Offered As A Lucky Bride To The Mad Princess To Ward Off Misfortune - Chapter 70

70: His Highness Plays Pitiful, Qingqing Softens

Bang—

Xiao Qiling turned back, and another bowl was hurled in her direction, shattering at her feet.

The anger of Princess Ning had not yet subsided, and staying would not be easy.

Xiao Qiling glanced at the broken pieces on the floor and reminded Yu Nanqing, “That was your favorite set of glazed bowls.”

Yu Nanqing’s vision darkened as she glared fiercely at Xiao Qiling. “I’ve long grown tired of that set. Can’t I want a new one?”

She had plenty of money. What was a bowl worth a thousand taels?

She could just sneak some from the mansion’s treasury.

Yu Nanqing’s eyes, red and teary from anger, were strikingly similar to how they looked in the warm pavilion, as if enticing someone to savor them. Xiao Qiling’s gaze darkened; she closed her eyes briefly, barely suppressing the surging emotions within her.

“Fine, then get a new one.”

Yu Nanqing caught the shift in Xiao Qiling’s expression. She picked up another bowl and threw it, followed by a second, then a third…

“Do you realize your mistake?”

The commotion in the room would surely be heard by the hidden guards outside, yet no one dared to enter.

Xiao Qiling walked to Yu Nanqing’s bedside and sat down, speaking softly, “I only suspected that Princess Rongxi might rebel, but I wasn’t entirely certain. That’s why I didn’t tell you about General Zhenyuan’s return to the capital.”

Yu Nanqing didn’t actually care much about the matter of General Zhenyuan. The possibility of Princess Rongxi staging a coup was just that—a possibility, not a certainty. If Xiao Qiling had shared every possibility and plan with her, it would have felt cumbersome.

What she really wanted was Xiao Qiling’s explanation about the gu poison.

Yu Nanqing waited for a moment, but no explanation came regarding the other matter.

Her face gradually darkened.

So, if Princess Rongxi hadn’t let it slip, Xiao Qiling would have continued to hide the truth about the gu poison, planning to use it again to soften her heart, wouldn’t she?

Meeting Xiao Qiling’s unrepentant, steady gaze, Yu Nanqing’s anger surged, and she coughed violently, her chest aching.

Xiao Qiling gently patted Yu Nanqing’s back, her voice filled with concern. “Alright, it’s all my fault. Don’t get upset; if you keep coughing, your throat will hurt.”

Yu Nanqing had no intention of tormenting herself. She took a few deep breaths, turned over, and lay with her back to Xiao Qiling, ignoring her completely.

Frowning, Yu Nanqing forced herself to sleep.

Time passed slowly, the candlelight in the room flickering and dimming as it burned shorter. Xiao Qiling sat by the bed, watching Yu Nanqing’s cold back, a growing sense of unease creeping into her heart.

After a moment, she leaned closer and tentatively called, “Qingqing?”

Yu Nanqing’s ears twitched slightly, clearly still listening.

“I did receive advance warning about being poisoned back then.” Xiao Qiling began. “My mother had just passed away, and I was still weak. If I hadn’t taken the gu poison, the Emperor would never have been at ease, and he would have kept looking for other ways to target me.”

At an angle Xiao Qiling couldn’t see, Yu Nanqing opened her eyes.

“I did ingest the gu poison.” Xiao Qiling continued calmly. “After returning to the mansion, I used my internal energy to purge it for an entire night. It took half a month of lying in bed to fully clear the remaining toxins. Later, the mansion’s physician concocted a similar gu poison. Though its toxicity is controlled, it still flares up monthly—that part is true.”

“I couldn’t be certain the poison in my body would be completely harmless in the future, so I kept it from you, thinking it would be better than you being unable to handle it if something went wrong.”

The crescent moon outside slipped behind the clouds, and the candle in the room sputtered, finally giving out as the wax surged.

Xiao Qiling glanced at the extinguished candle, tucked the quilt around Yu Nanqing, and prepared to leave, not wanting to disturb her further.

Yu Nanqing could hear the subtle shifts in Xiao Qiling’s tone, the hints of vulnerability, but she couldn’t swallow her anger.

