The Eldest Princess Is So Annoying! - Chapter 3

Inside the carriage, Qie Ge sat with her eyes closed. Her breathing was so even that no one could tell whether she was merely resting or had already fallen asleep.

The more Qingqian thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Judging by Liu Puyu’s attitude, he did not seem like someone who would give up on Her Highness so easily.

After struggling with herself for a moment, she called softly, “Your Highness…”

Qie Ge did not open her eyes. The corner of her mouth moved slightly, signaling for Qingqian to continue.

“Your Highness, what should we do if Lord Liu refuses to give up and insists on pestering His Majesty for a marriage decree?”

Qie Ge still did not open her eyes. Her red lips parted, and her voice remained gentle and unhurried.

“Liu Pucheng is already useless. Liu Ren has also lost his most capable supporter. No matter how much Liu Ren dotes on Liu Puyu, he would never allow him to have the slightest connection with me. As long as Liu Ren refuses, all of Liu Puyu’s efforts will amount to nothing.”

Besides, who would allow both of his sons to marry the same woman one after the other?

Qingqian nodded. Her Highness’s reasoning made sense.

However, there was still something she did not understand.

Even if Her Highness had no interest in Liu Puyu, why had she mocked him so harshly? Had Her Highness not once praised the poems he had written?

Risking Qie Ge’s anger, Qingqian still voiced the question. It was not because of her intense curiosity, but because the sincerity in Liu Puyu’s eyes had moved her.

“Why is Your Highness unwilling to give Lord Liu even the slightest chance? Qingqian feels that Lord Liu is sincere—”

Before Qingqian could finish, Qie Ge opened her eyes and looked at her.

Qingqian’s body stiffened beneath that gaze, and the rest of her words died in her throat. She lowered her head.

“Qingqian has overstepped. Please punish me, Your Highness.”

Qie Ge closed her eyes again.

“There is no need for punishment. Qingqian, you have been by my side for so many years. How can you still fail to understand that people’s hearts can change?”

Cold sweat broke out across Qingqian’s body.

With a thud, she dropped to her knees.

“In Qingqian’s heart, Your Highness is my one and only master. Qingqian would never harbor a second thought against you. Please see the truth clearly, Your Highness!”

Qie Ge lifted Qingqian’s hand slightly, signaling for her to rise.

She had not intended to frighten her. How could she possibly be unaware of Qingqian’s loyalty?

Qie Ge softened her tone.

“Get up.”

“Thank you, Your Highness!”

Suddenly, screams and the shrill neighing of horses erupted outside, mingling together in a chaotic uproar.

Qingqian instinctively moved in front of Qie Ge and looked around vigilantly.

“Your Highness, be careful!”

The carriage shook violently before coming to an abrupt stop. Qie Ge barely managed to steady herself.

“Qingqian, go and see what happened outside,” Qie Ge instructed.

Had there been assassins, the hidden guards concealed in the shadows would already have acted. They would not have waited until now without so much as the sound of clashing blades.

“Yes!”

Qingqian lifted the gauze curtain and asked the coachman, “What happened?”

“For some reason, a great many commoners have gathered on this street today. We cannot get through at all,” the coachman answered honestly.

Qingqian looked ahead, then turned toward Qie Ge inside the carriage.

“Your Highness, Qingqian will go and investigate.”

Qie Ge did not stop her.

With one elegant finger, she lifted the carriage curtain and turned her gaze toward the crowd. When she saw the commoners standing in orderly lines, she could not help feeling puzzled.

What day was it today?

Why had so many people gathered here?

Qingqian finally managed to squeeze her way to the front. Before she could see what was happening, however, she sensed movement behind her.

In an instant, she seized the hand reaching toward her shoulder and twisted it sharply.

Crack—

“Ah—!”

The scholar cried out in heart-wrenching pain.

The killing intent in Qingqian’s eyes faded.

Judging from his clothes, the man did not look like an assassin. He appeared to be a scholar instead. She had also tested him just now and confirmed that he knew no martial arts.

Tightening her grip on his hand, she swiftly reset the bone she had broken with only a few movements.

