Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 3

The next day, Ling Fu had the carriage and horses prepared early, waiting outside the palace gates.

Ling Yue stood behind her elder sister, head bowed and expression weary. The previous night’s dream had left her unsettled; after being startled awake, she found it impossible to fall back asleep, and so she had spent the entire night with her eyes open.

In truth, her health wasn’t that fragile after all, she had been secretly practicing martial arts. But her lingering illness made staying up all night particularly taxing, which was why she appeared so haggard.

The palace gates stood imposingly before them. Ling Yue narrowed her eyes slightly, knowing that behind those gates lay her enemy. Her fists clenched, and her body trembled faintly, unable to distinguish whether it was excitement or rage or perhaps both that stirred within her. One thing was certain: it was not love.

“Are you afraid?”

A gentle, spring-like voice pulled her back to reality. There was no poisoned wine, no raging flames only the serene, smiling face of her elder sister, half-hidden beneath her hood. The cold wind seemed especially fond of her delicate features, brushing her pale cheeks with an unnatural flush.

A flash of memory from her past life surfaced: her sister’s tragic death, blood staining the cold blade of a sword. They had been too far apart then; she could only watch as her sister collapsed, her robes drenched in crimson. Her lips had moved as if trying to speak, but Ling Yue heard nothing only the biting wind howling in her ears, stripping away all reason.

Seeing how frail and pitiable her younger sister looked, Ling Ya couldn’t help but take her hand to comfort her. “Don’t be afraid. Just follow me.”

But Ling Yue remained motionless, her gaze vacant, as if her spirit had drifted away and she were looking right through her sister at something else entirely.

Puzzled, Ling Ya assumed the young girl was simply overwhelmed by the unfamiliar setting and teased lightly, “Is your elder sister really that captivating?”

Ling Yue shook her head. Though her sister appeared delicate and unwell, she could still laugh and move about freely. Countless thoughts raced through Ling Yue’s mind, but in the end, she only said, “Elder sister is beautiful.”

Such compliments were nothing new to Ling Ya, who placed little importance on appearances. Yet, for some reason, hearing them from her younger sister brought her a peculiar sense of joy. She reached out and lifted Ling Yue’s habitually lowered head, only to realize with surprise that her sister was actually taller than her.

Studying her sister’s face more closely, she noted the willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, tinged with a hint of illness. When Ling Yue had been looking down, her features had seemed indistinct, but now, with her gaze fixed directly ahead, there was an air of authority about her that overshadowed her delicate beauty, making one hesitant to offend.

If she remembered correctly, this sister of hers was already eighteen, well past the age when she should have been married. But according to tradition, the elder sister must marry first, and so Ling Yue could not precede her.

Feeling apologetic, Ling Ya asked, “Is there someone you care for, little sister? If so, I can speak to Father on your behalf. We mustn’t let you be delayed.”

The shift in topic was abrupt. Though Ling Yue didn’t fully understand the intention, the tragedies of her past life made it difficult for her to entertain the idea of romance again. Moreover, from the corner of her eye, she noticed Ling Fu observing them.

She had no way of knowing if there were others in this world who had been reborn like her. Until she had built up her own strength, it was best not to appear too different.

A thought crossed her mind, and Ling Yue lowered her head once more, feigning apprehension. “I cannot overstep my elder sister.”

Ling Fu turned his head away, no longer paying attention to his daughters.

Ling Ya felt even more remorseful and reassured her, “It’s alright.”

Ling Yue promptly withdrew her hand, putting on a timid and weak demeanor. However, this only deepened the guilt in Ling Ya’s heart. She no longer pressed Ling Yue, instead changing her tone: “Then, Yue’er, what kind of Earth Xuan do you like? Don’t be afraid, sister is just asking.”

As she spoke, many people turned their gazes toward them, making Ling Yue, who wished to remain unnoticed, feel somewhat helpless. She strongly suspected that her elder sister before her had also been reborn, but in her previous life, when Ling Ya passed away, Ling Yue had not yet achieved any military merits, leaving no reason for anyone to curry favor with her.

