmm’ hooked straight into Xiao Jinan’s heart, making it itch unbearably. If he hadn’t still retained a shred of reason, he would have pinned this little vixen down right there in the carriage and taken him on the spot.

"Please, Queen Consort of Huainan, alight from the sedan chair." A voice rang out.

While they were speaking, Mu Qingfeng had already led dozens of subordinates and guards forward to greet them.

He did not bow. Instead, he stood several feet away from the red sedan chair, his posture aloof and arrogant, as if he were welcoming not the Queen of Huainan, but a prisoner who barely deserved courtesy.

Jiang Jiamian lifted the curtain and stepped down. After walking forward a few steps, he finally saw Mu Qingfeng clearly.

The man stood at the front, with sharp features and a cold, scholarly air.

If Jiang Jiamian remembered correctly, this should be Mu Qingfeng, Xiao Jinan’s confidant and strategist, a figure who had appeared in the original plot even when Xiao Jinan was little more than a background villain.

Unfortunately, that was all he was.

A scholar’s pride, paired with the arrogance of a sour-boned intellectual.

Jiang Jiamian walked toward him step by step. His red robe fluttered in the wind, and the chains on his wrists clinked softly with each movement.

When Mu Qingfeng saw the chains, a trace of disdain flashed across his eyes. His conviction deepened.

Everyone in the world, including the emperor, knew Jiang Jiamian’s true fate.