Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 108.1

Princess Changning watched Alü see Jing Yu off, then walked to Qin Feiyan’s side, gazing at her carefully.

“Are you hurt?”

“No, I’m fine,” Qin Feiyan pulled her sleeve to show her. “The clothes are a little torn.”

(Bandit suppression) was originally the patrol division’s job. Qin Feiyan, bored at the yamen, had pleaded with her to let her join.

Princess Changning had initially disagreed, only consenting after Qin Feiyan guaranteed she would return completely unharmed.

After speaking, Qin Feiyan tilted her head to look at Jing Yu outside the yamen, frowning, and asked, “Who is that peacock?”

The word she used was very vivid. Princess Changning curved her brows and shot her a playful glance. “He is Jing Yu, the Hereditary Prince of Pingxi.”

Qin Feiyan didn’t know much about court affairs, only having heard that the Prince of Pingxi was originally a general stationed in Longxi. He had defended the Empress and quelled the rebellion during Prince Chen’s revolt, was then made Prince of Pingxi, and guarded Longxi.

“Is he very familiar with you?” Qin Feiyan’s tone was a little sour. She leaned closer and whispered, “You won’t even let me call you Qingqing.”

Just now, she had heard that ‘flower persimmon’ call her Ningning.

“Your voice sounds more sour than you smell, go wash up quickly.” Princess Changning pushed her face away and turned to walk inside the yamen.

“You haven’t told me yet, are you very familiar with him?” Qin Feiyan followed her and asked again.

“Mhm, quite familiar.” Princess Changning narrowed her eyes, watching her amusedly, and said deliberately, “Rumor has it he’s been in love with me for years, and now he’s specifically chased me all the way to Qingzhou.”

Hearing this, Qin Feiyan quickly grabbed her wrist. “What?!”

“Rumor.” Princess Changning patted her hand away, emphasizing the word.

Qin Feiyan understood what she meant, her eyebrows relaxed, and a smile finally appeared on her face. She pressed on, “Then what’s the truth?”

Given Princess Changning’s personality, since she said this, there was probably another story behind it.

“I’ll tell you the truth after you’ve cleaned up.” Princess Changning stepped across the threshold of the inner yamen and told her, “Hurry and wash, you stink.”

Qin Feiyan, suppressing her curiosity, quickly bathed, and ran back to find her without even wringing her hair dry.

Princess Changning had anticipated this and had Alü prepare a towel in advance.

Qin Feiyan took the towel, quickly rubbed her hair dry. Princess Changning snatched the towel from her hand and started drying it for her.

“What’s the rush?”

“It’s hot, it’s fine even if it’s not completely dry.”

Princess Changning had rarely even dried her own hair, let alone someone else’s. Her movements were a little clumsy, occasionally pulling Qin Feiyan’s scalp.

“Does it hurt?”

“No, it doesn’t.”

That little bit of pain was like a tickle to Qin Feiyan. She just smiled happily, her eyes curving.

“Silly,” Princess Changning scolded, putting the towel aside.

Qin Feiyan wrapped her arm around her, settling onto her lap. “What is that peacock doing here?”

The Empress and the Empress Consort were childhood sweethearts, deeply devoted. Even after knowing the Empress Consort couldn’t bear children, the Empress didn’t take another concubine, but instead brought Princess Changning into the palace to be raised as an heir.

A few years later, a palace maid took the opportunity to climb into the Empress’s bed and secretly gave birth to an imperial daughter.

To successfully conceive the Empress’s child by design, and then give birth without detection, was obviously not something a mere palace maid could achieve.

The Empress immediately ordered the Clan Affairs Office to investigate thoroughly, executing all the implicated members of the imperial family and officials, and also granted death to the imperial daughter’s birth mother. Considering the imperial daughter was her own flesh and blood, she allowed the child to live.

In recent years, the Empress’s health had declined significantly, and the imperial daughter had reached the age of majority last year. Some people began to harbor different thoughts, believing the imperial daughter could use her bloodline to contend for the throne.

The biggest faction supporting the imperial daughter was the Prince of Yunzhou’s party.

Longxi Prefecture was located northwest of the capital and southwest of Yunzhou. The Prince of Pingxi, stationed in Longxi, commanded three million elite soldiers. If the Prince of Yunzhou were to rise in revolt and march south one day, the Longxi army could immediately march north to attack, intercepting the Yunzhou army outside the Shangjing Road and securing the capital.

To the Prince of Yunzhou, eliminating the Longxi army, his biggest obstacle, meant the battle was half-won.

