The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 16
As Song Qingqian stepped out of the room, she passed by and smiled gently. “Your Highness, aren’t you going down?”
She then descended the stairs at an unhurried pace. Xiao Beitang paused briefly, frowning, before following behind her.
When Xiao Lin and Xiao Wanqi saw the two coming down, they quickly stood up.
“Master, these are the account books. The accountant has confessed—Baihua Brothel has not been paying taxes according to the law.” Wu Sanqi respectfully handed over the ledgers that had been found.
Song Qingqian gave them a cursory glance and replied nonchalantly, “Send them to the Capital Prefecture.”
Madam Hua had already collapsed on the ground in fear. According to Dayu’s laws, deceiving the court and evading taxes was a serious offense—at minimum imprisonment, at worst exile or execution. With the scale of business Baihua Brothel conducted, it would warrant the latter.
“Please have mercy, miss! I know I was wrong!” Madam Hua cried and begged.
Behind her, everyone kneeling in the brothel had never witnessed such a scene before. The room was filled with sobs and muffled weeping.
“Song Qingqian, what exactly are you trying to do?” Xiao Beitang blocked Wu Sanqi and questioned her sharply.
“My wife was planning to leave, wasn’t she? No one here dares stop you. Feel free to go,” Song Qingqian replied calmly with a rhetorical question.
“Miss Jiang, for the sake of our past friendship, please save me,” Madam Hua had regained her senses and crawled over, pleading to her.
Xiao Beitang glared at Song Qingqian, furious. “I’m talking to you! What’s the meaning of this scene you’ve stirred up?”
Song Qingqian feigned ignorance and said indifferently, “The law is the law. As a subject of Dayu, when I see such violations, am I not obliged to report them? Or have I done something wrong?”
She then turned to look at Xiao Lin and Xiao Wanqi. “Oh, I almost forgot—we should have a talk with your esteemed mother as well.”
The two exchanged glances and lowered their heads in silence.
“Stop pretending to be clueless!” Xiao Beitang took a step forward and stared daggers at her.
Another wave of strong, suffocating pheromones filled the air. This place was full of Dominants—either Qianyuan or Zhongyong types. Aside from the overwhelming pressure, there was nothing else to feel. Only
Song Qingqian, being a Kunzhe, understood just how pungent that scent truly was.
She stepped back and raised a handkerchief to her nose. She had anticipated the brothel’s heavy presence of Dominants and wore a rune-engraved pendant as a precaution. Still, this wasn’t a place she should linger in for long.
“If you despise me so much, why come looking for me at all?” Xiao Beitang sneered when she saw Song Qingqian backing away.
Song Qingqian didn’t beat around the bush and replied directly, “Then let’s be clear—if you agree to come back with me today, Baihua Brothel will pay the back taxes according to the law and continue to run its business properly. This matter ends here. As for Miss Lin and Miss Xiao’s offenses, I will not pursue them. How does that sound?”
Madam Hua’s eyes lit up with hope as she looked at Xiao Beitang, silently pleading for her to agree.
But Xiao Beitang’s expression remained grim, refusing to back down.
Madam Hua anxiously signaled Linglong with her eyes, urging her to beg too. Linglong, however, avoided her gaze and refused to speak. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she silently wept.
The chorus of sobs and sniffles irritated Xiao Beitang.
She glanced at them all, then looked again at Xiao Lin and the others. With a long sigh, she spoke in a low voice, “You’ll keep your word?”
“Of course.”
“Fine. I’ll go back with you.” The words seemed to be forced out of Xiao Beitang’s clenched teeth.
“Wu Sanqi, stay and clean things up. Remember—today’s operation was merely a government raid on criminals,” Song Qingqian instructed before turning to leave with Xiao Beitang.
Madam Hua stared after them, doubtful. Just who was this Jiang Tang, to be able to mobilize government soldiers so easily?
“Will Your Highness be riding or taking the carriage?” Song Qingqian asked with a smile.
Xiao Beitang looked at the sky, then the road, hesitated for a moment, and climbed into the carriage without a word. Song Qingqian hadn’t expected her to agree to ride with her—but that was just as well. It gave them a little more time to talk.
“Let’s go,” Song Qingqian said, lowering the curtain.
Inside the carriage, Xiao Beitang sat with her eyes closed, leaning on one hand, while Song Qingqian sat to the side, near the window.
