I'm Competing With The Male Lead For A Woman - Chapter 35

Princess Zhaoyang and Consort Shu returned to the capital last night.

Coincidentally, today was also Princess Zhaoyang’s birthday. Consort Shu sent someone from her side to the Prince’s estate to deliver a message, asking Xiao Jin to come to the palace early to pay his respects.

Xiao Jin had just woken up from the nightmare and listened absentmindedly to the message from the original owner’s mother. Before she could recover, she received a new mission from the system.

“A new character is about to be unlocked. As a friendly reminder, Host, you currently possess the item ‘Ice Lotus Flower Handkerchief,’ which meets the requirements for sideline mission one.”

“Therefore, you can look for clues for the sideline mission during your visit to Princess Zhaoyang.”

Reminded by the system, Xiao Jin recalled the handkerchief Chu Shao used to wipe her blood on the night of their wedding. She went to the bedroom to retrieve it.

Looking at the silver-blue flower petals on the back of the handkerchief, she stared at it for a long time, still wondering why the Yao Kingdom considered this flower a symbol of good fortune.

Just looking at the pattern, it only made people feel sinister and ominous, and it was definitely not associated with any auspicious sign.

Xiao Jin casually found a sachet, put the Ice Lotus Flower Handkerchief inside, and planned to hang it on her belt after getting dressed.

Just as she was about to get dressed, she remembered that the condition to trigger the sideline mission was to “speak with Princess Zhaoyang three times or more.” Although the probability of triggering was only 60%, and it might take many attempts to get a clue, she still had to try.

Thinking this, Xiao Jin saw the maid already walking in from outside with a tray, kneeling in front of her to present the clothes.

Looking at the clothes on the tray and listening to the maid’s words, she realized that she needed to change into a more formal attire to meet the Princess.

Presumably, because Princess Zhaoyang had a noble status, the clothing for today was much more complicated.

Xiao Jin casually picked up an outer garment and found that it was a newly tailored brocade fabric that had just been delivered to the estate.

It was a dark-colored robe with gold piping, and there were subtle patterns embroidered on the sleeves, looking quite exquisite. It was clear that the embroiderer must have put a lot of effort into making this garment.

It had to be said that this attire was complicated and flashy.

After dismissing the maid, Xiao Jin spent a long time figuring out the general order.

The original owner’s legs were inconvenient, making it difficult to put on clothes. It took a long time to finally get the clothes on, but she couldn’t buckle the Chidai (Dragon Belt) in her hand properly.

Xiao Jin never thought thfat even buckling a belt would become a torment one day. Combined with just waking up from a nightmare, her heart gradually became a little irritable.

Suppressing this emotion, she was about to try to find another way, when a hand suddenly flashed past her eyes and rested on the Chidai around her waist.

That hand was even more radiant than the jade on the edge of the belt, and the movement was extremely gentle.

However, when taking the belt, the person’s knuckles accidentally brushed past her fingertips, which made Xiao Jin momentarily stunned.

She looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes.

Chu Shao held the Chidai and said with a smile, “Let me help Your Highness fasten the belt.”

Xiao Jin realized that she had been so immersed in fighting with the belt that she hadn’t noticed when Chu Shao had entered.

However, with Chu Shao’s martial arts skills, if she wanted to sneak in without being noticed, it would probably be very easy.

Perhaps it was because she had dreamt of Chu Shao last night. Although the cutesy voice no longer restricted her, Xiao Jin still felt awkward at this moment.

She watched Chu Shao for a moment, then pretended to be calm and nodded: “I appreciate the help, Princess.”

Chu Shao smiled, leaned down, and focused on tying the belt for Xiao Jin.

The whole process was actually very short, and this was not the first time Chu Shao had tied Xiao Jin’s belt.

However, because of last night’s nightmare, as Xiao Jin watched Chu Shao tie the belt, she subconsciously recalled the sensation of those hands gently gripping her neck.

Coupled with Chu Shao taking the Chidai and wrapping it around her waist, the action seemed incredibly long.

Not to mention the close proximity of their breathing and the subtle friction of their clothes rubbing against each other.

It was not only slow but also a torment.

“That’s enough.” Xiao Jin reached out and subtly pushed Chu Shao’s hand away.

After Xiao Jin pushed her hand away, Chu Shao slightly frowned, looked up, and asked the other person with confusion: “Your Highness, there is only one last step left.”

Xiao Jin didn’t offer any further explanation and avoided Chu Shao’s gaze: “Thank you for your effort, Princess Consort. I can do the last step myself.”

Hearing this, Chu Shao didn’t say anything, standing quietly in place, watching Xiao Jin lower her head and fasten the Chidai.

The matter should have ended there.

But Chu Shao looked at Xiao Jin’s indifferent face, suddenly remembered an interesting thing, and couldn’t help but smile: “Your Highness, did you not rest well last night?”

This startled Xiao Jin, but on the surface, she still had to pretend to be calm and frowned: “What makes Princess Consort say that?”

Chu Shao laughed: “Because, since just now, your heart seems to be… beating a little fast.”

“…”

Xiao Jin refuted expressionlessly: “An illusion.”

As soon as she finished speaking, before Xiao Jin could pretentiously feel her pulse, Chu Shao smiled again: “Is that so? It seems even faster now.”

Xiao Jin still kept a straight face.

After all, she certainly couldn’t say that her heart was racing because she was frightened by a dream.

She could only clear her throat and change the subject: “My Mother told me to go and pay my respects to the Princess. Princess Consort should also tidy up your appearance, and let’s go to the palace early.”

