Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 44

Chapter 44: “Exclusive to Lord Xie Ning and Woof Woof”…

“The imperial decree from the capital has arrived.”

In the study of Prince Xia’s Residence, Pei Shujing and Xie Ning were holding a small conference.

Everyone present was a confidant of Pei Shujing.

Xiaozhu and Xiaoyu, naturally, were there, as were Gao Changxun and Xue Chang. Even Liu Yena was summoned by Pei Shujing.

Pei Shujing was excellent at adhering to the principle of “employing without suspicion, suspecting without employing.” Moreover, this was a good opportunity to observe Liu Yena closely.

“Liu Yena is to be granted the title of Marquis of Yongning.”

Liu Yena showed no reaction to this title, as if the matter had nothing to do with her.

In her heart, a marquisate obtained through surrender was an insult to her.

Fortunately, she surrendered to Pei Shujing, not Great Xia.

Pei Shujing tapped the table: “Along with the decree came news from the capital.”

“The news of us dealing with the influential families has spread. It’s actually laughable. Last time, they jointly promoted this Prince as ‘Prince Xia.’ Now, they’ve given this Prince a new title—Pei the Rebel.”

Upon saying this, Pei Shujing sneered: “Rebel? Who is the rebel?”

Everyone present fell silent.

Xie Ning continued Pei Shujing’s thought: “Before, they kept their distance, as it didn’t concern them. Now that they see a slight threat to their interests, they… have begun raising troops.”

Gao Changxun suddenly looked up. He cupped his hands and assured her: “Your Highness, this subordinate guarantees that no matter how they train, the Jingnan Army fears them not in the slightest.”

Xie Ning shook her head: “The Jingnan Army naturally fears them not at all, but the Jingnan Army has only 30,000 men. Great Xia is vast, and they can easily raise 100,000 troops. Does Your Highness intend to rely on your 30,000 men forever?”

She walked behind Gao Changxun and patted his shoulder.

“Old Gao, you dare to violate Her Highness’s orders? You have great audacity!”

Xie Ning was referring to Pei Shujing’s previous order to transfer tribal forces into the Snowy Plains Army and integrate the Snow People into the Jingnan Army.

It was rumored that the Snow People were being heavily ostracized within the Jingnan Army.

In truth, both Xie Ning and Pei Shujing could understand this, as the Snow People had been their enemies for so long and were the vanquished.

Therefore, while they weren’t required to be completely united, they couldn’t push things too far.

This was a direct slight to Pei Shujing.

Cold sweat broke out on Gao Changxun’s forehead. He stammered, afraid to say more.

His subordinate, Xue Chang, immediately knelt down: “Your Highness, the General was unaware of this matter. It was my negligence in daily management. Please punish me, Your Highness.”

Gao Changxun also knelt down: “Please punish me, Your Highness.”

Pei Shujing sneered: “You two are quite loyal to each other, but in this Prince’s eyes, it’s childish, like a joke.”

“This time, I can let it go lightly, but my patience has limits.”

Gao Changxun took a deep breath: “Your Highness, this humble General has a request!”

“Speak.”

“This General requests that the Marquis of Yongning be appointed as the drillmaster of the Jingnan Army, with a status equal to mine.”

Xue Chang looked up at Gao Changxun in disbelief.

However, he lowered his head. He knew that only this would satisfy Prince Xia, as their previous actions had been too extreme.

Moreover, the larger picture was paramount.

Pei Shujing narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the silent Liu Yena.

“What do you think?”

Liu Yena bit her lip. She knelt on one knee: “Please grant this subject an opportunity, Your Highness. I will prove to everyone that the combat effectiveness of my tribe is no less than anyone else’s.”

Pei Shujing fell into contemplation.

Xie Ning joked: “Then you’d better be serious. If you really can’t manage it, believe me, I’ll ask my Big Sister to help you out.”

This sentence sounded like teasing Liu Yena, but it was actually helping her.

Pei Shujing shot Xie Ning a sidelong glance and scoffed: “Fine, what does it matter if I give you a chance? However, being equal to General Gao is too much. You will be a Deputy General, serving under General Gao.”

“But the Imperial Son-in-Law is right. You must understand that not only are we watching you, but Li Yi is watching you, too. If you are weak and make this Prince feel that I misjudged you, believe me, I will throw you to Li Yi.”

Xie Ning interjected: “My Big Sister might not even want her.”

