The Villainous Consort (GL) - Chapter 43

“What about the Grand Elder?” Qi Yu asked. Since they had captured him, weren’t they going to interrogate him first?

“Keep him locked up. We aren’t the ones who should be anxious right now,” the Eldest Princess said with a light chuckle. It was difficult to get anything out of a man like that through standard questioning. However, if he were kept in a pitch-black cell for a while and missed a few meals, his mouth might start to loosen on its own.

At this moment, the one who should be panicking and jumping in frustration was National Teacher Qi. It remained to be seen how he would respond.

The National Teacher’s response was simple: he continued to hide in his manor playing the fool while quickly dispatching a message to the Second Prince, urging him to find a way to fish the people out of the Ministry of Justice’s prison.

The Second Prince, who had just met with Ai Ye, felt a sudden tightening in his chest upon receiving the news. He hadn’t even secured a new ally yet, and his back-up was already falling apart.

He felt stifled but didn’t show it. “Princess Ai Ye, is it appropriate for this Prince to address you as such?”

The table was laden with fine wine and food. Aside from the Second Prince, Li Chuanlian was also present. Ai Ye scanned the room before saying, “The Second Prince went to great lengths to find me; I assume it wasn’t just for small talk.”

She was incredibly busy. Prime Minister Chu and his son, Chu Yan—those two old… uncles—refused to budge, and Chu Chanyi wouldn’t abandon her family to flee to Xidao. It was a massive headache.

The Second Prince toyed with his wine cup and smiled. “I enjoy dealing with people like Miss Ai Ye—straightforward and efficient.”

“Speak plainly. This Princess is busy,” Ai Ye said, propping her chin on her hand impatiently. This man talked a big game but danced around the point. It was boring.

The Second Prince let out a dry laugh to cover his awkwardness. “Fine. Since Miss Ai Ye puts it that way, I shall be direct.”

Ai Ye rolled her eyes, her expression clearly saying, Then say it already! Stop circling!

His expression stiffened as he explained his purpose. “If Miss Ai Ye wishes to remain in Baiyue, I can help. You can stay as long as you like.”

“How?” Ai Ye raised an eyebrow. Although the Eldest Princess had bought her a month, Chu Chanyi’s side was clearly a war of attrition. If she could stay longer, it wouldn’t be a bad thing.

However, “nothing is free.” This Second Prince definitely wanted something in return. She just didn’t know if the price was worth the exchange.

The Second Prince glanced at Li Chuanlian, who was looking straight ahead. He felt uncertain. Knowing that the former dynasty remnants had lost so many men, there was no longer time for a slow approach.

His heart throbbed. Though he knew it was premature, time waited for no man. “Does Miss Ai Ye have a betrothal? What do you think of this Prince?”

Pfft. Ai Ye sprayed a mouthful of tea directly onto the Second Prince’s face.

While offering a verbal apology, she was inwardly both fuming and amused. This dog of a man actually dares to target me? He’s certainly got the gall.

The Second Prince’s arms shook, but he had to swallow his anger. Li Chuanlian rushed to wipe and pat his face, and after a flurry of activity, the room settled again.

“Miss Ai Ye has not answered me.” He prided himself on his status as a Prince and future Emperor. Thanks to his mother’s beauty, he wasn’t bad-looking. He actually liked Ai Ye and had wanted to win her over slowly—love being the most effective tool for controlling women—but now he was desperate. He wanted to try his luck; if it worked, great. If not, they could just talk business.

Ai Ye composed herself and said, “Not much.”

Li Chuanlian’s eye twitched. This Second Princess of Xidao was brutally honest—she basically told the Second Prince he was “nothing special.” He had originally agreed with the Prince’s plan—women are driven by emotion, after all—but he thought the Prince was moving far too fast.

He didn’t know that the bad news from the National Teacher had sent the Second Prince into a spiral. With so many remnants in the Ministry of Justice, how could he fish them out? If they implicated him, he’d be ruined.

In his agitation, and blinded by his own narcissism and power, the Second Prince had spoken without consulting Li Chuanlian first.

He felt a heavy blow to his ego from her blunt rejection. He forced a laugh to save face. “Miss Ai Ye, do not misunderstand. I mean a ‘performance.’ An act, do you understand? We act for others. You can return to Xidao whenever you wish; being with me is just a cover.”

Ai Ye wasn’t a fool. She could see his smile was forced. Regardless of whether Chu Chanyi would be upset by this, she couldn’t stomach it herself. “This Princess does not wish to act. No deal.”

As she refused flatly, the Second Prince’s face froze again. He shot a look at Li Chuanlian to come up with a plan, but before they could continue, there was a knock at the door.

