Transmigrated into the Scum Female Consort - Chapter 113

Ye Xuejin’s expression remained unchanged. “Mingyan, take some men and go. Have the goods transported directly to the government warehouse.”

While it would be more convenient for Yun Chi to simply store everything away in an instant, Ye Xuejin felt it was inappropriate for her Consort to reveal such powers in front of someone as slick and cunning as Zhu Yan. For now, Qi Mingyan was the only one she trusted with this task.

It wasn’t that the others—Mei, Lan, Zhu, Ju, and Shisong—were untrustworthy; the girls were loyal to a fault. However, they were still young. In a critical moment, they might not be able to keep a secret perfectly airtight. Knowing too much would bring them no benefit, only unnecessary risk.

“Yes,” Qi Mingyan complied readily.

Zhu Yan maintained a smile on his face, but his heart was overflowing with bitterness. With someone watching him, the moment his treasury opened, he wouldn’t be able to skim even a fraction for himself.

Once they departed, Ye Xuejin ordered lunch to be sent to the guest wing for Wu Hu. With no one else in the room, she sat down wearily, tilting her head back and closing her eyes for a moment.

Seeing this, Yun Chi asked softly, “Are you tired? Why don’t you rest on the bed for a while?”

Ye Xuejin had spent the entire morning exerting both mental and physical energy. Even Yun Chi, who had only been assisting, felt exhausted.

Ye Xuejin opened her eyes, her gaze momentarily vacant. “I’ll just sit for a bit.” She closed her eyes again.

She felt a deep mental fatigue. Her mind was in a state of chaos—partly because of Zhu Yan’s treacherous intent, and partly because of Yun Chi’s lack of transparency.

Yun Chi quietly moved the hand warmer closer to Ye Xuejin before stepping into the outer room. She let out a soft sigh, retrieved a bottle of fruit wine from her storage space, and began to pour herself a drink.

Having spent so much time together day and night, they had grown to know each other intimately. Yun Chi could sense Ye Xuejin’s hesitation and her restraint—hesitation regarding the secret, and restraint because of it. Honestly, Yun Chi’s own mind was a mess. She didn’t know if she should speak, or where she would even begin.

The faint scent of wine drifted through the room.

Before long, Ye Xuejin walked out from the inner room and sat beside Yun Chi, her eyes having regained their clarity. Seeing her reach for the wine, Yun Chi moved her hand to stop her. “You’ve just started your period; you shouldn’t drink.”

She let go of Ye Xuejin’s hand and pressed a packet of compressed biscuits into it. As Ye Xuejin paused, Yun Chi produced a cup-like container filled with an unknown liquid.

“This is called milk tea. It’s hot. Drink it.”

Yun Chi handed it over while she continued with her wine. Ye Xuejin took a sip; the rich aroma of milk blended with the mellow taste of tea, creating a complex, warming sensation that reached her heart. She couldn’t help but let her lips curl into a small smile.

“Is something on the Consort’s mind?” Ye Xuejin asked after a few more sips.

Yun Chi nodded, offering no denial.

“Would the Consort be willing to tell me?”

Yun Chi finished her wine and opened another bottle. “Are you very curious about my origins?” She could feel the curiosity, especially today.

Ye Xuejin’s heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm. “If I am curious, is the Consort willing to tell?”

It wasn’t just the origins; she was curious about everything regarding this person. If it were anyone else, she could order an investigation; if it were an enemy, she could use any number of schemes. But this person was her Consort. She had ten thousand methods at her disposal, yet she could use none of them.

She sipped her milk tea. It was warm, yet her heart felt cold. Her late father had once considered giving her the throne. Her refusal was one factor, but her father’s hesitation was another. Her parents must have discussed it privately; her mother had once pointed out that while “royal ruthlessness” was a common outsider’s view, it was also the truth. To sit on that throne, one had to cast aside personal emotions. The court and the people always came first.

She remembered her response back then: “I do not like the intrigue of the court. I want a lighter life. If I meet someone I love, I want to devote my heart to loving them.”

Perhaps it was because of those words that her parents had stopped mentioning the throne. But in the end, it was wishful thinking. Even if she didn’t fight for it, her imperial brother would never believe her. Her parents must have foreseen this, which was why they had made so many arrangements for her even on their deathbeds.

Now, even asking her Consort a single question required long deliberation. She realized she couldn’t be ruthless.

Seeing Yun Chi only drinking in silence, Ye Xuejin spoke slowly. “If the Consort does not wish to speak, then so be it. Just as I was born into the imperial family and destined to be caught in circumstances beyond my control… unfortunately, I realized this too late.”

She had been pushed to this point, involving many innocent people in her wake.

Yun Chi understood the unspoken meaning. “Don’t take too much of the blame upon yourself. Even if you had fought for that throne and won, what of it? You would have spent your whole life in the Imperial City, never knowing the hardships of the world. It wouldn’t have meant much.”

She felt that Ye Xuejin’s realization had actually come at the right time. She had seen the struggles of women and the suffering of the common folk. She now knew the reality of places like Yangzhou, where “the mountains are high and the Emperor is far away.” When she finally took that seat in the future, she would truly be able to solve the people’s woes.

