The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 9

The music and dancing in the pavilion felt hollow; the strings and flutes, once pleasant, were now merely a discordant din to their ears.

After a long silence, Xiao Lin finally spoke. “If you truly dislike her that much, you could always just maintain a marriage in name only.”

“Easy for you to say,” Xiao Beitang countered. “If you were in my shoes, would you be so willing?”

Xiao Wanqi pondered for a moment. “A-Tang, I know you’re anxious, but don’t lose your head just yet. We still have some time before the wedding. I’ll go back and ask my father about the details. Let’s all go home and try to think of a solution. Perhaps there’s still some room for a turnaround?”

Xiao Beitang nodded, her expression clouded with dejection.

Xiao Lin agreed. “Tomorrow afternoon, let’s meet at Zuixian Restaurant. It’s quiet there.”

No longer in the mood to linger, Xiao Beitang rose to leave.

“Is Miss Jiang leaving already?” Linglong asked, her voice tinged with disappointment.

“Mmh, I’m off.” Xiao Beitang’s gaze swept over her, her reply distracted and distant.

“In that case, I’ve composed a new piece. Will you come to hear it next time?”

“Alright,” Xiao Beitang murmured. The usual spark of joy she shared with Linglong was entirely absent.

A flicker of loneliness crossed Linglong’s eyes. In the past, the mere mention of a new composition would have delighted the Princess. Linglong forced a faint smile and dropped a graceful curtsy. “Safe travels, Miss Jiang.”

Xiao Beitang left the pavilion, her mind churning. She decided her best course of action was to plead with the Empress once more. She had picked up a few interesting folk trinkets from the city to bring back to the palace, hoping to soften her mother’s heart. Perhaps with enough persistent wheedling, a change was possible.

“Your Highness.”

Xiao Beitang turned to see Li Ningyu. A small smile touched the Princess’s lips. “Ningyu? What brings you to the palace today?”

Ningyu trotted up to her, her eyes curving into crescents. “It’s been months since we returned to the capital, and I haven’t come to pay my respects to Aunt. I came with my mother today. She’s currently with the Empress.”

Xiao Beitang looked around. Finding her alone, she asked, “Then why are you out here by yourself?”

Li Ningyu blushed. “I haven’t seen Your Highness in so long, I came to find you.”

Xiao Beitang observed her for a moment, smiling. “It’s been over two years since I last saw you, Yu’er. You’ve grown taller and much more beautiful.”

Li Ningyu’s face turned scarlet instantly, and she shyly averted her gaze.

Xiao Beitang froze for a second. What is that smell? A faint, somewhat unpleasant scent hit her. Was it Li Ningyu’s pheromones?

“I heard Your Highness is getting married?” Ningyu asked, her voice dropping with dejection.

Xiao Beitang snapped back to the conversation. “Perhaps.”

“Does Your Highness dislike her?” Li Ningyu asked with a hint of hidden hope, noticing the Princess’s lack of enthusiasm.

Xiao Beitang let out a short sigh. “I haven’t even met her. But this is Imperial Mother’s decree.”

The scent surrounding the girl was starting to make the Princess feel slightly nauseous. She wanted to end the conversation and leave as quickly as possible.

Hope flared in Li Ningyu’s eyes. “Then I’ll ask my mother to speak with the Empress. Maybe she can convince the Emperor to change her mind?”

“I doubt Aunt could sway them on this matter,” Xiao Beitang replied, stopping her.

“Then what should we do?” Li Ningyu began to fidget, nervously twisting her silk handkerchief.

Seeing her bitten lip and frantic expression, Xiao Beitang couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m the one getting married, not you. Why are you the one panicking?”

“I, I just don’t want Your Highness to be unhappy,” Li Ningyu stammered, lowering her head as her cheeks burned.

“I understand. I haven’t seen Aunt in a while either. Come, let’s head to Kunning Palace together.”

As they approached the palace gates, the sound of Princess Dunsu’s incessant complaining reached them from within. When Xiao Beitang entered with Li Ningyu, the Empress looked as though she had been granted a divine reprieve.

“Mother Impress.”

“Tang’er! You’re here,” the Empress said, her voice rising with relief.

“Greetings, Aunt,” Xiao Beitang said with a nod to Dunsu.

