Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 35

“My lord, how should we deal with Cai Yingwei?”

Su Xun spoke at just the right moment, interrupting the tense conversation between Jiang Si and Nangong Yan. The question pulled Jiang Si out of her irritation.

Her gaze shifted from Nangong Yan to Su Xun. “Take me to him.”

This was originally something Su Xun was entrusted to handle entirely. But right now, Jiang Si had no interest in staying around Nangong Yan.

She was worried that one more careless remark from her might ignite her anger again.

However, as soon as Jiang Si took a step forward, Nangong Yan followed close behind. Jiang Si paused and turned to look at her. Nangong Yan gave a charming smile and said, “As for Cai Yingwei, Nanliang should be allowed to offer their opinion as well, no?”

“Of course. Since we are allies, I will keep my word,” Jiang Si replied with a faint smile that held a trace of sarcasm.

Unfortunately, Nangong Yan was thick-skinned. She pretended not to notice the irony in Jiang Si’s voice and even strode past both Jiang Si and Su Xun.

Cai Yingwei was being held in the Pingjin Army’s prisoner camp. The place reeked and was extremely run-down. Jiang Si frowned the moment she entered, and Nangong Yan exaggerated her disgust, unsure where to step.

The only one who remained composed was Su Xun.

She cast a glance at the two women, especially at Nangong Yan, with a clear look of disapproval.

Even though Jiang Si was frowning, she still stepped forward without hesitation.

“My lord, this is Cai Yingwei.”

He had only been locked up for half a day, but already Cai Yingwei looked nothing like the proud man who once stood on the city tower. His armor was tattered, and his body was covered in blood.

But Jiang Si had never seen him in his prime, so this appearance made no difference to her.

Nangong Yan, on the other hand, had met him before.

When Cai Yingwei saw her, his reaction was much stronger than when he noticed Jiang Si.

“Bah! So much for being a noble princess of Nanliang. You’re nothing but a treacherous, dishonorable woman!”

“Victory determines who is right and who is wrong. Where is the betrayal in that? If there is anyone to blame, blame Prince Pingjin. He simply had too little to offer me,” Nangong Yan replied coolly.

Though they had only known each other for half a day, Jiang Si found Nangong Yan increasingly puzzling.

She had no shame admitting her betrayal, even giving reasons for it as if she were proud.

Looking toward Jiang Si, Nangong Yan spoke again, this time addressing Cai Yingwei directly. “If your Prince Pingjin had not moved so quickly, and I had met the Marquis first, this alliance would have never been in question.”

Having his master insulted right in front of him was too much for Cai Yingwei to bear. He glared at her, eyes wide with rage.

“Nangong Yan, you venomous woman! The Prince trusted you, and you repay him like this? You have no shame!”

Nangong Yan tilted her head in mock confusion and asked, “I was disrespectful?”

She laughed, the corners of her eyes twitching, and suddenly lifted her leg and stomped hard on the wound on Cai Yingwei’s shoulder. She even twisted her foot cruelly.

That injury had come from Cheng Pu’s blade during the battle on the tower. It was the worst wound on his body, the bone nearly visible. Now, under Nangong Yan’s foot, he howled in unbearable pain.

The battle had been fought, and the enemy was now captured, but Jiang Si would never allow torture.

She looked away, unable to watch any longer. She almost covered her ears.

Su Xun glanced sideways at Nangong Yan and calmly reminded her, “Your Highness, your actions are beneath your station.”

Nangong Yan was startled. She finally withdrew her foot and quickly put on an innocent expression, turning to Jiang Si with a sweet voice.

“He insulted me first…”

“Enough. That is your business. You don’t need to explain anything to me.”

Jiang Si found her act repulsive. If only Nangong Yan could maintain the cool, decisive demeanor she first showed, perhaps Jiang Si would have regarded her with more respect.

But now…

Forget it. Nangong Yan’s conduct was her own concern. It had nothing to do with Jiang Si.

Her focus now was on the future of Huai City.

With the city taken, it would not be long before Prince Pingjin, Mu Shuyang, heard the news. He would either launch an attack or pretend nothing had happened.

After all, Huai City sat on the border between north and south. Several decades ago, it even belonged to the northern territories. That was during the reign of King Jiang. After the campaign to weaken regional lords, the northern border was pushed back. Only recently had it been reestablished to near its original line.

Huai City, Kang City, and Tian City were all once part of the northern domain.

