Please Call Me Your Highness (GL) - Chapter 1

The tenth year of Xiuping, the fourteenth day of the third month.

Dong Xiaoning stood by the shore, gazing toward the mainland. If her memory served her correctly, today was the day when an envoy from the capital would arrive on the island, announcing her pardon and summoning her back as the Fourth Princess.

“Your Highness, what are you looking at?” Her maid, Xiao Fu, curiously followed her gaze but saw nothing unusual.

“Nothing much,” Dong Xiaoning replied casually. “I just have a feeling that I’ll be meeting an old acquaintance today.”

“An old acquaintance? Were they also exiled?” Xiao Fu asked, her face unconsciously clouding with concern.

“You—” Dong Xiaoning glanced at her maid, amused. Xiao Fu had always been bright and cheerful, but when she did worry, it was oddly endearing.

“Oh? Could it be that someone from the capital is coming to take Your Highness back?” Xiao Fu suddenly shifted her train of thought, letting her imagination run wild.

Dong Xiaoning didn’t respond, but her silence was confirmation enough.

A few guards stood not far away, watching them. They weren’t there to protect Dong Xiaoning—in fact, their true purpose was to keep her under surveillance. The entire Hanxi Island was nothing more than a glorified prison for her.

The sun climbed higher, its scorching rays making the guards visibly uncomfortable. Finally, their leader, the military officer in charge of Hanxi Island, stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, the sun is strong outside. Please move indoors to rest.”

The original edict stripping Dong Xiaoning of her title had reduced her to a commoner, yet the officer still addressed her as “Your Highness.” It was a display of superficial respect, but his words carried the weight of an order rather than a request.

“If you’re tired, you’re free to go back and rest,” Dong Xiaoning said nonchalantly, remaining under the shade with Xiao Fu. The umbrella above them was makeshift, crafted from large island leaves—not something offered by the guards out of kindness.

A flicker of displeasure flashed through the officer’s eyes, though his expression remained composed. He repeated, “Please move indoors to rest, Your Highness.”

Each time he spoke, the guards echoed his words in unison, their voices carrying across the island. With commoners and soldiers alike present, it wouldn’t take long for rumors to spread—rumors painting the exiled princess as arrogant and defiant.

But Dong Xiaoning didn’t care.

This kind of psychological pressure might have worked on the original Fourth Princess, who valued pride and reputation, but not on her. She was a 21st-century woman, hardened by the soul-crushing demands of modern work life. She was completely immune.

That being said, the original Fourth Princess had truly been unlucky. As the youngest daughter of the current emperor and a highly esteemed Qianyuan, she had been discarded as a political pawn, exiled to this wretched island. And the source of all her misfortune? None other than her grandmother—the former emperor, who had passed away a few years ago.

Ten years ago, the Bandit Rebellion erupted, throwing the capital into chaos. The former emperor, despite having ruled for twenty years, was so terrified that she abdicated, passing the throne to the Crown Princess, who then became the current emperor. With a handful of trusted aides, the former emperor fled the capital in haste.

After the rebellion was quelled, she returned—only to find herself powerless as the Retired Emperor. Unwilling to accept her diminished influence, she relied on the Ji Clan, the maternal family of the Retired Empress, to oppose the new ruler at every turn.

When the new emperor officially appointed her eldest daughter as Crown Princess, the Retired Emperor retaliated by publicly praising the Fourth Princess’ virtues under her own name. Exaggeration turned into myth, and myth became fact. Though still young, the Fourth Princess soon found herself surrounded by a faction of ambitious officials and disgruntled courtiers.

The situation escalated in the seventh year of Xiuping, when rumors spread that the Retired Emperor intended to force the current emperor to abdicate and install the Fourth Princess as the new ruler.

As a consequence, the Fourth Princess was exiled in February of that year to suppress the scandal.

Just a few months later, in May of the same year, the Retired Emperor passed away.

