Please Call Me Your Highness (GL) - Chapter 2

The local official, who had been attending to the banquet, immediately turned pale. His voice trembled as he stammered, “T-That’s impossible! Your Highness’s meals are not something to be taken lightly!”

Zheng Dayuan’s gaze darkened as she glared at the official. Dong Yanning, the Second Princess, seemed deep in thought. As the potential victim, Dong Xiaoning remained unusually calm.

Xiao Fu, however, was completely serious as she pointed at the dishes on the table. “This one, this one, and that one—you can’t eat them together. If mixed, they’ll cause severe vomiting and diarrhea. It could even be fatal.”

Hearing this explanation, those who had been tense moments ago let out a collective sigh of relief. The official’s expression relaxed as well, and he was about to defend himself when Dong Yanning spoke.

“Summon the imperial physician.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The physician arrived swiftly and conducted a thorough examination. He confirmed that while the food itself was not poisoned, Xiao Fu was correct—the combination of those particular dishes would have caused a severe reaction if consumed together.

Dong Yanning waved her hand, dismissing the physician, then turned to Xiao Fu with a sharp gaze. “You understand medicine?”

Xiao Fu shook her head. “Not really. It’s just something the elders in my family taught me. They knew a lot about these things… but they’re gone now.”

As she spoke, her voice softened, her mood visibly sinking, as though she were about to cry.

Dong Yanning shifted her gaze to the local official. “Is this how you handle affairs?”

“Your Highness, I have been wronged! I swear I am innocent!”

The official pleaded for mercy, but what use were his words now? A mistake like this should never have happened, especially not at a banquet prepared for a princess of the imperial family. It was hard to believe it was mere negligence rather than a deliberate act.

“I will report this matter truthfully to Her Majesty. You had best think carefully about how you intend to explain yourself.”

Officials at his rank were beyond Dong Yanning’s direct authority to punish. However, her words alone were enough to seal his fate.

Because of this incident, dinner was significantly delayed.

When the revised meal was finally served, Dong Xiaoning didn’t seem to mind at all. She picked up her chopsticks and ate as if nothing had happened, offering no further comments on the matter.

The inn where they were staying was heavily guarded, making it impossible for outsiders to approach. Among the many rooms, one stood out—it was brightly lit and unmistakably belonged to Dong Yanning, the Second Princess.

Zheng Dayuan sat across from her, speaking in a slow and measured tone. “What do you make of today’s incident, Your Highness?”

“An accident,” Dong Yanning replied carelessly. “At most, it’s a case of the local official failing to take things seriously.”

Zheng Dayuan’s tone hardened. “If this had happened to the commoner Dong Xiaoning, it would have been disgraceful enough. But now, she is the Fourth Princess once again. She represents the imperial family. Do you think the dignity of the royal house can be so easily trampled upon?”

“You are right, Minister Zheng. It seems I have been too short-sighted and made a fool of myself.”

Dong Yanning’s attitude shifted immediately. There was a trace of respect in her voice now, as though she had truly recognized her mistake.

Zheng Dayuan studied her carefully. “Your Highness seems to still hold a grudge over past events.”

She was referring, of course, to the power struggle between the Retired Emperor and the current Empress.

Back then, Dong Yanning and her sisters had all aligned with the Empress, their mother. But Dong Xiaoning was different—she had received the backing of the Retired Emperor himself.

To Dong Yanning and her sisters, this was nothing short of betrayal.

Now, with the Crown Princess dead, Dong Xiaoning’s past transgressions had been conveniently overlooked. A single decree had been issued, summoning her back to the capital as though nothing had ever happened.

But beneath this simple act, deeper tensions remained—not just personal grievances among sisters, but also the long-standing resentment between Zhongyong and Qianyuan.

Zheng Dayuan had all but stated it outright.

Yet Dong Yanning’s expression remained neutral—no sign of anger, no change in her breathing. She merely said, “The Crown Princess may be gone, but she has left behind an heir. Once the Crown Princess Consort gives birth, if the child is a Qianyuan, they will be the rightful successor.”

“Your Highness…”

Zheng Dayuan hesitated. There was much he wanted to say, but the words caught in his throat.

As a minister, there was only so much he could do in this battle for the throne.

Anyone with foresight should know that it was far too risky to gamble on the Crown Princess’s unborn child. No one could predict whether the child would be Qianyuan, Kunze, or Zhongyong. Rather than betting on the unknown, wouldn’t it be wiser to secure Dong Xiaoning’s position now for the sake of imperial stability?

But the discussion could go no further.

Realizing this, Zheng Dayuan chose to take his leave.

When Dong Yanning was finally alone, she suddenly spoke toward a certain direction. “What do you think?”

A faint shadow emerged from the darkness, concealed in a dimly lit corner. The figure’s face was obscured—this was Dong Yanning’s hidden guard. Upon hearing her question, the guard responded with another:

“Rather than the Fourth Princess’s change in demeanor, Your Highness is more concerned about Her Majesty’s attitude?”

Dong Yanning smiled. “My dear sister… I haven’t seen her in years, and yes, she has changed. But that doesn’t matter. What truly matters is Her Majesty’s stance. If the Empress does not favor her, then what difference does it make if she is the only adult Qianyuan princess? She will still meet a miserable fate.”

The hidden guard said, “From Minister Zheng Dayuan’s reaction earlier, it’s clear that she, as Her Majesty’s trusted aide, holds the Fourth Princess in high regard. That might also reflect Her Majesty’s stance. However, the Empress’s favor shifts with time. Once the Crown Princess’s only bloodline is born, things may change again.”

