The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 33.1

This answer was something Xie Zhizhen hadn’t anticipated. She shot Gu Qing a shy glare, her eyes filled with affection and devoid of any intimidation. “You, you, you! Shameless!”

Gu Qing adored Xie Zhizhen’s reaction. She pressed her nose against Xie Zhizhen’s, her dark eyes brimming with nothing but her, her voice low and husky with a hint of indulgence. “Mm, I’m shameless.”

But she didn’t think being shameless was a bad thing. After all, Xie Zhizhen was too easily flustered. If she were just as shy, when would the two of them ever get to enjoy a happy life together?

With that, she gently kissed Xie Zhizhen completely devoid of any lustful intent.

Xie Zhizhen’s heart trembled. This version of Gu Qing felt somewhat unfamiliar, yet she found herself liking it liking it very, very much. Instinctively, she masked her true feelings with a push. “You’re not allowed to kiss me outside from now on.”

The thought that she had just done such a thing with Gu Qing in public made her blush even harder. Outside the carriage, the sounds of street vendors hawking their wares could still be heard.

“Outside, I definitely wouldn’t do this. But right now, it’s just the two of us in the carriage.” This was, after all, ancient times. Even if she and Xie Zhizhen were married, they couldn’t openly kiss in public for everyone to see.

Besides, Gu Qing glanced at Xie Zhizhen’s flushed cheeks, her lips red and moist, her eyes brimming with tenderness.

She hadn’t even had her fill of this side of Xie Zhizhen yet, how could she bear to let others see her like this?

“Anyway, it’s just not allowed!”

Xie Zhizhen pushed Gu Qing away, slightly displeased. She had always believed that doing such things during the day was nothing short of daytime debauchery.

Gu Qing raised an eyebrow, seizing the loophole. “So, does that mean I can kiss you freely at night?”

Being constantly questioned about kissing finally made Xie Zhizhen lose her temper. She shoved Gu Qing back to her own seat, her expression stern. “From now on, you’re not allowed to speak or move around! Otherwise, I’ll ignore you!”

Then, she took out a bronze mirror to wipe away the smudged lipstick and began nibbling on the peach blossom cakes that had been prepared earlier, her head lowered.

But in the end, Xie Zhizhen never clarified whether it was allowed or not.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they arrived at the princess’s residence. Xie Zhizhen let out a sigh of relief, lifting the carriage curtain and jumping down without waiting for Gu Qing.

Though Sujuan had no personal experience in such matters, having served in the palace and spent time attending to Consort Shu alongside Suye, she knew enough to recognize the signs. She immediately noticed the missing lipstick and the rosy lips of her princess and couldn’t help but cover her mouth to stifle a giggle.

But after waiting for a while at the foot of the carriage, Xie Zhizhen still didn’t see Gu Qing come down. Frowning, unsure of what was going on, she simply told Sujuan to go up and check.

Sujuan initially thought the princess and her consort had quarreled. She hurriedly climbed into the carriage, but the moment she lifted the curtain and saw Gu Qing inside, her face instantly burned crimson. Without saying a word, she lowered her head and descended, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum. “Princess, it’s better if you go up and see for yourself.”

Her reaction puzzled Xie Zhizhen, but her lingering annoyance at Gu Qing made her reluctant to go up. “What did you see?”

The princess’s residence was located in a remote area with few people around, but they were in the middle of moving and had brought along many maids and servants. Under the princess’s imposing presence, none dared to look up.

Sujuan knew that if she didn’t explain, the princess would never go up. Glancing at the surrounding servants, whose heads were bowed even lower, she leaned in close to Xie Zhizhen’s ear and whispered her explanation.

Xie Zhizhen quickly boarded the carriage upon hearing this. Sure enough, as soon as she lifted the curtain, she saw Gu Qing sitting obediently in her seat, the smudged lipstick still on her lips. One glance was enough to guess what had just transpired.

The thought that Sujuan had seen Gu Qing in such a state only fueled Xie Zhizhen’s anger. She hurried inside, closing the curtain to block out the sunlight and the crowd outside, then asked in a low voice, “Why didn’t you wipe it off?!”

Gu Qing looked helpless, shrugging and pointing to her mouth while shaking her head. Xie Zhizhen then remembered that she had forbidden Gu Qing from speaking earlier. She sighed in frustration, “Alright, alright, you can talk now.”

