Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 29

There was more to enjoy on the ice than just sledding. Preparations for the Ice Festival were in full swing. As night began to fall, Jiang Si brought Mowan Ci to the high platform at the manor.

From there, the view below was brightly lit. Jiang Si smiled as she explained what she had only learned earlier that day.

“Every twelfth lunar month is especially important to the people of the North. Apart from our own people from the marquisate, many commoners are also involved.”

“Look over there. On the day of the festival’s opening, stalls will be set up to sell goods, and they won’t close until the end of the year.”

Jiang Si continued to talk freely about the customs of the North, not caring whether Mowan Ci already knew or not. But Mowan Ci’s attention was elsewhere.

“How many days will we stay here?”

“Probably three days, unless you’re not comfortable here. Then we’ll head back,” Jiang Si replied casually as she gazed into the distance, clearly fascinated by the view.

She didn’t notice the distant look in Mowan Ci’s eyes.

By this time in the evening, Mowan Ci’s hands had already turned cold from being held for too long. As the northern wind blew and the sky darkened, the chill spread through her entire body.

She began to wish she could return inside the manor.

The North’s liveliness could not compare to the capital. Aside from the novelty of the Ice Festival, the bitter cold was too much for her.

Mowan Ci’s interest had started to fade.

She had originally been excited about the sledding, but the ride had been rough and far too cold to enjoy.

Still, seeing Jiang Si so enthusiastic, she didn’t want to dampen her mood.

Fortunately, Jiang Si noticed her discomfort before long. Mowan Ci’s cloak was tightly wrapped, and her hands kept rubbing together for warmth.

Seeing this, Jiang Si reached out and held her hand without thinking. She smiled and said, “My hands are warm.”

Jiang Si herself didn’t think much of the gesture, but Mowan Ci became very aware of it. Her whole body tensed, and she didn’t know where to look.

Jiang Si, focused on warming her hands, gently blew warm air on them. When she felt that Mowan Ci’s fingers had finally warmed up, she looked up and said, “Let’s go back to the manor. It’s heated inside and much warmer.”

Mowan Ci nodded and quietly pulled her hand back.

She wasn’t forced. A gentle tug was all it took to free herself.

But her heart was in turmoil.

She had lost her mother at a young age. Though the late emperor had loved her dearly, he was a ruler, and his time was limited. She had been responsible for tutoring her younger brother since childhood and rarely experienced real warmth.

Now, being cared for like this filled her with shame, longing, and confusion all at once.

These conflicting emotions left her silent as they walked back. Jiang Si looked at her a few times, worried she might be getting sick. Before they reached their own rooms, Jiang Si called Lan Shao to check on Mowan Ci’s condition.

Jiang Si spoke lightly, but both Mowan Ci and Lan Shao turned to look at her.

“What? The wind by the river was strong. I was just worried the Princess might not be feeling well…” Jiang Si trailed off, realizing something felt wrong.

She was too concerned about Mowan Ci.

If Mowan Ci really felt unwell, she could simply close her door and have Wei Nian take a look. There was no need for Jiang Si to say anything.

But since she had already spoken, Jiang Si had to continue. “Your hands were freezing. You must have caught a chill.” She gently took Mowan Ci’s hand and led her toward the main hall, adding, “I feel cold too. Let’s both get checked.”

Mowan Ci didn’t object, so Lan Shao, Wei Nian, and Zhi Miao followed behind them.

After checking their pulses, the diagnosis was what Jiang Si expected: they had both caught a chill.

However, ever since her earlier physical contact with Mowan Ci, Jiang Si had noticed that her body naturally ran cold. Once everyone had returned to their rooms, Jiang Si called Lan Shao to her own chamber.

“What’s really going on with the Princess’s health? Her hands and feet are always cold.” Jiang Si didn’t dare mention the rest. That night when they had shared a bed, Mowan Ci had felt like ice. It was only in the second half of the night that her body started to warm.

Lan Shao had checked Mowan Ci’s pulse several times and already understood her condition well. She answered bluntly, “The Princess is over twenty-five years old. At this age, her ‘Kunze’ constitution is at its weakest. If there were a ‘Qianyuan’ around, this wouldn’t be a problem.”

“But she doesn’t have one. All these years, she has relied on medicine to get through her seasons. Her body is seriously depleted.”

“Can it be treated?”

“Of course. The herbs I’ve prepared are meant to gently nourish her. But it will take time.”

She paused, then added with a small smile, “If the Marquis helps, the effects would be even better.”

Lan Shao started speaking professionally, but by the end, her smile was almost teasing.

Jiang Si had a bad feeling and asked cautiously, “Help how?”

Noticing Jiang Si’s suspicion, Lan Shao suppressed her grin and answered expressionlessly, “What you’re doing now is already helping.”

She said no more and took her leave, saying she needed to prepare Mowan Ci’s medicine.

This was important business. As she left, Jiang Si even hurried her, saying, “It’s getting dark, and decocting medicine takes time. Go quickly.”

Lan Shao stumbled slightly at Jiang Si’s urging, and when she looked back, she wore a strange smile.

Jiang Si had no idea what to make of it.

Lan Shao was normally very composed, but even so, Jiang Si could not settle down that night. She tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. When she finally heard movement next door and recognized the sound of Lan Shao delivering the medicine, she jumped up and hurried to the door.

Listening at doors was beneath her, so after a moment’s hesitation, she opened it.

