The Prince Consort Is Also Pretending To Be Affectionate Today - Chapter 24

24

In the open-minded culture of Daqian, matters between men and women were treated with relative leniency. However, hearing their daughter speak so candidly still left the elderly couple somewhat unsettled.

After all, watching someone else’s house collapse is one thing; having your own collapse is quite another.

For Ji Rongjin, however, the more pressing matter was clearly to investigate the rumors from before.

“By the way, Father, Mother,” Ji Rongjin’s words pulled the couple’s thoughts back. “I still haven’t recalled why I disguised myself as a man to marry the princess. And what’s with those rumors in the capital about me being deeply in love with her?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Lady Ji suddenly walked to the door, dismissed all the servants, and returned to the room. She looked at Ji Rongjin nervously and whispered, “By the way, Jin’er, does the princess know you’re a woman?”

Ji Rongjin’s heart skipped a beat. As expected, the old couple had kept this from the princess.

She carefully replied, “The princess likely doesn’t know.”

After speaking, she looked at the two across from her, waiting for their explanation.

“What a sin,” Lady Ji sighed. Lord Ji’s face also showed guilt as he slowly began to recount the events of the past.

The year Ji Rongjin was born, the court was embroiled in heated debates over whether a woman could inherit the throne. The controversy began when the late emperor announced in court that he and the empress had a daughter and would have no more children.

In a world that revered men, this statement caused a storm.

Ministers argued incessantly, with countless traditionalists urging the emperor and empress to have a son to inherit the throne, some even threatening to die in protest.

Naturally, where there was opposition, there was also support.

Lord Ji was one of the few who supported the emperor and empress’s decision. To prove his point, he boldly declared his newborn daughter to be a son and made an agreement with the late emperor: when she achieved success and fame, her true identity would be revealed, showing the old-fashioned ministers how outdated their thinking was.

Back then, Lord Ji was young and ambitious, determined to prove himself right. The late emperor, infuriated by the relentless protests of his ministers, allowed this audacious plan to proceed.

Later, after the emperor’s death and a series of political struggles, it was time for the princess to marry, and the chosen person was Ji Rongjin.

Though Lord Ji and the late emperor had a good relationship, he had no direct connection with Princess Shen Zhuwan. Disclosing Ji Rongjin’s true identity at that time was neither feasible nor appropriate.

Fortunately, the princess’s choice of Ji Rongjin wasn’t based on personal affection. After the emperor’s death, she sought to win over the neutral ministers who had once been loyal to her father. Many of these ministers owed their positions to Lord Ji’s support, and after the engagement between Shen Zhuwan and Ji Rongjin was announced, they showed her some degree of allegiance out of respect for Lord Ji.

Lord Ji had considered revealing Ji Rongjin’s true identity multiple times but never found the right moment. Moreover, the princess had agreed before the marriage that they would divorce after three years.

Thus, the misunderstanding persisted.

As for the rumors of their loving relationship, the couple wasn’t sure how they started. However, it was true that Ji Rongjin had knelt for three days and three nights because she didn’t want to marry the princess. Not only did she resist the marriage, but she was also waiting to reclaim her female identity and pursue the person she truly liked.

It was precisely because of those three days and nights that the princess proposed the three-year marriage term, and the original Ji Rongjin finally accepted her fate.

After hearing the full explanation, Ji Rongjin was somewhat dumbfounded. She hadn’t expected such a convoluted backstory behind a mere marriage contract. The princess’s decision to marry her wasn’t out of deep affection but to secure political power.

Wait—three-year contract?

“Father, Mother, how many years has it been since I married the princess?”

Lord Ji replied, “The second year.”

Ji Rongjin let out a sigh of relief. Good, the contract would expire next year.

She happily began to imagine her life after the divorce, but when she looked up, she noticed the hesitant expressions on her parents’ faces.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Rongjin asked.

“My dear,” Lady Ji said hesitantly, “if you truly like the princess, perhaps next year you could discuss renewing the contract with her?”

“There’s really no need for that,” Ji Rongjin said seriously. “If I like her, I’ll pursue her myself. If it doesn’t work out, then it just means we’re not fated.”

“Then you really don’t like that Lin boy anymore?” Lord Ji asked, still somewhat skeptical.

Ji Rongjin emphasized again, “I never liked him. I only pretended to like him to get the princess to pay more attention to me.”

“I see,” Lady Ji nodded slowly. “So, how does the princess feel about you…?”

She looked her daughter up and down and comforted, “If it doesn’t work out, you can always renew for another year. After all, feelings can grow over time.”

Ji Rongjin: “…” She’s fine, really!

By evening, Ji Rongjin returned to the princess’s residence with a mind full of the past’s revelations.

Back at the residence, she found herself in a dilemma. Just that day, she had decided to act as if she deeply loved the princess, but before nightfall, she had learned that their relationship hadn’t been good before.

Should she pretend to have remembered or not?

If she admitted to remembering, wouldn’t that mean confessing that their strained relationship was because she liked Lin Changcun?

Forget it. She hadn’t remembered. She had always loved the princess from the start.

Not long after making up her mind, Shadow Two found her. “Consort, the princess is waiting for you in the study.”

Ji Rongjin let out a puzzled “Hm?” and asked as she walked, “What does the princess want with me?”

Shadow Two’s voice was stiff. “This subordinate doesn’t know.”

Ji Rongjin glanced at her, noticing her rigid expression and odd demeanor. Shadow Two’s eyes occasionally darted toward her, making Ji Rongjin raise an eyebrow in confusion. “Is there something on me?”

Shadow Two quickly glanced at her lower body and said, “…Nothing.”

