Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 20

The cold intensified as the snow began to melt. Finally, on her day off, Ling Yue, utterly exhausted both physically and mentally, no longer had to face the Princess. She had hoped to sleep in, but someone troublesome woke her up early in the morning.

The door was being pounded so loudly it seemed on the verge of collapse.

“Ling, come out! Let’s go horseback riding!”

Ling Yue frowned, pulling the blanket over her ears, but even that couldn’t block out Wang Lan’s booming voice.

“Ling! Get up, or the beating I took today would’ve been for nothing!”

Chun Tao anxiously tried to intervene, “Miss Wang, please go back. My lady isn’t feeling well.”

Wang Lan paused her knocking. Chun Tao mistakenly thought she had succeeded and couldn’t help but smile as she prepared to see her out.

But the stubborn girl glared at her. “If she’s unwell, call a doctor. How will lying in bed help? Hurry up and come out!”

With that, she resumed her assault on the door.

Ling Yue sat up abruptly. To save her nearly shattered door, she dashed over and yanked it open.

She had intended to be angry, but at the sight of Wang Lan’s bruised and swollen face, she gasped softly. “What happened to you?”

Wang Lan pointed to her face, completely unfazed. “My mother hit me. You know how much she dislikes the Lings, but I think you’re alright.”

Finally seeing Ling Yue, she grew excited. “The snow in the outskirts has melted a lot. Want to go see?”

Even with the snow mostly gone, it wasn’t exactly ideal for horseback riding.

But it was hard to refuse such enthusiasm, especially since Ling Yue had been worrying about Wang Lan lately.

Ling Yue sighed softly, a mix of resignation and amusement. “Alright, let’s go.”

After changing clothes and taking a few steps outside, she suddenly remembered something and couldn’t help but say to Wang Lan, “Just call me Ling Yue.”

Calling her “Ling” this and “Ling” that everyone in this mansion was a Ling, and it felt somewhat disrespectful.

Wang Lan didn’t mind. “As you wish.”

The outskirts were deserted. With the snow melted, the dark soil beneath was exposed, and the trees stood bare and unappealing.

Wang Lan chattered nonstop along the way, complaining about her mother one moment, criticizing Ling Fu the next, and then venting about recent events.

Ling Yue listened quietly throughout, rarely sharing anything about herself.

“Ling Yue, why don’t you move out when you have the chance?”

Only by experiencing it firsthand could one understand how unwelcome Ling Yue was in the Ling residence.

That day, when Wang Lan took Ling Yue out, they ran into Ling Fu, whose glare was as sharp as if he’d seen an enemy. At first, Wang Lan thought he was upset with her, but upon closer look, she realized he was staring at his own daughter.

Ling Yue shook her head. “It’s not the right time yet.”

Wang Lan reined in her horse in front of her, puzzled. “Why not?”

Ling Yue couldn’t explain. How could she admit she hadn’t received her salary yet and had no money to rent a place?

To conceal her poverty, she simply replied with an air of mystery, “The timing isn’t right.”

Wang Lan scratched her head but accepted it. Dropping the subject, she moved on to other topics, such as her curiosity about what it was like to work for the Princess.

Slowing her horse to match Ling Yue’s pace, she asked, “The Princess hasn’t given you a hard time, has she?”

“No, Her Highness is very kind.”

Aside from being asked an unanswerable question on the first day, the following days had been uneventful so much so that she had the leisure to observe the Princess’s every move.

For instance, when the Princess was puzzled by something, she would lightly tap the table.

When tired, she would sit in place and close her eyes to feign sleep, but the slightest sound would startle her awake.

Her Highness didn’t seem to enjoy eating meat, no wonder she was so thin.

Realizing that all her thoughts were about the Grand Princess, Ling Yue was startled.

Wang Lan didn’t notice her unease and merely sighed in admiration, “I truly admire you. The Grand Princess really appreciates you.”

Then, with a hint of unwillingness, she added, “Why can’t you be my younger sister?”

Ling Yue was speechless. This person always left her at a loss for words. She retorted, “I’m older than you. Don’t even think about taking advantage.”

