After Accidentally Marking the Cold and Elegant Eldest Princess - Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Proactively Teasing

Yan Yunti safely hid the three books at the very bottom of her bundle and rode back to the Eldest Princess’s Manor.

This time, Xiao Ran, the leader of the Princess’s secret guards, was waiting at the East Side Gate. As they walked inward, while still some distance from the bedchamber, Yan Yunti heard the melodious notes of a zither.

The music was so captivating that it made one stop in their tracks. Yan Yunti looked toward the moon gate and asked Xiao Ran, “Is the Eldest Princess playing the zither?”

Xiao Ran did not answer directly: “The Eldest Princess said that Lady He should first check the East Side Hall. If there is anything that needs to be added, it shall be done today so that you do not feel wronged during your stay.”

This was what they had agreed upon initially; Yan Yunti took the pseudonym ‘He’ to make it easier for the attendants to address her.

Xiao Ran’s insistence on her going to the East Side Hall only served to confirm that the music indeed came from the Princess’s own hands. Yan Yunti shifted her steps and headed straight for the moon gate.

“Lady He, the East Side Hall is not in that direction,” Xiao Ran stepped forward, attempting to block her.

Yan Yunti dodged nimbly, precisely avoiding Xiao Ran every single time. Xiao Ran looked at her in surprise; Yan Yunti’s agility was far beyond her expectations. With that slight distraction, Yan Yunti had already slipped into the garden.

The flowers in the garden were in full bloom. Walking deep into the blossoms, she saw a pavilion draped on all four sides with light gauze. The setting sun cast an ethereal glow upon the fabric. Looking through the veil, one could vaguely see the silhouette of the beauty playing the zither.

Yan Yunti’s gaze froze for a moment. As the wind lifted the gauze, their eyes met. The beauty gave her a cold glance, but the music did not stop.

Yan Yunti stood and listened for a moment before a sudden whim took her. She removed her veiled hat, turned to draw the silver sword from Xiao Ran’s hand, and spun around to dance with the sword to the rhythm of the zither.

Xiao Ran was startled and looked toward the Princess. Seeing the Princess made no sign to stop it, Xiao Ran thought for a moment and quietly retreated.

Outside the pavilion, the girl’s skirts flew, and the silver sword in her hand turned into a streak of flowing light, shifting and transforming with her movements.

Yuan Jingxue sat within the pavilion, that bright blue figure reflected in the depths of her eyes. The music flowing from her fingertips grew more rapid.

As the zither melody changed, the girl’s sword dance became increasingly sharp and imposing, vaguely revealing a hint of killing intent. As the tip of the sword swept past, the thin gauze fell away, allowing them to see each other’s figures clearly.

The girl’s smiling phoenix eyes crashed directly into her sight.

For a split second, the zither hit a wrong note. Yuan Jingxue’s expression remained unchanged, her fingers brushing over the strings as the music slowed into a graceful conclusion.

Yan Yunti’s sword moves softened accordingly, the killing intent vanishing. Each stance no longer seemed like it was meant to kill, but rather to pluck at someone’s heartstrings.

Before the final note fell, Yan Yunti took advantage of a turn to flick an object from her sleeve into the air, then lunged toward Yuan Jingxue with the tip of her sword.

Yuan Jingxue did not move an inch. As the last note dissipated, the silver sword stopped exactly one foot away from her, and a purple magnolia flower landed lightly upon the tip of the blade.

The flower was in full bloom, its light fragrance wafting by with the breeze. It was like a delicate wisp of pheromones.

“Does Your Highness like it?” the girl asked, her face full of the radiance of spring.

It was unclear if she was asking about the flower or the person.

Just then, a light breeze blew past, knocking the magnolia onto the zither strings. Yuan Jingxue spoke with a detached tone: “Passing through ten thousand flowers without a single leaf sticking to the body—Miss Yan, you could compete with butterflies in dance.”

These words sounded like praise, but the more one tasted them, the more they felt off.

Yan Yunti sheathed her sword and walked over to pick up the magnolia, twirling it in her palm. “Is Your Highness praising me as a social butterfly? Unluckily for you, this butterfly loves magnolias most. Don’t look at how small it is; it can be fried or boiled—there are many ways to play with it.”

Again, it was unclear if she spoke of the flower or the person.

Yuan Jingxue was somewhat familiar with the Qianyuan’s nature—give her an inch and she’d take a mile—so she didn’t play along. She stood up to walk out. “If there is nothing else, return to the East Side Hall.”

She had originally come to find peace of mind; Yan Yunti’s appearance had shattered her tranquility, and there was no use staying longer.