The Hereditary Prince of Yunzhou had grown up with Princess Changning, and their relationship was very close. Rumors in the capital had long suggested that the Empress would choose Jing Yu as Princess Changning’s husband.

Before leaving the capital, Princess Changning had already planned with Jing Yu to let their ‘non-existent’ relationship deteriorate, leading to a ‘falling out’ and giving those with ulterior motives an opportunity.

Originally, Qin Feiyan was not part of this plan, but since she appeared, Princess Changning decided to incorporate her, making the rumors more believable.

This was how the story of Princess Changning, trying to please her sweetheart, spent a massive amount of wealth and manpower to send a superb horse a thousand miles away, came about.

Of course, Princess Changning’s original intention in sending the horse was to make Qin Feiyan happy; she merely seized the opportunity to create a commotion, making it known to everyone.

Princess Changning didn’t tell Qin Feiyan that she was part of the plan, only vaguely explained the general idea, telling her that Jing Yu’s visit was only to stage a show of a broken relationship.

“We are just friends, and he also has someone he loves.”

After explaining the whole story, Princess Changning added this at the end.

Her phrase, “he also has someone he loves,” caused Qin Feiyan to automatically interpret it as Princess Changning admitting she was the one she loved, making her quite happy.

“Then why did he say those things at the yamen gate just now?” Qin Feiyan asked with a look of disdain.

“Our yamen isn’t exactly ironclad; naturally, it was a performance for outsiders,” Princess Changning explained. “However, he is also fond of exaggerating. You’ll know once you spend more time with him.”

Looks like a peacock, acts like one too, Qin Feiyan grumbled inwardly.

Thinking carefully, Qin Feiyan noticed something unusual in Princess Changning’s words. She narrowed her eyes and asked, “Are you saying the problems in your ‘relationship’ were planned beforehand?”

If the falling out was planned, then the change in affection was bound to happen. So, even without her, Princess Changning would have randomly found someone else to be her ‘sweetheart’?

Princess Changning was exceptionally smart. Without having to think too hard, she understood the underlying meaning in Qin Feiyan’s words.

“Yes, even without you, there would be someone else.”

A planned event would naturally not be changed. Princess Changning admitted without reservation that she had initially discussed it with Lin Shuqing, but since Qin Feiyan appeared, Lin Shuqing didn’t need to be involved.

Before Qin Feiyan’s face could fall, Princess Changning cupped her face and coaxed her, “But my feelings for you are real; if it were with someone else, it would be fake.”

Even if it were fake, the mere thought of someone else being as close to Princess Changning as she was made Qin Feiyan uncomfortable.

Qin Feiyan sternly turned her face away, refusing to look at Princess Changning. Princess Changning gently turned her face back, kissed her on the lips, and softly coaxed, “Please don’t be angry about something that hasn’t happened, alright?”

Perhaps having been with Princess Changning for so long, Qin Feiyan also started developing a subtle mischievous streak.

She deliberately kept a straight face, pretending not to have calmed down. Princess Changning, feeling helpless, had no choice but to kiss her again.

Although Princess Changning explained, Qin Feiyan and Jing Yu seemed to be naturally incompatible. Every time they met, they would engage in verbal sparring.

Half a month later, the Hereditary Prince of Pingxi and Qin Feiyan got into a big fight over Princess Changning, and Qin Feiyan broke his leg.

Princess Changning apologized and offered compensation, but the Hereditary Prince of Pingxi demanded that Qin Feiyan also have a leg broken. Princess Changning directly refused.

The Hereditary Prince of Pingxi angrily left Qingzhou but did not return to the capital, going directly to Longxi Prefecture, which was guarded by his father.

From then on, the news of Princess Changning and the Hereditary Prince of Pingxi’s ‘feud’ spread quickly, reaching the entire capital within a few days.

On the third day after Qin Feiyan and the Hereditary Prince of Pingxi’s big fight, Qin Guanghan found Qin Feiyan.

Qingzhou, Yunlai Teahouse.

“Dad? Why are you in Qingzhou? Are you delivering a shipment?”

Qin Feiyan didn’t know Qin Guanghan’s other hidden identity. When she suddenly saw her father outside the yamen, she was genuinely surprised.

Qin Guanghan didn’t answer her question, but said gravely, “Is your relationship with Princess Changning real?”

Seeing his serious expression, Qin Feiyan nodded earnestly. “It is real. We are deeply in love.”

“Have you truly understood Princess Changning?” Qin Guanghan frowned and asked.

