After the Foolish Beauty Wore Women's Clothes and Married the Brutal General - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Are You Really Impotent with Women?

Nan Jianxue was woken up by a heated argument.

He heard a familiar voice loudly questioning someone about why they didn’t protect him. He knew without a doubt that it was his Imperial Brother.

Thinking about what happened before he fainted, he wanted to go back to sleep. But there was a persistent smell of blood in his nose, and his face was uncomfortable, as if the splattered blood was still stuck to it. His eyes couldn’t help but see Liang Qifeng’s terrifying, Asura-like appearance whenever he closed them. He could only force himself to stay awake and listen to them argue.

Then he heard Liang Qifeng coldly spit out four words: “He didn’t die.”

Nan Jianxue was instantly more awake.

He wasn’t hurt by the assassin, but he was almost scared to death by Liang Qifeng, okay?! How could this person be so righteous?!

The person talking to him was clearly angered as well: “He is your wife now!”

Liang Qifeng scoffed at his words and said coldly, “Wife? You clearly knew I didn’t like women, yet you still decreed that she marry me. Now you’re telling me she’s my wife?”

Hearing this, Nan Jianxue’s ears perked up.

Liang Qifeng doesn’t like women? Is there such a good thing?!

He immediately craned his neck to listen for more gossip and then heard Nan Zhanyuan say, “That person you fancy has probably been married for a long time. Why do you still care?”

Nan Jianxue let out a soft sigh, with a “I got some gossip” expression. He tilted his head, wanting to hear more about Liang Qifeng and the person he liked, but the argument between the two of them stopped abruptly. The room fell into silence.

Nan Jianxue was confused for a moment. He moved his body and craned his neck forward again, then met two pairs of complicated eyes.

When Liang Qifeng saw him, his eyebrows furrowed.

The person standing next to him looked a little better, but his tone was full of unspoken exasperation: “What do you look like now?!”

Hearing this, Nan Jianxue’s eyebrows immediately shot up. “What’s wrong with me?! I just woke up from fainting, and you’re scolding me! I’m going to complain to Mother tomorrow! I’ll say Imperial Brother is bullying me!”

Nan Zhanyuan’s mouth twitched. “Go ahead, if you have the guts to go with that face.”

Nan Jianxue was confused for a moment, then realized he had been wearing makeup!

He immediately got up from the bed and ran to the mirror, where he saw a face so dirty it was unbearable to look at.

The white powder and the bright red lipstick were mixed with the dried, blackened bloodstains. After he wiped his face, it all blended together, sticking to his face like a grotesque mask.

So the bloody smell just now wasn’t his imagination.

Nan Jianxue quickly raised his hand and rubbed his face with his sleeve. His sleeve became dirty, making his breakdown double. “Qingqian! Why didn’t you help me wipe it off?!”

“I told her not to,” Nan Zhanyuan walked over and said, frowning as he scolded him. “As the Princess Royal of a great country, you’re making a mess of yourself. Is that proper?!”

“It’s your fault for not appreciating my art, and you’re blaming me!” Nan Jianxue retorted, then shouted to Qingqian who was standing outside, “Qingqian! I want to bathe!”

Qingqian immediately ran in. She glanced at the emperor. Seeing that he didn’t say anything, she said, “The hot water has been ready.”

Nan Jianxue quickly waved his hand, signaling her to lead the way.

As soon as he entered the room, Nan Jianxue first washed his face, getting rid of the makeup.

Qingqian stood by the side, waiting for him to finish washing his face, and then started to help him wash his hair.

Afraid that blood might be stuck in his hair, she washed it very carefully, rinsing it several times and then applying a floral oil. Only after she was sure there was no bloody smell left in his hair did she go to prepare the things Nan Jianxue needed for his bath.

But as soon as she came in with the items, she saw Nan Jianxue taking off his clothes.

Qingqian was startled and quickly turned around, saying softly, “I’ll stand guard at the door.”

She then pushed the door open and went out, closing it behind her.

As his clothes fell to the ground one by one, Nan Jianxue’s body was exposed to the air.

His skin was very fair, and his body was slender. From a distance, it was easy to mistake him for a girl, but up close, there was no mistaking him.

Nan Jianxue looked down at his flat chest, then moved his gaze down. He couldn’t help but sigh, stepped into the tub, and sat down, completely submerged in the water.

The warm water eased the fear from the assassination, making him relax and his mind become clearer.

He wasn’t sure what happened when he was born, but ever since he could remember, his mother had raised him as a girl. But he didn’t have any gender identity issues, because his mother always emphasized that he was a boy and that he had to be careful in public and never let anyone find out, or he would die.