“Your Highness doesn’t believe me?” Yan Yunti tossed the magnolia into the air, full of confidence. “It just so happens I have nothing to do today. I’ll cook some for Your Highness to eat in a bit.”

Yan Yunti was a woman of action. She had brought many magnolia flowers. Under Bawei’s arrangement, she busied herself in the kitchen for a long while. She coated half of the magnolias in prepared batter and deep-fried them until they were golden brown on both sides, and brewed the other half into floral tea.

When finished, she divided them into two portions. She had Bawei deliver one, while she took the other to the East Side Hall. There, she drank tea and ate flowers while opening a book from the bottom of her bundle.

This book explained how to soothe a Kunze’s gland, complete with diagrams and text; it wasn’t as “indecent” as the previous one. Yan Yunti read carefully, holding a piece of warm jade in her hands as she earnestly studied the way of massage.

Night fell in the blink of an eye. Yan Yunti closed the book and drained the cooled flower tea in one gulp. The cold tea entering her stomach should have extinguished any fires, but the tea carried a thick scent of magnolia. The fragrance lingering in her mouth instead made her inner fire burn more fiercely.

The first half of the book was fine, teaching the method of using fingertips to massage the gland. Initially, Yan Yunti could study seriously without stray thoughts. However, the things taught later became increasingly outrageous.

If fingertips could massage the gland, then lips and the tip of the tongue could do the same.

There are some things one simply shouldn’t think about; to do so is fatal.

Yan Yunti rose restlessly. She pushed open the window and looked out, her gaze inevitably drifting toward the main hall. The main hall was brightly lit; it seemed the Princess had not yet retired.

She wondered if she had eaten the flowers she made? Drunk the tea?

She was clearly thinking of food and drink, yet what appeared in her mind were the woman’s slightly parted red lips, and what echoed in her ears were suppressed moans and low panting.

Yan Yunti reached up to press against the throbbing gland at the back of her neck, her heart loathing her own indecent thoughts. Suddenly, her ears twitched as she heard a delicate ringing of a bell.

Was this… the Princess calling her?

Before the ringing had even stopped, Yan Yunti had already stepped out of the East Side Hall. Her face was covered with a white silk veil, hiding half of her features. This way, it wouldn’t be as conspicuous as a veiled hat; she could simply say she had an ailment on her face.

“Her Highness invites Lady He inside to talk,” Bawei and Jinsi walked to the outside of the hall, making way.

Yan Yunti strode into the main hall and headed toward the western side. Along the way, she didn’t catch even a wisp of the Kunze’s pheromones. Reaching the partition of the inner chamber, she saw Yuan Jingxue leaning against the daybed, a thin blanket over her waist. Her eyes were closed, and she was rubbing her forehead with her hand, seemingly in discomfort.

Yan Yunti realized what was happening and took two steps forward. “Does Your Highness have a headache?”

Yuan Jingxue raised her eyes to look at her and nodded slowly. After a moment of thought, she said, “Yan Yunti, release your scent.”

Yan Yunti’s brow twitched.

A headache was an initial reaction to the onset of the Dependency Period. Knowing Yuan Jingxue’s personality, it was more likely she would try to endure it. Why would she so proactively request her to release her scent?

Had her previous persuasion actually worked?

“Your Highness, truly?” Yan Yunti asked, unconvinced.

Yuan Jingxue saw her doubt and countered, “Is Miss Yan afraid?”

One moment she was “Yan Yunti,” the next “Miss Yan.” Even when asking for help, the Princess would not lower her posture.

“What do I have to be afraid of?” Yan Yunti suddenly felt mischievous. She walked to the daybed, leaned down to look at Yuan Jingxue, and said with a beaming smile, “Since Your Highness wants me to act as incense to soothe your headache, shouldn’t you give me a little reward?”

Yuan Jingxue met her gaze calmly. “What does Miss Yan want?”

“It’s simple,” Yan Yunti’s phoenix eyes curved with laughter. “How about Your Highness calls me ‘A-Yun’?”

This name easily triggered certain associations. During the day in the bathhouse, Yuan Jingxue had called out “A-Yun” twice in that state. The result was a Qianyuan who went back on her word and did as she pleased.

Facing such a demand again, Yuan Jingxue should have refused. But seeing Yan Yunti’s confident smile, a thought rose in her mind. She suddenly raised her hand to loop around the Qianyuan’s neck. Under Yan Yunti’s surprised gaze, her lips moved almost against the corner of the other’s mouth as she said in a gentle tone:

“A-Yun, I need your scent.”