This made Liu Yena’s face flush, but she knew in her heart that they were speaking the truth.

The matter was handled properly. After everyone withdrew, Pei Shujing finally had the leisure to settle accounts with Xie Ning.

“Big Sister, Big Sister. You call her quite intimately.”

Xie Ning: “…”

“What do you usually call this Prince?”

“You only occasionally call me Shujing in bed.”

“I think you are the one with great audacity.”

Xie Ning was about to argue when Xiaoyu returned.

“Your Highness, something has happened in the city.”

The political sensitivity of the people of Zhenxue City was not very high. One reason was their location on the border, far from the capital. Another was that for a thousand years, successive emperors had governed the nation with courtesy and filial piety.

Whether others believed it or not, they themselves believed it.

All of this concealed a single word: Hierarchy!

Emperors and officials, aristocratic families, powerful clans, and wealthy gentry.

As for the common people, they were non-entities.

Centuries of indoctrination had led the people to treat this system as truth.

The Emperor resided high in the clouds, delegating governance to civil and military officials.

This was a vertical management structure.

Everything was designed to establish one concept.

The Emperor is supreme!

Faced with the Emperor, the average person’s first reaction was to kneel and surrender devoutly.

Starting with Li Yi, the relationship between the Northern Borders and the capital had become somewhat distant, but the Emperor’s prestige had never been lost.

When Pei Shujing took charge here, the people of the Northern Borders didn’t know what she had done in the capital, so when Pei Shujing was titled “Prince Xia,” they still felt that the Eldest Princess was indeed worthy of being the Emperor’s sister.

Even those who were informed didn’t spread the word, simply because this was the Pei family’s internal struggle and had nothing to do with them.

But this time, the aristocratic families suddenly realized something was wrong.

They were also within the scope of Pei Shujing’s cleansing.

How could they tolerate this?

The Northern Border military and people’s sense of identity with Prince Xia was growing stronger and stronger.

The foundation of “Pei the Rebel’s” rule in the Northern Borders was becoming increasingly solid.

They finally realized that they were mistaken.

Showing favor was useless. Crucially, they no longer dared to send money and grain to the Northern Borders; this was akin to aiding the enemy.

So, they had to rely on deterrence!

But how to deter?

Send a large army?

Who? Us?

Their military training had just begun. How could they possibly fight?

Furthermore, the Jingnan Army had just defeated the Snow People and was high in morale. What reason was there to dispatch troops?

So, they came up with an idea. The Emperor’s prestige came from power.

Broken down, the power that could influence the Northern Borders was the power to appoint officials.

Read the imperial decree, bestow titles upon officials.

You, Pei Shujing, want to grant the Snow Queen a marquisate to win over the Snow People?

Then we will grant titles too. We will grant titles to the influential families of the Northern Borders.

This was their collective decision, so neither Sun Yuan nor Wangjiang could stop them, nor did they try.

When Duan Kang stood there solemnly, holding the imperial decree.

He saw fear.

A civilian trembled and retreated backward.

Imperial power was still supreme here!

A strange gleam burst forth in Duan Kang’s eyes.

His true goal this time was to use the Imperial Authority to plant a seed in the hearts of the people of the Northern Borders.

Want to rebel?

Who dares!

Duan Kang wanted to laugh loudly.

To celebrate the success of his mission.

He looked at the shivering citizens with contempt in his eyes.

Xie Ning stood there, looking somewhat… detached.

And a little annoyed.

Duan Kang couldn’t help but smile.

How arrogant and overbearing was this Imperial Son-in-Law in the capital?

What could he do now?

Simply because he provoked people he shouldn’t have, who could resist the overwhelming power of the Imperial Court?

Xie Ning looked at him curiously, asking Xiaoyu beside her: “How dare he?”

No sooner had she spoken than she saw the heads of the influential families in the city kneeling on the ground, loudly shouting:

“Your subjects are willing to die for His Majesty! We will sacrifice ourselves without regret!”

This was the trigger.

Duan Kang saw people raising their heads, their expressions struggling.

This is it.

Then, he looked at Xie Ning with a provocative gaze.

Xie Ning sighed: “Why bother!”

Liu Yena walked to the front, accepted the imperial decree, but knelt down and bowed toward the Prince Xia’s Residence.

“Your subject, Liu Yena, thanks the Princess Xia!”

Duan Kang’s face turned cold.

How long has it been? The Snow Queen has already become Pei Shujing’s loyal dog?

