Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 90

After returning to the island, Jiang Si fell ill.

Her fever would not go down. Fang Lin paced anxiously in front of her bed, restless and worried. Only after a while did she remember that she should go find Lan Shao.

As she opened the door, she happened to run straight into Xia Miao, who had come to report the outcome of the negotiations with Wuzhou Island.

“Sister Xia, I’m going to get Military Physician Lan. Please stay here and look after the Prince…”

“The Prince? What happened…” Xia Miao didn’t even finish her question before Fang Lin had already rushed off.

Xia Miao sighed inwardly. So young and full of energy, she thought. But the next moment, her face flushed completely red from the overwhelming qianyuan pheromone scent seeping from the room.

She always used scent suppressors while traveling outside, and she had never lost control like this before.

Fang Lin had told her to watch over Jiang Si, but under these conditions, Xia Miao truly didn’t dare go inside. All she could do was stand guard outside. If anything happened, she would call for help.

The qianyuan scent in the air made it hard to breathe. Gradually, Xia Miao found herself unable to stand upright. She crouched down in a corner, forcing herself to stay conscious.

She didn’t know how much time had passed before she heard voices approaching. Looking up, she saw Fang Lin returning with Lan Shao.

“Lan… Lan Military Physician, the Prince’s pheromone…”

“I know. Fang Lin, take her away for now. Here, take this and boil it for her to drink.” Lan Shao handed Fang Lin a packet of herbs. Once Fang Lin had helped Xia Miao a few steps away, Lan Shao tossed her another packet.

“You drink one dose too.”

After giving instructions, she began sprinkling suppressant powder and then stepped into the room.

Inside, the scent was even stronger than it had been outside.

Jiang Si lay face-down on the bed, mumbling something under her breath.

From a distance, Lan Shao couldn’t make it out. When she got closer, she finally heard the words clearly.

“Don’t choose me…”

Over and over again, the same sentence repeated. Lan Shao sat beside her and let out a soft sigh.

She placed a cool damp cloth on Jiang Si’s burning forehead.

Because she had used so much medicine over the years, neither qianyuan nor kunze pheromones had much effect on Lan Shao. Aside from the suppressant powder at the door, she hadn’t used any protection for herself.

More importantly, she needed to sense the scent clearly to make medical judgments.

The cloth heated up quickly. Before Lan Shao could fully understand Jiang Si’s condition, she had already replaced it with another one.

She repeated the process again and again. When evening finally came, Jiang Si slowly regained consciousness.

Her eyes were filled with confusion.

Mowan Ci’s final words echoed in her ears.

“As long as you live, I will never be at peace.”

The anger in her chest flared so fiercely it felt like it could burn her alive. Her teeth clenched tight as if she wanted to crush something between them, when suddenly, a familiar voice spoke.

“You’re awake?”

She hadn’t noticed someone sitting beside her. At the sound of the voice, Jiang Si narrowed her eyes slightly and turned her head, wary.

When she saw it was Lan Shao, the tension in her body eased.

“You’re here,” she said softly, as if she had expected her all along. Then she pulled the blanket tighter around herself and turned her back.

She didn’t want to talk.

But Lan Shao, as a physician, still had things she had to say.

“A sickness of the heart needs medicine for the heart. That’s probably why your fever keeps returning. I’ll stay with you here for the next few days. If anything happens, just call me.”

The sky had already turned completely dark. Lan Shao, who had stayed by Jiang Si’s side for hours, was also exhausted. She stretched and lay down on the other bed.

The room was silent. Only the sound of Lan Shao’s calm breathing filled the air.

Jiang Si turned over and slowly sat up.

Before she left, Lan Shao hadn’t blown out the candle. Its flame was red and bright, casting enough light to let Jiang Si clearly see the opposite cabin.

She could even vaguely make out Mowan Ci’s figure.

Jiang Si shook her head. Bracing herself against the bed, she leaned forward and blew out the candle.

Darkness filled the room.

And in that darkness, Jiang Si felt a rare sense of calm.

But the very next second, her mind was disturbed by a dream so vivid it seemed real.

In the dream, she was a child, dressed formally, entering the palace alongside the former Marquis of Jiajing for a ceremonial visit. Compared to the last time she had visited the capital, the city now seemed even more grand and imposing. The former emperor sat on the throne with an aura so majestic that it made the current young Emperor Mu Zesheng’s forced composure seem almost laughable.

Even as a child, she could not help but admire the old emperor.

Because of that, she grew fascinated by the palace, the capital, and every person and place within it.

That admiration gave her the courage to act more boldly than usual.

She wore a dark red robe fit for a young heir, making her stand out easily. She didn’t know who had noticed her, but while walking past a rock garden, someone suddenly seized her and dragged her away.

They brought her to a quiet, remote corner of the palace. Though she had practiced martial arts from a young age and tried to resist, the group of men was too large. Her small arms and legs couldn’t fight them off. Besides, the Marquis of Jiajing had always told her to behave, to avoid trouble, so she didn’t dare fight back seriously.

