Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 43

Jiang Si pretended not to see anything and called for Sang Zhi to invite Mowan Ci. While waiting, both Jiang Si and Feng Yao sat in silence.

Half an hour later, Sang Zhi returned. After bowing to Feng Yao, she said to Jiang Si, “Her Highness the Princess invites the Marquis and General Feng to the Southern Courtyard for tea.”

Jiang Si had tasted Mowan Ci’s tea several times recently. It was indeed quite good.

The moment the thought crossed her mind, she stood up without hesitation. As for Feng Yao, she seemed just as eager, if not more so.

Jiang Si continued to act as though nothing had happened and headed toward the Southern Courtyard.

Mowan Ci wore a plain-colored robe and was waiting for them in the pavilion by the lake.

Due to their ranks, Jiang Si walked ahead while Feng Yao followed behind. No matter how eager Feng Yao was, she did not dare to walk past Jiang Si to reach Mowan Ci first.

Still, as soon as she caught sight of the figure in the distance, Jiang Si clearly heard Feng Yao’s footsteps falter.

“Your subject Feng Yao greets Her Highness the Princess.” Once they arrived at the pavilion, Feng Yao raised her voice respectfully from behind. Jiang Si turned around and gave her a glance. This bow was much more formal than the one earlier.

Rolling her eyes silently, Jiang Si sat down next to Mowan Ci without saying a word and watched the two of them with a cool expression.

No matter what her status had once been, Mowan Ci now belonged to the Jiajing Marquis’s household.

Feng Yao might not dare overstep boundaries in the capital, and even less so within the Marquis’s residence.

Aside from bowing respectfully, all she could do was sneak a few extra glances.

“It has been several months since Your Highness left the capital. Have you gotten used to life here?”

“General Feng, please sit,” Mowan Ci replied calmly, pointing to the seat across from her without answering the question.

Feng Yao gave an awkward smile. She glanced at Jiang Si, who was already seated with little concern for posture, before finally sitting across from Mowan Ci.

Mowan Ci had always been serious about tea. While she prepared it, she remained fully focused, even as snowflakes fell around her. She paid them no mind.

When it came to socializing, that responsibility fell to Jiang Si.

There were small pastries on the tea table. Jiang Si picked one up and took a bite, then gently pushed the plate toward Feng Yao.

“General Feng, try this. These are northern-style milk cakes. The flavor is rich and authentic.”

Feng Yao didn’t take it right away. She glanced at Mowan Ci first. Seeing that a plate was placed in front of her as well, she finally picked one up and took a bite.

Jiang Si sat across from her and noticed the whole thing.

Without commenting, she kept eating the pastry and continued the conversation.

“During the twelfth lunar month, the Northern New Year Festival takes place. It’s the most festive time of year. You arrived at the perfect moment, General Feng.”

“Today is also the annual ice polo match. You are known for your courage and excellent skills in riding and archery. Would you be interested in joining?”

“Since I am already here, I will follow whatever arrangements the Marquis makes,” Feng Yao responded.

“Great. Then it’s settled.”

“We may end up as opponents. Make sure to perform well so Her Highness can enjoy the match.”

Jiang Si’s words carried another meaning. Mowan Ci’s hand paused as she poured the tea, and a few drops of hot water spilled onto her wrist.

Feng Yao’s expression changed instantly. Her eyes locked onto Mowan Ci, and only then did Jiang Si notice that her wrist had turned red from the burn.

“Sang Zhi, go find Lan Shao and bring some burn ointment,” Jiang Si ordered. Then she turned and gently held Mowan Ci’s hand, her face full of concern.

Across from them, Feng Yao clenched her fists and turned her head away, unwilling to watch any longer.

Soon, Lan Shao arrived with the medicine. When she saw the slight redness on Mowan Ci’s wrist, she raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and carefully applied the ointment before stepping back.

Naturally, the tea tasting came to an end. Jiang Si asked someone to bring out a local specialty from the north, sheep milk wine, to share with the other two.

