Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 27
Chapter 27: “Xiaojing, Be Sure Not to Be Played for a Fool…”
In the early morning, Xie Ning sat on the bed with dark circles under her eyes, staring blankly.
Pei Shujing was already sitting in front of the bronze mirror, applying makeup. The floor bed was nowhere to be seen, and an unknowing person would never guess that the two had slept separately last night.
Pei Shujing said coldly: “Everyone is awake, only a certain someone is still lingering in bed.”
Xie Ning yawned and went to wash up with dull eyes.
When she returned, she had recovered her lively spirit.
She approached Pei Shujing and carefully examined her face.
“Your Highness, did you also not sleep well last night?”
She could see the dark circles under the makeup.
Moreover, the single word “Get lost!” from last night proved that she hadn’t slept either, she just wasn’t as good at pretending as Pei Shujing.
Pei Shujing scoffed: “If there’s a mouse rustling around your side in the middle of the night, doing who knows what, you won’t be able to sleep either.”
Xie Ning shook her head: “No need for rustling. Since you were pretending to be so quiet, I still couldn’t sleep.”
Xiao Yu glanced at Xie Ning strangely while combing Pei Shujing’s hair.
“I think you’ve been a bit too uninhibited lately. It seems I’ve been too kind to you recently.”
Pei Shujing’s tone was very unfriendly. She didn’t look sideways: “Bring out this Princess’s socks! This Princess wants to inspect them!”
Xie Ning: ???
Seriously, sis…
You still remember that?
“Your Highness, it’s me. I am Xie Ning.”
“This Princess knows you are Xie Ning. What, are you not yourself when this Princess gives you socks?”
Xie Ning’s eyes darted around. She pointed at Pei Shujing and complained: “My purse was in my original small house, but you tore it down. Can you blame me for that?”
Pei Shujing choked.
She really was in the wrong on this one.
“Very well, I’ll let you off this time. Take off the ones on this Princess’s feet and keep them properly.”
Xie Ning’s eyes widened. She looked at Pei Shujing in disbelief.
Pei Shujing’s mouth curved slightly: “So, you still dislike this Princess?”
Xie Ning took a deep breath and shook her head: “Not at all. It’s just that, compared to new ones, I prefer the ones Your Highness has already worn.”
Pei Shujing: ???
Xiao Yu & Xiao Zhu & Jingqiu: …
The Empress Dowager, who had brought Yinyin over: “Hiss!”
Silence.
Dead silence!
The entire room was absolutely silent, one could hear a pin drop!
Everyone’s gaze turned to Xie Ning, their eyes filled with shock!
Xie Ning turned her stiff neck little by little to meet everyone’s gaze.
Silence.
Silence was Xie Ning today.
Silence was the freshly worn socks.
Haha.
6 (A common internet shorthand for ‘awesome’ or ‘smooth’ but often used sarcastically in this context).
Xie Ning nodded.
“Okay, you all talk. I’ll just go die for a bit.”
Clack.
The main door closed, and rustling discussions came from inside.
“Is Little Xie alright? Don’t tell me he’ll be so ashamed he’ll commit suicide.”
“Don’t worry, Mother. That person has thick skin.”
“Alas, I’m truly old. I can’t keep up with the pace of you young people.”
“…There’s really no need to keep up with that.”
Xie Ning closed her eyes in despair. Her reputation, her whole reputation!
Pei Shujing, you wait!
A feeling of relief washing over her, Pei Shujing just stepped out the door when she saw Xie Ning holding a small wooden stick and staring at her expressionlessly.
Pei Shujing immediately had a bad feeling.
Xie Ning pointed to the empty space in the backyard: “Your Highness, if I remember correctly, you said you wanted to train a few days ago, didn’t you?”
“Why did you stop after only training for a day?” Pei Shujing clenched her hands: “Who says this Princess hasn’t trained? I trained with Xiao Yu every day during the three days you were unconscious. It’s just that Xiao Yu said we needed to rest today.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
Both their eyes looked at Xiao Yu, whose face turned bitter as she silently nodded.
