Transmigrated as the Princess's Scummy Wife - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Pray, Lean Into My Arms, Your Highness

The vegetables were crushed, the owner was electrocuted, and now she had to endure a slap Nan Qing’s life was truly difficult.

One side of her face was swollen high, looking both pathetic and comical.

In a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, her numbed hand had finally caught the umbrella handle, preventing her from truly molesting this physically weak but heavy-handed Princess Qinghe.

Xuan Zhaoci was consumed with uncontrollable rage, her chest heaving violently. Because the umbrella handle was wedged against her shoulder and slanted behind her, she was trapped between Nan Qing and the umbrella, unable to move or retreat.

The two had completely breached a safe distance; Nan Qing’s tall silhouette entirely enveloped her.

That “scoundrel’s” skin was indeed top-tier; even her sweat evaporated with a fragrance fresh and pleasant like a forest after rain. But no matter how good she smelled, this person was merely an empty shell.

Princess Qinghe’s cold eyes were filled with nothing but loathing and anger.

Seeing a second slap about to land, Nan Qing hurriedly spoke: “Your Highness, pray calm yourself. Your servant did not intend any indecency; you can see that my hands have no strength to act.”

“Furthermore, if I were such a despicable person, why would I have treated you with such honor and respect these past two days?”

Xuan Zhaoci pursed her lips and remained silent, refusing to even look at Nan Qing’s hand which was bordering on overstepping. Her entire being radiated an aura of resistance.

“My hand is temporarily uncomfortable. If possible, I beg Your Highness’s indulgence to lend me your shoulder to lean on.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xuan Zhaoci pushed her away with force. Nan Qing was caught off guard, but having been used to manual labor, her lower body was extremely stable. The Princess failed to push her over; instead, she herself staggered back a few steps.

That single push seemed to have exhausted all her strength. Her flushed face turned slightly pale, her breathing became uneven, and her retreating steps were unsteady.

Nan Qing was quick-eyed and fast-handed. Dragging her semi-numb hand, she managed to catch the other woman. Only after ensuring she was standing firmly did Nan Qing let go.

After all that exertion, her semi-numb hand was dead tired aching and sore.

That was close… She almost let this person crush her precious green vegetables again. Fortunately, she had just managed to dodge another “electric shock.”

Having actively avoided a disaster for the first time, Nan Qing was beaming with joy. She decided that after finishing work, she would catch some crawfish in the rice paddies to celebrate.

Nan Qing smiled so widely her eyes were nearly shut.

Xuan Zhaoci did not care to speculate on the meaning behind this scoundrel’s smile. She only knew that after she had pushed Nan Qing, Nan Qing had actively supported her returning good for evil.

“My thanks to the Consort.”

The gentle voice was like a spring breeze, refreshing to the soul.

Though she offered thanks, that was merely the Fifth Princess being reasonable—one thing was one thing. Nan Qing knew this NPC was hard to get close to; if she loathed her, she would continue to loathe her.

Compared to the blue-bloods in the pavilion, Princess Qinghe was generous, elegant, and highly refined. Dealing with such a person was quite comfortable.

Once the numbness had mostly faded, Nan Qing picked up the umbrella, once again shielding the Princess from the sun. She advised: “Shall I escort Your Highness back to the pavilion?”

“Forgive my directness, but Your Highness’s constitution cannot withstand this midsummer heat.”

Xuan Zhaoci shook her head, her amber eyes indifferent: “The Crown Princess’s gold thumb ring is an imperial gift, passed from the Imperial Grandmother to the Empress, and then to the current Crown Princess. Its significance is beyond comparison.”

“In that case, Your Highness should return. I will search for it myself.”

“It would be best if the Consort does not stall for time.”

Nan Qing lowered her eyes. The Princess had repeatedly avoided the topic, suggesting she was being held by a leverage. When the Second Princess had ordered Xuan Zhaoci around, her gaze had drifted toward the West Side Gate of the palace likely a threat.

Xuan Zhaoci’s biological mother served at the West Side Gate, and the Second Princess was the one in charge of the palace gates. To suppress a guard captain who was also an unfavored concubine was child’s play for her.

After marrying down, Princess Qinghe had moved even further from the political center. To lighten her mother’s burden, she could only endure, playing the role of an obedient and non-threatening royal princess before her sisters. Even standing under the scorching sun, she could only obey without complaint.

Though Nan Qing was constantly loathed and had even taken a slap, she felt great sympathy for this NPC. It was a pity that her position as Consort provided no help at all.

In the Xuan Dynasty, princesses were used to win the hearts of officials. Logically, a Consort could participate in politics, but Nan Qing’s situation was special. The original owner of this body—the “scumbag woman”—possessed remarkable farming skills. Two years ago, during a great drought, when the nation faced a severe food shortage, she had managed to grow a substantial amount of food in parched land. One person’s output equaled that of ten families.

The Xuan Dynasty valued agriculture, and the Emperor quickly sent people to contact her. But that skill was her livelihood; she wouldn’t give it up easily. It happened that the original owner had lost her mother young and had no elders at home, making her easy to control. The current Emperor thus married off his most unfavored Fifth Princess to this farming genius.

With the Consort’s stipend, the original owner was naturally willing to trade her tools for a “golden rice bowl,” not to mention winning such a beautiful celestial wife. This marriage was beneficial for the commoners, the royals, and the original owner alike. The only two victims were Princess Qinghe and her mother.

Unloved by her mother the Empress and disliked by her sisters, Xuan Zhaoci could only live cautiously under their eyes.