Since Feng Yao was unfamiliar with the capital and lacked the long-standing connection the other two shared, Jiang Si gradually found herself left out of the conversation.

After a while, she began to feel bored. Seeing that the other two were talking so much that their mouths were dry, she poured a cup of tea and offered it to Mowan Ci.

“Princess, have some water.”

Her gesture was affectionate and natural. Feng Yao froze, and her tone noticeably quieted.

The silence was broken when a deputy under General Su Xun arrived at the Southern Courtyard.

“My Lord, the arrangements for the ice polo match are ready. General Su has sent me to invite you, Her Highness the Princess, and General Feng to the event.”

“I understand,” Jiang Si replied, waving him aside. After the deputy stepped back, she stood up and smiled at Feng Yao.

“General Feng, please.”

Without waiting for a response, she reached out to take Mowan Ci’s hand.

The ice polo match was a tradition unique to the Northern Laba Festival, much like the ice celebration. It was an event enjoyed by both soldiers and civilians.

The same young woman that Su Xun had once pointed out to Jiang Si during the last ice celebration was here again. Back then, she had been part of a civilian team. Now, she was with the city guard of Ling Shang.

Ice polo was highly popular in the kingdoms of Yue and Nanliang. The western frontier, due to its environment, had fewer matches. But in the north, this winter version of the game was a local tradition. During summer, there were rarely any games, and even then, they were just for fun.

Jiang Si had never played ice polo before. But her riding skills had improved lately, and she had practiced a few times with the soldiers.

Her skills were just enough to qualify. If she were to face a strong opponent, she might not hold up well.

But with Feng Yao present, Jiang Si’s competitive spirit was lit.

Feng Yao was not part of the Jingyuan Army, so she could not join their team. Assigning her to a civilian team would seem too disrespectful. So she was placed in the guard team as the vice-captain.

Jiang Si held the same position. The captain of the Jingyuan team was Su Xun, while the girl Su Xun had mentioned before was the captain for the guard team.

Today’s match was a single game between the city guard and the Ling Shang team. The girl’s riding skills were excellent, and the polo stick moved gracefully in her hands. Jiang Si, watching from the stands, nearly cheered when she saw her score a goal.

But then she noticed Feng Yao’s dark expression and Mowan Ci’s calm face and forced herself to stay quiet.

The last time during the ice festival, the crowds had been large and chaotic. This time was different. There were only eight players on the ice, and Jiang Si could see everything clearly.

She felt a strong sense of admiration and even a strange familiarity. She turned to Su Xun and asked, “What is that girl’s name?”

Jiang Si’s interest in the girl didn’t surprise Su Xun. She glanced at the girl who had just scored and replied, “Her name is Fang Lin. Two years ago, she applied to join the Jingyuan Army, but she was rejected because she was too young and hadn’t undergone differentiation yet.”

“So, you’ve been keeping an eye on her all this time?”

“Yes. Fang Lin is the daughter of a hunter who lived on the outskirts of Ling Shang City. A few years ago, her father went out hunting and never returned. Since then, she has lived with her mother.”

“She only turned fifteen this year and just recently differentiated into a Qianyuan. I had the guard unit recruit her first.”

Jiang Si glanced at her, then said, “She’s agile and moves well. During the Ice Festival, she stood out. Her polo skills must be excellent too.”

“They are. With proper training, she’ll definitely be of great use to you.”

Jiang Si nodded in agreement. It was clear she was quite interested in Fang Lin.

Fang Lin’s movements were well coordinated and sharp. But the Ling Shang City polo team was strong too. Their masked team captain was especially powerful, managing to snatch the ball from Fang Lin several times and score the most points in the match.

Eventually, it turned into a direct showdown between Fang Lin and two key players.

Jiang Si watched as Feng Yao’s expression grew darker and more frustrated. She had no real chance to shine.

The match ended with only a two-point difference. The guard team won. Everyone was genuinely happy, except for Feng Yao, who wore a forced smile that never reached her eyes.

