Chapter 2

“Your Highness, this isn’t proper etiquette!”

When the wedding matron’s voice rang out, Yan Qingzhuo’s gaze was still fixed on Jiang Ji.

Jiang Ji’s head was slightly lowered, and her entire demeanor was extraordinarily calm. Only her eyes were strikingly enchanting, though the murderous aura they carried diminished some of their allure. Her skin was fair, but unlike Yan Qingzhuo’s sickly pallor, Jiang Ji’s complexion was clear and radiant despite her many years on the battlefield, glowing beautifully beneath the candlelight.

After the bridal veil was removed, her thin lips curved slightly as she looked at Yan Qingzhuo with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile. Yet there was something chilling about that expression.

Yan Qingzhuo’s fingertips trembled. A flicker of alarm flashed through her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.

Yet in that brief instant, she seemed to catch a trace of amusement in Jiang Ji’s obsessive gaze.

“Your… Your Highness…”

Turning her head, Yan Qingzhuo saw the wedding matron holding a ceremonial wedding scale, frozen in the act of offering it to her, her eyes wide with disbelief. “It’s better to follow the proper customs and lift the veil again.”

Yan Qingzhuo didn’t want to cause any more trouble and was just about to accept it. Unexpectedly, the wedding matron hadn’t finished speaking and continued nagging.

“This marriage was personally bestowed by Her Majesty. Your Highness has already shown great disrespect by missing the auspicious hour, and now you’re being so careless about the ceremony. Does Your Highness have any regard for Her Majesty at all?”

She continued, “Lifting the bridal veil with a ceremonial scale symbolizes a happy and fulfilling marriage. Your Highness is being so unwilling. Could it be that you’re dissatisfied with the marriage bestowed by Her Majesty? If Your Highness harbors resentment, that would be a grave offense of disrespect…”

At these words, Yan Qingzhuo’s expression grew increasingly dark.

All because she hadn’t used the ceremonial scale, this woman could twist a few words into a capital offense against her. Either the emperor disliked her so much that she’d deliberately sent someone to make her life miserable, or her status as a princess was nothing more than an empty title that anyone could trample on.

Either way, her future days wouldn’t be easy, let alone…

Yan Qingzhuo glanced at Jiang Ji beside her. Jiang Ji happened to be looking at her as well, her dark gaze sweeping over Yan Qingzhuo with an unmistakable air of someone enjoying a good show.

She didn’t look anything like a prisoner of war who had spent so long in captivity, enduring endless humiliation and torture.

She really was surrounded by wolves on all sides!

Yan Qingzhuo casually draped the bridal veil in her hand over the scale’s handle.

Since the Eldest Princess in the novel was a debauched madwoman, if she didn’t take advantage of that identity now, when would she?

“Matron, you’ve certainly got a lot of nerve. You don’t seem like a wedding attendant sent from the palace. You seem more like my own mother.” Yan Qingzhuo pretended to have a sudden realization. “Then you must be Yan Huaijin’s birth mother, the current Empress Dowager. Oh, no, I think you look more like the Holy Mother Empress Dowager. Otherwise—”

Yan Qingzhuo’s tone abruptly changed, and she snapped harshly, “How else would you dare behave so outrageously in front of this princess?!”

Hearing this, the wedding matron trembled in fright, her expression changing instantly.

She had originally been the emperor’s wet nurse and was accustomed to being flattered and fawned over by everyone in the palace. When had she ever suffered such humiliation? This time, she’d come under imperial orders to make things difficult for the Eldest Princess. She’d assumed that no matter how arrogant Yan Qingzhuo was, she wouldn’t dare oppose her. Who would have thought the princess would be so recklessly audacious?!

Although she was frightened, she wasn’t frightened enough. And unauthorized copywhen she heard Yan Qingzhuo speak so disrespectfully of the emperor, her fear diminished even further.

With the emperor backing her, the wedding matron raised a calloused, trembling hand, pointed at Yan Qingzhuo, and shouted sternly, “How dare you! How dare you address Her Majesty directly by name!”

“Address Yan Huaijin directly by name?” Yan Qingzhuo was amused by the woman’s naivety at such an advanced age. “Wei Qi, tell me, did I address the emperor directly by name just now?”

Wei Qi bowed. “Reporting to Mistress, this humble official heard nothing.”

Yan Qingzhuo casually pointed at someone in the crowd and asked, “Did I address Yan Huaijin directly by name just now?”

The young maid immediately dropped to her knees. “R-Reporting to Your Highness, this servant’s hearing is poor! I didn’t hear anything at all!”

Yan Qingzhuo knew that unless she gave this wedding matron a proper fright, there was no telling what kind of stories the woman might spread once she left.

