After Accidentally Marking the Cold and Elegant Eldest Princess - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Coaxing the Drunkard

“What nonsense are you talking about?” Yuan Jingxue looked at Yan Yunti’s flushed cheeks and pressed the back of her fingers against the girl’s burning face. “How much did you drink? Are you drunk?”

Yan Yunti grabbed her hand and shook her head. “My tolerance is excellent. A few measly cups won’t make me drunk.” As she spoke, her fingertips hooked into the sash at Yuan Jingxue’s waist. With a practiced tug, she pulled the crimson silk belt free, caught Yuan Jingxue’s wrists, and began winding it around them loop after loop.

Yuan Jingxue tried to struggle, but Yan Yunti’s strength was too great. She couldn’t call out for help, so she had to watch helplessly as this drunkard tied her hands together, pressed them above her head, and kissed her again.

Now it was even harder to push her away. Yuan Jingxue hadn’t realized that Yan Yunti became even more unreasonable when drunk—and seemingly immune to pain. When she bit the girl’s tongue, the kiss only became fiercer. Yan Yunti didn’t pull back until the Princess was nearly breathless, her left hand already finding its way to Yuan Jingxue’s front.

Yuan Jingxue gasped for air. With them being so close and having been kissed twice already, it was impossible not to have a reaction.

“Yan Yunti!” she called out urgently.

Yan Yunti had lowered her head, but at the sound of her name, she looked up, her expression turning aggrieved. “What, Your Highness won’t even let me kiss you now?”

“Even if I don’t let you, haven’t you already done it?” Yuan Jingxue truly had no way to deal with her, not understanding where this temper had come from tonight. “Who provoked you today? Go take it out on them. Why are you causing a scene with me?” They hadn’t even spoken all day; surely she hadn’t caused this dog-like temper?

On the other hand, at the evening banquet, her cousin had sent that tray of roasted meat to Tan Ning. Perhaps Yan Yunti had seen it, and given her relationship with Tan Ning…

The more Yuan Jingxue thought, the colder her expression became.

Seeing this look, Yan Yunti felt she was being loathed. Her lip twitched, and her long lashes lowered. “Your Highness really has started to despise me. Now that you have someone else, you don’t want me anymore. How heartless.” As she spoke, her eyes grew wet, and she looked at Yuan Jingxue with watery peach-blossom eyes. “Does Your Highness truly not like me at all? Where exactly is Ning Ruolan better than me? You can welcome her with smiles, but with me, you act indifferent. It’s hard enough to get a smile out of you. Am I really that disliked by Your Highness?”

Yuan Jingxue froze. Looking at the moisture in Yan Yunti’s eyes, she belatedly understood the meaning behind her words. Was she dissatisfied because of her better attitude toward her cousin? It seemed to be more than that.

Yuan Jingxue dared not think too deeply. There was no reasoning with a drunk person; she just couldn’t take these words to heart. “Ruolan and I have known each other since childhood. Naturally, my attitude toward her is familiar. How can that be compared?” Mid-sentence, seeing Yan Yunti’s tearful, wounded expression, she sighed helplessly. Her voice softened: “Why don’t you think—besides you, who would dare tie my hands so unreasonably? Haven’t I indulged you enough lately? Who else could just walk in and kiss me…”

She couldn’t finish the sentence. Fortunately, the coaxing worked.

Yan Yunti blinked, a spark of a smile lighting up her eyes as she leaned close to Yuan Jingxue’s face. “Then Your Highness does like me a little, right?”

Yuan Jingxue frowned slightly. She didn’t want to answer. After a moment’s hesitation, the smile in Yan Yunti’s eyes vanished, replaced by tears again. “As I thought. Your Highness is just lying to me. If you’re going to lie, why can’t you just keep lying?”

Yuan Jingxue’s heart tightened. Clearly, the Qianyuan was the one bullying her, yet this expression made it look as if she were the heartless one. She had to keep coaxing her, otherwise, with this temper, who knew how she would act out?

“Yes,” Yuan Jingxue whispered. In the light rising in Yan Yunti’s eyes, she slowly added: “Perhaps there is some liking. But… whether this liking comes from the heart or the body, I do not know.”

Even so, these words were enough to make the Qianyuan very happy.

“Your Highness likes me.” Yan Yunti pulled her into a hug, repeating the phrase joyfully into her ear. She didn’t untie the sash around Yuan Jingxue’s wrists; instead, she made her drape her bound arms over her neck so the Princess couldn’t push her away.

Pheromones melded and dispersed between their lips as Yan Yunti rubbed against her repeatedly. “Jingxue, say ‘I like A-Yun,’ okay?”

Yuan Jingxue pursed her lips and refused. Yan Yunti wouldn’t give up so easily, pressing her into the couch and wearing her down until finally, Yuan Jingxue opened her lips. Her eyes filled with the mist of passion. First, she called out “A-Yun.” After a pause, feeling Yan Yunti’s prompting, she said in an extremely soft tone: “Like.”

A-Yun likes was better than Like A-Yun.

Just as Yuan Jingxue thought this, she regretted it.

The map and ink fell to the floor. Yan Yunti looked up at her from below, her smile brilliant. “Your Highness said ‘like’ herself. A-Yun must satisfy Your Highness.”

In this state, there wasn’t a trace of drunkenness left.

When she said “like,” since when did it mean that? The girl was clearly sober and calculating against her.

Yuan Jingxue didn’t have time to be angry before the mist in her eyes began to ripple…

In Ning Ruolan’s tent in the distance.

Tan Ning moved quickly, sealing every window crack and door curtain in the tent to ensure no pheromones would drift out. Only then did she return to the bedside.

