Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess - Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Su Xun noticed the odd tone in Jiang Si’s voice and took a closer look at the person in question. His heart skipped a beat, and without another word, he went to fetch someone.

Left alone, Jiang Si stood there with a dark expression, staring at the silhouette in the distance.

Her fingers trembled with anger as she thought to herself, Mu Shuyang truly has the audacity!

Though she hadn’t brought Mowan Ci back this time, Mu Shuyang had already secretly sent someone to the estate—what ulterior motive was at play here?

And after meeting her, not only was Mowan Ci nowhere to be seen, but Mu Shuyang had even brought it up herself, making it all the more suspicious.

It seems that in the six months I’ve been away, Mu Shuyang has grown too comfortable—forgetting how she was subdued that day.

Within moments, Su Xun brought Mu Shuyang before Jiang Si.

At first, Mu Shuyang wore a faint smile upon seeing the pacing figure of Princess Zhouyang in the distance. But the moment she caught sight of Jiang Si’s stormy expression, her smile vanished, and she realized—This is bad!

She immediately bowed in apology. “Your Highness, this subordinate only intended to send someone to your chambers to alleviate your boredom.” Mu Shuyang kept her head low, her voice barely above a whisper, yet Jiang Si heard every word clearly.

Jiang Si pointed at Princess Zhouyang standing in the distance and said bluntly, “Such a charming person, why not keep her in your own estate for entertainment?”

“This, this subordinate and Princess Zhouyang are of the same lineage. How could that be appropriate?”

“And sending her to my estate is appropriate?”

“This subordinate merely thought that since Her Highness did not return with you, Your Highness might, feel lonely in the estate.”

“Hence this ill-advised decision.”

Jiang Si let out a cold laugh. “This person seems quite familiar with the General’s estate, as if she’s been here for more than a day or two. Do you take me for a fool?”

Furious, she glanced at Princess Zhouyang in the distance before turning to Su Xun. “Since Princess Zhouyang is so eager to entertain, send her to Marquis Pingjin’s estate!”

Mu Shuyang panicked, dropping to her knees. “Your Highness! This subordinate admits her mistake!”

The only reason she still held the title of Marquis Pingjin was because Jiang Si allowed it, a hollow title, but better than nothing!

And now, her scheming had backfired spectacularly.

“A mistake? What mistake? You were merely concerned that I might grow idle in the estate.”

“Fortunately, I am a considerate superior. Since you have so much to offer, why not put that energy to better use? If Marquis Pingjin is incapable, why trouble yourself with such matters?”

Mu Shuyang’s face turned ashen, her heart pounding in dread. She didn’t dare utter another word.

Jiang Si had already spared her some dignity. If she provoked her further, she might not even keep her life.

“This subordinate, thanks Your Highness for your mercy.” Her voice was lifeless, her gaze hollow.

Jiang Si saw it all clearly the fear, the resentment.

But to scheme against her? This punishment was already lenient.

Without another word, Jiang Si turned and strode away.

Just as she exited the garden, she spotted Nangong Yan.

Not in the mood to see her, Jiang Si pretended not to notice and walked in another direction. But Nangong Yan called out loudly from behind, “Jiang Si!”

She hurried over before Jiang Si could react.

Before Jiang Si could speak, Nangong Yan said first, “Marquis Su, could you?”

She wanted Su Xun to leave so she could speak with Jiang Si alone, something Jiang Si had no intention of allowing.

With war looming, avoiding Nangong Yan entirely wasn’t reasonable, but she couldn’t do without Su Xun either.

“Su Xun, wait for me over there.”

At Jiang Si’s words, Nangong Yan could say no more.

Only when Su Xun had walked far enough did Nangong Yan fix her pleading gaze on Jiang Si.

Jiang Si found it rather amusing did she still remember the humiliation at the Nanliang Prince’s estate back then?

“What does the princess wish to discuss?”

“Jiang Si, I want you!”

“Mind your words, Princess!” Jiang Si cut her off before she could utter the last word.

This was improper. Moreover, she had no desire to hear such words.

Yet, Nan Gong Yan immediately looked aggrieved, her eyes reddening as she said, “What happened at the Nanliang Prince’s estate. I didn’t mean it. It was all because of Father and my elder brother.”

“Back then, if you hadn’t insisted on protecting Mowan Ci, how could I have—!”

“So, according to the princess, all of this is Jiang Si’s fault?”

“N-no!”

Jiang Si’s face twisted into a sneer, clearly unwilling to engage further as she stood to leave.

