Mistakenly Marked the Madly Beautiful Princess - Chapter 63

After lunch, the Princess declared she wanted to take a nap. Ling Yue initially intended to withdraw to the side hall, but the Princess refused, insisting that she stay and keep her company. Unable to decline, Ling Yue agreed to remain and watch over her.

The room lacked the scent of incense, making Ling Yue wonder if the Princess had been sleeping poorly lately, which was why she had asked for her presence.

The Princess’s bed was situated in the inner part of the room, concealed by layers of gauze curtains. Ling Yue sat outside, listening to the faint rustling sounds as the Princess settled into bed. After the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, it seemed the Princess had drifted into slumber.

Ling Yue sat for a while longer, her gaze once again drawn to the jade flute. Unable to resist, she walked over to the table where the flute lay. Picking it up, she examined it carefully, trying to find any differences from the one in her dreams. Yet, whether in color, the intricate patterns, or even the crack near the mouthpiece, it was identical.

Setting the flute down gently, Ling Yue sank into renewed confusion. She pulled up her sleeve, revealing the red bracelet engraved with her name. The flute might only exist in her dreams, but this bracelet was something she had truly seen in her past life. She had always wondered who had sent her gifts year after year, and though she now had a clue, she couldn’t confront the person involved to clarify matters.

A heavy feeling weighed on Ling Yue’s chest. If her suspicions were correct, then she had let the Princess down even though she had never made any promises to her. After her rebirth, her focus had been on seeking revenge for herself. If not for that fateful night’s twist of fate, they might have remained simply as ruler and subject.

But in her past life, her attitude had been so harsh, what exactly had the Princess seen in her? Had she overlooked some subtle detail?

Ling Yue racked her brains, but though her previous life had ended early, those thirty-two years were too long to remember every single thing.

She couldn’t help but sigh. This was a question she feared she might never unravel in this lifetime.

“Ling Yue!”

The Princess’s voice called out from the inner chamber, but unlike her usual tone whether stern, teasing or gentle, it was tinged with sorrow.

Could she be having a nightmare? Ling Yue pushed aside her wandering thoughts, lifted the gauze curtain, and sat by the Princess’s bedside. The Princess lay on her side, facing outward, her brows furrowed tightly as she murmured incessantly.

Ling Yue reached out to smooth her brows, then gently took her hand. Whether the Princess could hear her or not, she whispered soothingly, “Your Highness, Ling Yue is here.”

The sleeper’s expression relaxed somewhat, but the dream continued.

In the dream, Ling Yue had become a small grave. The Princess dreamed of visiting her often, bringing a pot of fine wine and clearing away the newly sprouted grass from the burial mound. It had been a long time since she had done such things, yet now, these small gestures were all she could offer.

But even these small acts were contested. From time to time, commoners would come to sweep Ling Yue’s grave, some traveling from thousands of miles away just for this purpose.

Fearful of being recognized and disturbing their sincerity, the Princess wore a veiled hat. If anyone asked her purpose, she would engage in earnest conversation, altering her voice with practiced skill.

“Miss, are you here to pay respects to General Ling as well?”

An elderly woman sat beside the princess, sighing as she spoke of these matters. They all felt sorrow over Ling Yue’s passing, and when the conversation turned to the most heartbreaking parts, they couldn’t hold back their tears. The woman wiped the tears from the corner of her eye, her voice trembling involuntarily. She wept before Ling Yue’s tombstone, saying, “General Ling, look, so many people love you. Go in peace, and may the heavens bless you with a carefree and joyful next life, free from all this hardship.”

Judging by her figure and voice, it was impossible to guess the princess’s age, but she did not correct the assumption. Instead, she stared blankly at the tombstone. Her illness was not yet cured; although Qing Niao had found a way to treat her, the method was too complicated. By the time she recovered, her life would likely be nearing its end. This meant she would have to endure over twenty more years of madness, what was the point?

Originally, she had been on the verge of death, but she had held on out of concern for Ling Yue. Yet every time her consciousness cleared, she was met with nothing but bad news: a severed hand, poisoning, and finally, being burned to ashes in a great fire.

Though the princess remained silent, the elderly woman continued to speak, recounting Ling Yue’s bravery in battle, her lifelong poverty, and how her own children had served under Ling Yue’s command.

Finally, she exclaimed indignantly, “How could such a good person be murdered? That former emperor was truly despicable! Thankfully, the princess returned and dealt with her.”

At this point, the princess finally replied, “Your adoration for her was one of the things that sealed her fate.”

“Young lady, don’t speak nonsense! How could our love for the general be wrong?”

The princess had no desire to argue, and besides, loving someone was not inherently wrong. So she fell silent again, letting the woman chatter on.

As dusk approached, the woman had to leave. Before going, she glanced at the princess and said with concern, “Young lady, it’s getting late. You should go home.”

Home? In this vast world, where could she call home? It was merely a building labeled as such, empty and haunted by the souls of those who dared not rest.

