At 5:45 a.m., with the morning mist still clinging to Qinghe Courtyard, Jiang Wan deliberately swapped her mother’s mutton-fat jade hairpin for a plain silver one and instructed Wanqing to change into a faded blue cloth garment. As she boarded the carriage, she specifically lifted the curtain to signal the gatekeeper, revealing the simple furnishings inside—this was a "flaw" she had intentionally crafted.
"Miss," Wanqing whispered, "are you certain about this? What if..."
"Rest assured," Jiang Wan said, her fingertips brushing the silver needles hidden in her cuffs. "Father’s soldiers are already positioned in West City, and besides..." She pointed to the copper bell on the carriage shaft. "Three long rings followed by two short ones is the signal for help."
Chapter 30