After Accidentally Marking the Cold and Elegant Eldest Princess - Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Soft and Nice to Touch

The gates of the capital stood wide open as the imperial procession departed, followed by a grand entourage so long the end was nowhere in sight.

Yan Yunti sat atop her horse, squinting against the piercing sunlight, unable to clearly see the imperial carriage far ahead. The procession moved slowly; at this sluggish pace, they wouldn’t reach Mount Lu until dusk. After settling in, she likely wouldn’t see the Eldest Princess until the palace night banquet.

Yan Yunti didn’t expect Yuan Jingxue to seek her out, and she hadn’t yet decided how to approach her. Finding the horse ride too slow and feeling irritable, she simply dismounted and switched to a carriage.

Upon lifting the curtain, she saw Yan Hengzhi sprawled messily across the seat. Fruit pits and melon seed shells were strewn everywhere. Her new storybook, which she had originally left tucked in a drawer, had been torn open and tossed on the table, its pages stained with unidentified tea spots.

Yan Yunti narrowed her eyes and let out a soft “tsk.”

Yan Hengzhi glanced at her with a crooked posture, not even bothering to sit up. While fiddling with a jade ring in his hand, he spoke with a sneer: “Did you think that if you didn’t help, I wouldn’t be able to come to Mount Lu? Keep dreaming! A destined Zhongyong like you thinks they can compete with a Qianyuan like me? You overestimate yourself!”

Without elders to restrain him, Yan Hengzhi had completely revealed his true nature.

Already frustrated, Yan Yunti warned coldly: “Get up. Clean all of this up.”

“Why should I! A Zhongyong dares to order—”

Before he could finish, Yan Yunti stepped forward, hoisted him up, and slammed him onto the table. As Yan Hengzhi turned to shout, Yan Yunti drew a short blade from her leg. The cold, sharp edge instantly pressed against his neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

Yan Hengzhi’s head went numb; he didn’t dare move, his voice trembling: “You… you dare point a knife at me…”

“I said, clean it up. Do you understand?” Yan Yunti’s expression was icy and harsh. The gentle, smiling facade she usually wore had vanished. Seeing him frozen in terror, she flipped the blade and lightly patted his cheek with the flat side, letting out a soft laugh: “You’d best not cause trouble for me these next few days. I’m not Grandmother or your parents. If you stay quiet, we’ll coexist peacefully. But if you dare use the Marquis’s name to cause a scene, we’ll be far away at Mount Lu—if you happen to break an arm or a leg, or get half your body torn by a tiger or wolf… well, accidents happen, don’t they?”

As she spoke, she traced the tip of the knife vaguely over his arms and thighs. Though it left no mark, it terrified Yan Hengzhi to his core. He looked brave, but he was actually easily cowed. Yan Yunti’s naked threat, combined with her chilling smile, made him swallow every word of protest.

Yan Yunti took the center seat and watched as he scrubbed the table and floor clean. Then, she smiled and gestured for him to sit. “Why sit so stiffly? Sit down, I have questions for you.”

Yan Hengzhi sat cautiously near the door. “What… what does Cousin want to ask?”

Yan Yunti tapped the opened storybook and asked bluntly: “Who helped you get to Mount Lu?”

“I… I don’t know.” Yan Hengzhi lowered his head, not daring to look at her.

“Is that so?” Yan Yunti spun the short blade in her hand and threw it. The blade flew and thudded into the table right in front of him, sinking deep into the wood. He jumped in his seat, his head hitting the carriage roof with a “thud,” before shrinking back and clutching his head. With a sob, he confessed: “I really don’t know! I—I just overheard Father mentioning the Third Prince… something about ‘merit for supporting a new ruler,’ ‘glory and wealth,’ ‘the Marquis title’… Father said you’re a destined Zhongyong, so everything in the Marquis’s house belongs to me. You’ll be married off anyway… you can’t treat me like this…”

Yan Hengzhi’s explanation was muddled, but Yan Yunti understood. It seemed her second uncle had made a connection with the Third Prince—perhaps he had already picked a side. Did he really think that by siding with the Third Prince, the Marquis title her mother had earned through years of guarding the border would easily fall onto his head?

Ultimately, they had enjoyed luxury for too long and felt they were entitled to every good thing. Grandmother had always favored the second branch… As Yan Yunti mused, she felt something was off. The “destined Zhongyong” remark wasn’t the first time she’d heard it from him.

