Accidentally Married the Princess [Time Travel] - Chapter 32.1

Gong Yu quickly shook her head and said, “That’s not true at all. How could I have done anything to that young girl?”

“My face still hurts from where that girl hit me.”

Dai Ru Yan said softly, “You deserved that. That young girl is Zhao Anyue, the youngest daughter of the Grand Tutor. She’s been doted on since childhood, so naturally she’s a bit spoiled.”

“The Grand Tutor’s daughter?” Gong Yu said with a gossipy expression, “The Grand Tutor must be at least sixty.”

“Yes, he had her late in life. The Grand Tutor has five sons, but she’s his only precious daughter. You got off lightly with just a sore face.” As Dai Ru Yan spoke, she deliberately reached out and poked Gong Yu’s cheek.

Gong Yu felt even more aggrieved. Why did Dai Ru Yan seem so mischievous today?

Dai Ru Yan smiled at Gong Yu’s disgruntled expression, then took her hand and led her toward a corridor.

“Ayan, where are we going?”

“If we don’t apply medicine to your face, everyone will soon know that you harassed the Grand Tutor’s daughter.”

“How could I possibly have harassed her? Clearly, I was the one being bullied.” Gong Yu grumbled indignantly.

Dai Ru Yan seemed very familiar with Gong Ling’s residence, easily navigating away from the garden where they had just gathered.

The surroundings were quiet until the two of them sat in another pavilion, where Dai Ru Yan called a maid to fetch some medicine.

Gong Yu sat properly to one side. Outside the pavilion, a bright moon hung in the night sky, and the chirping of cicadas filled the air.

Ever since she was caught stealing a kiss last time, Gong Yu had felt somewhat awkward around Dai Ru Yan. Yet Dai Ru Yan acted as if nothing had happened.

“The pear blossoms in Second Imperial Sister’s garden are truly beautiful.” Gong Yu turned her head to admire the pear trees planted in the garden and sighed.

Dai Ru Yan also looked toward them and said, “The first time I met Xiao Jiu, it was also during the season when pear blossoms were in full bloom.”

“Yes, the pear trees in that Dai Garden were beautiful too.”

Gong Yu leaned on the railing, gazing outside as a gentle breeze brushed by. She stole a glance at Dai Ru Yan beside her.

She vaguely remembered how stunning Dai Ru Yan had looked the first time she saw her in a milky-white dress. Compared to today, when Dai Ru Yan wore a crimson dress, she felt that Dai Ru Yan had grown even more beautiful.

Dai Ru Yan’s gaze remained fixed on the pear blossoms in the garden. “In a few more days, these pear blossoms will bloom even more abundantly. It will be the perfect time for the capital to host banquets.”

“If Xiao Jiu likes them, why don’t I take you to Dai Garden that day to admire the pear blossoms, which look like pure white snow?”

“Sure.”

Just when I was worried about not having a chance to gather information at the Dai residence!

The maid who had gone to fetch the medicine returned, handed over the ointment, and then retreated outside the pavilion.

Gong Yu sat upright while Dai Ru Yan sat beside her, dipping her fingertips into the ointment and gently applying it to Gong Yu’s cheek.

The ointment felt cool, and since Dai Ru Yan’s movements were very gentle, it didn’t hurt much. Gong Yu blinked as she watched Dai Ru Yan lean in close, clearly seeing the slight gloss on Dai Ru Yan’s lips from the rouge.

It was truly alluring.

“Ayan, your makeup looks really beautiful today.”

“Do you like it?” Dai Ru Yan asked, her eyes curving into a smile.

Gong Yu stared unblinkingly at Dai Ru Yan and replied, “I like it.”

“What kind of rouge is that on your lips? The color is so vibrant.”

“It was made by grinding several types of flower petals picked by the maid early this morning.” Dai Ru Yan pressed her lips together slightly and said, “At first, I thought it was too vibrant, so I only applied a little.”

Gong Yu said enviously, “I’ve never worn rouge before.”

Dai Ru Yan smiled lightly and said, “Little Nine, your skin is already fair and smooth—you don’t need to use rouge or powder.”

“But today, that young girl called me a pretty boy.”

Gong Yu pouted helplessly, only to accidentally tug at the injury on her face, causing her to wince in pain.

“Be good, don’t move. Your face is still burning hot right now.”

“Alright.”

Dai Ru Yan chuckled softly, “Pretty boys are often handsome and charming. Perhaps that little girl was just complimenting you on your good looks.”

