Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 1

As snowflakes drifted down, the bustling city of Rongcheng was draped in a thick, snowy coat. This year’s weather was exceptionally cold so cold that not a soul could be seen on the streets.

At the easternmost end of Ningyi Street stood the residence of General Ling Fu. The two stone lions at the entrance were imposing, though their heads were now covered in a layer of snow. A servant in a grayish-blue coat was sweeping the snow away with a broom, quickly restoring the lions to their original appearance.

The servant rubbed his hands together and blew into them, muttering complaints: “Why bother with such troublesome tasks in this freezing weather?”

Another servant, his face flushed red from the cold, replied, “Enough. This year’s winter is harsh, and it’s even colder on Mount Wufu. The eldest young lady, frail as she is, has just returned to recuperate. If you keep complaining, be careful the general hears you.”

The grumbling servant fell silent, though his expression remained defiant. He shook the snow off his broom in frustration and turned to sweep the steps, only to startle at the sight of someone standing at the entrance. Recognizing who it was, he relaxed and offered a perfunctory bow. “Second Young Lady.”

Without waiting for her to speak, he resumed his work.

General Ling Fu had two daughters. The eldest, born to his principal wife, was a Tianqian but had been frail since premature birth and had been recuperating on Mount Wufu. The second daughter, born to a concubine, was also a Tianqian but was considered dull and unlikable.

Ling Yue reached out and caught a snowflake. The icy sensation gradually brought her back to her senses. There was no raging fire around her, only a pervasive chill in her limbs instead of unbearable pain. She touched her right hand and suddenly laughed.

Her hand and eyes were intact. This was no dream, she had been reborn, returned to the winter of her eighteenth year.

Eighteen, How distant those days seemed.

“Miss! Second Young Lady!”

The voice of Chun Tao grew closer, and soon a heavy cloak was draped over her shoulders. The delicate maid carefully tied the strings at her neck and launched into her usual stream of chatter.

“Miss, really, how could you go out in such cold weather without wearing more? You haven’t fully recovered yet. Physician Hu said you must rest.”

“Even if you’re worried about the eldest young lady, it’s too early. She won’t be back for another two days.”

“Ah! Miss, why are you crying? It’s all my fault. I’ll stop talking!”

Chun Tao watched as two lines of tears traced paths down her young mistress’s pale face, yet her expression was one of laughter. For some reason, Chun Tao felt a sudden panic, as if if she looked away for even a moment, her mistress would fly far, far away.

In her fluster, the young maid grew clumsier, hastily using her own sleeve to wipe the tears from her mistress’s face.

No one could understand the emotions swirling within Ling Yue at that moment. It was as if she had just awakened from a vivid nightmare, a nightmare in which she had lost her right hand and an eye for someone unworthy, and Chun Tao had died in the icy waters of a lake. Yet now, upon opening her eyes, everything was as it should be.

“Chun Tao.”

“Yes, Miss?”

Gazing into Chun Tao’s large, familiar eyes, Ling Yue wiped away the tears threatening to spill again and lied, “The fur on this cloak poked me in the eye.”

Chun Tao took her at her word, blaming herself. “It was thoughtless of me.”

Ling Yue smiled faintly. “Help me back inside.”

Unlike the desolate scene outside, the atmosphere within the residence was one of joy and celebration. As for the ailing Second Young Lady, she was completely overlooked by everyone.

Chun Tao, still young, wore her emotions plainly on her face, as if the words “I’m unhappy” were written across it.

Ling Yue poked her forehead and chuckled, “Why are you making that face?”

As they gradually distanced themselves from the lively crowd, Chun Tao, seeing no one around, spoke up indignantly for her mistress, “Miss, you were critically ill and nearly lost your life, yet the general didn’t even ask about you. You are also a daughter of this household.”

Ling Yue didn’t mind. Not only was there a distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, but she had deliberately remained mediocre to protect herself. It was only natural that she wasn’t well-liked. In a way, she was quite satisfied with her current situation.

The wind and snow were shut out beyond the room. Chun Tao noticed the charcoal fire was about to die out and deftly added more. Orange-red sparks spread across the surface of the black charcoal, and the temperature in the room gradually rose. Ling Yue stared at the flames, mesmerized, as memories of that great fire resurfaced. The flames had been so fierce that even her usually invisible eyes could vaguely make out shadows.

The great general who had dominated the battlefield did not die at the hands of her enemies but by the hands of her own sovereign and beloved.

Under the corrosion of the poisoned wine, she could no longer speak. The only sense left intact was her hearing.

Amid the crackling noise of the flames, Lu Weiying’s voice, filled with loathing, was crystal clear: “General Ling, you should never have entertained such delusions.”

The words “General Ling” made Ling Yue spit out a mouthful of black blood. Struggling with her remaining left hand, she crawled toward Lu Weiying’s direction. Finally, she managed to grasp the hem of her robe. The poison had already seeped into her organs, and every movement she made shortened her life. But she couldn’t accept it. With great effort, she squeezed out the words: “Why?”

The past flashed before her eyes. Lu Weiying had promised to marry her once the border was secure. She had said she would be the most beautiful empress.

She would gently caress Ling Yue’s injured eyes, her voice filled with heartache and self-blame, saying, “If it weren’t for me, Yueyue wouldn’t have lost them.”

But when all was said and done, all that remained was a cup of poisoned wine and her cold, detached address: “General Ling.”