“Didn’t you say leaving at this hour would make the entire mansion think we’re at odds?” she snapped, her voice sharp despite her reluctance. “You’re not allowed to sleep on that small couch. If you ruin the storybook I left there, I really won’t speak to you.”

“I won’t sleep on the couch. Can I sleep with you?” Xiao Qiling seized the opportunity, her breath quickening, her voice tight. “Just a small corner of the bed will do.”

Seeing no refusal, Xiao Qiling cautiously lifted the quilt, sliding in halfway and inching closer.

Yu Nanqing suddenly turned to face her. “Do you know your mistake now?”

Xiao Qiling paused her approach and nodded, lowering her head.

The quilt draped to her waist, her loose sleeping robes revealing a slender frame. When had Prince Ning ever been treated this way in her own mansion? She looked utterly aggrieved.

But when Yu Nanqing met those peach-blossom eyes staring intently at her, the sympathy she’d begun to feel vanished instantly.

Her face cold, she said, “So you were worried about future complications and didn’t tell me the truth because you thought I couldn’t handle it?”

Xiao Qiling hesitated, then nodded.

Yu Nanqing gave a cold laugh. “Then I must be the unreasonable one. Compared to the gu poison in your body, which may or may not be fully curable, your private army is far more dangerous, isn’t it?”

She suggested, “Tonight’s thousand imperial guards already left me shaken. If it comes to actual warfare, I doubt I could bear it. Since Your Highness is so concerned for me, why not write a divorce letter now? That would solve everything once and for all.”

The words “divorce letter” made Xiao Qiling’s pupils constrict, though her face showed no emotion. Her eyes lowered, and the silence between them grew heavy.

Yu Nanqing had thrown things and told Xiao Qiling to leave, emboldened by their earlier intimacy in the warm pavilion. But seeing Xiao Qiling’s lack of response, she stole a glance and noticed her expression had grown even more distant.

Her hand tightened, ready to backtrack, but in the next moment, Xiao Qiling pressed her back onto the pillow, biting her lower lip fiercely.

“…Xiao Qiling!” Yu Nanqing couldn’t break free, her wrist held tightly, the pain making her cry out softly.

The sting on her lips and wrist felt like a bold declaration of possession.

“You can scold me or punish me however you want, but don’t hurt me with words like that.” Xiao Qiling said, pinning her down, her eyes misty. “What I said about not being certain of the poison’s effects was a lie. The mansion’s physician can detoxify it and naturally can create it too. When the time is right, I’ll take the antidote.”

Yu Nanqing hadn’t expected Xiao Qiling to admit it so easily. “You…”

“Not telling you the truth was entirely out of my own selfishness.” Xiao Qiling continued. “The first time the poison flared up, you were so indulgent and caring toward me. Once I experienced that, it became addictive. Letting go of that version of you is incredibly hard.”

The dark depths of Xiao Qiling’s eyes seemed to spill over, her intense possessiveness and desire making Yu Nanqing feel as though she might be devoured in the next moment.

Xiao Qiling’s grip on Yu Nanqing’s wrist loosened, her hand sliding to cover Yu Nanqing’s palm, gently holding it as she leaned down to kiss her again, lightly licking the bite mark as if to soothe it. “If I had to do it again, I’d still make the same choice.”

The cool touch of her fingers, paired with her words, sent a tingling sensation through Yu Nanqing. Her heart felt warmed, each beat louder than the last.

Yu Nanqing calmed herself and said tactfully, “Your Highness, born of the imperial family, shouldn’t say such self-deprecating things.”

“Qingqing…” Xiao Qiling’s voice carried a hint of pity. “It was my petty behavior. When you first entered the mansion, I was wary of you and used the poison to intimidate you. Later, I couldn’t bear to lose that warmth and foolishly thought I could use the poison to keep you.”

“Stop talking!” Yu Nanqing’s face flushed redder with every word, her heart racing. No matter how angry she’d been, it was melting away.

Noticing Yu Nanqing’s softening expression, Xiao Qiling pressed on eagerly. “When you first entered the mansion, though you feared me, every time the physician appeared, you grew more concerned for me, drawing closer unconsciously.”

