The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 12

The Master of Ceremonies’ voice faded, leaving the two standing in the center of the Great Hall to receive the officials’ congratulations.

“We offer our congratulations to Your Highness and the Crown Princess Consort!” As the high-pitched cry signaled the end of the ceremony, Song Qingqian was escorted to Fuhua Pavilion.

Xiao Beitang followed the Emperor and Empress to the banquet. After staying for only a short while, a wave of irritation washed over her. She had no desire to exchange toasts with the crowd, nor did she care for the clichéd well-wishes of the ministers. Claiming she needed to change her robes, she slipped out and never returned, though she didn’t forget to swipe a flask of wine on her way out.

She used the excuse of using the latrine to order Liu Zi not to follow. Alone, she hid in an octagonal pavilion within the Imperial Garden. The palace was draped in red silk and lanterns, and the moonlight was so bright it felt like day. Even this remote pavilion had been plastered with red “Double Joy” characters and hung with lanterns.

It was quiet here, far from the clamor of the crowd. Xiao Beitang sat against the moon, drinking alone. It was as if the celebration had nothing to do with her, even though she was its primary subject. She reclined on a long bench, looking up at the moon and savoring the rare tranquility.

The bright moon hung high, its reflection shimmering on the lake. After finishing her wine, Xiao Beitang drifted off to sleep. Eventually, the distant noise of the search parties woke her. She rose from the bench and staggered, wine flask in hand, back toward the gates of Zichen Palace.

Seeing the red silk hanging from the plaque, her hazy mind finally recalled that today was her wedding day. She shook her head to clear it, but a sudden stumble nearly sent her to the ground. Leaning against the wall, she clutched her wine and wandered off again.

When she failed to return, Liu Zi and Xing’er fell into a panic, searching everywhere. People called out her name, but in her drunken state, she instinctively hid. Driven by muscle memory, she eventually stumbled into the Library. She pushed the door open and slipped inside. The Library was unattended at this hour.

There, she slept through the night while the palace turned upside down looking for her.

Consequently, the remaining wedding rituals such as the drinking of the Hejin (nuptial) wine never took place.

Past midnight, Emperor Jing dismissed the guests. The Empress offered a few gentle words of comfort to Song Qingqian before returning to Kunning Palace.

Once the Emperor and Empress had departed, Xiao Tao and Bai Xue exchanged worried glances, looking at the silent Song Qingqian.

“Help me wash,” Song Qingqian said calmly.

“Her Highness is simply too much,” Xiao Tao muttered under her breath while helping her undress. “To leave you here alone on your wedding night.”

“Xiao Tao, mind your tongue. This is no longer the Prime Minister’s estate,” Song Qingqian said tonelessly. Xiao Tao lowered her head and fell silent.

Song Qingqian had already hidden a dose of sleeping powder on her person, intending to slip it into the tea. Now that Xiao Beitang hadn’t returned, it was for the best; it saved her the trouble of dealing with her.

Song Qingqian lay down on the bed which was twice the size of her own back home and pulled the white silk “wedding cloth” from beneath her, setting it aside. The wedding rituals had been exhausting and the robes heavy. She had been tired for hours, but because the Emperor and Empress had stayed to comfort her, she’d had to maintain a facade of distress and abandonment. It was mentally taxing. The moment her head hit the pillow, she fell fast asleep.

The next morning, the palace attendant on duty at the Library entered to clean, only to find Xiao Beitang sprawled on a chair.

“Your Highness! Why, why are you here?”

Just moments ago, he had been gossiping with his colleagues about the Crown Princess’s disappearance and how the Imperial Guards had scoured the world for her. He had treated it as a joke; he never expected to find her behind his own door.

The morning light stinging her eyes, Xiao Beitang rubbed her face and sat up with a yawn. She looked around. “Why am I here?”

