The Prince Consort Is Also Pretending To Be Affectionate Today - Chapter 21

21

As the time for dinner approached, Ji Rongjin felt an odd atmosphere, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint what was strange about it.

This peculiar feeling persisted until the next morning when she attended court. While dozing off, she was suddenly called upon by Shen Zhuwan, who asked for her opinion. Only then did the oddity start to make sense.

But at that moment, with all eyes on her, Ji Rongjin adjusted her official hat and tactically tilted her head back.

Chang Qingshan whispered a reminder: “Her Highness is asking your opinion on the border tensions between Chu and our Daqian.”

Realizing the situation, Ji Rongjin stepped forward, bowed, and declared, “Your Highness, I believe this is a provocation from Chu against our nation. We should join forces with the neighboring Empress Kingdom to decisively eliminate them. Only then can we ensure the peace and prosperity of Daqian’s territory.”

Her words sparked murmurs throughout the hall.

It was common knowledge that neither the Empress Kingdom nor Chu was friendly toward Daqian. For years, Daqian had been slightly stronger than Chu but had refrained from taking action, fearing that the Empress Kingdom would seize the opportunity to strike from behind.

If forming an alliance were as simple as Ji Rongjin suggested, Daqian would not have hesitated for so long.

Amid the crowd’s hushed mockery, Ji Rongjin suddenly knelt and kowtowed, her voice resounding through the hall: “I am willing to serve as an envoy to negotiate with the Empress Kingdom on this matter!”

She thought to herself that if she could find that fellow transmigrator there, and if it was truly her, they could roam the world together.

Who needs to be a lousy prince consort or a Minister of Court of Judicial Review, buried under piles of case files every day? It was practically killing her.

Ji Rongjin was lost in her delightful fantasies.

The hall fell silent, likely stunned by her bold statement. After all, the Empress Kingdom was known for acting on whims, and countless envoys sent there had been executed.

In the quiet, Shen Zhuwan’s voice rang out slowly: “The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review’s words have merit. You may return for now.”

This was a polite dismissal.

Ji Rongjin’s smile faltered before it could fully form. Oh well.

Being a prince consort wasn’t that bad, though it would be even better if she could just be a kept man.

“Your Highness,” another minister stepped forward, “I believe that while tensions with Chu have been constant over the years, their recent brazen actions are unprecedented. Either they’ve already allied with the Empress Kingdom, or they believe themselves strong enough to act alone. However, with the Empress Kingdom in our south and Chu in our north, an alliance between them seems unlikely…”

The minister began analyzing the situation, clearly more thorough than Ji Rongjin’s radical proposal.

By the end of the court session, Ji Rongjin hadn’t paid much attention to the discussions, only catching that the Great General was leaving the capital to guard the border next month, taking his son, Lin Changcun, with him.

Ji Rongjin: Oh, jackpot!

She nearly burst out laughing in the court but managed to hold it in until the session ended, her steps practically floating as she left.

Her joy lasted until the afternoon when Lin Changcun arrived, abruptly ending her good mood.

Ji Rongjin’s smile froze. “What are you doing here?”

Lin Changcun stormed in aggressively. “I’m here to teach you martial arts.”

Ji Rongjin took half a step back, eyeing him warily. With his demeanor, she half-believed he was here to take her life.

Lin Changcun crossed his arms and smirked arrogantly. “What, scared?”

Ji Rongjin’s eyes darted around. “Fine, let’s do it.”

Soon, the two stood on a circular platform. Ji Rongjin glanced at Lin Changcun, who was cracking his knuckles, then at her own slight frame. Gritting her teeth, she said, “Bring it on.”

Dongmei, watching from below, cheered, “Go, Prince Consort! Don’t lose too badly!”

Ji Rongjin’s eye twitched, and she shot a glare back. Whose side are you on?

Just then, Dongmei gasped, “Prince Consort, watch out!”

A fist came straight at her face. Ji Rongjin barely dodged, feeling the wind of the punch whistle past her ear. Shocked, she exclaimed, “You’re serious?!”

Lin Changcun grinned, showing his teeth. “Pay attention. This move’s called Dragon Fist.”

Dongmei watched anxiously, wincing every time Ji Rongjin let out a pained cry from a hit.

“Ow!”

“Argh!”

“Damn it!”

With every shout from the platform, Dongmei’s face scrunched up further. She cursed Lin Changcun under her breath. Having trained in martial arts herself, she could tell he was using subtle force—blows that left no visible marks but caused lingering pain.

Just as she was about to rush up to save her master, Lin Changcun suddenly stopped.