“That’s exactly what I think,” Dong Yanning said. “Which is why I don’t intend to get too close to the Fourth Princess. But what happened today—was it a deliberate poisoning attempt? Or was it truly just an accident?”

“It was an accident,” the hidden guard confirmed.

Dong Yanning frowned. “Since when did Great Yu’s officials become this incompetent?”

The hidden guard replied, “That man gained his position through connections with the Ming family. He is unworthy of his rank—it was only a matter of time before he made a mistake.”

Dong Yanning’s frown deepened further. The Ming family was none other than the maternal clan of her other mother, the current Empress. Years ago, in order to counter the influence of the Retired Emperor and the Ji family, the Empress had elevated the Ming family.

Now that the Ji family had fallen, the Ming family stood alone as the most powerful external clan in court.

And yet, the people they had promoted were so utterly incompetent—hesitant, cautious, afraid to act decisively.

…

Dong Xiaoning flopped onto the bed and patted the space beside her, gesturing for Xiao Fu to come over.

Xiao Fu hesitated. “Your Highness, I really shouldn’t… You are of noble birth. How could I possibly share a bed with you?”

Dong Xiaoning feigned displeasure. “What are you talking about? Back on the island, didn’t we sleep in the same bed?”

Hearing this, Xiao Fu became flustered and muttered softly, “That… that was because… there was only one bed… But here, we have two now. I can stay outside and keep watch.”

Dong Xiaoning didn’t argue. Instead, she simply stared at Xiao Fu, making it clear that unless she agreed, Dong Xiaoning wasn’t going to let the matter drop.

Finally, Xiao Fu surrendered, obediently crawling into bed and lying down beside her as she always had. Since Zhongyong and Qianyuan sleeping together wouldn’t result in pregnancy, there was no reason to feel uncomfortable about it.

Satisfied, Dong Xiaoning pulled the blanket over them and prepared to sleep.

“Your Highness… um…”

“What?”

“About what happened today… do you really not care at all?”

“You mean the poisoning attempt?”

Xiao Fu’s eyes widened in shock, and she immediately sat up. “So Your Highness also believes it was poisoning?”

“It’s not that serious,” Dong Xiaoning said with a dismissive wave of her hand, motioning for Xiao Fu to lie back down. Only when she complied did Dong Xiaoning continue speaking.

“This level of neglect is nothing. In the end, they dislike me, but there’s not much they can actually do. We’ll just continue tolerating each other’s presence.”

“Your Highness…”

Xiao Fu wanted to say more but found herself at a loss for words.

She felt wronged on Dong Xiaoning’s behalf, but as a mere maid, she didn’t even have the right to voice that grievance.

“Sleep, sleep. Eating and sleeping are the most important things in the world,” Dong Xiaoning murmured before quickly drifting off.

“…”

Xiao Fu listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing. She turned her head slightly, confirming that Dong Xiaoning had truly fallen asleep before rolling over, her expression shifting ever so subtly in that fleeting moment.

The next morning, they resumed their journey toward the capital as usual.

On the nineteenth day of the third month, in the morning, they finally arrived at their destination.

The welcoming party had clearly been waiting for some time. On the spot, they read out an imperial decree—Dong Xiaoning was not required to enter the palace to meet the Empress. Instead, she was to be placed under the care of Prince Kangning.

Prince Kangning was the Empress’s youngest sister. Born a Zhongyong, she had been sent to the military upon coming of age, as was customary. Through relentless training and battlefield experience, she distinguished herself in the campaign to suppress the Bandit Rebellion. In the imperial family, only those who commanded armies could be granted a princely title—and she had earned hers through unwavering loyalty and service to her elder sister, the Empress.

However, such an arrangement was unexpected.

Zheng Dayuan couldn’t help but show a trace of confusion, while Dong Yanning remained utterly indifferent.

As for Dong Xiaoning—the person at the center of it all—she accepted it calmly.

According to the original novel’s plot, until the late Crown Princess’s child was born and their status as a Zhongyong was confirmed, her own treatment would not fundamentally change.

Xiao Fu, unaware of the storyline, was deeply worried about what this meant for Dong Xiaoning’s future.

“It’s just house arrest. It’s not like they’ll starve me,” Dong Xiaoning reassured her.

Lifting a corner of the carriage’s curtain, she gazed at the bustling capital. The rising dust from the streets swirled through the air, carrying the scent of the city.

“House arrest?” Xiao Fu repeated, testing the words on her tongue. Rather than feeling reassured, she only felt more unsettled.

Life in Confinement

Just as Dong Xiaoning had predicted, she was placed in a secluded courtyard within Prince Kangning’s estate.

The residence was heavily guarded, and servants were assigned to attend to her needs. Other than the fact that she wasn’t allowed to leave, her living conditions were relatively comfortable.

However, Xiao Fu remained uneasy. “With so many people waiting on you now, does that mean you won’t need me anymore?”

Dong Xiaoning’s face immediately darkened. “What nonsense are you talking about? I was planning to send them all away—but if I do that, do you plan to handle all the chores by yourself? I don’t want my Xiao Fu exhausting herself.”

Hearing this, Xiao Fu brightened instantly. She repeatedly expressed her gratitude for Dong Xiaoning’s kindness, making her laugh aloud.

Days passed in this quiet confinement.

Dong Xiaoning never requested an audience with Prince Kangning, and, as expected, Prince Kangning showed no interest in meeting her either.

She found this arrangement quite agreeable.

However, she hadn’t expected someone else to come looking for her.

“My dear sister! You’re actually still alive. Well, well, aren’t you doing just fine?”

The loud voice rang through the courtyard.

It was the Third Princess, Dong Muning—Dong Xiaoning’s biological sister.

The moment she entered the residence, she made sure her presence was known.