After Spending a Passionate Night with the Eldest Princess - Chapter 31

The moment Xin Yuan entered, she felt the atmosphere was somewhat heavy, making her uncomfortable for no reason.

Qin Muqiu instructed Xiangzhu, “Guard outside.”

As soon as the door closed, Xin Yuan instinctively straightened her back, as if doing so would give her more confidence. The original owner’s parents had not noticed anything. No matter how clever this woman was, surely she would not be able to see past the girl’s own parents and realize Xin Yuan was not the original owner.

Unease gradually rose in her heart. Instinct told her she could not stay here any longer.

“Um, I’m hungry. Let’s go back.”

Qin Muqiu raised her eyes, the corner of her lips curving slightly. “There is no hurry. Are your parents satisfied with this palace’s arrangements?”

“Satisfied. Thank you… Your Highness.” Xin Yuan’s gaze drifted, and even her words became obedient.

That feeling of wanting to flee came again. Every time this feeling appeared, nothing good ever followed.

Qin Muqiu smiled faintly. “Has your younger brother ever studied? If he can read, posting more notices to find him should make it easier.”

Xin Yuan froze.

Sure enough, here it came. The original owner’s parents were only ordinary tenant farmers. They usually survived by renting and farming other people’s land. They often could not even fill their stomachs, so how could they have extra money to let their children study?

Since even their pampered son had no chance to study, there was no need to mention their unloved daughter.

She had been careless!

When they were entering the palace, this woman had made her read through Guo Xiaowu’s life story in the carriage…

Could it be that from that moment on, this woman had already begun testing her?

Xin Yuan instantly felt her whole body go numb. Once again, she experienced how deep Qin Muqiu’s thoughts were. It was simply impossible to guard against.

Seeing that she did not speak, Qin Muqiu withdrew her smile. “What? Is it inconvenient to say?”

Xin Yuan’s face stiffened, and her hands unconsciously clenched. “There’s nothing inconvenient. My younger brother is illiterate.”

This was one point she had no way to lie about. After all, the Xin couple were right next door and could be checked at any time.

In fact, this woman might already have asked clearly in advance.

Hearing this, a dark look flashed through Qin Muqiu’s eyes. “It seems your parents loved you very much. This palace thought your younger brother had also studied.”

The corner of Xin Yuan’s mouth twitched. Even a ghost would roll its eyes hearing this.

Was Qin Muqiu not just suspecting that she was not the original owner? She could just say it directly. Saying it so indirectly made her sound rather sarcastic.

Qin Muqiu rubbed her fingers together, her tone low and slow. “Do you have nothing to explain?”

It was indeed Xin Laidi, yet also not Xin Laidi.

In an instant, her mind filled with tales of the strange and supernatural: borrowing a corpse to return the soul… a demon seizing a body… rebirth through nirvana…

No matter which possibility it was, it would be shocking and unimaginable.

Xin Yuan lowered her head and fell silent. Explain? But where should she begin?

Besides, her life was already in this woman’s hands. How much worse could things get? Was there any need to explain?

Qin Muqiu’s expression darkened, and her voice also became faint. “You do not want the antidote anymore?”

Xin Yuan froze. It really could get worse. She had forgotten she was still carrying poison in her body.

Seeing that she still refused to speak, Qin Muqiu’s dark brows furrowed. “This palace will give you only one chance. If you do not speak now, then after seven days, do not eat the antidote.”

If she did not eat it after seven days, did that mean she could still eat it later? If it was only one missed dose…

Xin Yuan pressed her lips together. “Whatever.”

At worst, she would hurt for a few days. She felt she could endure it.

Qin Muqiu froze for a moment, then her tone became even colder. “Then there is no need to eat food either.”

Xin Yuan’s eyes widened. No, even bargaining had to have a bottom line. Why was this woman endlessly raising the stakes?

She could endure poison, but her stomach truly could not endure being hungry anymore.

Thinking this, she said irritably, “Fine, I’ll explain. I’m naturally gifted and learned without a teacher. Is that not allowed?”

