After Transmigrating Into A Love-Brained Scumbag Villain - Chapter 28

Whether it was because she had drunk wine or not, Zhao Shangrong slept especially tiredly this time. She had a dream she could not remember, but it felt somewhat frightening. After waking, she still felt her head swelling painfully.

Clutching the thin quilt, she lay sprawled on the bed, wriggling like a caterpillar.

Usually, at this hour, once the maidservants heard movement, they would quickly come in and prepare water for her to wash up. Why was it that today, even after she had been groaning and moaning on the bed for so long, there was still not a single person?

“Someone come!” she could not help calling out.

Perhaps because the headache after a hangover made her temper a little irritable, her tone was not very good.

Very quickly, a maidservant trotted in. “Your Highness is awake.”

Zhao Shangrong was so tired she could not even lift her eyelids. “Why are you all so slow? My head hurts. Pour me a cup of hot water.”

Suddenly, a pleasant voice blew into her ears like a spring breeze. “How much wine did Your Highness drink last night?”

A hand gently pressed against her forehead. A faint medicinal scent drifted past the tip of her nose with the breeze.

Zhao Shangrong jolted and abruptly opened her eyes. She saw Wang Yaoshuang, dressed in blue-green robes, sitting by the bed at this moment, smiling as she looked at her—though the smile did not reach her eyes.

“P-Princess Consort, you’re here so early?” Zhao Shangrong felt she must have slept herself into confusion. Why had Wang Yaoshuang come over first thing in the morning?

Zhao Shangrong quickly wrapped her chest, then put on her clothes properly.

Zhao Shangrong said, “Princess Consort, feed me!”

Returning to the North Study, she entered the East Study for the first time, a place even the Prince of Yingchuan had rarely set foot in.

Wang Yaoshuang had originally wanted to advise her not to make music and drink night after night, but when the words reached her lips, she changed them. “Your Highness should get up and drink some hot ginseng soup first. If your head still hurts after a while, then we will have to summon the Assistant Court Physician.”

Wang Yaoshuang bit her back teeth. Without waiting for the maidservant to lift the curtain for her, she lifted it herself and left.

In a displeased tone even she herself did not notice, she said, “Your Highness, remember to drink the hot ginseng soup. This concubine has remembered that she still has some matters to handle, so allow this concubine to take her leave first.”

In modern times, uncles and aunties dancing in the square until nine o’clock would already be dealt with by the residential property management, let alone singing and dancing until the third watch of the night. How much public anger would that cause?

The West Study was a side hall for bathing and changing clothes, while the East Study served as a study.

She said, “Last night, the prince’s manor played flutes, plucked strings, struck metal, and beat stone instruments until the third watch before stopping. The neighbors on both sides thought the prince’s manor had hosted a banquet last night, with drums, music, flutes, and pipes going all night long!”

This sort of thing became easier after the first time. When she made the request, she was not shy at all.

If making noise at night disturbed the people, then they could do it during the day!

Wang Yaoshuang returned with the hot ginseng soup. Seeing Zhao Shangrong’s half-dead appearance, she thought, Now she should know how serious the consequences of drinking and making merry without restraint are, right?

After His Highness rinsed her mouth, Wang Yaoshuang fed her a sip of hot ginseng soup and said meaningfully, “Was Your Highness happy last night?”

Zhao Shangrong hoped Wang Yaoshuang would hurry and leave so she could wrap her chest, so she did not try to keep her. Instead, she said rather urgently, “Oh. Take care, I won’t see you off.”

This matter was indeed Zhao Shangrong’s fault.

However, that did not mean she would give up enjoying this beautiful life of entertainment.

Your Highness, you truly refuse to listen to reason!

Wang Yaoshuang could only rise and go get the hot ginseng soup. Zhao Shangrong seized the chance to crawl up and quickly wrap herself in the thin quilt.

In any case, she had nothing to do during the day. Even if the emperor arranged a literary aide and study attendant for her, that was only one class every ten days. If she did not make good use of the other nine days, wouldn’t she be wasting her life?

The hot ginseng soup almost sprayed out of Zhao Shangrong’s nose. She hurriedly covered her mouth and nose, distancing herself from Wang Yaoshuang.

Wang Yaoshuang: “…”

Who had provoked the princess consort?

The movement was smooth and swift, but it was too intense, causing her brain to lack oxygen. On top of the swelling pain, she felt somewhat dizzy.

Suddenly, she remembered that she seemed able to do something else to pass the time.

Perhaps the Zhao family members did not love reading much. Although the study had a full set of writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, everything was arranged in great disorder. Many things looked as if they had barely been touched since being moved in. If the manor maidservants did not clean diligently, this place would certainly have been covered in dust.

Forget it. She was only an audience member, and after watching the song-and-dance troupe’s concert for one night, she was already exhausted. That group of dancers and musicians had performed all night, so they must be even more tired.

After coming back, she discovered that she actually had nothing to do!

Should she call over the musicians and performers from last night again?

Wang Yaoshuang glanced at her, handed the hot ginseng soup to the maidservant, then slowly wiped the back of her hand with a handkerchief where the soup had spilled from the bowl.

