The Princess Smells So Good (GL) - Chapter 43

“Among the three of them, Wang Youzhi was the lowest-ranking. Yu Jinye and Chen Mian often discussed matters together, but avoided Wang Youzhi. Every time this happened, Wang Youzhi would shout loudly, sometimes drinking alone, appearing gloomy and depressed.”

Fa Yilian’s voice echoed in the room, but Wei Zhao kept her head lowered, not responding. The candlelight flickered, and the courtyard was unusually quiet. Wei Zhao excused herself from having others attend to her, dismissing all but the few guards who remained outside. A Zong had already gone outside to stand watch, preventing anyone from eavesdropping. Inside the room, only Fa Yilian and Wei Zhao were present.

Fa Yilian continued speaking, but her master seemed distracted, her chin resting on her hand, staring at the candlelight as if lost in thought.

Fa Yilian furrowed her brow, then relaxed it. She reached out and gently waved her hand in front of Wei Zhao’s eyes. When Wei Zhao instinctively looked at her, Fa Yilian quickly turned her head away. She knew at that moment that Wei Zhao’s thoughts must have something to do with her.

“What happened?” Fa Yilian asked.

Wei Zhao’s gaze shifted to the beam of the room, “What could happen? I’m here in the Duobao Pavilion, completely safe. Nothing could go wrong.”

“And me?” Fa Yilian asked again.

Wei Zhao bit her lip and, after a brief pause, turned to her, speaking harshly, “You? What could happen to you? You stay by my side, well-fed and well-treated, and people treat you with respect. You’re living better than ordinary people.”

Fa Yilian responded with a soft “Oh,” then asked, “And then?”

And then? If your family comes, will you leave me?

Wei Zhao’s eyes flickered briefly before turning to the teapot. “I’m thirsty,” she said.

Fa Yilian sighed, poured a cup of tea for Wei Zhao, but just as Wei Zhao reached for it, Fa Yilian stopped her. “It’s too hot, you need to let it cool.”

Wei Zhao silently withdrew her hand. After a long pause, her voice finally broke the silence. “Do you ever… think…”

“Think what?” Fa Yilian waited a moment, seeing that Wei Zhao wasn’t answering, before asking curiously.

Think that you’re a burden, a nuisance…

But her pride as the eldest princess prevented her from speaking these words aloud. After a brief hesitation, Wei Zhao bit her lip and said, “The main force’s guards haven’t arrived yet, and the new warships from the river transport shipyard still need more time. Right now, we don’t have many options to rely on.”

Fa Yilian nodded. “It seems the governor is hiding something. We can’t trust him completely.”

If we can’t trust the governor, then how about the shopkeeper from Duobao Pavilion? Wei Zhao’s fingers lightly tapped the table before she spoke, “The river transport business is one of the lifebloods of the Great Zhou. There have been three successive robberies, with the amounts increasing each time. We need to figure out who’s behind it, but as for the person pulling the strings… we don’t have the strength to deal with them yet.”

Fa Yilian nodded without speaking, but saw Wei Zhao glance at her. Fa Yilian sighed, half helpless and half indulgent, “And then?”

Wei Zhao, satisfied with the response, nodded and continued, “Since there are conflicts between the few of them, there must be some way to gain their trust or use them. But right now, the situation is unclear. Since we’re newcomers, we’ll need to observe and listen more.”

Fa Yilian, understanding her master’s intent, nodded. “I’ll go into the city tomorrow.”

Wei Zhao was about to nod in agreement but paused, then spoke firmly, “No, you stay with me.”

Fa Yilian blinked, but didn’t respond. Wei Zhao then looked her over, noticing that the roots of her dyed black hair had already grown out, revealing the original red color. Wei Zhao’s heart skipped a beat, and she added, “Your hair color is too obvious. You need to dye it black again.”

Fa Yilian opened her mouth, but seeing the tension in Wei Zhao’s lips, she ultimately nodded, “As you say, A Xian.”

Wei Zhao’s expression softened slightly, and a smile appeared on her face. “Of course. You’re my trusted confidante, and I trust you most. Once things are settled here, there will be plenty of good days ahead for us.”

This subtle suggestion of a future reward didn’t seem to move Fa Yilian at all. She let out a helpless sigh. “A Xian, you know…”

Wei Zhao’s expression shifted slightly, her gaze deepening as she looked at Fa Yilian. Those brown eyes were deep and gentle, and when they looked at her, Wei Zhao felt as though she was someone important in those eyes. How strange, Wei Zhao thought, how had she ever mistaken Fa Yilian for someone else before? This person in front of her, just by looking at her, made Wei Zhao feel at ease.