The moment Qingqian released him, the scholar collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Tears sprang from his eyes from the pain.

What kind of terrible luck had he run into today? He had come out to perform a charitable deed, yet someone had treated him so violently.

The surrounding commoners were furious but did not dare speak.

They had all seen the young woman’s skills just now. Moreover, judging from her clothing, she likely belonged to some influential household.

This was Chang’an City. None of them wished to invite disaster upon themselves merely by standing up for someone else.

The strange looks from the crowd made Qingqian somewhat uncomfortable, but she knew she had done nothing wrong.

Who had told that scholar to try to take liberties with her?

Just as the scholar was about to climb to his feet and argue with Qingqian, a slender hand as pale as white jade appeared before him.

Delicate fingers held out a handkerchief embroidered with willow catkins.

“Sir, are you badly injured?”

The voice that suddenly spoke was gentle to the extreme. Hearing it brought an indescribable sense of comfort, like a cool stream in summer flowing through every limb and bone.

The scholar raised his head.

A face of exquisite, unmatched beauty entered his vision.

Her complexion was as smooth as fine goose fat, her skin fairer than snow. Her lips resembled a touch of cherry red, and her brows looked as though they had been painted in ink. Her eyes sparkled like stars, while her expression was as clear as autumn waters.

There was a soft and delicate gentleness between her brows, much like that of a woman from Jiangnan.

Her dark hair cascaded over one shoulder like a waterfall. A gentle smile rested at the corners of her lips.

Dressed entirely in white, she resembled a lotus bud rising from clear water—pure and untouched by dust, like a banished immortal descended to the mortal world.

Mu Xu’s brows drew together slightly, concern visible in her eyes.

She called again, “Sir?”

“Ah?”

The scholar returned to his senses and hurriedly scrambled upright. He wiped both hands on his robes before accepting Mu Xu’s handkerchief.

“Th-thank you for your concern, Miss Mu. I… I am not badly injured. Not badly injured at all.”

Qingqian scoffed inwardly at his behavior.

How useless!

The scholar had not forgotten Qingqian, the vicious woman who had treated him so violently moments before.

She was truly frighteningly skilled.

Yet with a beautiful woman standing before him, how could he allow himself to lose face?

He could neither curse Qingqian nor simply walk away. In the end, he could only put on a brave front and say stubbornly, “It is merely that this young lady does not know how to control her strength.”

Qingqian immediately became displeased.

“In broad daylight, men and women should maintain a proper distance. Does this gentleman truly not know what he was trying to do just now? It seems all those books of sages and worthies you studied were wasted on you.”

The scholar’s face instantly flushed red with anger.

He would not have cared no matter what else she said about him, but this vicious woman had actually accused him of trying to molest her!

“You… You are talking nonsense! You were clearly cutting in line, so I… I…”

Seeing Qingqian’s complete lack of interest in listening to him only made the scholar angrier. For a moment, he was so furious that he could no longer find the words to continue.

Mu Xu smiled faintly.

Now she understood. It turned out the two of them had simply misunderstood each other.

“Sir, might you first listen to a few words from this humble woman?”

“Please speak, Miss Mu.”

“There should be proper boundaries between men and women. It was indeed somewhat inappropriate for you to reach out to her in that manner.”

Mu Xu then glanced at the hairstyle Qingqian wore and continued, “This young lady has not yet been betrothed. Her reaction toward you is therefore understandable.”

The scholar’s face turned even redder.

Yet Mu Xu’s tone made it impossible for him to become angry. Instead, he found himself quite willing to accept her “guidance.”

After finishing with the scholar, Mu Xu looked toward Qingqian.

This time, however, she said nothing.

Compared with Mu Xu’s gaze, Qingqian would have preferred the way the commoners had looked at her.

Mu Xu’s eyes held endless understanding and tolerance, like a pool of clear water capable of washing away every sin.

Yet that tolerance was even more unbearable than a scolding.

Qingqian turned toward the scholar and said, “I offended you just now. I hope you will forgive me.”

