Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 40

“What! You said Cheng Kui was killed!”

Fu Huayi shot up from her seat, disbelief evident in her furious exclamation.

The messenger soldier’s face was equally grim. “Yes, that Ling Yue is incredibly fierce. General Cheng didn’t last ten moves against her before he was struck down from his horse.”

Not even ten moves.

Fu Huayi’s expression shifted dramatically. She slumped back into her seat, the unease in her heart growing heavier.

Even she wouldn’t have found it easy to defeat Cheng Kui in a fight, and he would have held back out of respect for her rank as marshal. But against an enemy, he would never have shown such restraint.

Waving the messenger away, Fu Huayi paced restlessly inside her tent, seething with anger.

The previous emperors of Rong had been incompetent and foolish. Initially, the strengths of Rong and Xin were fairly matched, but under the rule of those two emperors, Rong’s national power had gradually declined.

Rong and Xin shared the same origins, and Xin took advantage of the situation to march north and annex most of Rong’s territory. If things continued this way, Rong would soon become Xin’s possession.

But just as they were growing complacent, Lu He emerged out of nowhere. She killed the incompetent emperor, installed a puppet ruler, and led the army herself to reclaim the lost territories of Rong.

The Rong soldiers nearly crossed the Fen River to launch a counterattack, but unfortunately, the emperors she supported were unstable. Busy with state affairs, she no longer paid attention to Xin.

Of course, Xin would not let the matter rest. Skirmishes occurred from time to time, but all ended in failure.

Fu Huayi was nearly driven mad with jealousy. What kind of luck did Rong have? First, they produced a Lu He, and now, here came a Ling Yue.

Though Fu Huayi was agitated, Ling Yue’s provocations did not reach her ears, so Ling Yue’s plan fell flat.

Outside Hongshui City, Ling Yue waited for a long time but no other enemies appeared. She was quite disappointed but had no choice but to return to the city.

After entering the city, the soldiers looked at her with noticeably different expressions. For a moment, it felt as if she had returned to her past life, before she lost her sight.

“General Ling!”

“Young General Ling!”

Ling Yue acknowledged each greeting before being led away by Li Min.

The common people on the streets also glanced her way, curious about what this General Ling looked like.

Seeing that Ling Yue showed neither timidity nor arrogance, Li Min couldn’t help but admire her even more. She smiled and said, “They mean no harm. Please don’t take offense, General Ling.”

“You flatter me, General Li.”

Ling Yue’s composed demeanor further elevated Li Min’s opinion of her. She couldn’help but sigh with admiration, “Someone like you, General Ling, must be very popular.”

A light rain began to fall again, carried by a slanting breeze. Ling Yue lowered her head, gazing at her horse’s mane, and softly replied, “Not really.”

Li Min was surprised. “No? You’re being too modest, General Ling.”

It really wasn’t the case.

In her previous life, she had spent years on the battlefield, watching those around her form pairs while she remained alone. But back then, she hadn’t felt inferior, especially with Lu Weiying by her side.

Only later did she realize she was truly alone Lu Weiying had merely been using her.

Come to think of it, it had been a long time since she last thought of Lu Weiying. The other woman seemed to have become insignificant in her life.

Ling Yue didn’t want to continue this topic. She turned the tables and began asking about Li Min’s situation.

“General Li, you must be more popular than I am. Is there someone you admire?”

Li Min instantly lost her enthusiasm. She shook her head and sighed, “There is, but that person doesn’t like me.”

Ling Yue followed up, “Is that so? Did they reject you?”

After dismounting, the two continued walking through the estate. Li Min sighed again, “No, but there’s always a distance between us, and she never talks to me about trivial matters.”

Ling Yue had never been in a proper romantic relationship herself, but having witnessed the love between Wang Lan and Wen Yuanyuan, she felt she could still offer some advice.

Out of their past-life connection, Ling Yue decided to help Li Min. “Do you know her preferences well?”

Li Min thought for a moment, then smiled bitterly. “She likes working overtime.”

Ling Yue was momentarily baffled. She quickly asked, “What else? What flowers does she like? What food? What colors?”

Li Min’s smile grew even more pained. “She always eats the meals prepared by the county office, doesn’t care for flowers, and I can’t tell what colors she prefers.”

From these descriptions, Ling Yue understood, the person Li Min liked was probably a workaholic.

She couldn’t help but show a sympathetic look. “Someday, she’ll notice you.”

Before they knew it, they had reached the entrance of the Eldest Princess’s chambers. Li Min’s expression turned peculiar, her gaze shifting between the door and Ling Yue. Finally, she couldn’t resist saying, “Her Highness seems to hold you in high regard.”

Ling Yue didn’t overthink it and nodded with a smile. “It’s an honor that Her Highness values me.”

Li Min patted Ling Yue’s shoulder, her admiring expression leaving Ling Yue utterly confused. But what followed was even more perplexing. Li Min said, “Don’t let Her Highness down.”

The words sounded normal, yet they felt somewhat strange.

Ling Yue nodded blankly. “Of course not.”

Li Min smiled and then departed.

Ling Yue watched her retreating figure, unable to make sense of it. When she turned around, she found the Eldest Princess standing at the doorway.

Ling Yue had woken up early, while the Eldest Princess was still asleep.

For some reason, Ling Yue grew nervous again, her anxiety mingled with heartache.

If the Eldest Princess’s life hadn’t been so tragic, would she have been just a happy princess, free from the burdens of managing the affairs of the Rong Dynasty?

But with so few people by her side, wasn’t it exhausting to carry everything alone?

Ling Yue stepped forward. “Your Highness.”

