The Eldest Princess Is So Annoying! - Chapter 14

The moment the imperial marriage decree was announced, the civil and military officials erupted into an uproar, while the common people gossiped endlessly.

There was probably no Eldest Princess in all of Canglan more absurd than Qie Ge. She had divorced her previous Prince Consort only a few days ago, yet she was already preparing to marry for the eighth time—and this time, her spouse was another woman?!

How could two women marry one another?

It went against all proper human relations!

Still, no matter how harshly the commoners criticized or despised it, this was an affair of the imperial family. What did it have to do with them?

As long as they had enough food and warm clothes and did not suffer the misery of war, even if Qie Ge married ten or twenty times, it would merely give them more gossip to discuss over tea and meals.

The Left Chancellor’s faction was caught entirely unprepared by the sudden imperial decree. They hurried into the palace to request an audience with the emperor, only for him to abruptly claim illness and refuse to see anyone. He even canceled the morning court session the next day.

On the third day, the emperor finally attended court again, but what awaited them was the announcement of the Eldest Princess’s wedding date.

It had been set for the third day of the following month.

There were only a little more than ten days remaining before then, and their original plans were now completely disrupted.

Mu Xu sat blankly beside the bed, her fingertips brushing the jade pendant in her palm as countless thoughts churned through her mind.

Had the imperial decree not been lying right before her eyes, she might truly have believed everything was merely a dream.

A nightmare shared by her and Jiang Huaisheng.

She had thought that once she awakened, she and Jiang Huaisheng would still be as they had always been. She would wait for him to place highly in the imperial examination, wait for him to marry her, and then the two of them would love and remain with each other, have several children, and live a peaceful, stable life together.

But when she woke in bed, nothing had changed.

She was still going to become the Eldest Princess’s Prince Consort.

Knock, knock, knock—

The sound at the door reached Mu Xu’s ears and interrupted her thoughts.

“Miss Mu, are you awake?” Cuizhu asked.

Cuizhu exchanged a glance with Taohua beside her.

There had been no movement for so long. Surely Miss Mu had not done something foolish?

“Miss Mu? Miss Mu?”

Just as the two were preparing to break down the door, it opened.

Seeing that Mu Xu was safe and unharmed, Cuizhu and Taohua both breathed a sigh of relief.

If the future Prince Consort suffered even the slightest mishap, they would probably lose their lives along with her.

The two bowed to Mu Xu.

Taohua said, “Miss Mu, allow this servant to help you wash and dress.”

After Mu Xu accepted the decree that day and returned to her residence, she had opened the door to find two maids waiting inside.

They were Cuizhu and Taohua.

The two had originally served in the Eldest Princess’s residence and had been specially sent by Qie Ge to attend to her.

Although Mu Xu was the daughter of the master of the Mu family embroidery workshop, she was still a concubine-born daughter. Neither she nor her mother had ever been favored by the principal wife, Madam Liu.

How could Mu Xu possibly have had maids to order around in the Mu residence?

She had always done everything herself.

Having people suddenly attend to her made her uncomfortable from head to toe.

However, Cuizhu and Taohua had not forgotten their duty.

After Mu Xu refused their service several times, they knelt before her and refused to rise. If they were sent back to the Eldest Princess’s residence, only death awaited them.

Mu Xu had always been kindhearted. Once the two explained their circumstances, no matter how uncomfortable she felt, she stopped refusing them.

She could not allow the two women to lose their lives because of her.

Taohua picked up a comb and began arranging Mu Xu’s long hair.

“Miss Mu, Aunt Jingshu from the residence will bring people here today to measure you for your wedding robes.”

Mu Xu no longer had the power to resist this marriage. Since she would inevitably have to interact with the people of the Eldest Princess’s residence in the future, it could not hurt to learn more about them.

“Jingshu?”

Taohua was quite fond of the future Prince Consort before her.

After all, Mu Xu was Canglan’s first female Prince Consort in history.

Of course, that was not the most important reason.

More importantly, Mu Xu treated others gently, possessed a soft and pleasant voice, and was exceptionally beautiful. She also did not treat Taohua and Cuizhu as mere servants.

For that reason, the two were quite willing to tell her about matters within the Eldest Princess’s residence.

“Yes. Aunt Jingshu was the late empress’s personal maid. Ever since Her Highness moved into the Eldest Princess’s residence, Aunt Jingshu has remained at her side and managed every affair in the household.”

So she was one of the palace matrons?