Her head throbbed. She couldn’t remember. She rubbed her temples with a hiss of pain. Looking down at her wedding robes, she recalled getting drunk and hiding from the search parties.

“What time is it?”

“In reply to Your Highness, it is 8:45 AM.”

“Don’t tell anyone you found me here.” She stood up, rubbing her back. Sleeping on a wooden chair had left her stiff and aching.

As she reached the gates of Zichen Palace, Liu Zi rushed to meet her. “My heavens, Your Highness! Where have you been? The Imperial Guards searched for you all night!”

She didn’t even look at him. Stepping over the threshold, she strode inside. “I’m hungry. Prepare a meal.”

“Your Highness,” Liu Zi said quickly, “His Majesty has decreed that you are to go to Kunning Palace the moment you return.”

“I have to eat first,” she replied indifferently.

Xing’er hurried to prepare the meal. After eating her fill and changing into fresh robes, Xiao Beitang still had no intention of heading to Kunning Palace. However, she ran straight into Zhao Yan at the door.

He bowed with a practiced smile. “Is Your Highness heading to Kunning Palace?”

“No,” she answered bluntly.

“Ah, what a pity.” Zhao Yan feigned regret. “I am here on Her Majesty’s orders to escort you there. Please, follow this old servant immediately.”

Xiao Beitang looked at the two guards behind him. “What? It looks like if I don’t go, those two plan to tie me up and drag me there?”

“This servant wouldn’t dare,” Zhao Yan said respectfully. “But Her Majesty’s decree is absolute. Please do not make things difficult for me.”

She sighed. “What are you standing around for? Let’s go.”

The moment she stepped into Kunning Palace, she saw Emperor Jing’s dark expression and the Empress’s displeased face. And the woman sitting beside them, was that Song Qingqian?

She truly is beautiful. Her heart gave a small, involuntary flutter.

She took a second look. Song Qingqian happened to turn her head at that moment, and Xiao Beitang quickly averted her eyes as if nothing had happened.

“Daughter.”

“Xiao Beitang! You have quite the nerve! To abandon your bride in her chambers on your wedding night?” Before she could even kneel to pay respects, the Emperor’s roar hit her.

Xiao Beitang stiffened her knees and decided not to bow at all. She smirked at the Emperor. It was a blatant provocation.

The Empress watched her daughter and sighed. “Tang’er, you aren’t a child anymore. How can you still be this reckless?”

Xiao Beitang’s face went flat. She showed no remorse.

Song Qingqian watched her privately. The Princess wore a wide black robe embroidered with golden cloud patterns. Her hair was bound high in a golden crown, the long ponytail flowing behind her. In the morning light, she looked every bit the noble heir.

Song Qingqian found herself staring. The Princess had sharp, starry eyes and a refined grace, a feminine aura unique to a female Qianyuan. She didn’t look like the “profligate rake” the rumors described.

However, through her secret observations, Qingqian had realized the Princess’s behavior was often a calculated performance. She went to gambling dens but played only a few rounds; she went to brothels but only ever called for one specific girl. She was rebellious, but within boundaries. Even the previous night felt like a deliberate act of avoidance rather than mindless debauchery.

Emperor Jing suppressed her fury. “Where were you last night? The guards said you never left the palace. So many people were searching for you, yet you continue this childishness.”

“I drank too much,” she replied tonelessly. “I just found a place to crash.”

“The Imperial Guards turned the palace upside down! They checked every courtyard. You’re telling me you just ‘found a place’?”

“Perhaps they checked that spot before I arrived,” she said nonchalantly.

“Xiao Beitang! Fix your attitude! Acting like you don’t have a care in the world, what kind of behavior is this?” The Emperor was fuming, though she stayed relatively restrained in front of Song Qingqian.

“Oh.”

“Qianqian,” the Emperor turned to the bride, “yesterday was an insult to you. Please, do not take it to heart.”

Song Qingqian rose and performed a silent, graceful curtsy. She didn’t say a word.