Qin Muqiu’s gaze flickered slightly. It seemed that unless she used extraordinary methods, she would not get an answer today.

She stared heavily at Xin Yuan, her eyes thoughtful.

Xin Yuan’s hair stood on end under her stare. She kept feeling that Qin Muqiu’s gaze was a little dangerous.

“If you don’t believe me, then forget it. At worst, kill me now.”

Maybe she would go straight back to the modern world. She would even have to thank this woman for helping her.

But Qin Muqiu said nothing more. She stood and said, “Return to the residence.”

Xin Yuan was stunned. That was it?

No matter what she thought, Qin Muqiu truly did not ask anything else along the way.

Xin Yuan quietly let out a breath of relief. Who would have thought that the moment they returned to the princess residence, this woman would strike her like a thunderbolt from clear skies?

After entering, Qin Muqiu walked toward the rear courtyard. Seeing that she had not arranged where Xin Yuan should go, Xin Yuan instinctively followed.

Then she watched helplessly as this woman opened a hidden door and entered a place filled with torture instruments, like a dungeon.

Only then did Qin Muqiu stop. She turned to look at Xiangzhu, her tone so faint it carried no emotion. “Take good care of Miss Xin. When she wishes to speak, this palace will return.”

Xin Yuan was stunned. Once she reacted, she grabbed Qin Muqiu’s sleeve.

“Wait. You’re not planning to torture me, are you?”

Was this woman a devil? Was there no law anymore?

All right, she herself was the law. But even so, this was too sudden. Xin Yuan suddenly felt they could still talk things over!

Qin Muqiu sneered. “Let go.”

Could this person have forgotten that she was the current dynasty’s Eldest Princess, not someone easily fooled?

Xin Yuan gripped her sleeve. “Are you sure you want to torture me?”

Qin Muqiu glanced at her faintly. “This palace is sure.”

Xin Yuan suddenly smiled and let go. “Fine. Then leave. Once you leave, I’ll talk.”

Qin Muqiu frowned, faintly sensing that there was something hidden in her words.

When she did not leave, Xin Yuan instead began urging her. “Hurry up and go. I just happen to want to chat with Miss Xiangzhu about daydreams. Oh, right. I’m someone who gets scared very easily and am especially afraid of pain. If I accidentally faint and don’t wake up, then dream of something indescribable…”

“Shut up!” Qin Muqiu coldly rebuked, her brows and eyes darkening.

This person was threatening her!

After realizing this, she stared fixedly at Xin Yuan for a moment, then suddenly smiled too.

“Xiangzhu, guard outside. Without this palace’s order, no one is allowed to enter.”

“Yes.” Xiangzhu lowered her head and left, her heart full of confusion. Why could she no longer understand what was happening?

No, later she had to find Sister Qiuyue and that blockhead Jiang Si and ask them properly. When carrying out orders for Her Highness, how could she remain muddled? She had to understand Master’s intentions in order to solve problems more considerately for Master.

Inside the dungeon, only the two of them remained.

Qin Muqiu looked at Xin Yuan and stepped forward.

Xin Yuan immediately retreated. No way. Was this woman planning to do it herself?

She had been careless again. Threats seemed useless. What should she do now?

The two faced each other silently. One advanced, one retreated, until Xin Yuan’s back pressed against the wall, with nowhere left to go.

“Don’t come over! I’m telling you, I wasn’t raised to be scared.”

Qin Muqiu did not speak. She even picked up an iron whip and continued forward.

Xin Yuan widened her eyes, both hands shielding herself as she spoke without restraint. “Why can’t you understand human speech? If you come any closer, I won’t be polite. Believe it or not, I’ll knock myself unconscious and stay out for seven or eight days. Then you’ll be trapped to death.”

“You had best knock yourself dead on the spot. This palace also wants to see whether that dream disappears entirely, or whether it switches to someone else and continues,” Qin Muqiu said coldly.

Xin Yuan: “…”

Fuck—a kind of plant. Ruthless enough!