Ji Rongjin didn’t press further. She adjusted her attire and knocked on the princess’s door.

“Come in.”

Ji Rongjin pushed the door open and stepped inside, spotting the figure behind the screen. She approached, saying, “The princess summoned me?”

The woman sat behind the desk, looking somewhat weary. She didn’t respond immediately, instead setting down her brush and taking a sip of tea before looking at Ji Rongjin. “Did the consort return home today?”

Ji Rongjin thought it wasn’t a secret, so she nodded.

Shen Zhuwan looked at her and slowly asked, “Then, has the consort recalled anything from the past?”

Pretend not to remember?

That had been Ji Rongjin’s plan, but sitting below Shen Zhuwan now, looking up at the dignified, serene woman who rarely showed emotion, she suddenly wanted to say she remembered.

She wanted to know how Shen Zhuwan felt about the original Ji Rongjin liking Lin Changcun and what her reaction would be to learning Ji Rongjin had recalled their less-than-ideal past.

Would she draw a clear line, keeping them distant until the contract ended, or would she maintain their current relationship?

Ji Rongjin herself wasn’t sure what thoughts and feelings were swirling in her heart.

“I’ve remembered some things.” Ji Rongjin said, her voice tinged with a nervousness she didn’t even notice. “It seems our relationship wasn’t very good before.”

She thought that Shen Zhuwan had treated her well. If admitting this caused a rift or forced them to be bound only by the contract, she’d feel a bit sad.

Even if she didn’t have romantic feelings for Shen Zhuwan.

Behind the desk, the woman’s eyes dimmed slightly at her words. She looked at Ji Rongjin quietly, her lashes lowering to avoid her gaze. After a long pause, her voice was hoarse. “So, I won’t get to see the consort achieve greatness?”

Achieve greatness.

That night, when comforting Shen Zhuwan, Ji Rongjin had carelessly promised to make her wait until she achieved greatness and dealt with those who upset her.

There was no cold boundary-setting or the expected scheming. Shen Zhuwan’s first reaction to learning Ji Rongjin remembered their past was to ask if she could wait until Ji Rongjin achieved greatness.

But it wasn’t just that, Ji Rongjin thought.

Her dimmed eyes, lowered lashes, averted gaze, and hoarse voice were clearly telling Ji Rongjin that what she really meant was: Are you going to dislike me and abandon me again?

Ji Rongjin’s breath caught, and in that moment, a flood of bittersweet emotions surged from deep within.

Reason told her that the woman before her was the most exalted in Daqian, someone who wouldn’t be so fragile or need her promises and companionship. But seeing Shen Zhuwan’s trembling lashes and sorrowful profile, Ji Rongjin’s heart softened again and again.

She felt that Shen Zhuwan shouldn’t be like this.

She shouldn’t show such vulnerable, sorrowful expressions or feel insecure because of Ji Rongjin’s promises. She should always be lofty, strategic, and composed, her emotions hidden.

This expression, caused by Ji Rongjin, made her feel like she was important to Shen Zhuwan.

Yes.

Ji Rongjin looked at her steadily and said, “You can.”

Shen Zhuwan raised her eyes, her gaze soft and misty.

Ji Rongjin repeated, “I said, the princess can wait until the day I achieve greatness.”

She thought, if she was so important to Shen Zhuwan, maybe she could be a bit more sincere with her.

Shen Zhuwan looked at her quietly for a moment before asking softly, “Really?”

Before Ji Rongjin could respond, she continued, “If so, then this princess will test how far the consort has progressed.”

Her expression was natural, her tone cool, completely devoid of the earlier sadness.

Ji Rongjin: “…?” Wait, something’s not right.

Wasn’t the princess supposed to be moved, tearfully embracing her as they poured out their hearts? How did it suddenly turn into testing her progress?

What about the whole emotional middle part? How did they skip it?

At that moment, Ji Rongjin stood in the center of the martial arts platform, facing Shen Zhuwan, still a bit dazed about how things had escalated to this point.

“Consort, we can begin.” Shen Zhuwan reminded, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes.

Ji Rongjin looked at the elegant, composed woman across from her, gritted her teeth, and belatedly realized she might have been tricked by this cunning fox, Shen Zhuwan.

Fueled by her frustration, Ji Rongjin charged forward, teeth clenched.

Shen Zhuwan, initially amused by Ji Rongjin’s puffed-up anger, found her smile turning to surprise as Ji Rongjin rushed at her.

She’s improved quickly.

Shen Zhuwan deftly dodged the attack, saying, “Consort, this princess is over here.”

Ji Rongjin, missing her mark, pursued again, but every time she got close to Shen Zhuwan’s sleeve, the princess either sidestepped effortlessly or gently grabbed her wrist, redirecting her force.

Shadow Two, watching from the shadows, was dumbfounded. This wasn’t a spar; it was clearly the princess teasing a child, using the excuse of a spar to openly engage in close contact with Ji Rongjin.

For instance, when Ji Rongjin missed another move and stumbled backward, Shen Zhuwan caught her from behind.

Ji Rongjin felt herself fall into a soft, fragrant embrace. The woman’s hand rested lightly on her shoulder, steadying her, as her warm breath brushed against Ji Rongjin’s ear.

“This princess is very pleased to be able to wait for the day the consort achieves greatness.”

Her voice was still cool, but the warmth of her breath carried a searing heat, gradually turning Ji Rongjin’s fair ears red.

Leaning into her embrace, Ji Rongjin thought, I’m done for. I’m going to forgive her again.

Shadow Two: Why was it a battle-damaged style when I sparred with the princess back then?