The Ninth Princess Reigns Supreme [Transmigration] - Chapter 33

Seeing her daughter embroidering outside, the Duke of Jiang didn’t even give her a proper look, just coldly dropped a sentence and left:

“You persuade your brother.”

Jiang Changxi’s needlework paused, and she softly responded with a “good.”

She was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Jiang’s mansion, with outstanding character and appearance, and a good reputation. Since the age of twelve, countless families in Xijing wanted to come to propose marriage, eager to marry Jiang Changxi.

But no matter who came, no matter how noble their family background was, the Duke of Jiang refused, only saying to the outside world that his daughter was still young and not in a hurry to talk about marriage.

Jiang Changxi was now sixteen years old, the age for marriage, but her marriage was still not settled, which was extremely rare in the Great Ning Dynasty, where engagements were generally made at the age of thirteen or fourteen.

Others didn’t know, but Jiang Changxi was very clear about the calculations her parents had in mind.

The Jiang family had an empress, but she had been childless for many years. Seeing that the children of Concubine Shi had grown up, the Jiang family naturally saw it and was anxious. They had been thinking about sending someone to the palace again.

There were also eligible women from the side branches of the family, but the side branches were not their own family after all. Seeing that his only legitimate daughter was growing up to be graceful, the Duke of Jiang had an idea.

The Duke and Duchess of Jiang had taught Jiang Changxi very well. She had been sensible and well-behaved since she was a child, knowing that parents’ orders and matchmakers’ words could not be decided by herself.

But she couldn’t help but feel a little melancholy.

Empress Jiang was her aunt, and although her status was high, Jiang Changxi knew that her aunt was not happy.

She didn’t want to live the same life as her aunt, but what could she do?

Jiang Changxi put down the needlework in her hand, and while her mother was still in her brother’s room, she lowered her head to find the little fox hidden under the chair.

“You…” She rubbed the little fox’s smooth fur with her fingers. “It’s been two years since I picked you up. I don’t know how much longer I can keep you.”

The little fox seemed to understand her words, its eyes rolling around, and it gently bit her little finger with its teeth, very affectionate.

When the Duchess of Jiang came out, the little fox nimbly slipped into Jiang Changxi’s sleeve.

Jiang Changxi listened to her mother’s usual admonitions, telling her that she would soon enter the palace to meet the emperor and how she must not lose her manners in front of the emperor… She only felt extremely annoyed.

But the obedience she had been cultivated since childhood prevented her from showing any dissatisfaction in front of her mother, so Jiang Changxi could not reveal any emotions and had to quietly lower her eyes.

••••

Two days later, Jiang Yuzhang appeared at the Imperial Academy.

His health was deteriorating, and it was a long and tiring journey from the Duke of Jiang’s mansion to the palace, so he didn’t come every day.

There was about an incense stick of time before the lecture started, and Liu Li was stopped by him in the corridor: “County Princess.”

Liu Li raised her head vigilantly, but seeing that Jiang Yuzhang didn’t have any ill intentions, she relaxed a little: “What’s the matter, Young Master Jiang?”

“…” Jiang Yuzhang was silent for a moment. “My father wants to make our matter public and settle this marriage first. Last time, I only felt that the county princess was unwilling, so I came to ask the county princess’s intentions again.”

Liu Li had written to the Duke of Chu about this, but her father didn’t seem to care. Anyway, Liu Li was still young, and there were many variables, so it didn’t matter whether the marriage was settled or not.

Jiang Yuzhang was just a little kid in Liu Li’s eyes, and she naturally had some resistance in her heart, but at this time, Jiang Yuzhang was quite sincere, so she didn’t say much, just silently shook her head.

“I see.” Jiang Yuzhang lowered his head to hide the disappointment in his eyes. “I understand. The county princess has a bright future and should not be dragged down by my sick body. I will go back and tell my father to give up the idea of settling this marriage.”

Liu Li felt that Jiang Yuzhang was also quite pitiful. After all, he had such a high favorability towards the original owner, and they might have had a deep relationship in the past, so she comforted him: “Young Master Jiang, don’t be discouraged. I believe your illness will get better.”

