The Transmigrated Princess - Chapter 80

Xie Zhenzhi looked utterly bewildered. “What is a Burmese Bell?”

She had never heard of such a thing, but looking at Gu Qing’s eyes, she felt an unmistakable sense of mischief.

In the next instant, she understood Gu Qing’s intent. The ice-cold Burmese Bell landed on her lower abdomen, causing her body to shudder instinctively. The bell slowly slid downward.

Gu Qing watched as she shook the bell with one hand while using her leg to kick away a nearby stool. The poor stool collided with the table, letting out a loud bang. She pressed her rosy lips against Xie Zhenzhi’s ear. A warm, humid breath brushed against the Princess’s ear, staining her earlobe deep red.

A low, husky whisper made Xie Zhenzhi’s legs go weak. “Zhenzhi, cry out a bit more pitifully. We’re acting… we have to make it a complete performance.”

Hearing this, Xie Zhenzhi’s heart panicked. Is someone eavesdropping outside?

The thought made her incredibly tense. She unconsciously squeezed her legs together, resisting Gu Qing’s intrusion.

“Gu… Gu Qing, is someone listening outside?” Her voice carried a hint of a sob. As a pampered little Princess since childhood, she had never experienced anything like this. The idea of someone listening to such an intimate moment was unbearable.

Seeing the beautiful eyes before her filling with tears and the corners of her eyes turning red, Gu Qing felt a pang of guilt. She could feel the tension in Xie Zhenzhi’s body most clearly.

Gu Qing sighed, unable to bear seeing her like this. She pressed a soft kiss to Xie Zhenzhi’s brow and comforted her in a low voice, “Don’t worry, there’s no one there.”

Xie Zhenzhi naturally believed Gu Qing. Once she was certain no one was outside, her body suddenly relaxed, allowing the exquisite Burmese Bell to enter.

The icy sensation was something Xie Zhenzhi had never felt before. She trembled and immediately wanted to refuse, but Gu Qing anticipated her move and blocked her lips with a kiss.

On her ankle, the bell Gu Qing had made began to jingle. But this time, that bell was not alone; another bell vibrated along with it, creating a rhythmic sound like a beautiful melody, echoing each other in the room.

The next morning.

When Xie Zhenzhi woke up, feeling the soreness in her body and remembering Gu Qing’s excessive behavior last night, she indignantly kicked Gu Qing. Unfortunately, she was so drained of energy that the kick was soft and weak.

Such force was negligible to Gu Qing, but it was enough to wake her up easily. Consequently, Gu Qing was kicked out of the room just as she finished dressing.

When Su Juan entered, she saw the room in total disarray. Several chairs were overturned, and tea, fruit, and even shattered flowerpots were scattered across the floor. At first glance, it looked terrifying. She almost thought her Highness had been mistreated.

However, in the next moment, Xie Zhenzhi began her performance. She covered her face and sobbed, “I… I want a divorce!”

Su Juan was shocked. Usually, the two masters only had minor squabbles. She thought this would blow over in a couple of days, but now the Princess was actually mentioning divorce. Without knowing the details, Su Juan instinctively tried to act as a mediator.

After being driven out by Xie Zhenzhi, Gu Qing walked angrily toward Yuan Shu’s courtyard.

Because of Yuan Shu’s special status, she had been assigned the best courtyard—a south-facing spot that caught a gentle breeze even in summer. Its furnishings were second only to the main courtyard.

Gu Qing’s arrival was unexpected. As she entered, she saw Yuan Shu hurriedly pulling the bed curtains shut. Her eyes were clearly panicked, and she instinctively reached for her beads, offering an unnatural smile. “Gu… Gu Qing, why are you here?”

Gu Qing feigned ignorance regarding Yuan Shu’s odd behavior. She sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, and gulped it down. “You were right. I shouldn’t have given up on going home and my parents for the sake of a woman.”

Yuan Shu’s hand froze on her beads, and a glint of joy appeared in her eyes. She had thought their relationship was unbreakable, but it seemed they had given up so easily. Still, she maintained a facade of concern. “What happened? Did something go wrong between you and the Princess?”

Gu Qing wanted to say her prepared lines, but looking at Yuan Shu’s face, she felt annoyed—why should she share her intimate topics with such a person? She rolled her eyes, sighed, and pretended to be in too bad a mood to talk.

Yuan Shu understood. Besides, she wasn’t truly curious about the fight. She smiled faintly and said, “In any case, it’s good that you’ve thought it through.”

She patted Gu Qing’s shoulder as if they were close friends. “Since you are ready, why don’t we try today? I have already prepared the materials. If you agree, we can return to the modern world immediately.”

Gu Qing was stunned. She hadn’t expected it to be so soon. She hesitated and glanced toward Xie Zhenzhi’s room. “So… so soon?”

