Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess (GL , ABO) - Chapter 21

There were attacks during the day and ambushes at night. After experiencing real warfare, Jiang Si developed a deeper respect for Su Xun and the soldiers under his command.

Although she held the title of Marquis of Jiajing and was responsible for defending the region, it was these soldiers who had made the greater sacrifices. For the past few days, Jiang Si had stood atop the city wall alongside Su Xun and the elite Jingyu Battalion.

Back in Ling Shang City, Jiang Si had been irritated by Ye Chan’s talkativeness and tendency to act on her own. But this time, Ye Chan managed to earn a measure of her respect.

She still talked a lot, but when it came time to fight, she truly showed the qualities of a military leader.

Jiang Si couldn’t say she liked her, but she no longer found her so annoying.

However, when Ye Chan brought a letter, Jiang Si couldn’t help frowning.

The Jingyuan Army had just repelled another attack from the Rongdi. Jiang Si was resting inside the command tent and discussing upcoming strategies with Su Xun when Ye Chan suddenly entered without being announced.

“Marquis, a letter from Lan Shao.”

At the mention of Lan Shao, Jiang Si immediately thought of Mowan Ci.

She sat up from the bed and took the letter from Ye Chan’s hand.

The letter was exactly what one would expect from Lan Shao—very brief.

“The Princess has been poisoned. Thought you should know.”

The Rongdi attacks had been going on for nearly a month. The weather was turning cold. The Rongdi had suffered far more casualties than the Jingyuan Army, and their supplies were just enough to last through winter. Any continued conflict would likely just be small-scale skirmishes.

There was little reason for Jiang Si to remain. If it weren’t for Mowan Ci, she would have stayed to completely defeat the Rongdi before rebuilding Wei City and returning to Ling Shang City.

She placed the letter down and thought for a moment before asking Su Xun, “Is there a way to crush the Rongdi within three days?”

Although Su Xun was the commander of the Jingyu Battalion, his true value was closer to that of a strategist.

The Jingyuan Army did not officially have a strategist. The original Jiang Si had always been stubborn and dismissive of advice from others. Su Xun was the only one with the ability to give sound counsel. Jiang Si had kept that quiet, making sure every discussion with him happened in private under strict security.

But over the past few days, she had dismissed many of the guards, allowing more people to see Su Xun’s talents.

That was why she did not mind that Ye Chan was still nearby when she asked the question.

Su Xun was deep in thought and had not yet answered when Ye Chan quickly spoke up, “Don’t worry, Marquis. I will make sure the Rongdi are wiped out in the next few days.”

Ye Chan had contributed a lot in this battle. Jiang Si did not doubt her ability, but she did think Ye Chan was too reckless. Su Xun gave her a way to calm down by saying, “If we want to end this quickly, we may really need Ye Chan’s cavalry.”

Hearing that, Ye Chan became even more fired up and stood with her hands on her hips, ready to ride into battle at a moment’s notice.

Jiang Si felt a headache coming on.

But she had come to trust Su Xun over the past few days and did not doubt his judgment.

After Ye Chan and Su Xun left, Jiang Si stayed behind to rest.

She had been injured that day on the city wall. A fireball thrown by the Rongdi had burned her arm. The wound was not serious, but it was extremely painful.

Lying down, Jiang Si stared blankly at her arm.

These days of battle felt like a dream, and yet there was something strangely familiar about all of it.

She knew clearly this was her first time experiencing real war.

The fact that she had managed to stay calm and even shot several Rongdi soldiers surprised her. No one else thought much of it since the original Jiang Si had always been brave and skilled in battle. But Jiang Si herself was honestly shocked.

She had planned to just be a symbolic figure on the battlefield. Yet just yesterday, she had saved a young soldier.

The soldier had been overwhelmed with gratitude. Jiang Si, on the other hand, had been shocked by how quickly she had acted.

Looking back, it felt just like that day at the horse grounds when she saved Mowan Ci. Her reactions were just as quick then. She had only realized what happened after the fact.

The chaos of the battlefield had made it hard to think clearly. But now, with one letter, everything came flooding back.

She had to return to Ling Shang City.

She had to face Mowan Ci again.

In the following three days, Su Xun used several clever strategies. The Rongdi army soon collapsed.

Even though she was injured, Jiang Si still led every battle from the front lines. Deep in her heart, she was moved. The soldiers of the Jingyuan Army, the Rongdi fighters, even the people of Wei City—everyone was just struggling to survive.

They simply stood on different sides and could not work together.

The good news was that Wei City would soon be restored.

As she left Wei City, the people lined the roads to see her off. Rebuilding efforts were still ongoing. Many homes were still in ruins. The Rongdi might attack again someday. But the joy on the people’s faces was real.

The city’s defense general personally escorted Jiang Si more than ten li outside of the city. At their parting, Jiang Si could not help but speak with emotion.

“I truly hope there will be no more wars in the future.”

