Transmigrated Into A Novel As A Scumbag Princess’ Consort - Chapter 6

6:

Zhou Qiyue froze. At just sixteen, raised delicately by her parents, she had never quarreled with anyone before. Her standing up now was purely out of a kind heart.

So, for a moment, she didn’t know how to retort to Yun Chi.

In her uncertainty, she instinctively looked at Ye Xuejin.

She had seen the Princess before—a noble and dignified figure, with an ethereal aura like an immortal, so unapproachable that even getting close felt like an offense.

The Princess before her now, though clad in prisoner’s garb, still couldn’t hide her stunning beauty. Yet she also seemed fragile, like a thin sheet of paper, as if a gust could break her.

Their eyes met, and Ye Xuejin shook her head lightly at Zhou Qiyue. “Thank you, but there’s no need to trouble Miss Zhou.”

Her voice was hoarse, but her tone was firm, rejecting the kindness.

Zhou Qiyue felt a pang of sorrow, turned her head, and said defiantly, “Bullying a woman, what kind of… woman are you? If you’re so tough, fight me!”

Old Censor Zhou sighed, gesturing for his family to sit and watch how things unfolded.

Yu Lu showed no sign of intervening, and the other escorts, seeing this, also chose to stay out of it.

Ye Xuejin’s status was delicate, they all knew it. While they didn’t dare mistreat her on this journey, they also didn’t dare show her too much favor. Since Yu Lu, the leader, didn’t speak up, they were even less inclined to meddle.

While everyone else opted to watch, Yun Chi saw an opportunity she couldn’t miss. Hearing Zhou Qiyue’s challenge, she pounced. “You think I’m scared of you?”

Let’s fight. If she lost, all the better—it’d give her an excuse to avoid further trouble.

Before anyone could react, the two were tangled in a scuffle.

“Scumbag!”

“Mind your own business!”

“I’ll take you down!”

…

“Father, are we really not helping Little Sister?” Zhou Qishan asked worriedly.

Old Censor Zhou shook his head. “Let her be.”

With their own survival in question, his daughter was still trying to play hero. She needed to learn a lesson.

Hearing this, the other Zhou men held their tongues.

Old Madam Zhou, seeing her husband and son stay silent, held her trembling young granddaughter tightly and didn’t get up to stop her daughter.

“Boss, are we really not stepping in?” Zeng Laosan sidled up to Yu Lu, feigning concern.

Inwardly, he cursed Yun Chi for being useless. She wasn’t hitting the right person but was eagerly brawling with someone irrelevant, what a waste.

Yu Lu frowned, stepped forward decisively, and swung his whip with force.

Crack, crack! The whip landed on both Yun Chi and Zhou Qiyue.

The sharp pain forced them to stop fighting and dodge apart.

Only then did Yu Lu say sternly, “I’ll say this once: anyone causing trouble on this exile will answer to my whip first.”

The implication was clear—prisoners weren’t allowed to fight, or he’d step in.

Zhou Qiyue, having taken a few lashes, let out a pained cry and crawled to Old Madam Zhou’s side.

Old Madam Zhou hugged her, shooting her a glare.

Old Censor Zhou’s eyes flickered with surprise, signaling his wife to stay quiet.

Yun Chi was equally shocked. She hadn’t expected Yu Lu to hit so hard, it hurt like hell.

Ye Xuejin touched the wound medicine in her sleeve but mindful of their act, she didn’t take it out.

The hut fell silent.

Yun Chi glanced at Zeng Laosan, hoping this was enough.

Zeng Laosan toyed with his whip, his expression neutral, acting like an outsider.

Seeing no suspicion in his face, Yun Chi sighed in relief and moved closer to Ye Xuejin, pulling her to a corner.

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and treat my wounds.”

Ye Xuejin was stunned, then pursed her lips and took out the wound medicine.

Yun Chi sat facing inward, rolling up her sleeve to reveal the wounds on her arm—some had broken skin, showing how much force Yu Lu had used.

She was practically speechless.

Zeng Laosan wanted to harm Ye Xuejin, and she got beaten.

Yu Lu wanted to protect Ye Xuejin, and she still got beaten.

Who did she offend to be stuck in the middle like a punching bag, caught between both sides?

Yu Lu’s gaze darkened. He hadn’t expected Yun Chi to dare boss Ye Xuejin around after taking a beating, but he could only intervene so far without overstepping.

The only one satisfied was Zeng Laosan. He retracted his earlier judgment—this beggar wasn’t that useless, just half-useless.

The hut fell silent again, and soon snoring filled the air.

Ye Xuejin glanced at Zhou Qiyue, two steps away, and tossed the remaining wound medicine to her.

