After Being Marked by the Eldest Princess, I Got Pregnant with Her Child [Transmigration into a Novel] - Chapter 31

Three days had passed.

The young master remained as tight-lipped as iron in her cell. No matter what methods were tried, extracting any information about Li Country’s next steps was as difficult as scaling the heavens.

Inside the dungeon, Seventeen held a long whip while Yan Chen sat on a chair. The young master was dripping with blood, yet neither harsh nor gentle tactics had any effect.

“Kill you, and I’ll investigate the rest myself,” the princess said coldly.

Her intelligence network spanned the entire land. It was merely a matter of time, she didn’t necessarily need the young master.

The young master glared at her, defiance burning in her eyes. “Do as you please.”

There was no way they’d get any information out of her. She had been born for the sole purpose of unifying Li Country. Now that she was in Zhao Country’s hands, she would never betray her homeland just to save her own skin.

“Pah!”

Did they think they could threaten her?

Ha! She had never feared threats in her life.

Yan Chen lightly covered her lips with a round fan, its embroidered golden peonies reflecting flickers of light under the dim lantern, casting a bright shadow on the damp, gloomy walls.

She raised an eyebrow, indifferent. “In that case, Seventeen.”

This woman had repeatedly plotted against her and even targeted Song Shujiu. She should have been disposed of long ago.

Since they couldn’t pry her mouth open, they might as well stop trying. Death would settle everything neatly.

She stood and walked away.

Seventeen stepped forward to carry out the order. Yan Chen had only taken a few steps when a woman’s agonized scream echoed from the cell.

The guards’ ears twitched, but not a single flicker of emotion crossed their faces.

Exiting the prison, Yan Chen looked up at the darkened sky. The sun, which had been shining brightly moments ago, had dimmed in the blink of an eye.

The weather changed faster than a person’s expression.

Soon after, Seventeen emerged.

“Done?”

Seventeen nodded. The young master’s final gaze had been filled with resentment, fury, and hatred. Even in death, she had schemed for Li Country such fanatical devotion was chilling.

“With Li Country’s poison master dead by our hands, Xiao Yunli won’t let this go easily.”

“What’s meant to come will come,” Yan Chen replied.

She stretched out her hand, feeling the wind slip through her fingers. Through the gaps, she gazed into the distance. “What news from our spies in their camp?”

Seventeen’s expression darkened. “No word has come yet.”

Xiao Yunli was deeply suspicious. For their agents to gather and relay information wouldn’t be easy.

They would have to wait a little longer.

Meanwhile, at the abandoned estate.

When Xiao Yunli received the news, her heart clenched. The young master had served her diligently from the very beginning,mloyal not just to her, but to Li Country above all.

And yet, Yan Chen had executed her without hesitation.

Xiao Yunli pressed her lips together, the metallic tang of blood spreading in her mouth. Her eyes turned icy.

“Return to camp.”

She had entered the city to seek out Yan Chen and negotiate, but everything had collapsed. Now, she had even lost a key subordinate in vain.

Glancing at the temporary mark on her wrist, she flicked her hand dismissively. If she couldn’t have it, she would destroy it.

If she couldn’t possess it, she would annihilate it completely.

Yan Chen thought she was untouchable? Thought she could reject her so easily?

Then she would wage war.

She would slaughter everyone here and see how Yan Chen could refuse her then.

The derelict estate was already deeply concealed, and she had changed locations several times over the past few days. Now, as she left, she set fire to everything behind her.

On the other side, Song Shujiu had been increasingly overcome with maternal affection lately, likely due to the new life growing inside her. Everything she saw was now filled with love.

That morning, she suddenly remembered once the baby was born, it would need clothes and shoes.

But she hadn’t prepared anything yet. In just a few months, her little one would arrive.

After finishing breakfast, Song Shujiu had a sudden impulse and took Xiao Tao to buy some daily necessities, including a pair of tiger shoe uppers. The bright red fabric already had pre-made tiger patterns, but Song Shujiu felt she should give the baby a small handmade gift, so she decided to embroider one herself.

With needles, thread, and shoe soles all prepared, Song Shujiu was brimming with confidence and ambition.

Ever since the princess’s residence was attacked a few days ago, Yan Chen had significantly increased security, deploying only top-tier experts. Not even a bird could fly in unnoticed, making her feel extremely safe now.

“Is there a tutorial?”

Holding a thimble, Song Shujiu glanced at the shoe sole, then at the upper, and finally at the colorful embroidery threads. The threads were crucial for embroidery, similar to the cross-stitch kit she had impulsively bought before. But her clumsy hands had failed at cross-stitch, and now she pinned her hopes on these tiger shoes.

Xiao Tao looked uneasy. “Miss, maybe you should give up on this.”

Song Shujiu frowned. “Why?”

It was rare for her to want to personally embroider something for the baby, and here Xiao Tao was, pouring cold water on her enthusiasm right away.

Xiao Tao looked at her sympathetically. “It took you forever just to thread the needle.”