“Only by three months,” Wang Lan said, completely unfazed. She then thought having a sister like Ling Yue wouldn’t be so bad and grinned carelessly, “Being an older sister works too. Someone like you would definitely be a good older sister.”

Ling Yue froze. Wang Lan was the type who never hid her emotions, so her words couldn’t possibly be insincere.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling. In her past life, she had been too preoccupied with Lu Weiying’s feelings, causing her to overlook the care of many others. It felt as though she had finally broken free from a strange cycle, and she felt much lighter.

Looking up at the sky, bathed in bright sunlight, Ling Yue smiled softly. “The weather is lovely.”

Suddenly, the sound of hoofbeats approached again. Ling Yue turned and saw it was Wen Yuanyuan.

The other woman favored white robes, and today was no exception. However, she wore a wide-brimmed hat with a veil that concealed her face. The delicate gauze swayed with the horse’s movements, occasionally revealing glimpses of her features.

Wen Yuanyuan reined in beside the two of them, lifting the veil with a delighted expression. “What are you two doing here?”

Ling Yue smiled back. “Just out for a stroll. Where are you headed?”

Wen Yuanyuan wore a sword at her waist and practical attire, exuding the aura of a martial artist.

She looked slightly embarrassed. “While resting at the inn, I heard that some merchants were robbed. I’m going to check it out.”

That such a thing could happen so close to the imperial capital struck Ling Yue as unusual. Her intuition told her this matter was far from simple.

Since she had nothing else to do and was concerned about Wen Yuanyuan going alone, Ling Yue decided to accompany her.

Wang Lan, ever the enthusiast for excitement, insisted on joining them as well.

Once they had agreed, Ling Yue asked, “Where are these bandits?”

Wen Yuanyuan pointed ahead. “The innkeeper told me they’re at Wu Fu Mountain.”

Wu Fu Mountain!

A sudden sense of foreboding washed over Ling Yue.

The heavy snow had stopped, and Ling Ya had returned to Wu Fu Mountain just yesterday to rest and recuperate for a few days. Yet, in her past life, this area had been entirely peaceful nothing like this had ever happened.

Ling Yue tugged on the reins and turned her horse back toward the city. Wang Lan followed closely behind, while Wen Yuanyuan chased after them, calling out anxiously, “Why are we going back?”

Wang Lan slowed slightly to wait for her. When Wen Yuanyuan caught up, Wang Lan gave her a puzzled look. “This is the southern city gate. To reach Wu Fu Mountain, we need to leave from the northern gate.”

The veil hid Wen Yuanyuan’s embarrassment. Not wanting to lose face, she offered a clumsy excuse: “I came here deliberately to find you two.”

Wang Lan didn’t question it. She simply said, “Oh,” then asked excitedly, “How did you know we were here?”

One lie led to another.

Wen Yuanyuan’s face flushed red as she stammered, “Who in Rong City doesn’t know Miss Wang? I just asked around and found out.”

The excuse was plausible enough, and Wang Lan believed it completely, entirely forgetting the surprised expression Wen Yuanyuan had worn when she first saw them.

As they chatted, Ling Yue had already run quite far ahead. Wang Lan watched the distance between them grow and said with a smile to Wen Yuanyuan, “Hurry up! We won’t catch up!”

Wen Yuanyuan hadn’t expected Wang Lan to be so approachable. During their martial arts competition, they had fought fiercely, and on her first day of duty, she had seen plenty of Wang Lan’s stern expressions.

Seeing Wen Yuanyuan turn her head to look at her, Wang Lan felt even more certain of her suspicions.

She suppressed the excitement in her heart.

This was the first time someone of such high status had shown interest in her, she had to make a good impression.

Ling Yue’s mind was entirely preoccupied with her elder sister’s safety. Although Ling Fu had sent many skilled guards to protect Ling Ya, she trusted her own intuition more.

After returning to the estate to retrieve her spear, Ling Yue vaulted over the wall and reunited with the other two before heading straight for Wu Fu Mountain.

Meanwhile, on Wu Fu Mountain, Ling Ya added some fresh grass leaves for the two little rabbits and stood nearby, watching them eat.

The mountain was still cold, and she rubbed her hands together.

“Miss, please return to the room.”