Another person knelt: “Your subject, Zhang Sheng, bows to the Princess!”

Zhang Sheng was the Prefect of Zhenxue City, the one who led the city’s military in a desperate resistance during the Snow People’s siege.

After being rescued by the Jingnan Army, Pei Shujing had not replaced him.

A civil official. A military general.

A one-to-one response.

Duan Kang’s face was quite ugly.

Where there was one, there were two; where there were two, there were countless.

Who else would step forward next?

His gaze shifted, sweeping past the influential families and towards the city officials.

He saw the officials all kneeling in unison, shouting in chorus:

“Your subjects bow and thank the Princess for her great grace.”

Duan Kang felt as if someone had punched him in the chest.

How dare they?

Are you not aware that Pei Shujing is attempting to rebel?

She, a woman, wants to set a precedent and take that position!

As for the influential families who had spoken earlier, their faces were pale, especially when they saw Xie Ning look at them.

So, without a shred of hesitation, they immediately changed their allegiance.

“This humble one bows and thanks the Princess for her great grace!”

Duan Kang gave a miserable laugh.

“Fair-weather friends! All of them are fair-weather friends! Just wait, you won’t have a good end!”

The influential people flushed, looking at Duan Kang with displeasure.

We are simply discerning the times. We are heroes!

Xie Ning slowly walked over and smiled slightly at the officials.

“Those with duties, tend to them. Those without, go home and rest.”

The civil and military officials dispersed.

The influential families also slipped away.

Xie Ning turned back and said to the common people: “What is there to see here? Go about your business. The farm work won’t wait.”

The people laughed and then dispersed.

Only a group of children remained, curiously staring at Tian Xin and the others.

Duan Kang looked at her in despair.

Xie Ning sighed: “Staying too long in the capital makes one feel that everything outside is provincial.

Seeing too many nobles makes one feel that everyone outside of the nobility is an ant. A sense of superiority is born naturally.

Whether it’s the Emperor or you people, you all naturally look down upon the common people of the world from a superior position.

But you have forgotten one thing: before you existed, the world was made up of tribes. The leader of a tribe wasn’t chosen based on whose bloodline was the most noble, but on whether that person had the ability to lead everyone to a better life.

You have forgotten all this, thinking yourselves so noble. But in the eyes of the people, the most noble person isn’t some emperor, nor is it you.

It is the person who can lead them to a better life!”

Xie Ning pointed towards the Prince Xia’s Residence.

“Here, that person is her.”

She patted Duan Kang’s shoulder: “You should leave. It’s my birthday today. I won’t kill you. It’s a waste of time. Her Highness is waiting for me to go home for dinner.”

Xie Ning smiled slightly.

“I hope we can meet again in the capital.”

She walked back.

Xiaoyu followed, whispering enviously: “Now, you’ll get a reward again…”

Xie Ning frowned.

“What kind of talk is that!”

“Am I, Xie Ning, such a superficial person?”

“Simply ridiculous!”

Under Xiaoyu’s speechless gaze, Xie Ning slowly started to jog.

Only Duan Kang was left, being mocked and ridiculed by a group of children as if he were a monkey.

Back in the study, Pei Shujing was sorting through the city’s accounts.

Xie Ning pulled up a chair and sat beside her. Pei Shujing asked without raising her head.

“Did you make a move?”

“Do you think I’m that impulsive?” Xie Ning asked.

Pei Shujing scoffed: “Your actions sometimes make me feel you are very seasoned, yet occasionally, your impulsiveness takes me by surprise.”

She hinted pointedly: “If someone provokes you, no matter who it is, you dare to strike.”

She herself was an example.

Xue Hanyang was also an example.

She knew from the start that Xie Ning was not a person who followed the rules.

While Pei Shujing spoke of rules, her heart shimmered with a proud light.

Her woman saved her face!

“If it’s not a rule I set, what does it have to do with me?”

Xie Ning said lazily: “I only abide by Her Highness’s rules.”

“Slick talk.”

Xie Ning touched her lips: “It should be called sweet, slick talk.”

Pei Shujing rolled her eyes at her.

“I still have one thing to do.”

“What is it?”

“To bring my Mother and the others here. I feel the aristocratic families are somewhat agitated, and I’m afraid that the Vermilion Bird Camp alone won’t be enough to protect them in the capital.”

Xie Ning nodded: “Then should the Empress and Wangjiang also be brought here?”