Jiang Si kept her gaze on Fang Lin. Before leaving, she reminded Su Xun to have Fang Lin attend the evening banquet at the marquis’s residence.

The banquet was being held to welcome an envoy and also to celebrate the polo match. Jiang Si had invited all officers ranked captain and above from the Jingyuan Army to join the gathering.

The banquet was lively, filled with drinking and laughter. Only Fang Lin, because of her age, was seated in a quiet corner and served a specially brewed fruit wine.

Jiang Si and Mowan Ci sat at the main table, watching as officer after officer approached to toast Feng Yao.

Feng Yao seemed to have a good tolerance for alcohol, but her mood was clearly poor. She accepted every drink without refusal.

No one dared pressure Jiang Si to drink beyond the basic toasts, so she drank quietly on her own. Sometimes her eyes wandered to Feng Yao, who was surrounded by her fellow soldiers. Other times she glanced at Fang Lin. In the end, her gaze landed on Mowan Ci, who had not touched a single drop of alcohol.

“Does Commander Feng always drink this much?” Jiang Si asked.

“I don’t know,” Mowan Ci replied calmly.

“I see.”

The conversation stayed flat. Jiang Si asked a few more questions, then stopped when Mowan Ci didn’t seem interested in talking.

Once the banquet ended, Feng Yao was given a guest room in the marquis’s residence. Su Xun personally escorted her there.

Jiang Si walked toward the Northern Courtyard, and Mowan Ci followed behind her. To reach either the Northern or Southern Courtyard, they had to pass through the garden.

Their footsteps crunched in the snow, one after another, the sound growing louder as it overlapped. Jiang Si hadn’t realized someone was following her until the noise became distracting. She turned and saw Mowan Ci behind her.

In that moment, for some reason, Mowan Ci’s expression overlapped in her mind with the one who had appeared bound in her dream.

The same furrowed brows. The same look of displeasure on her face.

Jiang Si wasn’t drunk, but she was slightly tipsy. Her tone was more blunt than usual.

“Mowan Ci, why do you always frown like that? In my dreams and in real life.”

When Mowan Ci didn’t answer, Jiang Si walked over and gently brushed the snow from her shoulder.

In the north, it snowed often. Half the month was usually covered in snow. When winter first arrived, Jiang Si had been excited to enjoy the scenery, but over time she found there was simply too much snow to admire. The novelty wore off.

But today, that feeling of joy returned. She pulled Mowan Ci by the hand and ran into the courtyard, laughing as she stomped through the snow.

She had lived here for more than half a year and believed she had already grown used to it. But there were still moments when she felt out of place.

Back then, all she had to do was take care of herself. No one could truly threaten her life. But things were different here.

She was always on guard. Sometimes, memories from the original owner of this body would surface and interfere. The person who appeared most often in those memories was Mowan Ci.

And always in moments of danger.

Their seven-day arrangement had not been agreed to willingly. But Jiang Si wasn’t resisting it the way she thought she would. Mowan Ci’s appearance was exactly her type. Perhaps it was just mutual need.

She owed Mowan Ci nothing, and Mowan Ci owed her nothing either.

But this kind of relationship would never last. The only way Jiang Si could think of to change her fate was to help those with feelings for each other stay together.

She looked at Mowan Ci with a smile and said, “I know you saw Feng Yao that day.”

“You like her, don’t you? If you do, I’ll help you keep her here.”

Like Feng Yao?

Mowan Ci was stunned for a moment when she heard this. She then lifted her eyes to meet Jiang Si’s. Jiang Si had spoken in a light tone, as if she were joking.

But Mowan Ci could tell she was serious.

Jiang Si really meant to keep Feng Yao here.

Did she truly feel something for Feng Yao?

Mowan Ci’s expression grew even colder. Jiang Si quickly added, “Then how about this? Once everything is settled, you and Feng Yao can leave together.”

As she spoke, Jiang Si was still holding her hand. Mowan Ci’s face immediately turned cold. She pulled her hand away and asked sharply, “What is the Marquis trying to do? Are you testing me?”

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