She knew her mistress all too well. Spoiled by the prime minister since childhood, Song Shujiu had never done any manual labor. While she was good at causing mischief, actual handiwork was likely beyond her.

“The needle’s eye is tiny; it naturally takes time to thread it.”

What’s the big deal?

Song Shujiu brushed it off. She wasn’t to be underestimated. Today, she wouldn’t go anywhere, she’d stay in the princess’s residence and embroider a tiger head.

Xiao Tao watched her, sighing inwardly. Some people only learned their limitations after hitting their own toes with a rock.

“Thread the other needles for me.”

Without looking up, Song Shujiu noted the abundance of silver needles and the myriad colors needed for the tiger shoes red, yellow, blue, green. If she finished one color before switching to another, how much time would that waste? Efficiency was key.

She immediately decided to have Xiao Tao thread all the other needles.

Xiao Tao asked, “What kind of embroidery technique is this?”

Though she wasn’t skilled either, she had seen embroiderers work on shoes before, and this didn’t seem like the usual method.

“A new technique.”

Song Shujiu gave her a mysterious look. “Leading you into a new era with innovative methods.”

Xiao Tao: “…”

…

Half a day passed.

Song Shujiu’s palms were sweaty.

The needle pricked her twice. For the baby’s sake, she endured it. Then it pricked her twice more, and she resolved to bear it a little longer.

Finally, after another prick, she threw the shoe upper aside and cursed, “What kind of nonsense is this?”

Her delicate hands were being turned into pincushions.

What had she been thinking? Something that could easily be bought with money, why had she wasted time and effort trying to do it herself?

After half a day of work, the tiger looked more like a duck, a complete mess. How was she supposed to explain to the baby that this was her handiwork?

Song Shujiu kicked the thread box away, clapped her hands, and decided to stop tormenting herself. Taking a deep breath, she felt a wave of relief. “Forget it. Let Yan Chen buy one instead.”

Xiao Tao’s expression said it all: See? I told you so.

Yan Chen rode the carriage into the palace.

Yan Yue looked at her with rare warmth. “Sister.”

Yan Yue’s body felt hollow, and the waist of her luxurious robe seemed even slimmer than before.

Yan Chen frowned. “What’s going on?”

Had she not been taking the prescribed medicine on time?

She had been improving before, why did she now seem so gravely ill again?

Yan Yue smiled faintly: “It’s nothing, just more memorials these past few days. Someone from the border submitted reports about the Li Kingdom.”

Worry gnawed at Yan Yue’s heart, how would they handle the impending invasion from the Li Kingdom?

Yan Chen had come to her precisely for this matter. Seeing her express these concerns, he instinctively reached for her hand: “Don’t worry, leave it to me.”

Yan Yue needed more rest for her health.

But as he looked at her emaciated hands, guilt welled up in him. Putting her in this position was unfair, yet not doing so would have doomed her fragile health.

Yan Chen discreetly glanced around.

A faint, unfamiliar fragrance reached his nose not Yan Yue’s scent.

His gaze lingered on her, and suddenly, understanding dawned.

“Your Highness the Grand Princess, to what do I owe this unexpected visit to the envoys’ residence?”

Xie Mingyou’s emerald eyes held lazy indifference beneath their polite veneer, her tone flat and unreadable.

Her entire demeanor made it clear she wished to end this conversation.

Yan Chen studied her for a moment before smiling. “Where is the State Preceptor from originally?”

The seemingly random question made Xie Mingyou narrow her eyes. Meeting Yan Chen’s gaze unflinchingly, she found it curious he’d only ask this now after all this time.

She raised her voice slightly: “This State Preceptor is naturally from the Yue Kingdom.”

After her rebirth, she’d resolved to forget her past.

She no longer wished to be from the Zhao Kingdom.

The Zhao Kingdom had long abandoned her.

Yan Chen nodded, watching her. “The State Preceptor bears an uncanny resemblance to an old acquaintance of my sister’s.”

Xie Mingyou remained noncommittal.

Yan Chen continued: “It was long ago. If she were alive today, she’d be about your age.”

Xie Mingyou pressed her lips together. Yan Chen’s words carried implications was he hinting he recognized her?

“Oh? An acquaintance of Your Majesty’s. I wonder who could be so honored as to be remembered by the sovereign.”

Yan Chen didn’t answer, only observing the cracks in her composure, the carefully concealed emotions now surfacing.

He knew his guess was correct.

That fool Yan Yue, after the incident years ago, the medicinal fumes had erased parts of her memory. But no matter how many years passed, if this person lived and returned to her side, she would fall for her all over again.

Only now, her body grew weaker by the day, no longer able to sustain the convictions of their youth.

“Her health has always been fragile. Back then, I sought out a wandering shaman who prescribed her a special medicine.”

The wind seemed to still as Xie Mingyou watched the blue silk figure disappear from view, her entire body trembling.

She’d lost her memory whether naturally or deliberately erased.

She’d been ill, and the memory loss was to preserve her life, to spare her excessive worry.

