Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 35

“Your humble servant pays respects to Your Highness.”

Li Min and He Youxian naturally noticed the situation and hurried forward to bow in greeting.

Lu He had changed her demeanor, pointing at the severed head on the ground as she asked, “Do you recognize who this is?”

Li Min, being the bolder of the two, stepped forward to take a look but couldn’t identify the person. She could only kneel and plead for punishment, her voice trembling as she said, “Your humble servant does not know. I beg Your Highness to punish me.”

When Ling Yue had shown great interest in Song Xuanze’s information, Lu He had ordered her subordinates to keep a close watch on him. Yet, somehow, he had still managed to slip through the cracks.

This only further confirmed that Ling Yue must know something.

The thought that Ling Yue was keeping secrets from her displeased Lu He, but it was only a fleeting feeling. With time on her side, she had plenty of ways to make Ling Yue come clean.

Lu He snorted coldly, “Wipe his face clean and take a good look.”

Li Min carried water with her. She used it to wash the face of the severed head and only then realized that the wide-eyed, unblinking corpse was the deposed crown prince of the Xin Dynasty.

A cold sweat broke out on her back. The presence of a royal from an enemy nation here could only mean ill intentions. If the Grand Princess hadn’t arrived, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

Li Min did not shirk responsibility. She dropped to one knee and said, “Your humble servant has failed in her duties. I beg Your Highness to punish me.”

Lu He intended to mete out punishment, but just as she was about to speak, someone tugged at her sleeve to plead for leniency.

Ling Yue knew Li Min though that was from a past life. While their relationship wasn’t as close as the one she shared with Wang Lan and Wen Yuanyuan, during the time they worked together, she had come to know Li Min as a kind and diligent person.

Later, after Ling Yue lost an arm and went blind, she met Li Min again. Li Min had been deeply sympathetic and even urged her to return to Rong City to recuperate, saying that the battlefield still had people like them.

Unfortunately, Li Min died faster than she, the blind one, did. Whether it was her bravery or her kindness, her life ended with the words, “General Li has fallen in battle.”

Ling Yue always held a great deal of leniency toward people from her past life. She couldn’t help but plead for Li Min, saying, “I beg Your Highness to show mercy.”

Lu He’s gaze lingered on Ling Yue’s face. She didn’t like it when Ling Yue pleaded with her on behalf of others, yet this foolish girl had done it time and again.

And every time, she had acquiesced.

Was she being too indulgent?

Lu He’s eyes darkened as she considered whether to refuse this time, to put a stop to Ling Yue’s pushing of boundaries.

Seeing Lu He hesitate, Ling Yue grew anxious and said, “I beg Your Highness for grace.”

Lu He’s train of thought was interrupted. Truth be told, she couldn’t bear to see Ling Yue so distressed.

After all, no major chaos had ensued. While physical punishment could be lessened, a demotion in rank was still necessary.

Ling Yue didn’t ask for more. Given Li Min’s capabilities, her rank would surely be restored soon.

Qing Niao hadn’t accompanied them. She had gone to tend to the group of disaster victims.

Ling Yue called out to her a few times, only to irritate the physician. Qing Niao waved her hand impatiently and said, “Just go on ahead. There’s no need to worry about me.”

Ling Yue, having been brushed off, rubbed her nose in embarrassment. Ever since learning about Qing Niao’s childhood embarrassments, her standing with the physician had plummeted to the same level as the Grand Princess’s.

Turning back, she saw the Grand Princess standing in place, waiting for her. And because the Grand Princess was waiting, Li Min and He Youxian, who were leading the way, didn’t dare to move.

Their eyes were fixed on Ling Yue, scrutinizing her from head to toe, making her extremely uncomfortable.

Unable to bear it any longer, Ling Yue hurried to hide behind the Grand Princess.

Ling Yue and the others were assigned to stay in the government office. The conditions here were naturally incomparable to the palace, but far better than the small, dilapidated house Ling Yue had been living in.