Dunsu nodded back, smiling. “Your Highness has grown quite a bit. You’re nearly a head taller than Yu’er now. Sister-in-law, look at these two standing together, what a perfect match.”

The Empress gave a dry laugh but didn’t take the bait.

Dunsu beckoned her daughter forward. “Yu’er, come greet the Empress.”

“Yu’er pays respects to Her Majesty,” the girl said, kneeling obediently.

The Empress helped her up with a smile. “Be good, Yu’er. Rise.” She then glanced at Xiao Beitang. “Tang’er, how did you end up coming in with Yu’er?”

“Oh, we just happened to run into each other on the way.”

Xiao Beitang caught the slight tilt of the Empress’s brow. Is Mother giving me a signal?

“I see. Tang’er, your Imperial Mother has something to discuss with you. Go to Qianqing Palace to see her first.”

She’s sending me away? Xiao Beitang knew the Emperor never met her privately at Qianqing Palace without a specific reason. She bowed and took her leave, sensing there were things being said that were not meant for her ears.

During dinner that evening at Kunning Palace, the Empress revealed the truth: Princess Dunsu had been obsessed with the idea of Li Ningyu marrying Xiao Beitang. Since the decree was issued yesterday, she had been crying to the Empress and the Emperor all day. When she realized the Emperor wouldn’t retract the main marriage, she began begging for Li Ningyu to be made a secondary consort.

The Emperor, burdened by sibling ties and royal face, had to pacify her with gifts before finally sending the mother and daughter away.

“Tang’er, I know Yu’er has liked following you since you were children, but you must keep your distance now,” the Empress cautioned while plating food for her. “You see her as a sister, but she wants to be your wife. Your aunt gave your Imperial Mother and me such a headache today that I’m trying to avoid her entirely.”

Xiao Beitang laughed. “I understand. Thank you for your hard work, Mother.”

The Empress then began talking about Song Qingqian again, her face full of anticipation. It seemed she truly adored the girl. Is this Song Qingqian really that wonderful? From her mother’s description, the woman didn’t seem as dull or wooden as Xiao Beitang had imagined. If she could mind her own business, perhaps marrying her wasn’t a bad idea, at least it would serve as a shield against the likes of Li Ningyu.

Xiao Beitang had intended to plead her case again, but seeing her mother’s excitement, she stayed silent and merely offered noncommittal hums.

The next day, at Zuixian Restaurant.

Xiao Lin was uncharacteristically excited. Seeing Xiao Beitang arrive, she waved her over. “A-Tang! Quick, over here!”

“What’s the good news?” Xiao Beitang asked, catching the mood.

“I have someone to introduce to you.” Xiao Lin pulled her to the table and sat her down. “Zhu Kai, pay your respects to Her Highness.”

A man with a cold, predatory gaze entered and bowed deeply. “This lowly subject greets Your Highness.”

As he looked up, Xiao Beitang studied him. He had a mole on his nose, slanted eyes, and gaunt cheeks. Based on his appearance alone, she felt an instinctive loathing for him.

“Rise,” she said coldly.

“A-Tang, he is a protégé under my father’s wing who has recently gained much favor. He said he has a plan, so I brought him to you,” Xiao Lin explained.

“What plan? Let’s hear it.” Xiao Beitang was skeptical, but she was desperate enough to listen.

“Your Highness, if you wish for the Emperor to retract the decree, there are essentially two paths,” Zhu Kai said with an oily smile, playing for suspense.

Xiao Beitang frowned, hating his expression. “Get to the point,” Xiao Lin urged.

“First, the Prime Minister could be found guilty of a crime that implicates his family. Then, his daughter would naturally be unworthy of being the Crown Princess Consort.”

“Everyone knows the Prime Minister is incorruptible. Finding a flaw in him is nearly impossible! Is this your ‘great plan’?” Xiao Lin asked, annoyed.

Zhu Kai paced a few steps, his smile widening. “The second method is to target Miss Song herself. A Kunze is limited by their biology, especially their heat cycle. If one cannot take their Suppression Pills (Yize Wan) in time, it becomes unbearable. If we can lure her out and use certain aphrodisiacs to force an early heat, and then arrange for a Qianyuan to mark her.”