Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 26.1

Chapter 26.1: “Your Highness, You Smell So Good”…

When Xie Ning opened her eyes again, her first thought was that she would never faint again!

The bed was practically her respawn point.

If this continued, she was likely to achieve an accomplishment: the person with the highest number of fainting spells among all transmigrators.

“Water…”

Xie Ning sensed someone by her bed, but she didn’t have the strength to turn her head yet.

“Older Sister, you’re awake?” Xie Jingqiu exclaimed with surprise.

Xie Ning forced a smile: “…Water.”

Xie Jingqiu realized, quickly picked up the teapot, and carefully poured water for Xie Ning, aiming the spout at her mouth.

After drinking a few mouthfuls of water, Xie Ning finally recovered some vitality.

“Help me sit up.”

While Jingqiu was assisting Xie Ning to lean against the headboard, Xie Ning asked: “How long was I unconscious?”

“It’s been three days.”

Not too long, thankfully.

Xie Ning sat up, looked around, and was stunned. This bed isn’t her bed, and this room isn’t her room.

“Jingqiu, where is this?”

Jingqiu placed a bolster behind Xie Ning’s back to prevent the headboard from touching her wound.

“This is Her Highness’s bedchamber.”

Xie Ning was dumbfounded.

How did she end up in Pei Shujing’s bed?

She was about to ask when she heard footsteps approaching.

It was Pei Shujing.

She walked to the bedside, looked at Xie Ning, and pursed her lips: “You’re awake?”

Xie Ning smiled and nodded.

“I’m awake.”

Jingqiu handed the teapot to Pei Shujing, then quietly retreated, thoughtfully closing the door behind her.

Xie Ning playfully complained: “Jingqiu even closed the door, as if we have some scandalous secret.”

But Pei Shujing didn’t take her bait. Instead, she lowered her gaze and said: “Thank you.”

Xie Ning grinned: “I thought you would say you won’t let me do such dangerous things in the future.”

Pei Shujing scoffed faintly: “The things we must do are destined to lead to eternal damnation if we take one wrong step. If I didn’t let you do such dangerous things, wouldn’t this Princess be all alone?”

“That’s right. I also think since we are partners, we shouldn’t be so polite. This is… what partners should do.”

Xie Ning moved her body, and a tearing sensation immediately spread through her wound. She let out a soft “hiss.”

Pei Shujing looked helpless, unsure how to ease Xie Ning’s pain at that moment. She glanced at the teapot in her hand and stuffed the spout into Xie Ning’s mouth.

Xie Ning: “…”

Xie Ning was gracious enough to drink a few more mouthfuls of water.

“Then, partner, tell me what happened in the past few days. I assume we caused quite a commotion this time.”

Pei Shujing nodded.

“After Xue Hanyan’s death, the Emperor wrote a memorial claiming that Xue Hanyan coveted the imperial power, brought private soldiers, and conspired with the Imperial Guards to rebel. Fortunately, you and I arrived in time to prevent this palace coup and protect the Emperor’s safety.”

Xie Ning smiled: “Did the Emperor write it, or did you force the Emperor to write it?”

Pei Shujing silently put the spout back into her mouth.

“Be quiet and listen to me.”

“After Xue Hanyan’s estate was confiscated, the officials had mixed reactions, but fortunately, Wang Yan was there to keep the court stable.”

“The Emperor hasn’t held court in days and refuses to see anyone.”

“Wang Yan knelt outside the Imperial Study for a day and a night before he was granted an audience with the Emperor. I don’t know what they discussed, but although the Emperor isn’t holding court, he has started handling governmental affairs in the Imperial Study.”

Xie Ning thought for a moment: “That old fox… If I’m not mistaken, there will be one more person in the Imperial Study later, right?”

Pei Shujing nodded, looking at Xie Ning.

“That’s right, it’s your Miss Wanjiang.”

After speaking, seeing no reaction from Xie Ning, Pei Shujing asked curiously: “Why aren’t you surprised at all?”

Xie Ning looked at her with amusement.