Jiang Si had never considered giving Huai City to Nangong Yan.

What she planned to offer instead were cities like Ji City, much closer to Nanliang’s capital. Ji City and Tian City were separated by a river, forming a natural line of defense. It would not be easy for Nanliang to cross, making it an ideal situation for both sides.

As for how to deal with Cai Yingwei, Jiang Si decided to wait a couple of days for Mu Shuyang before making a final decision. Cai Yingwei was a man with a strong will. No matter how they questioned him, he refused to talk. Torturing him would only play into his expectations.

Better to wait and decide after seeing Mu Shuyang in person.

So once they returned to the tent, Jiang Si brought up the matter of Huai City with Nangong Yan.

As Jiang Si expected, Nangong Yan herself did not react much. Instead, it was her attendant, Xu Ji, who became extremely agitated.

There were many cities on the border between the southern territories and Nanliang, but only Huai City and Feng City held strategic importance. Feng City was small and not a military stronghold, so Nanliang had no interest in it.

“Jiang Si, how dare you toy with Her Highness!” Xu Ji’s temper was comparable to Cheng Pu or even Ye Chan.

Though Jiang Si was not a general of Nanliang, she held the military power. Xu Ji was only the Left General of the Nanliang Army. He should have addressed her as ‘Marquis’ out of respect. Yet now he shouted her name without any courtesy.

Just as Xu Ji protected Nangong Yan, Ye Chan was also sensitive to anyone who dared speak disrespectfully to Jiang Si.

“The Marquis of Jiajing is not someone you can address by name.”

The two glared at each other, hands on the hilts of their swords.

Jiang Si was not particularly bothered by Xu Ji’s disrespect, but Ye Chan was one of her own. She could not undermine Ye Chan when she was standing up for her.

So Jiang Si remained silent and let Ye Chan take the lead.

Though the two did not actually draw their weapons, they stood their ground without backing off.

Tension hung thick in the air. Nangong Yan glanced back and forth between them before finally leaning in toward Jiang Si.

The two were already seated side by side, so the distance was small. But now, Nangong Yan moved even closer.

Jiang Si’s eyes widened in shock, and she instinctively tried to step back—only to realize she had nowhere to retreat.

“My lord… Xu Ji was reckless and offended you. May I punish him on your behalf?” Nangong Yan asked softly.

Mingxuan?

Jiang Si’s eyes grew even wider.

She had heard that people from Nanliang were used to calling each other by name, even referring to themselves that way.

But still, something about it just felt off.

Could Nangong Yan’s intentions be any more obvious?

There were many benefits to allying with Nangong Yan, but this was the one area that gave Jiang Si a headache.

She had assumed that it was the original protagonist’s flirtatious nature that had led Nangong Yan to fall so hard and become completely love-struck.

Now, it seemed that this woman didn’t even need to be seduced. She could fall in love all on her own.

Jiang Si pushed away the hand Nangong Yan had reached out with and replied with a stiff expression. “Please show some restraint, Your Highness.”

“You are not married, and neither am I. If I have feelings for you, what is wrong with that?” Nangong Yan asked.

“Romance must come from mutual willingness,” Jiang Si replied coldly.

Yet Nangong Yan only smiled, raising her hand as if to touch Jiang Si’s cheek.

Jiang Si of course dodged before she could make contact.

Nangong Yan didn’t persist. She lowered her hand and said softly, “How interesting.” Then, with a graceful turn, she walked away without bringing up Huai City again.

Xu Ji, following behind her, was filled with anger. He dared not say anything to Nangong Yan, but the look he gave Jiang Si was as sharp as a blade.

Whether or not the matter of Huai City had been decided wasn’t important. What truly unsettled Jiang Si were Nangong Yan’s bold and shameless words.

What made things worse was that Su Xun, Lan Shao, and Ye Chan had all witnessed the entire exchange. Su Xun seemed unaffected. Lan Shao, however, looked far too entertained.

As for Ye Chan…

Jiang Si appreciated for the first time the benefits of Ye Chan’s simple-mindedness. She clearly hadn’t picked up on the subtext that had Lan Shao so amused.

Su Xun had business to attend to and soon left. Ye Chan, noticing that Lan Shao’s laughter seemed odd, also decided it wasn’t the right time for jokes. The tension between the two had been high for years, and casual banter didn’t suit them.