The “salted-fish slacker prince” persona was all about appearing absurd, with no interest in power, no concern for government affairs, and only eating, drinking, and making merry!

“Princess Consort, do you need something?” Zhao Shangrong asked, lying motionless on the bed.

She had gotten carried away for a moment and should conduct a deep reflection and self-criticism.

Usually, after the maidservants carried in the water, they would withdraw outside the curtain to await instructions. So she had never worried about whether she had bound her chest or not. But now, what was going on with the princess consort sitting here and refusing to leave?

Whether because the ginseng soup took effect or not, she felt that her head was no longer as swollen.

She blinked and sensed that Wang Yaoshuang seemed to be in a poor mood.

The swelling pain in her head interrupted Zhao Shangrong’s further thoughts. The maidservant came in carrying the hot ginseng soup. Just as Zhao Shangrong was about to climb up, she suddenly remembered that she had not bound her chest!

After washing her face, she felt a little more awake, so she went to Yi Garden to stroll around and take a walk.

Zhao Shangrong understood the implication in Wang Yaoshuang’s words—you disturbed the neighbors.

Wang Yaoshuang glanced out the window and said coolly, “It is not early. In another hour, it will be time for lunch.”

“I know.” Zhao Shangrong instructed the maidservant, “From now on, arrange for the Variety Theater to come perform for me only after noon!”

Zhao Shangrong: “…”

“Cough, cough. What does happy mean?” Zhao Shangrong choked until her face was flushed red.

Although her chest was not full, it was not as flat as a man’s either. There was still the risk of being seen through.

Zhao Shangrong was too lazy to tidy anything up. She took out all of the Prince of Yingchuan’s calligraphy and paintings to look through them.

These works of calligraphy and painting were almost all pieces by famous masters. Some had been given by others, some had been bestowed by the late emperor when the Prince of Yingchuan first left the palace to establish her manor, and there were also a few pieces of calligraphy she had bought back to copy and practice.

People often said that “calligraphy and painting share the same roots,” but perhaps the Prince of Yingchuan truly had no talent for painting. Her handwriting was passable, but her paintings were a complete mess.

Zhao Shangrong was the opposite of the Prince of Yingchuan. Her handwriting was not very good, but her talent for drawing was still quite decent.

She mocked herself. “The Prince of Yingchuan and I can be considered complementary.”

Zhao Shangrong’s hands itched for practice, and she could not help wanting to draw something.

Many deeply memorable scenes appeared in her mind, but the only one truly worth painting was that moment of Wang Yaoshuang leaning by the window and reading.

Yet every time she prepared to start, she felt that her brush and ink were clumsy, unable to depict even one ten-thousandth of her beauty.

“I need to practice first and find the feeling.” Zhao Shangrong frowned and pondered for a while. Then she went outside and instructed the female attendant, “Bring over the woman musician who played the pipa last night… Don’t forget to have her bring the pipa.”

In the Variety Theater, the only woman musician who could play the pipa was the one named Zhenyue. The female attendant had a deep impression of her and quickly informed her.

Zhenyue was both surprised and delighted. Cheerfully, she returned to her room to touch up her makeup and powder.

The women musicians in the same theater all revealed envious gazes. One of them said, “I didn’t expect His Highness to like the pipa. If I’d known earlier, I would have learned the pipa too.”

Another woman musician rolled her eyes at her. “When someone praised your qin playing during His Highness’s previous banquet, that wasn’t what you said.”

“Get lost.” The women musicians laughed and playfully made a fuss.

No matter what, everyone was happy for Zhenyue. Some took the initiative to help her touch up her makeup, while others lent her their beautiful clothes. “Work hard and seize this chance!”

Facing the kindness released by her sisters, Zhenyue revealed a sincere smile. “I will!”

—

As Wang Yaoshuang’s personal maidservant, Jiumo naturally noticed that her mistress was in a bad mood.

She also knew what had caused her mistress’s poor mood, so after learning that His Highness had privately summoned the pipa girl into the East Study, she became conflicted over whether she should tell the princess consort.

If she did not say anything, it would violate her principle of unwavering loyalty. But if she did say it, it would only add to the princess consort’s unhappiness.

Jiumo’s blatant distraction was difficult for others not to notice. Bihe tapped the table and asked her, “Are you listening?”

Jiumo honestly shook her head.

Bihe ignored her and continued speaking directly. “The specifications for banquets in the prince’s manor are divided into five ranks…”

How could Jiumo have the heart to listen to lessons right now? She interrupted Bihe and asked, “Sister Bihe, has His Highness ever favored anyone in the past?”

Bihe: “…”

Jiumo noticed that Bihe’s gaze was strange, but she had no time to analyze what that gaze meant. Troubled, she asked, “Tell me, as maidservants, when the masters are having a quarrel, what can we do?”

Bihe finally showed a bit of a normal person’s reaction. “What quarrel?”

Jiumo quietly told Bihe what she was currently worrying about.

Bihe fell silent once again.

After a long while, Bihe asked her in return, “You are merely a maidservant. What right do you have to make decisions for the princess consort?”