The more she thought about it, the more Jiang Si realized how familiar this dream felt.

It was as if she had dreamt something like this before.

Looking back now, the ones who had seized her were none other than the late emperor’s eldest son, Prince Pingjin Mu Shuyang, along with the heir of the Marquis of Boyang.

And there was someone else… someone she had once mistaken for a servant.

Now, she finally saw who it really was.

Xi Yuefeng.

She had gone through something almost exactly like what Jiang Si had experienced.

And the one who had stood up for her back then was Mowan Ci. She had scolded the others.

But this time, Jiang Si was aware of what was happening. She wondered why Mowan Ci hadn’t paid any attention to Xi Yuefeng.

Was it because Xi Yuefeng had kept her head down?

Or maybe it was because her clothes were too dirty to recognize where she came from. Perhaps Mowan Ci had mistaken her for an ordinary servant under Prince Pingjin or the Marquis of Boyang, just like Jiang Si.

That must have been why Mowan Ci didn’t speak up for her and instead tried to take Jiang Si away.

But the Crown Prince refused to let go and even spoke rudely to Mowan Ci.

Jiang Si watched her younger self stepping forward to protect Mowan Ci.

She had been all strength and no subtlety. Back then, she had no understanding of the political games and silent struggles within the capital’s palace. But Mowan Ci only had to mention the name of Noble Consort Qi once, and the Crown Prince no longer dared to speak.

In the dream, Jiang Si had been too young to understand. Now she knew.

Noble Consort Qi was the Crown Prince’s birth mother, someone he refused to acknowledge but still cared about deeply.

As an imperial princess, Mowan Ci held authority in the palace. With the empress position vacant, she assisted the Empress Dowager in managing the inner court. Because the Crown Prince had such a high status, Mowan Ci could not confront him directly. But Noble Consort Qi was a different matter.

Although her title came through her son, it meant little if even her son didn’t recognize her. People rarely showed kindness to someone like that.

The Crown Prince, raised under the name of a favored consort, knew that better than anyone. So he stepped back.

Mowan Ci had held young Jiang Si’s hand and taken her back to Qingyi Hall.

She personally cleaned her wounds and comforted her for a long while before sending her home.

The last time Jiang Si had dreamed of that memory, there had been no ending.

Now she finally knew what had happened.

She also finally understood what Xi Yuefeng had meant when she said “choose her.”

Mowan Ci had once told her about it, puzzled at the time, but Jiang Si had not thought much of it. Who would have guessed…

Looking back now, maybe things would have been better if Xi Yuefeng had been the one chosen.

At least her heart would not hurt so much.

Those memories didn’t feel like dreams at all. Otherwise, how could she explain why she could read military texts so quickly or why the long-forgotten silver spear felt so natural in her hands?

And what about that black horse, the one that had trusted her so easily?

Animals were more instinctive than humans. That horse had probably known the truth long ago.

As Jiang Si thought about all of this, tears began to fall.

None of those things truly mattered. What mattered was the memory of being taken back to Qingyi Hall by Mowan Ci.

That moment had brought her back to life.

Her chest tightened with pain. She missed the gentle warmth of those days. She missed all the years that had passed them by.

With her eyes closed, Jiang Si did not even realize when she fell asleep again.

The dream continued, but it quickly shifted. This time, she found herself back in her old home from her past life, a place that had always felt suffocating.

She had never been able to adapt there. She only knew how to fight back. But little by little, she began to give in, just so she could survive.

Because in that world, survival had been the only thing that mattered.

When Jiang Si opened her eyes again, daylight had already filled the room.

Lan Shao was still sitting beside her, holding a bowl of medicine in her hands.

The bitter taste slowly crept through Jiang Si’s mouth. She pushed herself up and asked softly for a glass of water. After taking a few sips to moisten her throat, she finally spoke.

“What time is it?”

“Morning. Around chenshi.”

“Chenshi?”

In the Eastern Sea, the sun rose earlier than in the Northern Territory. At chenshi, the sky was already bright. Still, it felt like she had slept far too long.

“You’ve been asleep for three days. Today is the morning of the third day.”

Lan Shao’s calm voice filled the room.

Jiang Si was stunned. No wonder everything felt so distant.

“I’m hungry.”

“Is there anything to eat?”

She looked around. When she saw a plate of fruit on the table, she tried to get up, but her body was weak from too much rest, and the sudden movement made her dizzy.

Luckily, Lan Shao reached out and held her steady.

“Be careful.”

“Alright,” Jiang Si whispered as she leaned on Lan Shao and sat down in a chair.

On the table were pieces of durian, already peeled and ready to eat.

“Did Fang Lin bring these?”

Jiang Si gave a small hum of acknowledgment. She ate a few pieces in silence, slowly regaining her strength.

Then she heard voices at the door.

“That’s Fang Lin and Xia Miao. They’ve both been very worried about you these past few days,” Lan Shao said before Jiang Si could ask.

