After Accidentally Marking the Cold and Elegant Eldest Princess - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Sowing Discord

“I truly was drunk,” Yan Yunti explained hesitantly. “It’s just… I wasn’t quite as severely drunk as Your Highness imagined.”

Last night, feeling stifled and troubled, she had indeed consumed quite a bit of wine at the banquet. By the time she reached Yuan Jingxue’s tent, the alcohol had kicked in; seeing her, she immediately wanted to kiss her. Realizing Yuan Jingxue had misunderstood her state, she simply played along, tricking the beauty into coaxing her with a gentle voice.

Later, she had inevitably become carried away and let a few clues slip.

Seeing Yuan Jingxue’s expression grow increasingly cold as if preparing to scold her, Yan Yunti immediately sat up. Tucking the quilt around the Princess, she cut her off: “Since Your Highness is weary, sleep a while longer. I’ve read several books on medicinal cuisine recently; I’ll go and cook a bowl of nourishing sweet porridge for you.”

Having said this, Yan Yunti scrambled out of bed to dress.

Fortunately, the palace robes she wore last night hadn’t gotten wet. She smoothed the wrinkles in the fabric, lowered her head, and slipped out of the tent. Back in her own quarters, she freshened up before heading to the kitchen.

Given Yan Yunti’s status, no one blocked her from personally cooking the porridge. All the necessary ingredients were provided. She simmered the sweet porridge over a low flame until the aroma was mouth-watering. After tasting it a few times to ensure it was right, she poured it into a white ceramic pot.

The back-and-forth was quite a feat; she had to change clothes twice and avoid prying eyes. Luckily, with Xiao Ran’s assistance, Yan Yunti successfully carried the porridge into the tent.

Yuan Jingxue had just risen. She held her lower back, massaging it slowly. Seeing Yan Yunti enter, she gave a faint glance but said nothing.

Yan Yunti set the tray down and sat naturally on the edge of the bed, reaching out to massage the small of the Princess’s back. “How is the pressure? Too light or too heavy?”

Yuan Jingxue didn’t want to acknowledge her, let alone let her perform a massage, but Yan Yunti’s technique was undeniably good. Her waist was incredibly sore, and the massage provided significant relief.

“Just right,” Yuan Jingxue said briefly.

“Then I’ll bring the porridge over. Eat first, Your Highness.” Yan Yunti stood to move the low table onto the couch. She uncovered the pot and ladled out a steaming bowl of sweet porridge, placing it on the table before returning to massage Yuan Jingxue’s back.

Yuan Jingxue blocked her hand, her expression neutral. “Eat together.”

“Alright.” Yan Yunti beamed, sighing contentedly. “Your Highness is so kind.”

Clearly she’s angry, yet she still remembers I haven’t eaten.

Yuan Jingxue couldn’t be bothered with her. Her gaze fell on the porridge. She picked up a porcelain spoon and took a shallow sip; it was soft, glutinous, and sweet, melting the moment it touched her tongue.

Yuan Jingxue’s expression shifted. Having eaten too much heavy roasted meat over the past two days, this sudden taste of sweet porridge was surprisingly refreshing. Unknowingly, she finished two bowls and three soup dumplings before she could eat no more.

Yet there was still much left on the table, including half the pot of porridge.

Yan Yunti ate faster and much more than she did. Seeing the Princess stop her chopsticks, she looked up and said, “Don’t worry, I can finish it. Your Highness’s appetite is growing; this is very good.”

Yuan Jingxue snorted inwardly. How could it not be? After all that tossing last night… insisting on putting my legs over your shoulders, insisting I watch you before you’d continue, coaxing me into saying ‘like’ so many times.

Yuan Jingxue didn’t want to get angry—after all, she had more or less indulged her last night—but for some reason, seeing Yan Yunti looking so pleased and refreshed irritated her. She said coldly, “Does Miss Yan know how to do anything besides tormenting people?”

Having eaten and drunk her fill, Yan Yunti moved the table aside and sat close to Yuan Jingxue, speaking with genuine sincerity: “My sense of direction and memory are excellent, and I have been to the Eastern Province. I saw Your Highness looking at a map last night. If you are willing, I can help you find the smoothest and swiftest route to the East.”

Yan Yunti’s sharpness caught Yuan Jingxue off guard. She had been sketching on the map last night before being interrupted; she thought Yan Yunti hadn’t noticed. She didn’t expect her to guess her thoughts directly.

Yuan Jingxue did indeed want to reach the Eastern Province as quickly as possible, a matter she couldn’t let many people know. She unfurled the map that had been stained with ink the night before. “Can you remember the parts obscured by the ink?”

Yan Yunti rubbed her nose guiltily; it was her fault for knocking the items over.

Fortunately, she had caught a glimpse and roughly remembered the obscured sections. Studying the map and drawing on her past experience traveling by land and water, she sketched out two routes.

Yan Yunti: “Both of these paths work. At a fast pace, you can reach the East in ten days. The water route is more frequent, which saves the hardship of long carriage travel. If Your Highness trusts me, I can go back and draw a more detailed map for your arrangements.”