She walked up to the woman and said coldly, “You see, Matron? There are so many people here, yet you’re the only one who heard anything. Tell me, what do you think happens to someone who can hear things no one else can?”

Wei Qi had learned her lesson this time. She stepped forward and answered, “Her eyes should be gouged out, her tongue ripped out, and her body thrown into a mass grave to feed the dogs.”

The wedding matron’s pupils contracted. Before her mind could even process what she’d heard, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to her knees.

At that moment, she finally understood that the Eldest Princess truly was a madwoman—a madwoman who wouldn’t spare her life even if she invoked the emperor’s name right in front of her.

Coming to her senses, the wedding matron hurriedly slammed her forehead against the floor, kowtowing again and again until her head was smeared with blood. Trembling, she pleaded, “Your Highness, this old woman has overstepped her bounds! I beg Your Highness to spare my life! Please spare my life!”

She even reached out to grab the hem ​unauthorized copy​of Yan Qingzhuo’s robes, but the moment she met those icy eyes, she immediately withdrew her hand and resumed kowtowing.

Yan Qingzhuo asked, “Then tell me, what did you see or hear tonight?”

The wedding matron summoned every last bit of intelligence she’d accumulated throughout her life and stammered, “R-Reporting to Your Highness, everything went smoothly tonight. Your Highness is very satisfied with the marriage bestowed by Her Majesty and has shown no disrespect whatsoever…”

Yan Qingzhuo hummed in satisfaction. “If I hear even the slightest rumor about tonight from the emperor, your miserable little life…”

“This servant wouldn’t dare! This servant wouldn’t dare!”

“Get lost.” Yan Qingzhuo had grown tired of the tedious formalities and had played her part long enough. Unwilling to risk exposing any flaws in front of these people, she waved her hand and said, “The rest of you, leave as well.”

Watching the wedding matron flee in terror, Yan Qingzhuo couldn’t help curling her lips into a smile. But when she turned around and saw Jiang Ji staring fixedly at her, the smile instantly froze on her face.

The doors had already been closed, leaving only the sound of her and Jiang Ji’s breathing in the inner chamber. Yan Qingzhuo coughed awkwardly twice, then raised a hand to touch the tip of her nose.

What was she supposed to do with this deadly warrior right beside her?

Jiang Ji was nowhere near as easy to fool as that wedding matron.

Yan Qingzhuo walked to the window and pretended to adjust it, hoping Jiang Ji would speak first.

Whether Jiang Ji cursed her or insulted her, as long as she spoke first, Yan Qingzhuo would have some room to maneuver. If the conversation went badly, she could always storm off “in a fit of rage” and sleep in the study.

But no matter how long she waited, Jiang Ji said nothing.

Yan Qingzhuo stood by the window until her body grew stiff. Hearing no movement from Jiang Ji, she thought to herself that this woman really was worthy of being a great general. If the enemy doesn’t move, I won’t move either. Let’s see who can outlast whom.

And so, she stood there for another seven or eight minutes.

By the end of those minutes, her back and waist were aching. She couldn’t help grumbling inwardly: Sure enough, the one sitting down can outlast the one standing up.

How was a fragile weakling like Yan Qingzhuo, who could practically die three times over during an 800-meter fitness test, supposed to endure this kind of “torture”?!

Just as she was at a loss for what to do, she finally remembered that she was a princess.

I’m the Eldest Princess! Why should I be afraid of a cripple whose wrist and ankle tendons have been severed?

Once her courage surged, there was no stopping it. There happened to be a small couch right in front of Yan Qingzhuo. She turned around and plopped herself down on it, directly opposite Jiang Ji.

Those peach-blossom eyes met Yan Qingzhuo’s gaze without the slightest deviation. Jiang Ji had been toying with something in her hand, but the moment Yan Qingzhuo turned around, it flashed briefly before disappearing into her sleeve, leaving only a glimmer of silver in the candlelight.

Looking at her now, Jiang Ji was truly breathtakingly beautiful. In Yan Qingzhuo’s opinion, the celebrities in the entertainment industry were already stunning beauties, one after another, yet even their heavily retouched photographs couldn’t compare to the woman before her.

Her figure was perfectly proportioned, her bone structure distinct, and the lines of her face smooth yet sharp. Her features combined dignified elegance with a murderous aura and a rich, intoxicating beauty. She resembled some enchanting demonic beast that could steal people’s souls, so beautiful that it was impossible to look away.

Especially the faintly hollow yet amused smile that often lingered in her eyes, as though she had everything under her control, and the way she unconsciously lowered her head, tilting it slightly to the left.

