The Villainess Always Wants to Cuddle With Me [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 17

The morning light, like a child waking from a nap, rubbed its eyes through the half-drawn curtains.

The silence outside was shattered by gasps from the courtyard.

“No way! Is what you just said really true?”

“It’s true. Crown Prince Fengyi… When the servants found him, they were terrified.”

“It’s not exactly kind to say this, but… at least the princess won’t have to marry him now.”

“Shh! Are you trying to get us killed? Walls have ears!”

“Right, right. We should be more careful…”

The commotion outside was considerable, though brief. Ling Jun, with her keen hearing, couldn’t make out the details through the distance, but she was roused from sleep. Her eyes flew open as she heard the word “Crown Prince” repeated several times.

All traces of sleep vanished. She hurriedly rose, dressed, washed her face, and tidied her hair before opening the wooden door.

“What’s all the commotion?”

The maids before her immediately knelt.

The one in front spoke, her familiar voice reaching Ling Jun’s ears.

“Princess, this is a matter of great importance. May we speak inside?”

It was Xiao Mei.

Ling Jun raised a hand in acknowledgment and turned to sit on a stool. Xiao Mei entered the inner chamber, closed the door tightly, and approached Ling Jun, leaning close to whisper in her ear.

“I was just talking to Anxin and the others. They have wide-ranging sources and say… there was a palace coup last night.”

“A palace coup?” Ling Jun frowned.

“Exactly. It’s said that last night, His Majesty stripped the Third Prince of his real power, confined him to house arrest, and even considered banishing him to the frontier. Given the Third Prince’s temperament, how could he possibly accept such a fate? That’s why he staged this midnight coup.”

A midnight coup? Could it really be that simple? In this palace, everyone has a thousand schemes hidden in their heart. Why would Yuchi Heng act so rashly? The Crown Prince had only recently fallen from grace, and Yu Chi Lan, that cunning and ruthless wolf, still lurked in the shadows. Where did Yuchi Heng find the audacity to attempt a coup? He must be mad!

“He’s truly gone mad!” Ling Jun blurted out.

Xiao Mei nodded in agreement. “Exactly! Sister Anxin said the Third Prince hadn’t even been in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for the time it takes to burn an incense stick before Prince Lan’s troops seized him. A single stroke of the blade, and his head rolled. They’re preparing his coffin and funeral arrangements now.”

“Prince Lan intervened in this matter too? Such swift and decisive action… he’s truly formidable… cough cough…”

Having just woken up and not yet had a sip of tea, Ling Jun coughed twice after being chilled by the morning breeze.

Seeing her discomfort, Xiao Mei immediately patted Ling Jun’s back to help her breathe and called out, “Anxin!”

Moments later, Anxin arrived at the door and bowed.

Xiao Mei handed her the teapot from the table. “Warm a cup of clear water and fill a hand warmer. The Princess seems to have caught a chill.”

Ling Jun waved her hand dismissively. “It’s not that serious. Cough, cough…” She coughed twice more, feeling weak and her eyelids growing heavy. Her chest felt stiflingly tight. How could it be a cold? It’s just lack of rest.

“Hurry!” Xiao Mei urged.

“Yes!” Anxin replied, taking the teapot and leaving.

A few strands of cool autumn breeze drifted into the room, carrying a hint of the season’s chill. Xiao Mei glanced back at the Princess, who remained unchanged. With a sigh, she said, “Princess, I’m not trying to nag, but if I don’t close this window, will it close itself? Is the latch broken or something? You never remember to shut it.”

She walked over and closed the window.

“Lian Chen knows. It just feels stuffy when it’s closed, and the ventilation is better this way,” Ling Jun murmured, her lashes fluttering as her eyelids drooped. Her fingers tightened around her sleeve, crumpling the smooth silk into wrinkles. It’s not about ventilation. It’s just leaving a ‘door’ open, in case of danger. A way to escape through the window.

“The Princess talks a good game, but we all know you promise to close the window at night, then leave it open while you sleep. How can you not catch a cold, exposed to the night wind all year round? Besides, when is ventilation ever a problem? Ventilate during the day…”

Xiao Mei could have gone on for hours about this, but fortunately, the moment was interrupted by a figure at the doorway.

Before a cup of tea could be brewed, Anxin entered with a hot water bottle and a teapot, placed them on the table, bowed, and withdrew. Clearly aware that the Princess wished to speak privately with Xiao Mei, she tactfully avoided interrupting.

Xiao Mei poured a cup of water and placed it beside Ling Jun. Ling Jun picked it up and drank it down, the warm liquid soothing her throat and spreading warmth through her body. Even her icy fingertips began to regain their warmth.

Taking the hot water bottle Xiao Mei offered, Ling Jun cradled it in her arms, feeling its comforting warmth. “I overheard you mentioning the Crown Prince earlier,” she remarked.