Glancing inside, she noticed Qing Niao was also there, copying something at the desk.

Ling Yue immediately grew tense. “Is Your Highness feeling well?”

The Eldest Princess smiled. “Very well. The commotion in the city was it because of you?”

Although Fu Huayi hadn’t been drawn out, Ling Yue was relatively satisfied with the day’s outcome.

Outside, a light drizzle continued, but when the Eldest Princess looked into Ling Yue’s eyes, it was as if she saw the sun.

She heard the sun say, “I have fulfilled my duty.”

The Eldest Princess lowered her gaze and walked inside. Noticing Ling Yue hadn’t followed, she turned back with a faint smile. “Come in.”

Ling Yue followed her and took a seat. Finally, she could see what Qing Niao was writing the paper was filled with medicinal ingredients.

Qing Niao sensed someone watching her and looked up. Seeing it was Ling Yue, she smiled. “The young general has returned.”

Ignoring the teasing, Ling Yue was only concerned about the purpose of the prescription and for whom it was written.

So, she stared at the ink-stained paper and asked, “Physician Yun, what are you doing?”

Qing Niao finished writing the last character, set down her brush, and gently blew on the paper.

Noticing Ling Yue’s unusual concern, she seemed pleased. “Prescribing some calming and sleep-aiding medicine for Her Highness.”

So it really was for the Eldest Princess.

Naturally, Ling Yue grew worried. She looked at Qing Niao and asked, “What about Her Highness?”

As soon as these words were spoken, Qing Niao’s smile grew even more pronounced. She handed the prescription to Ling Yue: “Her Highness is fine, and this prescription can also be used by you.”

Taking the prescription, Ling Yue felt a mix of emotions. She had previously asked Qing Niao for medicine but had been toyed with by her.

But now, it seemed Qing Niao’s intention might not have been mere teasing, after all, the treatment of the Grand Princess’s illness truly depended on her.

Sometimes fate felt so peculiar, she and the Grand Princess were bound together in such a way.

Moreover, the Grand Princess in this life was far gentler than in the previous one, so gentle that Ling Yue occasionally found herself enchanted.

Qing Niao paid no mind to her thoughts; her task was complete, so she patted the basket on her back and left.

Only Ling Yue and the Grand Princess remained in the room. Suddenly flustered, Ling Yue sniffed at herself, confirming there was no scent of blood before calming down.

Facing each other in silence, Ling Yue touched the armor on her legs; the cool sensation brought her comfort.

“Did Your Highness sleep well?”

Ling Yue was at a loss for words, only able to ask about well-being repeatedly. As soon as she spoke, she realized how foolish the question was, how could the Grand Princess be well if Qing Niao had prescribed sedatives?

Ling Yue was deeply frustrated. She stole a glance at the Grand Princess’s expression, only to find her smiling.

“Fairly well, though some memories from the past came to mind.”

Ling Yue’s heart instantly ached. On that night, the Grand Princess had confided in her.

To have endured so much at such a young age thankfully, the Grand Princess was resilient.

But how to comfort someone burdened by such heavy matters? Ling Yue feared accidentally hurting her.

Suddenly recalling how the Grand Princess had held her hand tightly the night before, Ling Yue had an idea. After careful consideration, she said earnestly, “I will always stay by Your Highness’s side.”

The Grand Princess was taken aback by this response. She felt a mix of helplessness and hidden anticipation, yet she feigned indifference. “On the battlefield, blades and arrows have no eyes. General Ling must be cautious.”

Ling Yue didn’t understand how the conversation had shifted to this, but she soon got her explanation.

The Grand Princess looked at her. “Good people die young, while troublemakers live long. Someone like me can endure for ages. Don’t break your promise, or I’ll drag you back even from hell.”

The tone sounded like a joke, but as Ling Yue gazed into the Grand Princess’s eyes, she sensed sincerity.

Having lived a second life, Ling Yue cherished her own life more than anyone. She vowed, “Naturally.”

Seeing her agreement, the Grand Princess laughed, breaking the solemn atmosphere. “Alright, I was just joking. We’ve been away for so long, I wonder how Lu Ai is doing in Rongjing.”

“Though, she’s probably speaking ill of me.”

Far away in Rongjing, Lu Ai suddenly shivered and closed the memorial in front of her.

Ling Ya, seeing her exhaustion, couldn’t help but say, “Your Majesty, you should rest.”

Lu Ai glanced at Ling Ya. She never expected her elder sister to leave such a troublesome task behind having her assist Ling Ya with the Ling family affairs.

Complaints aside, with her elder sister gone, Lu Ai felt uncertain. In the past, after making decisions, she didn’t overthink them because her elder sister would review them. But now, that wasn’t possible.

Lu Ai sighed. “I’m still not as capable as my elder sister.”

Ling Ya, permitted to reside in the palace, had often heard the commoners describe Lu Ai as incompetent, but what she witnessed was different.

The Emperor was diligent.

Ling Ya couldn’t help but laugh, drawing Lu Ai’s attention.

Puzzled, Lu Ai asked, “What are you laughing at?”

Ling Ya explained, “I laugh at how fearsome gossip can be. The Eldest Princess and His Majesty are both very gentle.”

Because she was familiar with Lu Ai’s temperament, and because she had the Eldest Princess backing her, Ling Ya dared to speak so boldly.

But Lu Ai thought the other woman was foolish, how could her elder sister possibly be gentle? She had been a little god of death since childhood.

She couldn’t help but look at Ling Ya with pity. “She has deceived you.”

Ling Ya: “Huh?”

Lu Ai rubbed her temples. “Don’t believe her, whether it’s about her background or anything else.”

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