“You’ve become mischievous, Ayan.”

“What do you mean by that?”

Gong Yu looked at Dai Ru Yan with an innocent expression and said, “I got beaten up, and you’re still teasing and making fun of me.”

“Where’s the teasing?” Dai Ru Yan paused her movements and said seriously, “My heart aches for you. Little Nine, you must be saying this out of anger.”

After speaking, Dai Ru Yan suddenly embraced Gong Yu affectionately to comfort her. “Although my heart aches for you, it was you who provoked that girl Zhao Anyue first. Otherwise, as spoiled as she is, she wouldn’t have hit someone at such a gathering.”

“So, Little Nine, you should keep your distance from other girls, especially outside. The palace laws are strict. Last time, when you secretly kissed me, I didn’t scold you, but you still need to behave properly when you’re out, understand?”

At first, Gong Yu felt that Dai Ru Yan’s words were reasonable, but as she continued, something began to feel off.

“I didn’t kiss that girl. Besides you, Ayan… I’ve never kissed anyone else.” Gong Yu pulled away slightly, her face flushing as she clarified.

Since when had she become a flirtatious pretty boy in Dai Ru Yan’s eyes?

Dai Ru Yan seemed momentarily taken aback and said, “I know.”

Gong Yu tightly clutched her sleeve, staring blankly at Dai Ru Yan, her face burning as if on fire.

The pavilion fell into a brief silence. Dai Ru Yan reached out and gently placed her hand over Gong Yu’s, then intertwined their fingers.

The movement was soft yet swift. Gong Yu tilted her head slightly and saw their shadows cast to the side, her fingertips playfully tracing circles on Dai Ru Yan’s palm.

“How were the pastries at tonight’s banquet?” Dai Ru Yan leaned in slightly and whispered.

Gong Yu leaned against the railing, watching as Dai Ru Yan drew closer, and replied, “I was forced to drink a few cups of wine and didn’t get to eat a single pastry. I was too busy trying to escape.”

“No wonder I keep smelling alcohol on you.” Dai Ru Yan sniffed lightly and frowned slightly.

Gong Yu raised her sleeve to smell it and said, “Maybe some wine spilled on my sleeve.”

Seeing Gong Yu’s little action, Dai Ru Yan couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, I’m not scolding you for drinking. Why are you sniffing so carefully?”

Hearing this, Gong Yu quickly lowered her sleeve but felt restless, unsure of what to say next.

The night breeze was cool, easing the heat of the day. Gong Yu vaguely felt that the ointment on her face must have taken effect, so she reached up to touch her cheek. It no longer hurt.

“This ointment works really well. My face doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Dai Ru Yan reached out and gently touched Gong Yu’s cheek, her fingertips delicately caressing it. Only then did Gong Yu realize how close the two of them had become.

Under the faint moonlight, Gong Yu could clearly see the slight tremble in Dai Ru Yan’s eyes, and her rouged lips seemed to silently lure Gong Yu in.

The intimate atmosphere made Gong Yu’s heart race wildly, but she didn’t dare to move recklessly. If she were to suddenly kiss Dai Ru Yan again, she might end up being labeled a “sneak-kissing maniac” in Dai Ru Yan’s mind.

But Dai Ru Yan did not withdraw her hand. Gong Yu, steadying her breathing, only felt that the robes she wore today were too thick, making it somewhat hard to breathe.

It wasn’t until Dai Ru Yan’s fingertip lightly brushed Gong Yu’s lips that Gong Yu’s heart leaped into her throat. She couldn’t help but wonder—was Dai Ru Yan waiting to kiss her, or was she waiting for Gong Yu to take the initiative?

Summoning her courage, Gong Yu leaned in, her lips gently meeting Dai Ru Yan’s, and she tasted the faintly fragrant rouge.

The slightly sweet sensation made Gong Yu feel as if she were about to become intoxicated.

But Dai Ru Yan, who had been kissed, showed no reaction, instantly cooling Gong Yu’s fervent heart.

Gong Yu steadied her breathing and prepared to step back, lest any unrelated person see them and tarnish Dai Ru Yan’s reputation.

Yet Dai Ru Yan suddenly drew closer and whispered, “You’ve just kissed me, so why are you putting so much distance between us now?”

“N-No reason…” Every time Gong Yu heard Dai Ru Yan speak so directly, her heart would race uncontrollably.

