After The Scumbag Alpha Consort Chose To Lie Flat, The Princess Rebelled - Chapter 2

“Consort, the carriage from the princess’s residence has arrived.”

Gu Xianyu sighed and looked at her soft, comfortable bed with deep nostalgia. The quilt on it had only been aired in the sun earlier today, and it still carried the scent of dead dust mites.

“Consort, Chief Administrator Jin from the princess’s residence is waiting.”

Gu Xianyu straightened her robes and opened the door.

A Beta manservant led the way, with Gu Xianyu following slowly behind him. Although she did have a bit of a passive, work-shirking attitude, her slow pace right now truly was not her fault. This body was simply too weak.

By the time she left the consort’s estate, Gu Xianyu was already clutching her chest and panting heavily.

She was about to collapse. She felt as though she could barely catch her breath.

The manservant looked at her worriedly, yet did not dare go over to support her. After all, everyone in the consort’s estate knew that this consort did not like speaking, disliked having people near her, and despite being sickly, hated seeing doctors and taking medicine.

Every day, she only loved sighing at the flowers and plants in the garden. Today, she had also gained a new hobby: shutting herself in her room and sighing.

A servant knelt beside the carriage, waiting for his master to step on his back to climb in.

Gu Xianyu frowned slightly, and the manservant from the consort’s estate hurriedly brought out a small stool.

“Master does not like people coming near her. It is better to step on something dead.” He placed the carriage stool down.

The servant quickly retreated to the side.

Gu Xianyu was very satisfied with this manservant. She rummaged through her sleeve pocket, pulled out one copper coin, wrapped her hand with a handkerchief, and gave him the copper coin through the cloth.

The manservant paused. He had spent his own money and staked his future to buy a position in the consort’s estate. Originally, he had thought he could make a fortune from it. He had not expected the consort to be this stingy.

To be honest… he had never seen such a tiny reward before.

But when a master bestowed something, you could not refuse it, nor could you neglect to give thanks.

He hurriedly knelt down and performed the grandest salute, kneeling once, kowtowing once, and crying out loudly, “This servant is terrified. Xiu’an thanks Master for the reward.”

Terrified. That was usually something said only when receiving an enormous reward.

This was a little sarcastic.

But Gu Xianyu did not hear it. She waved her hand, exempting him from the next two kneels and two kowtows.

Xiu’an immediately stood up and obediently hid to the side.

Gu Xianyu looked at Chief Administrator Jin from the princess’s residence, then let out another long, leisurely sigh.

Chief Administrator Jin smiled, bowed, and extended her arm. “Consort, please. Do not keep Her Highness waiting too long.”

Gu Xianyu sighed again and slowly climbed into the carriage. She swayed unsteadily as she moved, frightening everyone who watched. They were terrified the consort would fall stiffly to the ground right in front of them.

Fortunately, although the consort was a little weak, she did not seem likely to die immediately.

She got into the carriage safe and sound, and Chief Administrator Jin also let out a breath of relief.

On the day of the grand wedding, she had followed behind the consort and watched with her own eyes as the consort collapsed off the horse in full view of the crowd.

The consort had been startled, and their entire retinue had been punished. Chief Administrator Jin had spent half a month recovering, and the cane wounds on her back still had not healed.

By the time they entered the princess’s residence, the sky had already darkened.

“Please bathe, Consort.”

A dark, bustling crowd of people followed her, and they even wanted to invite her to bathe.

Gu Xianyu thought that sometimes, once was enough when it came to dying in a lifetime. There was no need to go through it over and over again.

“I’ll do it myself. All of you, leave.”

As long as she spoke to other people, she stuttered. To avoid being laughed at for it, she had learned to cherish words like gold and speak one word at a time.

This way, not only would people not laugh at her stutter, she even looked quite cold and intimidating.

The pity was that she had walked for too long now and was panting from exhaustion. Every time she forced out a word, she had to suck in a huge breath, making the servants’ hearts rise into their throats. They were afraid she would inhale and then fail to breathe out again.

The servants did not dare leave completely either. One by one, they guarded the door, and some even craned their necks to listen to the sounds inside.

The consort was so weak. If the sound of water stopped later, they would risk death to go in and save her.

“Sigh.” Gu Xianyu slowly took off her clothes, dragging things out as long as she could. In any case, she did not want to face the princess, nor did she want to be punched unconscious by the princess’s maid again and sent under the bed.

And that filthy rope—ugh!

Meanwhile, Her Highness the Princess, who had been busy all day, was currently still reading in her study. Only after the registrar at her side reminded her did she remember that today was the fifteenth, the day the consort came to attend her in bed.

“She’s here?” Meng Qianyan turned a page of the military treatise in her hand and asked casually, “What arrangements has Second Imperial Brother made?”

“Some low, filthy trick. It is not worth dirtying Master’s ears,” the registrar, Silan, answered respectfully.