The flames continued to burn. The blurry figure in front of her seemed to crouch down. Ling Yue instinctively raised her hand, thinking she would help her up as she always had. But now that she had lost her usefulness, she was destined not to receive the answers she sought.

Her hand was slapped away. Lu Weiying’s voice grew even more disgusted, like a poisoned blade carving one unhealable wound after another into her heart.

“Someone as venomous as General Ling actually believes in true feelings? What a joke. There’s no need for me to hide it now every day I spent with you, I felt utterly disgusted.”

Lu Weiying’s voice grew increasingly agitated. “If it weren’t for you, how could Ya’er have died? She was your own elder sister!”

Everything became clear. Ling Yue felt nothing but sorrow in her heart.

Back then, when the two nations were at war, her father had led the troops into battle. Eager for military merit, Ling Yue had followed him to the front lines. The enemy, hearing that General Ling Fu doted most on his eldest daughter, had sent agents to kidnap her legitimate sister.

The enemy brought her sister to the front lines and posed the question to her and her father: “The city or her life?”

Seeing her father hesitate, Ling Yue volunteered to exchange herself for her sister’s safe return.

Ling Yue was fierce in battle, and the enemy was more than willing to make the exchange. But just as she stepped out of the city gates, her sister, who had been keeping her head down, looked up and smiled at her before throwing herself onto the enemy’s blade.

What an absurd reason.

Ling Yue never imagined that Lu Weiying had harbored such feelings for her legitimate sister, nor that she would transfer her resentment onto an innocent person.

Perhaps because the situation was so utterly absurd, Ling Yue began to laugh, her laughter broken and filled with desolation.

Lu Weiying stepped away with disgust, her venomous voice ringing out once more: “Someone as malicious as you doesn’t deserve love, but in my mercy, I won’t strip you of your honors. You’ll remain the respected great general, and I’ll build you a temple to receive offerings from future generations.”

The searing pain of flames crawled over her again. Ling Yue jolted awake to find herself nearly grasping the burning charcoal in the brazier. She quickly withdrew her hand, but blisters had already formed. Just as Chun Tao entered with medicine, she saw the blisters on her mistress’s hand and rushed over in alarm. Setting the medicine down hastily, she took Ling Yue’s hand to examine it, tears welling in her anxious eyes. “My lady, you still have me, and you have Nanny Zhang. Don’t do anything foolish.”

The young maid thought her mistress was distressed over the general’s favoritism, but Ling Yue, having already died once, paid no mind to such matters.

In this life, all she wanted was revenge.

At present, Lu Weiying was still the unfavored fifth princess, living in the neglected cold palace where no one cared.

Ling Yue patted Chun Tao’s head. “Silly girl, I was just lost in thought.”

Chun Tao secretly studied her mistress’s expression and, reassured, wiped her tears. She then brought over the medicinal broth, intending to feed Ling Yue, but to her surprise, her mistress took the bowl and downed it in one swift, resolute gulp using her injured left hand.

Something seemed different, but Chun Tao couldn’t quite pinpoint what.

Having composed herself, Ling Yue calculated Chun Tao’s current age and asked, “You’re almost sixteen, aren’t you?”

Chun Tao nodded, scratching her head somewhat sheepishly.

Ling Yue knew what was on her mind. “It’s about time for your differentiation.”

She remembered how in her previous life, Chun Tao had differentiated as a Di Xuan, something the girl had complained about for a long time, saying she’d have preferred being a Ping Ze so she could follow her mistress to the battlefield.

Ling Yue would always laugh and tap her head, using the Grand Princess to console her.

Chun Tao was full of anticipation for the future. “This servant hopes to differentiate as a Tian Qian, so I can protect you, my lady.”

Warmed by her words, Ling Yue cherished this moment deeply. Just as she had in her past life, she gently guided her: “If you become a Di Xuan, would you no longer want to protect your lady?”

Chun Tao immediately grew flustered. “That’s not what I meant!”

Seeing the girl on the verge of bristling, Ling Yue decided not to tease her further and calmly asked, “Who is the most formidable person in the current dynasty?”

Without hesitation, Chun Tao replied, “The Grand Princess.”

A deeper smile touched Ling Yue’s eyes as she pressed on, “And is the Grand Princess a Tian Qian?”

Chun Tao’s expression shifted, and she stammered, “She’s a Di Xuan.”

Ling Yue knew her point had landed. She sat back on the bed, smiling.

Chun Tao wasn’t entirely convinced. After putting away the bowl, she fetched burn ointment and applied it to Ling Yue’s hand, muttering with a hint of defiance, “But that’s the Grand Princess. How could I ever compare to her?”

Ling Yue heard her complaint. Having commanded battlefields for so many years, she had never feared enemy blades, but she feared the Grand Princess.

The Rong Dynasty had been established for only a few decades. The founding emperor died suddenly without naming an heir, and the Grand Princess had brutally eliminated over ten of her siblings, leaving only the young princes and princesses as puppets.

Yet there were always restless figures at court who incited the current emperor. Once a puppet showed disloyalty, the Grand Princess would purge them, along with those who had stirred dissent. Since then, no one dared harbor rebellious thoughts.

To support Lu Weiying’s rise, Ling Yue had gritted her teeth and maneuvered against the Grand Princess, nearly losing her life several times. Fortunately, her luck held, and she always managed to escape at critical moments.

Recalling that person’s elegant, smiling face, Ling Yue tightened her robes.

In this life, she would no longer help Lu Weiying. She only wished to become her own general while settling old scores.

As for the grand princess, best to forget her entirely.

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