Good Little Sister

“Let them go!”

Sun Quan almost forced these words through clenched teeth, and the brooding look in his eyes revealed that he bore a grudge against Lady Qiao. Yet, at this critical juncture, he dared not lay a hand on his elder brother's widow. On the contrary, he had to take special care to protect Lady Qiao and Sun Shao.

After the commotion stirred up by Su Ming today, the stigma of killing his brother and seizing power had been firmly attached to Sun Quan. Should anything happen now to Lady Qiao or Sun Shao, Sun Quan would be like mud falling into his trousers—whatever it was, others would say it was filth.

With Sun Shangxiang captured, the soldiers dared not act rashly. Upon hearing Sun Quan’s command, they immediately stepped aside and opened the way.

Su Ming, gravely wounded and covered in blood, was now at the end of his strength.

“Go!” he cried, summoning the last of his energy. He slapped his horse’s flank with the golden mace, dragging Sun Shangxiang with him as they fled toward the city outskirts.

Su Ming’s yellow steed had been shot dead, but he had managed to retrieve his silver spear from the battlefield. The horse he’d seized was not fast, especially bearing two riders. After Su Ming and Sun Shangxiang had gone, Sun Quan’s gaze grew heavy as he looked to Lady Qiao and asked, “Sister-in-law, may the funeral proceed?”

“Brother, it is best to inter him as soon as possible,” Lady Qiao replied. She had done all she could; from here on, Su Ming’s fate was his own.

“Continue,” Lady Qiao said, her voice quivering.

Sun Quan ordered his soldiers to clear away the fallen corpses, and the funeral resumed. Whatever happened, Sun Ce had to be laid to rest today. Only after Sun Ce was buried could Sun Quan find peace.

The funeral procession moved forward, Sun Quan supporting the coffin, Zhang Zhao trailing behind him like a sycophant.

“Send men to hunt him down!” Sun Quan ordered.

“He’s wounded, and two riders on a single horse won’t get far,” Sun Quan said as he walked, issuing instructions to Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Zhao hesitated for a moment, then said, “My lord, I believe Lady Shangxiang allowed herself to be captured. If she tries to hinder the pursuit…”

He didn’t finish, waiting for Sun Quan’s response.

“Whoever tries to stop them—kill without mercy!” Sun Quan’s voice was laced with murderous intent.

He had to eliminate Su Ming; he didn’t want to spend the rest of his nights with one eye open.

“Understood. I’ll see to it at once!” Zhang Zhao replied.

He held Sun Quan in high regard, especially for his ruthless determination to achieve his aims.

Results mattered above all, and Sun Quan would use any means necessary to reach his goal. This was why the four great families of Jiangdong supported him.

...

Outside Wu County.

Lady Xiao Qiao waited at the city gates with several house servants and three fine horses. In the distance, a blood-soaked horse burst from the city, carrying two riders.

But now, it was not Su Ming holding Sun Shangxiang hostage; rather, Sun Shangxiang rode the horse, and Su Ming was unconscious in her arms.

Su Ming, pierced by several arrows and bleeding profusely, had already lost consciousness before they escaped Wu County. Now, it was Sun Shangxiang fleeing with Su Ming.

Still young, Sun Shangxiang panicked at Su Ming’s collapse. Upon seeing Xiao Qiao, she seemed to find her anchor.

“Sister Xiao Qiao, save him!”

“Please, save him!” Sun Shangxiang cried, her voice thick with tears.

Su Ming was covered in wounds, blood staining him red. Xiao Qiao quickly ordered, “Hurry, save him!”

She had waited here to provide horses and to render aid.

The physician rushed forward, quickly tending to Su Ming’s wounds and applying healing salve.

“This is bad!”

“He’s unconscious and won’t wake for some time.”

“Your second brother will not let him go. Soon, he’ll send men to finish him off,” Xiao Qiao said with worry.

She had brought a physician and swift horses, but hadn’t expected Su Ming to be so gravely injured.

With Su Ming unconscious, he could not ride; escape was impossible.

“Let’s take Brother Su Ming back into the city and hide him,” Sun Shangxiang suggested tentatively.

Xiao Qiao shook her head, rejecting the idea. “The city gates are guarded by your second brother’s men. They let us out, but if we try to bring a living man back in, they’ll see through us. They’ll report it to your brother, and then we’re walking right into his trap.”

Sun Shangxiang’s idea was naïve; after escaping Wu County, turning back would be suicide.

To her suggestion, Xiao Qiao could only say, “Shangxiang, don’t do it.”

Sun Shangxiang bit her lip, as if steeling herself. “I’ll take him and leave. We’ll go together.”

Xiao Qiao paused for a moment, then nodded in agreement. “Very well, leave now.”

She handed Sun Shangxiang the prepared horses. “Three fine steeds—ride day and night, and escape Jiangdong as quickly as you can.”

“Find a quiet place. This gold and silver will support you for the rest of your lives. Do not return to Jiangdong.”

“The life of a great family’s daughter is not necessarily happier than that of ordinary folk.”

In Xiao Qiao’s eyes, it was better for Sun Shangxiang to leave this troubled land.

Sun Quan was nothing like his brother Sun Ce. Sun Ce valued affection, but Sun Quan was a schemer willing to do anything to achieve his ends.

If Sun Shangxiang remained in Jiangdong, her fate was unlikely to be good. Women of powerful clans inevitably became bargaining chips—without exception.

“Sister Xiao Qiao, you and Lady Qiao take care!” With these words, Sun Shangxiang sped away with Su Ming.

They had barely been gone the time it takes to drink a cup of tea when a dark mass poured from the city gates.

Zhang Zhao himself led the pursuit. Seeing this, Xiao Qiao’s worry grew.

Sun Shangxiang, carrying the unconscious Su Ming, was no match for Zhang Zhao’s speed.

Xiao Qiao, like her elder sister Lady Qiao, was beautiful but no mere ornament.

Seeing the tracks left by Sun Shangxiang’s horses, Xiao Qiao immediately had an idea.

She drew the sword from a servant’s waist and stabbed it into the horse’s flank.

The horse, startled by pain, bolted wildly down the road, soon vanishing from sight.

“Quick, startle the horses!” Xiao Qiao ordered her servants.

Though they didn’t understand the purpose, they followed her lead, drawing their swords and pricking the horses’ flanks.

The horses scattered in all directions.

When all was done, Xiao Qiao remained where she was, waiting for Zhang Zhao and his men to arrive.

She knew that neither Sun Quan nor Zhang Zhao dared touch her.

If Sun Quan wanted to seize military power quickly, he needed Zhou Yu’s support.

Xiao Qiao was Zhou Yu’s wife; as long as Sun Ce sought to win Zhou Yu’s loyalty, he would never dare harm Xiao Qiao.