After Being Marked by the Eldest Princess, I Got Pregnant with Her Child [Transmigration into a Novel] - Chapter 11
A short while later.
Yan Chen sat inside the carriage, glancing at Song Shujiu, who was dressed in casual attire. The corners of her eyes slanted slightly as she took in the sight, Song Shujiu wore a white gauze dress, cinched at the waist with a wide sash, her long hair cascading down her back, loosely tied with a single hairpin. Petite and delicate, she looked utterly adorable.
Song Shujiu sat beside her, holding a medicine box.
“Where are we going?”
Yan Chen replied, “First, we’ll visit the mortuary.”
The strange illness had claimed several lives in recent days, and since the bodies hadn’t undergone the usual cremation process, they were temporarily stored there for examination.
“Ah, isn’t that like the morgue in novels?”
Song Shujiu’s spine tingled with unease.
Visions of corpses floating in the air immediately flashed through her mind.
Yan Chen stared at her. “Your mind is full of strange things.”
Song Shujiu blinked and grinned, realizing Yan Chen might not understand what “novels” were.
“Novels are like storybooks.”
After explaining, she noticed Yan Chen glaring at her, so she quickly leaned in with a flattering smile. “Just the two of us going won’t the corpses come back to life?”
What if some supernatural scene played out, with a corpse sitting up from under a white sheet? What if it turned into a zombie?
Yan Chen clearly looked like someone accustomed to being waited on, could she even fight?
“Where’s the Seventeenth Guard?”
She seemed pretty strong, why wasn’t she here?
Yan Chen said coolly, “Just moments ago, someone was confidently declaring they could handle this task. Now, before we’ve even arrived, you’re already scared?”
Song Shujiu explained, “I’m just worried you’ll suffer because of me.”
Oh?
“I don’t mind, but you’re far too precious. If anything happened to you, I’d be devastated.”
Yan Chen listened, then replied in a cold voice, “Why do you care so much if something happens to me?”
Song Shujiu gritted her teeth, steeling her heart.
“So, are you saying you won’t take responsibility?”
She stared intently at Yan Chen. Ever since she transmigrated here, she had spent an entire night entangled with this woman. Just a couple of days ago, they had been kissing and biting, how could Yan Chen just walk away afterward, acting as if she felt nothing?
Song Shujiu’s heart ached with grievance. “If you don’t like me, why did you do those things with me?”
Yan Chen shifted her posture, resting her chin on one hand, watching her with leisurely amusement. “Wasn’t it you who begged me for it?”
The first time had been Song Shujiu who initiated it.
Song Shujiu bit her lip and countered, “But the kitchen that wasn’t me begging, was it?”
Yan Chen saw her flushed face, her expression bordering on frustration, and recalled the faint scent of wisteria that lingered in her memory. A warmth flowed through her heart, and she let out a soft hum. “Didn’t you enjoy it too?”
Song Shujiu had clung to her, responding eagerly, gripping the back of her neck and biting her ear, her enthusiasm had been no less intense than when Yan Chen had poured her own pheromones into her.
Thinking of those soft, lingering licks, Yan Chen’s gaze darkened, and she averted her eyes. She wasn’t someone who particularly enjoyed such affairs, but the first time, when Song Shujiu had clutched her arm with pleading eyes, she had inexplicably softened and fallen into this trap.
There were plenty of delicate, beautiful women around, many more skilled in serving than Song Shujiu so why did she show this little girl such favor?
Yan Chen pushed aside the strange thoughts in her heart. Song Shujiu’s face grew even redder was she embarrassed by how blunt the conversation had become?
Just as she was about to reach out and comfort her, perhaps pat her head, Song Shujiu suddenly straightened up and looked at her seriously.
“Yan Chen, do you believe a fleeting affair can turn into true devotion?”
Yan Chen’s hand froze midair.
With a headache, he looked at her as she said, “Song Shujiu’s mind tends to wander quite a bit.”
Raising an eyebrow, he teased, “Have you fallen for me, then?”
Song Shujiu nodded, her eyes shining without a trace of hesitation. “I thought about it for a long time after I got back. I guess I don’t dislike you.”
That included not disliking all those messy things they’d done together.
Yan Chen nodded slowly, savoring her words. Don’t dislike me, huh? So this girl claimed she didn’t dislike her.
Who would’ve thought Song Lan’s daughter would be so blunt.
The carriage jolted along the road.
Song Shujiu stared at her and pressed further, “What about you? Do you dislike me?”
Yan Chen’s headache worsened.
She sidestepped the question. “You’d better focus on what we’ll do if the corpses reanimate once we reach the mortuary.”
That snapped Song Shujiu back to reality.
The flush on her cheeks faded slightly. Right, they still had serious business to attend to.
After a bumpy ride, the carriage finally arrived at their destination.
Yan Chen stepped out first, with Song Shujiu trailing behind.
As they climbed the steps, Song Shujiu’s gaze landed on the crudely written, chilling two characters on the plaque above.
Noticing her flinch, Yan Chen scoffed, “If you’re scared, wait in the carriage.”
Song Shujiu immediately protested, “No way! I have to protect you.”
Yan Chen sneered, “Just don’t hide behind me later.”
She knew exactly what Song Shujiu was capable of or rather, incapable of.
The girl was practically made of water, toppling over at the slightest push.
If anything went wrong, given her nature, she’d probably sprint away faster than greased lightning.
Once inside, an icy draft hit them, making Song Shujiu’s scalp prickle. The mortuary was dim, as overcast as a gloomy day, starkly contrasting the bright sunshine outside.
Yan Chen glanced at her. “Stay behind me.”
She lit a pre-prepared candle, its flame casting a fragile glow in the eerie, oppressive space.
“So many corpses! Wait, Yan Chen, weren’t we here to examine patients?”
