After Becoming a Concubine, I Took Down the Princess - Chapter 5

“Achoo!” In Liuyun Mountain, Yan Heng was sitting in her house and inexplicably sneezed.

“So you were really kidnapped by a child?” A white-robed man sat at the table, his appearance similar to Yan Heng’s, his peach-blossom eyes now filled with teasing.

The man in front of her was her full-blood older brother, Yan Qiu. This fox had no other special talents, but his mouth could talk you into a fury.

She had returned to Liuyun Mountain five days ago, and her brother had only just returned from the Northern Region today. As soon as he entered the room, he started mocking her.

“Why don’t you mention that I beat the black bear and brought back so much treasure?” Yan Heng rolled her eyes at her brother.

“Speaking of that black bear, you really are bold. Why didn’t you ask me to go with you?” Yan Qiu took a sip of the tea on the table.

“You?” Yan Heng glanced at him sideways. “Just don’t drag me down. You’ve been practicing magic for so long, and you can’t even beat a fox cub.”

“Nonsense! I’m fifty years older than you, after all. Even if my cultivation is not as good as yours, at least I won’t hinder you.” Yan Qiu jumped up in anger, pointing at Yan Heng’s nose and yelling.

“But speaking of coincidences, I heard that after you injured the black bear, a snake demon who had attained enlightenment happened to pass by and caught the bear to refine elixirs,” Yan Qiu continued.

Yan Heng nonchalantly smoothed her hair, revealing the bracelet on her wrist, sparkling brightly in the sunlight.

“Your bracelet is very beautiful. Did you steal it from that child’s house too?” Yan Qiu grabbed her wrist and lifted it to examine it closely.

“It was an above-board matter, can you call it stealing?” Yan Heng was quite speechless. “It was clearly that little girl who insisted on giving it to me. I couldn’t refuse it, okay?”

“Something’s not right. This bracelet of yours doesn’t seem like a common object,” Yan Qiu stared at the bracelet for a long time, then suddenly said seriously.

“Of course it’s not a common object. That family looked very wealthy. Is this something a poor fellow like you can figure out?” Yan Heng said, trying to pull her wrist back, a look of disdain on her face.

“Get away, I’m not saying it’s valuable. This bracelet seems to have been infused with magic,” Yan Qiu frowned.

Having cultivated for fifty years longer, he noticed spiritual light flowing between the beads on the bracelet the moment he saw it, clearly indicating it was not an ordinary item.

While speaking, Yan Qiu tried to take off the bracelet, but to his surprise, he couldn’t remove it.

The bracelet was firmly fastened to Yan Heng’s wrist. Not only could it not be removed, but it also caused Yan Heng pain, making her wince.

Both of them were shocked. Could it be that they fell for that little girl’s trick, and this thing was going to suck away her lifespan?

Seeing her worried look, Yan Qiu pulled her up and said, “I can’t figure out the trick. Let’s go ask Grandma to take a look.” Grandma was said to have lived for over a thousand years, had deep cultivation, and extensive knowledge. The little foxes like Yan Heng loved listening to Grandma’s stories the most.

Grandma was leaning on a long staff and was dozing off under a tree.

“Grandma, please take a look at what this thing on Heng’er’s hand is?” Yan Qiu, afraid that his sister had fallen for a demon-catcher’s trap, said hastily.

Grandma opened her somewhat cloudy eyes, took Yan Heng’s wrist and turned it around, and after a moment, uttered three words.

“Love-Silk Clasp.”

“Love-Silk Clasp?” the brother and sister asked in unison.

Yan Heng quickly sat down and hugged Grandma’s arm: “Does this thing hurt people? Why can’t it be removed?” Yan Qiu sat on Grandma’s other side, also looking at her anxiously.

Grandma calmly patted Yan Heng’s hand: “Don’t worry, this bracelet doesn’t hurt people.” Then, Grandma recounted the origin of the bracelet in detail.

“The Love-Silk Clasp is made from pearls produced by the Mermen of Ronghaizhou. You can also thread on your favorite decorations and chains, but without the addition of magic, it’s just an ordinary bracelet. To enchant it, one must find a deeply cultivated Taoist priest or a revered monk to consecrate it.

Once enchanted, the bracelet gains another ability. The bracelet’s owner can gift it to the person they love. Even if that person doesn’t like them, as soon as they wear the bracelet, they will immediately become utterly devoted to the bracelet’s owner, and will continue to love them as long as the owner lives.”

Yan Qiu snorted: “Humans always resort to these crooked ways.”

“But I don’t feel like I’ve fallen in love with anyone?” Yan Heng frowned.

“The main effect of the Love-Silk Clasp only works on humans, its effect is greatly diminished on us demons. You won’t immediately fall in love with the person who gave you the bracelet, but have you smelled a strange scent on her, and do you dream of her every time you sleep?” Grandma continued.

Yan Heng instantly remembered the lotus scent she smelled on Xiaoxiao on the day she left. At first, she thought the child had changed her bathing fragrance. As for dreaming, she indeed dreamed of Xiaoxiao every time she fell asleep recently. She originally thought it was because she had spent too much time with the child, but now it seemed to be all due to the influence of the Love-Silk Clasp.

“But the one who gave me the bracelet is a child. She shouldn’t know the purpose of the Love-Silk Clasp,” Yan Heng said helplessly.

Grandma said: “After the owner of the Love-Silk Clasp dies, the bracelet will automatically recognize her blood relative as its owner. It seems this bracelet was originally her parents’ possession.”

She hadn’t seen Xiaoxiao’s mother at that house, so it must be her mother’s relic. Yan Heng asked: “Then how can I take it off? Can’t the person or demon who is wearing it remove it themselves?”

