Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess (GL , ABO) - Chapter 23.1
Seeing the scene before her, Jiang Si felt as if all the bl00d in her body had frozen. She stood motionless, stunned.
Her heart was overwhelmed with shock. Her eyes, out of control, were drawn to Mowan Ci’s exposed arm.
As the sheer fabric slid off, it revealed an arm soft and slender, her pale fingertips pointing directly at Jiang Si.
“Come here.” The tone was impatient, but it carried undeniable allure.
This wasn’t something Jiang Si had ever imagined seeing on Mowan Ci. At least, not on the Mowan Ci she knew.
The Mowan Ci of the past was always cold and distant. She might show warmth to others, but never to Jiang Si.
Yet now, Jiang Si felt something no one else had ever experienced from her—tenderness, charm, and temptation.
Her long lashes fluttered. The faint flush at the corners of her eyes added to her beauty and seductive presence.
When her first call went unanswered, Mowan Ci sat up slightly. The thin silk barely covered anything anymore.
Jiang Si finally reacted. She rushed over, grabbed whatever bedding she could find, and threw it over Mowan Ci, trying to cover up anything that might further disturb her mind.
Her voice trembled. “Your Highness, please calm down.”
Even though Lan Shao had said that only she could help Mowan Ci, Jiang Si wasn’t sure she believed it.
This turn of events strayed too far from the original plot. How could it still depend on her?
In the original story, Mowan Ci was marked by the original Jiang Si only because she had been drugged.
Drugged?
A sudden realization struck Jiang Si.
Maybe it didn’t matter whether it was her or the original version of herself. Maybe Mowan Ci’s fate could never be changed.
Even though she had never given Mowan Ci the drug, someone else still had.
That thought stirred something deep inside her. She didn’t know why, but she became certain of one thing—she and Mowan Ci were bound together.
Even though she had tried so hard to break free, in the end she still found herself in this room, face-to-face with Mowan Ci in the middle of her heat.
The scent of snow lotus made Jiang Si’s head throb. Her grip on the blanket weakened, and just as it was about to slip from her hands, Mowan Ci suddenly grabbed her wrist.
She had never touched Mowan Ci like this before. Maybe she had, but she couldn’t remember.
Either way, Mowan Ci’s body had never felt this warm before. Now it was burning hot, as if she could melt her.
Mowan Ci’s face was only inches away. Jiang Si could even feel her breath.
She wanted to step back, but then she heard Mowan Ci calling her.
“Marquis Jia Jing.”
Jiang Si did not want to acknowledge that title. She lowered her head, unwilling to see what kind of expression Mowan Ci wore, but she kept calling.
“Jiang Si.” This time, she called her name.
Jiang Si instinctively looked up, forgetting to dodge.
She never expected Mowan Ci to suddenly cup her face.
Jiang Si only had basic knowledge about marking. It was all theoretical, and she had never imagined how unbearable it would be to be this close.
Her nape felt like it was on fire, the sensation rolling back and forth like searing heat.
And in front of her, Mowan Ci’s teasing was subtle and constant. She was poking her cheek.
Once. Then again. And again.
It wouldn’t stop.
Jiang Si suddenly stood up. Mowan Ci collapsed back onto the bed, unable to support herself any longer.
When she turned her head, the hurt in her eyes was plain to see.
Jiang Si felt guilty.
She stood at the side, unsure of what to do. After hesitating for a moment, she walked over to help Mowan Ci.
But Mowan Ci grew angry and used all her strength to push Jiang Si away.
Though the push was weak, Mowan Ci was still trying her best.
Jiang Si took two steps back, trying to be considerate, but then saw Mowan Ci glaring at her.
She was confused and also a little upset.
The poisoning had nothing to do with her. As soon as she heard about it, she had rushed back through the night.
First, Mowan Ci had scolded her in the main hall. Now, she was glaring at her from the bed.
After much hesitation, Jiang Si finally spoke what was on her mind.
“If we do something now, I’m afraid both of us will regret it in the future.”
After Lan Shao’s explanation, Jiang Si had understood how painful the heat and poisoning were for Mowan Ci. Seeing her now, she realized how much it was affecting her.
But she still wasn’t willing.
She was afraid that if they acted on impulse, without clarity, they would only be left with bitterness and regret.
Mowan Ci pulled the corner of the blanket in front of her, using it to cover herself as best she could.
Her entire body was burning up. She couldn’t drape it over herself properly, so this was the only way.
She had heard Jiang Si’s words clearly.
But compared to the future, she didn’t even know what to do now.
Even someone as composed as Mowan Ci could no longer endure it.
She was already over twenty-five, and as a Kunze, her heat was harder to bear than others’. She had relied on medication for years to suppress it, but this new poison had amplified everything beyond control.
She had hesitated.
She had felt lost.
If Jiang Si’s pheromones had been anything like what Mowan Ci experienced in her dreams, she would rather have died than call her inside.