She carefully glanced around. After confirming that only the two of them were here, the instant Qin Muqiu raised the iron whip, Xin Yuan rushed forward like an arrow, recklessly tackled her to the ground, and pressed her down hard beneath her.

“You are impudent…”

“Your Highness the Eldest Princess didn’t really think I’d obediently wait to be beaten, did you?”

Xin Yuan pressed one hand against her neck and snatched the iron whip from her hand with the other.

To be honest, although the original owner was thin, her strength was not small. It seemed that doing so much labor was not without any benefits.

At the very least, she was stronger than a pampered imperial princess like Qin Muqiu.

She could easily subdue her.

Qin Muqiu’s face reddened with anger. Once she recovered, she said word by word, “This palace orders you to get off immediately. Otherwise, I will surely tear your body into ten thousand pieces.”

How dared this person!

Xin Yuan sneered. “Do I look like a fool? Stop saying useless things. Hand over the antidote.”

She swept her gaze over the table full of torture instruments. When she saw a knife on it, her eyes immediately lit up, and her mind began considering the possibility of taking Qin Muqiu hostage and leaving the princess residence.

The arrow was already on the string. There was no way back. She might as well take a gamble.

As long as she held this woman hostage the whole way, perhaps she really could escape.

Qin Muqiu noticed her gaze and calmed down, feeling a burst of regret. If she had known this person was so bold, she should not have… It was too late to say anything now.

The urgent matter was to steady this person first.

“Xin Yuan, this palace can refrain from torturing you. As long as you turn back from the wrong path, this palace will not hold your offense against you…”

“Shut up. Once I let you go, how you deal with me will still be up to you.” As Xin Yuan thought of the possibility of escape, she directly tore off the other woman’s sash and tied her up.

After finishing all this, she pushed Qin Muqiu onto the floor and calmly walked to the table covered with torture instruments.

The dungeon was utterly silent, the atmosphere suffocating.

Xin Yuan chose a dagger and turned around.

Just then, Xiangzhu’s voice sounded outside. “Your Highness, someone outside sent word that the Empress Dowager and the State Preceptor are heading toward the princess residence.”

Qin Muqiu’s gaze sharpened. Before her thoughts could turn, she was pressed down again.

Their breaths overlapped. Xin Yuan stared into her eyes and said, “Have Xiangzhu prepare a carriage. Hurry and say it. Otherwise, I don’t know what I might do once I go mad.”

Qin Muqiu bit the corner of her lip hard and tried to remain calm. “Xin Yuan, this palace promises you that I will never mistreat you in the future, nor will I arbitrarily torture you. There is no need for things between us to become like this. Let me go first. Otherwise, even if you hold me hostage, you will not be able to leave the princess residence.”

Only after Xin Yuan let her finish did she say, “How would I know if I don’t try?”

As long as she took this woman hostage and left the city, she would have a chance to escape. Then, after disguising herself again, perhaps she would be free from then on.

As for the antidote, she snorted coldly and directly reached out to search Qin Muqiu’s body, but she only found that bottle of poison.

Xin Yuan hardened her heart and poured out two golden-yellow pills.

“Eat them. If you don’t hand over the antidote, then wait to die from poison with me.”

Before she could feed the poison to Qin Muqiu, Xiangzhu’s voice sounded again. “Your Highness, the Empress Dowager and the State Preceptor will soon arrive at the princess residence.”

Qin Muqiu closed her eyes, opened her mouth, and swallowed those two pills. “This palace will give you the antidote once we go out. Xin Yuan, this palace is not joking with you. Even if the people of the princess residence let you leave, the Empress Dowager will not. Use your brain and think. The Empress Dowager hopes I die more than anyone else.”

Her eyes were deep, and when she mentioned the Empress Dowager, an unconcealable sorrow was mixed into her expression.

Xin Yuan froze. Thinking about it carefully, that really was possible.

The Eldest Princess loved the people like her own children, and her virtue and talent were renowned throughout the realm. As for Emperor Qin’an, the only reputation he seemed to have was being lustful. If the Empress Dowager was like the original owner’s parents and had eyes only for her son…

But to give up just like this left her unwilling.