Fearing Gu Qing might change her mind, Yuan Shu sat down in front of her with a solemn expression. “Gu Qing, I have calculated it. Today is the 15th, the day with the strongest Yin energy of the month. Plus, July is…”

She rattled off a lot of Buddhist jargon that Gu Qing didn’t understand—likely half-invented on the spot. After explaining for a long while, Yuan Shu summarized, “In short, today has the highest success rate. If we miss it, the chances will drop significantly. You must consider this carefully.”

Gu Qing didn’t need to consider; she just thought Yuan Shu had the potential to be a pyramid scheme leader.

Still, she had to play the part. She acted as if she were swayed and said hesitantly, “Give me a little more time. I need to say goodbye to my parents.”

Yuan Shu knew she couldn’t push too hard. She let go of Gu Qing’s shoulder and said graciously, “Fine. I have calculated the time; the Hour of the Snake (9–11 AM) is best. Go say your goodbyes before then.”

Afraid of a last-minute change of heart, she added, “The Gu couple raised you, but don’t forget who your real parents are and where your true home is.”

Gu Qing then used the excuse of visiting family to return to the Gu residence. Mother Gu had already heard rumors of the trouble at the Princess Royal’s Manor. When she saw Gu Qing, she almost slapped her in rage, but Father Gu stopped her just in time.

“Whatever it is, talk inside. Don’t make us a laughingstock out here.”

Gu Qing was pulled into the house, feeling bewildered. When Mother Gu interrogated her about what she did to make Xie Zhenzhi ask for a divorce, Gu Qing’s lip twitched. Zhenzhi… this acting is a bit… over the top…

She had only asked her to act angry, not to escalate to divorce.

Seeing Mother Gu about to lecture her again, Gu Qing quickly stopped her and explained the situation. To expose Yuan Shu’s true face, she needed her parents’ help since it was inconvenient for her to mobilize people right now.

Once the Gu parents understood the plan, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Mother Gu asked uncertainly, “Are you sure you and Zhenzhi are fine?”

Gu Qing laughed helplessly. “Of course we are.”

At most… I went a bit too far last night. Gu Qing rubbed her nose guiltily.

Gu Qing stayed at the Gu residence until evening, then pretended to leave reluctantly to meet Yuan Shu at their agreed spot. Seeing Gu Qing, Yuan Shu felt a weight lift. Although she was prepared, she couldn’t be fully at ease until the final moment.

Yuan Shu smiled and drew some mystical-looking charms. Gu Qing found it hilarious but endured it for the sake of the mission. Yuan Shu lit a yellow talisman with her fingers and placed the burning paper into a bowl of clear water.

Wiping sweat from her brow, she split the talisman water into two portions and handed one to Gu Qing. “Drink this, and we can go back.”

Gu Qing’s eye twitched with disgust, but she cooperated. After drinking half the bowl, her brow furrowed—she detected an unusual taste. She handed the bowl back to Yuan Shu and lay down. While Yuan Shu wasn’t looking, Gu Qing spat the water out.

After lying there for about half an hour, she heard Yuan Shu get up. The woman approached her and whispered, “Gu Qing? Gu Qing?”

Confirming there was no response, Yuan Shu signaled someone. Gu Qing felt herself being moved into a small box. It was shaky for a while until she felt herself being taken out and placed on a soft bed. Someone stripped several layers of her clothing, leaving her only in her inner garments. Gu Qing almost broke character to stop them, as no plan was worth her virtue.

Then, she heard the person whispering instructions to someone else. Soon, the person who carried her left. She felt someone approach her, carrying a heavy scent of powder and perfume—it was quite unpleasant.

When the person’s hand reached for her collar, Gu Qing snapped her eyes open and grabbed her hand. To prevent her from screaming, she muffled her mouth and pinned her down. Before Gu Qing could ask anything, the woman bit into a poison capsule and committed suicide.

Gu Qing frowned, not understanding the situation. She then noticed the woman was dressed provocatively and covered in bruises. Hoping to find the truth, she pulled back the woman’s outer robe. Beneath the thin fabric, she saw whip marks.

Gu Qing’s frown deepened. What is going on? Are they framing me for this person’s death?

Regardless, she had to hide. According to this kind of plot, someone would soon burst through the door to “catch” her. However, as Gu Qing tried to stand, she found her body weak and she collapsed to the floor. She realized then that things were bad.

In the next instant, the door was pushed open. Standing there were Xie Zhenzhi, Xie Zhibai, the Fifth Prince, and Yuan Shu, along with several courtesans. Seeing the body on the floor, the brothel madam shrieked and threw herself over the woman. “Peony!”

The madam sobbed hysterically. Facing Xie Zhibai’s shocked and confused gaze, Gu Qing’s lip twitched. Even though Xie Zhenzhi was prepared, she found the scene hard to process: Gu Qing in her undergarments, a bruised woman dead on the floor, and a heavy scent lingering in the room.

The madam played her part perfectly. “My Peony! Young lady, I know you have peculiar tastes and high status, but did you have to take my Peony’s life?!”

Before Gu Qing could speak, the Fifth Prince couldn’t contain himself. “Your Majesty! General Gu’s actions are utterly absurd!”

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