Beads of sweat covered the Princess’s forehead, and the heat made her vision turn hazy. She looked as though she was about to collapse, but after a few shallow breaths, she urged Nan Qing.

“Consort?”

Nan Qing snapped back to reality. She didn’t want to meddle in others’ business—her own life was already precarious. But if she had to meddle, she could share tonight’s crawfish dinner with Xuan Zhaoci.

“Mm, let’s go.”

She quickly bent down and, without a word, picked up the other woman’s trailing hem. Xuan Zhaoci let out a startled cry, but soon realized that after her hem was lifted, several stalks of vegetables in the field were no longer being crushed.

In an instant, she understood: the Consort truly had no indecent intentions; she simply wanted to lift her skirt. Xuan Zhaoci felt a twinge of regret for the slap she had delivered; she seemed to have truly misunderstood the Consort.

Yet, if the Consort cherished every flower and blade of grass so dearly, why was she always so rough with her?

“Princess, lend me your silk kerchief to tie up the hem.”

Xuan Zhaoci’s thoughts were interrupted. She pursed her lips and drew a clean silk handkerchief from her sleeve. Nan Qing tied the large hem into a beautiful “flower ball.” This way, the vegetables wouldn’t be brushed when she moved, and the Princess could walk more nimbly.

The two walked one behind the other. Just as Xuan Zhaoci was about to apologize for the slap, Nan Qing’s question distracted her.

“Can Your Highness describe the style of that gold thumb ring?”

“A plain band, with no patterns or inscriptions,” Xuan Zhaoci said calmly.

Nan Qing knit her brows. A plain gold ring—it was only because it was a relic of the Imperial Grandmother that they were forced to go to such lengths in this heat. This field was a demonstration plot located near the West Side Gate, roughly the size of half a university campus. The land under her management was about the size of three athletic tracks. On what grounds was the Second Princess so certain the ring was on her property?

Soon, Xuan Zhaoci cleared the doubt: “Consort, the Second Sister indeed has a witness.”

Nan Qing laughed as she walked: “I spend every day in these fields. Could she possibly know them better than I?”

“The Crown Princess traveled past the West Side Gate yesterday. I was present then. She only had eight attendants and indeed passed by my plot, but I saw clearly—she dropped nothing.”

“As for the Second Princess and the others, how do they know the Crown Princess’s item is here? Could it be they are playing a ‘thief crying thief’ game, and the stolen goods have been planted on my land?”

“Consort, watch your words.”

“A joke. If they dare to do it, why should they fear others—”

“Enough, Consort!”

Nan Qing turned around abruptly, her expression displeased: “Your Highness knows full well your sisters are toying with you. This place is far from the pavilion; are you certain you want to defend those bastards in front of me?”

Such a weak Fifth Princess no wonder she was bullied.

Because she turned so quickly, Xuan Zhaoci couldn’t stop in time and bumped straight into her arms. The person in her arms seemed dazed by the collision and didn’t retreat immediately. Nan Qing proactively took half a step back, staring intently at Xuan Zhaoci.

Xuan Zhaoci lowered her eyes, her expression unreadable.

“Does the Consort have the right to speak such words?” she scoffed softly. “Do not say I did not warn you: do not stir up trouble before the Crown Princess.” This kind reminder was her apology for the slap.

Nan Qing: “What does Your Highness mean?”

When she pressed further, Xuan Zhaoci fell silent. Those deep amber eyes suddenly became pure and harmless, looking just as “easy to bully” as she did before the other princesses.

Nan Qing took a sharp breath. She intentionally adopted a theatrical tone, leaning down like a street rogue to get close to the woman, and raised an eyebrow.

“I even dare to… provoke Your Highness. What is there left that I wouldn’t dare?”

“I see the Consort’s other cheek isn’t festive enough yet.”

The gentle voice was soothing, but the content was chilling. Nan Qing retreated three steps, only stopping when the umbrella’s shadow was about to drift away from the Princess.

Wait… she suddenly realized something.

“Is Your Highness saying the loss of this gold ring was intentional on the Crown Princess’s part? And even those in the pavilion are…?”

the “pure white flower” curled her lips in a faint smile, and the aura around her shifted abruptly. The woman became cold and noble, glancing at Nan Qing with a gaze as arrogant and awe-inspiring as a monarch’s.

Purity, pity, and weakness—all vanished, replaced by depth and mystery. Only her physical frailty was real.

The woman took light, lotus-like steps, moving slowly forward. As she passed Nan Qing, Nan Qing instinctively stepped aside to make way. Princess Qinghe thus walked ahead of her.

Nan Qing took a deep breath and grabbed the elegantly poised Princess.

“Your Highness, I have a plan. Pray, lean into my arms—”

Slap!

“Presumptuous,” the beauty scolded.

Before Nan Qing could finish her sentence, her other cheek was honorably wounded. Fortunately, the force of the slap was light; rather than a blow, it felt more like a flirtation between the Princess and the Consort.

Nan Qing shook her head to banish these strange thoughts.

“Please trust me, Your Highness. If we do not find the gold ring, I am willing to offer up my head.”

Either be toyed to death by the Crown Princess or take a gamble Nan Qing naturally chose the latter. When Xuan Zhaoci didn’t speak, she took it as consent.

She said: “Your Highness, please faint.”

The other woman was very cooperative. Nan Qing caught her and instinctively covered Xuan Zhaoci’s ears as she shouted toward the distance:

“Someone come quickly! Princess Qinghe has fainted!”

Xuan Zhaoci: She returned good for evil. She is good.

Nan Qing: Scared to death. The vegetables almost got crushed again. Sobbing.

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