Meng Qianyan did not ask further. In any case, Second Imperial Brother only ever used those base methods between Alphas and Omegas.

“However—” Silan hesitated. “Your Highness, the consort seems somewhat abnormal.”

The corner of Meng Qianyan’s lips lifted, the disdain in her eyes clear for all to see. “What has she done now?”

“This… this subordinate does not dare say. This is the record of the consort’s words and actions submitted by Silver One. Please read it, Master.”

Meng Qianyan was somewhat surprised. She had not expected there to be something even Silan did not dare say. She accepted the little booklet and opened it with a hint of curiosity.

At first, she did not see any problem. Only after turning through several pages filled with the word “sigh” did she finally see something different.

Meng Qianyan’s hand paused. She pointed at that line and asked, “What does this mean?”

“This subordinate does not know.”

“Heh. She has grown bold, daring to speak of this palace like that behind my back?” Meng Qianyan suspected it was entirely possible that the consort was secretly sticking needles into a straw doll of her too.

“Where is she?” Meng Qianyan tossed the booklet to Silan. “When is she coming over?”

“The consort is still bathing.”

“I remember the palace sent over some red fruits offered as tribute by foreign lands. Since the consort said she wants to farm, have her move those red fruits into my garden overnight.”

“This… Your Highness, the palace matron sent to listen outside the bedchamber has already arrived. Besides, the consort’s body cannot withstand such torment.”

“Heh. If she cannot serve the red fruits, do you think she can serve me?” Meng Qianyan glanced at the little booklet in Silan’s hands. “Do as I say. Make her go. I would like to see how much she still loves farming after tonight.”

Silan was just about to leave when Meng Qianyan added, “Tomorrow, once the consort finishes working, have her come see me immediately.”

That meant the consort would not be allowed to wash afterward.

It seemed Her Highness had truly been angered by those words.

That made sense. What Omega could tolerate such remarks?

She remembered that on the princess’s wedding day, the one serving at the princess’s side had seemed to be Silver One.

Silver One had then been sent to monitor the consort.

Thinking of this, Silan hurriedly opened the booklet to take a look, wanting to see whether Silver One had abused her position to take revenge and falsify the record.

But when she saw that it was all in Gold Sixteen’s handwriting, she felt much more at ease.

Gold Sixteen was an honest child. She would not do something like slander someone.

At that moment, Gold Sixteen was comforting Silver One.

“Don’t worry. I also wrote down how she humiliated a servant with a copper coin. Her Highness hates these things the most. She definitely won’t let her off lightly.”

“Will that work? The consort didn’t seem like she was humiliating that manservant.”

“A dignified consort giving one copper coin as a reward—is that not humiliation?” Gold Sixteen asked her. “I didn’t misunderstand her either. I only recorded the truth. How to interpret it is entirely up to Her Highness.”

“You really are clever.” Silver One poked her arm. “Come on. Let’s go to the garden and watch the consort serve the red fruits.”

Gu Xianyu had only just finished bathing and come out when she saw the registrar from the princess’s side arrive.

“Silan greets the Consort.”

“Mm.” Gu Xianyu thought that since things had already reached this point, dying sooner meant reincarnating sooner. Whether one stretched out one’s neck or pulled it back, the blade would fall all the same. Better to get it over with. “Let’s go.”

“Consort!” Silan said respectfully. “Her Highness has other instructions. Tonight, the consort is exempt from attending her in bed.”

Gu Xianyu’s eyes lit up, and she asked in a somewhat cheerful, hurried tone, “I can go back?”

“No. Consort, Her Highness heard that you love flowers and plants. As it happens, the palace has bestowed a batch of tribute gifts from foreign lands, including several pots of red fruits. Her Highness has graciously permitted you to personally go and tend them.”

“What are red fruits?”

Although Gu Xianyu deeply regretted that she could not return to the consort’s estate and sleep in her warm bed, the princess was actually letting her go raise fruit.

Although the princess was not particularly particular about cleanliness and was a little dirty and humiliating…

She was strangely good, huh.

“Go. Let’s go. Talk while walking.” Gu Xianyu was already impatient to see the red fruits.

Silan was a little surprised by her reaction.

Why did she look as though she truly liked this?

“Consort, please follow this subordinate this way.” She led the way in front, keeping some distance from the consort. According to the people from the consort’s estate, whenever the consort got too close to others, rashes would break out on her body, and she would be unable to breathe, looking half-dead.

Silan had no desire to court bad luck. Better to stay farther away.

“This subordinate does not know what the red fruits are either. The people from the foreign lands said they are best used for ornamental viewing. They must not be eaten, and the fruits must not be picked.”

“They… can’t be eaten?” Gu Xianyu was somewhat regretful.

But very quickly, she became happy again. Opportunities to openly come into contact with plants were rare. In the consort’s estate, if she dared to touch anything, the people below would kneel in a row and beg forgiveness. She could only look at the sparse plants in her garden and sigh regretfully.