Xie Ning snorted: “Even if you did train, you’ll have to continue tomorrow, oh.”
Pei Shujing scoffed: “What do you mean ‘even if I did train’? This Princess would never stoop to lying to you.”
At this moment, Yinyin walked up to Xie Ning and tugged her hand. When Xie Ning squatted down, Yinyin leaned close to her ear and whispered: “Yinyin didn’t see Older Sister training. Older Sister was very worried about you and kept going back to the room to check on you.”
Xie Ning nodded and rubbed Yinyin’s little head: “You really are my little sweetheart.”
Pei Shujing looked at the sneaky large and small figures, her expression slightly cold: “What are you two… talking about?”
Xie Ning coughed awkwardly: “We are praising your beauty.”
Yinyin also shouted loudly with her hands behind her back: “Praising your beauty!”
“Hoo hoo hoo, look how happily the three children are getting along. I truly am old. I simply can’t blend in.”
The Empress Dowager had been standing there since who knows when. Pei Shujing and Xie Ning exchanged glances.
“Mother, are you dressed like that to go out?”
Pei Shujing could only awkwardly change the subject.
“Mhm. Since I entered the palace as a teenager, your mother has rarely left the palace, let alone gone shopping in the capital. Now that I have such a good opportunity, how can I not seize it?”
Seeing the silent Pei Shujing, the Empress Dowager smiled: “What, are you feeling sorry for Mother?”
Pei Shujing took a deep breath: “Mother, let’s go out of the city for an excursion tomorrow.”
Mother was right. Since she had such a good opportunity, she also wanted to spend quality time with her mother.
The Empress Dowager happily replied: “Xiaojing is so kind. Quick, let Mother hug you.”
In her mother’s embrace, Pei Shujing glanced at Xie Ning with slight embarrassment and annoyance. Xie Ning whistled and looked at the sky, pretending not to see anything.
The Empress Dowager chuckled, then suddenly pulled Xie Ning into the embrace as well: “You are both Mother’s good babies.”
Xie Ning and Pei Shujing were face to face in the Empress Dowager’s embrace, their noses touching.
The two were silently speechless.
Until Yinyin also hopped over: “Mother, me too, me too!”
The Empress Dowager finally released the two and picked up Yinyin, whispering: “Those two haven’t been hugged for a long time.”
Yinyin also whispered: “Then Mother should hug them often. Yinyin won’t be angry.”
“Good child.”
The Empress Dowager was very happy. She asked Xie Ning: “Since we’re going to buy a pet for Yinyin, and it was your idea, Little Xie, aren’t you going to come along?”
Xie Ning had no objection.
“Great, we’ll set off right away!”
Pei Shujing’s mouth twisted into a slight, cold smile: “How dare you agree to another woman’s invitation right in front of this Princess. How should I punish you?”
Xie Ning was dumbfounded.
“Wait, that’s your mother!”
“Is her gender female?”
“…Yes, of course, it is…”
“Then this Princess must punish you!”
“Wait, wait, wait!”
Xie Ning quickly darted to Pei Shujing’s side and whispered.
“In my heart, there is only one woman: Your Highness. Everyone else is male!”
“Is that so?” Pei Shujing smiled sweetly and leaned her head close to Xie Ning’s ear, whispering like a demon: “But… you are a woman. If you regard them as men, this Princess will be equally displeased. What should we do now?”
“…So, I’m inviting Your Highness. Might the noble and beautiful Grand Princess grant me the honor of accompanying me shopping?”
Pei Shujing finally nodded with satisfaction.
The Empress Dowager, who couldn’t join the conversation again, looked from one to the other. When the two finished talking: “Ningning, why don’t you praise me? Is it because I’m old and losing my looks?”
Xie Ning sighed. These two were both ancestors. She couldn’t afford to offend either one.