The room didn’t need cleaning, so Ling Yue set down her meager luggage and walked over to the window. When she opened it, she was startled by Li Min standing outside.

Seeing that she had frightened Ling Yue, Li Min felt deeply apologetic. She cupped her hands and said, “My apologies, Second Miss Ling. And thank you for speaking up for me today.”

Looking at the still-youthful General Li, Ling Yue felt a sense of daze.

Rebirth was truly a wondrous thing. Those she could no longer see could be met again, and the mistakes of her past life could be avoided. From this perspective, heaven had indeed been kind to her.

Ling Yue chuckled lightly, “General, you’re too polite. Would you like to come in and sit?”

Coincidentally, Li Min had some unresolved doubts and did not decline the offer.

There was no tea to serve in the room, so the two simply sat facing each other and chatted.

Recalling the events of the day, Li Min still felt a lingering fear. However, she couldn’t help but admire how Song Xuanze had been recognized even with his face painted like that.

She had seen it, the first to notice something amiss was actually Ling Yue, who then pointed it out to the Eldest Princess, leading to the subsequent events.

Feeling ashamed, Li Min said, “Thanks to Second Miss’s attentiveness, otherwise Hongshui Town would have been in grave danger. But how did you recognize him?”

Under Li Min’s admiring gaze, Ling Yue could only offer a bitter smile.

How did she recognize him?

In her past life, Wang Lan had been schemed against and killed by Song Xuanze, his body left incomplete.

Though the battlefield was cruel and such things were common, how could Ling Yue not hate him? She had studied Song Xuanze’s portrait over and over, afraid she might forget his appearance.

One could say that even if Song Xuanze were reduced to ashes, she would still recognize him.

Ling Yue sighed, “My eyesight is a bit better than most.”

Li Min nodded in agreement and praised, “Second Miss’s eyes are very bright.”

Ling Yue froze for a moment. It seemed she had heard these words somewhere else. Frowning, she carefully searched through her memories of both her past and present lives, eventually digging up the phrase from an obscure corner of her mind.

It was from her past life, when she had fled with Lu Weiying and hidden in the mountains.

Unlike Lu Weiying’s anxiety, Ling Yue was rather unambitious, she felt it wouldn’t matter if she stayed in the mountains until her death.

It had been half a month since they escaped from the palace, and during that time, it had been remarkably peaceful. The Eldest Princess’s subordinates had not tracked them down.

She thought this state of affairs would continue indefinitely, but once again, she was mistaken.

Under the bright moonlight, Lu Weiying had already fallen asleep. The mountains were dangerous, so Ling Yue usually kept watch outside.

The night grew deeper, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Ling Yue hugged her sword and leaned against a rock near the cave entrance.

The evening breeze whispered softly, and the world was too quiet Ling Yue could almost hear the beating of her own heart.

She slowly closed her eyes but was suddenly startled by someone pinching her chin.

There had been no sound, no chance for Ling Yue to react. She tried to draw the sword in her arms but was restrained by a hand.

“Shh, make a sound and I’ll kill you.”

The Eldest Princess’s voice was unmistakable. Upon hearing it, Ling Yue nearly died on the spot.

She forced herself to calm down and then nodded.

A torch flared to life, illuminating Ling Yue’s face and that of the Eldest Princess. The torch was held too close, its flames dancing excitedly as if they might leap onto Ling Yue’s face at any moment.

Staring into the Eldest Princess’s half-smiling eyes, Ling Yue broke out in a cold sweat.

The Grand Princess increased her pressure, and Ling Yue immediately felt a sharp pain in her chin, causing her to frown involuntarily. At that moment, the Grand Princess released her grip.

Ling Yue raised her hand to rub her chin.

The warmth of the torch suddenly moved away. When Ling Yue looked up, she realized the Grand Princess had turned her back and taken a few steps forward.

Ling Yue did not sense any killing intent from the other party, which eased her mind slightly.