“When the poison flared up at the West Mountain hunting grounds, you hadn’t yet realized you liked me. Even when I pinned you to the bed and teased you, you endured it. The next day, you acted as if nothing had happened. That night, you were so soft, so obedient, so—”

“Xiao Qiling! Shut up!” Yu Nanqing’s face burned, and she pointed at her, abandoning decorum. “Where did all your scholarly learning go? Stop talking, stop it!”

A trace of melancholy crossed Xiao Qiling’s face. “You only refuted the second part, which means the first part is true. So, when I teased you at West Mountain, you really didn’t have any feelings for me.”

Yu Nanqing: …

What was this?

Was she trying to make her admit when she started liking her?

She hadn’t once said the word “like” to Xiao Qiling. She wasn’t falling for this trap.

Sighing at Xiao Qiling’s audacity, Yu Nanqing turned away, leaving her with a cold back.

Prince Ning, skilled in strategy, knew how to press her advantage. Having softened Yu Nanqing’s heart, she wouldn’t let it go easily.

Xiao Qiling lifted the quilt, slipping fully inside. Her body, still cold from the warm pavilion, made Yu Nanqing shiver as they pressed together.

“What are you—”

Mid-sentence, a faint herbal scent filled Yu Nanqing’s nose. Puzzled, she heard Xiao Qiling explain, “Just some bruises. The physician insisted I soak in them. The smell might be a bit bitter.”

A soft laugh sounded by her ear, lower and weaker than before. “But don’t worry, Qingqing. It’ll pass.”

Yu Nanqing: …

Having been fooled by Xiao Qiling’s pitiful act for so long, she refused to fall for it again, keeping her lips tightly shut.

Xiao Qiling waited and waited, but received no concern—not even a glance.

Pressing her forehead to the back of Yu Nanqing’s neck, she sighed. “Before returning to the mansion, I visited my mother’s Fengyi Hall. Princess Rongxi took the same gu poison used on me back then. I thought to myself, I should actually thank her for giving me advance warning. Otherwise, I might not have lived to meet you.”

“After my mother passed, everyone in the palace schemed against me, fearing I’d recover and reclaim the title of Crown Prince, yet also fearing my death would leave the position open for someone else.”

Yu Nanqing stayed silent, and Xiao Qiling made no further moves, simply staying close to her back, quietly watching her silhouette.

“But you were different from them,” Xiao Qiling continued, pausing to choose her words carefully. “Even when you didn’t like me, you made me feel… like you genuinely wanted me to live.”

As the only daughter of the Empress, Xiao Qiling was named Crown Prince at birth, destined for glory. Yet, she valued someone who wished for her survival so deeply…

Yu Nanqing’s heart clenched for a moment.

After those words, Xiao Qiling fell silent, perhaps exhausted or giving up. She made no further sound, only holding Yu Nanqing lightly.

As their warmth mingled, Yu Nanqing felt Xiao Qiling’s heat—or perhaps it was her own heart growing warmer with Xiao Qiling’s words.

She wasn’t as good as Xiao Qiling made her out to be. In her past life, she knew the other princes’ flaws and chose the unfamiliar Prince Ning, tying their fates together for better or worse.

But admitting the truth would hurt, and she did harbor other feelings for Xiao Qiling.

“I’d want any oppressed commoner I met on the street to live well.” Yu Nanqing mumbled. “And don’t assume you know my thoughts. I don’t like you now either.”

The arm around her stiffened, then tightened. “I know,” Xiao Qiling said with a gentle laugh. “You’ve never said you like me. It’s all because of that imperial marriage decree that you had to stay in the Ning Mansion.”

Yu Nanqing froze, her eyelashes trembling as her resolve wavered.

As dawn approached, soft light filtered into the room, casting a silver glow.

Yu Nanqing’s heart was actually quite hard. In her past life, Xiao Qijun had sent her to a rebel leader—not because he abandoned her, but because she refused to collude with him. In front of his trusted allies, she had humiliated him as Princess Rongxi had done to Emperor Wenjing, leading to her abandonment.

Xiao Qijun had begged her many times, promising he was only borrowing troops from the Xiongnu, not betraying the country.

But she didn’t trust the Xiongnu.

She had thought Xiao Qiling’s two secrets tonight would keep her angry for a long time. She’d even considered leaving for Jiangnan at dawn with Chenxiang, without leaving a single letter for Xiao Qiling.