When he was eight, his mother died of an illness. Before she passed away, she begged the Empress Dowager to take care of him. He was then raised by the Empress Dowager and had always been careful not to expose his gender.

When he was young, his gender characteristics weren’t obvious, so pretending to be a girl wasn’t a problem. But as he got older and his body grew, it became more difficult to maintain his disguise. He could say he was tall, and he could train his voice, but no matter what he did, his body couldn’t change.

For all these years, only Qingqian knew the truth. He had also made up his mind that no one else but her would ever find out.

When he reached marriageable age, many people proposed to him. His father was still alive at the time and brought it up with him. Afraid of being exposed, he acted spoiled with his mother and said he didn’t want to marry. His mother doted on him and kept putting it off. Later, his father passed away, and his Imperial Brother became the emperor. He said he wasn’t willing, and his Imperial Brother didn’t force him. He thought he could live like this forever.

Thinking about his mother who was still worried about his identity being exposed before she died, and then thinking about that cheap consort, Nan Jianxue couldn’t help but sigh again. He sank a little deeper into the water, half of his face submerged.

He wanted to stay in the water for a long time, preferably until dawn. But thinking that his Imperial Brother was still waiting, he could only finish his quick wash, get out, change his clothes, and return to his room with his hair still wet.

Nan Zhanyuan was talking to Liang Qifeng. Just as he heard the report that the princess had returned and didn’t have time to dismiss the people, Nan Jianxue walked in.

Seeing his disheveled hair, Nan Zhanyuan couldn’t help but frown. “You…”

“This is my own home, so I don’t have to be so formal. Besides, it’s not a big deal,” Nan Jianxue sat down across from him. Seeing him holding a teacup, he asked, “What’s that?”

“Longjing. Do you want some?” Nan Zhanyuan said, glancing at the person next to him.

“No, you should drink less, too. You won’t be able to sleep tonight,” Nan Jianxue said, looking at Qingqian, signaling her to dry his hair for him.

His voice was a little lower than that of an ordinary woman. When he spoke to Nan Zhanyuan, there was a hint of spoiledness in his tone, but when he spoke to Qingqian, his voice was gentle and soft with a hint of a smile.

Nan Zhanyuan glanced at Liang Qifeng and smiled. “What do you think? Isn’t Anle especially beautiful?”

Liang Qifeng looked at her as he was told.

Although Nan Zhanyuan had just criticized Nan Jianxue, Nan Jianxue was actually dressed quite conservatively. It was just that his long, wet hair was draped over his shoulders, making him look less formal but adding a soft, domestic charm.

With the horrifying makeup from earlier removed, his already beautiful face looked even better under the lamplight.

His eyebrows were like distant mountains, and his eyes held the ripples of an autumn lake. When he wasn’t smiling, he had a natural, alluring charm, but the tip of his nose was slightly round, and there was still a hint of baby fat on his cheeks, which made him look less seductive and more like a charming and innocent girl.

He was indeed very beautiful.

A beauty that even Liang Qifeng, a “broken sleeve” with no interest in women, would find attractive.

Seeing him nod, Nan Zhanyuan smiled. “Since Anle came of age, countless people have proposed to her. To be able to marry him is a blessing from three lifetimes.”

This time, Liang Qifeng didn’t nod. He just gave him a cold glance.

Nan Zhanyuan wanted to say more, but Nan Jianxue had already interrupted him. “We’re already married. You don’t have to promote me so hard!”

“What are you talking about?” Nan Zhanyuan smiled at Nan Jianxue. “I’m just worried he won’t treat you well, you ungrateful little thing.”

“If you were really worried, you shouldn’t have given the marriage decree,” Nan Jianxue pouted. “Besides, what’s a big deal if the Imperial Brother stays in the bridal chamber to talk with his brother-in-law? Does the Empress know?”

Nan Zhanyuan raised an eyebrow. “What? Are you blaming me for delaying your consummation? Should I leave now?”

Nan Jianxue immediately said, “You can leave. If you don’t leave now, I’ll look down on you!”

Nan Zhanyuan was so angry he laughed. He stood up and said, “Fine, I’ll leave now. You two consummate your marriage tonight. If you’re not pregnant within half a year, I don’t think you need to be the Princess Royal anymore.”

Nan Jianxue: ?

He immediately cowered and smiled at Nan Zhanyuan to appease him. “I was wrong. Imperial Brother and Consort are discussing important matters, which cannot be delayed. Take your time. You can talk until dawn. I’m going to sleep first.”