Mowan Ci did not come out. Zhi Miao accepted the medicine and glanced in Jiang Si’s direction. She gave a polite bow and said, “My Lord.”

Jiang Si nodded and opened her mouth to ask about Mowan Ci’s condition, but before she could say anything, Zhi Miao added, “The Princess is waiting. I’ll take this in.”

“Oh, alright.” Jiang Si could only respond awkwardly, then turned her gaze to Lan Shao, who was still holding another bowl of medicine.

“This one’s for me?”

“Yes. I prepared a warming tonic for you as well.”

Though Jiang Si had a strong constitution, after spending all day in the cold wind, she still felt chilled. The medicine was just the right temperature, and she drank it all in one go.

She wiped her mouth and returned the bowl to Lan Shao, but noticed that she looked hesitant to speak. Jiang Si’s heart skipped a beat. She looked at the empty bowl and asked cautiously, “Is there any side effect to this medicine?”

“None at all.”

“Then what’s with that look?”

“I was just surprised. You really have changed. The way you treat the Princess now is completely different.”

“Of course I’ve changed. Didn’t I already tell you? The person I am now, after meeting the Princess, is the real me.”

“Then do you have any plans for the future, My Lord?”

“Plans…” Jiang Si thought for a moment and guessed what Lan Shao was implying before she replied.

In her view, the final decision was not hers to make, but Mowan Ci’s.

Jiang Si had never truly held hostility toward her. But the mess left behind by the original owner had caused Mowan Ci to have a strong opinion of her.

Things were starting to improve, but how far that would go was uncertain.

Last time, she had impulsively said she wanted to marry Mowan Ci, only to be rejected right away. Since then, she had not dared to bring it up again.

For now, she could only take it one step at a time.

It was still too early to say anything for sure.

Jiang Si felt a little embarrassed to discuss it further, so she gave a vague reply and then turned the conversation around.

“Why are you so invested in what happens between me and the Princess?”

“My Lord, as your subordinate, it is only natural for me to share your burdens. That includes matters of marriage,” Lan Shao said in an official tone.

Jiang Si wasn’t convinced. She lowered her voice and muttered, “How self-righteous.”

Lan Shao shrugged and said nothing more.

Soon after, Zhi Miao brought out the bowl that Mowan Ci had used for her medicine. Only then did Lan Shao finally leave.

Jiang Si was tempted to linger, hoping to catch a glimpse of how Mowan Ci was doing. But Zhi Miao kept the door tightly shut. There was nothing to see, so Jiang Si could only return to her own room, feeling slightly disappointed.

The manor wasn’t large, but it was comfortably arranged. Jiang Si and Mowan Ci’s rooms were separated by just one wall. As Jiang Si lay in bed, she kept glancing toward the other side of the room.

The walls didn’t seem well insulated. She could hear faint movements.

The scent of Mowan Ci’s snow lotus perfume also seemed to drift through the room. Perhaps it was just that this body, trained in martial arts, had sharper senses than most.

Either way, Jiang Si could hear Mowan Ci shifting gently in her sleep, and it made it hard for her to fall asleep herself.

It wasn’t until midnight that drowsiness finally settled in. Her eyes began to close slowly. As long as everything stayed quiet, she knew she’d drift off.

But at that exact moment, a voice came from the room next door.

“No…”

“Go away, get away from me…” The voice trembled with fear and grew louder with each cry. Jiang Si was immediately wide awake.

She didn’t hesitate. She got out of bed and headed straight for Mowan Ci’s room.

Mowan Ci held a noble status, and the manor was in a remote location. What if someone dared to harm her?

At that moment, Jiang Si completely forgot about the guards stationed at the manor. All she could think about was protecting Mowan Ci.

At the door, she nearly collided with Zhi Miao, who was coming out. That helped calm her down just a little.

“My Lord… Her Highness is burning up and having a nightmare. She’s speaking nonsense…” Zhi Miao looked at Jiang Si with desperation. Mowan Ci had been tossing and turning for some time, and no matter how hard Zhi Miao tried, she couldn’t wake her up.

“Don’t worry. Go fetch Lan Shao. I’ll stay with her.”

Technically, she could have gone to get Lan Shao herself and left Zhi Miao there. But Jiang Si couldn’t rest until she had seen Mowan Ci with her own eyes.

The layout of their rooms was nearly identical. Jiang Si walked in quickly and climbed up onto the bed.

Just as Zhi Miao had said, Mowan Ci was muttering incoherently in her sleep.

“Ayue… Ayue, don’t be afraid…”

“She won’t hurt you, she won’t… she doesn’t dare!”

Her voice was low at first, but with the last sentence, something startled her. She jolted upright, her eyes snapping open. Her voice grew louder.

When she saw Jiang Si, her eyes immediately filled with tears. She hugged herself tightly.

She was clearly on guard, and Jiang Si felt a wave of emotion rush through her.

There was nothing familiar about the scene, but the name Mowan Ci had called stirred a vague memory in Jiang Si. Her defensive posture also struck a nerve.

Her heart felt like it had been pierced. Without thinking, she moved closer to Mowan Ci.

She just wanted to comfort her.

But when she reached out, Mowan Ci slapped her hand away forcefully.

The tears in her eyes vanished, leaving only red-rimmed anger. She parted her lips slightly, her voice cold and full of hatred as she said, “Get out.”

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