“You can draw maps?” Yuan Jingxue’s expression showed slight surprise.

Yan Yunti blew on the wet ink while rolling up the scroll, smiling. “Because my memory is good; I remember every road I’ve walked.”

Yuan Jingxue remained silent. Mapmaking wasn’t something just anyone could do. Having a good sense of direction was one thing; being able to detail it onto a map that others could interpret was quite another.

After a long silence, Yuan Jingxue suddenly asked, “With your talent, why did you not join the military?”

“Is Your Highness praising me as general material?” Yan Yunti set the rolled map aside and leaned in close to Yuan Jingxue, her gaze lingering on the Princess’s lips. “Your Highness doesn’t know—I am someone who only loves pleasure. Years ago, all I wanted was to travel the world. But now,” she suddenly stole a kiss from Yuan Jingxue’s lips, her smile broadening, “now I only want to ‘kiss the fragrant blossom’; I have no other ambitions.”

Yuan Jingxue couldn’t tell if she was being serious. She tried to push her away. “Do you ever have a serious moment?”

“I am only un-serious with Your Highness,” Yan Yunti said, getting closer despite the push until their noses touched. “What about Your Highness? Do you only permit me to be un-serious?”

Yan Yunti understood now that Yuan Jingxue and Ning Ruolan shared a sisterly bond, but they weren’t blood sisters; who knew what the future held? She still felt a trace of insecurity and wanted Yuan Jingxue to soothe it.

Yuan Jingxue didn’t want to indulge her, but the image of the girl looking at her with tearful, aggrieved eyes flashed in her mind. She gave an uncomfortable “Mhm,” quickly adding: “Before the dependency period ends, there will be no one else. You are not allowed to use that reason to cause trouble for me in the future.”

Saying I’d abandon her for someone else—the things she comes up with.

The joy that had just risen in Yan Yunti’s heart sank again at the mention of the “dependency period.” She hummed unhappily and kissed Yuan Jingxue’s lips. “Then let Your Highness allow me to cause trouble one more time, and I won’t bother you again from today until tomorrow.”

Yan Yunti was now in a state where she kissed whenever she pleased. Yuan Jingxue had no way to stop her; when the girl turned stubborn, even biting her did no good. Yuan Jingxue was kissed until she was breathless, wondering when she had become so good-tempered as to allow a Qianyuan to haggle with her.

Yan Yunti knew her limits and didn’t push too far, taking only a few extra kisses and touches before the Eldest Princess ruthlessly drove her out of the tent.

With nothing to do, she thought about finding Tan Ning to go riding, but she couldn’t find her anywhere. Yan Yunti rode into the forest alone to wander, and by sheer coincidence, ran into the smiling Second Princess.

After a moment’s thought, Yan Yunti exchanged pleasantries with Yuan Lianhua. The two rode forward side-by-side, while their attendants trailed far behind.

Yuan Lianhua noticed her change in attitude—less distant than before. After talking about the hunt for a while, she shifted the topic to the Third Prince. “Yesterday, I saw my third brother’s expression; I fear he was severely scolded by Imperial Mother because of that business with the Cui family. I only hope that after this, he can regain his senses.”

Yan Yunti feigned ignorance. “Wasn’t that matter with the Cui boy a misunderstanding? He was just babbling in his cups; what does that have to do with the Third Prince?”

Yuan Lianhua shook her head with a smile. “There aren’t that many misunderstandings or coincidences in this world. For example, at the Thousand-Year Feast, someone designed a fine play for Miss Yan, using a ‘life-saving favor’ to get close to you, and then used that event to strip my mother of half her palace authority to give to Consort Shu Min. It looked like Third Brother gained an advantage, yet a few drunken words have caused him to lose the Emperor’s favor. How subtle and profound the calculations.”

These few sentences were laced with hidden meaning, laying everything bare.

Yan Yunti’s expression turned grim, though internally she was thinking of Yuan Jingxue’s initial warning. Indeed, someone couldn’t hold back anymore. It seemed Yuan Lianhua was here to sow discord today. Since that was the case, how could she let her efforts go to waste?

Yan Yunti’s face darkened, and she couldn’t help but ask, “Is Your Highness implying that my ordeal at the Thousand-Year Feast was all the work of that person?”

The reference was vague, but Yuan Lianhua picked it up smoothly: “Why doesn’t Miss Yan consider it? Yaohua Hall was her residence before she left the palace; could she really be unaware of what others were doing in her own palace? It was merely a matter of ‘using the enemy’s plot for one’s own ends’.”

Anger gradually rose in Yan Yunti’s eyes. She gripped the reins tightly and remained silent for a long while before letting out a cold laugh. “So I was just a chess piece. I thought her help that day was out of kindness…” She trailed off, turning her head to compose herself. Once her face was calm, she looked back at Yuan Lianhua. “Thank you for telling me this today, Second Princess. If you ever have a need in the future, please do not hesitate to ask.”

A light flickered in Yuan Lianhua’s eyes, and her smile became more genuine. “I told you this only because I didn’t want Miss Yan to trust the wrong person and regret it later. You need not take it to heart. I’ve heard Miss Yan is excellent at archery; how about a match today?”