She had cared for her, not abandoned her to enjoy luxury while hiding away.

These revelations swirled in Xie Mingyou’s mind until she felt she might explode.

She’d thought time had made Yan Yue forget her, never imagining she’d once begged the late emperor to find a replacement.

She had cared.

Xie Mingyou’s chest heaved violently, even as the final purpose of Yan Chen’s visit became clear, the Li Kingdom’s invasion required reinforcements.

How much truth lay in their words? How much deception?

After all these years, why did these words still shake her so?

Did she still crave answers?

Xie Mingyou walked to the ancient tree in the courtyard and split a branch with one furious strike, overwhelmed by an inescapable sense of powerlessness.

She refused to dwell on it, refused to uncover what truly happened back then.

Even if she had her reasons, the suffering she endured in Yue Kingdom was undeniably real.

“Now you come to me with this, expecting me to mobilize troops?”

They truly knew how to scheme.

A sharp glint flashed in Xie Mingyou’s eyes as she abruptly turned and strode toward another chamber.

Having shed her lavish robes, Yan Yue lay wearily upon the divan.

The beaded curtain at the entrance swayed, followed by Hua Ling’s anxious voice attempting to intervene: “Grand Preceptor, Her Majesty is resting. ”

“Out of my way.”

Xie Mingyou shoved the door open, her gloomy glare slicing through Hua Ling, who instinctively froze under its intensity.

Yan Yue had already straightened, offering Hua Ling a silent glance that sent the attendant retreating obediently.

The door slammed shut with a sharp crack.

Xie Mingyou stormed forward like a tempest, her gaze lingering on Yan Yue’s thin undergarments before she gritted out, “Yan Yue, if you covet my military authority, why not come to me directly? Did you really need your precious sister to speak for you?”

Yan Yue paused. “She went to see you?”

So nothing escaped her notice. After Yan Chen’s departure, she must have deduced what transpired between Xie Mingyou and herself.

“What exactly did she say?”

Yan Yue wondered both women were strong-willed. What had been exchanged to provoke such fury in Xie Mingyou? Had her sister spoken harshly?

“I wasn’t aware of this.”

She spoke truthfully.

Xie Mingyou scoffed, advancing until one knee pressed against Yan Yue’s thigh, her body half-canted forward. “Unaware?” she hissed. “Then why would she seek me out to dredge up the past?”

“Have you truly forgotten?”

Fire seethed in Xie Mingyou’s chest. One hand closed around Yan Yue’s throat so fragile, so easily subdued. Yan Chen’s words echoed: drugged, confined, absolved of all that followed.

Then who had she hated all these years?

If her vengeance was misplaced, was she simply cursed by misfortune?

Her expression twisted as fingers traced the edge of Yan Yue’s collar. “Don’t look at me with those pitiful, clueless eyes.”

Always playing the delicate victim. Was she truly so breakable?

Yan Yue, familiar with her volatility by now, knew resistance only worsened the storm.

She remained still, enduring the featherlight strokes along her neck, swallowing the tingling heat they left in their wake.

Xie Mingyou watched her bite her lower lip, yielding like prey. Dark eyes narrowed. “Li Kingdom declares war, and you want my troops to shield your people.”

“Yan Yue, if you desire my token of command, prove you can take it.”

Fabric tore. Cold air kissed Yan Yue’s skin as Xie Mingyou wrenched the hairpin free, unleashing a cascade of ink-black tresses across the divan.

“I didn’t!”

The protest was feeble. Yan Yue knew Zhao Kingdom lacked the strength for war, dreaded Li Kingdom’s reckless aggression but she’d never intended to seize Xie Mingyou’s authority to solve her crisis.

This was a misunderstanding.

“No?”

Slender fingers descended along sharp collarbones, each touch kindling embers that coaxed forth the heat buried deep within Yan Yue.

Tremors wracked her as Xie Mingyou bent lower, finding the gland nestled in that unspeakable place, where twin scents collided, Xie Mingyou’s storm surge drawing forth Yan Yue’s snow-laced cedar in a torrent.

Xie Mingyou stopped overthinking and began releasing waves of cedar scent from her fingertips into Yan Yue’s scent gland. Had she truly forgotten her?

Then let’s see how long it would take for her to remember.

Yan Yue’s thoughts raced like a revolving lantern, replaying Xie Mingyou’s words. They had indeed met before she knew her. But why couldn’t she recall even a fragment of it…

Two fingers became three, and Yan Yue felt herself being worn to the brink of collapse. Childhood memories surged forth with the rising tide.

…

She remembered now. That “A-You” from her memories was her.

Her name was Gu You.

That was her real name.

As the cedar scent reached its peak, she reached out and gently brushed Xie Mingyou’s face, her touch trembling with years of suppressed emotion.

It was as if time had dissolved they were both still children…

That slight gesture made Xie Mingyou slow her movements. The rough handling had bruised Yan Yue’s scent gland, leaving her face deathly pale. Yet she remained silent, her gaze soft as she looked at her.

“A-You… you’ve suffered so much.”

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