Transmigrated as the Doomed Scumbag Alpha of the Eldest Princess (GL , ABO) - Chapter 24
Fortunately, Jiang Si had not been born a natural Qianyuan. In the education she received as a child, there were only two genders: male and female. The older generation valued the balance of yin and yang and believed that only the union of man and woman was truly proper.
But she had never followed the conventional path. From a young age, she had liked girls. And as time passed, her acceptance of this became stronger and more natural.
So after hearing what Lan Shao said, Jiang Si thought for a moment about the original body’s condition. She felt a bit emotional but also believed that perhaps the bonding scent was not as influential as expected. Her normal life could still be maintained. She then asked the question she truly cared about.
“Is there any risk to my life?”
“Or rather, will it affect my everyday life in any way?”
Jiang Si asked the question calmly, thinking it was perfectly reasonable. But it left Lan Shao stunned. This reaction was nothing like what a typical Qianyuan would show upon hearing such distressing news. She stood up abruptly, looking at Jiang Si in shock.
“My Lord, do you actually not care about this?”
Lan Shao rarely lost her composure like this. Only then did Jiang Si realize that her tone had been far too casual.
It was not at all what Lan Shao had expected. Jiang Si gave a soft cough and clasped her hands behind her back.
“Recently, I have gained some perspective. I do not see these things as so important anymore.”
Lan Shao’s expression remained unchanged, but she raised her voice in disbelief.
“Who could truly not care about this? Marquis of Jiajing, are you joking?”
Jiang Si still looked the same.
“And if I did care, what would change? What good would it do?” she sighed deeply, her face full of worry.
Only then did Lan Shao realize she might have overreacted.
Even she, over the years, had occasionally felt troubled by her own condition. How much more difficult must it have been for Jiang Si?
As a Qianyuan who could not mark a Kunze, how could anyone endure that?
This detachment was probably just Jiang Si’s way of comforting herself. Yet here Lan Shao was, reacting so strongly.
She quickly returned to her usual expressionless face. With both hands cupped in a respectful salute, she said seriously, “Please rest assured, my Lord. Leave this matter to me. I will do everything I can to help you recover.”
Jiang Si trusted her and appreciated her determination, but something still felt off.
Lan Shao remained bowed. Jiang Si glanced at her up and down for a moment, then suddenly asked, “Even though I am the one with the illness, shouldn’t the one in more urgent danger be the Princess?”
Lan Shao froze. Her body stiffened, and her expression turned unnatural.
“My Lord, regarding the Princess, I will certainly do my best as well,” she said quickly.
“But you are my master. Saving you from danger must come first, according to my duty.”
“Save us both. Start with whichever is easier.”
The words slipped from Jiang Si’s mouth without thinking. When she realized what she had said, she froze.
Since when had she begun to care so much about Mowan Ci’s safety?
Not long ago, they had agreed to leave each other alone. And now here she was, getting involved in Mowan Ci’s affairs.
Her expression darkened. She sat down with her hands behind her back, lost in thought. When had she become someone who cared so much?
All her life, she had considered herself indifferent to fame, fortune, relationships, and even life and death.
But after becoming the Marquis of Jiajing, something had changed. She felt a growing sense of duty toward the people, toward the suffering caused by war. And now, she also felt something else toward Mowan Ci. A sense of tenderness and fear.
Fear that something might happen to her.
Fear that she might never see her again.
“You mentioned earlier that my bonding scent and the Princess’s are complementary. How exactly do they complement each other?”
Jiang Si’s question shattered Lan Shao’s long-held impression of her.
She had known Jiang Si had changed, but she had never expected such a dramatic shift.
It was true that Jiang Si had saved her in the past. But as the years went by, Lan Shao had felt more and more like she no longer understood her. That was why she chose to distance herself. Even though she still cared, she had stopped getting too close.
If this situation had not been so urgent, she probably would not have said so much today.
But now that Jiang Si insisted, she had no choice but to explain everything.
“The Princess is poisoned. The antidote exists, but it is difficult to find and even harder to make. If the treatment is delayed too long, it may cause permanent harm.”
