Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 48

It didn’t matter how Xi Yuefeng was still alive or why she appeared now.

That wasn’t what Jiang Si needed to be thinking about. What mattered was how to get Mowan Ci out of Xi Yuefeng’s hands.

Xi Yuefeng showed no pity toward Mowan Ci. Her wrist was already red and swollen from being gripped too tightly, and now Xi Yuefeng was reaching toward her neck.

For an omega, that was one of the most vulnerable and sensitive places.

When Jiang Si saw this, her eyes turned red. She stepped forward in a sudden burst of emotion.

But just as she moved, an arm blocked her path. Jiang Si looked up and saw that it was Lan Shao, who had been standing nearby.

Lan Shao shook her head. “Marquis, don’t act rashly.”

She was afraid Jiang Si’s impulsiveness would lead her to danger.

It wasn’t just the poisoned needles on the ground. Xi Yuefeng herself was extremely dangerous. And Lan Shao understood Jiang Si well enough to know that if she saw Xi Yuefeng walking away with Mowan Ci, she would never stand by and do nothing. Even if she couldn’t win, she would likely follow them and sacrifice herself.

It was best to try to reason with her.

Lan Shao knew how Westerners acted. Fighting recklessly would achieve nothing.

Jiang Si understood the meaning behind Lan Shao’s words, but she couldn’t fully agree.

Whether she could survive the poison wasn’t the point anymore. What mattered was that if she gave up on Mowan Ci, her heart would never be at peace.

After months together, Mowan Ci was the only one she had ever truly shared physical intimacy with. Her place in Jiang Si’s heart was unlike anyone else’s.

She couldn’t just stand by. And she wouldn’t.

While she was held back, Xi Yuefeng’s hand was already at Mowan Ci’s collar.

Her movements were slow, as if deliberately waiting for Jiang Si to watch.

Seeing her approach, Xi Yuefeng smiled and pointed to the poisoned ground with a smirk.

“I added a little more just now. Soon, you’ll be just like Mowan Ci. Unable to move, unable to speak. And you’ll have to watch me take her away from your side.”

Jiang Si had already stepped into the area where the poisoned needles had landed. She could feel discomfort in her body, but she could still move. So she didn’t stop.

This time, it wasn’t just Lan Shao who blocked her. Su Xun had just arrived at the southern courtyard and grabbed Jiang Si’s wrist directly.

Her voice was even firmer than Lan Shao’s.

“For the sake of Yue Kingdom’s princess, it’s not worth it, Marquis.”

A laugh rang out.

“Jiang Si, I’m truly jealous of you. To have such loyal dogs around you.”

“Omegas, right? Lose one, you’ll get another.”

“But me? I’m not like that. In this life, I will never love anyone else except Mowan Ci.”

Xi Yuefeng lifted her hand and caressed Mowan Ci’s cheek with what looked like deep affection.

Mowan Ci couldn’t move, but her brows were deeply furrowed. Disgust and resistance were written clearly in her eyes.

Xi Yuefeng noticed, and with a falsely sweet tone, she asked, “Tell me, do you think Jiang Si will save you?”

Her touch made Mowan Ci feel sick, but those words made her stop.

She looked at Jiang Si again. At that moment, Jiang Si’s body had begun to show signs of the same paralysis. She was slowly losing control.

In this relationship with Jiang Si, Mowan Ci had never felt that she owed her anything. But if Jiang Si really did risk everything to save her, she knew she would have to reconsider the meaning of their bond.

And if she didn’t try to save her, Mowan Ci thought perhaps her heart would feel more at ease.

But then Xi Yuefeng leaned closer and whispered near her ear.

“She won’t save you.”

“Only I can save you.”

“Shut your mouth!” Jiang Si roared in fury and took another step forward.

Her body was reacting strangely. Numbness spread from her feet up to her calves, then disappeared again, only to return. It came in waves.

She gritted her teeth and kept moving, though her steps were painfully slow. Su Xun’s grip made it even harder.

When she looked up, she saw Mowan Ci’s hesitation.

That expression stung more than the poison.

Jiang Si couldn’t help but shout, her voice hoarse, “You really think she can save you?”

Her words clearly angered Xi Yuefeng, who began sliding her hand down Mowan Ci’s collar to her waist.

Shameless.

Fury surged through Jiang Si. Her scent began to spike uncontrollably, and the poison accelerated in response. Her vision blurred.

