Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 45

Jiang Si did not see Feng Yao, but Mowan Ci did. Even so, she still walked away with Jiang Si without hesitation.

Jiang Si pulled her into the carriage. Inside, it was quiet and enclosed. Jiang Si let go of her hand and sat across from her. Her voice was calm but firm as she asked, “I heard that Her Highness once had a marriage engagement with General Feng. Is that true?”

Mowan Ci looked surprised for a moment, but then answered truthfully, “It is true.”

As for why the engagement was never fulfilled, Jiang Si assumed it was because the original host had insisted on taking Mowan Ci as a concubine, disrupting the entire arrangement.

It only confirmed what Jiang Si had said the night before.

She straightened her posture and continued, “What I said last night still holds. Your Highness may decide freely.”

Unexpectedly, after she finished speaking, Mowan Ci lowered her gaze and said nothing. That silence made Jiang Si feel that something was wrong.

Instead of responding to her statement, Mowan Ci asked, “Do you know why I came to help you last night?”

“I don’t,” Jiang Si said, shaking her head in confusion. She had wanted to ask, but she had thought it was too small a matter and asking would only make her seem overly sensitive. She had never imagined Mowan Ci would bring it up herself.

That one question made Jiang Si realize just how strange their relationship had become.

She had just told Mowan Ci she could run off with someone else, then turned around and brought her into her own room.

And Mowan Ci was just as confusing.

She could be cold and distant, yet still think of Jiang Si in such small, thoughtful ways.

“Did you bring me in here just to ask about the engagement?”

“Yes, but not only that.”

“You really do want to keep Feng Yao. And you really do want to push me toward her.”

Jiang Si was caught off guard by those words. Seeing the slight bitterness in Mowan Ci’s expression, she suddenly felt ashamed.

She wasn’t even sure when that idea had first taken root in her heart.

Maybe it had always been there. She just hadn’t realized it until the dream and the questions it brought to the surface.

Since then, something had shifted between them. A growing distance had taken hold, laced with fear.

Where she once only wanted to coexist peacefully, now she wanted to push Mowan Ci away. Or perhaps she had convinced herself she was just trying to help two people with feelings for each other end up together.

Seeing through Jiang Si’s thoughts, Mowan Ci felt humiliated.

Nangong Yan and Jiang Si were military allies. But Mowan Ci and Jiang Si shared something more personal. There was even a contract between them that had involved physical intimacy.

And yet, in the end, that seemed to mean nothing.

If anything, she seemed to matter less than Nangong Yan. Jiang Si could fight back to back with her, but Mowan Ci was always kept at a distance.

There was always suspicion. Just as she was always on guard against Jiang Si, afraid of the day her emotions would turn violent, and she would treat her as she had in that nightmare.

Locked away, pressured, humiliated.

“Fine. If everything goes as planned, let it be as you wish.”

“But who I end up with is my decision, not yours.”

“Alright.”

Jiang Si agreed immediately. But after Mowan Ci left, she felt hollow inside.

She could not explain what was wrong, only that something was missing.

Starting from the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the festive atmosphere of the new year filled the entire city. The supplies Jiang Si and Lan Shao had bought were now used to decorate the marquis’s residence. Bright red was everywhere, and the place looked truly festive.

Feng Yao had been sent out to tour the northern lands by Su Xun’s deputy, Qiu Han. She had not returned to Ling Shang City for some time.

During this period, Jiang Si lived her most peaceful days since arriving. She did not even need to visit Mowan Ci anymore. Lan Shao had created a temporary medicine to suppress their scent bond. The seven-day arrangement was no longer in effect. Unless Lan Shao failed to make a permanent cure within a month, they would not need to be together again.

Jiang Si trusted her. The last ingredient was already on its way from the northern border. It would arrive around the new year.

With little military or political work to do, Jiang Si spent most of her time in the kitchen experimenting with food. She was very close to creating ice cream.

The cold northern weather was like a natural freezer. Jiang Si had a strong craving for sweets. After eating too many pastries, she wanted something cold and refreshing.

Due to a shortage of ingredients, what she made often turned out more like slush. Most of the time, she and Sang Zhi worked together in the kitchen. When Lan Shao was free, she joined them.

One day, Jiang Si had just finished making a fresh batch of sheep’s milk slush and was ready to taste it when the second-greediest person in the household, Lan Shao, arrived. Her eyes were fixed on the icy dessert.

