Transmigrated Into A Novel As A Scumbag Princess’ Consort - Chapter 22

22:

As soon as Zhou Qiyue stepped out, only Old Madam Zhou, her granddaughter Ying’er, and Ye Xuejin remained in the room.

Old Madam Zhou glanced at Ye Xuejin, then at the closed door, and back at Ye Xuejin again.

Catching her gaze, Ye Xuejin subtly shifted her eyes away and walked to the window.

It was this small act of avoidance that finally solidified Old Madam Zhou’s resolve. Holding little Ying’er’s hand, she knelt on the ground. “This old woman pays her respects to Her Highness, Princess He’an. May Your Highness live a thousand years!”

Her words brought a momentary silence to the room.

“Please, Old Madam, rise quickly. There’s no princess here. I’m a convicted criminal, how could I accept such a grand gesture?” Ye Xuejin was startled for a moment but hurried forward to help her up.

However, Old Madam Zhou refused to rise, remaining on her knees. “Your Highness is worthy of this. My husband always said Your Highness could never harbor rebellious intentions. This crime is a false accusation. You’ve been wronged, Your Highness.”

Ye Xuejin sighed inwardly. “Old Madam, you don’t need to do this. If we speak of being wronged, haven’t you suffered just as much?”

Tears welled up in Old Madam Zhou’s eyes. Yes, what crime had the Zhou family committed?

As censors, it was their duty to report truthfully and offer candid advice. Since when has that become a crime?

Seeing her pained expression, Ye Xuejin gently helped her up with a bit more force, then picked up little Ying’er and sat her on the edge of the bed.

“Old Madam, don’t let sorrow weigh you down. You must take care of yourself to see the day when the clouds part and the moon shines bright.”

Her gentle tone and calm voice carried a soothing power, delivered without haste.

Old Madam Zhou wiped the corner of her eye and said earnestly, “Your Highness speaks truly. You must take care of yourself too, Your Highness.”

Seeing her calm down, Ye Xuejin reminded her, “Old Madam, it’s best not to interact with me openly outside. For the sake of the Zhou family, and for the child.”

She didn’t want anyone else to be implicated because of her.

“Your Highness… this old woman will heed Your Highness.” Old Madam Zhou, who had just suppressed her tears, choked up again.

She knew that if the one on the dragon throne refused to relent, any hint of the Zhou family’s closeness to the princess reaching the wrong ears could make their family’s situation even worse.

That was why she had chosen this private moment to pay her respects.

After this exchange, Old Madam Zhou felt a bit lighter, and her words flowed more freely.

“Your Highness has truly been wronged. Exile is already a death sentence, and to be burdened with such a consort…”

Ye Xuejin listened quietly, nodding occasionally without saying much.

Her consort was good. It was she who had dragged her consort down…

Outside, as Yun Chi stepped out, she spotted Yu Lu approaching.

Yu Lu had sent all six escorts to buy supplies, staying behind to oversee things.

Seeing Yun Chi and Shiniang standing together, he gave them a look and said casually, “Shiniang, take them out to look around. If the ladies need anything, they can buy it themselves.”

His “them” included Yun Chi.

Shiniang waited a bit longer until Zhou Qiyue came out with the gold locket, and then the group left the post station.

Zhou Qiyue couldn’t help muttering, “Why does that person get to go?” She wanted to go too.

Yu Lu pretended not to hear and walked off briskly.

On the other side, after leaving the post station, Yun Chi noticed something off about the five young girls.

They seemed nervous, especially when men glanced their way. The five of them would instinctively look to Shiniang, as if seeking reassurance.

Their reliance was tinged with a hint of awe, keeping them from getting too close, just watching her with wide, hopeful eyes.

Yun Chi was puzzled and asked, “Are they your people?” The girls didn’t seem like they belonged with Shiniang, and some had even left earlier.

“You could say that,” Shiniang replied.

“What do you mean?”

Shiniang was concise. “I was entrusted to meet the princess halfway. Passing through that village, I ran into a gang of bandits…”

The village appeared ordinary, but it was filled only with able-bodied men. When they saw Shiniang alone, they didn’t even bother pretending and attacked her outright.

Naturally, with her superior martial skills, she easily defeated them.

After interrogating them, she learned the village was a front.

The bandits, posing as villagers, targeted passing groups. If they spotted young women who didn’t seem noble or powerful, they’d abduct them, kill the men and the weak, and sell the women to mountain folks for a high price.

When Shiniang found the women locked in the cellar and saw the girls’ wretched state, she killed every last bandit in a fit of rage.

That was why only they remained in the village, and why the girls both revered and feared her—they had witnessed her slaughter the entire gang.

Yun Chi was stunned, struggling to process it all.

Shiniang glanced at her, her tone casual. “Do you think I’m a ruthless killer, worse than those bandits?”

Yun Chi snapped back to reality and shook her head firmly. “Of course not. Those scum deserved to die. You did a great deed.”

Shiniang’s eyes dimmed, and she said no more.

In truth, over twenty girls had been locked in that cellar, but only a dozen or so survived.

They had been saved, given their freedom back…

Shiniang’s heart grew heavy. She looked gently at the girls behind her. “Come closer. You’ll always have me.”

“Yes,” the five girls responded obediently, following her.

They hadn’t left, choosing to trek to the southern frontier with Shiniang, because they had no identification papers and had lost all their families.

With nowhere to go and in such a dire situation, some had even considered death. But Shiniang had told them to live on.

“You must live well, live brilliantly, so your families can rest in peace. Since I’ve taken this matter into my hands, I won’t abandon you. You’ll always have me.”

Her words struck their hearts. They wanted to live well, to live brilliantly.

They also remembered: no matter what, they had Shiniang.

Yun Chi fell silent for a moment before speaking up. “You all seem younger than me, but I bet you’re all more capable. Don’t laugh, but since I can remember, I’ve been a beggar. All I know is begging. But I believe as long as we don’t give up hope, life will get better…”

The girls, seeing her kind words and Shiniang’s faint smile, finally responded, exchanging names with Yun Chi.

The sunlight fell on their faces, bright and warm, shimmering with an unnamed brilliance.

Near noon, as the group returned to the post station, Yu Lu called Shiniang aside.

Yun Chi smiled at the girls, not holding back. “Shi Mei, Shi Lan, you two organize the supplies. Shi Zhu, Shi Ju, Shi Song, you three help me make the beds. Come on.”

Her tone was soft, her smile gentle.

The girls exchanged glances and responded quietly.

Ye Xuejin noticed Yun Chi’s unusual behavior but didn’t ask. Instead, she smiled at the girls, chatting and working with them cheerfully.

Old Madam Zhou observed them for a moment before nudging her daughter. “Go lend a hand.”

Zhou Qiyue gave a soft “mm” and joined Ye Xuejin, helping with the tasks.

The atmosphere gradually warmed, and the girls’ tense expressions relaxed without them realizing it.

Invisibly, the group seemed to grow closer.

After lunch, Yun Chi found a moment to quickly recount Shiniang’s story to Ye Xuejin.

“…They don’t want to dwell on the past, so even their names were newly given by Shiniang.”