Qin Feiyan furrowed her brow and looked at Qin Guanghan in confusion.

Qin Guanghan didn’t waste time, meticulously explaining the current court situation and the secrets of the imperial family.

Qin Feiyan was initially shocked, then her face turned serious.

From her father’s words, she understood that the court situation was complex, and Princess Changning did not have a decisive advantage.

Besides that, Qin Feiyan was shocked that her father was so well-informed about the court and the imperial secrets.

“Dad, how do you know all this?”

Qin Guanghan put down his teacup, his eyes filled with a trace of tenderness as he looked at his daughter.

“Since you two are in love, hasn’t Princess Changning told you about my identity?” Qin Guanghan’s words were not a rhetorical question to Qin Feiyan but carried dissatisfaction towards Princess Changning.

Qin Feiyan’s face slightly changed, and a bad feeling arose in her heart.

Princess Changning was actually hiding something from her?

Of course, given Princess Changning’s status, there were many state affairs she couldn’t share with her. But if it concerned her father’s identity, something closely related to her, Princess Changning hadn’t revealed a thing.

Qin Guanghan sighed and spoke about his past, and also mentioned Princess Changning secretly monitoring the Qin Family Escort Agency.

Qin Guanghan had witnessed the ruthlessness of the imperial family and also the deep love between the Empress and the Empress Consort. He had assumed that if Princess Changning truly loved his daughter, she would be completely honest with her.

But clearly, his foolish daughter didn’t know much.

His purpose in specially coming to Qingzhou to find his daughter today and telling her all this was to warn her that Princess Changning was the future ruler, and being with her involved more than just romantic matters.

A few months ago, she might not have believed these words. But after these months of being together, she had deeply witnessed Princess Changning’s foresight and careful planning.

Qin Guanghan’s words struck a significant blow to Qin Feiyan. She had thought that her acquaintance and love with Princess Changning were natural and unfolded smoothly.

But now, it seemed it wasn’t necessarily so.

Without her father pointing it out, Qin Feiyan could already guess how much of her relationship with Princess Changning was part of the latter’s plan, and how much she was being kept in the dark, even concerning things her father didn’t know.

Some matters, upon scrutiny, could be deeply unsettling.

If Princess Changning knew her father’s identity early on, was her approach to her intentional? If so, was their affection real, or was it merely a facade for other motives?

Qin Feiyan returned to the yamen in a daze, unconsciously walking to Princess Changning’s door.

She raised her hand to knock but drew it back just as she touched the door, turning instead to go back to her own room.

At the same time, in the room separated by a wall, Princess Changning watched the moving shadow outside the door. She didn’t call her in, and only when the dark figure walked away did she sadly lower her eyes.

From the moment Qin Guanghan arrived at the yamen, she received the news. The entire conversation between the father and daughter was reported to Princess Changning without missing a single word, including Qin Feiyan’s reaction.

Princess Changning returned to her room early, preparing to wait for Qin Feiyan to come and question her, and also preparing her answers.

But in the end, Qin Feiyan did not knock on her door.

Did Qin Feiyan not want her answer? Or did she no longer believe her answer?

Princess Changning pondered for a long time, finally deciding to go and explain everything herself. But just as she stood up, she received a message from her shadow guard.

Qin Feiyan was practicing her whip in the courtyard, and had already stripped the leaves off the trees.

Princess Changning paused. Since Qin Feiyan was angry, it meant she still wanted her answer. So, she didn’t need to rush.

She would wait until Qin Feiyan calmed down to properly explain.

However, unexpectedly, the next morning, before she could find Qin Feiyan, the Governor, who had rushed over early, called her away for a discussion. Before she could find some time, she saw Qin Feiyan come over with Yan Hua, saying that she had family matters to attend to and needed to return to Binhe County, and that Yan Hua would take over her guard duty from now on.

Princess Changning was angry that Qin Feiyan jumped to conclusions and decided to leave without even questioning her. So, she stubbornly agreed to her request.

But the moment Qin Feiyan left the yamen, Princess Changning regretted it. She hastily arranged the affairs in Qingzhou and brought people to Binhe County.

For the first few days, she refrained from seeing Qin Feiyan, instead sending shadow guards to report Qin Feiyan’s every move.

It wasn’t until she heard that Qin Feiyan had arranged to meet Miss Bai for tea that she could no longer sit still. She immediately used the excuse of meeting Lu Sheng for a talk, pretending to be waiting for someone at the Taoran Residence.

She timed her exit from the private room, and timed the ‘coincidence’ of meeting Qin Feiyan going upstairs.

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