“Your Highness, perhaps you might reconsider my earlier proposal. It’s only three years.”
“No need,” Xiao Beitang rejected firmly.
Song Qingqian smiled faintly, lifting a corner of the curtain. She had never tried to suppress her pheromones; whether angry or calm, she let them flow freely.
They traveled in silence. Before long, the carriage arrived at the palace gates, where Liuzi and Xiaotao were anxiously waiting.
Xiao Beitang alighted and walked swiftly away from Zichen Palace without looking back. Song Qingqian didn’t try to stop her.
“Your Highness, aren’t you returning to Zichen Palace?” Liuzi hurried after her, glancing back at Song Qingqian as he spoke.
Xiao Beitang ignored him, her steps quickening as if she were fleeing a plague.
“Consort, is Her Highness upset?” Xiaotao asked in confusion.
“Is the side chamber in Fuhua Courtyard ready?” Song Qingqian asked calmly.
“Yes, everything’s been arranged as you instructed. All of our belongings have also been moved.”
“Good.” Song Qingqian glanced in the direction Xiao Beitang had gone and strolled after her.
“Liuzi, go fetch Xing’er and the others to the library. Bring all of my belongings. From now on, I’ll be staying here,” Xiao Beitang ordered, entering the imperial library without another word.
Liuzi was puzzled. Hadn’t they returned with the consort? Why stay in the library?
“Your Highness, this place isn’t suitable for resting. Please return to Zichen Palace,” Liuzi pleaded as he followed her in.
“You’ve grown bold, haven’t you? Now you even dare disobey me?” Xiao Beitang said, grabbing a policy book and sitting down.
Liuzi remained silent, standing helplessly to the side.
“Is Your Highness planning to stay here from now on?” Song Qingqian entered with a smile, glancing around the room.
“What are you doing here?” Xiao Beitang snapped, glaring at her.
“I came to invite Your Highness back to Zichen Palace, of course.”
With obvious disdain, Xiao Beitang replied, “Spare me your performance. Do you really want me back?”
Song Qingqian replied with another question, “Why won’t Your Highness return?”
“That’s your Zichen Palace now, not mine,” Xiao Beitang said with biting sarcasm.
Song Qingqian strolled around the room, her fingers trailing across the spines of the books. “I know Your Highness dislikes me and doesn’t want to share a space. That’s why I’ve had all my belongings moved to the western chamber of Fuhua Courtyard. Now, can Your Highness return?”
Xiao Beitang eyed her suspiciously. “What are you plotting now, Song Qingqian? Trying to gain sympathy from the Empress by making her pity you?”
She shook her head. “If Your Highness continues sleeping outside, the entire palace will know. It’ll be my reputation that suffers—and my father’s, too. What gossip might that stir up? I’m sure Your Highness wouldn’t want the Empress constantly lecturing you, either.”
Xiao Beitang fell silent, then muttered angrily, “What do you really want, Song Qingqian?”
Song Qingqian smiled. “Relax. I only want you to return to Zichen Palace.”
Xiao Beitang thought it over. After one night here, her back was still sore. There were only a few hard chairs and a small couch—not comfortable at all. If she stayed again tonight, as Song Qingqian said, the
Empress and Empress Dowager would certainly scold her, and she’d never have peace.
“If you’re asking so sincerely, I suppose I’ll do you the favor.” She cast a glance at Song Qingqian, then hopped off the chair. “Liuzi, we’re going back to Zichen Palace.”
“Yes, Your Highness!” Liuzi responded cheerfully.
Upon returning to Zichen Palace, Xiao Beitang saw that Song Qingqian’s belongings had indeed been removed from the bedchamber. Only then did she relax.
She took a comfortable bath, changed into her nightclothes, and walked to the door. Glancing toward the western wing, she saw the shadow of Song Qingqian through the lit window—she appeared to be removing her makeup.
After watching for a while, Xiao Beitang returned to the bed. She had forced herself to endure all day; her back was still stiff and sore. The library had nothing suitable to sleep on.
She massaged her shoulders and stretched her arms, loosening her joints.
Then she stood, took out a brocade box from the cabinet, and opened it. Inside was a flawless, translucent Hetian jade pendant. She held it gently, absentmindedly caressing it, lost in thought.
After a long while, she carefully put it back, lay down, and drifted into a deep sleep.