“Thank you for your kind words, County Princess.” Jiang Yuzhang coughed a few times and said, “A few days later, my grandmother and my parents will bring some of us juniors into the palace to visit Empress Jiang. The county princess and I…”

As he spoke, he suddenly saw the girl behind Liu Li carrying a book bag, her eyes clear and bright, looking over here without blinking.

It was the Ninth Princess.

When their eyes met, the Ninth Princess narrowed her eyes slightly, and the cold light deliberately revealed almost burned Jiang Yuzhang’s eyes.

But in an instant, the feeling of being stared at disappeared again. Jiang Yuzhang looked at Ning Zisheng blankly, wondering if he had an illusion.

“What’s wrong?” Liu Li followed his gaze and looked back, but only saw Ning Zisheng standing there quietly, as if waiting for Liu Li. Seeing her look back, she also curled the corners of her lips and pointed to the direction of the classroom, signaling her to hurry up.

Jiang Yuzhang paused: “…The county princess still has something left with me. I will bring it then and return it to the county princess.”

“Okay.” Liu Li gave Jiang Yuzhang a good person card in her heart, praising him for being very sensible, which saved a lot of unnecessary trouble. “Young Master Jiang, you are upright, I thank you here.”

The original owner’s “token of love” should indeed be taken back, otherwise, there would be endless troubles.

The lecture at the Imperial Academy was about to start, and Liu Li nodded slightly to Jiang Yuzhang and left, running to Ning Zisheng’s side excitedly.

Jiang Yuzhang was stunned for a moment, only to see County Princess Chun Ning talking and laughing with the Ninth Princess, completely different from the expression when she talked to him just now.

When the figures of the two reached the end of the corridor, Jiang Yuzhang didn’t know if he had seen it wrong. The Ninth Princess suddenly glanced at Jiang Yuzhang again out of the corner of her eye.

Her eyes were condescending, and Jiang Yuzhang only read one word—

Scram.

He was the heir of the Duke of Jiang, and even the Third Prince had to give him some face, but the unfavored Ninth Princess dared to show her dislike for him so arrogantly.

Jiang Yuzhang suddenly had a bold guess, she and County Princess Chun Ning, could it be?!

••••

On the day the old lady of the Jiang family and the Duke and Duchess of Jiang brought their children into the palace, the emperor specially held a banquet by the imperial lake to entertain them.

No matter what the relationship between the emperor and the empress was, the Jiang family was still greatly favored, which was why Empress Jiang had the confidence to make a scene with Emperor Jiacheng after being wronged.

“Yuzhang, Changxi greets Uncle and Aunt.”

In the superficial greetings, Jiang Yuzhang and Jiang Changxi bowed to Emperor Jiacheng and Empress Jiang.

Empress Jiang naturally knew why her brother and sister-in-law brought her niece into the palace this time.

This palace was a big colorful dye vat. People would change if they stayed in it for a long time. She loved Emperor Jiacheng to the bone and insisted on marrying him back then. Now she hated him out of jealousy and lived the way she used to hate the most.

Her little niece was in her prime. If she hadn’t been childless, she wouldn’t have had to resort to this… Empress Jiang’s heart was full of resentment towards Emperor Jiacheng.

There was nothing wrong with her body. The reason why she was childless was just because Emperor Jiacheng didn’t like her.

Jiang Changxi felt her aunt’s complicated eyes and didn’t dare to look at her. She just obediently helped her brother up after Emperor Jiacheng said “Rise.”

Seeing that she was so sensible and polite, the Duke and Duchess of Jiang smiled and thought that their daughter would definitely catch the emperor’s eye.

At this time, Liu Li and Ning Zisheng were lying on the roof of Linde Palace. It might not be accurate to say lying down because only Liu Li was like that. Ning Zisheng had found the center of gravity and sat steadily on her toes.

This was the second time Liu Li had been on the roof, so she was naturally very careful, afraid that she would fall.

Linde Palace was by the imperial lake, so they could easily see every move there, but they couldn’t see here because there were no lights here.

In fact, what they lit there was not a lamp, but a novelty item from another country called a lamp tree, which was a lamp stand with dozens of lamps on it, shaped like a tree, very novel and beautiful. It was about tens of feet high and placed around in a scattered manner, illuminating the night almost as bright as day. [Note 1]

That side was so bright, forming a sharp contrast with the darkness on this side. In addition, their figures were just hidden by a cypress tree, completely concealed.