With her doubts growing, Ling Yue pretended to be shy and hesitant, saying, “I like gentle ones, like little rabbits.”

Such Earth Xuans were a dime a dozen in Rong Dynasty.

However, in Ling Ya’s eyes, Ling Yue at that moment resembled a cute little rabbit even more. She herself had raised two in her quiet retreat rescued during a snowy year. One of them was frail and thin, while the other was even worse off, with a frostbitten right front paw and eye. Despite this, the little rabbit had stubbornly survived.

Whenever Ling Ya felt disheartened, she would visit the disabled little rabbit. Watching the rabbit strive to live on, she would regain her courage.

Ling Ya smiled, about to say more, but a strong wind made her cover her face and cough again.

The maid beside her quickly supported her, exclaiming anxiously, “Miss!”

When the coughing subsided, Ling Ya pushed the maid’s hand away and smiled at the seemingly frightened Ling Yue. “It’s nothing, just an old ailment.”

Noticing the trace of blood at the corner of Ling Ya’s lips, Ling Yue’s expression darkened. If she remembered correctly, Ling Fu’s visit to the palace this time was to seek the Grand Princess’s help in treating Ling Ya’s illness. Unfortunately, the Grand Princess never arrived, and the matter was left unresolved.

She recalled how Ling Fu had been anxious for a long time afterward. After all, the Grand Princess had agreed to attend but suddenly canceled, inevitably making Ling Fu wonder if he had somehow offended her.

Yet nothing happened until the war broke out.

Ling Yue had some thoughts wondering if she could save Ling Ya’s life in this lifetime. It wasn’t out of sisterly affection but simply out of respect for her elder sister’s character. However, the mere mention of the Grand Princess made her shudder. Even with ten times the courage, she wouldn’t dare provoke that person again.

Forget it. There must be other ways.

Dismissing her unrealistic fantasies, she watched as the heavy vermilion gate slowly creaked open in the morning light. The guards in silver armor reflected a cold gleam, and ahead lay a narrow path, seemingly endless, like the throat of a ferocious beast, mercilessly swallowing all who entered.

An elderly eunuch in deep green court attire smiled as he conversed with Ling Fu, his seemingly muddled eyes occasionally flashing with shrewdness and calculation.

“I didn’t notice yesterday when I came to deliver the message, but the general’s second daughter possesses such grace.”

Ling Yue quickly lowered her head. In her previous life, this Eunuch Sun had never paid her any attention, let alone praised her.

Ling Fu glanced back and noticed that Ling Yue and Ling Ya were standing very close, with Ya’er staring intently at Ling Yue. Though slightly displeased, he adhered to the principle of his daughter’s happiness and did not interfere with their closeness.

He replied politely, “You flatter me, Eunuch.”

Eunuch Sun had only mentioned it in passing, but since he had accepted benefits from Ling Fu, he provided quite a few pointers along the way.

The current emperor was merely a puppet, so there wasn’t much to be cautious about in his presence. However, the other figure was a different matter altogether.

Eunuch Sun didn’t know much about the elusive Grand Princess either, but he warned in a wary tone, “His Majesty is easygoing, so there’s no need to be overly formal around him. But in front of the Grand Princess, you must watch your words and actions. If you offend her, even ten heads wouldn’t be enough to atone for it.”

Ling Fu understood the gravity of the situation. Since he was seeking a favor, he humbled himself even further, bowing slightly lower. “Please enlighten me, Eunuch.”

With that, he slipped another pouch of coins into Eunuch Sun’s hand.

Eunuch Sun weighed it in his palm, and his murky old eyes widened slightly at the substantial weight. Clearly, he was quite satisfied with the offering. Clearing his throat, he spoke with an air of authority, “I won’t bother with the obvious rules. When you see Her Highness, do not look directly at her, do not stand too close, and do not speak too loudly she finds it irritating. But don’t speak too softly either, as she’ll also be annoyed if she can’t hear you. Keep your head lowered as much as possible she dislikes anyone taller than her.”