He looked at Ji Rongjin, who was sprawled on the ground, grimacing and panting, and stood with hands on his hips. Whistling, he sneered, “Tch, after all these days, you still haven’t improved.”

Ji Rongjin, feeling like her body was falling apart, muttered weakly, “You think everyone’s like you, with nothing better to do than practice martial arts all day?”

Lin Changcun gritted his teeth. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Ji Rongjin sat up, eyeing him. “It means you’re fired. You don’t need to come back.”

With that, she stood, dusted off her clothes, and thought to herself that she was finally free. Being his punching bag was worth it if it meant getting rid of him.

“What?” Lin Changcun’s voice came from behind, seething. “Stop right there!”

Ji Rongjin ignored him and kept walking.

Dongmei moved to help her, but Lin Changcun was faster. He grabbed Ji Rongjin’s shoulder, spun her around, and loomed over her. “Hmph, you can’t beat me, so you’re firing me?”

Ji Rongjin shook off his arm and met his gaze defiantly. “You call that teaching? All you did was beat me up.”

Lin Changcun froze for a moment, then scoffed. “Sparring is the fastest way to improve.”

Ji Rongjin’s lips twitched. She turned to leave.

The prerequisite for practicing moves was having a body that could keep up. With her slight build and Lin Changcun’s arms practically as thick as her legs, he had the nerve to call it teaching.

She walked away, and this time, Lin Changcun didn’t stop her. Instead, he mocked, “Running away from challenges? You really don’t deserve Her Highness.”

Ji Rongjin didn’t react.

“Coward.” Lin Changcun continued.

Ji Rongjin stepped down from the platform.

“I look down on you,” he added.

Ji Rongjin paused, took a deep breath, and turned with a smile. “Wanna go again? This time, I’m using a weapon.”

Lin Changcun clicked his tongue. “Fine, I’ll let you use a weapon. I won’t. And I’ll give you three free moves.”

“Deal.” Ji Rongjin agreed, flashing a grin. You asked for it, kid.

She stepped off the platform. Dongmei, worried, moved to dissuade her, but Ji Rongjin whispered something in her ear.

Moments later, Dongmei looked at Ji Rongjin with a complicated expression. “Prince Consort, are you sure about this?”

“Absolutely.” Ji Rongjin replied.

Dongmei left, and Ji Rongjin went to pick a weapon. She chose a long spear, weighed it in her hands, and nodded in satisfaction. Perfect weight, perfect fit.

Lin Changcun, brimming with confidence, was about to ask if they could start when a foul smell hit his nose.

Frowning, he saw Dongmei return with a servant boy carrying a bucket—the source of the stench.

Pinching his nose, Lin Changcun asked, “What’s that?”

Ji Rongjin calmly walked over, dipped her spear into the bucket, and turned to face Lin Changcun, whose face had gone pale. With a smirk, she said, “Spear dipped in dung—poke someone, and they’re done.”

Near dusk, Shen Zhuwan returned from the palace. After a few steps into the residence, she frowned. “What’s that smell?”

Jinxi, her attendant, also wrinkled her nose. “Did some servant spill something foul?”

Shen Zhuwan paused briefly, then continued toward her study as if nothing was amiss.

Soon, Jinxi returned with news, her face a mix of reluctance and amusement. Shen Zhuwan, noticing her hesitation, prompted, “What happened?”

Jinxi glanced at the ethereal figure seated at the desk and debated whether to share such a crude matter. After a moment, she recounted the afternoon’s events, adding quietly, “They say Young Master Lin’s face was dark as a pot when he left.”

Shen Zhuwan remained silent for a moment before asking, “Did the Prince Consort get any of it on her?”

Jinxi, knowing her princess’s near-obsessive standards for cleanliness, shook her head. “Neither Young Master Lin nor the Prince Consort got any of the filth on them. Young Master Lin was just… overwhelmed by the smell.”

Given Ji Rongjin’s martial skills, actually hitting someone would’ve been a challenge.

Shen Zhuwan nodded. “Dispose of that spear. Have the residence thoroughly cleaned tomorrow.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Meanwhile, upon learning of the princess’s return, Ji Rongjin didn’t immediately go to see her. She felt like the smell still lingered on her and decided to stay in the incense room for a while longer.

By the time she was ready for dinner, she changed into fresh clothes and asked, “No smell, right?”

Dongmei nodded. “All gone.”

Reassured, Ji Rongjin headed to the dining hall.

Perhaps because of the beating she’d taken, she’d worked up an appetite and ate heartily. Shen Zhuwan, seated across from her, barely touched her food, instead watching Ji Rongjin eat.

Ji Rongjin, unnerved by the scrutiny, soon stopped eating as well.

Shen Zhuwan looked at her. “Full?”