“You say there’s no reason?” Dai Ru Yan leaned in further, tilting her head slightly as she cupped Gong Yu’s face and pressed a firm kiss to her slightly parted lips. “Kissing me and then trying to leave—I’d be upset if you did that.”

Gong Yu was utterly stunned. The lips Dai Ru Yan had kissed felt intensely warm, and her heart began to race once more.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Dai Ru Yan’s fingertip traced Gong Yu’s lips as she smiled. “Could it be you’re scared?”

“N-No…” Gong Yu snapped back to reality, her lips pressed tightly together, as if she could still taste the lingering sweetness of the rouge.

Dai Ru Yan withdrew her finger from Gong Yu’s lips and instead took her hand, speaking with sudden seriousness, “Little Jiu, from now on, you’re not allowed to kiss any other girls.”

Gong Yu nodded blankly, but she couldn’t help feeling that there was a hint of jealousy in those words. She quickly studied Dai Ru Yan’s expression, yet Dai Ru Yan’s demeanor was as calm as ever, as if she were merely stating that the moon was round tonight. Gong Yu couldn’t help but feel a little deflated.

“If I don’t kiss any other girls, then… Ayan, will you only kiss me too?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Gong Yu felt like a complete fraud.

Dai Ru Yan tilted her head slightly to look at Gong Yu, then lightly flicked her forehead and said,

“Silly, isn’t that the most natural thing in the world? Why even ask?”

Gong Yu widened her eyes and asked, “Really?”

“Of course. Why would I lie to you about something like this?” Dai Ru Yan looked slightly puzzled. “Little Jiu, if you like being close to me, then naturally, I like it too. Isn’t that perfectly clear?”

“Then… Ayan, kiss me again, please?”

“No.”

“Huh? Why not?” Gong Yu asked, confused.

Dai Ru Yan smiled faintly. “We’ve already kissed just now. What’s the point of doing it again?”

It was only because Gong Yu had been too nervous earlier and hadn’t fully processed it. But faced with Dai Ru Yan’s clear, transparent gaze, Gong Yu felt her own thoughts were far too impure.

So, she made up an excuse: “I think the rouge on your lips tastes wonderful. Can I taste it again?”

“Again?” Dai Ru Yan lightly poked the other side of Gong Yu’s cheek and said, “Little Jiu, do you know what ‘greedy and insatiable’ means?”

Uh…

Clearly, there was no hope.

Dai Ru Yan gently shook Gong Yu’s head and said helplessly, “Besides, the rouge on my lips has almost been nibbled away by you, little glutton. There’s hardly any left.”

Gong Yu felt even more guilty upon hearing this and touched the tip of her nose as she replied, “Alright.”

“Let me wipe the rouge off your lips, or else if someone sees it, you’ll be the laughingstock.”

Dai Ru Yan held a handkerchief and carefully wiped Gong Yu’s lips. Gong Yu’s gaze fell on those crimson lips, and she couldn’t help but smile, feeling that Dai Ru Yan tonight was enchantingly beautiful, making her heart race.

“What are you grinning about?” Dai Ru Yan asked softly, meeting Gong Yu’s eyes.

“I’m happy.”

“Just this and you’re happy?”

Dai Ru Yan paused briefly, looking at Gong Yu, and said, “Don’t act cute now. The banquet is probably about to end, and it’s time for us to leave.”

“Alright.”

The two of them left the pavilion one after the other. In the distance, a figure seemed to pause in the corridor for a moment before departing.

When Gong Yu returned to the garden where the gathering was held, she found the air thick with the pungent smell of alcohol and the clamor of voices, as if everyone had turned into drunkards.

The Second Princess, Gong Ling, holding a wine cup, was clearly a bit tipsy. She staggered toward Gong Yu with a smile and said, “In the blink of an eye, Little Ninth has grown so much.”

“Come, have a drink with your Second Sister.”

Gong Yu had no choice but to hold her cup and drink one glass after another. She drank so hastily that her cheeks flushed red from the burn, drawing laughter from many of the women present, including the ruthless young girl Zhao Anyue.

But Dai Ru Yan sat far away, holding a little rabbit in her arms, and no longer stepped in to rescue Gong Yu as she used to.

The Second Princess, Gong Ling, laughed and let Gong Yu off, turning to drink with others instead. Only then did Gong Yu have a chance to peel some fruits in front of her to fill her stomach.