Would Ling Yue’s soul be there too?

Suddenly, the princess stood up and rushed frantically toward the palace. She wasn’t heading to her own residence, the Hall of Cultivation, but to the place where Ling Yue had died.

The Cold Palace was now in ruins. Lu Weiying had deliberately chosen this place, as if wanting to burn away her shameful past along with it. But as the princess gazed upon the broken walls and debris, she felt suffocated. She swayed weakly but managed to maintain the dignity befitting her status, refusing to collapse.

She regretted acting too quickly in sending Lu Weiying to the afterlife. Would they meet now? Would Lu Weiying bully Ling Yue again, or deceive her once more?

Just as these worries plagued her, a sound came from behind a charred pillar. The princess instantly grew alert and demanded coldly, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me.”

Qing Niao emerged from behind the pillar, her hair silver and her appearance haggard. By all logic, she shouldn’t have aged so quickly, but with everyone around her gone, it was remarkable that she hadn’t lost her mind and had instead found the strength to carry on.

“It’s Qing Niao.”

The princess’s voice always carried a faint aura of death, as if she might depart this world at any moment.

Qingniao feared her current state the most. Whether it was friends or children, they all wanted to survive but couldn’t. Yet this one, upon learning of Ling Yue’s death, did not cry. Instead, she calmly said to Qingniao, “Qingniao, I want to die.”

Qingniao was on the verge of breaking down. She repeatedly tried to soothe the other’s emotions, saying that Ling Yue had the bloodline of the Pengzhou Ke clan and that a miracle might still happen.

Back then, Ling Fu had married Ling Yue’s mother precisely for that sliver of a miracle, but he failed. He then blamed all his failures on Ling Yue. If not for his reputation, he would likely have harmed Ling Yue long ago.

The Eldest Princess watched Qingniao emerge from the ruins, her skirt stained with grayish-black dust. She lifted her gaze and asked, “Why are you here?”

Just as Qingniao was about to answer, the Eldest Princess added sharply, “You’ll disturb her.”

Qingniao knew at once that things were taking a turn for the worse, the other’s madness was surely about to flare up again. She rushed over to check the Eldest Princess’s pulse, only to reveal a look of sheer terror. The next moment, a hand clamped around her neck.

Her thoughts grew increasingly chaotic, and hallucinations swirled before her eyes. They spun around the Eldest Princess, mocking her incompetence relentlessly.

“Hahaha! So this is your fate now!”

“Lu He! What good will it do even if you kill me!”

The air suddenly turned cold, and the ground beneath her feet grew sticky. For a moment, Lu He felt unsteady, as if her body were sinking. Looking down, she saw that the once-smooth floor tiles had transformed into a bloody swamp. One hand after another dragged her downward, but she showed no panic. Instead, she drew the sword at her waist and severed all those hands.

Even in her madness, the Eldest Princess would not fear the enemies she had slain.

“Your Highness.”

A familiar voice made her pause, it was Ling Yue’s voice. Turning her head, she saw her other hand gripping Ling Yue’s neck, the other’s expression twisted in agony. Instantly, she released her grip, and her sword clattered to the ground.

She knelt on the crimson ground, surrounded by sharp, mocking laughter. Unfazed, she only repeated to the person before her, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, a peculiar fragrance cut through the oppressive atmosphere, driving away the harsh voices. The ground beneath her feet returned to normal, no ghosts, no Ling Yue. Only Qingniao remained, slumped on the ground, gasping for breath. In her palm were traces of a powdery white substance, the source of the fragrance.

Upon regaining clarity, the Eldest Princess understood what had happened. Her gaze distant, she helped Qingniao up and whispered, “I apologize.”

Qingniao rubbed her neck and forced a bitter smile. Fearing her expression might further wound the already despairing Eldest Princess, she quickly replaced it with a carefree facade. “Ah, I’m used to it by now.”

The Eldest Princess felt she was beyond saving. Her original plan was to settle matters concerning the Rong Dynasty’s legacy and then find a place to wither away. But Qingniao refused to give up on her.

The conditions Qingniao offered were too tempting, she claimed everything could change, and that the Eldest Princess could see Ling Yue again.

In her despair, the Eldest Princess found herself believing this lie, something even a child would dismiss. Yet Qingniao’s expression showed no hint of deceit.

Unable to resist, the Eldest Princess asked, “How do you know all this?”

Blue Bird patted her clothes. At this moment, she was still quite honest. When the Grand Princess asked, she answered helplessly, her gaze drifting into the distance with a hint of nostalgia: “Because I, too, have the desire to start over.”

The Grand Princess was growing weary. She closed her eyes briefly, and when she opened them again, she was back in reality.

Her hand was tightly held by someone, and the Grand Princess naturally knew who it was. She couldn’t help but squeeze Ling Yue’s hand in return, afraid that if she let go, the other would slip away from her.

She also feared that the dream was reality, and this reality was but a dream.

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