“What do you mean by ‘destined Zhongyong‘?” Yan Yunti narrowed her eyes at him. “When did Second Uncle say that?”

“Huh?” Yan Hengzhi was dazed. Seeing her chilling gaze, he lowered his head and racked his brain. “It… it seems it was three years ago! Yes, three years ago, on my tenth birthday. I overheard him while looking for him…” Since then, he had kept those words in his heart, losing all respect for his elder sister. To him, she was just a weak girl—why had she suddenly become so fierce?

Yan Yunti frowned. Three years ago, she was only fifteen; there was still a chance she would differentiate into a Qianyuan. Was that sentence just a casual comment, or was there ulterior motive? Her differentiation at eighteen had been quite late—what if that delay was intentional?

She didn’t want to dive into conspiracy theories yet; everything needed proof, and it was best not to alert the enemy. She looked at the huddled Yan Hengzhi, stepped over to pull the knife out, and waved it before his eyes. “If someone asks how you got that scratch on your neck, how will you answer?”

“I—I accidentally cut myself!” Yan Hengzhi replied instantly.

Yan Yunti nodded with satisfaction, donned her smile again, and “persuaded” him a bit more to ensure he wouldn’t speak of today’s events. Only then did she sit back and leisurely open her storybook.

At dusk, the procession reached the Mount Lu Palace.

Yan Yunti stepped out of the carriage and stood on the railing, looking into the distance. The landscape of Mount Lu was vast and open, with dense forests nearby. The air was fresh, making her feel much better.

She jumped down and looked back at the cowering Yan Hengzhi. She smiled and gave him a reminder: “See that hunting forest? There are plenty of wolves, insects, tigers, and leopards. Don’t wander off, or you might get hurt. Understood?”

To an outsider, this sounded like the affectionate concern of an elder sister. To Yan Hengzhi, it was a threat that made him break into a cold sweat. He nodded frantically, promising to be obedient.

Yan Yunti then vaulted onto her horse and galloped toward the hunting forest. There was still time before the night banquet. Most people were currently unpacking, so the forest was quiet, and the fiercest beasts hadn’t been released yet. The sunset bathed the woods in a quiet, warm yellow light. Riding through it, her mind relaxed.

She was actually troubled. If her second uncle had indeed done something, how would she tell her mother? Her mother, as the head of the house, was used to taking care of her siblings and believed the family was harmonious. Yet dissatisfaction and ambition were festering beneath the surface.

A flash of white caught her eye. Yan Yunti’s heart stirred; she planned to dismount quietly to catch a rabbit.

Before she could move, an arrow whistled from her flank, heading straight for the white rabbit. Without thinking, Yan Yunti threw her silver sword. It met the arrow mid-air, slicing it in two, before the sword tip embedded itself in a nearby tree. The commotion scared the rabbit into the thicket, and it vanished instantly.

“Is Miss Yan truly so soft-hearted?” a laughing voice called out from the side.

Yan Yunti turned. She first saw a woman in crimson finery riding at the front—her attire alone revealed her noble status. As for the woman behind her… Yan Yunti narrowed her eyes. She seemed to recognize her.

“Miss Yan, this is the Second Princess, and beside me is the envoy from Dongyou, Zhongli Yu,” explained the woman who had fired the arrow. She was Ding Min, daughter of the Vice Minister of War. She looked at her broken arrow and smiled. “Had I known Miss Yan wanted that rabbit, I wouldn’t have shot.”

Yan Yunti’s gaze met Second Princess Yuan Lianhua. This woman resembled her mother, Noble Consort Rong; her features were soft, making people feel an instinctive urge to be close to her. It was hard to imagine them using such underhanded tactics.

Yan Yunti gave a simple salute from her horse. “This servant greets the Second Princess.”

“No need for formalities.” Yuan Lianhua rode forward with a friendly smile. “I don’t think Miss Yan is soft-hearted; I think she found the rabbit cute and wanted to take it home. Am I right?”

She was half right. Yan Yunti did want to catch it to raise it, but not for herself.

“The Princess sees through me. I did want to catch a rabbit, but since that one was scared off, I shall look elsewhere. I won’t disturb your hunt.”

“No rush,” Yuan Lianhua suggested. “I’ll have the guards catch one for you—the prettiest, healthiest rabbit for Miss Yan.”

Yan Yunti shook her head. “I wouldn’t want to trouble the Princess. I prefer to catch one myself. Farewell.”