“Do not make any requests of Her Highness. If she doesn’t initiate conversation, do not speak first. She detests alcohol, dancing, and especially the sound of flutes. So, when she returns to the palace, all forms of entertainment are forbidden. Do not laugh too loudly, and do not cry.”

Ling Yue listened, growing increasingly exasperated. Though she had heard these warnings in her previous life, hearing them again was still hard to stomach.

Fortunately, the Grand Princess had not made an appearance in her past life. If all went well, she wouldn’t have to meet her in this life either. Ling Yue sincerely prayed that the other party would not show up. Otherwise, she had no idea what expression to wear to avoid provoking that formidable figure.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at their destination.

Ling Yue obediently stood in front of the palace hall, keeping her head lowered as she studied the floor tiles. She stole a glance at the grand plaque bearing the words “Hall of Mental Cultivation” before quickly lowering her head again.

Before long, Eunuch Sun emerged from inside, and she bowed her head once more.

“His Majesty summons you inside.”

Ling Yue dutifully followed her father and elder sister into the hall. They first kowtowed to the emperor and were then seated in the farthest position from the main seat.

The seat not far below the emperor, however, remained empty.

The young emperor’s voice was still childlike but carried a serious tone as he explained, “Today’s banquet was originally hosted by my elder sister, but she had urgent matters to attend to and left early. Consider this my gesture to reward the general.”

Ling Fu suppressed his inner disappointment, stood up, and replied, “Your Majesty is too gracious. Defending the borders and protecting the nation are merely my duties.”

“You are too modest, General. Please make yourselves at home and enjoy the feast.”

“As you command.”

Ling Yue had no need to engage in such formalities. She stared at the liquid in her cup, took a sip, and confirmed it was just water exactly as it had been in her previous life.

In her past life, she had needed to relieve herself halfway through the banquet and had excused herself. She hadn’t wandered far, but on her way, she encountered the suspicious Lu Weiying. Noticing the other girl was injured, she grew concerned and followed her. Before she knew it, she found herself near the Cold Palace, where she witnessed Lu Weiying being brutally beaten by a group of palace maids. Looking back now, it was all a setup.

This time, however, she would still follow the script, not to help, but to witness Lu Weiying’s humiliation.

After finishing her third cup of water, Ling Yue feigned discomfort. She whispered to the palace maid behind her and was promptly escorted out.

“I will wait here. If you need anything, Miss Ling, just call for me.”

Ling Yue nodded timidly. Just then, another palace maid approached, and they began to converse. Meanwhile, a furtive figure slipped past her line of sight.

The person appeared to be around sixteen, with somewhat messy hair tied up with a cloth strip. Her cheeks were thin, and only her eyes shone excessively bright, like a sneaky rat.

Lu Weiying was actually quite good-looking, but this time, Ling Yue was filled with disgust toward her, which was why she compared her to a rat.

When Lu Weiying noticed Ling Yue looking at her, she felt a surge of joy. In her previous life, she had heard that General Ling had brought his two daughters into the palace, and she had begun to scheme. She had differentiated into a Di Xuan, while both Ling daughters were Tian Qian. No matter which one she attracted, it offered hope of escaping the cold palace.

Though there was still a chance she could be executed, she had no other choice, she had already spent far too long in the cold palace.

Moreover, heaven had given her a second chance. She knew Ling Yue would surely take the bait, just like in her previous life, and she could rise from a discarded daughter of the cold palace to the exalted position of emperor.

She smugly believed her prey had taken the hook, never realizing that this time, she was the one who had become the prey.

Ling Yue watched the destitute Lu Weiying, a slight curve forming at the corner of her lips, but her eyes surged with a chilling intent to kill.

It seemed killing her here wouldn’t be a bad idea.

However, she quickly suppressed this wild thought, after all, this was the imperial palace.

Ling Yue let out a cold laugh and followed her, just as she had in her previous life.

Yet, for some reason, an uneasy feeling lingered in her heart, as if something beyond her control was about to happen.

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