From time to time, she could hear Gong Ling’s laughter, which set off a wave of merriment among the women. The Fifth Prince, who was drinking nearby, was also heavily intoxicated. He leaned in and said, “Little Ninth, do you know why Second Sister hasn’t had a child even after several years of marriage?”

Gong Yu instinctively recoiled from the overwhelming smell of alcohol. The Fifth Prince chuckled and said, “I heard our Second Sister prefers women and has even kept many female companions in her princess manor.”

“Fifth Brother, who told you such nonsense?”

“This isn’t nonsense. Prince Consort Song himself said it when he was drunk.”

Gong Yu turned to look at the Second Princess, Gong Ling, and saw her smiling calmly. Though she was bolder than the average woman, Gong Yu couldn’t detect anything else unusual about her.

In contrast, Prince Consort Song on the other side looked quite displeased, his eyes fixed on the Second Princess as if he had done something extraordinary.

Gong Yu had previously witnessed Prince Consort Song’s affair and had little fondness for him.

By the time the banquet ended, everyone had drunk quite a bit, and Gong Yu was also feeling dazed.

Fortunately, a servant led the way, and Gong Yu followed along. On the way, she happened to see Prince Consong Song, who was swaggering down another corridor with two women in his arms.

These two didn’t seem like they were about to divorce.

When Gong Yu stepped out of the princess manor, she felt the outside air was much fresher.

Watching the guests leave one after another, and seeing Dai Ru Yan get into her sedan chair, Gong Yu finally entered hers as well.

Unexpectedly, someone in the sedan chair suddenly held a dagger. Before Gong Yu could even cry out, her throat was seized. The person in black whispered, “Stay quiet, or I’ll kill you.”

Gong Yu nodded, but then everything went black, and she lost consciousness.

When she woke again, Gong Yu instinctively sat up, startling the old steward beside her.

“Your Highness, you’re finally awake?”

The old steward approached with a medicine bowl and said, “How about drinking this hangover soup first?”

Gong Yu turned her head to look at the old steward, somewhat surprised, and reached out to take the bowl. “Where is the person in black?” she asked.

“What person in black?”

The old steward replied, “Your Highness, you were so drunk in the sedan chair last night after the banquet that you were completely unconscious.”

“Drunk?” Gong Yu could clearly feel the pain in her neck and back.

That couldn’t be right. She remembered everything going black and a sharp pain in her neck.

Frowning, Gong Yu drank the hangover soup. Outside, it was already afternoon, and the scorching sun made her reluctant to move.

Perhaps she had indeed drunk too much last night, as Gong Yu still felt a severe headache. But she couldn’t have just imagined the person in black out of thin air.

If anything, she should have dreamed of Dai Ru Yan.

Feeling weak, Gong Yu collapsed back onto the soft couch. Outside, the peach blossom tree was in full bloom, stunningly beautiful.

Her thoughts drifted back to last night when Dai Ru Yan had taken the initiative to kiss her. Gong Yu grinned foolishly, hugging the blankets and rolling around, until the pain in the back of her neck timely reminded her.

She might have been targeted.

Once her headache eased, Gong Yu sent someone to investigate the guards who had accompanied her last night, but none of them had noticed anything unusual.

Qin Hua hurried in from outside and said, “The Minister of Justice was killed in his sedan chair last night.”

Gong Yu, who had been drinking tea, nearly spat it out. Another sedan chair?

It was possible that the person in black from last night was the murderer. But why would she, innocent as she was, be targeted for no reason?

The key point was that she was completely unharmed, while the Minister of Justice was dead.

One possibility was that the person in black wasn’t after Gong Yu, so they let her go.

Another possibility was that the person in black had merely entered her sedan chair and then left.

If it was the former, then one had to admit that the person in black had principles.

But if it was the latter, then the person in black was likely the murderer of the Minister of Justice, hiding in the sedan chair merely to evade pursuit.

Coming back to her senses, Gong Yu couldn’t help but feel a chill of fear. She recounted the events of the previous night to Qin Hua.

“The strange thing about the Minister of Justice’s death is that he was stabbed multiple times, yet the servants outside the sedan chair didn’t hear a single sound,” Qin Hua paused and said. “Perhaps Your Highness really did coincidentally run into the murderer last night.”

Ugh…

This unlucky streak left Gong Yu speechless.

Gong Yu and Qin Hua left the residence and went to the government office. It was Gong Yu’s first time entering the morgue, and she couldn’t help but feel a deep chill down her spine.