Before she could relax for long, the Grand Princess’s voice came again: “Follow me.”

Ling Yue froze instantly. She glanced back at the cave, struggled inwardly for a moment, then gritted her teeth and followed the Grand Princess.

She had no idea how long they walked or where they were going, but throughout the journey, the Grand Princess remained silent.

Earlier, she had been too panicked to observe carefully, but after walking for so long, she felt somewhat calmer. Only then did she notice that the Grand Princess looked somewhat haggard under the torchlight.

Her hair was disheveled and messy, her clothes torn in many places, with some tears even stained with dried blood.

As she stared intently, the Grand Princess ahead suddenly stopped and turned around with a smile: “Am I pleasing to the eye?”

Ling Yue grew flustered again, lowering her head and not daring to meet her gaze: “The Grand Princess is naturally beautiful.”

The Grand Princess brushed aside the stray hairs at her temple, let out two abrupt laughs, then her tone turned cold: “Hollow flattery.”

Ling Yue was indeed being perfunctory, but her words were also sincere.

Fearing for her life, she quickly explained: “Your Highness misunderstands.”

The Grand Princess flung the torch toward her, effectively silencing her.

The night returned to silence, with only the crackling of the flames. An insect flew straight into the only light in the darkness and instantly turned to ash with a snap.

The Grand Princess stared at the torch and suddenly felt irritable. She casually moved it away.

Ling Yue couldn’t decipher her gaze, but even then, she understood that such a look would not be directed at an enemy.

The scent of plum blossoms in the wind grew much stronger, and Ling Yue inexplicably felt a wave of heat, which she attributed to the flames.

The Grand Princess suddenly moved much farther away from her. Holding the torch, she gazed at the stars in the night sky. After a long while, she suddenly sneered: “Do you think Lu Weiying is the rightful emperor?”

The fragrance faded slightly, and the earlier discomfort slowly subsided. Ling Yue had no time to dwell on her own strange sensations and replied with unwavering determination: “I believe she is.”

The Grand Princess looked into her eyes and suddenly praised: “Your eyes are very bright.”

The change of topic was too abrupt for Ling Yue to process immediately. She stood there dumbfounded, offering thanks, only to realize the Grand Princess had more to say.

“It’s a pity such bright eyes are blind.”

Ling Yue understood her meaning and couldn’t help but feel a surge of anger. “You!”

“Come back. There’s no need to hide. Let us compete. If you can defeat me, I will grant you what you desire.”

Ling Yue didn’t understand her meaning and asked in confusion: “What does Your Highness mean?”

The torch burned out, plunging the world back into darkness.

In the darkness, Ling Yue heard the Grand Princess’s soft laugh: “What a foolish girl.”

The wind rustled softly, and the Grand Princess’s voice grew increasingly distant, yet still clear: “I will grant you the greatest freedom. If you can defeat me in the court, your wish will be fulfilled.”

The memories of the past were vivid. Back then, she hadn’t pondered deeply, but now, Ling Yue felt like an outsider examining everything from her previous life.

In her past life, the Grand Princess had deliberately spared her multiple times, and during that half-month period, the other’s body had likely been suffering from some ailment.

Why hadn’t she noticed any of this in her previous life?

Ling Yue shook her head, thinking of how much the Grand Princess valued her. She silently vowed in her heart that in this lifetime, she would become the Grand Princess’s sharpest blade, clearing all obstacles in her path.

Li Min watched from the side and noticed that after she praised the other, Ling Yue’s eyes seemed to grow brighter and brighter.

Unable to resist, she waved her hand in front of Ling Yue’s eyes, relieved when Ling Yue still reacted.

Li Min let out a sigh of relief and asked curiously, “What is the Second Young Lady thinking about?”

Without hesitation, Ling Yue blurted out, “Thinking about how to become a blade.”

Li Min widened her eyes in surprise and after a long pause, let out a sound, “Huh?”

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