The Prince Consort's Secret (GL) - Chapter 3

The face in the mirror was gentle and serene, the eyes clear and calm—very fitting for a medical student. But… the smile still carried a trace of mischief. That was right. I was still me, exactly the same as in my past life, just much younger—probably seventeen or eighteen—and dressed entirely in ancient garb, with my hair styled in a traditional bun.

How could this be? What connection could an ordinary person from the interstellar era have with a princess from another world? No matter how I tried to reason it out, I couldn’t make sense of it. I could only chalk it up to coincidence. After all, the universe is vast—surely somewhere out there, two people could share identical DNA, which might explain how my soul ended up here.

Farewell, my interstellar age. I’ll never again see flying cars zipping through the skies, or my classmates and troublemaking friends. Feeling a twinge of sadness, I handed the mirror back to the waiting maid and sank into a daze.

Eventually, the three other maids nearby started chatting. At first, they talked about me, occasionally turning to include me or the girl massaging my legs. In the course of their conversation, names were naturally mentioned, and so I finally learned that the one attending me was named Yinger, and the other three were Quaner, Qiu Wen, and Yun Yan. Good—names, checked off.

What a hassle. I really should have pretended to have amnesia the moment I woke up. But then again, if I had, Father would’ve surely summoned every doctor under the sun. That would’ve caused an even bigger commotion—so why bother?

Leaning back comfortably, a wave of drowsiness suddenly hit me hard. I gave in and closed my eyes to rest.

Half-asleep, I felt someone lift me gently, remove the cushion from behind me, then lay me flat on the bed, tucking the blankets in snugly around me. It felt incredibly pleasant. This pampered life was truly something else… Yet for some reason, it all felt vaguely familiar.

That thought flickered through my mind before I completely drifted off.

—

By the time I woke up, the sky had already dimmed. Half-conscious, I instinctively reached for my phone, fumbling around before realizing there was none. Once fully awake, I opened my eyes and stared at the ornate, carved red ceiling above me.

A faint, unfamiliar fragrance lingered in the air, and the bedding beneath me was unbelievably soft. That’s right… this was a different world now. Everything from my past life was gone. Life really is like a dream.

I lay there dazed until Yinger came over with a smile.

“Your Highness, when did you wake up? Why didn’t you call me? Dinner preparations have already begun. I was just thinking if you didn’t wake soon, I’d come rouse you myself.”

Wait, weren’t there only two meals a day in ancient times? We’re eating again now?

I smiled and sat up. “I just woke up—you saw it for yourself.” At that moment, Yun Yan also came over. I held out my arms and let them help me dress. Once again, I silently marveled at how delightful this pampered life was.

Then Yinger added, “By the way, while you were asleep, His Highness the Crown Prince stopped by. He said you should rest well, eat properly, and stop making a fuss. He’ll visit again tomorrow.”

The Crown Prince, huh? That’s kind of late. Shouldn’t he have come around the same time as Father? I wonder what he was busy with—and whether he’s my older brother or younger? Do I have other siblings? I should definitely check the history records after dinner.

For now, though, a more pressing issue needed solving… Normally you’d want to use the bathroom after waking up—especially after drinking six bowls of porridge before bed.

Somewhat embarrassed, I started looking around for the… toilet. No, wait—it should be called a latrine in ancient times. Where exactly would it be? Did I need someone to lead me there?

I got up and headed toward the door. Yinger asked, “Where are you going, Princess?”

I smiled. “Just answering nature’s call.”

The other maids came over too, smiling. “We’ll go with Your Highness.”

Ha, they really intend to stick to me like glue, huh? Alright then—quite the honor guard. I turned to Quaner and Qiu Wen and said, “You two go ahead and lead the way.”

They looked confused. “Why us?”

I chuckled. “Because I said so. Now go. Don’t ask.”

The four of them exchanged knowing looks but stopped questioning me. Off we went.

As we passed through the outer rooms and stepped outside, a cool breeze greeted us. I wasn’t sure whether it was spring or autumn, so I asked the maids. It turned out to be the second month of Jianyuan Year 15—early spring. No wonder I didn’t feel cold inside, with the brazier going strong.

Taking in the majestic architecture, I felt invigorated. I’d always loved traditional aesthetics, and this princess’s estate was impressive. I should definitely take time to explore its layout one of these days.

After finishing my business, I returned to the inner chambers and waited in the outer room for dinner. The other four maids had wandered off somewhere. I leaned back in a chair, casually taking in the decor.

A large ink painting hung on the wall across from the door. I skipped over the calligraphy couplets and took in the elegant vases and furniture. My gaze landed on a sword mounted on the wall. I had a sudden urge to play with it—but before I could get up, Yinger walked over.

“Princess wants to practice swordsmanship? Perhaps wait a few days…”

I looked down at my own hands—long and slender, with a faint layer of calluses on the palms. No mistake—this body had trained in martial arts before. But now, I didn’t know any sword forms at all. Of course I couldn’t practice!

I laughed. “No, I won’t.”

Then I remembered the man who had driven this body’s original owner to a hunger strike: the consort. I asked, “By the way, how skilled is the consort with a sword?”

Yinger hesitated before replying, “It’s said that His Highness the Consort is a man of great talent—accomplished in both civil and martial arts.”

Perfect. If he’s skilled, he can teach me!

As I was thinking this, Yinger added, “So the Princess is finally taking an interest in him?”

Oh? So the former me didn’t care about him at all? Well, he is my nominal husband—I should know something about him.

I continued, “Mm. Tell me more. Where’s he from? What’s his current post?”

Yinger replied cautiously, “He’s from Zezhou, in the western province. His parents died young… He currently holds a sixth-rank position as Tongzhi Lang, and has also been granted the honorary title Captain of the Imperial Guards. Though sixth rank is low, it’s a court post. For someone who’s just passed the imperial exam, it’s already quite good. He’ll rise steadily in time.”

“I see,” I nodded, feeling a faint sense of kinship. Orphaned early, just like me in my past life—though I was born one.

Just then, dinner arrived. The four maids quickly set the table and served the food. After the meal, the sky had grown dim.

People in ancient times probably went to bed early… but I wasn’t about to adjust to that lifestyle.

Good thing I still had plenty to do. I needed to learn more about this world. I’d go to the study, read some history books, and get my bearings.

A scene popped into my head—reading by lamplight, with a red-sleeved maid adding fragrance to the moment. Just imagining it gave me energy.

Yes, I thought. Let’s do that.