The current emperor wasted no time. Under the pretext of mourning violations, she ordered the execution of the Ji Clan’s leader and imposed severe restrictions on the entire Ji family. The Retired Empress was granted the title of Empress Dowager, confined to mourning rites, and permanently removed from political affairs.

In the end, the current emperor emerged victorious.

When Dong Xiaoning first read this part of the story, she had been shocked by the ruthless nature of political struggles and deeply sympathized with the Fourth Princess. Later, when the Fourth Princess returned to the capital and ascended the throne, she had felt a sense of satisfaction, believing the injustice had been righted.

Yet now, she had transmigrated into the novel—as that very unfortunate Fourth Princess.

Moreover, by the time she arrived in this world, she had already been exiled to this remote island, with very little she could do. All that remained was to wait.

Returning from her thoughts, Dong Xiaoning noticed the military officer’s resentful gaze. But the moment she looked at him, he quickly feigned indifference. Quite the skilled mask he wore.

“Your Highness, look!” Xiao Fu suddenly pointed into the distance.

A ship.

An official vessel was approaching from the mainland, and judging by its scale, it carried quite a number of people.

It seemed the plot was still progressing as expected. Dong Xiaoning had worried that taking in a maid might alter the course of events, but now, it appeared her concerns were unnecessary.

“Xiao Fu, let’s go back and have lunch.”

“Huh? Oh—yes, Your Highness.”

A few guards immediately followed them, while the military officer stood still, his expression shifting as he looked toward the approaching ship.

Hanxi Island’s terrain was high in the center and lower along the edges. Dong Xiaoning’s residence—a simple wooden hut built from local materials—was situated at the foot of the hill. When it rained, it poured outside, and dripped inside.

The guards, all robust Zhongyong, never lifted a finger to help, even when Dong Xiaoning asked directly. Their role wasn’t just to keep watch; it was to wear her down. They were waiting for her to either succumb to despair and take her own life or attempt a desperate escape—only to meet an “accidental” death.

Since arriving in this world, Dong Xiaoning had taken matters into her own hands, improving her living conditions as much as she could. With Xiao Fu’s assistance, she at least had enough to eat. She wasn’t a petty person, but she certainly wasn’t forgiving either.

Now, the thin gruel in the pot was boiling. It was little more than rice water. Dong Xiaoning grabbed a handful of washed wild greens and stirred them in with chopsticks. On days when they failed to catch seafood, she and Xiao Fu survived on this.

Xiao Fu served her a bowl first before taking one for herself. Though they were technically master and servant, neither placed much weight on those titles.

Just as Dong Xiaoning picked up her bowl, hurried footsteps sounded outside, followed by a commanding voice:

“Commoner Dong Xiaoning, come out to receive the imperial decree.”

Xiao Fu was so startled that she dropped her chopsticks. She looked toward the door, then back at Dong Xiaoning in panic.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s fine.”

Dong Xiaoning reassured her before rising slowly and heading outside. Xiao Fu followed timidly behind.

The imperial envoy was Zheng Dayuan, a civil official trusted by the emperor, and also a Zhongyong.

In this ancient ABO world, Qianyuan were rare, and Kunze were primarily valued for childbirth. This left Zhongyong, numerous and physically strong yet unable to bear children, to shoulder the bulk of administrative duties, handling everything from minor affairs to major state matters.

Zheng Dayuan’s gaze toward Dong Xiaoning was warm and respectful—a sign of what was to come.

As the decree was read aloud, its contents aligned exactly with what Dong Xiaoning remembered: her royal status was restored, and she was ordered to return to the capital immediately. The decree provided an official reason, but the truth was clear—the First Princess, who had been designated as Crown Princess, had fallen from her horse a few days prior and died from her injuries.

With the remaining two princesses both being Zhongyong, they were ineligible to inherit the throne. This left the Fourth Princess—Dong Xiaoning, a Qianyuan—as the only viable heir.