Just before she collapsed, she saw Mowan Ci shake her head at her.

“Mowan Ci, you’re my omega. Remember this. The only one who can save you is me.”

These were the words Jiang Si kept repeating in her unconscious state. In her dream, she relived the moment of Mowan Ci being taken from her over and over again.

She gasped for breath, as if she were drowning.

“Mowan Ci…!” she shouted and suddenly woke up.

She was still in the southern courtyard, lying down. But Mowan Ci and Xi Yuefeng were nowhere to be seen.

Her heart filled with blame, directed at Lan Shao and Su Xun.

But when she looked up and saw the concern in Lan Shao’s eyes, her anger faded.

All that remained was a heavy sense of helplessness.

She had never thought about what losing Mowan Ci would mean. But now that it had happened, her chest felt like it was being ripped open.

Deep down, it felt like that person was supposed to stay by her side.

“Jiang Si, are you alright?” Nangong Xuan asked, noticing how strange she looked. She knelt beside her, reaching out.

But Jiang Si flinched like a startled bird, pulling away from her touch.

She didn’t answer, just turned to Lan Shao and grabbed her hand. “How long has it been?”

Nangong Xuan frowned and raised her voice. “Jiang Si, why are you acting like this? I’m trying to help you.”

But Jiang Si ignored her and repeated the question. “How long has it been?”

Lan Shao replied softly, “Half an hour. Su Xun already took the remaining Jingyuan soldiers to search for the princess.”

Jiang Si took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She knew now that if she had insisted on saving Mowan Ci earlier, she probably would have died first. Lan Shao and Su Xun stopping her made sense.

She sat quietly for a moment and felt the poison gradually fading from her body. When she stood up, her legs were steady.

She turned to Lan Shao. “You detoxified me?”

Lan Shao hesitated and shook her head. Her gaze shifted. “Maybe… it’s because you carry two scent signatures. That might be why.”

Jiang Si sensed she was being vague, but didn’t press the issue.

There were more important things right now. She had to find Mowan Ci.

Jiang Si walked to the door. Nangong Xuan followed and tried to help her, but Jiang Si gently stepped away from her hand.

“I can manage.”

Nangong Xuan tried to explain, “You were poisoned earlier. You’re still recovering. Why force yourself now?”

“This is a matter of the Jiajing Marquis’s estate,” Jiang Si replied coldly. “Princess Nangong, please do not overstep your boundaries.”

“And don’t worry. I won’t delay anything related to the alliance.”

Her tone was cold and distant, which made Nangong Xuan feel hurt. Why was it always like this? Even when she showed concern, Jiang Si always brought up political matters.

Jiang Si didn’t see the look of pain in her eyes. She turned and called for Lan Shao.

Lan Shao glanced at Nangong Xuan and wanted to say something, but gave up and just shook her head.

Earlier, they could stop Jiang Si because she had been too weak to move. But now, there was no stopping her.

Why couldn’t Nangong Xuan understand that?

Thirty li from Ling Shang City, Qinglong Valley was soaked in blood. The aftermath of the battle left the ground littered with corpses. The stench of blood was overwhelming.

Xi Yuefeng had taken Mowan Ci there.

Mowan Ci was unfamiliar with this place. She didn’t even know that deep within Qinglong Valley, there was a cave that seemed oddly familiar.

Inside, the scenery was surprisingly pleasant.

“Princess Shaoyuan, don’t you think this place looks just like Qingyi Hall?”

“Our first meeting was there. I came to the capital with my father. We were around the same age and played together. Do you remember?”

Xi Yuefeng spoke softly beside her, completely ignoring the fact that Mowan Ci couldn’t speak.

Then she chuckled, wrapped an arm around her, and guided her further into the cave.

From the outside, it really did resemble Qingyi Hall. But once they stepped in, it was entirely different.

The cave was lined with jars and bottles. Each one held snakes, rats, or poisonous insects. Just looking at them made the skin crawl.

But Xi Yuefeng acted as if it was nothing. She brought Mowan Ci to a chair and began detoxifying her.

“Mowan Ci,” she said gently, “answer my question from before.”

“Doesn’t this place look like Qingyi Hall?”

“It doesn’t.”

Mowan Ci’s voice finally returned, but it was dry, hoarse, and unpleasant to hear.