Xiao Mei started, her face flushing with dismay. How could she have forgotten about the Crown Prince? This matter was far more urgent than the previous two!

“This servant is foolish and completely forgot about that!”

“It’s alright. Tell me what you know.”

“Here’s what I’ve heard through the grapevine: Crown Prince Fengyi accompanied Prince Lan to the palace last night. After… that incident, several palace eunuchs on duty saw the Crown Prince leave the palace later that night. Around midnight, servants from the Crown Prince’s Manor were reportedly searching for a civilian doctor. The matter couldn’t be kept secret, and the servants urgently reported that the Crown Prince had suddenly died in his bed, without a single wound on his body. In this servant’s opinion… this is highly suspicious. Could it be… Young Master Guan’s doing?” Xiao Mei raised her eyebrows suggestively, her expression unreadable to Ling Jun. Her tone rose and fell, hinting at mockery.

“Stop talking nonsense…” Ling Jun muttered, her eyelids drooping. A wave of dizziness surged through her head. She closed her eyes for a moment to steady herself, then rose from the bed, clutching the hot water bottle. A splitting headache suddenly struck, as if countless Profound Pearls and White Pearls were bouncing wildly in her mind. She swayed slightly.

Xiao Mei rushed forward to support her, guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed. She pleaded earnestly, “Princess! Please rest a little longer. After the morning court session, I’ll send for a physician from the Imperial Medical Academy to examine you.”

Ling Jun waved her hand dismissively, and Xiao Mei, understanding the gesture, withdrew from the chamber. Ling Jun pressed her fingers to her temples, massaging them for a long while until the throbbing subsided.

Only then could she focus on the events that had just transpired.

The situation was undeniably suspicious. Feng Yi had left the palace just moments before being found dead in his own chambers. It was impossible to believe this was mere coincidence. The question was, which faction was behind this? Based on her current intelligence, two suspects stood out.

The first was the Emperor himself. Though mired in his own troubles and unable to move freely, Ling Jun recalled Guan Qigui mentioning a secret Imperial Family organization known as the Iron Bl00d Hand. Yuchi Gong still held this formidable card.

Secondly… she didn’t want to be that person, Guan Qigui. What game are you playing?

Exhausted from overthinking, Ling Jun gradually regulated her breathing and drifted into sleep. In her dream, her brow furrowed tightly, and a tear glistened at the corner of her eye.

Her dream was utterly bizarre. In it, she could clearly see the vast world, yet the “her” within the dream was weeping in a collapsing world. Everything vanished into nothingness in an instant, and a strange sense of guilt welled up within her. How could this be?

She watched as everything crumbled before her eyes: unfamiliar landscapes, skyscrapers collapsing in an instant, transforming into earth fissures and toppling trees, their roots swallowed by the earth’s core, only to be devoured by an indescribable void, leaving behind only more endless nothingness.

A sharp pain pierced her chest, as if pierced by a needle. She wanted to flee, but the entire world was collapsing. Where could she run? There was nowhere to escape… Ling Jun ran with all her might, desperate to escape the collapsing world, just as the void was about to overtake her.

“No… don’t!”

Ling Jun’s eyes snapped open, staring at the ceiling. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and the oppressive guilt in her chest lingered.

It was a dream, a nightmare…

She raised her arm to rest on her forehead, trying to process what she had just witnessed.

The collapsing earth, the fleeing birds and flowers plunging into the void—what had that been? It was truly terrifying… Could it have been the Great Spirit’s prophecy of the world’s destruction?

But where did this sudden guilt come from? How strange…

If I can’t understand it, why torment myself? It was just a dream!

Regaining her composure, Ling Jun rose and glanced out the window. The sky was dark and hazy—a gloomy day indeed.

Clutching her Mystic Staff, she stepped out of her bedchamber. The inner courtyard was deserted; no doubt everyone was off gossiping like melon-eating chárlas. What gossip could there even be in this tiny Changyang Palace? She shook her head with a wry smile and headed toward the side hall.

As she entered the room, a figure sitting at the table caught her eye. The person was holding… a book, it seemed.

“Xiao Mei?”

The person’s hands trembled at the sound of her name, a blush rising on their cheeks as they abruptly stood up, awkwardly trying to hide the book behind their back. Recognizing the visitor, they stammered, “P-Princess…”

“What are you reading?”

“The Analects… No, wait… It’s a collection of touching folk tales!”

Her flustered words made it obvious what she was reading: nothing more than those scandalous romance novels. Ling Jun smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Really? Read one of the stories aloud for Lian Chen.”

Read aloud? Xiao Mei’s composure crumbled. Her face flushed crimson as she flipped open the book, her mind a chaotic mess like an overturned inkstone obscuring the plot. There wasn’t a single wholesome romance story to be found—only tales of deep, twisted love.

“This…”

At the last moment, Xiao Mei’s quick wit sparked. Though the book depicted forbidden love between sworn sisters, with a clever twist of the tongue, she could transform that love into friendship! How brilliant!

