Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: “Your Highness, Don’t Be Like This, I’m Scared”…

“Lord Xie, are you saying that your good son took five hundred soldiers from the North-Pacifying Marquis and used them to form the Vermillion Bird Camp?”

In the Imperial Study, Xie Mao, kneeling on the ground, lowered his head even further.

“Your Majesty, Xie Jing has a rebellious nature and must be guarded against!”

Xie Mao had previously thought that Xie Jing had defected to the Emperor. When the Emperor ordered Xie Jing to form the Vermillion Bird Camp, Xie Mao became even more convinced of his idea, to the extent that he had cursed the Emperor countless times in his heart for being a foolish youth and unworthy partner.

However, the matter turned out to be beyond his expectation. Xie Jing somehow caught the North-Pacifying Marquis’s eye. Not only did he help him form the Vermillion Bird Camp, but it was rumored that he now followed the Marquis daily to study military strategy.

Only then did Xie Mao deeply realize Xie Jing’s uncontrollability. But while he dared to curse the Emperor in his heart and dare to offend the Grand Princess, he did not dare to provoke the North-Pacifying Marquis, who commanded one hundred thousand North-Pacifying soldiers.

Thus, he could only enter the palace to seek out the Emperor, which was the first time he had actively met with the Emperor in a while.

The Emperor’s face was also fluctuating between light and shadow.

The North-Pacifying Marquis…

One hundred thousand North-Pacifying soldiers.

Did he want them?

Of course he did, but he didn’t dare to think about it.

So, the five hundred North-Pacifying soldiers being incorporated into the Vermillion Bird Camp felt like a honey-coated arsenic pill, making him drool while also fearing to swallow it.

The key was that he couldn’t punish Xie Jing. From all perspectives, Xie Jing had over-delivered on the mission.

A disgrace, truly a massive disgrace!

He, the Emperor of Daxia, had been outmaneuvered by a mere puppet. Fortunately, no one knew.

No, one more person knows!

The Emperor looked at Xie Mao kneeling beneath him, considering what consequences would arise if he just got rid of Xie Mao now.

Also, what kind of mesmerizing potion did my Imperial Sister give Xie Jing, causing him to dare to outwardly comply but secretly defy me, the Emperor?

Could it be true love…

The Emperor almost laughed at his own thought. He didn’t believe that a person like Xie Jing still harbored such naive ideas.

And the Xie family—all of Xie Jing’s recent actions were no longer just passive defiance; they were outright trampling on the Xie family’s reputation.

Thinking of this, the Emperor suddenly felt that Xie Jing was not so detestable anymore, and he also gave up the idea of killing Xie Mao.

However, Xie Mao, the old fox, guessed what the Emperor was thinking. No matter how much he cursed the Emperor in his heart, his expression remained respectful: “Your Majesty, do you really think a small figure like Xie Jing could catch the North-Pacifying Marquis’s eye?”

The Emperor was startled: “Lord Xie means?”

“Your Majesty, I suspect that Her Highness the Grand Princess and the North-Pacifying Marquis have secretly reached some agreement. If that is true, this humble servant can only offer his life, but I fear that a change may come upon our Daxia!”

Xie Mao’s words truly brought the thought that the Emperor had been unwilling to contemplate into the open.

Yes, if my Imperial Sister’s thirty thousand South-Pacifying soldiers colluded with the North-Pacifying Marquis’s one hundred thousand North-Pacifying soldiers, who in Daxia could stop these two?

“Imperial Sister, were you also calculating against me?” the Emperor murmured.

Xie Mao inwardly rolled his eyes. At this point, only a fool couldn’t see what you were trying to do.

Is the Grand Princess foolish?

In Xie Mao’s view, the biggest fool here was the Emperor.

Besides, who knows if Xie Jing had truthfully informed the Grand Princess of his background.

The Emperor felt inexplicably furious.