Yan Yunti naturally accepted. After dealing with the Second Princess, she returned near dusk. Passing Tan Ning’s tent, she saw her friend clutching her hands tightly and rushing inside.

Sensing something was wrong, Yan Yunti followed and called from outside: “Tan Ning, can I come in?”

Inside, Tan Ning was frantically wiping her hands with a cloth. She jumped at the voice. She had walked too fast and hadn’t even washed her hands; she simply didn’t know how to face Ning Ruolan. It was her first time doing that kind of thing, and she was completely unpracticed, though Ning Ruolan had trusted her and let her try slowly.

She could tell Ning Ruolan was comfortable in the end. She used to think the woman was terrifying, but seeing her today and last night, when she was moved, the sharpness in her features dissolved into a seductive beauty that was hard to look away from. Even her green plum scent had become pleasant…

Tan Ning covered her face in a breakdown. How can I be reminiscing about this! Forcing herself to regain composure, she called out, “Come in.”

Yan Yunti entered and saw her sitting on the couch, scrubbing her fingers incessantly. “Your hands are rubbed red; stop wiping them,” she said curiously.

Tan Ning made a soft “mhm,” put down the cloth, and looked at her. “What do you need?”

“Nothing, I just saw you looked upset and was worried,” Yan Yunti frowned as she looked at her. “Where were you today? Why are your clothes so wrinkled?”

Tan Ning looked down at her crumpled dress and felt another internal collapse. There was no help for it; who told Ning Ruolan to have such strength? When she was delirious, she insisted on holding her so tightly she nearly broke Tan Ning’s waist. There were probably marks left there.

Who bullied whom exactly!

Exhausted by her own panic, Tan Ning said expressionlessly, “Don’t ask. I won’t say anything.” She couldn’t be bothered to make up a lie.

Yan Yunti arched a brow. “You’re acting strange. But since you don’t want to talk, I won’t ask. I’ll head out then; get some rest.”

As Yan Yunti turned to leave, Tan Ning called out urgently: “Wait!”

“You want to talk?” Yan Yunti turned back smoothly.

Tan Ning pulled a vial of medicine directly from her sleeve and handed it over. “This is ‘Scent Suppression Pill,’ something new that appeared in the capital over the last six months. They say it can suppress a Kunze’s heat, allowing them to walk outside like usual without being troubled by uncontrolled pheromones. But I smelled it; there’s an addictive ingredient inside, and the effect isn’t as good as they claim. This medicine is expensive to make. If it’s truly addictive, I fear it will trap many Kunze in a desperate situation.”

Yan Yunti took the vial, opened it, and poured out a pill to inspect. She couldn’t see the problem herself, so she simply asked, “What do you want me to do?”

“Can you lend me a few people?” Tan Ning didn’t beat around the bush. “I need to find out who made this, who sold it, and where the ingredients came from. First, we can’t let this keep circulating. Second, if I can analyze the proportions of the ingredients, I might be able to create a truly effective Scent Suppression Pill. That way, Kunze will be much freer in the future.”

“Alright.” Yan Yunti knew Tan Ning had always wanted to develop such a medicine. She handed the vial back and took a small jade tablet from her pouch. “Take this to Yulan Pavilion and give them my name. Tell them whatever you need.”

Just as Tan Ning took the tablet, over on the other side, Ning Ruolan had finished freshening up and went to see Yuan Jingxue, reporting the matter of the pills as well.

“I have never used such a pill,” Yuan Jingxue’s face was cold.

While feeling relieved, Ning Ruolan said sternly, “These people have malicious intentions; this must be investigated to the end.”

However, they couldn’t alert the enemy yet. The most important task at hand was tomorrow’s river tour and the release of the blessing lanterns.

Ning Ruolan led her team to inspect the pleasure boats and the lanterns, planning the security for the next day. It wasn’t until late into the night shift change that she could return to rest. Entering her tent, she was about to collapse onto the bed when she caught sight of something on the table. She walked over and picked up a vial of medicine and a piece of paper. On the paper was elegant handwriting: Applying this to ‘that place’ will provide some relief.

Looking at the medicine, Ning Ruolan let out a light laugh.

She didn’t dare show her face, yet she dared to risk sneaking in to deliver medicine.

It was indeed a bit uncomfortable. Tan Ning looked small and weak, but she actually had quite a lot of endurance—otherwise, she couldn’t have helped Ning Ruolan resolve her heat in a single day. She hadn’t expected them to reach this step.

Ning Ruolan became thoughtful. It turned out that Kunze and Kunze… wasn’t impossible after all.

By the evening of the next day, over a dozen pleasure boats had docked in sequence on the surface of the Lu River. The lead boat was ornately carved and painted, and the hexagonal palace lanterns hanging from the eaves illuminated the shimmering water in a brilliant display.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Eldest Princess stepped onto the deck of the imperial boat, followed by ten attendants.

Yan Yunti walked near the front, looking slightly up at Yuan Jingxue’s back. She thought to herself that there must be no mistakes today. She had to keep her eyes fixed on her; even if she herself fell into the water, she would never let Yuan Jingxue fall.