After spending so much time together, Jiang Si understood why Lan Shao barely appeared in the original story. She had never gotten along with the original host. She was playful by nature, while the original host had been cold and guarded.

But Jiang Si was different. They got along well, and their dynamic now felt more like friendship.

Even Su Xun had been shocked to see how relaxed they were around each other.

Jiang Si saw her approach and waved her over.

“Come on. I just finished making it.”

Lan Shao did not hesitate. There was plenty to go around. She scooped a bowl for herself and stood next to Jiang Si, eating happily.

The icy sweetness sent a chill through her mouth. Sang Zhi, who had been helping but had not taken a bite, already felt cold just looking at them.

When Jiang Si reached for another bowl, Sang Zhi quickly stopped her.

“My lady, please don’t eat more. The cold will harm your body.”

“What’s there to be afraid of? Lan Shao is a doctor and she’s eating it too. I’ll be fine.” Jiang Si grinned and handed her a bowl.

“Don’t just stand there, Sang Zhi. You should try it too.”

“Sang Zhi probably shouldn’t,” Lan Shao said gently. “Cold food isn’t good for someone with a balanced Kunze constitution.”

Jiang Si had just taken a big bite and froze in place. The cold nearly numbed her teeth. After rubbing her cheeks for a while, she said, “Why not? I just sent some to Her Highness earlier.”

“What did you give to Mowan Ci? And why didn’t I get any?”

Before Lan Shao could explain that Kunze people should not eat too much cold food, they heard Nangong Yan’s voice at the door.

She wore a bright red coat that matched the decorations in the marquis’s residence. In her hand was a long whip. She stood proudly at the entrance and looked at Jiang Si.

“You’re hiding treats now? Is the Southern Courtyard not worthy of a visit from the mighty Jiajing Marquis?”

A few days ago, Nangong Yan had sent an invitation. She had bought a house in the city, posing as a merchant from the Nangong family. Using some unknown medicine, she had disguised herself as a Qianyuan.

Jiang Si had sent a congratulatory gift but had not gone in person.

She had been busy preparing for the new year and working on her ice cream. Besides, she knew Nangong Yan would not stay there for long. Whether she went or not didn’t seem important.

But now that Nangong Yan had come in person and noticed she had not received any, it was hard to explain.

Jiang Si pointed to the large tub by the stove.

“If the princess wants some, have someone take it all. Next time I make more, I’ll call for you.”

“Who wants that stuff? I was just…” Nangong Yan was clearly annoyed but stopped herself mid-sentence.

She had already said too much. Jiang Si never seemed to understand her hints. If she kept going, she would only embarrass herself more.

She cleared her throat and changed her tone.

“I was only joking.”

“I came to tell you that I’m returning to the capital of Nanliang soon. If we meet again, it will likely be in Pingjin.”

“Oh? Then you’d better try it quickly. Once you return to Nanliang, you probably won’t get another chance,” Jiang Si said as she gestured for Sang Zhi to bring a bowl to Nangong Yan.

As Jiang Si’s maid, Sang Zhi naturally didn’t disobey. She carried a bowl of the ice slush to Nangong Yan.

That made Nangong Yan hesitate. Just moments ago, she had only brought it up to make a passing comment because of Mowan Ci’s presence. She hadn’t actually wanted to eat it.

The winters in the North were already cold enough. She needed two layers of coats just to keep warm. How could she possibly eat something so freezing?

Reluctantly, Nangong Yan looked at Jiang Si. Even Lan Shao had put down her spoon and was watching her now.

Jiang Si, who had eaten several spoonfuls, finally noticed their stares and looked up.

“What is it? Is something wrong?”

She had kindly offered Nangong Yan a treat she’d spent all day preparing. That counted as decent hospitality, didn’t it?

Nangong Yan didn’t reply. Instead, she silently accepted the bowl from Sang Zhi.

Only after she began eating did Lan Shao quietly explain to Jiang Si, “People with a balanced constitution or those with Kunze traits tend to have colder bodies. Eating icy foods isn’t great for anyone unmarried, and it’s especially harmful to Kunze.”

That last part made Jiang Si think of the bowl she had sent to Mowan Ci earlier. She looked at Lan Shao.

“Will Her Highness be alright?”

“The Princess…” Lan Shao paused briefly, then said, “She didn’t eat much. It should be fine.”