So Ye Chan left too.

Now the only people left in the tent were Jiang Si and Lan Shao.

Lan Shao laughed even harder, her shoulders shaking.

Of the three great generals under the original protagonist’s command, the one most to Jiang Si’s liking was probably Lan Shao. Su Xun appeared gentle but was stubborn at the core. Ye Chan was straightforward, deadly in battle, but always seemed to lack a sense of awareness in everyday matters.

Only Lan Shao, who appeared stern on the outside, was full of unspoken thoughts within.

Jiang Si had already seen that during the whole situation with Mowan Ci. Now, her suspicions were confirmed.

“Is it really that funny?” Jiang Si asked.

“It is,” Lan Shao replied, trying to hold back her laughter but failing. She laughed louder and said, “What goes around really does come around.”

“The Marquis hit a wall with Princess Shao Yuan, and now it’s all coming back from the Princess of Nanliang.”

“What nonsense are you talking about? There’s no comparison between Her Highness and that woman from Nanliang,” Jiang Si said sharply.

“Of course not. I know that clearly. I saw how you truly cared for Princess Shao Yuan. Just as clearly, I can see how deeply Nangong Yan now cares for you.”

With just a few teasing remarks, Jiang Si fully realized that Lan Shao was one of those people who loved a good spectacle.

And strangely, Jiang Si couldn’t get mad at someone so blunt.

Worse still… when Lan Shao brought up her feelings for Mowan Ci, Jiang Si actually felt a little guilty.

After that day, the Jingyuan Army and Nanliang troops were stationed in Huai City. Neither side respected the other, mostly because the two commanding generals, Ye Chan and Xu Ji, could not get along.

There were frequent conflicts during training, though neither dared escalate the matter in front of Jiang Si or Nangong Yan. Their spats remained small and petty.

The real problem was that Nangong Yan constantly used these minor disputes as an excuse to seek out Jiang Si.

Each day, Jiang Si had to deal with Nangong Yan before she could get to military affairs or inspect the restoration progress in Huai City.

Sometimes Nangong Yan would follow her around and declare she would not give up on claiming Huai City. But Jiang Si couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just an excuse to stay close.

“My lord, do you find the climate and terrain of Huai City similar to the northern frontier?” Nangong Yan asked one day.

Huai City had originally belonged to the northern territories, so Jiang Si answered her without much thought.

But Nangong Yan continued, asking, “Do you think Huai City has the same charm as Ling City?”

Jiang Si sensed something more behind her words and stopped walking.

“What do you mean, Your Highness?” she asked.

“I was just thinking,” Nangong Yan said with a soft smile, “when the war is over, if I were to live in Huai City, would I feel the same peace you do? Would I feel like I am sharing a home with you?”

She claimed to care about Huai City, but clearly her words were meant to unsettle Jiang Si.

Jiang Si could only reaffirm her stance. “Princess Nangong, Huai City is part of the northern frontier. I cannot give it away.”

“Then how about I follow you north instead?”

This time, they were traveling without any attendants. Nangong Yan’s feelings toward Jiang Si were now completely open and unrestrained.

Her words sounded sincere, but also carried a subtle sense of threat.

“I do not believe you truly care for Princess Shao Yuan,” Nangong Yan said. “If you did, why would you humiliate her by making her your concubine?”

“Perhaps you are not familiar with Nanliang’s politics. The emperor is only thirteen years old this year and has not yet taken power. My father is the regent of Nanliang.”

“And what are you implying? That if I wish to conquer Yue, I must rely on the Regent’s household?” Jiang Si replied.

“It would just be a military alliance,” Nangong Yan said. “Surely you do not intend to sell yourself in the process.”

“Then I ask that Your Highness learn to maintain proper boundaries from now on,” Jiang Si said firmly.

Jiang Si’s expression turned cold, and her tone grew heavier. Right after she spoke, she noticed Nangong Yan’s face falter for a brief moment, unable to maintain her usual poise.

Taking advantage of the moment, Jiang Si said, “Huaicheng, Kangcheng, and Tiancheng all fall under the jurisdiction of the northern frontier. I intend to reclaim them in this campaign. As for the remaining eight cities, Your Highness may choose freely. If your next step is toward Pingjin, I will accompany you. But these three cities, I will not yield.”

She delivered both the blade and the honeyed fruit. Jiang Si wanted Nangong Yan to understand that this alliance was built on shared interest, not romance or marriage.