“However, when I examined the Princess earlier, I noticed that after coming into contact with your bonding scent, her rut symptoms had already begun to ease.”
“So there are two possible treatments. The first is for you to perform a permanent mark on the Princess.”
“The second is to use your scent as a medicinal primer, allowing me to brew an antidote for her.”
“These are the methods to treat the Princess. As for your own condition, the options are quite similar. One is also a permanent mark. But your bonding scent is currently unstable, so that cannot be done yet. The only viable option is for you and the Princess to remain together for a long time. You must not be apart for more than seven days. During rut season, you cannot be separated at all.”
Jiang Si nodded throughout the explanation. But at the last sentence, her expression changed. She stopped nodding and stared at Lan Shao with wide eyes.
Complementary? She had never imagined this kind of complement.
Was this not just tying her and Mowan Ci together?
A permanent mark. Never being apart.
And yet, it would barely affect Mowan Ci at all.
“What if I refuse?”
“Refuse?” Lan Shao was confused. Had she not just said to save the Princess first? Now she was backing out?
Jiang Si quickly interrupted, seeing where Lan Shao’s thoughts were going.
“No, no, it’s not what you think. I am willing to use my scent to help detoxify the Princess. But I cannot be with her all the time.”
As she spoke, her face grew redder and redder. Finally, she turned her head away.
“Is there really no other way?”
“There is not.”
“If you refuse, your life may be in danger.”
“Even though Qianyuan are stronger than Kunze, if your bonding scent has not stabilized by the age of thirty, and you have never marked a Kunze, your life expectancy will be greatly reduced.”
“And with your two conflicting scents unresolved, it is impossible to say how long you might survive.”
Lan Shao delivered these words without expression. Jiang Si opened her mouth, but no words came out. She sat there in silence, stunned.
After a moment, Jiang Si finally spoke.
“Then let it be.”
Lan Shao smiled faintly, bowed, and said, “I will begin preparations right away to treat both you and the Princess.”
Jiang Si instinctively gave a short reply, but just as Lan Shao was about to leave, she called out.
“Wait. Have you told the Princess?”
“I have not.”
“But… the Princess will most likely agree. I mentioned that detoxification involves you, and she did not refuse.”
Lan Shao gave a sly smile, bowed slightly, and pushed the door open as she left.
She left behind a rather flustered Jiang Si.
If her guess was right, then Lan Shao had played tricks and cornered the Princess into this decision.
She had likely said something vague to Mowan Ci, but then pushed the final choice onto her instead.
Suddenly, Jiang Si felt uneasy. What if Mowan Ci learned the full truth and assumed it was all her idea?
After hesitating for a long while, she finally forced her uncomfortable body to the Southern Courtyard.
But she was turned away at the door.
Zhi Miao greeted her more gently than usual. With lowered eyes and a soft voice, she said, “My Lord, the Princess is currently speaking with Military Physician Lan. She instructed that no one is to disturb her.”
“Is it just Lan Shao inside?” Jiang Si asked, not hiding her concern. Zhi Miao paused briefly at her unexpected focus, glanced inside, then replied, “Also Wei Nian. The three of them are speaking together.”
“I see. Then I will wait outside.”
Jiang Si could not clearly explain how she was feeling.
She simply did not want to be too far away, but also felt it would be improper to be too close. In the end, she moved to the lakeside pavilion.
Previously, Su Xun’s personal guards had been stationed nearby. Later, it became Su Xun and Zhi Miao who kept watch. But now, there was no one left—only Jiang Si by herself.
It was winter, but no snow had fallen. The lake held no beauty, only a thin layer of ice. Still, Jiang Si sat there, staring blankly at the frozen surface. She had not dressed warmly, but oddly, she did not feel cold.
After a while, she would glance up toward Mowan Ci’s room, just once, then quickly turn back to look at the lake again.
There was a vague, lingering unease in her heart.
Her mind was filled entirely with thoughts of Mowan Ci.