Ji Rongjin nodded, then shook her head, and finally said, “I’m done.”

Shen Zhuwan studied her. “Where is the Prince Consort injured?”

At this, Ji Rongjin felt a surge of frustration. She was certain she was aching all over, but when she checked, her skin was unmarked. The only visible injury was a scrape on her arm from falling.

She extended her right arm. “Just this—bled a bit. But I’m sore all over.”

Shen Zhuwan looked at the arm presented to her. She had two bottles of medicine in her sleeve but only took out one. “Use this. It’ll help with invisible injuries.”

Ji Rongjin’s eyes lit up. Shen Zhuwan even knew she had internal injuries and had thoughtfully prepared medicine. Taking the bottle, she was about to thank her when she paused, feeling a bit guilty. “You know about it?”

Shen Zhuwan’s gaze was subtle. “The Prince Consort is… quite resourceful.”

Ji Rongjin coughed lightly. Before she could start complaining, Shen Zhuwan said, “If you’re not full, keep eating.”

She stood, looking down at her. “I’ll take my leave.”

Ji Rongjin nodded eagerly, realizing she was still hungry.

After Shen Zhuwan left, Ji Rongjin ate another large bowl of rice before returning to her room, satisfied and ready to rest.

Half an hour later, Dongmei rushed in. “Prince Consort, wake up! The princess’s room is lit!”

Ji Rongjin, groggy from sleep, jolted awake at Dongmei’s words.

When she entered the princess’s room, Shen Zhuwan was leaning against the headboard, holding a book, looking as if she’d been waiting for a while.

Ji Rongjin rubbed her nose. “Your Highness?”

Shen Zhuwan glanced at her and nodded. “Come here.”

Ji Rongjin was still a bit wary of the princess’s bed, recalling the unforgettable kick from last time. But at her command, she approached.

Shen Zhuwan set down her book, glanced at the person standing by the bed, and then at the empty space beside her. “Show me your wound.”

Ji Rongjin nodded, rolling up her sleeve. “This is from when I fell.”

She extended her arm, but realized the princess, seated on the bed, couldn’t see it clearly from her position. Her gaze fell on the empty space next to Shen Zhuwan, though it seemed a bit too close for comfort.

Noticing her hesitation, Shen Zhuwan said kindly, “Sit down.”

Ji Rongjin sat and held out her arm. “It hurts so much, Your Highness. Lin Changcun was ruthless. He knew I couldn’t match him, yet he hit so hard. He was clearly taking out personal grudges.”

Shen Zhuwan’s eyes fell on the long, red scrape on Ji Rongjin’s pale arm. Though not severe, the mark stood out starkly. She looked up at the girl, who gazed back with wet, dark eyes, pouting, “Your Highness, I don’t want him to teach me anymore. Can we get someone else?”

Shen Zhuwan could tell the girl was deliberately playing the victim. It wasn’t entirely an act—the pain was real—but her expressions and movements were calculated to convey her grievances.

Shen Zhuwan’s lips curved slightly. She took a bottle of medicine from her side. “Very well, as the Prince Consort wishes.”

Ji Rongjin had already told Lin Changcun he was fired, but since Shen Zhuwan had approved his teaching in the first place, she needed her consent to make it official. The cost of getting beaten up was steep, but at least Shen Zhuwan had agreed.

Grinning happily, Ji Rongjin was about to pull her arm back when Shen Zhuwan gently grasped her wrist.

Ji Rongjin froze, then saw Shen Zhuwan produce another bottle of medicine, her calm gaze meeting hers. “This will help it heal faster.”

Under the flickering candlelight, Shen Zhuwan’s features were soft, her white inner robe glowing gently. She looked at Ji Rongjin, her red lips slightly curved, and opened the bottle. “Bear with it.”

As a cool fragrance drew near, Ji Rongjin was momentarily dazed. She instinctively extended her arm, but Shen Zhuwan raised a brow, surprised. “Does the Prince Consort expect me to apply it for you?”

Ji Rongjin blinked, her face flushing as she realized she’d assumed Shen Zhuwan would apply the medicine. She hadn’t noticed the sly glint in Shen Zhuwan’s eyes.

Embarrassed, she was about to say she’d do it herself when cool fingertips touched her arm. Shen Zhuwan, lashes lowered, focused on the wound, her long lashes fluttering as she spoke softly, “Fine. It’s inconvenient with one hand.”

Ji Rongjin felt even more ashamed. The princess was likely sparing her embarrassment by making an excuse about her hand.

What a kind princess!

Present Ji Rongjin: The princess is such a good person!

Years later Ji Rongjin: I was such a fool. How did I miss that huge fox tail right in front of me?