Grandma nodded: “Only the owner of the bracelet can remove it. But I don’t know what conditions are required to take it off.”

Yan Heng frowned deeply. Since it was the little girl’s mother’s relic, she shouldn’t keep it, but it seemed the little girl herself didn’t know the bracelet belonged to her mother. The Love-Silk Clasp would only make her dream of Xiaoxiao every night, which was nothing, but if Xiaoxiao found out later that she had casually given away her mother’s relic, she might be heartbroken.

Anyway, that family should be residents of Shangnan. She could sneak back in to return it when she goes down the mountain to buy things in a few days.

Three days later, Yan Heng sat under the big tree outside the house with a dark expression. Yan Qiu saw her looking dispirited, so he ran over gleefully: “Why the gloomy look, Heng’er?”

Yan Heng sighed: “This Love-Silk Clasp doesn’t just make me dream of the owner.”

“What else?” Hearing it was related to the Love-Silk Clasp, Yan Qiu became serious again.

“As soon as I close my eyes, that little girl appears. Combined with always dreaming, I don’t sleep well and feel sleepy all day. But as soon as I fall asleep, I start dreaming again.” Yan Heng had dark circles under her eyes.

Yan Qiu immediately pulled her up: “Come on, let’s go down the mountain to find that girl right now.”

In less than half a day, the two stood at the door of that house.

Only—

The front door was tightly locked, and even the door knocker had a layer of dust on it. The two of them cast an invisibility spell to enter the house, but there was no one inside.

The two foxes squatted dejectedly in the courtyard.

“They… moved away,” Yan Heng’s voice trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

“Maybe they just went out to travel. I’ll ask the neighbors,” Yan Qiu cheered up and pulled Yan Heng out again.

“Elder, do you know what the family next door has been doing lately?” Yan Qiu knocked on the neighbor’s door and asked.

“A few days ago, I saw them packing their things. They said they were going home,” the elder was holding a green onion, seemingly preparing to cook.

“Going home? This isn’t their home?” Yan Heng asked in surprise.

“Of course not. They moved in two months ago. I also thought they were going to live here permanently,” the elder said.

Yan Heng felt like she had been struck by lightning, freezing in place.

“Then do you know where they moved to?” Yan Qiu’s tone was anxious.

The elder waved his hand: “Why bother inquiring about others? I just mind my own business, old man.”

“If you two have nothing else, I won’t keep you. I still need to cook for my wife,” the elder said, ready to close the door and send them away.

The two foxes walked away heartbroken.

“What should I do—” Yan Heng buried her head on the table.

“They must be from Daning. Heng’er, why don’t I go with you to search everywhere,” Yan Qiu stroked her hair.

Yan Heng sat up and shook her head: “I’ll go by myself. You stay home with Dad and Mom. After all, it’s my fault.”

Yan Qiu knew that once his sister made a decision, it was difficult to change, so he only sighed and said: “Then be careful on your journey in the future, don’t get caught by demon-catchers.”

After saying that, he pulled out a white jade stone: “Wear this sound-transmitting stone as a jade pendant. If anything happens, immediately transmit a message to me.”

This kind of white jade stone could be used for sound transmission by injecting one’s own magic into it. The magic and demon cores of different demons are unique. A white jade stone of this size can accommodate up to five demons contacting each other.

Larger stones can even allow hundreds of demons to inject their magic and are used by many shopkeepers in the demon market to contact customers.

Yan Heng bid farewell to her clan members and thus embarked on the journey to find the girl.

This search lasted nine years. In these nine years, Yan Heng had almost set foot on every piece of land in Daning, inquiring among all the wealthy families in every prefecture and county. Now in Yandu, the capital of Daning, things finally had a clue.

She never imagined that the little girl was actually a princess. No wonder they only stayed for two months before leaving. It was probably the Emperor bringing his daughter out of the palace for a tour, and Yan Heng had encountered them by chance.

Yan Heng turned over and closed her eyes, ready to sleep. She had now gotten used to dreaming of Xiaoxiao and would not find it difficult to fall asleep like before. However, she had never seen Liang Xiao grown up, so Liang Xiao in her dreams was always a child. Yan Heng was extremely tired and fell into a deep sleep within a few breaths, going to catch butterflies with Liang Xiao in her dream.

Inside the Princess’s residence, Liang Xiao bathed and sat in front of the mirror, tidying her hair. She was troubled in her heart, worrying about her mother, Concubine Lian.

Ten years had passed, and clues were scarce. To find the truth about what happened back then, it would likely take much more effort.

Knock, knock. The door was knocked at this moment, and a slightly older maid entered, holding a piece of clothing in her arms, the very one Liang Xiao wore to the Xiyuan Tower during the day.

“This dress has been cleaned by your servant, but it’s missing a button,” Yue Zhou said to Liang Xiao while folding the clothes. “Your servant will sew the button on tomorrow and bring it back for you to wear.”

“Thank you, Auntie,” Liang Xiao smiled. “It’s so late, please go and rest quickly.”

Yue Zhou was an elderly retainer left by Liang Xiao’s mother, Concubine Lian, and had essentially watched her grow up. Their relationship was more like family than master and servant.

“Alright, your servant will go to rest after serving Your Highness to bed,” Yue Zhou smiled and helped Liang Xiao up, walking toward the bed. “Oh, in two days, another batch of palace maids will be entering the palace. His Majesty said that Your Highness’s palace is short of people and intends for you to choose the ones you like first before they are sent to the other palaces.”

Liang Xiao leaned on the bed and rubbed her temples: “I’m not interested in these things. Just leave it to Auntie to handle when the time comes. I trust your judgment.”

“Yes,” Yue Zhou agreed, drew the curtain around Liang Xiao’s bed, and blew out the lamp in the room.

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