“Sang Zhi is also Kunze, but her balance is more moderate. I’m more worried about Princess Nangong. She was born in Nanliang and is not used to the northern climate. Cold foods could really upset her body.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

“I didn’t want to embarrass you in front of others.”

Fortunately, Nangong Yan didn’t really like the taste. Sang Zhi hadn’t served her much either. After a few bites, she noticed that Jiang Si’s own bowl was almost empty, and used that as an excuse to leave.

Jiang Si noticed her relief and felt a little guilty. She turned to Lan Shao to ask if there was any way to help, only to see Lan Yue walking in awkwardly with a tray of warming soup.

Jiang Si wanted to praise Lan Shao for her foresight, but then paused. How had she known Nangong Yan would come?

Lan Shao smiled and replied calmly, “You’ve been experimenting with cold foods recently. Even Qianyuan should drink warming soup afterward.”

“I see.”

Jiang Si accepted the tray and, before drinking it herself, sent Sang Zhi to deliver two bowls to the Southern Courtyard.

Although Lan Shao had said Mowan Ci could eat a little of the cold dessert, Jiang Si wanted to be safe. Better to make sure she was well taken care of.

Even though they had barely seen each other these days, Jiang Si still paid attention to the little things.

Lan Shao, knowing the truth, watched her with a smile.

Jiang Si didn’t understand what was so amusing, but Nangong Yan once again looked upset.

She walked straight up to Jiang Si, tugged at her sleeve, and asked with clear frustration, “Marquis, I’m leaving for Nanliang soon. If I miss the food of the North, what should I do?”

Jiang Si answered flatly, with no emotion in her tone. “Northern food is mostly cold in nature. You don’t like the cold, and you shouldn’t eat it, even if you crave it.”

“Is the Marquis worried about me?”

Jiang Si had only been stating the facts, but Nangong Yan had picked up on something else entirely. Her response left not only Jiang Si speechless, but even Lan Shao and Xu Ji, who was standing at the door, stunned.

Xu Ji no longer gave Jiang Si the dark looks he used to, but he still wasn’t particularly warm. Seeing his lady behave like this now made him visibly angry.

He stepped forward and bowed. “Your Highness, it’s time. We should be on our way.”

Nangong Yan, who had just spoken so sweetly to Jiang Si, turned cold in an instant. She looked at her subordinate with sharp eyes and scolded him.

“I’m speaking with the Marquis. Who gave you permission to interrupt?”

Xu Ji froze and lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

A few days after Nangong Yan left, it was New Year’s Eve. Every household was decorated with lanterns and festive colors, and the Marquis’s residence was no exception.

The most enthusiastic of them all was Jiang Si. With Lan Shao and Liu Jin’s help, she managed to hang lanterns all across the entire estate.

Even the Southern Courtyard wasn’t left out. Jiang Si went there in person to hang the decorations.

It had been more than two weeks since she last saw Mowan Ci. Without the seven-day agreement, they no longer had a reason to meet. On the surface, it seemed like they had no contact at all.

But in truth…

Mowan Ci still remembered that Jiang Si liked copper hotpots. Just a few days ago, she had asked Zhi Miao to deliver one to the Northern Courtyard.

Jiang Si did not want to accept the gift at first, but Mowan Ci had already prepared her response. She had brought quite a bit with her from the capital.

That left Jiang Si with no real reason to refuse.

So sending various snacks and delicacies gradually became something Jiang Si did often.

Though the two of them no longer stayed together, their meals had become almost identical in the past few days.

Mowan Ci had not gone out for several days. She spent her time reading or drinking tea. But that morning, she had not yet begun her routine when the sound of Jiang Si and others hanging lanterns outside disturbed her peace.

She called for Zhi Miao.

“What is going on outside?”

Zhi Miao was not sure what exactly had happened between Jiang Si and Mowan Ci recently, but something felt different. She hesitated, then answered awkwardly, “It’s… the Marquis. She’s outside hanging lanterns.”

“She said that since it’s Your Highness’s first time spending New Year’s Eve away from the capital, the festive atmosphere must be preserved.”

Mowan Ci raised her eyebrows slightly. “Did the Marquis truly say that?”

“Yes, Your Highness. When I passed by the kitchen earlier, I heard her say it with my own ears.”

“I see.”

With that, Mowan Ci walked to the window and looked outside at the busy figure working among the others.

It really was her… the Jiajing Marquis who had once tried to push her toward Feng Yao.

Support