But Nan Gong Yan, after half a year of longing, had let jealousy consume her mind!

When she learned that Jiang Si wouldn’t return to the military after the New Year but instead planned to travel with Mowan Ci to the impoverished East Sea, she had nearly rushed to dissuade her only to hold back, knowing Jiang Si was still angry and wouldn’t listen.

And, though she loathed to admit it, she knew Jiang Si cared deeply for Mowan Ci!

“Jiang Si! I know you think I’m utterly hypocritical, that you’ve resented me since Nanliang. But Jiang Si, my love for you has never changed!”

“It’s just, just because…” Nan Gong Yan seemed to struggle with her words, while Jiang Si merely watched her with an amused smirk.

Watching her perform.

Yet the next words out of Nan Gong Yan’s mouth were: “I was just jealous of Mowan Ci.”

“Jealous that she fills your heart and eyes!”

“A few cities with your ability, you could reclaim them all. If you wanted Nanliang.”

“Just marry me, marry me…” Nan Gong Yan suddenly shut her eyes, as if making a painful decision, then gritted her teeth and said, “It wouldn’t be impossible!”

Jiang Si listened quietly, her smile deepening.

No wonder Nan Gong Yan had earned the title of “love-addled fool.”

Had mere months apart driven her to such madness?

Because of the East Sea affair, she and Mowan Ci had agreed to deal with the Nanliang Prince’s estate upon their return. The defense plans of Nanyue City were already in Mowan Ci’s hands yet in her desperation, Jiang Si had completely forgotten.

Only when Nan Gong Yan spoke of her,

Of how Mowan Ci filled her heart and eyes did Jiang Si realize what she had done to make Nan Gong Yan believe so.

Once she understood, she found herself equally ridiculous.

She would never spare the Nanliang Prince, Nan Gong Xiao, or the Nan Gong Yan before her those who had humiliated her.

But now was not the time for vengeance.

How unpredictable fate was. In just a few months, she had heard that the Nanliang Prince had fallen gravely ill. The current emperor was young, and power had shifted to the Nanliang Prince’s estate.

More accurately, to Nan Gong Xiao.

Yet the Nan Gong Yan before her remained oblivious even more so to the scandals Jiang Si had uncovered about the Nanliang Prince’s estate.

Nan Gong Yan knew none of it.

Or perhaps she didn’t care.

Instead, she wept pitifully before Jiang Si, offering herself up.

But Jiang Si disdained such emotional manipulation.

Handing her a handkerchief, Jiang Si spoke gently, “Nan Gong Yan, I am someone who repays every slight tenfold.”

“Do you truly believe your words could stir anything in my heart?”

Nan Gong Yan froze, even forgetting to cry.

Through her tears, she saw Jiang Si’s upturned smile yet it felt as though she had never known her at all.

“I will take exactly what I want from you.”

“But it wasn’t you who gave it to me.”

“You’d be better off spending your energy investigating what’s really happening in your Southern Liang Royal Manor.”

“After all, the days of Southern Liang facing internal strife and external threats aren’t far off.”

With these words, Jiang Si walked away without waiting to see Nan Gong Yan’s reaction.

Approaching Su Xun, she said with a faint smile, “Let’s head to the training grounds.”

Hearing Nan Gong Yan speak of Mu Wan Ci in such terms had left her deeply unsettled.

If she didn’t vent this frustration soon, she feared it might make her ill!

On the training field, Jiang Si wielded her silver spear with full force in every strike.

Su Xun, however, held back, not daring to engage fully.

After a while, finding this unsatisfying, Jiang Si set aside her spear and turned to discussing Southern Liang affairs.

“After the New Year, the Southern Liang King fell gravely ill and abdicated three months ago. Power now rests with Nan Gong Xiao, who serves as regent for his royal brother.”

“There’s also a secret matter.”

“The Southern Liang Queen is three months pregnant and has been taken by Nan Gong Xiao to the royal manor in the capital to rest.”

Each revelation from Jiang Si shocked Su Xun. How could the Southern Liang King, who had been ill for so long, possibly have.

A sudden realization struck her as she recalled Nan Gong Yan’s features.

The resemblance to the Southern Liang King was strong but also to Nan Gong Xiao!

What utter depravity!

Finally, Su Xun asked with evident distaste, “Does the Southern Liang Princess know about this?”

“Likely not.”

“Then how does Your Highness know?”

The question gave Jiang Si pause, bringing Mu Wan Ci to mind.