“In a village, two girls named Xiao Fang and Xiao Hua became the closest of sisters. But one day, Xiao Hua suddenly wanted to end their friendship…”

The story grew increasingly absurd. Xiao Hua and Xiao Fang’s actions sounded nothing like the behavior of friends. Ling Jun couldn’t bear to listen any longer and interrupted.

“You’re reading a romance novel, aren’t you?”

Xiao Mei’s eyes widened in shock. “How did the Princess know?”

“Lian Chen sees right through your little schemes. They’re far too predictable.”

“We’re just sworn sisters… I was only reading it for amusement, Princess. Please don’t misunderstand…”

Sworn sisters!

Ling Jun whirled around, her ears flushing crimson. She had assumed it was a typical romance between a man and a woman, but… were ancient people really this open-minded? Weren’t they supposed to be rigid and conservative? How could… how could…

“Princess?”

In this world, sworn sisterhood wasn’t considered taboo. In fact, some noblewomen even formed marital bonds with each other, though such unions were rare due to the practical difficulties of sustaining a household.

“Accompany Lian Chen to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”

Without looking back, Ling Jun strode out of the courtyard.

Xiao Mei hastily tucked the novel into her chest pocket. As she watched Ling Jun’s retreating figure, Lian Chen hurried after her. “Hey! Princess, slow down!”

Along the way, palace maids and eunuchs greeted Ling Jun with utmost respect and deference, bowing and curtsying as appropriate. Gone was the usual harshness and indifference.

“Greetings, Princess Lianchen.”

A kneeling eunuch blocked their path.

Xiao Mei frowned, puzzled. The eunuch kneeling before her looked familiar. After a closer look, she realized it was the adopted son of the Imperial Household Department’s chief eunuch.

“Isn’t that Eunuch Qi?”

At Ling Jun’s gesture, Eunuch Qi rose from his kneeling position, pulled a money pouch from his robes, and presented it with a fawning smile. “Sister Xiao Mei, this servant has come on my godfather’s orders to deliver Princess Lianchen’s monthly allowance.”

“Oh? Well, that’s a first. If I recall correctly, the Imperial Household Department already distributed this month’s allowances, didn’t they?”

Xiao Mei took the pouch and hefted it in her hand. Hmm, it’s surprisingly heavy.

“Indeed, Eunuch Qi. Lian Chen already received her allowance for this month.”

Eunuch Qi’s face paled instantly. His legs trembled, and he slid back into a kneeling position, kowtowing three times with resounding thuds. “Princess Lianchen, please forgive me! This servant deserves death! This servant deserves death…”

What’s this all about now?

“Eunuch Qi, please rise. What are you talking about?”

Eunuch Qi didn’t dare move. Sweat streamed down his temples as he stammered, “In the past, it was the negligence of the Imperial Household Department’s servants. From now on, such incidents will never occur again. Please forgive this servant’s past transgressions, Your Highness.”

“Granted.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

Ling Jun led Xiao Mei through the long corridor. Xiao Mei counted the silver coins in her pouch—a full hundred taels, an unprecedented sum.

Xiao Mei hefted the pouch, glancing sideways with amusement. “Your Highness, what do you think? Did the Imperial Household Department suddenly develop a conscience, or what? Why would they suddenly decide to pay us our monthly stipends?”

“The palace is in turmoil right now. Look at those standing so straight—they’re all being fawned over by the Imperial Household Department. They’re good at reading the situation, but they’re just fair-weather friends. Don’t pay them any mind.”

“Your Highness is right. But with this extra silver, Changyang Palace has finally weathered the storm.”

Ling Jun pulled two silver notes from her sleeve and handed them to Xiao Mei.

Xiao Mei took the notes, her eyes widening at the numbers printed on them. “Your Highness, this…”

“Don’t ask. Go to Kyoto and secure as many shops as you can. Don’t even think about Fragrant Full House. Ideally, we should diversify into various types of businesses.”

“Ah!”

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Yuchi Gong lay on the dragon bed, his face pale and his appearance frail.

“Imperial Father, your daughter has come to visit.”

Hearing this, Yuchi Gong slowly opened his eyes, his lips parting slightly as he spoke in a low, hoarse voice, “Lian Chen has come…”

“I heard about last night’s ordeal this morning. I was so worried! How are you feeling now, Imperial Father?” Ling Jun stepped forward, resting her Mystic Staff against the table. She sat down beside the dragon bed, wanting to smooth his slightly disheveled sideburns, but her heart recoiled at the thought. Not wanting to betray their false father-daughter affection, she patted the back of his hand twice.

“I’m mostly fine… cough cough… It’s Lian Chen’s filial piety that truly comforts me. Your father knows your intentions; the Imperial Preceptor has told me everything. I announced at this morning’s court session that from today onward, you will oversee state affairs on my behalf!”