Ye Xuejin shook her head slightly. “It is still different.” She didn’t elaborate; the weight of that realization was something only she could truly understand. An outsider could never fully empathize.

Yun Chi didn’t push further. She finished her glass and reached for another bottle. This time, it was Ye Xuejin who stopped her, gripping her wrist. “Consort, do not be greedy.”

Yun Chi smiled. “This wine doesn’t taste like much. Like Shisong said, it’s just like drinking water.” Her eyes were crinkled with a smile, her cheeks flushed with a faint crimson. Her expression was no longer its usual calm; there was an indefinable depth and passion in her gaze.

Ye Xuejin’s grip loosened. “One last glass.”

Yun Chi smiled and drained it before immediately refilling it. “I have to finish the bottle. This is the last glass.”

Ye Xuejin pursed her lips and frowned. “Yun Chi.”

The person didn’t seem drunk, but they were certainly acting like it. Yun Chi’s eyes curved into crescents. “Oh? Usually, you call me your ‘Dear Consort,’ but now it’s my full name? I suppose the feelings have faded. Alas.”

“I did not…” Ye Xuejin stopped abruptly, her face flushing crimson. She couldn’t bring herself to say the words “Dear Consort” out loud; just thinking them felt inexplicably embarrassing.

The heavy atmosphere vanished, replaced by a sudden warmth. Yun Chi only laughed, holding the glass to her lips but not drinking. “Fine, I won’t drink anymore. I’ll listen to Her Highness.”

She felt her head spinning; she was likely tipsy. She rarely drank in the modern world because she knew her tolerance was poor. She believed one should have self-awareness and moderation—one could be buzzed, but never wasted. Otherwise, things go wrong and one appears unreliable. She felt she had reached that limit.

Ye Xuejin’s expression softened, though her ears were still burning. Just then, an unlatched window blew open. A cold wind rushed in, carrying the damp scent of rain.

It was raining.

The two rose almost simultaneously. They met at the window, each pushing a shutter until it was closed. The wind stopped and the sound of rain faded. However, the room felt as though it were filled with a thin mist from that brief gust, making everything feel damp.

“It will be the twelfth lunar month soon,” Ye Xuejin murmured. Noticing Yun Chi rubbing her brow, she walked over and supported her arm. “Are you feeling drunk? Go inside and lie down for a while. I’ll wake you when it’s time for lunch.”

Yun Chi nodded and let Ye Xuejin lead her into the inner room. She did feel a bit dizzy. When they reached the bedside, Ye Xuejin let go.

In a moment of wine-induced impulse, Yun Chi reached out and wrapped her arms around Ye Xuejin’s waist, pulling her into an embrace. Caught off guard, Ye Xuejin tumbled into her lap.

“I…” Yun Chi’s gaze was misty, her mind a chaotic blur of thoughts she couldn’t quite catch. But her actions were faster than her thoughts. Looking into Ye Xuejin’s eyes and at those tempting red lips, she tightened her arms and pulled her down onto the bed.

Yun Chi’s gaze darkened. She pinned Ye Xuejin’s wrists above her head against the mattress. She swallowed unconsciously and leaned down.

Ye Xuejin closed her eyes in a daze. Her heart felt as if it were pounding through her entire body; even her pinned wrists could feel the tremors. Her whole body felt numb.

Their lips met, and the room was instantly filled with a lingering sweetness. Soft, warm, and irresistible.

When the kiss ended, Yun Chi lifted her head slightly, staring intently into Ye Xuejin’s eyes, which were clouded with heat and affection. Ye Xuejin looked back, seeing the surging desire in Yun Chi’s gaze—fervent and thick.

Just then, a knock came from the outer room.

“Your Highness, Prince Consort, it is time for lunch. The Counselor has returned.” It was Shushi’s voice.

Ye Xuejin’s lashes fluttered. She tried to move her hands, but instead of being freed, her wrists were gripped even tighter. Her breath hitched. “Don’t keep them waiting,” she said, her voice husky and soft.

Yun Chi’s breathing grew heavy, her eyes deepening. “What? You really won’t even call me ‘Consort’ anymore?”

Ye Xuejin bit her lip, her mind suddenly going blank. Her fingers curled, and she closed her eyes again. “Consort… Consort…”

She whispered the title over and over, her voice enchanting. Yun Chi remained still for a long time. Ye Xuejin opened her eyes slightly. “Consort… mmm…”

Her senses were swept away again by the crashing wave of her heartbeat. Outside, the knocking sounded a few more times before tactfully stopping.

Ye Xuejin’s fingers reached out, finding only empty air—much like her heart, which was being pulled into an unknown, deep sea. Suddenly, the hand pinning her wrist moved, interlacing their fingers instead.

With their fingers locked, her heart finally felt like it had found a place to rest. “Consort…” she murmured unconsciously.

Yun Chi paused, resting her head against the side of Ye Xuejin’s neck as she calmed her breathing. “I know. I just wanted to kiss you.”

She might really be a little drunk. Her heart felt strangely empty, and she desperately needed something to fill it. For example, a kiss—or perhaps two.