The Crown Princess Is Jealous Again - Chapter 43

When Song Qingqian received the message, she merely responded calmly, “I understand.”

By the afternoon, Baihua Pavilion had already received the ten thousand taels sent by Xiao Beitang’s men. Linglong was overjoyed, eagerly awaiting her arrival. She had applied her makeup carefully and meticulously. She had met Song Qingqian before—if she didn’t prepare with utmost precision, she knew she would be utterly overshadowed by her.

But beneath her excitement was unease. Would the old madam of the Jiang family accept her?

She held onto her hopes, but the only one who came to fetch her was someone she had never seen before.

She knew where the Jiang residence was, and this route was not heading there. She wondered, perhaps it wasn’t convenient to bring her home directly. Maybe they intended to keep her outside the residence for now? After all, it wasn’t unheard of to keep concubines housed elsewhere.

Nervously, she asked, “Isn’t Miss Jiang coming?”

The man replied coldly, “Miss Jiang? I don’t know any Miss Jiang. I was ordered only to take you away from Baihua Pavilion and deliver you to the Jiaofang Bureau.”

“The… Jiaofang Bureau?” She stared at him in shock. “You must be mistaken! With my status, how could I be sent there? Besides, Miss Jiang redeemed me—where is she now? I want to see her!”

Expressionless, the man said, “I truly don’t know any Miss Jiang. I’m simply following my master’s orders. I know nothing else.”

Linglong didn’t dare press further, but suspicion churned in her heart. Did Miss Jiang truly have such power? To send her to the Jiaofang Bureau? But all she wanted was to stay by Xiao Beitang’s side. Though she was average in appearance, she believed that with effort, she could bear her a child.

Now, however, she had no other option but to follow. She certainly couldn’t return to Baihua Pavillion.

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The next day, outside the gates of the Imperial Academy, Xiao Beitang ran into Song Qingqian. With a smile, she greeted her, but Song Qingqian merely passed by with a frosty expression, ignoring her completely.

Xiao Lin scoffed, “You didn’t send a message back yesterday?”

She was confused. “I did. I told them I wasn’t coming back.”

“Tsk tsk tsk, what am I going to do with you? Didn’t you even mention you were with me?”

She shook her head. She had indeed sent her guard Xiao Yi to deliver the message: “Tell the Crown Princess I won’t be returning tonight. No need to wait.”

Xiao Yi was one of the covert guards in her retinue. She couldn’t be bothered remembering their names, so she instructed, “Just go by the order you’re standing in: Xiao Yi, Xiao Er, Xiao San… Make sure you remember your own number.”

The guards, bewildered at first, did as she said—and eventually came to memorize not only their own numbers but each other’s.

Over time, she grew able to distinguish them, though she never learned their real names. The guards got used to it too.
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During class, Song Qingqian never even looked at her once. Not a single glance the entire day.

But Lu Wuyou was thrilled. Today, she had clung to Song Qingqian’s side, and to her surprise, Song Qingqian actually smiled at her—a rare occurrence.

Xiao Beitang was livid with jealousy.

After class, she went ahead to wait in the carriage, fuming. Lu Wuyou’s smug expression from earlier still irritated her. She waited and waited, but Song Qingqian never came.

Impatiently, she told Liuzi, “Go see what’s taking so long.”

Liuzi went and quickly returned. “Your Highness, Miss Song already left.”

“She left? Without saying anything?”

Liuzi didn’t dare respond. Yesterday, Song Qingqian hadn’t come back for dinner either. When they sent someone to check, all she said was, “I won’t be coming back.” Though her tone was calm, the air around her had been ice-cold and suffocating.

The carriage started to move. Xiao Beitang urged them to hurry.

She stormed back to Zichen Palace, fuming, only to find Song Qingqian sipping tea leisurely, not sparing her a glance.

“Why didn’t you wait for me?” she asked.

Taking another sip, Song Qingqian replied indifferently, “I thought Your Highness wouldn’t return today either.”

“I… Yesterday—” Xiao Beitang wanted to explain.

Song Qingqian cut her off, “There’s no need. Where Your Highness goes is your own business.”

She stood up, looked at Xiao Beitang deeply, sighed, and said, “Starting tomorrow, let’s go to and from the Academy separately. It’ll make things less conspicuous—and be more convenient for Your Highness.”

Xiao Beitang froze. Did Song Qingqian still believe she had killed the Sun family? Was that why she was distancing herself, treating her so coldly? She didn’t even want to share a carriage anymore?

As Song Qingqian brushed past her, Xiao Beitang’s heart clenched.

And when she heard the door close behind her, it felt like her heart slammed shut too.

She turned around. Not even dinner together?

She wandered back into her room in a daze, sitting by the window, staring at Song Qingqian’s tightly shut doors and windows—utterly dejected.

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The next morning, just as expected, Song Qingqian left early and didn’t wait.

Xiao Beitang was downcast. Xiao Wanqi noticed something was off. “What’s wrong? You look like a wilted eggplant. Who dared upset you?”

“Who else?” Xiao Lin glanced toward Song Qingqian’s study.

“What happened?”

Xiao Beitang remained silent.

Xiao Lin teased in a low voice, “You want her, and she’s not willing?”

Xiao Wanqi shot her a glare. “Tsk. Can’t you read the room?”

Xiao Lin pouted. “I just wanted to cheer her up…”

After a while, Xiao Beitang finally muttered, “I must get to the bottom of what happened to the Sun family.”

“I’ll help you,” Xiao Lin said. “To be honest, I feel responsible. I provoked Sun Cheng first. If I had held back, maybe…”

Though Xiao Lin had a mischievous nature, this involved more than twenty lives. As a royal, her hands had remained clean—until now. The guilt gnawed at her.

“I’m with you both,” Xiao Wanqi added. She’d always hated Sun Cheng, but the price he paid… was far too steep.

Lu Wuyou sauntered over, smirking playfully. “Hey, what are you three plotting?”

Xiao Lin laughed. “Still carrying that fan in this weather? Aren’t you cold?”

“What do you know? This is called style~.”

“Sure, real stylish—until you catch a cold.”

Lu Wuyou rolled her eyes and plopped down. “Heard the news? The Imperial Academy’s annual autumn outing is coming up.”

“Autumn outing?”

“Mm. The Academy emphasizes theory and practice, so every year they organize all kinds of events—supporting agriculture, spring and autumn excursions, things like that.”

Xiao Wanqi nodded. “Sounds fun.”

But Xiao Beitang remained distracted, her thoughts still with the Sun family case.

After class, they visited the Sun residence again, hoping to find evidence in Sun Cheng’s father’s study.

Unfortunately, they were too late. Everything had already been taken.

As she left the Sun estate, the sun hadn’t yet set, so she returned to the palace alone.

Song Qingqian wasn’t in the courtyard—or in the rooms.

She asked, “Xing’er, has the Crown Princess returned?”

“No, Your Highness. I haven’t seen her today.”

“Oh…” She hasn’t returned? Where could she have gone?

It wasn’t until nightfall that Song Qingqian came back. Hearing movement from the west wing, Xiao Beitang got up to look—only catching a glimpse of her back as the door closed.

Tomorrow was a rest day. It had been a long time since Xiao Beitang had gone out with Xiao Lin and the others, but after what happened with Linglong, she had no desire to return to Baihua Pavillion.

She wondered what Song Qingqian had planned for the day. Where had she gone today, returning so late? She never used to be like this.

Her thoughts drifted aimlessly. Bored and restless.