The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 19
Xiao Beitang walked to the edge of the field. Li Ningyu approached her enthusiastically, holding out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. Xiao Beitang subtly dodged her, took the handkerchief herself, and wiped her face as she looked toward the field.
In the center stood Song Qingqian, her gaze fixed on Xiao Beitang.
Their eyes met for a brief moment before Xiao Beitang gave her a look of disdain and turned to leave. Song Qingqian was momentarily confused but quickly followed after her.
Li Ningyu trailed behind Xiao Beitang like a small shadow.
“Your Highness, may I play cuju with you all next time?” she asked brightly.
Without a second thought, Xiao Beitang replied, “You’re a kunzhe—it’s too dangerous.”
“Then why can Song Qingqian play? Isn’t she a kunzhe too…” Li Ningyu sounded a little wronged, her tone tinged with jealousy.
“It’s inappropriate for a princess to call me by name, don’t you think?” came Song Qingqian’s cool voice from behind.
Both Xiao Beitang and Li Ningyu turned around at once.
Li Ningyu grew flustered and stammered, “I… I just haven’t adjusted yet.”
Song Qingqian ignored her and walked forward, addressing Xiao Beitang, “Your Highness, why didn’t you wait for me?”
Wait for you? Weren’t you chatting happily with Lin Zi He just now? Xiao Beitang fumed silently.
She responded sharply, “Song Qingqian, are you deliberately trying to irritate me?”
“Why would Your Highness say that?” Song Qingqian looked genuinely puzzled.
“How long do you plan to keep following me?”
Song Qingqian smiled slightly. “Until Your Highness agrees to the three-year promise.”
“Oh really? Fine. If you have the nerve, keep following me. Just don’t come crying about it later,” Xiao Beitang sneered with a dark chuckle.
“You needn’t worry, Your Highness,” Song Qingqian replied calmly.
Li Ningyu frowned. “How can you be so rude? Her Highness already told you not to follow—how dare you ignore her?”
Song Qingqian shot her a cold glance. “Princess, allow me to remind you—I am the Crown Princess. You should be greeting me with a bow.”
Li Ningyu was rendered speechless. “You…”
“And one more thing—I am the Crown Princess, Her Highness’s wife. It’s not your place to comment on our relationship.” Song Qingqian offered her no mercy.
Li Ningyu’s face turned as green as a vegetable leaf. She stomped her foot in frustration, casting a pleading look at Xiao Beitang. “Your Highness…”
“Yu’er, go back first,” Xiao Beitang said, her tone devoid of patience. She disliked people who cried easily.
Feeling even more wronged, Li Ningyu ran off in tears.
“Song Qingqian, your talent for getting under people’s skin is truly something to behold,” Xiao Beitang said with a mocking laugh.
“Your Highness flatters me,” Song Qingqian replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
“Birds of a feather,” Xiao Beitang scoffed, rolling her eyes and striding ahead.
“What was that, Your Highness?” Song Qingqian asked, having not caught the words.
“I said you and Lin Zi He are two of a kind,” Xiao Beitang repeated slowly, full of contempt.
“And why do you say that?”
“Someone like her—you can chat with her so easily. That says enough,” Xiao Beitang’s tone dripped with disdain.
Song Qingqian found her tone oddly… jealous? She smiled as she followed. “Did Your Highness have a falling out with her?”
Xiao Beitang ignored her, quickening her pace and heading straight back to the palace.
Xiao Beitang liked cleanliness. The moment she returned, she ordered a bath. By the time she finished, it was nearly noon.
When she came out, Song Qingqian was already in the courtyard, sipping tea. A few maple trees stood around them, red tiles and green eaves under a cool breeze. Leaves drifted down, stirring a sense of melancholy.
Xiao Beitang hated autumn—truly loathed it. Although the season had not yet arrived, she was already irritable. Her expression darkened.
“Liuzi, bring lunch. I’m hungry.” She passed by Song Qingqian in the courtyard without sparing her a glance.
She had just sat down when Song Qingqian entered and took the seat opposite her.
“May I join Your Highness for lunch?” she asked.
“You’ve already sat down!” Xiao Beitang knocked on the table in frustration. Was that even asking?
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Xiao Beitang shot her a glare and turned away.