“She is actually guarding against me, her own little brother…”

“Pei Shujing dares to betray me!”

Xie Mao, kneeling on the ground, was speechless. Now you remember that you and the Grand Princess are siblings.

Although he stood on the Emperor’s side, he couldn’t help but sigh that this Emperor was truly self-righteous.

You were the one who first coveted someone else’s military power. Is it wrong for them to fight back?

Instead of this powerless rage, he should hurry up and think of a solution.

“Your Majesty, the current situation is that we are exposed, and the Grand Princess is hidden.”

“No matter what the Grand Princess’s goal is, we cannot just stand by and watch. We must take action!”

Reminded by Xie Mao, the Emperor realized he had lost his composure in front of others again.

Unknowingly, his attitude toward Xie Mao worsened even more.

Xie Mao, unaware that he was hovering on the edge of life and death, continued to provoke the Emperor.

“This humble servant has one strategy. It just depends on whether Your Majesty dares to use it.”

“…Don’t dare?”

“What is there for you not to dare!”

Pei Shujing smiled sweetly, looking at Xie Ning, who was still hanging upside down from the ceiling beam.

“Right now, it should be this Princess who dares not speak loudly to the North-Pacifying Marquis’s student. In a few more days, perhaps this Princess will have to call herself Shujing in front of the Imperial Son-in-Law.”

Listening to the Grand Princess’s sarcasm, Xie Ning secretly pouted.

That wouldn’t be bad.

But Xie Ning didn’t dare say that out loud. She could only laugh awkwardly: “Your Highness, I truly did this with your best interests in mind!”

Pei Shujing certainly knew that Xie Ning’s action not only thwarted the Emperor’s plot against her but also screwed the Emperor over in the process, and he managed to escape safely himself.

Even she had to admit that Xie Ning had done well.

Pei Shujing stood up from the wheelchair and walked step by step toward Xie Ning: “But what if this Princess is simply unhappy?”

Xie Ning had no time to focus on anything else. He stared wide-eyed at Pei Shujing’s legs.

“Your Highn… Your Highness, you can walk!”

“Yes. Is the Imperial Son-in-Law very disappointed?” Pei Shujing extended her slender, jade-like finger, tapped Xie Ning’s forehead, and said with a sweet smile: “I must thank the Imperial Son-in-Law, after all. If Shujing were truly a cripple, how could she be worthy of the North-Pacifying Marquis’s student?”

In the past few days, Pei Shujing’s body had recovered very quickly. Not only were the scars on her body gone, but even her skin had become more delicate and moist.

Although her legs hadn’t fully recovered, walking a distance of a hundred steps was completely fine.

She could finally go out and meet people, and she could finally boldly start her own plan.

“Your Highness, don’t be like this, I’m scared!”

Xie Ning swallowed silently. In his view, the current smiling Pei Shujing was even more terrifying than the furious Pei Shujing.

Pei Shujing was in a good mood and felt like teasing Xie Ning again: “Oh? It seems Shujing was inconsiderate and frightened the Imperial Son-in-Law. How about Shujing apologizes to the Imperial Son-in-Law here?”

Xie Ning was a bit helpless.

“Your Highness, I will naturally also teach you the method for making the sandbox. I guarantee that whatever the North-Pacifying Army has, the South-Pacifying Army will also have.”

After speaking, Xie Ning felt somewhat uneasy. This was the first time he had openly discussed the South-Pacifying Army with Pei Shujing. He wondered how the Grand Princess would react.

Previously, these words would definitely have crossed Pei Shujing’s bottom line. But now, Pei Shujing showed no reaction, still looking at Xie Ning with a sweet smile.

While this relieved Xie Ning, he also had a premonition that his identity might not be hidden for much longer.

He wondered how Pei Shujing would react when she found out he was a woman.

Since the topic had been opened, there was no need for Pei Shujing to pretend anymore. Her gaze was chilling as she looked at Xie Ning: “What this Princess wants is much more than you imagine.”