She didn’t know whether the dream could be trusted, but she instinctively disliked the incense with that strange smell. In contrast, Jiang Si’s warm amber scent made her feel safe.
Letting Jiang Si in had been a gamble. She was grateful she had won.
And yet, she had also lost.
Mowan Ci pulled the blanket closer and turned away, trying to hide the mist of tears clouding her eyes.
She didn’t want Jiang Si to see her like this.
But her trembling hands betrayed her anyway.
Jiang Si noticed the trembling and instantly understood why she had turned her back.
She could hardly believe it, but she had no choice.
She had read about how vulnerable a Kunze could be during their heat. It was something she had tried to understand.
And this was Mowan Ci, someone she had come to care for deeply, someone who made her heart ache.
The more Mowan Ci tried to appear strong, the more protective Jiang Si felt.
Her emotions surged so strongly that, before she could think, she reached out and touched Mowan Ci. Only then did she realize what she had done.
Her fingertips burned with the heat of Mowan Ci’s skin, mixed with the scent of snow lotus.
“Lan Shao…” Jiang Si began, wanting to say something that would steady Mowan Ci and give her hope that Lan Shao could find a cure. But before she could finish, she grabbed Mowan Ci’s wrist and gently turned her around.
Their eyes met. Mowan Ci’s eyes, still red from crying, looked even softer than before. The blush at the corners of her eyes made her look heartbreakingly beautiful, like snow melting under sunlight.
Jiang Si’s voice came out tender and low.
“Lan Shao will find a way.”
“If she can’t, then I’ll help you. As long as you won’t regret it.”
For a Qianyuan like her, marking someone didn’t cause long-term effects or dependence. But for a Kunze, it was different.
She feared that if Mowan Ci couldn’t get through the pain now, the emotional toll in the future would be even worse.
But Mowan Ci had already made up her mind. She reached out, lifted Jiang Si’s chin, and looked at her with a hoarse voice.
“I won’t regret it. What I need right now is a Qianyuan.”
“In this entire residence, you are the one most suited.”
“And more than that…”
“You and I are alone in this room. Sooner or later, you won’t be able to resist coming closer to me.”
“So let’s not waste time.”
“Don’t do anything unnecessary.”
She then gently brushed her hair behind her ear and turned, revealing the soft pink skin at the back of her neck.
Jiang Si struggled within herself. The scent of snow lotus filled her nose like it was seeping into her chest.
Her body began to move on its own. The strong pheromones from Mowan Ci made her feel increasingly unwell.
“Military Physician Lan, is it truly impossible to develop an antidote for Her Highness right now?”
“At the moment, I can only do my best.”
After Jiang Si entered Mowan Ci’s room, Lan Shao had returned to her own residence. Su Xun had gone to handle other matters, and Zhi Miao stayed outside the door, unwilling to leave.
Wei Nian hesitated for a while but eventually followed Lan Shao.
She needed to ask if there was still any way to help Mowan Ci.
She knew how deeply Mowan Ci disliked the Marquis. If something happened between them now out of desperation, the consequences could be devastating.
“Military Physician Lan, I…”
“I know what you’re trying to say. But some things are left to fate.”
“Fate?” Wei Nian frowned in confusion. How could something like this depend on fate?
If Mowan Ci’s condition was not treated, her future would be severely affected. Wei Nian had always blamed herself for failing to ease Mowan Ci’s heat, which was far worse than that of other Kunze. With the imperial physicians under strict control and the original medicine lost, she had done everything she could to create a better suppressant.
But her skills had limits. She had locked herself in her room, constantly working in fear, trying to create a solution.
Now that she saw Lan Shao, her hope had returned.
After a moment of uncertainty, Wei Nian dropped to her knees with a thud in front of Lan Shao.
Lan Shao had been reading a medical text. When she heard the sound, she looked up with a calm expression and asked, “What are you doing?”
“I’m begging you, Military Physician Lan. Please save the Princess,” Wei Nian said, pressing her forehead to the floor. Her cheeks were flushed as she added, “If you’re willing to help, I’ll offer everything I have.”
As a neutral type, she might not be as favored as a Kunze, but her graceful features still left a strong impression.
Wei Nian had never thought herself especially beautiful, but she never imagined being rejected either.
Lan Shao stood up immediately, putting some distance between them. She pointed at Wei Nian with a shaking hand.
“Get up. There’s no need for this.”
“I have my own principles when it comes to saving lives. Doing this… will only make things worse.”
Lan Shao stumbled over her words. She knew how she felt inside, but this was the first time she had encountered something like this.
While she struggled to find the right words, Wei Nian’s eyes turned red. She no longer offered herself, but instead quietly pleaded.
“Please, Military Physician Lan. Please save Her Highness.”
“If the Marquis touches her now, she’ll be left in unbearable pain afterward.”
Lan Shao paused and seemed to consider her words. She set down her medical book and leaned her chin on one hand.
“Why do you think that?” she asked.