Would Fa Yilian want to return home? Would she want to look for her family?

Wei Zhao thought she couldn’t stop herself from wondering. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized what she truly wanted.

She wanted to keep her.

Wei Zhao thought that she had always been her servant, belonged to her. And this servant had promised that her heart would also belong to her. She should stay by her side, not go anywhere.

Once this thought arose, it spread rapidly, like a spark catching fire in a dry grassland. The heat burned through Wei Zhao’s chest, and she knew what decision she should make. She wanted to keep her servant, and didn’t think it was a disgraceful thought. In fact, she even felt a thrill at the idea.

Wei Zhao waved her hand toward Fa Yilian. Fa Yilian stood up and walked over to her, looking down into Wei Zhao’s eyes. In those brown eyes, there was a flicker of flame, burning brightly, yet with a cunning glint that seemed to test Fa Yilian.

Then, Fa Yilian’s sleeve was pulled, and she followed the small force to bend down. She saw that flame leap higher in those eyes, its beauty almost unreal. And then her master straightened up, pressing a kiss to her lips.

Fa Yilian stood frozen, staring at Wei Zhao.

Wei Zhao stood up, cleared her throat, and took a step toward the door, only to stop, turn around, and frown at Fa Yilian. “What are you doing here? I’m going to bed. Aren’t you leaving?”

Fa Yilian responded with an “Oh” and walked toward the door, but stopped when the door slammed shut behind her. She touched the corners of her mouth, smiling with a playful, almost pitiful tone. “I’m leaving, but where will I sleep?”

No sound came from inside. It seemed her master had decided not to respond to her.

“How heartless,” Fa Yilian muttered, but still couldn’t help but smile.

Then, she heard a soft, melancholic voice, “Yes, truly heartless.”

Fa Yilian suddenly remembered that there was still someone else in the room. She turned and saw A Zong standing not far from her, staring at her with a sympathetic expression.

Fa Yilian: “…”

A Zong, seemingly misunderstanding, said, “Is it because your technique isn’t good? You got kicked out? I saw the candlelight reflection earlier, and you two…”

“That’s not it!” Fa Yilian quickly interrupted.

A Zong sighed, “I didn’t mean to look down on you.”

Fa Yilian: “…You misunderstood.”

A Zong then showed a confused expression, asking, “You two didn’t…?”

Fa Yilian: “…You misunderstood.”

A Zong’s eyes lit up, and a look of realization crossed her face. Fa Yilian had an unsettling feeling. A Zong stepped closer, patting her on the shoulder. “You’ve helped me a lot, so I naturally can’t keep secrets. Regarding this matter, the princess showed me many books before. I’ll share them with you. With your cleverness, you’ll surely improve!”

Fa Yilian: “…” She wanted to refuse but also saw an excellent opportunity that shouldn’t be wasted.

Just as Fa Yilian hesitated, the door suddenly opened. Wei Zhao, her face red, shouted at the two of them, “You! Both of you! Go sleep outside tonight!!”

With a loud bang, the door slammed shut again, leaving the two of them staring at each other.

A Zong blinked. “Where… should we sleep tonight?”

Fa Yilian sighed. “I don’t know. But…” She looked at A Zong’s serious expression and gave her a pleading look. “Next time, please don’t say things like this again.”

“But…” A Zong bit her lip, a hint of uncertainty and insecurity returning. “The princess said I should be more confident.”

Fa Yilian paused, and a small feeling of displeasure rose within her. There had never been a new servant around Wei Zhao before. Fa Yilian had always been seen as a disgrace, and Wei Zhao seemed to despise slaves. She didn’t know what it was like to have a loyal, dependable, and beautiful servant. But now, there was someone new.

Someone like a blank sheet of paper, who could be shaped however others wished.

“Did I… do something wrong?” A Zong’s words snapped Fa Yilian out of her thoughts. She smiled faintly, hiding the anxiety rising in her heart, and shook her head. “No, you just don’t need to ask so many questions.”

With that, Fa Yilian stepped forward. She descended the stairs and looked up at the full moon hanging in the sky, the stars completely obscured. In the sky, there was only that silver disk, shining over the land. She stopped, turned back to look at A Zong, and said, “A Xian is a good person. Though she may seem harsh, her heart is soft. Meeting her is your good fortune.”

A Zong nodded and smiled softly. “Thank you.”

“No, you should thank her,” Fa Yilian replied, shaking her head. She stretched and yawned, “Let’s go. The sea breeze always makes me sleepy.”