Xi Yuefeng quickly offered an explanation.

“No need to worry. You just haven’t spoken for a while, that’s all. Your voice will return to normal soon.”

“If not… well, if that’s how your voice stays, I won’t like it.”

Her tone was light, but her eyes were full of suggestiveness as she scanned Mowan Ci’s body with bold interest. Mowan Ci’s gaze turned cold. She hadn’t forgotten what Xi Yuefeng once said to her.

“Would Marquis Jiajing be willing to share you with me?”

That memory still disgusted her.

And the colder she looked, the more excited Xi Yuefeng became. She laughed loudly and clapped her hands.

“Mowan Ci, the day you turned me down in Qingyi Hall was the day you sealed your fate.”

“I could have shared you with Jiang Si, but you had to pick her.”

“I love Jiang Si’s status, her power… and your face.”

“Mowan Ci, don’t blame me for being cruel.” Xi Yuefeng tucked her long hair behind one ear and slowly revealed the other side of her face.

It was hard to describe what it looked like.

If one were to guess, she had once been beautiful, perhaps even stunning. But now, that side of her face was badly disfigured. The scar twisted across her features, worse than even the madness in her eyes.

Her face was terrifying. Her words were worse.

Mowan Ci didn’t understand what exactly had happened back in Qingyi Hall. She couldn’t even remember ever choosing Jiang Si.

Her childhood had been filled with endless study and early court responsibilities. The year the King of the Western Frontier visited the capital had felt like any other to her.

Maybe what Xi Yuefeng spoke of was something she had never thought twice about. Something she had long forgotten. Now, she didn’t even know how to argue.

Suddenly, her motionless legs were tightly bound. Mowan Ci looked up sharply.

Xi Yuefeng was still smiling, her lips stretching almost to her ears. In her hands was a red rope, wrapping tightly around Mowan Ci from her ankles to her wrists, layer by layer.

“This rope is coated with a special poison. But don’t worry. It won’t harm you.”

“In an hour, the rope will dissolve. That’s when the real effects of the drug will begin.”

Mowan Ci tried to ask her why, but her voice was gone again.

Xi Yuefeng let out a twisted smile, brushing her hand against Mowan Ci’s cheek.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m betting that Jiang Si will come for you.”

“But if she doesn’t, I’ll bring someone in three hours to rescue you.”

“Oh, and I haven’t told you what the drug is yet.”

“You’ve heard of Meishu, haven’t you?”

“It’s a drug used by the Western royal family, made specifically for enslaved omegas.”

“But there’s another one. It’s called Meizhuyan. That one is reserved for the royal wives and concubines. It’s used… for pleasure.”

“It acts quickly. A simple mark can cure it. Very easy.”

“But if it isn’t cured within five hours… the result is death.”

“Mowan Ci, I don’t want you to die. But I do want to see you lower yourself and beg Jiang Si.”

As she finished speaking, Xi Yuefeng lifted Mowan Ci gently into her arms. Her movements were soft, as if she were holding something precious.

She placed her carefully on the bed and pulled a blanket over her.

Before leaving, she whispered one last time.

“Jiang Si will come. She definitely will.”

Then she turned and walked out, leaving behind only the crawling creatures and Mowan Ci.

Mowan Ci had always been calm by nature. But now, fear filled her chest.

She was deeply afraid of the poisonous insects and reptiles scattered throughout the room. Xi Yuefeng had seen her trying to appear composed earlier. But now, she couldn’t pretend anymore.

She curled up tightly in the corner of the bed. Her mind was spinning in chaos.

The drug began to take full effect, slowly and silently.

Unfamiliar memories flooded her mind again. They felt real, yet foreign.

She saw Jiang Si in a manor in Ling Shang City. She too had been tied with red ropes, her body marked with long, painful whip wounds.

Jiang Si had a blade in her hand. She was using it to press gently against the back of Mowan Ci’s neck. The cold metal met the heat of her gland, making her body tremble.

Exactly one hour after Xi Yuefeng left, the red rope melted away just as she had said.

And the drug reached its peak.

The back of Mowan Ci’s neck burned hot. She rubbed against the pillow to ease the heat, but the relief only lasted seconds. The next wave of pain hit harder.

A hollow ache spread through her body. Desire and emptiness twisted together.

It felt unbearable.