“Then, might the noble and elegant Mother grant me the honor of accompanying your children shopping?”
Pei Shujing narrowed her eyes: “Do you mean this Princess is not elegant?”
The Empress Dowager also frowned: “Do you mean I am not beautiful?”
Xie Ning: “…”
You two are truly mother and daughter, huh…
Because they decided to go shopping, Pei Shujing had to change her outfit again. The one she was wearing was too luxurious. Since the aim was to relax, she naturally couldn’t be too ostentatious.
The two adults and one child waited in the courtyard.
Xie Ning was a bit bored and squatted on the ground fiddling with the roses in the courtyard.
The Empress Dowager pulled Yinyin over: “Little Xie likes flowers very much?”
Xie Ning shook her head: “I know nothing about flowers.”
The Empress Dowager gently stroked a petal: “Autumn roses are more colorful and enchanting than spring roses, and they are graceful and charming.”
“Is that so? Not only are there differences in variety, but also in season?” Xie Ning asked curiously.
“People have their favorite seasons, and of course, flowers do too. By the way, Little Xie, which season do you like?”
“I don’t have a particular favorite. Any season is the same to me, as long as the weather isn’t too extreme.”
“I see. Speaking of which, Xiaojing’s birthday is in October.”
“I’ve thought about it. Actually, I prefer autumn.” Xie Ning immediately changed her tune.
It was September now, so her birthday was next month.
The Empress Dowager laughed: “I was just reminded of Xiaojing’s birthday. Why did you deliberately explain yourself?”
“Was Her Highness as cute as Yinyin when she was little?” Xie Ning looked at Yinyin, diverting the topic.
“Of course! Especially little Xiaojing when she was young, she actually cried a lot.”
“Cried?”
Xie Ning was stunned.
She couldn’t imagine Pei Shujing crying.
The Empress Dowager seemed to be caught up in her memories: “There was a swing in the palace before. Xiaojing and I once played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would push the swing. Xiaojing had bad luck and couldn’t win against me even once. In the end, she was pushing the swing while crying.”
“Pushing the swing while crying?” Xie Ning was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but inwardly complain that the Empress Dowager had the nerve to make a child push the swing.
“I really wish I could see Her Highness at that time. She must have been very cute.”
“My daughter is naturally cute,” the Empress Dowager said.
“My Highness is definitely cute,” Xie Ning agreed.
“Little Xie.” The Empress Dowager turned her head. “If I were born twenty years later, I might have fallen in love with you too.”
Xie Ning gave an awkward smile: “Oh, no, no.”
“What are you doing over there?” Pei Shujing’s voice came from the eaves.
The two looked over. She was standing on the covered walkway in a loose, plain outfit, squinting as she examined them.
“Let’s go back. My daughter is jealous.”
“Her Highness is quite fond of getting jealous.”
“I’m going to tell on you.”
“Please forgive me, Mother.”
“What were you talking about?” Pei Shujing walked to the middle of the two.
“If I were born twenty years later, Little Xie planned to marry me,” the Empress Dowager replied.
Pei Shujing looked at Xie Ning.
“I refused,” Xie Ning said. “I told Mother, ‘Even if you were born twenty years later, I would still marry your sister, Shujing.'”
“You certainly know what to say. Do I look younger than Xiaojing?” The Empress Dowager cupped her face with both hands, seemingly feeling its vibrant elasticity.
Xie Ning: “…”
She leaned into Pei Shujing’s ear: “Can I hit your Mother?”
Pei Shujing snorted coldly: “Do you want to die?”
“How about you ask Mother to join you for training tomorrow morning?”
“Disturbing Mother’s sleep? Do you want me to die?”
The two continued to whisper to each other, neither of them noticing that the Empress Dowager, holding Yinyin, had fallen behind them by at least five meters.
The Empress Dowager looked at their backs and sighed.
“Xiaojing, be sure not to be played for a fool.”
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