The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 17

“We’re almost at Tianshui County.”

The mule let out a loud bray. The old farmer flinched nervously and glanced back at the two women. When he saw the blade hanging at the demon-like woman’s waist, he quickly looked away. He should’ve known—there’s no such thing as a free lunch. He’d been tricked by Liu Er into this, and now he was stuck with two dangerous strangers. He had no idea if they’d kill him to silence him.

Terrified, the old man muttered in a low voice.

Fa Yilian ignored him. She jumped off the cart first, looked up at the distant city walls, then turned around and held out her arms toward Wei Zhao. “Master, I’ll catch you.”

Wei Zhao let out a soft grunt in response. She also paid no attention to the old man. She stood up slowly, frowned, bent halfway over, and grabbed Fa Yilian’s hand to step down from the cart.

The moment her feet touched solid ground, the dizziness from the bumpy ride—like being drunk—made the earth feel like it was still swaying. She frowned, pressed a hand to her chest, and forced herself to endure the nausea. It took her a while to steady herself.

Fa Yilian gently patted Wei Zhao’s back with one hand and held her waist with the other.

Their posture was intimate and natural, as if neither of them found it unusual.

The old farmer kept glancing between the road ahead and the way they came, anxiety written all over his face. It wasn’t market day, so there were very few travelers around. And since Fa Yilian had stopped the cart some distance from the county gate, the area was desolate—a perfect place for robbery and murder. His expression grew bitter. He wanted to beg for his life, but seeing how calm and composed the two women looked, he didn’t know what to say.

“Old man, this is your extra fare,” Fa Yilian said, tossing a silver nugget into the old farmer’s hand. She gave him a small smile. “May your wishes come true, and may your children and grandchildren return safely home.”

The old man watched them walk off hand in hand, stunned and unable to believe his luck.

“If you’re going to play the villain, why bother acting like a good person?”

Once the fresh air had filled her lungs and cleared away the heaviness in her chest, Wei Zhao finally shook off Fa Yilian’s support and started walking on her own.

Fa Yilian obediently withdrew her hand and followed beside Wei Zhao, her eyes downcast, calm and composed like a proper servant. She heard Wei Zhao’s comment, and her lashes trembled slightly before she replied, “There have to be rules. The man took us half a day further, so he deserves to be paid for it.”

“At the rate you’re spending, we’ll be begging in no time,” Wei Zhao replied. She thought about it—her servant had probably always been by her side and didn’t understand how precious money was. So she added, “Ordinary people work for half a year and barely earn one or two taels of silver. You just handed over two taels like it was nothing.”

Wei Zhao paused, realizing her servant hadn’t replied. She turned her head and caught Fa Yilian looking at her, a faint smile lingering in her green eyes. Wei Zhao stopped walking immediately. “What are you smiling at?”

“Thank you for your concern, Master,” Fa Yilian replied softly. Her voice was warm and gentle, full of tenderness.

Wei Zhao was momentarily stunned and looked at Fa Yilian suspiciously. Her servant stood quietly, letting her look, head slightly lowered. Though dressed in a man’s long robe that looked a bit awkward on her, Wei Zhao could tell that if she were properly dressed, she’d be quite beautiful.

Was she trying to seduce her?

That thought flashed through Wei Zhao’s mind. Thinking back, she could indeed spot a few subtle clues. But just as the idea surfaced, she quickly shoved it down again.

She gave her servant another quick once-over, then clasped her hands behind her back and looked ahead. The place was called a “county,” which meant it had a proper city wall. The stone walls were worn and aged, clearly having stood for many years. Even from a distance, they had an ancient feel to them. After a whole day of jolting on the road, dusk was now approaching. The setting sun painted the wall in a lonely golden hue.

“…Do you have a travel permit?” Wei Zhao asked. Her voice now carried a touch of melancholy.