Pei Shujing smiled meaningfully.

“Naturally. Only when they leave will the waters become muddier.”

“Those people have labeled this Prince ‘Pei the Rebel,’ but once the Imperial power is weakened, it will be this Prince’s turn to return to the capital and ‘Suppress the Rebels.'”

“‘Suppress the Rebels’…”

Xie Ning smacked her lips, finding the two words increasingly interesting the more she thought about them.

“Then should I personally go back to the capital to bring them here?”

“Absolutely not!” Pei Shujing refused without hesitation. “The capital is too dangerous right now. I cannot let you venture alone.”

More importantly, Xie Ning still hadn’t given her a definite answer.

What if Xie Ning took the opportunity to run away?

She had to keep Xie Ning chained under her watchful eye to feel at ease.

“This Prince has her own arrangements for this matter. I am merely informing you.”

Xie Ning shrugged, completely unaware that Pei Shujing was thinking so much. She only had one thing on her mind now.

“Your Highness, it’s my birthday today.”

“Oh, I remember.”

“So…”

“So, is the gift you’re sending this Prince ready?”

“…Your Highness, you really want it!”

“Are you implying you didn’t prepare one?” Pei Shujing placed her hand on Xie Ning’s thigh and pinched her inner thigh firmly.

“Hiss!” Xie Ning bent forward with pain.

Because it hurt so much, she instinctively reached out and also pressed her hand on Pei Shujing’s leg.

“I prepared it, I prepared it!”

Pei Shujing finally released her hand and scoffed: “It had better be so. If I find out you’re lying to me, you’d better not appear before me.”

Xie Ning argued defiantly: “Of course I prepared it, but it’s not time to take it out yet.”

Pei Shujing smiled gently, pointing to the spot where she had just pinched.

“Does it hurt?”

“Of course, and it hurts a lot!”

Pei Shujing gently rubbed Xie Ning’s leg: “If you continue to be naughty, next time I will pinch your leg until it’s purple.”

“Purple? Wouldn’t the flesh be damaged then?”

“If it’s damaged, I’ll chop the leg off.”

“Don’t scare me!”

“Scare you?”

Pei Shujing looked at her coldly: “You should know how many times I’ve wanted to break your leg, but I just haven’t acted on it.”

She was telling the truth.

The thought of Xie Ning running away the moment she ascended the throne made her want to break Xie Ning’s leg.

That way, Xie Ning could never run away.

Pei Shujing contemptuously snorted: “Take out this Prince’s gift. I will decide my attitude towards you tonight based on it.”

“…Alright.”

Xie Ning pulled out a neatly folded red dudou (an ancient Chinese bodice) from her clothes and handed it to her.

Pei Shujing looked down at it, then at Xie Ning.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Pei Shujing’s voice carried a hint of uncertainty.

“If I haven’t mistaken this, is this thing a dudou?”

“Yes.”

“You’re giving me a dudou?”

“Yes.”

“…Xie Ning, do you really think I won’t kill you?”

“Yes… No, no!” Xie Ning almost slipped up. She hastily spread out the dudou in her hand.

“Look, Your Highness!”

The dudou had five large characters embroidered onto it: Exclusive to Lord Xie Ning.

“I personally sewed this on. How about it? Do you dare to look?”

Pei Shujing was immediately amused to the point of laughter.

The two looked at each other again for a moment.

“…You’re not going to make me wear it tonight, are you?”

“Your Highness is truly Your Highness!”

“You wish!”

This… this is outrageous!

She never imagined that one day she would become the conservative one.

What displeased her most was that Xie Ning had become increasingly presumptuous lately!

She even wanted her, the dignified Eldest Princess of Great Xia, to please her in such a way.

Today, it’s wearing this dudou.

What about tomorrow?

“Exclusive to Lord Xie Ning?”

She sneered slightly.

“Do you want to tattoo this phrase on my body?”

Xie Ning’s heart stirred. She cautiously asked: “Can I?”

Pei Shujing smiled: “Of course, you can, as long as you’re willing to let this Prince tattoo ‘Exclusive to Lady Shujing’ on your face.”

“Uh… then forget it. Your Highness, you should wear this.”

Pei Shujing shot her a look, offering no reply.

Xie Ning hummed and hawed, leaning closer to her.

“Your Highness… it’s my birthday today. Can’t you just agree?”

“Impossible.”