“I was standing guard near the inner court gate quite often during the previous period, alright? How could I not have seen Consort Wan’s real face? To be honest, I was surprised at the time, but after sorting out my thoughts, I understood one more thing.”

“Wang Yan is one of us, isn’t he?”

Pei Shujing shook her head: “Not exactly.”

“Not exactly?”

Xie Ning was slightly confused. To be honest, before she guessed Wang Yan’s identity card, she was quite puzzled as to why the old man was always so eccentric.

Later, once she placed Wang Yan in the “ally” category, all his actions had a reasonable explanation.

At the banquet that day, Wang Yan seemed to be targeting her, but wasn’t he also rescuing her?

The identity of Xie Jing was a ticking time bomb, and the fuse was in the hands of the Emperor and the Xie family.

But by prematurely exposing it, Wang Yan essentially snatched the fuse away. Coupled with Pei Shujing’s pre-arranged identity, the bomb completely became a dud.

Pei Shujing frowned: “I can’t see through him, but I always feel there’s a barrier between Wang Yan and us.”

Xie Ning understood Pei Shujing’s meaning. She patted Pei Shujing’s hand: “He’s from a century-old aristocratic family, plus the status of a Grand Secretary. He’s naturally proud.”

“You haven’t even achieved much yet. How could his loyalty be yours?”

Pei Shujing lowered her eyes, looking at Xie Ning’s hand. Just as she was about to speak, Xie Ning suddenly withdrew her paw.

“So, the Emperor is now moved by that old fox Wang Yan, so much so that he even let your Miss Wanjiang handle court affairs.”

Xie Ning was somewhat speechless.

“Your Highness, why do you always add the word ‘your’ when referring to Miss Wanjiang?”

“Miss Wanjiang is not mine, nor anyone else’s.”

“Furthermore, outwardly I am Your Highness’s man. How could I possibly philander outside, right?”

Pei Shujing was about to scoff after hearing the first two sentences, but then she heard the last one.

Her gaze turned cold: “Outwardly you are mine, so whose are you secretly?”

Xie Ning added: “Outwardly I am your Imperial Son-in-Law, and secretly I am your partner.”

Pei Shujing stared intently at Xie Ning, almost scaring the cold sweat out of Xie Ning’s forehead.

Too scary.

I won’t be mischievous again.

She quickly changed the subject: “Wanjiang handling governmental affairs in the Imperial Study can fool the officials, but it can’t fool the Empress, right? Has the Empress had no reaction?”

Pei Shujing’s attention was indeed diverted.

“I originally thought about telling Yu’an (the Empress) Wanjiang’s true identity, but Wanjiang refused.”

“Hmm? Why? Does she think the Empress is untrustworthy?”

“No, she said it was quite fun this way.”

“Quite fun?”

Xie Ning was utterly confused. What’s so fun about this…

Pei Shujing also didn’t quite understand: “In short, that’s how it is. Wanjiang assists the Emperor in handling governmental affairs in the Imperial Study. Yu’an brings her sword and follows them in every day to prevent Wanjiang from making any secret moves. Some political matters are not even shown to the Emperor by Wanjiang; instead, she proactively discusses them with Yu’an. The Emperor is drunk and indulgent every day and naturally doesn’t care. The three of them maintain a delicate balance this way.”

A delicate balance…

Xie Ning’s expression at this moment was somewhat subtle.

Why does she sense something amiss in that description…

Xie Ning shook her head. Maybe she was overthinking it!

“That’s good. Our goal hasn’t been achieved yet. You can’t stand in the open right now.”

Pei Shujing also nodded in agreement: “I understand. This Princess is not in a hurry.”

“So…” Xie Ning pointed to the bed she was lying on, “How did I end up sleeping here?”

Pei Shujing sighed when this topic came up.

She hesitated: “Yinyin might be somewhat mentally affected…”

Xie Ning was stunned: “How can that be? That day, she even reminded me to be careful after she woke up.”

Why did she suddenly become mentally affected?

Pei Shujing was also troubled. To be honest, although Yinyin was the last child of her father and mother, she wasn’t particularly close to Yinyin.

The age gap was too large.

