The Traitor Crown Princess (Transmigration) - Chapter 4

The sky was clear, and the cold wind was desolate.

The carriage swayed and finally came to a stop at the palace gate. The attendant accompanying them rose, placed a footstool on the ground, and whispered to the person inside the carriage: “My lady, we have arrived.”

The carriage door opened. First, the accompanying maid stepped out and waited respectfully to one side. A slender, delicate hand reached out, and the maid caught it in time to steady the person. A figure in white emerged from the carriage.

The woman who stepped down wore a white skirt adorned with pink floral embroidery at the neckline; she was clean, elegant, and possessed the graceful bearing of a prestigious family. Her hair was coiled up into two round buns, topped with light pink peony flowers on the sides. A white tassel jade hairpin was inserted into the back, its tassels dangling naturally and swaying gently with her movements. She wore a simple white fuguang brocade, which shimmered dazzlingly under the sunlight. A long, slender white brocade belt at her waist outlined a graceful, willow-like figure lean, yet supple. Her every gesture and smile were filled with charm.

Shen Yi landed steadily, withdrew his hand, and walked slowly toward the palace gate. Qiushui complimented him from the side: “In my opinion, there isn’t a girl in the entire capital as beautiful as our young lady.”

“Keep your voice down,” Hanxiang scolded. “Don’t let anyone else hear you.”

Qiushui grumbled, “I know.”

Qiushui and Hanxiang were the maids Yuan Hua had chosen for Shen Yi. Qiushui had a lively personality and excelled at dancing and painting, which helped relieve Shen Yi’s boredom, while Hanxiang was skilled at needlework and calligraphy and managed the servants, making her the best choice to oversee Shen Yi’s courtyard.

Shen Yi said, “Qiushui is just trying to tease me and make me happy; don’t be so harsh, Hanxiang.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Please follow me, young ladies, to rest,” a lady-in-waiting styled with double buns walked over and bowed in greeting.

Shen Yi nodded: “Very well.”

The group passed through the front hall and followed a long corridor to a garden filled with rare flowers like peonies, herbaceous peonies, and chrysanthemums. A few butterflies danced around the flower clusters. In a gazebo stood several young girls, all served by maids; their figures and looks were top-tier, but compared to Shen Yi, they were always lacking something.

Shen Yi’s appearance attracted most of the attention. Not wanting to be a tall tree attracting the wind, he went to the nearby rockery to take a stroll.

A gust of wind blew by, blowing sand into Shen Yi’s eyes. He reached for his handkerchief to wipe his face, only to find it missing. He asked, “Hanxiang, have you seen my handkerchief?”

Hanxiang grew anxious: “We haven’t seen it. Did you leave it somewhere?”

Qiushui quickly realized the gravity of the situation: “This is bad! A handkerchief is such a private item; if a strange man picks it up, the young lady’s reputation will be completely ruined!”

Hanxiang nodded: “We’ll go look for it now. Young lady, wait here for a moment; we’ll be back soon.”

After parting with the two, Shen Yi walked aimlessly. Glancing around, he discovered that the rockery held a scene all its own. He walked inside curiously, supporting himself along the rugged wall as he went further and further. Stepping out of the cave, he found a bamboo forest.

Emerald green bamboo clustered together, making one feel as if they were in a dream. It was hard to imagine such a place existing in the solemn and dignified palace. A warm breeze blew, carrying the fresh fragrance of the bamboo forest, as if guiding him to walk further inside.

After walking a distance, the fresh fragrance of bamboo gradually turned into a foul stench of blood. An ominous premonition filled Shen Yi’s heart. Sure enough, around the corner ahead, he saw the scene he least wanted to see in his lifetime.

The ground was littered with corpses, red blood staining the emerald green lawn. Standing in the center of the clearing was a man. He had long, loose hair and wore black casual attire, with gold patterns decorating his cuffs and collar, indicating an extraordinary status. He held a long sword, and red blood dripped slowly from the blade onto the ground, his aura terrifying.

Shen Yi’s fur stood on end instantly. Isn’t this the guy who threatened me at the graveyard last time? Why is he here? Could he be the Crown Prince?

He retreated two steps, his heart filled with suspicion and dread. His intuition told him to run immediately, or he wouldn’t be able to escape.

“Screech”

A hawk flew into the sky at some point and circled above Shen Yi, refusing to leave. He froze subconsciously, and then a rustling of footsteps came from behind. Only then did he come to his senses; he lifted his skirt and scrambled back the way he came.

Shen Yi dared not stop along the way, returning to the pond’s edge via the tunnel. Hanxiang and Qiushui had already found the handkerchief and had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Shen Yi return, they hurriedly greeted him.

Hanxiang: “My lady, where did you go?”

Shen Yi: “It’s nothing, let’s go.”

Fortunately, they hadn’t missed the time for the beauty selection.

A eunuch entered the courtyard first, then waited at the doorway and shouted loudly: “Her Imperial Majesty the Empress and Her Highness the Imperial Consort Shu have arrived.”

A woman wearing a phoenix crown and a light yellow robe was supported by a maid as she entered. The phoenix on her robe looked lifelike, emitting a faint halo under the sunlight. Her face was noble and elegant, looking down upon all the women.

Following her was a woman with a gentle and virtuous appearance, dressed in a pale blue palace gown with ink-black hair coiled up and adorned with various flowers. A blue tassel hung naturally from the side of her head. She walked in slowly, holding a round xiyanyan fan.