“Looking is fine too. Hurry. Walk faster.” Gu Xianyu urged her.

Silan sensed that she truly was anxious, so she dared even less to walk quickly.

Silan herself would have been fine using qinggong to rush over. She was just afraid that if the consort walked too fast, her soul would fail to keep up and she would die halfway there.

“We’ve arrived.” Silan slowly led her to the garden. The candles in the pavilion lamps burned brightly, their flames swaying whenever the wind blew. The surrounding shadows also rippled back and forth. At night, aside from the patrol guards, no one would come here.

Silan examined the consort. With that thin, frail little frame, that sickly body, a person who looked as though one gust of wind could blow her away—yet here she was, not only unafraid, but even showing a rare hint of a smile.

“Chili peppers.” Gu Xianyu’s eyes lit up, and she reached out to point at them. “They’re edible.”

“Consort, this item must not be eaten.” Silan stopped her. No matter what, she was still the consort and had been entered into the imperial jade register. She could not die right now.

They had only been newly married for half a month. If the consort died of poisoning in the princess’s residence, what would people say when word spread?

“You don’t… know good things when you see them.” Gu Xianyu grew excited again and tried hard to calm herself down. “They’re edible. Not poisonous. Chili peppers warm the body, generate heat, relieve pain, ward off cold. Good things.”

Silan saw her swallow, then heard her say with bitter grief, “And there’s hotpot!”

Gu Xianyu thought, no wonder she had felt something was wrong after being here for half a month. So the problem had been that the food was wrong.

“Is that true, Consort?” Silan had not cared at first, but as Gu Xianyu listed so many effects, she became more and more shocked. “If the consort can be certain, this subordinate will go report to Her Highness at once.”

“I’m certain.” Gu Xianyu straightened her chest. She might not know other things, but how could she possibly not know crops?

“This subordinate will go report to Her Highness immediately. Consort, please wait here for a moment. This subordinate will return shortly.”

Gu Xianyu waved her hand. She had talked to so many living people today. She was exhausted.

If the princess came in person later, she would have to keep talking to the princess. She needed to save some strength.

After Silan left, Gu Xianyu crouched beside the so-called red fruits.

Bright red little chili peppers. Just one tiny pepper like this could stir-fry a whole plate of spicy food.

This chili plant was not very impressive. It had only grown a few fruits. If she still had her ability, she could make many more sprout.

If her ability recovered to the seventh rank she had in her previous life, she could fill this entire garden with chili peppers in ten seconds.

“Sigh.”

She sighed again.

“Why is the consort sighing?” Meng Qianyan was curious. This person had been sighing nonstop lately, and without the slightest attempt to hide it. Why was that?

Someone suddenly spoke behind her. Gu Xianyu jumped in fright, abruptly stood up, and turned around, nearly bumping into the princess.

She quickly retreated to the side, as though dodging something dirty.

Meng Qianyan naturally noticed her movement. After all, it was as dramatic as an ox rolling on the ground. It would have been hard not to notice.

“Consort, are you avoiding this palace? What is wrong with me that you would despise me to this extent?” Meng Qianyan did not immediately ask about the chili peppers. Compared to whether this thing was food, she was more curious how the consort, as a subject of this dynasty, knew about it. Could she have had contact with foreign lands?

Was it the consort who had contact with foreign lands, or the Second Prince’s faction?

Meng Qianyan had many thoughts, but none showed on her face. She only first questioned the consort on why she had avoided her.

The consort was an Alpha, and she was an Omega. By all reason, Alphas in this world were always considered somewhat nobler than Omegas.

But she was an imperial princess, and the consort was a subject. For the consort to avoid her was a grave disrespect. If taken seriously, it was a capital crime.

Gu Xianyu, however, was not afraid of the princess.

The most terrifying thing about ancient times was that human lives were treated like weeds, and imperial power pressed down from above, leaving one no control over oneself.

But she was a product of the apocalypse. By the time she was born, the apocalypse had already been underway for several years. Order had collapsed, humanity had been extinguished, and humans were no different from beasts. In fact, many people were worse than beasts.

Compared to her previous life, she felt this current era was very fortunate.

There were no zombies and no monsters. Although people also fought wars with one another, it was just groups of people holding crude, simple things and stabbing back and forth, hacking back and forth. It was highly watchable, but not very lethal.

After all, after the apocalypse, even ordinary people used guns, ammunition, and new ability-powered weapons of destruction.

“Why is the consort not speaking?” Meng Qianyan deliberately pressed closer to her.

Gu Xianyu grew terrified again and wanted to retreat, but Meng Qianyan rebuked her into stopping.

Gu Xianyu did not freeze because she had been frightened by her. Rather, she had smelled something very fragrant.

Her nose twitched. Suddenly, she leaned close to Meng Qianyan and sniffed.

“You smell so good.”