Pei Shujing had already moved out of the palace and into the Princess’s Residence when Yinyin was just beginning to understand things.

Although she often entered the palace afterward, Yinyin seemed very afraid of her. Over time, she also lost the patience to coax children.

“Mother thought Yinyin was scared, so she insisted on taking Yinyin out of the palace to prevent her from being emotionally affected by the surroundings.”

Xie Ning asked suspiciously: “So, is the Empress Dowager also staying in the Princess’s Residence now?”

Pei Shujing nodded helplessly.

“You are my Imperial Son-in-Law. Mother doesn’t know your true identity, so we have to keep it a secret.”

“There wasn’t enough time to move all your belongings over, so I had no choice but to completely dismantle your small house. I hope you don’t mind.”

Xie Ning: ???

Seriously, sis…

If I tore down your house and then told you not to mind, could you accept that?

“Then where have you been staying these past few days?”

She didn’t sleep in the same bed as me, did she?!

Hiss!

Oops.

Why did she suddenly feel like dismantling the house was a great idea?

Pei Shujing seemed to instantly figure out what Xie Ning was thinking and sneered: “Naturally, I made a bed on the floor and threw you down. What did you think?”

Xie Ning felt a toothache coming on.

“Your Highness, can’t you see I’m an injured person?”

An injured person being thrown on the floor. Is there no law!

Just then, the door suddenly opened, and the Empress Dowager rushed in, holding Yinyin.

“Xiaojing, Xiaojing! I said I wanted to bring Yinyin to see Little Xie, and Yinyin suddenly had a reaction.”

The Empress Dowager looked at Xie Ning on the bed, startled: “I must say, the Imperial Son-in-Law looks rather delicate after being injured.”

Xie Ning felt helpless and quickly greeted her using Xie Jing’s voice: “Mother.”

Pei Shujing also frowned: “Mother, why didn’t you knock?”

The Empress Dowager looked somewhat awkward: “I was in a hurry, and Little Xie just woke up. You two wouldn’t be doing anything bad… would you?”

Pei Shujing was slightly embarrassed and annoyed: “Mother!”

As the Empress Dowager said “Little Xie,” Yinyin in her arms blinked again.

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed. She quickly touched the little girl’s face and asked: “Yinyin, Yinyin, can you hear Mother speaking?”

Yinyin stared blankly at the Empress Dowager, showing no reaction.

A wave of despair rose in the Empress Dowager’s heart.

“Mother, let me take a look.”

The Empress Dowager nodded, holding back tears.

“Yinyin, be a good girl and let your brother-in-law look at you.”

The Empress Dowager gently placed Yinyin on the bed. Xie Ning endured the pain, sat up straight, stroked the hair from Yinyin’s face, and smiled softly: “Yinyin, Yinyin, do you still remember me?”

Yinyin’s eyes moved slightly.

Xie Ning was delighted and quickly continued: “I am your sister’s Imperial Son-in-Law, Xie Jing. Do you still remember me?”

Unfortunately, this time Yinyin showed no reaction.

Xie Ning felt strange. She was about to repeat herself when her expression froze.

She remembered that day when she was hit by the arrow, Pei Shujing anxiously called out “Xie Ning” twice.

No way?

Xie Ning leaned close to Yinyin’s ear and whispered: “Yinyin, do you still remember me? I’m Xie Ning, Xie Ning.”

Yinyin moved, looked at Xie Ning hesitantly, and then slowly nodded.

That little girl actually remembered her name.

At this moment, the Empress Dowager covered her mouth and ran outside, sobbing uncontrollably.

Pei Shujing also breathed a sigh of relief and quickly instructed the nearby Xiao Yu: “Quickly summon the imperial physician from the residence!”

By now, Yinyin’s eyes were slightly brighter. She leaned against Xie Ning, and softly called out: “Xie… Ning.”

Xie Ning rubbed her head and said gently: “Don’t be afraid, Yinyin. Xie Ning is here to protect you.”

Yinyin gave a small smile to Pei Shujing nearby.

“Older Sister.”

Pei Shujing was stunned.

She gently replied.

“Don’t be afraid. Older Sister is here too.”

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