Nangong Yan fell silent, and Jiang Si turned to continue walking forward.

As she surveyed Huaicheng, she saw that although it sat near the border, the local people were warm and welcoming. Many of them were merchants, and its position next to Nanliang made trade a strong possibility.

Jiang Si had no interest in any romantic entanglements with Nangong Yan. She simply wanted a clean, practical partnership.

It was better to make that clear now than risk misunderstandings later.

She had no way of understanding someone who acted entirely on emotion. So she stayed true to her own approach. Fortunately, Nangong Yan really did quiet down for the next few days. Her presence became noticeably less frequent.

Of course, it was also possible that the allure of Pingjin City was strong enough to distract her.

That city held strategic value in the southern region. If Nanliang took it, it would create a smoother link to their own borders. With Tiancheng still in between, Jiang Si had nothing to fear. Nanliang, too, would have fewer worries.

All things considered, it was a fair and beneficial trade.

Nangong Yan was not foolish. She could see the advantages clearly.

So Jiang Si assumed she had given up. The next few days were calm and enjoyable.

What she did not expect was that Prince Pingjin never appeared. Cai Yingwei, still held in the prison camp and waiting for a decision, began to show signs of psychological collapse.

The Jingyuan and Nanliang armies had struck hard, but they were still newcomers in the southern region. Kangcheng was not far away. If Prince Pingjin had truly intended to retaliate, he would have done so by now.

But there was no movement at all. Even the usual communications had stopped.

It looked like Prince Pingjin had no intention of reporting the loss of Huaicheng to the court. Or perhaps Mu Zesheng already knew and had simply chosen not to act.

Either way, Jiang Si had decided it was time to leave Huaicheng.

She took Cai Yingwei with her. Cheng Pu and Ye Chan remained behind to garrison the city. As for the few remaining soldiers from the original Huaicheng garrison, she took them back to the northern frontier as well. She did not trust leaving them behind.

By the time they returned to Lingcheng, it had already been a full month since Jiang Si departed. She began to worry about Mowan Ci. On the way back, she and Lan Shao separated from the main army and pushed ahead on fast horses.

The Nanliang army had already withdrawn most of its forces. Only a few thousand elite troops under Xu Ji remained stationed in Huaicheng. The rest had returned to nearby camps.

Nangong Yan had not been seen for some time.

Jiang Si assumed she had left quietly and returned to Nanliang.

But just as she neared the gates of the Jiajing Marquis Manor, she saw a woman in a purple silk gown waiting.

Nangong Yan had removed her armor. Without it, she looked even more alluring, and her makeup was heavier than usual.

Jiang Si tried to pretend she did not see her, but Nangong Yan, visibly shivering from the cold, walked over.

“My lord, I have been waiting here for quite some time.”

Jiang Si’s heart dropped. They were right outside her residence. She was afraid that Mowan Ci or one of her attendants might overhear.

But Nangong Yan, completely absorbed in herself, spoke louder with a smirk.

“Where is Princess Shao Yuan? I would love to get a glimpse of the most beautiful woman in Yue.”

As if on cue, Mowan Ci did not disappoint.

Jiang Si quickly rode away from Nangong Yan and approached the gate. Just as she reached it, she saw Zhi Miao step outside.

Her sense of foreboding grew stronger. In the next instant, Mowan Ci appeared behind her.

Compared to Nangong Yan’s striking flamboyance, Jiang Si found herself drawn to Mowan Ci’s quiet, understated elegance.

The longing she had buried for weeks rushed to the surface. Jiang Si dismounted, eager to walk toward her.

But just as she took a step forward, someone grabbed her wrist.

Nangong Yan stood behind her, eyes fixed on Mowan Ci. She spoke slowly and with deliberate malice.

“My lord, you are a noble marquis. How can you personally dismount to greet a mere favored concubine?”

Her words were infuriating. Jiang Si threw her hand off, ready to respond, only to see Nangong Yan’s face take on a falsely considerate expression, as if everything she did was for Jiang Si’s sake.

Jiang Si could not help but laugh coldly.

And just then, Mowan Ci’s calm voice came from behind her.

“My lord, is this woman one of your official concubines?”

She used the word “concubine” intentionally. It was a rank even lower than a consort.

Nangong Yan’s body stiffened. When she met Mowan Ci’s serene gaze, her face turned red with rage.

Support