Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 55

“I have long heard of Your Highness’s skill in tea brewing. I brought some tribute-grade white peony tea this time. I wonder if I might be lucky enough to taste it,” said Nangong Xiao.

“You flatter me, Your Highness. If you ever have free time, you are always welcome,” Mowan Ci replied.

“Then how about right now?” Nangong Xiao asked casually. He looked as if he was just making polite conversation, but the moment he finished speaking, he turned to Jiang Si and Nangong Yan with a look of regret. “Although, the marquis and my sister still have military matters to discuss.”

Mowan Ci’s eyes glinted ever so slightly at that, but she responded with a gentle smile, “Brewing tea is only a short leisure moment. It should not interfere with the marquis and the princess discussing important matters.”

As soon as she said this, everyone’s expression except Nangong Xiao’s subtly changed. Her words made it sound as if Jiang Si and Nangong Yan’s presence or absence didn’t really matter.

Jiang Si felt especially uncomfortable. Not only did she feel like an outsider, but she was also now being tied together with Nangong Yan again.

She had only agreed to talk with Nangong Yan earlier to avoid more of Nangong Xiao’s commentary. Once she stepped out of that doorway, she had planned to part ways with Nangong Yan. But now, with both Nangong siblings dragging her into this again, it would seem too conspicuous if she refused to go.

She stood up and called Su Xun to join her, so she could “discuss military matters” with Nangong Yan.

Nangong Yan, however, hesitated.

She wanted to be alone with Jiang Si, not have Su Xun tagging along. His cold expression always made her feel too awkward to say anything. More importantly, she didn’t want Mowan Ci alone with Nangong Xiao.

Both of them were dangerous in different ways. Leaving them together made her uneasy.

“The matter is not urgent. If I could be fortunate enough to taste the tea brewed by the princess, I would not mind delaying a while,” Nangong Yan said softly. She then turned to Jiang Si and looked at her with a bashful expression. “What do you think, Marquis?”

Jiang Si’s expression stiffened. She mumbled a vague response.

She didn’t want Mowan Ci alone with Nangong Xiao either. No one in the Nangong family was trustworthy.

Mowan Ci had not brought her own tea set, so she could only use what the magistrate’s residence provided. When they arrived at the garden pavilion, the steward had already set everything in place.

Most people had no opinion on the setup, but Nangong Xiao immediately remarked, “Her Highness’s tea skills are wasted on such ordinary tea ware. Gan Hu, send someone to fetch the set I brought with me.”

Bringing a tea set along on a military campaign was unusual, but Nangong Xiao explained with a smile, “I am fond of tea and collect tea sets and leaves, though I am not very good at brewing. Please bear with me for a moment.”

With that explanation, no one had much to say, especially not Mowan Ci.

She didn’t care much for the tea set either, but this was not the time to be picky.

The tribute-grade white peony was best brewed with glazed teaware.

Just as she had expected, Nangong Xiao’s servant soon arrived with an exquisite set of glazed teaware. He smiled proudly. “This tea is best enjoyed brewed in glass. It enhances the flavor.”

Mowan Ci gave a polite nod, though the glimmer in her eyes quickly faded. “You are not wrong, Your Highness.”

Apart from the two of them, no one else in the pavilion truly understood tea, so they simply watched as the two talked and brewed together.

Jiang Si was the furthest from understanding any of it. While others at least had a general idea, she knew absolutely nothing—except that Mowan Ci’s tea was always fragrant and sweet, and the brewing process was quite complicated.

Naturally, given their relationship, Jiang Si and Mowan Ci sat side by side. Opposite them were Nangong Xiao and Nangong Yan.

Jiang Si could see everything clearly: the posture in which Nangong Xiao sipped his tea, the envious fire in Nangong Yan’s eyes.

She kept her thoughts to herself and quietly sat watching Mowan Ci at work.

She thought the first cup of tea would go to Nangong Xiao, but Mowan Ci placed it gently beside her instead. She explained, “The marquis doesn’t like tea that’s too hot.”

That was true. Jiang Si always let her tea cool before drinking.

But this time, as she took the cup, she noticed a glimmer of amusement in Nangong Xiao’s eyes.

Mowan Ci gave the second cup to Nangong Xiao. His sipping posture mirrored hers exactly, making Jiang Si feel a bit rough in comparison.

Even Nangong Yan looked far more refined.

Jiang Si shifted her gaze to the two sitting further down—Lan Shao and Su Xun.