Hearing the phrase “tidy up your appearance,” Chu Shao frowned. She casually found a bronze mirror in the room and carefully examined herself in the mirror.

After a long time, she still felt that she was properly dressed and presentable, and there was nothing that needed tidying up.

Fortunately, Xiao Jin’s goal had been achieved. Because Chu Shao was focused on finding out what was wrong with her appearance, she dismissed her previous question.

Chu Shao looked at the mirror for a long time. Just when Xiao Jin was starting to feel guilty, the other person put down the bronze mirror and suddenly understood.

“I see. I will go back to my room and tidy up my appearance now.”

Of course, Xiao Jin couldn’t possibly know what Chu Shao had realized. She simply watched Chu Shao leave the room and let out a long sigh of relief.

After letting out a sigh of relief, Xiao Jin frowned again.

Wait, why did I let out a sigh of relief?

…

Up until the moment she was ready to leave for the palace, Xiao Jin still hadn’t figured out the reason for her anxiety.

But sitting in the wheelchair, she recalled the dream she had last night, repeatedly reliving the suffocating feeling of the Gu worm stuck in her throat, and suddenly figured out another matter.

Any person would be aware if such a large piece of incense was stuck in their throat.

If this incense had been attached to the assassin’s throat from the beginning, he would definitely have noticed it. Therefore, the possibility of the person behind the scenes forcing the Gu on the assassin can basically be ruled out.

This indicated that the assassin took the poison voluntarily.

Combining this with the words spoken by the assassin in the Yanyu Pavilion—”working for a distinguished person” and “knowing my life is short.”

Perhaps the assassin knew from the start that completing the mission to assassinate her would most likely cost him his life.

There were quite a few “distinguished people” in the Qi Kingdom who could dictate life and death, but the definition of “the most distinguished person” was open to debate.

It was also possible that the assassin’s “most distinguished person” was not distinguished in the conventional sense but a subjective definition of distinction.

That is, the person the assassin himself considered the most distinguished.

If that were the case, the number of people behind the scenes would be huge. The Emperor, the Empress, the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince, and those two princesses… Wait, any of them could be the mastermind behind her assassination.

But the problem was that the person did not want her life.

Xiao Jin propped up her chin and couldn’t help but fall into contemplation: Not wanting my life, but coating the dagger that stabbed Chu Shao with poison. What does that mean?

Just then, Steward Zhang’s voice interrupted Xiao Jin’s thoughts: “The wind and snow were heavy last night. I saw that Your Highness was staying in the study, so I closed all the doors and windows. I hope you slept well last night?”

“…”

Xiao Jin’s face was lined with black: “Very well. Excellent.”

She finally understood where the suffocating feeling in her dream came from. Closing the doors and windows in the middle of winter and fumigating the room—was he trying to roast her like cured meat?

With such stuffy air, it would be strange not to have a nightmare.

Steward Zhang noticed Xiao Jin’s unpleasant expression, but he thought it had nothing to do with him, and he still smiled apologetically: “As long as Your Highness slept well, I am relieved.”

As the two talked, Chu Shao had already tidied up her appearance and walked in from outside with a smile.

Xiao Jin looked up. From her straight-girl perspective, she couldn’t see much difference at first glance. After a closer look, she realized that the other person was slightly less dressed for a funeral today and had changed out of that pale white plain dress.

Wearing a blue dress with silver sleeves, a huadian (forehead ornament) shaped like the Ice Lotus Flower Handkerchief was still pasted on her forehead, giving her a unique air of isolation from the world.

But no matter what she wore, it ultimately couldn’t change Chu Shao’s essentially abnormal nature.

Without further ado, Xiao Jin saw that Chu Shao was ready and was about to set off, when a maid rushed in from outside the door and knelt down to salute.

“Your Highness… A eunuch has arrived from outside, saying he is here to relay an oral decree from Princess Zhaoyang.”

“Relay an oral decree from the Princess?”

Xiao Jin was a little surprised, but her face remained expressionless: “I am about to set off to pay my respects to Aunt Zhaoyang immediately. Why send someone to relay an oral decree?”

The maid didn’t know much and whispered: “Replying to Your Highness, this servant doesn’t know either… But the eunuch looks kind and is indeed a person close to the Princess.”

At this crucial moment, although Xiao Jin couldn’t figure out Princess Zhaoyang’s intentions, she couldn’t just leave the person hanging.

Thinking this, she nodded: “Let him in.”

In a short while, the eunuch walked in with a smile.

He held a whisk and was wearing a purple round-neck narrow-sleeved shirt. He was clearly a eunuch of a very high rank.

The eunuch first bowed to Xiao Jin, and then smiled: “Prince of Yan, this servant is here to relay an oral decree on the order of Princess Zhaoyang.”

Xiao Jin nodded, signaling him to speak.

Unexpectedly, after she nodded, the people around her all knelt down to listen to the Princess’s decree.

At this moment, Xiao Jin finally truly appreciated the immense power of Princess Zhaoyang.

An oral decree was making everyone more fearful than an imperial edict. Only a historical fantasy novel could write something like this.

Only she, sitting in the wheelchair, barely escaped this. Otherwise, given Zhaoyang’s seniority, she would probably have to kneel down obediently.

However, after waiting for a moment, Xiao Jin noticed that the eunuch proclaiming the decree was still standing there with a smile, his eyes fixed on one place, showing no intention of opening his mouth to announce the decree.

Following the eunuch’s gaze, she saw Chu Shao, who was smiling and standing ramrod straight.

“…”

Xiao Jin had only one thought: Good heavens, she’s even more defiant than me.