“Your Highness, the emperor’s grace is boundless. Please follow me back to the capital at once.” Zheng Dayuan bowed, presenting the decree with both hands while subtly supporting her to stand.

Before Dong Xiaoning could respond, Xiao Fu blurted out, “If we leave now, wouldn’t that mean the wild greens porridge was cooked for nothing? Your Highness, we should at least finish lunch before heading out.”

Dong Xiaoning nearly burst out laughing. This girl really said exactly what I was thinking.

Zheng Dayuan’s expression darkened immediately. She had already taken note of the crude wooden hut, and during the decree’s reading, aside from this unfamiliar maid, she had seen no other attendants.

How terribly mistreated this Fourth Princess must have been!

“Your Highness, please do not be angry. I will see to this matter at once.” Zheng Dayuan straightened, raising her voice.

“Where is the military officer in charge of Hanxi Island?”

“I am here.”

The military officer in charge hurriedly stepped out from the crowd, falling to his knees, his entire body trembling.

“You were ordered to protect the Fourth Princess. How exactly have you carried out that duty?”

“I… I admit my wrongdoing!”

The officer knew that any attempt at justification would be futile. His only chance lay in pleading for mercy. Turning toward Dong Xiaoning, he kowtowed repeatedly.

“Your Highness, please quell your anger! Your Highness, have mercy!”

Zheng Dayuan glanced at Dong Xiaoning. Since this was meant as a show of justice for the Fourth Princess, the final decision on punishment naturally had to come from her.

“The pot of wild greens porridge inside—it’s yours,” Dong Xiaoning said calmly.

“T-Thank you, Your Highness!” The officer banged his head against the ground in gratitude.

Zheng Dayuan was taken aback. The previous Fourth Princess had been known for her strict and unforgiving nature—she never tolerated even the slightest grievance. Just moments ago, she had assumed this officer would not escape with his life. Yet now, the only punishment was a bowl of porridge? Had the Fourth Princess truly changed her temperament? Or was there more to come?

“Xiao Fu, bring out the porridge.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Xiao Fu moved swiftly, carrying out two bowls of porridge along with the remainder in the pot. She placed them neatly before the officer, not spilling a single drop.

The officer, who had initially felt relieved, now hesitated in fear—could the porridge be poisoned? Was this another form of torture? With trembling hands, she picked up the bowl. At first, she wanted to cry, but as she forced herself to eat, she soon realized that the porridge was so thin it felt no different from drinking water. By the time she finished, her stomach was uncomfortably full, as if she had swallowed a bucket of liquid.

“That should be enough. Let’s go.”

Dong Xiaoning, watching the officer’s miserable, overstuffed expression, glanced at Xiao Fu, who had already gathered their belongings. With everything settled, she prepared to leave.

At that moment, a cold, detached voice interrupted.

“The military officer in charge has neglected her duty. She is hereby stripped of her rank. For the next five years, you will eat nothing but this porridge as a reminder of your failure.”

The speaker was Dong Yanning, the Second Princess, who had accompanied Zheng Dayuan but had remained silent until now.

“Yes, yes! Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life! Thank you, Your Highness!”

The officer kowtowed once more, but her movements were awkward due to her bloated stomach, making for an almost comical sight.

Dong Xiaoning fell silent for a moment, suddenly realizing something—she still wasn’t used to wielding power.

Would this drastic shift in behavior be considered suspicious? Probably not. She reasoned that given her fall from grace, a change in demeanor was to be expected. If anything, it made perfect sense.

No one objected when she insisted on bringing Xiao Fu along.

Boarding the ship, they were served a proper meal. By evening, they reached the mainland and immediately set out for the capital without pause.

Midway through the journey, they arrived in Xiangbang Prefecture. As the local officials presented the prepared meal, Xiao Fu suddenly cried out in alarm—

“It’s poisoned!”