Su Xun didn’t know much about tea and drank it just to quench his thirst. Lan Shao, after glancing around, raised her cup and downed it in one go.

If the superior did something, the subordinates had to follow suit.

For Jiang Si, tea tasting was dull. After half an hour, she was already restless. She glanced at Mowan Ci, who was still happily brewing and chatting, and then turned to the steward. “It’s nearly evening. Send someone to prepare dinner.”

“Yes, Marquis.”

Jiang Si’s sudden remark reminded everyone of the time.

Nangong Xiao stood up and bowed slightly. “I was enjoying the conversation with Her Highness so much, I lost track of time. I hope the Marquis will forgive me.”

They were all sitting together. It wasn’t as if only he and Mowan Ci had been talking. Who was he trying to fool?

Jiang Si kept her expression flat. “It’s nothing.”

Everyone left the pavilion together. Jiang Si walked in front, though she kept glancing toward Mowan Ci.

Her clothes were a little more elaborate than the others’. As she stepped down the stairs, her foot slipped. She nearly fell, but Jiang Si reacted quickly and caught her by the waist.

Right behind them, Nangong Xiao had also extended a hand to catch her. Had he been a moment faster, Mowan Ci would have fallen into his arms.

And not only that, she would have brought her scent with her. A scent like blooming snow lotus.

Jiang Si clenched her arm tighter around Mowan Ci’s waist and whispered into her ear, “Did you not use any suppressant? Why is your scent so strong?”

The first few words were fine, but the last part came out almost through gritted teeth.

Mowan Ci’s scent was overwhelming. Most of the people present were Qianyuan. If they caught even a whiff, it would be a problem.

“The suppressant no longer works. I had hoped to find a better one here in Huaicheng,” Mowan Ci replied softly, then gently pushed Jiang Si’s arm away.

The two had fallen behind while whispering. The others had already descended the steps. Only Nangong Xiao and Nangong Yan were watching from the side.

Nangong Xiao’s expression was unreadable, but he smiled faintly. Nangong Yan’s face had turned dark.

The darker her face grew, the brighter Mowan Ci’s smile became. She lifted her hand and gently straightened the part of Jiang Si’s robe that she had wrinkled earlier.

Jiang Si didn’t seem to care. She simply said quietly, “Walk slowly.”

Mowan Ci replied with a light smile, “Of course.”

Dinner that night was a Huaicheng specialty, mostly dishes prepared by steaming. The flavors, influenced by the cuisine of the southern Liang region, suited Nangong Xiao and Nangong Yan quite well. The others, especially Jiang Si, didn’t eat much.

The dishes were far too sweet for her taste. Jiang Si preferred salty and spicy food. She only picked at the food, taking a few small bites.

Mowan Ci was about the same, perhaps eating even less.

While no one was looking, she quietly tugged on Jiang Si’s sleeve and asked, pretending not to know, “Is it not to your liking?”

Jiang Si glanced at her and gave a small nod. Then she heard Mowan Ci ask softly, “Is the marquis craving something like spicy sliced beef in chili oil?”

Jiang Si’s reaction this time was much bigger. She nodded eagerly. “Yes, I really want some!”

Seeing her respond so enthusiastically, Mowan Ci didn’t say anything more. It wasn’t until after the banquet ended, as they walked together in the courtyard, that she suddenly said, “Ever since you left, I haven’t had a single satisfying meal.”

“What? Is someone mistreating you at the marquis’s residence?” Jiang Si asked in surprise. But after thinking about it, that didn’t seem possible.

Since she had reorganized things at the residence, everyone treated Mowan Ci with the utmost respect. There had been no more incidents like the one with Ye Chan. Who would dare mistreat her?

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that no one can cook with the same flavor as you.”

Jiang Si was speechless.

Was Mowan Ci… acting spoiled?

Everyone knew the kind of relationship they had. And yet she had spent the whole afternoon chatting and drinking tea with someone else. How could she still act this way so shamelessly?

Jiang Si pretended not to hear and continued walking deeper into the courtyard.

Mowan Ci followed behind with a small smile. She dismissed Zhi Miao and Wei Nian, leaving only the two of them alone on the quiet path.

There were lanterns along the way, but they weren’t nearly as bright as those in the marquis’s residence. If someone were unsteady on their feet…

Mowan Ci figured it wouldn’t be surprising, especially since her dress today was long and flowing, making it hard to walk without care.

So, she reached out and took Jiang Si’s hand.

Jiang Si instinctively frowned and looked at her. Mowan Ci softened her voice and said, “Marquis, I can’t walk steadily.”