“Could it be,” she continued, “that the two of them will find peace together, become a harmonious couple, and support one another?”
“Military Physician Lan?” Wei Nian frowned and called out, clearly upset.
Lan Shao gave a small smile and walked to the window.
Her residence was separated from the Marquis’s estate by only a wall. From here, she could see directly into the southern courtyard.
Her eyes focused on one spot. She sighed.
“Do you really believe the Princess would be filled with regret?”
“When her life is hanging in the balance, what do you think she would choose?”
She turned and looked at Wei Nian.
The question left Wei Nian speechless.
If it had been her, she would not have known what to do either.
With her head lowered, she whispered, “I don’t know.”
“Maybe she truly doesn’t know either,” Lan Shao said softly. She looked again toward the residence of Marquis Jiajing, her voice thoughtful. “Maybe she really doesn’t know.”
Marquis Jiajing’s Residence, South Courtyard
Outside the brightly lit room, Zhi Miao paced anxiously. When she heard Mowan Ci scream from within, she rushed toward the door, ready to enter.
But Su Xun’s personal guards stood firmly in front of it, refusing to let her through.
“I serve the Princess. Let me in,” Zhi Miao demanded.
She was not an arrogant person by nature, but when it came to Mowan Ci, she was fearless. As the one who had waited on Her Highness for years, her loyalty left no room for hesitation.
Jiang Si could overlook Zhi Miao’s cold glares and open hostility, but the guards clearly had little patience for her attitude.
“Miss Zhi Miao,” one of them said, “General Su ordered us to guard the South Courtyard. Not even a fly gets past us.”
“You are only standing here now because you serve the Princess. Do not test your limits.”
The speaker was a dark-faced man, broad and imposing. He had not been with Su Xun for long, but he obeyed her every word. Some even said that Su Xun’s orders carried more weight with him than the Marquis’s.
The second guard was a female Qianyuan. She appeared gentler, and Zhi Miao, hoping she might be more reasonable, turned to her instead.
But the woman gave her only a brief glance, then turned her eyes away without a word.
Zhi Miao felt her worry rising and had nowhere to direct it.
Only when she saw Su Xun approaching did she feel the slightest relief, as if a lifeline had finally appeared.
Of everyone in Marquis Jiajing’s residence, Su Xun was the only one Zhi Miao could stand to look at.
She had struck Ye Chan for taking the Princess’s letter. At the training grounds, she had shown visible disdain for Xiang Ning when no one else did. Zhi Miao believed she was different from the rest of the Jingyuan Army.
“General Su, I just heard Her Highness scream. I wanted to—”
“Miss Zhi Miao, this is the residence of Marquis Jiajing,” Su Xun interrupted.
Her voice was calm but firm. Zhi Miao stopped so suddenly that she almost ran into her. Looking up in confusion, she murmured, “General Su…”
“Mind your manners, Miss Zhi Miao. You and I are not the same. Do not stand so close.”
Zhi Miao had spoken with Su Xun a few times in the past. During the journey to Shangjing, Su Xun had even shown her a bit of care. That kindness had seemed genuine.
But now, it had vanished.
Su Xun stepped back, her face cold. She told the guards to stay at their posts before turning to speak again.
“Yes, Her Highness is the Imperial Princess of Yue. That is true.”
“But she is also the consort of Marquis Jiajing. That is also true.”
“What exactly are you trying to do, Miss Zhi Miao?”
“You’ve been disrespectful toward the Marquis multiple times. She may be kind enough to overlook it, but we in the Jingyuan Army are not so forgiving. We do not let a maid insult our commander without consequence.”
She delivered all three statements without pause.
Zhi Miao had prepared to argue after the first, but the next two left her completely silent.
Her arms slowly dropped to her sides, and her lips moved but no words came out.
Su Xun no longer looked at her. She turned and walked to the door, leaned down to whisper something to the guards, and watched as they bowed and made their way toward the lakeside pavilion.
Su Xun remained at the entrance herself.
A long time passed before Zhi Miao stepped forward again. Tears filled her eyes as she stood before Su Xun and spoke in a quiet voice.
“I only wanted to make sure Her Highness was safe.”
Su Xun did not respond right away. A faint smile touched her lips before she replied.
“How many times must I tell you, Miss Zhi Miao?”
“This is the residence of Marquis Jiajing. Every part of this room, this courtyard, even beyond these walls, is guarded by soldiers of the Jingyuan Army.”
“There is no safer place, not just in the northern territories, but in all of Yue.”
“Why are you treating me like this?”
“What did you say?”
Su Xun had not yet let go of her commanding tone, but seeing the tears fall from Zhi Miao’s eyes, she faltered slightly.
Not even when facing strong, intimidating soldiers had she ever felt this unsure.
There were hardly any Kunze in the Jingyuan Army. The few that existed were usually family members of soldiers or worked in the kitchens. At most, they might offer her an extra piece of meat during meals. That was the extent of kindness she received.