All of it shrouded Jiang Ji in an air of mystery.

And then there was that fleeting silver glimmer in her hand.

Silver glimmer?!

Yan Qingzhuo furrowed her brows, unable to stop herself from wondering. Could that thing possibly be… a dagger?!

Weren’t her wrist and ankle tendons supposed to have been severed?! Her wrist had clearly moved so nimbly just now!

Yan Qingzhuo’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked at Jiang Ji.

Since Jiang Ji had only dismembered the “Eldest Princess” in the original novel after achieving her goals, at the very least, she ought to be safe tonight.

Perhaps Jiang Ji was simply afraid that Yan Qingzhuo would force herself on her.

If that was the case, could it be that the original “Yan Qingzhuo” had never consummated her marriage with Jiang Ji?

But the Eldest Princess was a debauched woman who lusted after beauty, and with Jiang Ji looking like this, there was no way she wouldn’t have made a move.

Or perhaps Jiang Ji had submitted, intending to sacrifice her body to the tiger in exchange for a chance to escape Great Liang?

Thinking about it that way, it did seem reasonable. But as a modern woman who had never even been in a relationship, Yan Qingzhuo truly couldn’t accept having a one-night stand with a stranger.

Jiang Ji’s unwavering stare was beginning to make Yan Qingzhuo’s skin crawl. She pretended to fan the air in front of her and, imitating the original owner’s manner, said coldly, “Are you made of wood? Can’t you even say a single word?”

Jiang Ji remained seated calmly at the edge of the bed, one hand resting on her thigh. She tilted her head a little farther to the left, and the smile at the corners of her lips deepened.

Terrifying.

What on earth was this woman thinking? Could she be mute?

Yan Qingzhuo glanced at her, then quickly lowered her gaze. Her hands clenched tightly, and she grew increasingly restless.

Judging by the way Jiang Ji was looking at her, could she be thinking about how to kill her…?

Yan Qingzhuo abruptly shot to her feet. “You martial types are all so dull! You can’t squeeze out a single word even after all this time. You’re not even as entertaining as the girls at Louchun Terrace!”

Louchun Terrace was a restaurant where people went to enjoy music and singing. It was also one of the places the Eldest Princess visited most frequently, according to the few descriptions of her in the original novel.

Comparing Jiang Ji to the girls there was indeed rather outrageous, but it suited Yan Qingzhuo’s character perfectly.

After speaking with a displeased expression, she lifted her foot and headed straight for the door. This was the perfect excuse to avoid consummating the marriage tonight and put some distance between herself and this deadly warrior.

Yan Qingzhuo felt a secret thrill of delight. The closer she got to the door, the faster her steps became. But just as she was about to push it open and leave, a shadow suddenly flickered outside and pressed itself against the door.

Perhaps because there was no movement inside, the person shifted toward the window, apparently believing the maneuver was perfectly concealed. Unfortunately, after the spring rain, the ink-dark sky had been washed clear, and the bright moon hung overhead, illuminating every detail of the person’s sneaky behavior.

One glance was enough to tell that this was another spy sent by the emperor to monitor her.

She had already dealt with one wedding matron, yet someone else still dared to come sneaking around, courting death. Was being the emperor’s lapdog really such a wonderful job?

If she walked out of this room, who knew what other crimes they might accuse her of?

For some reason, a sudden surge of anger rose in Yan Qingzhuo’s heart. She hadn’t liked Yan Huaijin when she read the novel, and now that she thought about it, she really ought to tie all these people up and dump them in Yan Huaijin’s bedchamber!

Burning with rage, she had just taken a step toward the shadow when a mocking chuckle suddenly came from behind her.

She turned around. At some point, Jiang Ji had leaned back against the headboard, her gaze following Yan Qingzhuo’s every movement without missing a single detail. Half her face was illuminated by the candlelight, looking clear and radiant, while her blood-red wedding robes spread out behind her, lending the entire inner chamber an almost bewitching atmosphere.

She no longer resembled a demonic beast. At this moment, she looked more like a man-eating specter.

So Jiang Ji really had been watching the show. She actually had the nerve to sit there and enjoy the spectacle!

Yan Qingzhuo clenched her fists and walked back a few steps. Before she could say anything, however, Jiang Ji finally spoke.

One of her eyes seemed somewhat vacant, while only the other held a glimmer of light. Half demon, half Buddha, the two sides formed a striking contrast, making the smile at the corners of her lips all the more chilling.

Her voice was slow and drawn out, but the moment she opened her mouth, what came out sounded like something straight from a ghost story.

With a teasing smile, Jiang Ji asked, “Going to gouge out someone’s eyes and rip out their tongue again?”