Yet, she softened.

No matter how much Xiao Qiling hid from her, she was still the Highness she couldn’t bear to part with—her beloved.

If Xiao Qiling deceived her again, she’d deal with it then.

Just… next time.

Yu Nanqing sighed, turning to face Xiao Qiling.

As expected, Xiao Qiling hadn’t slept, her eyes meeting hers instantly.

Twisting uncomfortably, Yu Nanqing asked, “Did the physician check those bruises? Have you applied medicine?”

Xiao Qiling’s eyes flickered, surprised by her sudden concern. Their gaze grew heated.

Yu Nanqing looked away, urging, “Speak.”

Lowering her eyes, Xiao Qiling replied, “Just a few bumps. No big deal. No need for medicine.”

If the physician had specifically instructed treatment, it couldn’t be minor. Thinking of how long they’d been entangled in the warm pavilion, Yu Nanqing sat up, reaching for Xiao Qiling’s collar. “Let me see.”

Xiao Qiling grabbed her wrist, frowning. “No need.”

The more she resisted, the more Yu Nanqing suspected a serious injury. “You dared to face so many imperial guards. Can’t you learn from Xiao Qijun and stay in the back? Let go and let me see.”

Xiao Qiling’s eyes held a smile, tinged with a deeper ferocity. “If I didn’t act, with swords flashing, what would happen to those court officials?”

“You know swords are dangerous?” Yu Nanqing retorted.

“It’s really not serious,” Xiao Qiling insisted, still holding her wrist. After hesitating, she murmured, “If you really look, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back.”

Hold back from what?

Yu Nanqing scoffed, thinking she meant the injury. Focused on checking and treating her wounds, she didn’t dwell on it.

When she finally pulled open Xiao Qiling’s collar, a swath of pale skin dotted with vivid red marks met her eyes. In the warm pavilion, she hadn’t noticed, but now, the sight made her blush.

Even after a palace banquet and being restrained for hours, Xiao Qiling shouldn’t look like this.

“I told you not to look,” Xiao Qiling said, her voice low and husky, still calm but carrying a seductive allure near her ear.

Yu Nanqing nodded instinctively, then froze.

Realizing she’d caught on, Xiao Qiling didn’t bother closing her collar. Instead, she leaned back comfortably, letting the fabric slip further, revealing more.

Her eyes lifted, a hint of desire in her peach-blossom gaze, her voice teasing. “Seems I worried too much. You’re the one who can’t hold back, Qingqing.”

“I-I’m not!” Yu Nanqing hurriedly closed Xiao Qiling’s collar, her finger brushing the skin, eliciting a muffled groan.

Now, it was even harder to explain.

“In the warm pavilion, you only cared about yourself, leaving me hanging.” Xiao Qiling said, grasping Yu Nanqing’s hand, their fingers interlocking tightly to prevent escape.

With a light laugh, she added, “So heartless.”

Yu Nanqing pursed her lips. “Sorry.”

“Just a sorry?” Xiao Qiling asked.

“I didn’t mean to.” Yu Nanqing mumbled, her eyes darting.

When Yu Nanqing had pushed Xiao Qiling into the trap, Xiao Qiling wasn’t truly angry about being deceived. Instead, Yu Nanqing’s final remark about being “tricked by poison so many times” had made her reflect deeply.

Each deception had brought Yu Nanqing closer. Recalling her actions during the poison’s flare-ups only stoked Xiao Qiling’s desire.

In the end, she’d had to relieve herself alone.

Having lived so long, Xiao Qiling had never been intimate with anyone before marriage, dismissing even illustrated books as beneath her.

How could the aloof Prince Ning have ever been so disheveled?

Yet, Yu Nanqing had brought her to the edge of ecstasy, only to abandon her cruelly.

Seeing Xiao Qiling’s silence, Yu Nanqing leaned closer. “Your Highness didn’t… do anything else, did you?”

Xiao Qiling glanced at her, remaining silent.

Yu Nanqing almost felt pity for her.

No wonder her chest was so flushed—pent-up energy with no release.

Her ears reddening, Yu Nanqing burrowed into Xiao Qiling’s neck, whispering, “Then… shall I help Your Highness?”