As soon as she said it, both the general and Ye Chan looked surprised. Only Su Xun gave a quiet smile and replied, “I hope so too.”

It took one day to return to Ling Shang City. They arrived in the middle of the night.

As soon as they reached the marquis’s estate, Jiang Si went straight to the South Courtyard. Su Xun made arrangements for Ye Chan and the others, then went to summon Lan Shao.

When Jiang Si arrived, Mowan Ci was taking an afternoon nap.

It had been several days since the last dream. Her sleep had been filled with fragments, not just of Ling Shang City, but even of Shangjing.

Some of the dreams had been quite vivid.

So when Mowan Ci saw Jiang Si, her reaction was one of resistance.

Jiang Si was wearing armor and holding her gauntlets. She looked exactly like she did in one of Mowan Ci’s dreams.

“Step back.”

“Wait behind the screen.”

When Jiang Si arrived, her steps were rushed and filled with anxiety. She walked straight in without waiting. But after being met with cold silence, she quickly calmed down.

She had clearly crossed the line.

After quietly stepping back outside, Jiang Si began to question where that urgency had come from. While waiting for Su Xun and Lan Shao to arrive, she started thinking it through.

Before she could reach an answer, Su Xun came over with Lan Shao.

In truth, Jiang Si’s concern for Mowan Ci had started the moment she received Lan Shao’s letter. The closer she got to Ling Shang City, the heavier that worry became. Now that she was finally here, there was no time to think twice. She grabbed Lan Shao’s arm and asked immediately, “How is the Princess? What kind of poison is it? Is there a cure?”

Lan Shao was surprised by her reaction. She had only sent the letter as part of her duty. She never expected Jiang Si to return so quickly, or to ask so urgently.

“The Princess was poisoned with Meishu,” she replied.

“Meishu? What is that?”

Jiang Si had never heard of it. She pulled Lan Shao closer and asked again. Only then did Lan Shao explain the poison and describe Mowan Ci’s condition in full detail. In fact, she explained it even more directly than she had with Mowan Ci herself.

By the time she finished, Jiang Si felt her scalp go numb.

To sum it up, the poison was difficult to cure, but not entirely hopeless.

There was a simpler method, but it was something Mowan Ci might refuse.

As for Jiang Si, she did not even dare to think about it. How could something like this happen to both her and the Princess?

Jiang Si fell silent. Lan Shao also stopped talking. Su Xun did not know what to say.

The three of them stood outside in silence for a long time, until Mowan Ci and Zhi Miao finally came out.

When they heard the door open, they turned around.

Zhi Miao immediately shot Jiang Si a glare. No matter how hard she had tried earlier, she had not been able to stop Jiang Si from barging in.

“Your Highness, I only rushed in because I was too worried…” Jiang Si tried to explain, but she only managed that one sentence. Zhi Miao’s glare said the rest, and Mowan Ci’s expression had grown even colder.

Jiang Si lowered her voice and said, “Lan Shao already told me about the poison. There is a way to treat it. I will do everything I can to help Your Highness recover.”

Mowan Ci said nothing. The silence dragged on, and Jiang Si started to feel restless. Just as she could no longer bear it, Mowan Ci told Zhi Miao to leave. She then glanced at Su Xun and Lan Shao.

Both of them understood and quietly followed Zhi Miao out.

Now, only the two of them were left in the hall.

Mowan Ci sat down in the main seat. Jiang Si hesitated, then chose a spot slightly below her to sit. But the moment she touched the chair, she could feel Mowan Ci’s icy glare fall on her.

She did not want Jiang Si to sit.

That was fine. After traveling for so long, she had been sitting the whole way anyway.

The room was tense and quiet. In the end, it was Jiang Si who spoke first.

“Lan Shao said she has made a temporary antidote to suppress the poison. Don’t worry. A complete cure will be found soon.”

It was hard to tell whether Mowan Ci heard her or not. She just kept looking at Jiang Si with the same cold expression.

Eventually, Jiang Si could not hold back any longer and asked, “Your Highness, is there something you want to say to me?”

Only then did a flicker of emotion appear in Mowan Ci’s eyes.

When Jiang Si had stormed in earlier, Mowan Ci had felt nervous and unsteady. Later, she told herself she had overreacted.

But no matter how she tried to explain it, something still felt wrong.

Because Jiang Si, when she barged in, had not shown any trace of hostility.

Even now, her concern felt real.

Many things could be faked, but not the scent.

Jiang Si’s scent was not the same as the one from her dreams.

Mowan Ci’s expression changed slightly. She gave a small smile and waved her hand.

“Come here. Let me get a good look at you.”

The sudden shift in tone left Jiang Si completely confused.

She took a step back. Her thoughts were spinning. What exactly was Mowan Ci trying to do? She opened her mouth but could not find the words.

Seeing her hesitate, Mowan Ci grew impatient. The smile disappeared and her tone turned sharp and cold.

“I command you to come here. Right now.”