And in that unbearable heat and confusion, Mowan Ci began to miss Jiang Si.

Her body was already burning, but her thoughts turned only to the one person whose scent brought her comfort—Jiang Si, with her warm and steady presence.

Mowan Ci’s cheeks were flushed deep red. The bedding beneath her was in complete disarray from her tossing and turning. As she struggled to crawl toward the edge of the bed, she whispered softly, “Jiang Si.”

Her voice was hoarse, not only from the drug’s effects but also from the longing that twisted within her.

When the cold air outside the bed brushed across her exposed skin, her tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly. Her eyes blurred with tears. In that moment, she thought she saw Jiang Si’s figure. She lifted a trembling hand, reaching toward the illusion.

“Jiang Si.”

The Jingwei unit had been searching for Mowan Ci in every direction, spreading out like a net. It wasn’t until Jiang Si regrouped with Su Xun that a target finally became clear.

“She’s at Qinglonggou,” Jiang Si said with certainty.

Lan Shao and Su Xun turned to look at her, confused by her confidence.

Su Xun spoke first. “Marquis, I already sent scouts to search Qinglonggou. There was no sign of anyone.”

Jiang Si could not explain why. She just knew. She could feel Mowan Ci’s snow lotus scent. She could sense her fear and pain as if it were her own.

Her hands clenched tightly. Without hesitation, she ordered Su Xun to lead the Jingyuan vanguard toward Qinglonggou and wait at the edge of the gorge.

Jiang Si rode separately, choosing her black horse, the one most familiar with her scent and touch. It was a short journey, and her speed was unmatched. She galloped so fast that even Su Xun’s vanguard, meant to lead, was almost overtaken.

When she arrived at Qinglonggou, Su Xun and the others were already there, confused and unsure of what to do. They waited.

As Jiang Si arrived, Su Xun dismounted and stepped forward to salute, but Jiang Si didn’t even spare her a glance. She walked straight toward a narrow, hidden trail on the side of the gorge.

No one had noticed it before. If Jiang Si hadn’t led the way, they might never have found it.

As she continued forward, the snow lotus scent grew stronger. The alphas behind her began to show signs of being affected. Their faces turned red, and their breathing grew uneven.

Jiang Si turned to look at them with a cold expression.

Her eyes were sharp and forceful, filled with the dominance of an alpha deep in heat. The soldiers quickly lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.

Only Su Xun remained composed. She stepped forward and held the others back.

“Marquis, we will wait for you here.”

“Move farther back,” Jiang Si replied, her voice low and tense. Su Xun seemed like she wanted to say more, but Jiang Si waved her off before she could continue.

Among all of them, Jiang Si was affected the most.

Even when she had been thirty li away, she had somehow sensed Mowan Ci’s scent. And now, standing so close, the intensity was overwhelming.

It was like she had fallen into a pool of snow lotus.

There was coldness, there was heat, and there was a sweetness that stirred every sense in her body.

Deeper inside, a doorway that looked exactly like the entrance to Qingyi Hall caused her to pause. After a brief hesitation, she stepped through.

The closer she got, the more clearly she could hear Mowan Ci’s voice. There was pain in it, and restraint. Jiang Si’s steps quickened. When she reached the final door, she pushed it open.

Her scalp tingled. Her blood rushed through her veins.

Mowan Ci’s weak hand dangled from the bed. Her lips moved slowly, still calling her name.

“Jiang Si.”

Jiang Si lifted the curtain. The moment she saw Mowan Ci, her heart trembled.

It was the same look as in her dreams. But this time, there was no hate in Mowan Ci’s eyes. Only confusion and deep longing.

Mowan Ci didn’t wait. Before Jiang Si could even touch her, she reached out and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

Her movements were light. She eased into Jiang Si’s lap and straddled her legs.

“Jiang Si. Jiang Si.” She repeated the name again and again. Each word soft, gentle, and laced with unbearable heat.

Jiang Si tried to hold her hands, careful not to grip too tightly. She was afraid of hurting her. But without strength, she was easily pulled in.

When Mowan Ci’s lips brushed against hers, warm and trembling, Jiang Si gave up resisting. She held her close, worried she might fall.

Her mind was foggy. The drug made her dizzy. Right before her thoughts went blank, her eyes turned dark.

For the first time in her life, Jiang Si wanted to kill someone.

She wanted Xi Yuefeng dead.