This information had come from the last batch of intelligence delivered by the Purple Mist Academy’s spies before her own people took over surveillance in Nanyue City.

Not wishing to elaborate on the Purple Mist Academy or Mu Wan Ci, she merely offered a cold smile. “After what happened in Southern Liang, do you think I wouldn’t learn my lesson?”

“Nanyue City is practically in my grasp now, it’s only a matter of timing.”

“Your Highness is truly wise,” Su Xun said admiringly.

Jiang Si avoided her gaze. Though no one had mentioned Mu Wan Ci directly, the thought alone tightened her chest.

After a long silence, she turned to military matters.

“There will still be hard fighting after our forces enter the capital region.”

Jiang Si spoke little more of Southern Liang, focusing instead on the advance toward the capital.

While Yue Kingdom’s defeat was certain, a dying camel is still bigger than a horse. She anticipated it wouldn’t fall in one strike, the complete overthrow might take anywhere from next year to two or three years.

Su Xun agreed. Toppling a kingdom was no simple matter.

Though refugees swarmed the central plains and the Jingyuan Army had expanded continuously, their forces still numbered only 150,000 to 160,000. How could such a campaign be easy?

The more Su Xun considered it, the more she felt additional recruitment was necessary, which she proposed to Jiang Si.

Jiang Si nodded. “What of Ye Chan is she still behaving?”

“She is. A year of tempering in Huai City has steadied her former impulsiveness. Moreover, her combat skills,”

“Enough. I know you’re close. As long as you can manage her.” Jiang Si cut her off, leaving the matter to Su Xun’s discretion.

In these critical times, Jiang Si had few truly trustworthy allies. While Ye Chan had her flaws, her unwavering loyalty to the Jingyuan Army was rare.

Beyond Ye Chan, there was Cheng Pu.

He represented another card Jiang Si kept close. Much remained before the army could march on the capital first, Cheng Pu’s return to garrison Lingshang City, leaving his lieutenant to secure Huai City’s surroundings.

The second matter concerned establishing a new capital.

Jiang Si lay down, gazing at the sky as he asked Su Xun, “What do you think of Xingcheng?”

Su Xun replied earnestly, “Xingcheng has an excellent geographical position, easy to attack but hard to defend. It was famously known as the Crown Prince City during the previous dynasty. Legend has it that Crown Prince Xiao Jin of the Chengzong era petitioned to move the capital to Xingcheng. However, Emperor Chengzong, being overly paranoid and utterly absurd, instead designated it as the crown prince’s fiefdom, forbidding him from entering the capital without summons.”

“This was essentially an act of deposing the crown prince. Later, the crown prince of the previous dynasty grew despondent and fell ill, passing away not long after. Yet Emperor Chengzong continued to suppress Xingcheng.”

“This forced the founding emperor, who was then the crown prince’s grand tutor, and the old prince to raise an army.”

“After their success, the old prince once suggested to the founding emperor to establish the capital in Xingcheng. However, the founding emperor stubbornly believed that Shangjing was where the dragon vein lay.”

Su Xun spoke at length, and Jiang Si listened with great interest. But when she finally paused, he couldn’t help teasing her, “Su Xun, I only asked what you thought of Xingcheng. Why did you say so much?”

Su Xun stiffened and quickly asked, “Your Highness, weren’t you planning to establish the capital here?”

Jiang Si had indeed considered it, but seeing how much Su Xun had said, he knew there must be more. So he replied, “What if I’m not? Would you try to persuade me?”

Su Xun did have more to say but feared Jiang Si might think she was speaking nonsense.

“This subordinate believes that if the founding emperor hadn’t insisted on Shangjing back then, perhaps the Yue Kingdom wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

“I may not be particularly capable, but every time I go to Shangjing, I feel uneasy.”

“Xingcheng is excellent.” She whispered the last sentence.

Establishing a capital was a matter of great importance and certainly couldn’t be decided based solely on her words. She also feared Jiang Si might think she was overstepping.

“Your thoughts align perfectly with mine.”

“The matter of establishing the capital in Xingcheng shall be entrusted to you. It must be far more magnificent than that imperial palace in Shangjing.”

At this point, Jiang Si could only move further down this path.

The military base couldn’t remain in the northern frontier forever. Xingcheng, located at the center, was neither too close nor too far. It had also suffered minimal damage during the recent natural disaster, making it the ideal choice for the capital.

“This subordinate will not fail in this mission.”

Once the capital was built, it wouldn’t be long before the proclamation of an emperor.

On a day without the princess, Jiang Si interacted with two Kunzes!!

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