Bihe’s words sounded rather harsh, but they enlightened Jiumo like a blow to the head.

After thanking her, Jiumo immediately ran back to report this matter to the princess consort.

Wang Yaoshuang did not know what she felt in her heart. Her expression was slightly cold. “Whatever His Highness wants to do, it is not my place to interfere. There is no need to bother.”

“Yes!” Jiumo clicked her tongue inwardly. Back then, even when her mistress learned that she was going to marry His Highness, who had such a poor reputation, she had never been so resentful and out of sorts. His Highness was truly impressive. With just one afternoon of action, she had angered her mistress.

After a moment, Wang Yaoshuang seemed to change her mind again and asked, “What is that pipa girl’s background?”

“Reporting to the princess consort, that pipa girl is named Zhenyue. She was born a criminal slave…”

Wang Yaoshuang abruptly looked over. “Zhenyue?!”

In her previous life, there had been a pipa girl in the Variety Theater. She was beautiful and enchanting, and she played the pipa extremely well.

At one banquet, one of the Prince of Yingchuan’s aides got drunk and praised that pipa girl to the skies before the Prince of Yingchuan. He even took the opportunity to ask the Prince of Yingchuan to give him this woman.

As a result, after he sobered up, the Prince of Yingchuan gave him a pipa with half a human face pasted onto it, jokingly calling this pipa the “face-covering pipa.” Since he liked her so much, then he could take it back and play it day and night.

That aide was so frightened his soul nearly fled. Forced to take the “face-covering pipa” back, he played it day and night under the surveillance of guards. Within a few days, he died of a sudden illness.

Afterward, the “face-covering pipa” returned to the Prince of Yingchuan’s hands. Someone saw her paste that half face onto the ruined half of her own face, then play the pipa with an eerie smile. Anyone who saw that scene broke out in cold sweat and suffered endless nightmares.

Although Wang Yaoshuang had not been in the prince’s manor at the time, she had heard of it. If she remembered correctly, that pipa girl had been called Zhenyue.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

His Highness could not possibly do something so cruel. She should trust His Highness once.

However, no matter how she comforted herself, she could not feel at ease.

She rubbed her slightly trembling knees, suddenly stood, and said, “To the East Study!”

The maidservants looked at one another. Was the princess consort going to “catch an affair”?

This news seemed to grow wings. By the time Wang Yaoshuang arrived at the East Study, it had already spread throughout the prince’s manor.

The servants of the prince’s manor, who had always lived under the shadow of the Prince of Yingchuan, were shaken to their core. As expected of the princess consort—she actually had the courage to catch His Highness in an affair!

They kind of wanted to go watch the excitement. What should they do?

Although His Highness had not been punishing them at the drop of a hat lately like before, they were still somewhat afraid of her. His Highness acting normal seemed to them the most abnormal thing of all. Who knew whether His Highness would be like Grand Consort Yun, looking perfectly fine one moment and then going mad the next?

At this moment, they saw Bihe walk into the East Study.

When it came to not fearing death, it still had to be Bihe.

In truth, Bihe did not enter with a resolve to die, because she did not think His Highness would take her life.

However, if not for the princess consort’s somewhat abnormal reaction, she would not have come to wade into these muddy waters.

Outside the East Study, Wang Yaoshuang, who had originally come with aggressive momentum, seemed to be frozen in place after hearing the string sounds coming from inside. She stood motionless.

If they did not know her identity, everyone might have thought she was some maidservant who had made a mistake and was being punished by His Highness by standing there.

Since Wang Yaoshuang made no movement, the maidservants naturally did not dare move either.

It was at this moment that Bihe came over. Seeing Jiumo frantically making eyes at her, she understood the meaning and took the initiative to enter the East Study.

The tuneless string sounds came to an abrupt stop. Before long, His Highness came out.

At this moment, it was just nearing sunset. Zhao Shangrong looked at the princess consort’s slender figure and felt that she was like an elegant, quiet hibiscus tiliaceus flower.

The yellow hibiscus bloomed brilliantly in the morning and fell at dusk. At this moment, Zhao Shangrong’s heart felt as if it had been struck by that fallen hibiscus. She wanted to reach out and catch it, but it slipped through her fingers, leaving behind endless regret.

Her expression grew restrained. “Has the princess consort finished handling her important matters?”

Jiumo, who had her head lowered, secretly rolled her eyes. Was His Highness missing a piece of her heart?

Wang Yaoshuang’s gaze passed over His Highness and landed on the face of the beauty walking out with Bihe.

The heavy stone in her heart safely fell. Wang Yaoshuang looked at His Highness, and for some reason, tears gathered in her eyes.

Author’s Note:

Please analyze the ending of the chapter: What were the princess consort’s thoughts at the time? Why did she cry? (20-point red packet)

The following are 0-point answers, for reference only—

Jiumo: His Highness hurt the princess consort’s heart.

Bihe: The princess consort’s eyes were irritated by the sunlight.

Zhenyue: It can’t be that she was moved to tears by my beauty.

His Highness: ? Isn’t it because the princess consort is naturally sentimental? Refer to Lin Daiyu.

Princess Consort: …