The Eldest Princess' Substitute Husband (Transmigration) - Chapter 41

“So you’re the Consort.”

******

The next day, at noon.

The two days following the heavy rain were filled with bright sunshine. Even though the sun was strong, the weather was not muggy, which put everyone in a cheerful mood.

This was certainly true for Song Jinsheng. She had just finished lunch and was walking with A’jun and Guzi, laughing and chatting as they made their way to the shop.

Ever since Song Jinsheng took A’jun to help out at the shop yesterday, A’jun had let her guard down considerably, and their relationship had grown much closer. This girl loved drinking bubble tea, a trait that was exactly the same as Junjun from the 21st century.

Song Jinsheng remembered A’jun’s reluctant gaze at the bubble tea when she left the shop yesterday. She couldn’t help but smile and look at her. “A’jun, when we get to the shop, you don’t have to serve customers. How about you learn how to handle the money with Sister Su?”

A’jun looked up at her, her beautiful, bright eyes a little dazed. “…Handle the money? Does that… mean I have to do the accounting?”

“Mmm… you could say that.”

A’jun was startled and waved her hands, shaking her head. “No, I can’t do that! I don’t know how to do accounting! I can do anything else!”

“Oh, it’s not hard.” Song Jinsheng gave her a warm smile and then pulled Guzi into the conversation. “Guzi learned it easily, and you’re so smart, you’ll definitely learn it too. Trust me.”

“Huh?” Guzi scratched his head, looking bewildered. “Uh… Master is right! Hey…”

Halfway through his sentence, Guzi realized something was wrong. Wasn’t this a roundabout way of calling him stupid?

Sure enough, when he looked up, Song Jinsheng was smiling without a hint of a lie, and A’jun was covering her mouth, her eyes twinkling with laughter.

Song Jinsheng joked and teased them the whole way. She had to admit, she was so glad to have met the two of them in this strange era. Otherwise, she didn’t know how boring and dull her days alone at the residence would be.

“Oh, after we finish up today, the new employees I hired should be arriving. So you two can rest for the next two days and don’t have to come…”

Song Jinsheng was speaking as Guzi went to open the door, but before his hand could even touch it, the door was pushed open.

Song Jinsheng froze, and her words came to an abrupt halt as she looked at the person standing outside.

The woman in front of her was about the same height as her. Her long hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a red ribbon. She wasn’t wearing a typical woman’s dress but a sharp, clean green robe. Her skin was fair, and her features were delicate.

Song Jinsheng and the woman looked at each other, sizing each other up, until the maid beside the woman stepped forward and broke the silence between them.

The maid bowed to Song Jinsheng. “Consort.”

“Mmm.” Song Jinsheng responded with a light sound. But she didn’t know that the moment the person in front of her heard it, the look in her eyes changed instantly.

“So you’re the Consort,” the woman said, her eyes fixed on her. Her voice was clear and held no softness.

“…Yes.” Song Jinsheng was taken aback by her presence, and her curiosity about her identity grew.

Anyone who could speak to her in such a tone was likely no ordinary person.

The woman’s scrutinizing gaze swept over Song Jinsheng again. She then stepped over the threshold and walked closer to her, a small smile on her lips, but her eyes remained cold.

She nodded to Song Jinsheng as a greeting, then looked away, walking directly past her. The maid beside her quickly followed.

Song Jinsheng: …

“Who is she?” Song Jinsheng turned her head to look at the mysterious woman’s back and asked Guzi.

Guzi shook his head. “I don’t know… Guzi… has never seen her before…”

Hearing this, Song Jinsheng looked at him. Guzi met her gaze with an honest, simple expression.

Ever since the original owner became the Consort, Guzi had been the butler of the residence. If they had received a guest before, he would have known who they were.

So this woman is a rare guest? Is she another one of Wei Luoyi’s sisters?

Song Jinsheng’s curiosity wasn’t just because the woman was a stranger. She clearly sensed a hint of hostility from her during their brief conversation.

Just as she was thinking this, she happened to see Chunyue walking by not far away. Song Jinsheng quickly called her over.

“Chunyue, is there… a guest at the residence today?”

Chunyue frowned and said without thinking, “A guest? No one ever comes to the residence…”

But as she spoke, she paused. “Oh… I remember now. There is a guest, and an honorable one at that… How did the Consort know?”

Hearing that she was an “honorable guest,” Song Jinsheng was even more curious about the woman’s identity. “I just ran into her. I’ve never seen her before, so I came to ask you.”

“The Consort has never seen her before? But she is… Oh… but it’s true that the Little General has been fighting outside the past two years and has never been to the residence…”

“The Little General?” Song Jinsheng frowned and pressed for more information. She had thought the woman might be the daughter of a high-ranking official, an old friend or sister of Wei Luoyi, but she had never expected her to be a female general.