Jiang Si nodded and got up to greet them.

After falling ill, she realized that her heart had changed as well.

There were people who still cared about her. She could not disappoint them.

She had not even reached the door yet, but Lan Shao followed closely behind. After exchanging a few words with Fang Lin and Xia Miao, Lan Shao gently reminded her to go back and rest.

Jiang Si looked at her and couldn’t help smiling. She teased her gently.

“If you’re so worried about me, why don’t you come back to the Northern Territory with me?”

Lan Shao did not agree. She only said, “I’ll go back eventually. Lan Yue is still waiting.”

That was true. With her beloved student still there, Lan Shao would never stay away for too long.

Jiang Si turned and asked again, “What illness did I really have?”

“A sickness of the heart. Do you still not understand?”

“I understand…” Jiang Si murmured.

Then she said nothing more and quietly returned to bed.

Half a day passed before Jiang Si finally regained some energy. She asked Fang Lin to bring her clothes, and after getting dressed, she went back out onto the island.

Though she had been gone for a few days, life on the island continued as usual. In fact, the cooperation between the islanders and the Jingyuan Army had become smoother. Transport was also much more efficient now.

Fang Lin and Xia Miao followed by her side. As they walked, Xia Miao explained what had been going on in each area. Occasionally, Fang Lin would add a few comments of her own.

By the time they finished their walk, it was nearly evening. Fang Lin was just about to return to prepare dinner when Jiang Si suddenly called out to her.

“Fang Lin.”

“What is it, Your Highness?”

Fang Lin looked at her nervously, worried that Jiang Si might not be feeling well.

Jiang Si gave a helpless smile and replied, “You don’t need to handle these duties anymore. From now on, stay by Xia Miao’s side.”

“The sea transport in the Eastern Sea will be in your hands now.”

“Sea transport?” Fang Lin clearly didn’t understand what that meant. She looked to Xia Miao for help.

But Xia Miao didn’t look back at her. Instead, she turned to Jiang Si and asked, “Your Highness, are you planning to return to the Northern Territory?”

“Yes. It’s about time I start making preparations,” Jiang Si answered calmly, then clasped her hands behind her back and walked forward.

Lan Shao had not been involved in the conversation earlier, but when she saw Jiang Si heading in a certain direction, she couldn’t help but call out, “Jiang Si, don’t go that way.”

“That way…”

Jiang Si hadn’t paid attention to where she was going. Only when Lan Shao said something did she realize she had been walking the wrong way, toward the ship cabins.

She quickly turned back and headed toward the main house, but just then, she heard voices coming from the direction of the ship.

“There’s no need to escort me any farther, Your Highness. I can return on my own.”

It was Xiao Su’s voice.

Jiang Si tried her best not to turn around. She continued walking forward, but when she heard Mowan Ci speak, she faltered.

“It’s no trouble. I wanted to walk a little anyway.”

That clear and cool voice, so unique to Mowan Ci, brought a flood of memories back to Jiang Si. She stopped in her tracks, suddenly unsure why she was still so afraid to face her.

At that moment, Fang Lin was quietly explaining why Xiao Su had stayed on Luzhou Island.

“Lady Xiao Su said the labor model in Luzhou Island is mature. She wants Wuzhou Island to follow the same example…”

Before Fang Lin could finish, Jiang Si saw her being pulled away by Lan Shao from the corner of her eye.

The hand she had just raised to stop Fang Lin lowered slowly.

Jiang Si turned around and faced Mowan Ci directly.

She wore a flowing white robe, pure and elegant, just as she had looked the very first time they met. Cold, distant, and untouched by the world.

At first, Jiang Si had thought it was just unfamiliarity. But after having seen Mowan Ci’s warmth and passion, she now felt that this distant air suited her even more.

Her mind echoed with the last words Mowan Ci had spoken to her.

“As long as you live, I will never be at peace.”

Each step felt heavier than the last. But Jiang Si kept moving forward, even as her legs grew stiff and slow. Xiao Su quickly noticed something was off. Her gaze shifted between Jiang Si and Mowan Ci before she quietly stepped aside.

Mowan Ci, however, did not move. She stared straight at Jiang Si without blinking.

There was no visible emotion in her eyes.

But when Jiang Si stumbled a little on her final step, she caught a different glint in Mowan Ci’s eyes.

For just a second, there had been concern.

It disappeared so quickly that Jiang Si almost thought she imagined it.

Once she stood still, she gave a small, bitter smile and said, “Everything I said yesterday still holds. War is approaching. Soon, I will leave the Eastern Sea and head to the central plains.”

“And one more thing…”

Jiang Si paused, stepping closer until she was right beside Mowan Ci. Then she leaned in and whispered near her ear.

“Mowan Ci, if you have the strength, then go ahead and take my life.”

The once vulnerable Jiang Si had now sealed off her heart, shutting herself away from love, from feeling, and from pain.

Nothing could reach her anymore.

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