He said this and was about to run to the bed, but Qingqian stopped him. “Princess, your hair isn’t dry. You’ll get a headache if you sleep like this.”

Nan Jianxue just pointed at the small brazier in her hand and gave her a look. Qingqian immediately understood and carried the brazier to the bed.

Then he heard Liang Qifeng scoff, “Your Imperial Sister is indeed a good girl.”

He was being sarcastic.

Nan Zhanyuan also laughed, but his laugh was much gentler. However, his words were not very pleasant: “If you don’t like Anle, do you like Anping? Or do you prefer Anyang?”

The room fell into a brief silence. Only Nan Jianxue, taking advantage of the fact that they couldn’t see him, hid and chuckled to himself.

His mother had four children, two princesses. His Imperial Sister Anping hadn’t chosen a consort yet, but she had many male companions in her manor. His Imperial Sister Anyang did have a consort, but she was domineering and had him completely under her thumb.

Either one of his Imperial Sisters would be a handful for Liang Qifeng.

But as he was laughing, Nan Jianxue noticed something was off.

Listening to his Imperial Brother, it seemed that Liang Qifeng married him because he was easy to bully?

Nan Jianxue was immediately enraged.

He could only be angry for a moment.

His Imperial Brother had control of his finances, so he couldn’t offend him.

But Liang Qifeng was fair game.

Nan Jianxue sat on the bed out of boredom, waiting for his hair to dry and listening to them talk.

But they were talking about court matters, which he didn’t understand. After listening for a while, he got a little sleepy, propping his head up, half-asleep. He only forced himself to be fully awake when his Imperial Brother said he was leaving.

“A’xue,” Nan Zhanyuan’s voice came over. “Get along well with Qifeng.”

Nan Jianxue mumbled a vague “Mmm,” sounding very sleepy.

Nan Zhanyuan smiled and left with the people.

As soon as they left, Nan Jianxue immediately got up and went out. He saw Liang Qifeng about to leave and quickly called out to him, “Liang Qifeng.”

Liang Qifeng turned to look at him.

Nan Jianxue said, “Are you a ‘broken sleeve’?”

Liang Qifeng: “…”

He thought for a moment and immediately understood how Nan Jianxue knew. He didn’t deny it. “Why?”

Nan Jianxue walked up to him and slightly raised his chin. “How did you meet the person you fancy?”

Liang Qifeng didn’t expect him to stop him just to gossip. He couldn’t be bothered and turned to leave.

Nan Jianxue immediately reached out and grabbed him. “Why are you leaving so fast? I…”

Before he could finish, Liang Qifeng frowned and pulled his sleeve out of his grasp. He said, “Just say what you have to say. Don’t be so touchy.”

Nan Jianxue immediately understood and gave him a teasing smile. “Are you afraid of being found out by the person you fancy?”

Liang Qifeng saw his expression, which clearly said, “I get it,” and his frown deepened. “Nan Jianxue, what do you want to say?”

Nan Jianxue blinked. “What?”

“You clearly didn’t want to marry, either,” Liang Qifeng said.

He didn’t even need to ask. He could have guessed it from the ghostly makeup he saw on Nan Jianxue, and he was even more certain after hearing the conversation between him and Nan Zhanyuan.

Nan Jianxue mumbled a vague “Mmm.” “I just want to confirm if you’re really impotent with women.”

Liang Qifeng’s eyebrow twitched, and his face sank.

Nan Jianxue also realized he had probably said the wrong thing and quickly corrected himself. “I mean, you only like men.”

Liang Qifeng didn’t answer and tried to walk away. Nan Jianxue pulled him and didn’t let go. “Don’t you want to be with the person you like?”

Liang Qifeng’s footsteps paused.

Nan Jianxue said, “We can get a divorce. Then you two can be together.”

Liang Qifeng looked at him. “You should know the emperor won’t agree.”

If divorce were that easy, the emperor wouldn’t have issued this decree.

“I know that, of course…” Nan Jianxue pouted. “I agreed because I was blackmailed and had no choice. You’re not like me, so why did you agree?”

Liang Qifeng only said, “It’s hard to disobey an imperial order.”

“I don’t believe it,” Nan Jianxue frowned. Although he didn’t understand court matters, he knew how prominent Liang Qifeng was in the court. How could his Imperial Brother force him to marry him?

Liang Qifeng scoffed at his words. “Do you know how many people in court want to marry a princess?”

Nan Jianxue was speechless.