Everyone bowed in unison: “Greetings to the Empress, may the Empress have ten thousand years of peace and good health. Greetings to Consort Shu, may you have peace.”

The Empress walked slowly toward them: “Rise.”

Everyone: “Yes.”

Four young eunuchs brought over two grand chairs. After the Empress and Consort Shu sat down, palace maids brought two cups of tea and placed them on the table.

The Empress unhurriedly picked up a teacup, used the lid to skim the foam on the surface, took a sip, and said: “Everyone, don’t be tense; act as if you were in your own home.”

Everyone: “Yes.”

The Empress turned to the eunuch and said: “Why hasn’t the Crown Prince arrived yet?”

Li Dequan lowered his head in respect: “This servant has already sent someone to invite him. Perhaps he was delayed by something; this servant will go and urge him now.”

A profound glint flashed across Feng Xi’s eyes: “Oh? It seems that my words as his mother don’t carry much weight.”

Lan Nishang: “Your Majesty is overthinking; the Crown Prince may have forgotten about this because he was grounded by His Majesty a few days ago. It doesn’t hurt to wait a little longer.”

Feng Xi set down the teacup, her expression indifferent: “Very well, as you wish.”

Two women at the end of the line began to whisper, relying on the fact that they were at the back of the queue.

Pink-clad girl: “This Crown Prince has quite an air of authority, daring to let the Empress wait for him.”

Yellow-clad girl: “Isn’t that so? In my opinion, this Crown Prince must be incredibly ugly, which is why he dares not come out to see anyone.”

Their voices were not loud, but they reached the ears of the Empress and Consort Shu. Both, however, remained calm and said nothing.

A black-clad figure walked into the courtyard, attracting the attention of everyone present. The sunlight shone on him, dispelling the cold air around him, and his handsome, unparalleled face instantly stood out. One could not find another man in the entire capital comparable to him—whether in face or build, he was quite impressive.

A demon.

Shen Yi rarely used this word to describe men, but Chu Yun indeed hit every point of his aesthetic, even looking handsomer than the male stars in the entertainment industry. The girls present looked as if they had lost their souls, their eyes fixed on Chu Yun. Only Shen Yi felt nothing for that face; instead, he felt a creeping horror.

Feng Xi put on a benevolent expression: “You’ve come. Have you been feeling unwell these past few days?”

Chu Yun: “I am fine.”

Feng Xi: “That’s good. Come over and see if there are any girls you like.”

Chu Yun scanned the crowd, his face growing colder: “None.”

Feng Xi: “I knew you would say that.”

She raised her hand and beckoned to a woman: “Yue’er, come here.”

A woman wearing a deep purple dress emerged. She styled her hair in a double-ring bun, simply decorated with a jade hairpin. She walked to Feng Xi, bowed, and said: “This commoner greets the Empress.”

She bowed her head, inwardly delighted. Although Chu Yun was a pawn, he was handsome, so marrying him wouldn’t be a loss. Moreover, if Chu Yun were to die, she would have the Empress to support her and enjoy endless glory and wealth.

Feng Xi nodded, looking at Chu Yun: “This is your cousin; you two should get to know each other.”

Chu Yun was uninterested and did not reply.

The Empress smiled kindly: “Yun’er, why have you stopped speaking?”

Chu Yun’s expression was solemn: “She is quite good.”

The Empress froze for a moment: “Naturally, she is good.”

Chu Yun: “Present her to the Emperor as a concubine. If she doesn’t perform well, chop off her hands and feet to make a renzhi (human pig) and have her sing little ditties for him.”

A crack appeared in Feng Xi’s hypocritical mask. Though angry, she dared not say anything: “Don’t be ridiculous!”

Feng Yueshu’s face turned pale; she glanced at the Empress in panic, somewhat at a loss.

Chu Yun’s face remained expressionless: “Whether she lives or dies, I know what I’m doing.”

“Very well.” Feng Xi waved her hand: “You may withdraw.”

Feng Yueshu nodded, gripped her handkerchief, and returned to the queue in silence.

Lan Nishang comforted her: “Your Majesty, do not be angry. You know the Crown Prince has always been straightforward.”

Feng Xi frowned irritably, yet she had to maintain a magnanimous appearance—it was truly difficult for her, so she said candidly: “Naturally, I know.”

At this moment, Shen Yi felt a hand press against his back. The hand pushed him forward with force, and Shen Yi lost his balance, stumbling a few steps. The movement drew the attention of Feng Xi and Lan Nishang. Feng Xi was already in a bad mood, and seeing this, she was even more displeased: “Who is moving about over there?”

The eyes of the crowd fell upon Shen Yi.

He had no choice but to speak: “Someone pushed this humble commoner.”

Feng Xi rubbed her temples: “Come here.”

Shen Yi walked before the group of show-girls and bowed to the Empress.

Feng Xi remained silent for a brief moment, her voice cold: “Look up and let me see.”

Shen Yi looked up, and both were shocked. Lan Nishang said: “Your Majesty, this is an incomparable beauty!”

Feng Xi’s voice was calm: “What does the Crown Prince think?”

Shen Yi subconsciously looked at Chu Yun, met his cold gaze, and hurriedly looked away. A cold sneer tugged at the corner of Chu Yun’s mouth: “Vulgar and crude; she should be driven out of the palace.”