“Your Highness… Jiejie, Jiejie, please agree?”

“Calling me anything won’t work!”

On the bed, Xie Ning lay prone on Pei Shujing, her head resting on the words Exclusive to Lord Xie Ning.

The blushing Pei Shujing reached her slender, fair fingers into Xie Ning’s hair.

The two remained like this, quietly for a long time.

“Your Highness, today is almost over, and you still haven’t given me a gift.”

Other than her mouth, Xie Ning didn’t want to move at all, just immersing herself in the soft bliss.

“My agreeing to wear this isn’t a gift?” Pei Shujing’s voice was also lazy.

In bed, she was no longer the Eldest Princess, so she rarely referred to herself as ‘this Prince.’ Their conversation was like that of a couple or wives.

“That’s just the value that came with the gift I gave Your Highness.”

“Heh.”

“Did you really not prepare anything?”

“I did,” Pei Shujing said, smoothing Xie Ning’s hair. “But I don’t want to give it to you anymore.”

“Why?” Xie Ning buried her face against the Exclusive to Lord Xie Ning and her voice became muffled.

“Figure it out yourself.”

The two were silent for a brief moment.

Pei Shujing’s voice became ethereal and moving.

“You can have the gift, of course. This Prince needs you to give me a promise.”

“Tell me.”

“If one day you decide to leave, can this Prince capture you and bring you back?”

Xie Ning propped up her upper body, looking down at Pei Shujing.

Pei Shujing, however, turned her face slightly, avoiding Xie Ning’s gaze.

Xie Ning did not answer. She quietly lowered her lips, and the two kissed.

“In that case, you’d better run far away. If I truly capture you and bring you back, I will genuinely break your legs.”

“At worst, this Prince will take care of you for life.”

Pei Shujing reached out, hooked Xie Ning’s neck, and the two embraced and kissed again.

“The gift?” After the kiss ended, Xie Ning asked impatiently.

“What gift? This Prince doesn’t know what you’re talking about.”

“…Don’t tease me, Jiejie.”

“None.” Pei Shujing pushed Xie Ning away, wrapped herself in the quilt, and turned her back to her.

The immense bed. The slender silhouette at the edge of the bed seemed to be saying, ‘I’m already asleep.’

Xie Ning reached out, grabbed her delicate, pale body out of the quilt, pulled her to the center of the large bed, and pinned her beneath her.

“No cheating!”

“Did you answer this Prince?” Pei Shujing struggled beneath her.

“It was implied.”

“No, if you didn’t answer, it doesn’t count.”

“Then tell me what it is, and I’ll let you go!”

“Don’t even think about it!”

“Jiejie, my Shujing Jiejie, I’m dying of curiosity! Just tell me!”

“You can just give up… Hmngh…”

Unexpectedly, Pei Shujing let out a soft moan.

“Xie Ning!”

Her hand slapped heavily against Xie Ning’s back, but the person stubbornly continued to cling to her.

Pei Shujing sighed helplessly.

“You must promise me one thing.”

“More conditions?”

Pei Shujing narrowed her eyes: “You can say you don’t want it directly.”

“Fine, fine, I want it, I want it very much!”

“You must promise me, only this once.”

Xie Ning was almost driven mad by curiosity. She nodded immediately: “Okay, I promise you.”

“Then get up first.”

Xie Ning hesitated: “Jiejie, you won’t go back on your word again, will you?”

Pei Shujing was practically laughing with exasperation.

“Are you going to get off or not?”

Only then did Xie Ning slowly get out of bed.

Pei Shujing put on her nightgown, though the neckline was slightly open, revealing a glimpse of youthfulness.

The hem of the nightgown revealed a stretch of smooth thigh.

Her charming, noble body sat composedly on the bed, and she commanded Xie Ning.

“Kneel.”

Xie Ning was dumbfounded.

Is this the gift?

She knelt down as usual, secretly thinking that she better not be tricked, or else… Hmph hmph!

“Do you remember when this Prince once made you openly declare your love for me?”

Xie Ning knelt and took two steps forward.

“I remember.”

“What did you do then?”

Xie Ning felt a bit embarrassed.

“I said I was the Eldest Princess’s dog.”

After answering, Xie Ning froze. Her eyes widened.

No way?!

Pei Shujing revealed that elusive, ever-changing, soul-stirring, and cunning smile.

She bent down slightly and whispered softly in Xie Ning’s ear.

“Woof woof.”