“I… I’m saying that you and Imperial Brother are good friends. He wouldn’t…” Nan Jianxue’s voice trailed off halfway through.

This marriage was forced on his Imperial Sister, too. In terms of both affection and blood relation, his Imperial Brother seemed to be closer to him.

Nan Jianxue immediately deflated. After a moment, he felt that something was not right.

“I’m asking you why you agreed. What does that have to do with others wanting to marry a princess?” Nan Jianxue said. “Why are you avoiding my question? Do you really have some unspeakable secret?”

Liang Qifeng didn’t answer.

Nan Jianxue asked a few more questions, but Liang Qifeng remained silent. His attitude and subtle expressions showed that the reason must be very troublesome, which was why he was unwilling to say it.

But the more troublesome it was, the happier Nan Jianxue became.

He smiled at Liang Qifeng. “Do you want me to help you?”

His voice was soft, and his tone was friendly. At first, it sounded like he wanted to help because he was a kind person.

But Liang Qifeng knew the Nan family too well. He didn’t agree. He just gave him a sideways glance. “What do you want?”

“The same as you. I want a divorce,” Nan Jianxue said and then paused. He then raised his hand and extended his pinky finger towards Liang Qifeng. “And a tiny, tiny little goal.”

Liang Qifeng looked at him.

Nan Jianxue cleared his throat, put his hand to his mouth, and asked in a low voice, “You’re very rich, right?”

Liang Qifeng: ?

Nan Jianxue asked a completely unexpected question. Liang Qifeng even wondered if he had heard him wrong.

He looked at Nan Jianxue in confusion.

Nan Jianxue also felt that his question was a little strange. He said a little uncertainly, “It’s fine as long as I can help you. Why are you asking so many questions?”

Liang Qifeng turned to leave.

Nan Jianxue quickly said, “I want money!!”

Liang Qifeng was speechless.

Everyone in this world has something they desire. Some seek fame, some seek fortune, some seek power, and some just want to live a life of leisure. None of these are wrong, but people seem to have a silent agreement that these things should not be said out loud. There were only a few who would say them, and even fewer who would be so direct.

It was so direct that Liang Qifeng thought he was joking.

He stared at Nan Jianxue for a few breaths and then said, “You are the emperor’s most beloved sister.”

Not to mention his astonishingly generous monthly allowance and yearly salary, the palace would also bestow many gifts on him during festivals. When tribute was paid from different regions, Nan Zhanyuan would pick the best ones and send them to his manor. His birthday was also celebrated grandly every year, with officials, both civil and military, coming to the palace to congratulate him and give gifts. The emperor’s love for him even surpassed that of his two full-blood sisters.

What’s more, the two of them had just gotten married. The betrothal gifts he had sent and the dowry the royal family had prepared were all with Nan Jianxue. It was impossible for him to be short of money.

Nan Jianxue also knew this. He said, “You have those, too.”

Unlike him, a leisurely princess, Liang Qifeng earned his wealth from military merits. He had expanded the territory for Dalie and won countless battles over the years. His honors were numerous, and the rewards sent to his manor were countless. Compared to him, Nan Jianxue’s wealth was only average. Not to mention, Liang Qifeng had been on the border all these years and didn’t spend much money, while Nan Jianxue’s expenses were very real.

Liang Qifeng watched him counting on his fingers and raised an eyebrow. “That’s still no reason for you to come to me for money.”

Nan Jianxue frowned. “That’s none of your business, is it?”

“How is it not?” Liang Qifeng looked at him sideways. “How do I know if you’re using this money to support male companions?”

Nan Jianxue: ?

“It’s none of your business if I have male companions… No, I don’t. I’m not like my Imperial Sister,” Nan Jianxue said, frowning and hesitating for a moment before continuing. “I’m just planning for the future. I want to save more money so that if my Imperial Brother threatens me after we get a divorce, I won’t be afraid!”

Liang Qifeng couldn’t help but smile at his naive words.

It wasn’t a sneer; he genuinely found it a little cute.

He remembered what Nan Zhanyuan had once told him: among his sisters, only Nan Jianxue didn’t act like a royal and was adorably silly.

Liang Qifeng asked, “Then how do you plan to make money from me?”

“Hmm, I haven’t thought about that yet,” Nan Jianxue tilted his head and thought for a moment. “How about I help you pursue the person you like, and you give me money?”

Liang Qifeng was silent. So he wasn’t here to earn money; he was here to scam him.

Support After the Foolish Beauty Wore Women’s Clothes and Married the Brutal General