This time, even the all-capable Fa Yilian hesitated for a while before replying. After a long pause, Wei Zhao finally heard her servant say, respectfully, “Master, I’m just a slave.”

Which meant, of course, she couldn’t possibly have a permit.

For a moment, there was nothing to say.

But as always, Fa Yilian had a plan. She looked at Wei Zhao and said, “Wait here. Don’t move from this spot. I’ll go find out what I can.”

Wei Zhao was quiet for a moment, then asked, “Where exactly are you going?”

Fa Yilian pointed to the thin trails of smoke rising in the distance. “Over there.”

She was referring to the settlement just outside the city—a common sight near large, busy cities. More job opportunities and better pay had drawn in more people. Over time, when the main city couldn’t hold them all or became too expensive, they settled just outside, forming a sort of shadow city.

Wei Zhao hadn’t expected such a small county to have one too.

“Qiongzhou has always had thriving commerce,” Fa Yilian said. “And with its access to river routes, this kind of development is normal.” She looked up at the sky. “Then I’ll just—”

“Together,” Wei Zhao interrupted.

Fa Yilian paused and looked at her. Wei Zhao gazed calmly back. She didn’t look flustered like she often did before, with that soft, delicate aura that made others instinctively want to protect her. Now, she was more composed—closer to the version of her from the palace. But still, something was different.

Wei Zhao smiled and walked toward Fa Yilian, tilting her head as she asked, “You don’t mind, do you?”

“As you wish, Master,” Fa Yilian said, bowing slightly.

They continued walking side by side. Before long, they reached signs of life. Though it was just a small county, the outer town was still fairly active—at most a single main street. People bustled about in plain, rough clothes, and when they saw the two women, they stared in surprise. Fa Yilian placed a hand on her sword hilt and half-shielded Wei Zhao with her body. She was tall and imposing, her sharp gaze sweeping the street and making everyone quickly look away.

Wei Zhao, however, looked around with curiosity.

“Let’s find an inn first,” Fa Yilian said. Wei Zhao looked up at her and noticed how Fa Yilian placed a hand on her shoulder, using her body to shield her from the eyes of strangers. The gesture was too familiar—so much so that it felt a little possessive.

Wei Zhao hadn’t figured out what to make of that when Fa Yilian, moving as though she’d done this a hundred times, led them into an inn at the street’s entrance. The innkeeper greeted them enthusiastically. When he asked how many rooms they needed, Fa Yilian paused and looked to Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao gave her a small smile and asked softly, “How many do you want?”

How many? The question seemed to carry a world of meaning.

Fa Yilian hesitated for a moment, then answered, “One.”

As soon as she said it, Wei Zhao laughed. She leaned close and whispered in Fa Yilian’s ear, “You want to share a room with me?”

The princess’s playful laughter brushed against Fa Yilian’s ear like a warm, damp breeze, sweet as honey. Fa Yilian lowered her eyes, leaned in with the same soft breath, and whispered back, “To protect you.”

Wei Zhao stiffened slightly and stepped back, rubbing her ear. But her expression quickly shifted from spring-like amusement to icy calm. Fa Yilian showed no reaction and quietly led Wei Zhao to their room.

“Your Highness, we’ve arrived…”

“Where are you going?” Wei Zhao asked.

“To find a travel permit,” Fa Yilian answered. “In places like this, it’s easy to find people who make them. But it’s a chaotic crowd, full of eyes and ears. It wouldn’t be safe for you. Let me handle it.”

“Wilderness survival, street smarts, shady deals,” Wei Zhao listed off one by one, eyes locked on Fa Yilian. “Is there anything you don’t know?”

Fa Yilian finally looked up. Her gaze had lost the deference from before, but remained calm. “There are many things I don’t know.”

“Oh?” Wei Zhao dragged out the word, smiling. “Name one.”

“For example…” Fa Yilian echoed the drawn-out tone, her green eyes locked tightly on Wei Zhao’s face. “For example, how to please you.”