Since the vicious woman had already said this much, continuing to argue would mean refusing to show Miss Mu any respect.

The scholar replied, “I was also at fault. I hope the young lady will not hold it against me.”

Seeing that the matter had been settled, Mu Xu felt reassured and turned to leave.

How could Qingqian allow Mu Xu to leave just like that?

She had not forgotten the reason she had come here.

From the looks of things, the presence of all these commoners had a great deal to do with this woman.

“Miss, please wait!”

Mu Xu turned around and asked in confusion, “Is there something else, miss?”

“I noticed that there are so many commoners gathered on the street. Is there some joyous occasion today?”

Mu Xu pressed her lips together in a soft smile and explained, “There is no joyous occasion. The commoners have come today to donate money to a private school.”

Qingqian understood.

“And you are…?”

“Naturally, I am the one begging.”

Qingqian froze slightly.

Who could possibly speak of begging so casually?

By the time she recovered from her surprise, Mu Xu had already disappeared. Only her final words remained behind.

“Should you also wish to donate, miss, you will have to come earlier next month.”

Qingqian questioned the surrounding commoners for more information before returning to report to Qie Ge.

The moment Qingqian lifted the gauze curtain, she found Qie Ge already looking at her with open eyes.

“Your Highness, I found out what happened. The commoners gathered here today to donate money to a private school.”

Qie Ge’s tone rose slightly.

“Oh?”

“It was organized voluntarily by a woman surnamed Mu. Her full name is unknown. She seems to have arrived in Chang’an City only recently. All anyone knows is that the commoners call her Miss Mu. Once every month, she comes to the street to beg on behalf of the children attending the private school.”

“Beg?”

Qie Ge lifted the curtain once more and looked toward the street, where the commoners had still not dispersed.

This was truly the first time she had ever seen someone beg and have so many people come specifically to give her money.

That woman certainly seemed kindhearted.

Unfortunately, she was also a fool.

Giving a man a fish was not as good as teaching him how to fish. Even if she lowered herself to beg, she might not receive the students’ gratitude.

Once the students began regarding her efforts as something they were entitled to, not only would they fail to appreciate her, but if she stopped coming one day, they might even resent her for it.

Why put herself through that?

And how long could such a method possibly last?

“Yes. Miss Mu also said that Your Highness should… should…”

“What did she say I should do?”

“She said Your Highness should come earlier next month.”

Qingqian’s expression remained perfectly composed.

In her impression, had that not been exactly what Miss Mu meant?!

Qie Ge released the curtain and began idly turning the white jade bracelet around her wrist with her fingertips.

Only after a long while did she speak.

“Send someone to investigate her.”

“Yes!”

Qie Ge truly wished to take a good look at exactly what sort of person dared tell her to arrive earlier next month.

Suddenly, a man’s voice came from outside the carriage.

“Reporting to Your Highness, this subordinate has an important matter to report.”

Qie Ge waved her hand.

Qingqian stepped down from the carriage to listen, then returned and reported, “Your Highness, it concerns Young Masters Rong Xiao and Lu Xing from the residence. Today, Young Master Rong Xiao accidentally broke Young Master Lu Xing’s thumb ring. It appears to have been the one Your Highness bestowed upon him. The two began arguing, and Young Master Lu Xing, unable to contain his anger, struck Young Master Rong Xiao. After going back and forth, both of them were injured. Young Master Rong Xiao was unwilling to let the matter go and wishes to see Your Highness. I fear…”

Even without Qingqian finishing, Qie Ge understood.

“So Rong Xiao sent a guard to summon me?”

Her voice was calm, revealing neither happiness nor anger.

“Yes. Young Master Rong Xiao also said that should Your Highness refuse to return, he will hang himself. When that happens, Your Highness will never see him again.”

Qie Ge laughed softly and addressed the coachman.

“Return to the Eldest Princess’s residence. If you are delayed by even a quarter of an hour, I think you may as well do without your head.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Cold sweat broke out all over the coachman’s body.

He no longer dared concern himself with anything else. Snapping the reins, he drove the horses swiftly toward the Eldest Princess’s residence.