Starting with Intercepting and Marrying the Eldest Princess - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: “My Most Beloved Treasure”…

It was still the same pipa tune, and still the same player, but the location was different, and the people inside were different.

Pei Shujing sat at the head of the room, and after hearing Xiao Zhu recount the events, she finally turned her complex gaze toward Xie Ning, who was lying on the floor feigning death.

How could she not be furious when, while enduring intense pain to practice walking, she suddenly heard that Xie Jing was out seeking pleasure?

She had originally intended to skin Xie Jing alive to satisfy the hatred in her heart, but now she hesitated…

Why did Xie Jing act this way in the pleasure boat? Did he not know that such actions would offend the Xie family?

He even demanded that the Xie family head personally come to her to apologize. Outsiders did not know Xie Jing’s true identity, and she believed that tomorrow the entire capital would be buzzing with rumors that Xie Jing was betraying his father for honor.

Pei Shujing had always known that these noble families looked down on her status as the Grand Princess, but their disdain was usually kept secret. On the surface, the Xie family head must come to apologize to her, otherwise it would be seen as contempt for the imperial power. Even if the Emperor and the Xie family were colluding, they would not tolerate such a thing.

And all of this was because Xie Jing had escalated a farce to such a level. How could the Xie family head not hate Xie Jing?

How could Xie Jing not know that a huge rift would be created between him and the Xie family?

This had never happened in the previous life.

The Xie Jing in the previous life was utterly subservient to the Xie family. Before she knew Xie Jing’s true identity, she assumed it was because he was an illegitimate son.

Later, she realized Xie Jing was not even an illegitimate son; he was just a puppet found by the Xie family and the Emperor.

What happened to make Xie Jing want to separate from the Xie family?

Also, there was no rumor in the capital about her being disabled, which meant Xie Jing was also helping her hide the news. Why?

If she thought about it, the only difference in this life compared to the last was her disability. Could it be that Xie Jing pitied her?

Impossible. Xie Jing had long lost his moral bottom line. How could a heartless person harbor pity?

Furthermore, in the previous life, Xie Jing had acted very respectfully towards her before she handed over the military power to the Emperor. Why would he seek pleasure the day after marrying her in this life?

Pei Shujing suddenly found Xie Jing incomprehensible.

If she couldn’t see through one Xie Jing, how could she fight the old fox behind Xie Jing, let alone seek revenge on the Emperor?

Pei Shujing knocked on the table, her tone icy: “Stand up. Who are you feigning death for on the floor?”

Xie Ning grumbled internally: Of course, I’m doing it for you. She had fallen straight to the floor upon returning, hoping that she wouldn’t be beaten again.

Unfortunately, she was wrong. She had just stood up and hadn’t even reacted when Xiao Zhu, who had been standing beside her like a statue, suddenly punched Xie Ning in the stomach.

“Ugh!”

Xie Ning’s vision swam. She felt her stomach organs convulsing uncontrollably. Just as her brain was unable to process and she was in pain enough to kill, Pei Shujing’s voice came through.

“Tell this Princess, why did you do that?”

Xie Ning feigned ignorance: “Do what?”

Xiao Zhu moved slightly, flipping Xie Ning over like a pancake. She raised her hand, aiming at Xie Ning’s stomach, preparing for another blow.

“Wait, cough, cough, wait!” Xie Ning desperately tried to keep her mind clear amidst the pain.

Pei Shujing looked down at her from the head seat, waited for a moment, but heard nothing more, so Xiao Zhu’s fist landed on her stomach.

Xie Ning felt that if this continued, she would be beaten to death.

“I am the Imperial Son-in-Law, your partner, so naturally, I couldn’t stand him insulting you!” She practically screamed it out, relying on the intense pain to keep going.

“Is that so?” Pei Shujing replied dismissively, but did not have Xiao Zhu strike again.

“Of course.” Xie Ning breathed a sigh of relief, easing her breathing, and continued: “Your Highness, I am your Imperial Son-in-Law. If I don’t help you, who will I help?”

Pei Shujing let out a cold, noncommittal scoff.

“That is not the reason for your actions!”

Xiao Zhu raised her fist again.

“Wait, I really did it for you!”

Xie Ning almost subconsciously rushed forward, grabbing Pei Shujing’s ankle.

Xiao Zhu’s eyebrows twitched.

Pei Shujing was stunned for a moment, then showed a cruel smile: “Who allowed you to touch this Princess?”

Xie Ning quickly retracted her hand like lightning, looking at the Grand Princess with a serious expression. She spoke softly: “I just couldn’t stand his arrogant look.

Your Highness is the Grand Princess of Daxia. What right does he, a parasite who only knows how to eat and wait for death every day, have to look down on Your Highness?

He is proud of the Xie family, right? Then I will make the head of the Xie family come and apologize to you.

I know I am also surnamed Xie, and I am also a part of the Xie family, but since I became your Imperial Son-in-Law, I belong to you, Your Highness.”

Pei Shujing said nothing, closing her eyes as if asleep.

Xie Ning also couldn’t think of anything else to say.

It wasn’t wrong to say she did it for the Grand Princess, but there were also very complicated reasons mixed in.

Her current identity was too dangerous. The Emperor and the Xie family wanted to use her to achieve their goals. Not to mention whether she could do it, were the Emperor and the Xie family truly without ulterior motives?