Inside the room, however, Mowan Ci was quite calm. Most of the heat and restlessness within her body had already faded. With the medicine Lan Shao had administered, her physical condition was now back to normal.
Her composure came from listening to Lan Shao’s explanation about the situation between her and Jiang Si, and what had to be done next.
By contrast, Wei Nian was visibly shaken, her eyes filled with hurt as she looked at Lan Shao.
They had only known each other for two days, but Wei Nian had already come to trust that Lan Shao would do everything she could to save Mowan Ci.
Now, after hearing the full truth, she finally realized it had only been mutual use.
“I understand. I will leave this matter to you, Physician Lan,” Mowan Ci said calmly.
“But unless it is absolutely necessary, I will not choose to remain near the Marquis of Jiajing. Please inform her that I will only agree to meet once every seven days.”
Her tone remained indifferent as she raised her hand to dismiss Lan Shao.
Lan Shao was not surprised. Her task was only to care for Jiang Si’s condition. Matters between spouses were none of her concern.
With a smile, she bowed. “Understood, I will see to it.”
After taking a few steps back, she found herself standing next to Wei Nian. The hurt in Wei Nian’s eyes made her slightly uncomfortable, but she said nothing and quietly left the room.
Once Lan Shao was gone, Wei Nian could no longer hold back. She dropped to her knees before Mowan Ci.
“Your Highness, if you see through her intentions, then why… why…” Her voice trailed off, unable to finish.
Because she suddenly remembered Lan Shao’s words from the night before.
“If her life were truly in danger at every moment, what would she choose?”
Perhaps this was that moment.
Lan Shao was not wrong. But Wei Nian still felt disappointed. She had thought Lan Shao was a physician with a pure heart.
“Wei Nian, not everything needs to be taken so seriously. What matters to me is the outcome.”
“Lan Shao only wanted me to willingly become the Marquis’s medicinal primer. She did not poison me. If not for her intentions, I likely wouldn’t have lasted even a few days.”
Mowan Ci had clearly thought it through, but Wei Nian was filled with shame. She bowed deeply and left the room.
As soon as she stepped outside, she saw Lan Shao waiting for her.
Had this been half an hour earlier, Wei Nian would have greeted her with joy. Now, she did not know how to react. She froze in place, saying nothing, simply staring at her.
Lan Shao noticed and gave her a light smile.
“You do not need to overthink this, Wei Nian. Loyalty to our masters is our duty. Besides…”
“This is simply mutual benefit.”
Lan Shao did not need to explain herself to Wei Nian. She had not gone to such lengths when speaking to Mowan Ci either. But seeing Wei Nian’s expression, she could not help wanting to clarify.
Whether she would be understood or not, depended on Wei Nian herself.
After parting from Wei Nian, Lan Shao went straight to the lakeside pavilion. When Jiang Si saw her approaching, she stood up immediately to greet her.
“Lan Shao, what did the Princess say? Did she agree?”
Lan Shao did not know what Jiang Si had been imagining. Perhaps it was similar to Wei Nian’s thoughts. But she did not offer any comforting words. Instead, she asked directly.
“My Lord, why would you ask that? This benefits both of you. The Princess has no reason to refuse.”
“But… does she not only need my bonding scent?”
“Yes. But if you are not in regular contact with her, the scent will become unstable. That is a deadlock.”
“I explained everything to the Princess. She agreed, but requested that she will only see you once every seven days. The rest of the time, she hopes you will not disturb her.”
Lan Shao reported this truthfully, and it left Jiang Si feeling quite bitter.
Clearly, she had overthought everything. Mowan Ci was much clearer-headed than she had imagined.
“Understood. When will you begin treatment?”
“If my Lord is in a hurry, then we may begin right away.”
“However, it will be extremely painful. Are you able to endure it?”
“If I cannot…”
Cannot?
Jiang Si had never been sensitive to bonding scents. Without that faint, almost imperceptible fragrance, she had always felt normal.
But being asked repeatedly if she could endure it was still frustrating.
Why couldn’t she?
She could.
She had to.