Ling Ya glanced at the black-clad maid behind her. The woman always wore such a stern expression and rarely responded when spoken to.

But she was highly skilled in martial arts, and with her around, Ling Ya never had to worry about her personal safety.

She turned back and said, “Qingyue, I’ll watch a little longer.”

With a sharp sound, Qingyue drew her sword, holding it horizontally in front of her as she stared intently at the door. She shouted angrily, “Who’s there?”

Startled, Ling Ya stood up and hid behind Qingyue, nervously watching the doorway.

A gust of wind blew, causing the door to creak as it swung open.

A figure emerged from behind the door, chuckling lightly as they spread their hands to show they meant no harm. “It’s me.”

Ling Ya exclaimed in surprise, “Fifth Princess.”

Lu Weiying stepped closer, but Qingyue did not sheathe her sword. Lu Weiying gave off an uncomfortable vibe, strangely enough, her footsteps were unsteady, unlike those of a martial artist.

Ling Ya pressed down on Qingyue’s shoulder. After a moment of hesitation, Qingyue finally sheathed her sword, though her gaze remained wary.

Lu Weiying paid no mind to the hostility. She slowly approached, observing the two little rabbits in the enclosure.

The rabbits were ordinary domestic ones, but one of them caught Lu Weiying’s attention.

It had only three legs, its eyes tightly shut, as if it couldn’t see.

Lu Weiying, being suspicious by nature, thought this rabbit bore an uncanny resemblance to Ling Yue from her past life.

Noticing her fixed gaze on the disabled rabbit, Ling Ya explained, “It froze its front paw and eyes during the heavy snow. We thought it wouldn’t survive, but it stubbornly pulled through.”

A smile spread across Ling Ya’s face. “It’s very resilient.”

Lu Weiying recalled Ling Yue from her past life. She didn’t deny that she had been somewhat fortunate to find such a capable ally in Ling Yue, who had helped her escape the cold palace and aided her time and again.

But later, Ling Yue lost her right hand, and then her eyesight. By then, Lu Weiying’s throne was secure, and the court had stabilized.

Thus, Ling Yue, the most useful pawn, had lost her significance.

Seeing Lu Weiying standing there for so long, Ling Ya couldn’t guess her intentions. But she had never forgotten her sister’s warnings and quietly stepped back to maintain her distance.

“Your Highness, why have you come here?”

Lu Weiying finally turned away from the rabbit. She turned around with a friendly smile and said, “I came to pay respects at the temple. I didn’t expect to find you here, so I thought I’d stop by.”

There was indeed a temple on Wu Fu Mountain, but it had fallen into disrepair over the years. If the people of Rong City wished to worship, they would go to another temple nearby.

Lu Weiying didn’t think her excuse was flimsy. She looked up at the sky, appearing somewhat troubled. “I’m embarrassed to say this, but I wandered here in a daze and now I don’t know how to get back down. Could Miss Ling escort me part of the way?”

In Lu Weiying’s impression, Ling Ya was so kind-hearted she wouldn’t know how to refuse, so the other would definitely agree.

Though Ling Yue was currently under the close watch of the Grand Princess and temporarily out of reach, Lu Weiying could still try her luck with Ling Ya.

She had spent a small sum to bribe a group of desperate men to stage a performance for her. As long as she could lure Ling Ya out, she could put on a touching drama of “rescuing the beauty.”

Ling Ya glanced at Qingyue beside her. Qingyue’s presence gave her considerable reassurance. After hesitating for a moment, she agreed.

Lu Weiying’s plan had succeeded. She smiled and said, “Thank you for your trouble, Miss Ling.”

Along the way, Lu Weiying actively tried to make conversation, but Ling Ya remained aloof and indifferent, which was quite frustrating.

Noticing the markers by the roadside, Lu Weiying knew they were almost at the designated spot. She took a deep breath and said sincerely, “Miss Ling, to be honest, the first time I saw you, I, Ah!!!”

Wang Lan wiped the blood off her blade and called out loudly to Ling Yue, “Isn’t that your sister over there?”

Ling Yue turned around amidst the pool of blood. Looking at the terrified Lu Weiying, she smiled coldly, as if mocking her. “Greetings, Your Highness.”

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