Regarding the Xie family’s goal, Xie Ning could guess it: they were also coveting the military power in the Grand Princess’s hands. The Xie family wanted her to succeed and then hand the military power over to them, and the Emperor was the same. Who would believe that these two parties wouldn’t turn against her?

Once the relationship between the two parties fractured, she, the chess piece caught in the middle, would be the first to suffer.

Her situation with the Grand Princess might seem very dangerous, but Xie Ning genuinely didn’t resent her.

The person was already disabled, very likely due to Xie Jing. If she, bearing Xie Jing’s identity, fluttered around the Grand Princess like a fly every day, it was good enough that she hadn’t been swatted to death.

So, her motives for doing this today were very complex: she wanted to publicly cut ties with the Xie family, and she also wanted the Grand Princess to know that she was standing up for her outside.

Xie Ning, of course, knew that the Grand Princess currently couldn’t possibly trust her, but she had shown her stance. If the Grand Princess wanted to utilize her at all, then her life would be safe for the time being.

Pei Shujing was naturally not asleep at this time; she was also weighing the gains and losses.

Since she couldn’t figure out Xie Jing’s reason for doing this, she wouldn’t dwell on it.

A dog-eat-dog fight between Xie Jing and the Xie family was exactly what she wanted to see. Since Xie Jing had already made a statement of allegiance, what harm was there in utilizing Xie Jing for now?

Xie Jing was a chess piece for the Emperor and the Xie family, but he might as well become Pei Shujing’s chess piece!

She didn’t even need Xie Jing to fully obey her. As long as Xie Jing stood between her and the Emperor/Xie family, she could accomplish many things.

Thinking of this, Pei Shujing smiled and opened her eyes.

“Take off my shoes.”

Xie Ning was completely bewildered by Pei Shujing. Did the topic change so quickly? She was about to beat her to death just a moment ago, and suddenly she was asking her to take off her shoes?

However, Xie Ning also breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she had passed this test, and her life was temporarily saved.

But what was this Grand Princess’s strange fetish? She was either asking her to take off her shoes or her socks.

What Xie Ning didn’t know was that in ancient society, people generally believed that the feet were the lowest and also the most filthy part of the body.

Ancient slaves showed submission to superiors by kneeling with their heads bowed to the ground, meaning they placed themselves in the most lowly position.

So, the reason Pei Shujing did this was also for humiliation. I will let you serve my bare feet, symbolizing that you are the lowest slave to me. This was Pei Shujing’s intention.

She knew Xie Jing valued his dignity more than anything, but she insisted on tormenting Xie Jing in this way, which could alleviate her daily desire to kill him.

But she didn’t know that the current Xie Jing was no longer Xie Jing, but Xie Ning from the modern world.

Xie Ning had never heard of such a connotation in modern society. She was only exposed to concepts like “jade feet” or “warden.”

Although Xie Ning didn’t have this fetish, she genuinely didn’t feel anything improper about it.

For example, Xie Ning was currently frowning deeply. Pei Shujing thought she was stimulating Xie Jing’s inferiority complex, unaware that Xie Ning’s frown was because she was worried that Pei Shujing might have some strange fetishes.

What if the Grand Princess escalates things later? Should I comply or not?

After Xie Ning helped Pei Shujing take off her shoes, she heard Pei Shujing ask in a lazy tone: “Do you feel like something is missing?”

Xie Ning froze, nodding somewhat awkwardly.

A sock was missing, and that sock was currently on her person…

She had noticed it at the pleasure boat earlier. She had wanted to throw it away, but she hadn’t found the chance.

“Where is this Princess’s sock?”

Xie Ning hesitated, but still endured the shame and pulled the sock out from her clothes under the gaze of three pairs of eyes.

Xiao Zhu’s eyes seemed to flicker. She opened her mouth as if to say something but held back.

She knew it! Her Highness’s actions are a reward for Xie Jing!

Pei Shujing maintained her posture, propping up her head with one hand: “You hid it in your clothes. It seems you truly like it. Then I will grant it to you. I also permit you to keep it in your clothes every day.”

Xie Ning was speechless. Who would treat a sock like a treasure and keep it close at all times?

But Pei Shujing suddenly showed a cruel smile: “This Princess will inspect it often. If I discover you haven’t treated it well, I will chop off your feet and feed them to the dogs!”

This Grand Princess, does she seriously have some kind of strange fetish?!

And forcing people to collect her socks…

“Yes, yes, yes. From now on, it will be my most beloved treasure,” Xie Ning quickly replied.

Pei Shujing raised an eyebrow: “Oh? So this Princess is not as beloved as a sock…”

“No, no, no. I meant that Your Highness is the person I love most, and it is my most beloved treasure.”

Pei Shujing was suddenly disgusted by Xie Ning’s sanctimonious appearance and waved her hand: “Get out.”

Xie Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief and scurried away. She hesitated as she passed the Miss Wanjiang, but Xiao Zhu grabbed her collar and dragged her out.

The sound of the zither inside the room suddenly stopped.

Miss Wanjiang stood up and gracefully performed a curtsy: “Wanjiang greets Your Highness.”

“Miss Wanjiang, long time no see,” Pei Shujing smiled faintly.

“It is Wanjiang’s honor that Your Highness still remembers me. May I ask why Your Highness summoned me?”

“Wanjiang, this Princess needs you to do something for me.”

“I would be delighted to.”

That night.

Miss Wanjiang, the famous beauty of the South Lake Pleasure Boat, was executed for playing one wrong string!

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