Chunyue nodded at her seriously and explained, “Yes. The Consort may not have seen the Little General, but you must have heard of the ‘Wind-Chariot’ General’s reputation, right?”

“General Wind-Chariot…” Song Jinsheng repeated the name. But she wasn’t from this era; how could she have heard of such a famous person?

She could only pretend to nod and say, “Oh… I have heard a little… But…”

Song Jinsheng was still trying to figure out how to ask more questions, but Chunyue started talking on her own. “Our General Wind-Chariot’s reputation is very widespread. People outside say she is an invincible, unstoppable killing god. They say she is big and burly, with a fierce and hateful face…”

“But those people would never have guessed that the terrifying general they talk about is a woman.”

According to the rumors, General Wind-Chariot, whose real name was Jiang Yun, was true to her name. She had fought battles all over the land, and wherever she went, no enemy could survive.

The title was bestowed upon her by the emperor, a rare honor that many male soldiers could not obtain. And this person was the daughter of the still-famous General Jiang—Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun came from a family of generals. Even though she was a woman, she refused to be outdone by men. She had trained in martial arts with her father since she was a child and was a prodigy. By the age of seven, she had mastered various weapons. At fourteen, she had fought on the battlefield with her father. By sixteen, she was named General Wind-Chariot and became a commanding officer.

But Jiang Yun’s identity was more than just that. She was also Wei Luoyi’s childhood friend. The two of them had known each other since they were young and had similar personalities. In the years before Jiang Yun went to war, she would often go to the palace with her father to see Wei Luoyi. She would stay from morning until night, and only when General Jiang came to rush her would she leave reluctantly.

Their friendship was very close. But two years ago, the small kingdoms surrounding the Southern Chi Kingdom were in turmoil. Jiang Yun was ordered to quell the rebellion, and she was gone for a year. In the following year, Wei Luoyi married Song Jinsheng and moved from the palace to the Consort’s residence. Jiang Yun never came to visit, and not long after, she was off to the battlefield again.

“But now that the Southern Chi Kingdom is peaceful again, I heard that the Little General returned to the capital a while ago… I thought that after all these years, the Little General and Her Highness’s friendship would have faded, but I never expected the Little General to come today.”

“This is a rare occasion. I’m sure… Her Highness is very happy…”

Chunyue talked on and on about Jiang Yun and Wei Luoyi. When she thought of Jiang Yun in her silver armor, fighting bravely on the battlefield, her eyes were filled with admiration for her.

“Hey? Consort? Are you listening to me?” Chunyue finally realized that Song Jinsheng wasn’t even looking at her and seemed to be lost in thought.

“Huh?” Song Jinsheng blinked and looked at her blankly. “Oh… yes, I was listening.”

“Aren’t you busy? You should go.”

“Okay, then I’ll take my leave.” Chunyue answered, but when she left, she couldn’t help but look back at Song Jinsheng, muttering in confusion.

Why did the Consort’s face look so strange just now…?

*******

At the “Jingsheng” Bubble Tea Shop, business was booming. Customers were lined up in two long queues to buy bubble tea.

The few people working in the shop were also very busy. Su Ran had just finished counting the money and giving change to a customer. She turned her head to see if there was anything else she could do, only to see Song Jinsheng leisurely using a wooden pestle to mash fruit.

She walked over and looked down at Song Jinsheng’s face, startling her.

“What are you doing? You scared me.” Song Jinsheng moved away a little, and the wooden pestle in her hand moved faster.

Su Ran sized her up and said without a hint of surprise, “What am I doing? I should be asking you what’s wrong.”

“You’re so distracted. What’s wrong with you today? You’ve zoned out several times, and you added too much syrup just now. A customer said the bubble tea was a little too sweet today.”

Song Jinsheng glanced at her, feeling a little guilty. “Really? I didn’t notice.”

Su Ran stared at her helplessly for a moment before she couldn’t take it anymore. She took the things out of her hands and gave them to an employee next to her.

Song Jinsheng was confused. “What’s wrong?”

Su Ran looked around the shop, then grabbed Song Jinsheng and walked her upstairs. “Come on. A’jun can handle the register, and these few people can handle making the bubble tea. Go and sit down upstairs for a bit.”

Song Jinsheng was dragged along by her. She looked back several times, wanting to say something, but in the end, she said nothing and followed her upstairs.

As soon as they sat down, Su Ran poured herself a cup of tea and asked her directly, “Are you thinking about that Princess from your residence again?”

At her words, Song Jinsheng’s heart trembled. She looked away and said in a low voice, “No.”

She wasn’t thinking about Wei Luoyi, but she was thinking about something related to her.

According to Chunyue, although Jiang Yun had been fighting on the battlefield, she was a well-educated and gentle person. So why had she not even greeted her when they met?

And then, she remembered that one question, which didn’t seem very kind…

But… those were just her own assumptions. Maybe she was just overthinking.