Liuzi, who had never seen Xiao Beitang so outmaneuvered before, tried to hold back her laughter—but a noise still slipped out.
Xiao Beitang immediately sensed she was being laughed at and scowled. “What are you laughing at?”
“Forgive me, Your Highness. I deserve punishment,” Liuzi dropped to her knees, feeling aggrieved. Song Qingqian was too sharp with words, and now she was the target.
“Liuzi, you all may leave,” Song Qingqian said calmly.
Liuzi quietly obeyed and withdrew.
As Song Qingqian served her food, she asked intentionally, “Why didn’t Your Highness leave the palace today?”
“You know very well why,” Xiao Beitang shot her another glare.
“I truly don’t,” Song Qingqian said with an innocent smile.
“Song Qingqian, what exactly did I do to offend you?” Xiao Beitang snapped, unable to hold back her irritation.
“What makes Your Highness say that?”
“You embarrassed me in front of everyone. That wasn’t enough? Now you’re cozying up to my archrival just to spite me?”
Song Qingqian put down her chopsticks. “Your Highness, was I not the one wronged at the Baihua Pavilion? And as for this ‘archrival’ of yours—I genuinely have no idea who you mean.”
Xiao Beitang grew furious. “You? Wronged? How?”
Song Qingqian’s expression turned serious. “On the night of our wedding, Your Highness stayed elsewhere. I became the palace’s laughingstock—should I not feel wronged? The next day, you left the palace for entertainment—should I not feel wronged? When I went to find you, I saw you surrounded by beautiful women—should I not feel wronged?”
Xiao Beitang’s face darkened. “Song Qingqian, do you take me for a fool?”
“Pardon?”
Xiao Beitang stared at her. “You’re trying to trap me again. You don’t care about me—how could you be hurt by who I spend time with?”
Song Qingqian chuckled. “If Your Highness truly doesn’t care about me, then why does it matter whom I’m friendly with?”
“You…” Xiao Beitang was momentarily speechless.
“Your Highness, I don’t wish to make things difficult between us. To be frank—I married you because I had no other choice. If Your Highness would just agree to the three-year pact…”
Xiao Beitang slammed her fist on the table, startling the dishes. She snapped, “Enough! Don’t think I don’t know—the Empress sent you to discipline me, didn’t she? I will never agree to this so-called three-year pact. Give up!”
With that, Xiao Beitang stood and stormed off. Song Qingqian sighed softly.
After walking a while, Xiao Beitang glanced around. Not seeing Song Qingqian following her, she felt both relieved and slightly disappointed. She had thought Song Qingqian would at least be persistent. But she gave up after just one day? So that’s all she amounted to?
Meanwhile, Song Qingqian left the palace and instructed Wu Sanqi to follow Xiao Beitang. She herself headed to Kunning Palace.
Judging from Xiao Beitang’s attitude toward the Emperor, the mother-daughter relationship was deeply strained. She needed to find out why.
“Qingqian greets the Empress Mother,” Song Qingqian said with a respectful curtsy.
“Qingqian? What brings you here now?” the Empress asked in mild surprise.
“I hope I’m not disturbing Your Majesty.”
With a warm smile, the Empress said, “Of course not. I’m delighted to have your company.”
“Come, sit,” she added, taking her hand. “Did palace life become too stifling so soon?”
Song Qingqian shook her head with a smile. “Not at all. I simply have a question I’d like to ask.”
“Oh? What is it?” the Empress’s tone turned serious.
Song Qingqian hesitated before asking, “It seems there’s a rift between His Majesty and Her Highness?”
The Empress’s expression shifted, a hint of discomfort appearing.
“Have I overstepped?” Song Qingqian asked, noticing her reaction.
The Empress forced a smile. “It’s fine.”
After a moment of silence, she sighed. “There is indeed a rift between them. Only three people know the truth—myself, His Majesty, and the Imperial Preceptor.”
Song Qingqian quickly said, “If it’s inconvenient, please don’t say more.”
The fewer people who knew, the more serious the matter likely was.
The Empress hesitated. “It’s fine to tell you. Just be prepared—it may be a shock.”
A shock? Song Qingqian had assumed it was nothing more than a typical father-daughter clash. But seeing the Empress’s expression, she realized—it was far from simple.