She retrieved her sword and rode off. Yuan Lianhua stayed behind and turned to her guest. “Miss Zhongli, didn’t you say you knew Miss Yan? Why didn’t you say hello?”

Zhongli Yu had long, narrow brows that gave her a sharp look, but she softened it with a helpless smile. “Miss Yan likely doesn’t remember me. Since she is busy, we can catch up later.”

“True, there will be plenty of opportunities.” Yuan Lianhua pushed aside her annoyance at Yan Yunti’s deliberate distance. “Let’s go hunt a few more things.”

Zhongli Yu glanced back at the direction Yan Yunti had taken, a flicker of emotion in her eyes.

Yan Yunti searched the forest and finally caught a snowy white rabbit, cradling it carefully in her arms. On her way out, she ran into Yuan Lianhua’s group again. Having been brushed off earlier, Yuan Lianhua wasn’t as enthusiastic, but the Dongyou envoy lingered and rode up to Yan Yunti’s side.

“Does Miss Yan truly not remember me?” Zhongli Yu asked.

Yan Yunti, holding the rabbit, rode slowly. She looked at Zhongli Yu and smiled. “Of course I remember. I was treated so well by Miss Zhongli in Dongyou; I still remember the food and wine there.”

Last year, while traveling with her mother, Yan Yunti had visited Dongyou and met Zhongli Yu. They had gotten along famously, sharing meals and strong wine. She hadn’t spoken up earlier because the Second Princess was present, and she didn’t want to appear too familiar.

Zhongli Yu’s smile widened, her sharpness softening completely. “Miss Yan is the most free-spirited person I’ve ever met. I wondered if I’d see you again while on this mission. If you’d like a drink, I brought several jars with me. Shall we have a few cups now?”

Yan Yunti was about to decline when her gaze drifted past Zhongli Yu to a group exiting the side of the forest. Her eyes lit up instantly, then she quickly masked it.

At the forest exit, Yuan Jingxue, dressed in purple, rode slowly. Seeing Yan Yunti chatting happily with another woman, she turned her gaze away indifferently and urged her horse to speed up.

Yan Yunti watched the purple shadow gallop past. She couldn’t help but wonder if Yuan Jingxue’s stamina could handle such a fast ride. Wasn’t she afraid of the saddle rubbing the inside of her thighs red? Her skin marked so easily, after all.

Stroking the rabbit, Yan Yunti declined. “I’m afraid not today. I need to go settle in. Let’s catch up another day.”

Zhongli Yu noticed the subtle change in her gaze. Pretending not to notice, she agreed: “Fine, another day then.”

Yan Yunti hurried to catch up and, while dismounting, gave a signal to Xiao Ran.

Soon, Xiao Ran found an opportunity to meet her. Yan Yunti handed over the plump white rabbit: “Make sure this rabbit gets to the Eldest Princess. Quickly.”

Xiao Ran thought there was some secret hidden on the rabbit and rushed it to Yuan Jingxue’s palace, but she couldn’t find any note or secret message no matter how hard she looked.

Yuan Jingxue looked at the shivering white rabbit and remembered what Yan Yunti had said that night in the side hall—that the way her body trembled looked like a white rabbit she had raised as a child, piteous and cute. She had even asked if the Princess wanted to raise one too.

“Rabbits are very cute, Your Highness will surely like them.”

Yuan Jingxue stared coldly at the rabbit until it shrank into Xiao Ran’s arms. “Throw it out.”

Xiao Ran’s eyes lit up. “It’s so plump. If Your Highness doesn’t want it, can I have it?” She basically had the word “eat” written on her face.

Yuan Jingxue looked at the silly rabbit, oblivious to the danger, and sighed. She changed her mind: “Leave it here. All of you, out.”

Once the room was empty, Yuan Jingxue looked at the rabbit on the daybed. After a moment of silence, she reached out and tentatively touched its ears. It was very soft and felt comfortable to touch.

Yan Yunti’s words echoed in her ears again: “Once Your Highness raises a rabbit, you’ll understand why I like to hug, touch, and squeeze Your Highness.”

Was she implying that the Princess was also soft and nice to touch?

Yuan Jingxue wanted to toss the rabbit out, but thinking of its likely fate if she did, she stopped. She pinched its ears and scolded: “Just like your master, you’re an expert at acting piteous.”

In reality, she wasn’t piteous at all. Yan Yunti was popular wherever she went, with people constantly sticking to her to talk.

Truly, a magnet for bees and butterflies.