Zhou Qiyue, who’d been watching them, caught the porcelain bottle in time.

Just then, Yun Chi tugged at Ye Xuejin.

Zhou Qiyue’s eyes flashed with concern as Yun Chi half-forced, half-carefully pulled Ye Xuejin into her arms.

“Cold.”

With that single word, Ye Xuejin complied.

She didn’t feel cold, the cotton shirt Yun Chi gave her was quite warm.

But since Yun Chi gave her the shirt instead of wearing it herself, Ye Xuejin couldn’t bring herself to push her away.

Besides, they’d gone through the marriage ceremony. Whether they reached the exile destination or not, whatever the future held, they were each other’s wife. This person had promised not to abandon her in hardship, so pushing her away now would seem ungrateful.

Finding one reason after another in her mind, Ye Xuejin nestled obediently in Yun Chi’s arms, closing her eyes heavily.

Zhou Qiyue’s eyes showed confusion. As she hesitated, someone tapped her head.

Old Madam Zhou whispered, “Apply the medicine quietly. If you call me ‘Mother’ again, don’t stick your neck out anymore.”

Zhou Qiyue opened her mouth but lowered her head silently.

In the latter half of the night, a fierce wind suddenly rose, waking everyone.

Soon, a downpour began. Though the hut was sturdy, wind and rain still seeped in.

No one could sleep now.

Many glanced at Yu Lu, thinking he was quite capable, having foreseen the rain and built the hut. Without it, some would surely catch a chill in this storm.

Yun Chi looked at Ye Xuejin, who had somehow turned to face her in her sleep, and raised her brows slightly.

Holding her was Yun Chi’s initiative, the autumn night was too cold.

Ye Xuejin’s eyes flickered with confusion as something appeared in her hand.

It was the half cornbread bun and another pill.

“Eat,” Yun Chi mouthed, urging her.

Ye Xuejin lowered her gaze, saying nothing, but her heart ached sharply.

Suddenly, she felt she could survive. On the day she was ordered to throw the embroidered ball, when it landed in the hands of a filthy beggar, she had briefly wanted to back out.

But the emperor’s appearance and his decree of marriage made her realize she had no choice.

No matter how humiliating or disappointing, this person was her consort.

Thankfully, cleaned up, this person was decent-looking with refined features. Though timid, she wasn’t repulsive.

Back then, Ye Xuejin thought that if there was no way out, a life of mutual respect would suffice.

But she had underestimated the emperor’s ruthlessness. In the end, she not only had no right to resent this marriage but also felt guilty for dragging someone else into it.

Now, she even began to feel grateful that the embroidered ball had landed with Yun Chi.

Perhaps her father and mother in the afterlife had sent this person to her side, telling her, “I won’t abandon you on this journey,” “Trust me,” “I’ll help you,” “You’ll definitely have your name cleared.”

Each resolute word wrapped around her like tough straw, pulling her from despair and reigniting her will to live…

After eating the cornbread bun, Ye Xuejin looked up to see Yun Chi’s smile.

Warm like midday sunlight, it brightened her heart.

Yun Chi smiled silently because giving one pill at a time indeed triggered a reward.

[Gave one anti-inflammatory pill. Please choose a reward: one dagger or ten taels of silver.]

Yun Chi thought briefly and chose the silver.

Unlike the original consort, she wasn’t actually beating or humiliating Ye Xuejin under Zeng Laosan’s coercion. With the cotton shirt and anti-inflammatory medicine, Ye Xuejin’s wounds should gradually heal, and she wouldn’t catch a chill.

This way, if they could endure the next thirteen days, Ye Xuejin could return to the capital and resume her life as the revered Princess.

Yun Chi’s own life would be safe.

She was now fairly certain Yu Lu and Zeng Laosan were at odds, and neither dared act too openly.

With them checking each other, as long as she and Ye Xuejin were cautious, they should be fine.

So, her next goal was to accumulate wealth.

After all, the original consort was just a beggar. Once Ye Xuejin was vindicated, it would mean the emperor’s suspicions were cleared, and a better consort candidate might emerge.

Yun Chi would likely have to step aside, so she needed to plan for herself.

“Get up, let’s move!” Yu Lu saw the rain stop and the sky brighten, deciding to set out early.

Escorting prisoners had a set schedule. As long as he delivered Ye Xuejin safely to the southern border, his mission was complete. Delays could bring trouble, and he wanted to return to the capital soon.

Yun Chi snapped back to reality, pushed Ye Xuejin away, and grumbled, “You’re only good for warming me up. Why did I marry you? Such bad luck.”

The act had to be complete. To be safe, they needed to stay wary of Zeng Laosan.

For survival, they couldn’t let their guards down.