If all these people were dead, who was she supposed to diagnose?
Yan Chen surveyed the surroundings and replied, “These are the ones who died from the illness. Since you’re the diagnostician, get to work.”
With that, she flipped back the white sheet covering one of the bodies. A pale wave of fabric billowed, revealing a corpse in dark clothing, its skin deathly white. As they approached, its tightly shut eyes suddenly flew open.
Song Shujiu shrieked and stumbled backward. Holy sh—!
She nearly pissed herself.
After a prolonged bout of whimpering, Yan Chen’s calm voice cut through. “Done screaming?”
Realizing something was off, Song Shujiu opened her eyes to find herself clinging to Yan Chen’s neck, trembling like a leaf, while Yan Chen watched with amusement, letting her hang on.
Behind them, the corpse had sat up and smiled. “No need to fear, Attendant Song.”
“Seventeen?!”
Song Shujiu gaped, slowly processing. “You got here first?”
Seventeen nodded, then turned to Yan Chen. “Your Highness.”
Yan Chen asked, “What did you find?”
“These are all the recent victims of the strange illness in the city, gathered here. Upon inspection, their abdomens swelled postmortem, and their spines bore seven faint red dots deepening in color. The marks don’t show on their faces and only appear three days after death.”
Most commoners buried their dead within three days, so without deliberate examination, this pattern would go unnoticed.
“So it’s poisoning?”
Song Shujiu pinched her nose as she examined one of the corpses, shaking her head with undisguised disgust this was utterly revolting.
Moreover, this was the work of a coroner. Yan Chen had dragged her here, but she only had basic medical knowledge and no expertise in autopsies. Good heavens!
Did Yan Chen even understand the difference between medical practice and forensic examination?
“Care to explain what poison was used?” Yan Chen glanced back at her.
SSong Shujiu was baffled. “How would I know?”
If she were an expert in everything, she would have long figured out a way to return to her own world.
“Still, I brought silver needles. We can extract samples and have a professional coroner analyze them.”
As she spoke, she pulled out a slender needle from her case.
Yan Chen massaged his temples. “With just that needle, we’ll be here until the place shuts down.”
Song Shujiu: “?”
Seventeen, surprisingly, cracked a smile and said to her, “Court Attendant Song, I’ve already prepared everything.”
So Seventeen was the one actually handling the task.
Had Yan Chen brought her along just for fun? As company?
“Can you identify the poison?”
Seventeen frowned. “The method is bizarre, I’ve never heard of anything like it.”
As a covert operative for years, she had never encountered such a vicious toxin. Initially, the symptoms resembled a common cold.
But soon, as the poison spread, the victims would fall into a coma, suffering from relentless fever and profuse sweating. No one knew what horrors they endured in their sleep.
After hearing the symptoms, Song Shujiu suddenly smacked her forehead.
“I know, it’s Dream Incense.”
In the novel, the Kingdom of Li supposedly had a poison called “Dream Incense,” and the symptoms matched Seventeen’s description perfectly.
“Dream Incense?”
Yan Chen gave her a complicated look.
Song Shujiu explained, “The real terror lies in the dreams. This poison plunges victims into unconsciousness, forcing them to relive their worst nightmares, trapped in endless fear and agony.”
“Their bodies ache, but their minds are tormented by the dreams, amplifying their suffering. If they’re strong-willed, they might break free and lessen the pain.”
“But most people can’t escape it.”
She spoke fluently before abruptly stopping under Yan Chen’s strange gaze.
“How do you know all this in such detail?”
Song Shujiu’s mind blanked. Huh?
She had only read about it in the novel.
How could she explain to Yan Chen that she wasn’t the real Song Shujiu?
“Well, uh… I love medicine. My mother hired some unconventional teachers, and, haha, I heard about it from an old physician.”
“Pure coincidence…”
Yan Chen studied her for a moment before nodding in understanding. “In that case, what’s the antidote?”
Song Shujiu gave an awkward laugh. “There isn’t one.”
This was the cruelty of the Kingdom of Li, they had poisoned Zhao with their latest creation, leaving no chance for countermeasures.
No mercy for the enemy.
Death by poison.
Yan Chen’s eyes darkened. “Xiao Yunli.”
After leaving the mortuary.
“Who’s there?”
A shadow darted past the gate.
Seventeen reacted instantly, shouting as she gave chase.
Yan Chen called after her, “Capture them alive.”
Seventeen nodded before vanishing swiftly into the night.
Song Shujiu watched in admiration. “What skill.”
“What do we do now?” If someone was watching them, didn’t that mean she was in danger?
“Aren’t you supposed to protect me?”
Yan Chen looked at her with amusement.
Song Shujiu could almost hear crows cawing over her head, she had only said that to humor him.
“Of course, if bad guys come, I’ll definitely stand in front of you first.”
After saying this, she couldn’t help but gulp.
Unlike modern society, this world had real swords and knives blades that didn’t discriminate. Would she really get assassinated by someone hiding in the shadows?
Could she just abandon Yan Chen and run first?
“If you run first, this princess will hold the prime minister accountable.”
Yan Chen suddenly moved closer, as if seeing right through her thoughts.
With a faint, bewitching smile, she said, “Whoever runs is a dog.”
“There’s an assassin!”
Yan Chen shouted abruptly, her expression changing instantly.
Song Shujiu instinctively bolted like a streak of smoke.
After running for a while, she stopped, realizing something was off.
Looking around, there wasn’t even a rustle of wind, no sign of any disturbance. Yan Chen leisurely emerged from behind her and clapped. “Not bad. You’re quite fast.”
Hmph. And yet she dared to claim undying devotion and love for her.
Cold sweat dripped down Song Shujiu’s forehead.
Very conscientiously, she barked, “Woof.”
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