Gu Qing tilted her head. “Was I obedient?” She hadn’t uttered a single word, just as Xie Zhizhen had demanded.

Xie Zhizhen ignored the question and repeated, “Why didn’t you wipe off the lipstick?”

“You told me not to move,” Gu Qing replied innocently.

Xie Zhizhen, who had been fuming, couldn’t help but laugh at Gu Qing’s earnest expression. “So if I tell you not to move, you really won’t move?”

Her eyes sparkled mischievously, clearly plotting something, but Gu Qing didn’t mind, silently indulging her with a nod.

“I command you to wipe off the lipstick now.”

Only then did Gu Qing obediently clean her lips, doing so thoroughly. Satisfied, Xie Zhizhen nodded. “Let’s get off the carriage.”

Standing hand in hand before the grand gates of the princess’s residence, they gazed up at the plaque. From this moment on, this would be their own little home.

Just as Gu Qing took a step forward to enter, Xie Zhizhen suddenly called out, “Don’t move!”

The nearby servants, thinking the princess was addressing them, immediately froze in their tasks of moving belongings. Only Gu Qing knew the command was meant for her.

Understanding that Xie Zhizhen was playing a game, she happily obliged, leaving one foot suspended mid-air without moving a muscle.

Xie Zhizhen nodded approvingly before issuing her next order. “Alright, you may proceed.”

But after just a few steps, she abruptly stopped Gu Qing again.

Sujuan, standing to the side, finally caught on the princess and her consort were simply teasing each other. She waved her hand, signaling the servants to continue their work as usual, then tactfully withdrew, leaving the newlyweds to their playful moment.

Xie Zhizhen walked up to the motionless Gu Qing and poked her still-hovering leg, even making a silly face at her.

Though she desperately wanted to laugh, Gu Qing held it in.

After a long while without hearing Xie Zhizhen’s next command, Gu Qing’s leg began to grow numb.

Xie Zhizhen watched with amusement as Gu Qing’s leg started trembling, covering her mouth to stifle a giggle before finally relenting. “Alright, you may continue.”

As her foot touched the ground, Gu Qing secretly sighed in relief. But instead of walking right away, she stood still for a moment. Xie Zhizhen smirked triumphantly. “Leg’s numb, isn’t it? Serves you right for bullying me.”

Gu Qing quickly pleaded for mercy. Once she confirmed her leg was steady enough to walk without stumbling, she stepped forward and took Xie Zhizhen’s hand. “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare. Please spare me, Your Highness.”

With that, the two happily made their way to Xie Zhizhen’s chambers. As soon as they entered, Gu Qing spotted the sword hanging on the wall.

The scabbard was crafted from ebony, its entire black surface adorned with golden patterns that refracted sunlight, making it look exceptionally beautiful. There was also a black tassel attached to the hilt.

Gu Qing raised an eyebrow. She naturally recognized this sword, it was the one she had given to Xie Zhizhen. But she distinctly remembered that there had been no tassel on the hilt at the time.

She stepped forward, intending to take the sword down. By the time Xie Zhizhen noticed and tried to stop her, it was already too late.

Holding the familiar sword in her hand, Gu Qing toyed with it for a moment before focusing on the black tassel. Her fingertips brushed against it, and the texture felt strange unlike ordinary silk thread, it seemed more like hair?

But why would a sword she had given to Xie Zhizhen have a tassel made of hair? Curious, she asked, “This is?”

Xie Zhizhen turned her face away, the slight smile on her lips fading. “It’s exactly what you see. At the time, I had no other choice.”

Her answer only left Gu Qing even more confused.

“At the time? What time?” Gu Qing stroked the tassel made of black hair, feeling an odd familiarity with its texture, though she couldn’t immediately recall whose hair it was. “I’m just curious, whose hair is this?”

“Who else’s could it be but yours?” Speaking of the origin of this lock of hair, Xie Zhizhen couldn’t help but recall the incident two years ago when she had been forced to sever ties with Gu Qing.

Gu Qing touched her own hair. It did seem to match no wonder it had felt familiar just now. She chuckled sheepishly. “It’s just been so long, I didn’t think of it right away.”

After all, it had been two years. Remembering something was one thing, but recalling it in the moment was another.

Xie Zhizhen gave Gu Qing a strange look, then took the sword back, gently stroking the familiar tassel. “Even though we grew up together, I often feel like you and I aren’t from the same world.”

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