Mu Xu nodded.

Everyone said the matrons from the imperial palace were terrifyingly strict. She would have to be careful later.

The Eldest Princess’s Residence.

Qie Ge held a writing brush in her hand. As though suddenly remembering something, she asked, “Qingqian, what has Mu Xu been doing these past few days?”

“The hidden guards reported that Miss Mu has behaved as usual. During the day, she teaches the students at the private school, and at night, she returns to her residence.”

That was not all Qie Ge wished to hear.

“Nothing else?”

“Miss Mu has been avoiding Jiang Huaisheng these past few days.”

“And?”

Qingqian glanced at Qie Ge before answering, “This… At night, Miss Mu… often cries herself to sleep…”

Upon hearing this, Qie Ge set down her brush.

Was marrying her truly such a grievance?

“Where is Jingshu?”

“Master should have finished preparing the carriage by now. She is planning to take the people from the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to Miss Mu’s residence.”

“Come. We will go with Jingshu.”

Qingqian was delighted inwardly. Although her face remained expressionless, a trace of excitement entered her voice.

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Before long, they arrived at Mu Xu’s residence.

With Qingqian’s support, Qie Ge stepped down from the carriage.

Cuizhu happened to see her from inside the courtyard and hurriedly pulled Taohua outside.

“These servants greet Your Highness Qie Ge!”

Qie Ge looked around but saw no trace of Mu Xu.

“Rise. Where is Mu Xu?”

“Reporting to Your Highness, Miss Mu is reading in the inner room,” Cuizhu answered.

Mu Xu sat at the table with a book open before her.

Although she continued turning the pages, she had not absorbed a single word.

A familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.

“Mu Xu.”

Mu Xu’s delicate brows drew together slightly.

Why did that voice sound so much like Qie Ge’s?

Qie Ge had not come looking for her at all these past few days.

She must have misheard.

Seeing Mu Xu ignore her, Qie Ge patiently called again.

“Mu Xu!”

Mu Xu closed the book.

Could reading have caused her to hear things?

At that moment, a pair of pale hands appeared before her and snatched the book from her grasp.

“The Prince Consort is certainly in high spirits. You were so absorbed in your reading that you failed to hear me even after I called you several times.”

Mu Xu raised her eyes.

When she saw Qie Ge, unmistakable surprise flashed through them.

Why had she come?

Qie Ge pressed her lips together in a soft smile.

Why should she not have come?

Mu Xu suddenly returned to her senses and was about to rise and bow when Qie Ge placed one hand on her shoulder and held her down.

“There is no need for formalities.”

Qie Ge walked behind Mu Xu, bent down, and slowly leaned closer to her ear.

“I think I understand now. So you were waiting for me to address you as Prince Consort.”

As she spoke, her voice gradually lowered.

To anyone watching, the scene appeared rather intimate.

Qie Ge’s warm breath brushed against Mu Xu’s ear, tickling her and making her deeply uncomfortable.

Mu Xu resented the imperial marriage decree.

Yet no matter how resentful or composed she tried to remain, when someone stared at her for so long, suddenly fell silent, and leaned this close, she could not help wondering what was happening.

Could there be something behind her?

As Qie Ge moved closer, the suggestive atmosphere grew stronger.

Whether because of the warm weather or her irritation, Mu Xu’s cheeks and even the tips of her ears began turning red.

A smile curved at the corners of Qie Ge’s lips.

She watched as Mu Xu shifted away little by little.

Only the slightest bit farther, and she would fall from the stool.

Qie Ge suddenly blew lightly against Mu Xu’s ear.

Mu Xu shuddered.

Before she could steady herself—

Crash—

She fell from the stool.

Qie Ge feigned alarm.

“Oh my, Prince Consort. Did that hurt?”

Mu Xu winced in pain, feeling unbearably wronged.

She was not a three-year-old child. How could she simply fall off a stool?

But when she saw the amusement in Qie Ge’s eyes, she understood.

It was Qie Ge.

She had done it deliberately!

Qie Ge reached down and helped Mu Xu to her feet.

“Prince Consort, I merely came to visit you. Was there truly any need to become so excited?”

Mu Xu clenched her teeth.

She desperately wished Qie Ge could experience what it felt like to fall as well.

But Qie Ge was the Eldest Princess.

There was nothing Mu Xu could do to her.

Watching Mu Xu struggle between anger and the inability to express it put Qie Ge in an excellent mood.