Apart from the chaotic knife wounds, there were no other injuries on the Minister of Justice’s body. Qin Hua checked his mouth and nose for any abnormalities.

Meanwhile, Gong Yu, who was somewhat traumatized, examined the clothes the Minister had been wearing at the time of his death.

The official robe was already torn to shreds by the knife, stained with blood, which was quite nauseating.

While checking the boots, Gong Yu noticed what looked like a mixture of mud and blood on the soles, faintly shimmering. She took out a small knife and carefully scraped off the mixture.

When they left the government office, Gong Yu spotted a fierce-looking little girl sneaking along behind them.

Qin Hua reminded, “Your Highness, that young girl has been following us since we left the mansion.”

Gong Yu abruptly turned around and saw the girl awkwardly stopping in the middle of the road, clearly lacking any awareness of being a spy.

“Zhao Anyue, why are you following me?” Gong Yu still remembered the slap she had received.

The girl retorted without any politeness, “Gong Yu, you scoundrel!”

Well, now she had even investigated Gong Yu’s name thoroughly.

Qin Hua, standing nearby, was startled by the girl’s boldness and couldn’t help but chuckle, “Your Highness, this girl is quite fierce.”

Indeed, Gong Yu felt her face still stung at the sight of her.

Zhao Anyue, now discovered, simply swaggered over without any attempt to hide.

Gong Yu turned and said, “Sir, I’m hungry. Let’s go to the teahouse for some snacks.”

Qin Hua looked at Gong Yu with some surprise, and the two entered a nearby teahouse.

At the adjacent table sat the young girl. Gong Yu leisurely ate pastries and sipped tea while Qin Hua examined the mixture Gong Yu had scraped from the sole of a boot.

After finishing a few pieces of pastry, Gong Yu took a teacup, poured in some clear water, and added the mixture from Qin Hua’s hand.

Watching the water in the cup gradually turn murky, she picked up a pair of chopsticks and carefully stirred the contents.

Suddenly, Zhao Anyue’s voice chimed in from the side, “Pretty boy, what you’re doing is absolutely disgusting.”

“Oh, so you’re too disgusted to go to the morgue, is that it?”

“Who says I’m afraid?”

Gong Yu didn’t bother arguing further and carefully picked out a small, transparent fragment to examine. “Is this a fish scale?”

“Idiot, of course it’s a fish scale!”

Qin Hua leaned in for a closer look and said, “It doesn’t seem to be a real fish scale.”

“How can you tell, sir?”

“There are tiny holes on it, clearly man-made, likely an ornament designed to resemble a fish scale.”

Gong Yu widened her eyes to look but couldn’t spot anything unusual about it.

Zhao Anyue leaned in and whispered, “Where are the holes?”

“Can’t you see them? They’re so obvious,” Gong Yu teased.

Zhao Anyue snorted and turned away, ignoring Gong Yu.

The three of them left the teahouse and spent the day visiting one shop after another in the capital, searching for various fish-related ornaments until dusk fell.

Gong Yu was utterly exhausted from looking and shook her head. “The only thing we can determine for now is that the killer might have a peculiar taste for ornaments.”

“Searching like this is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Tomorrow, we should pay a visit to the Minister of Justice’s residence.”

“I want to go too!”

“Your Highness, what are you planning to investigate?” Qin Hua asked, tilting his head.

Gong Yu ignored Zhao Anyue and turned to Qin Hua instead. “Assuming the Minister of Justice’s death was premeditated and organized, the killer would have likely made contact with him and even known his daily routine.”

“Moreover, the killer managed to stab him multiple times without being detected, which suggests exceptional martial skills. But why did it have to be inside the sedan chair?”

“Your Highness means the killer had another motive?” Qin Hua pondered for a moment before adding, “A sedan chair is indeed an unsuitable place for murder and escape. It seems more like an attempt to create panic.”

Gong Yu nodded. “There might be another murder soon. It could happen very quickly.”

The next morning, Gong Yu prepared for the morning court session as usual. The old steward served tea and asked, “Your Highness, shall I prepare a horse or a sedan chair today?”

As Gong Yu adjusted his robes, the memory of the black-clad man made his neck ache sharply. Without thinking, he replied, “A horse.”

Leaving the residence, Gong Yu rode on horseback with several guards, making their way leisurely toward the imperial palace in the capital.