Ning Zisheng was about to look up when she suddenly reached out and felt the invisible wind in the air. After thinking for a moment, she said, “West wind?”

Liu Li also felt the wind blowing: “Is there something wrong?”

“…Xijing has been sunny for three or four months. Tonight, a west wind is blowing, which is a sign of rain.” [Note 2]

“Ah?” Liu Li’s first reaction was to fear that they would be drenched, and then to worry whether the poisoning would still be successful. “What should we do? Should we take the pill back?”

According to their planned plan, the pill was hidden in advance on the top of the pavilion by the imperial lake, hanging with a very thin silk thread to ensure it would not fall.

At that time, Ning Zisheng would break the silk thread with an arrow, and the pill would fall steadily into it when the Jiang family wanted to serve tea, merging into one.

Although it sounded too risky, with Ning Zisheng’s luck values, Liu Li felt that there was no problem.

But if the west wind came, what if the pill was blown away or rained on? Wouldn’t it be wasted?!

“No.” Ning Zisheng’s heart moved slightly. “Let’s see.”

Soon, the firelight of the lamp tree began to sway in the wind. At first, everyone was unaware, but after a while, they noticed something was wrong.

First, a few lamps on a lamp tree went out, and gradually it evolved into a complete blackout. The wind blew from one lamp tree to another in the direction they were placed, until only a few were left.

How bright the imperial lake was just now, how dim it was now.

Tonight, the emperor ordered only lamp trees to be used. The people below didn’t prepare other lamps at all. The eunuchs and servants who were serving rushed to get emergency lanterns.

Just as the Jiang family finished serving tea, Emperor Jiacheng raised his cup to drink and felt raindrops dripping on his fingers, frowning: “Is it raining?”

Before he finished speaking, heavy rain poured down and extinguished the last few lamp trees, and several exclamations sounded at the same time.

Thunder roared, occasionally illuminating the scene for a moment, and Liu Li was stunned.

She watched the wind lift the pill, like a bead with a broken string, across the sky, forming a perfect parabola, accurately falling into the slightly tilted teapot. Everyone was panicked and had no way to notice.

This change came quickly and went quickly.

The rain stopped, the wind stopped, and a few lamp trees were relit. Emperor Jiacheng looked at the teacup in front of him, which was wet from the rain, and frowned slightly.

The eunuch next to him reacted quickly and immediately changed a cup, pouring a full cup for Emperor Jiacheng from the teapot, which he drank in one gulp.

The medicine entered Emperor Jiacheng’s stomach just like that, and everything was completed unexpectedly.

Liu Li stiffly turned her head, wanting to ask Ning Zisheng, what kind of European Emperor are you?

Is this the destined by heaven who has the food pushed into their mouth by heaven? I love it.

Ning Zisheng didn’t have much of a reaction.

Humans plan, heaven decides. If you go against the will of heaven, no matter how carefully you plan, you will not succeed.

Since heaven is helping me, then this matter must be in accordance with the will of heaven.

After the rain stopped, the dark clouds gradually dispersed, revealing the bright moon behind the clouds and countless sparkling stars, making the night no longer pitch black.

Liu Li’s outer garment was slightly wet, and it was approaching winter, so it was extremely cold, making her shiver.

“Are you cold?” Ning Zisheng turned her head to look at Liu Li.

“…It’s okay.” Liu Li just felt that the wet clothes were a little uncomfortable. In contrast, Ning Zisheng was dry all over, which made her very envious.

Ning Zisheng paused and took off her outer garment: “Take it off, wear mine.”

“Ah?” Liu Li hurriedly refused, “Forget it, Your Highness, what if you catch a cold?”

Ning Zisheng didn’t speak, just handed the clothes in her hand forward, her intention not to be refused was obvious.

The author has something to say:

[Note 1] “Long sunny west wind rain, long rainy west wind sunny. The west wind represents the intrusion of cold air at night, which meets the original air and forms weather changes. In fact, the changes will not be so fast. The plot of this article requires exaggeration.

[Note 2] “…lamp tree…lit on the Lantern Festival, visible for a hundred miles, the light steals the moon’s color.” Reference from “Kaiyuan Tianbao Yishi”