“No? You’d better not be… Oh, right. When you got back that day, did she say anything to you?” Su Ran was still thinking about what had happened the other day, replaying her own acting in her mind.

If she hadn’t asked, it would have been fine, but her question made Song Jinsheng recall the scene from the night before, where she had lost her mind and gotten so close to Wei Luoyi…

Song Jinsheng picked up the cup and poured herself some tea. She sighed silently, a hint of melancholy in her tone. “Don’t even mention it. Your plan was useless. She saw right through it, and now she’s probably keeping an even closer eye on me.”

“What?” Su Ran frowned in shock. Her acting couldn’t have been so bad that she saw through it with one glance, could it?

“No, even if she saw through it, she didn’t mind you being with someone else…”

“She already knows I’m a woman. What is there to mind?” Song Jinsheng couldn’t help but interrupt her. Seeing Su Ran’s stunned expression, she didn’t know how to explain. She could only sigh.

 “She has known I’m a woman since the day she married me. It’s just… I didn’t know…”

After hearing this, Su Ran came back to her senses, but she was even more confused. “Then if she already knows you’re a woman, why would she still…”

Halfway through her sentence, she looked at Song Jinsheng, and it all finally dawned on her.

“Ah… So, she must have made some kind of deal with the original Consort?”

“Maybe.”

“Sigh… This kind of plot, in a novel, is when the emperor wants to marry her off or get her engaged, but the princess doesn’t want it. Then she coincidentally meets a woman dressed as a man, and since they both need a cover, they agree to it.”

Su Ran shook her head in amazement. “Sigh, no wonder she won’t let you leave…”

Song Jinsheng: “Is that so? But I’ve heard from the people in the residence that the emperor dotes on her and didn’t force her to get engaged to anyone.”

Su Ran: “That’s just what it looks like on the surface. We don’t know what the real story is. Besides… maybe the princess has someone in her heart that she’s been waiting for, so she doesn’t want to get married and just found a woman dressed as a man to ward off her suitors.”

Song Jinsheng: …

Su Ran was mumbling to herself. She looked up and saw that Song Jinsheng was completely silent, so she quickly explained, “Hey, I’m just making things up…”

“But, since she already knows, you don’t have to worry about being discovered anymore.”

“Although you can’t get a divorce, at least you won’t be charged with ‘deceiving the emperor.’ It’s a blessing in disguise, I guess.”

Hearing this, a small smile appeared on Song Jinsheng’s lips. Her gaze was on the teacup in her hand. She let out a small laugh. “A blessing in disguise… Is this really a good thing?”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.”

Song Jinsheng picked up the teacup and drank it all.

Thinking of the things Wei Luoyi had said to her that night, a torrent of emotions washed over her. Her eyes became even deeper and darker.

Song Jinsheng didn’t return to the residence for dinner. Instead, she and Su Ran, along with Guzi and A’jun, went to the Qili Xiang next door.

By the time they got back to the residence, it was already completely dark.

Su Ran had treated them to a few of her signature dishes—crab with oranges, sea bass sashimi, and golden jade soup. Everything was to her liking, and she had eaten so much that she was full from the restaurant all the way back to the residence.

To help with digestion, Song Jinsheng was now holding a lantern and taking a stroll.

But as she walked, she noticed that the two maids in front of her were also on the same path.

The night was too dark. Song Jinsheng was walking behind them and couldn’t see what they were holding. She could only guess that they were bringing something to Wei Luoyi. After all, she was the only master in this residence.

Out of curiosity, Song Jinsheng followed them. After a while, she realized they were walking toward the back garden.

It’s so late. Would Wei Luoyi still be in the back garden?

Song Jinsheng was puzzled. Her curiosity had been small at first, but now she had followed them all the way here.

But…

Song Jinsheng stopped in front of the rockery. She stared at the scene in front of her, her expression dazed.

In the back garden pavilion, two women were sitting. They were both facing away from her, so she couldn’t see their faces, but one was wearing a white dress, and the other had her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Song Jinsheng didn’t even have to think to know who they were.

The two of them weren’t sitting very close, but they had a person’s distance between them. It looked like they were talking about something.

Song Jinsheng stood there for a long time. When she saw that they were still sitting and talking, she decided to turn and leave.

But before she left, she looked up one last time and saw the person beside Wei Luoyi turn her head.

Jiang Yun looked at Wei Luoyi.

Even though the night was dark, they weren’t far away. Song Jinsheng could vaguely see that Jiang Yun was smiling at Wei Luoyi, her eyes curved and her lips curled, her expression gentle—a completely different person from the one she had met this morning.

Song Jinsheng froze on the spot.

Her brows unconsciously furrowed, and the hand holding the lantern slowly tightened…

Was she really overthinking it?

But why did she feel that the way Jiang Yun was looking at Wei Luoyi was so… unusual…?

[Author’s Note]

Love rival appears~~~

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