Jiang Si thought to call for Zhi Miao or Wei Nian to help her, but when she turned around, the two had already disappeared.

She sighed and looked around.

The lanterns were indeed dim, and Mowan Ci’s clothing was quite inconvenient. It was reasonable that she might stumble, so Jiang Si didn’t resist and let her hold on.

They had to pass by the kitchen to return to their rooms.

Though Jiang Si hadn’t said it out loud, Mowan Ci’s words had awakened her cravings. After only a moment of hesitation, she took Mowan Ci into the kitchen.

After sending the servants away, she began checking for ingredients.

She had stayed in Huaicheng before, so she was familiar with the local produce. Unfortunately, the chilies here weren’t very spicy, which made it impossible to cook the kind of beef dish she wanted. Still, she could make something else—anything that wasn’t sweet and had a bit of heat would do.

She ate with great appetite, but Mowan Ci didn’t eat much.

“Still doesn’t suit your taste?” Jiang Si asked.

“It’s not that,” Mowan Ci replied gently. “It’s just that I don’t have much of an appetite in this heat.”

Back in the room, while Mowan Ci bathed, Jiang Si asked someone to bring in ice. Even so, Mowan Ci still felt hot. When she came out, she wore only a thin gauze robe, and every movement revealed nearly all of her chest.

When alone with Jiang Si, she had always been unrestrained like this.

Jiang Si had nowhere to look. To distract herself, she took a sip of the mung bean soup and asked, “How did you know I was in Huaicheng?”

In the letter Jiang Si had written, she hadn’t mentioned coming to Huaicheng, only that she was heading to Nanliang. And considering her handwriting… it was barely readable. She had been worried Mowan Ci wouldn’t even understand where she was going, let alone find her so precisely.

“Lan the physician sent a letter to the residence, saying that you and the others would be arriving in Huaicheng in a few days. Ling Shang City isn’t far from here, so I came,” Mowan Ci explained.

The mung bean soup had been sitting for a while. Mowan Ci hadn’t intended to drink it, but when she saw Jiang Si take a sip, she followed and took a small one as well. Immediately, she frowned and said, “Too sweet.”

“I thought so too,” Jiang Si agreed. “It’s so sweet, it’s almost cloying.”

As soon as she said that, Jiang Si felt something was off.

She looked up and saw Mowan Ci’s expression shift slightly. Her hand gently pulled her robe up a little, revealing more skin but trying to act casual.

That was when Jiang Si finally realized what was truly wrong.

It wasn’t just the soup that was cloying. Mowan Ci’s snow lotus scent was sweet to the point of being overpowering.

Jiang Si cleared her throat lightly and turned her head a little, looking at Mowan Ci.
“Lan Shao’s suppressant cream worked fine for me. I left quite a bit for you as well. How is it suddenly no longer effective?”

While sipping the chilled mung bean soup, Mowan Ci replied gently,
“Perhaps the cream lost its effect over time. That’s why I came this time, hoping to ask Lan the physician to prepare a fresh batch.”

“Oh?”

“Did I come for something else?” Mowan Ci’s tone was calm, as if she had missed the deeper meaning in Jiang Si’s question.

“I thought you came just to see Lan Shao,” Jiang Si answered, her voice low, her meaning clear.

Mowan Ci’s expression didn’t change, but there was a trace of subtle frustration in her eyes. She didn’t respond immediately, as if refusing to take the bait.

Jiang Si pretended not to notice. She lifted the soup again, took a sip, and commented,
“Still too sweet. Overly sweet, to the point of being cloying.”

She glanced at Mowan Ci as she spoke, as if her words carried another meaning. Just as she was about to drink again, she noticed that Mowan Ci’s collar was slightly open, and the view made her choke on the spot.

“Cough…”

“Is something wrong, Marquis?” Mowan Ci asked with a calm face, though the view at her neckline made it difficult for Jiang Si to look away.

Jiang Si tried to avert her eyes, but Mowan Ci leaned in slightly, reaching out to gently pat her back in concern.

Jiang Si could only feel heat rushing to her cheeks. She nearly lost her composure but quickly reminded herself not to fall behind. In one swift motion, she wrapped an arm around Mowan Ci and pulled her into her arms.

“You came all the way from Ling Shang City, over a hundred miles. Tell me honestly, Your Highness, did you really make the trip just to ask Lan Shao for more suppressant cream…”

“Or did you come hoping I would be the one to give it to you?”

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