Li Chuanlian opened it and was surprised to see the person outside. “Are you not a maid from the Eldest Princess’s Manor? What is your business here?”

Han Shui nodded, then looked past him at Ai Ye. “Miss Ai Ye, my mistress is in the next room. She was wondering if you had time for a meeting.”

“Presumptuous! No matter who your mistress is, there is an order to things. Such behavior is utterly rude!” The Second Prince felt his temples throbbing. His sister was officially tearing the mask off.

Han Shui paused. She couldn’t let this “garlic-headed” Prince have his way. Knowing her mistress didn’t have a prior relationship with Ai Ye, she let her eyes roll once and said, “Miss Ai Ye, my master is the Prince Consort, Qi Yu.”

In all of Baiyue, there was only one Eldest Princess, and thus only one Prince Consort. Unless this Xidao Princess was an idiot, she would know exactly who was being summoned.

Ai Ye was no idiot. She knew Qi Yu and Chu Chanyi had been close friends for years. She stood up immediately. “This Princess has time. Let’s go. It just so happens I haven’t thanked your master yet.”

She agreed so quickly that the Second Prince was stunned. “Miss Ai Ye, our business isn’t finished!”

“This Princess has no more time.” Ai Ye left without looking back.

Behind her, the Second Prince ground his teeth so loudly they clicked. As soon as the door closed, a series of crashes echoed from the room, accompanied by Li Chuanlian’s frantic voice: “Your Highness, please calm your anger! This is a public place, Your Highness…”

In the next room, Ai Ye sat down and turned her head in shock toward the wall where the noise was coming from.

Qi Yu was also shocked. Does the Second Prince have some kind of ‘tendency’? Making such a ruckus in a place like Lou Shang Lou—people will think the shop is being robbed.

Only the Eldest Princess was calm. “My imperial brother has always been like this—unable to keep his cool. Forgive the embarrassment.”

When her spies first reported such behavior from the Second Prince’s manor, she had been surprised. Is he really that violent? But after hearing about it enough times, she had become indifferent, viewing it as the temper of an immature child who would never amount to much.

Qi Yu looked at the Princess with admiration. As expected of a villain, she remains unfazed no matter what. Wait—this woman also had strange “hobbies.” Qi Yu remembered the “ravaged” feeling from before. Like sister, like brother. It’s hereditary. Terrifying.

Qi Yu looked at the still-shocked Ai Ye and smiled awkwardly. “It’s just human nature, ha… nothing to worry about.”

Ai Ye nodded, but in her heart, she added the Second Prince to a permanent “Do Not Contact” blacklist. She made a mental note to tell Chanyi to stay far away from that man.

Once the noise next door subsided, the Princess began the real business. “Xidao currently has two princesses and one prince. You are the second daughter and the most overlooked. The power of the three heirs in Xidao is a stalemate. Therefore, you need an outside ally—a powerful one. Baiyue traditionally does not interfere in the royal disputes of other nations. Thus, your goal is Pingman Province.”

Pingman Province led directly to the sea, providing a clear water route to Xidao. Though it had surrendered to Baiyue, it remained an autonomous province. Governor Wei was essentially a local king. Xidao’s territory was small—comparable in size to Pingman.

If Governor Wei agreed to send troops, Ai Ye would possess military strength superior to the rest of Xidao. That was the reason for this trip to Baiyue and the previous trip to Pingman.

Ai Ye’s face darkened. No one enjoys having their schemes read like an open book. She looked at the Princess seriously. “Even so, what of it? As long as I give Governor Wei enough wealth, he will act. Does the Eldest Princess intend to stop me?”

“You needn’t worry. I will not stop you. On the contrary, I will help you—provided you inform me on the day you launch your uprising,” the Princess said with a faint smile.

Was the military force of Pingman not also the military force of Baiyue? Yet those troops didn’t obey the Imperial Court; they obeyed Governor Wei. If such an autonomous province were allowed to continue, it would lead to endless trouble.

Ai Ye suppressed her inner turmoil. “How will the Eldest Princess help me?”

“The matter of Pingman privately sending troops to Xidao—I can act as if I do not know and help you cover it up.” These few words were the greatest help possible. If the Imperial Court knew, they would never sit idle; after all, moving troops without permission is no different from rebellion.

“Why? What does the Eldest Princess want?” Ai Ye asked hesitantly, wondering what she had to trade. She couldn’t think of anything, but she realized something: unlike that straw-bag Second Prince, if Baiyue were ruled by this unfathomable woman, Xidao would never have a chance to set foot in the Central Plains.

“No reason. I don’t want anything. I simply wish to do it, so I am doing it.