“What the North-Pacifying Army has, my South-Pacifying Army must have; what the North-Pacifying Army does not have, my South-Pacifying Army must also have! Understand?”

Xie Ning naturally had no reason to refuse.

In fact, he still had many ideas to enhance the combat capabilities of the army that he hadn’t brought out yet.

Take the simplest example: the horseshoe.

While studying with the North-Pacifying Marquis, he realized that Daxia currently did not have such a thing as a horseshoe.

The importance of warhorses in the Cold Weapons Era goes without saying. A horseshoe not only slows down the wear and tear of the horse’s hooves but also enhances movement stability, allowing the horse to run faster and farther.

Pei Shujing waved her hand. Xiao Zhu untied the rope on Xie Ning’s legs.

“Tell this Princess, what have you learned during this time?”

Xie Ning stretched his ankles for a while, then thought: “I learned the saber.”

In the battlefield’s history, no matter how good his fists were, they couldn’t beat a saber. The time it took him to punch someone to death, someone else might have already slashed him dozens of times.

Fortunately, he had some foundation, allowing him to integrate his boxing skills into his saber technique. Xie Ning was progressing quickly. He pointed at Xiao Zhu and said: “If I spar with Xiao Zhu now, she would be dead within ten moves.”

Xiao Zhu pursed her lips and remained silent.

Xie Ning then pointed at Xiao Yu, though his tone was not as certain as before: “If I were riding a horse, Xiao Yu probably wouldn’t be able to defeat me, right?”

Pei Shujing scorned: “Are you even embarrassed?”

Using cavalry tactics to fight someone, and still sounding uncertain. Although Pei Shujing was extremely displeased, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.

This was because Xie Ning’s current identity was too uncertain, and Pei Shujing could not completely put her mind at ease.

If Xiao Yu also failed at Xie Ning’s hands, Pei Shujing would genuinely consider transferring a portion of the South-Pacifying Army to protect her.

Pei Shujing looked at the silent Xiao Zhu. Xiao Zhu took a deep breath: “Your Highness, I will win!”

Xie Ning listened with a cheerful smile and did not refute her. Xiao Zhu was perhaps her first good friend since coming to this world, so there was no need to embarrass Xiao Zhu in such a situation.

Yes, even though Xiao Zhu was sent by Pei Shujing to monitor her, she still regarded Xiao Zhu as a friend.

Hearing Xiao Zhu’s guarantee, Pei Shujing’s expression softened slightly.

She didn’t necessarily need Xiao Zhu to win, but she had noticed that Xiao Zhu had been somewhat lax recently.

Pei Shujing’s situation would be very dangerous moving forward, not to mention the people around her. Xiao Zhu and Xiao Yu were deeply devoted to her, and she didn’t want either of them to leave her side.

Pei Shujing then looked at the smiling Xie Ning, narrowing her eyes: “Come with this Princess to the palace tomorrow.”

Xie Ning was startled and hesitant. He had just screwed the Emperor over and now he was going to strut in front of him. That was like carrying a lantern into a latrine—seeking death!

Pei Shujing ignored him. The Emperor was a very vengeful person. He would definitely find a way to retaliate. Rather than passively waiting for the Emperor’s move, it was better to go and gather some information first.

Moreover, since her legs could walk now, it was time to make an appearance.

“Your Highness, news has come from the palace again.”

Pei Shujing frowned. Has the Emperor already made a move?

She looked at Xie Ning, noticed Xie Ning pointing at himself, and instantly realized. It seemed that old fox Xie Mao had made his move.

“What is it?”

“A night banquet will be held in the palace tomorrow, inviting Her Highness and the Imperial Son-in-Law to attend. In addition, all court officials will also be seated.”

Pei Shujing looked out the window in the direction of the Imperial Palace, her gaze sharp.

“I’d like to see what kind of scheme the Emperor is trying to pull now!”

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