Ning Ruolan lay on the couch, her face flushed deep red. Her usually tight collar had been tugged loose by her own hand. She was breathing heavily, as if unable to catch her air. As she lost her composure, a faint scent of green plum drifted from the back of her neck—like a tart, newly-formed plum, the fragrance just right, making one’s mouth water.

When Tan Ning smelled these pheromones, she felt only her body’s resistance to the scent. She and Ning Ruolan were both Kunze; their pheromones repelled each other. Her body urged her to leave, yet she knelt down and looked at Ning Ruolan. “Lord Ning, are you still conscious?”

Ning Ruolan had come to apologize, but her heat had suddenly arrived mid-way. Tan Ning had no choice but to support her and lead her back to the tent. Now, she didn’t know what to do.

The voice seemed distant. Ning Ruolan felt a ball of fire inside her, burning her consciousness, yet she forced herself to look at Tan Ning. “I’m fine. I have medicine to suppress the heat. Help me get it.”

“Alright.” Tan Ning rose to help her, finding a small white porcelain bottle. She poured out a bright red pill. Just as she was about to give it to Ning Ruolan, her nose twitched. she held the pill close to her nose and sniffed carefully, her brow furrowing. “Lord Ning, where did this medicine come from? It smells wrong. Have you taken it before?”

Ning Ruolan felt her breath grow hotter. She forced her logic to hold: “My cycle has always been irregular. I took two before coming to Mount Lu. They were effective for the last two months; even when the heat came, my pheromones wouldn’t go out of control. It shouldn’t be like this today.”

Tan Ning poured the pill back. Her voice was firm. “There is definitely a problem with this medicine. I have studied medicine; I recognize one of the ingredients. It is addictive. And since you’ve taken it already and you’re in this state, it means it is useless now. You cannot take more.”

Ning Ruolan believed her, but her condition was worsening. Her scent was becoming intense. Seeing Tan Ning about to stand up, she suddenly grabbed her wrist, her scorching breath hitting the girl. “Then do you know any other way to resolve the heat? I am responsible for the security of Mount Lu. I cannot be gone for too long.”

Tan Ning felt the heat on her wrist. She pulled a pouch from her waist and took out a “Cold Fragrance Pill,” handing it to Ning Ruolan. “This can provide some slight relief. But if you want to resolve the heat in the short term, it will be difficult. Even if I had a way, it would take at least a day.”

Ning Ruolan took the pill and swallowed it immediately without a hint of hesitation.

Tan Ning was stunned, not understanding why Ning Ruolan trusted her so much.

Ning Ruolan looked straight at her. “One day, then. Tan Ning, I trust you. Use whatever method you have. Afterwards, I will surely reward you with gold and heavy thanks.”

Ning Ruolan’s face and neck were crimson, her breathing ragged.

Tan Ning knew she was forcing herself to hold on, but it was hard to say how much longer she could last. Her lips moved as she whispered, “I’m afraid when the time comes, you won’t thank me at all, you’ll only want to silence me.”

Ning Ruolan didn’t understand. She looked at the hesitating Tan Ning, her tone certain: “Rest assured. No matter what you do tonight, I will not blame you. And don’t… be so afraid of me.” She was losing her grip on her senses; the girl’s wrist felt ice-cold in her grip, and she instinctively wanted to press it against her own neck.

Tan Ning’s fingertips touched Ning Ruolan’s neck and she flinched at the heat. She could see Ning Ruolan’s mind was about to shatter.

That medicine really was the problem. How could a normal Kunze heat come on so violently? Let alone this state of delirium.

There was no other way. She couldn’t just leave Ning Ruolan to suffer here alone. As a fellow Kunze, she had to help.

Tan Ning made up her mind and sat on the edge of the bed. Her retreating fingers moved forward to touch Ning Ruolan’s neck, sliding back to find the burning gland. She whispered, “I hope Lord Ning really won’t blame me when she wakes up.”

Through her fracturing consciousness, Ning Ruolan heard those words. She raised her hand to grab Tan Ning’s other wrist and pulled her close. Her lips accidentally brushed the girl’s cheek. The young woman’s fragrance was something she craved; she pulled her even closer. “I won’t. Do what you must.”

Tan Ning’s face flushed red. Taking advantage of the fact that Ning Ruolan still had a shred of consciousness, she explained it clearly in her ear: “I need…”

She didn’t know if Ning Ruolan truly heard her, but after hearing it, Ning Ruolan actually took her hand and pressed it onto her own waistband. Her scorching breath turned Tan Ning’s face even redder, and her next words were even more shocking: “Tan Ning, I have never had… if you are willing, I trust you.”

A spring rain fell during the night. The next day, the rain passed and the sky cleared, making the air exceptionally fresh.

Yan Yunti woke up lazily holding the fragrant, soft beauty in her arms. Looking at the Princess’s peaceful sleeping face, she leaned in to give her a light kiss on the eyelashes. She had intended only one kiss, but her heart was moved. The kisses drifted to the lips, and she accidentally woke the woman up.

Yuan Jingxue’s sleepiness hadn’t faded. Thinking she was in a dream, she murmured softly, “A-Yun, don’t play.” Last night had been too exhausting; she was truly drained and wanted to sleep longer.

Yan Yunti’s lips moved down. “I’m not playing. You sleep.” Though she said it, she loved those soft “bunnies” too much to remain indifferent.

Yuan Jingxue was prodded awake. Remembering the chaos of last night, she pinched the Qianyuan’s ear to make her look up. She looked at her coldly. “Tell me. Were you actually drunk last night or not?”

Yan Yunti hurriedly rescued her ear and said without hesitation: “Of course I was drunk.”

“Is that so?” Yuan Jingxue sneered. “If I believe you again, I truly am a fool.”