The Eldest Princess Is So Annoying! - Chapter 4

The Eldest Princess’s Residence.

The moment Qie Ge stepped down from the carriage, she headed toward Yaoguang Courtyard. As soon as she entered through the courtyard gate, she could faintly hear a man sobbing inside.

“Let go of me! Let me go! Let me die—I don’t want to live anymore!”

“Young Master, you mustn’t!”

“Stop holding me back! Get out of my way! Rather than make things difficult for Her Highness, I would rather prove my resolve with my death and spare her from having to worry about affairs within the residence.”

“Young Master, please don’t! You mustn’t take your own life!”

“Let go of me. Though I am useless and cannot help shoulder Her Highness’s burdens, I would never add even the slightest trouble to her life. After I die, should Her Highness come to see me, tell her this: Rong Xiao thanks Her Highness for all the favor she has shown me. Though I can no longer serve at her side in this lifetime, in my next life, I would still be willing to follow her.”

Standing outside the door, Qie Ge heard every word Rong Xiao said.

The smile at the corners of her lips deepened.

How touching.

After an attendant pushed open the door, Qie Ge stepped inside.

“Why is Xiao’er so heartbroken?”

The instant Rong Xiao saw Qie Ge, he looked unbearably aggrieved. He tossed aside the shard of celadon porcelain in his hand, wiped away his tears, and choked out, “Your Highness…”

Goosebumps rose all over Qingqian’s body.

She rolled her eyes. Rong Xiao cried even more delicately than a woman. He did not have the slightest trace of masculinity.

“What happened? Tell me. I will seek justice for you,” Qie Ge said.

A triumphant smile appeared at the corners of Rong Xiao’s lips, though it vanished in an instant.

He continued sobbing. “Hearing Your Highness say that is already enough. Rong Xiao can die without regret. No matter how much grievance Rong Xiao must suffer, I am willing to endure it.”

He had assumed that after Qie Ge questioned him a few more times, he would be able to say what he had prepared next.

Even if Her Highness remembered their past affection and refused to execute Lu Xing, she should at least drive him out of the Eldest Princess’s residence. When that happened, Rong Xiao could bribe a few people to quietly silence Lu Xing without anyone knowing.

Who would have expected Qie Ge to order, “Very well. Someone, bestow upon Rong Xiao a length of white silk, three chi long.”

Rong Xiao froze.

It was as though someone had struck one of his pressure points, leaving him utterly motionless. The maid beside him reacted in exactly the same way.

What was happening?

In the past, whenever he wanted something and Her Highness hesitated, he only needed to act spoiled, and she would give it to him.

Why was she suddenly behaving like this today?

Staring at the white silk in the attendant’s hands, Rong Xiao could do nothing but refuse to believe what he was seeing.

He stammered in astonishment, “Your… Your Highness?”

“I had only just left the palace when you sent someone to summon me. I rushed back to the residence in such haste because Xiao’er wished to put on a performance of suicide for me.”

Qie Ge was smiling, but as she continued speaking, her expression gradually turned cold.

“What is it? Could Xiao’er possibly have been toying with me?”

Rong Xiao’s legs went weak with terror.

Knowing that disaster had befallen him, he dropped to his knees and begged for mercy.

“Please spare my life, Your Highness! Please spare my life! Xiao’er will never dare do it again! Xiao’er will never do it again!”

How could he have forgotten?

The woman before him was no ordinary woman. She was the Eldest Princess, whose ceremonial honors were equal to those of a feudal prince.

No matter how much she doted upon him, she was still the most honored woman in the Kingdom of Canglan.

Yet he had relied upon her favor to threaten her.

Rong Xiao continued pleading, but Qie Ge ignored him completely.

He crawled on his knees toward her and was about to embrace her legs when Qingqian kicked him far across the room.

Rong Xiao let out a muffled groan, and a mouthful of blood spilled from his lips.

It was clear just how much force Qingqian had used.

In all the years since he entered the Eldest Princess’s residence, when had he ever suffered an injury?

Her Highness had always showered him with affection. Even if he merely fell and scraped a little skin, she would become terribly anxious. Not only would she give him the finest wound salve, but she would also visit him frequently and instruct him to rest and recover properly.

Rong Xiao stared blankly at the blood on the floor.

When he finally came back to his senses, he pointed at it with a trembling hand.

“Your… Your Highness, Xiao’er is bleeding… Xiao’er is bleeding…”

Qie Ge did not acknowledge him. Not even the slightest change appeared in her expression.

“Xiao’er is bleeding… Your Highness… Your Highness, Xiao’er is bleeding…”

As though she no longer wished to hear his irritating voice, Qie Ge called, “Qingqian.”

Qingqian understood.

She looked down at Rong Xiao with undisguised contempt.

He was nothing but a fool who had courted his own death, yet he still dreamed that Her Highness would pity him.

How ridiculous.

“Young Master Rong Xiao, will you do it yourself, or shall Qingqian help you?”

Rong Xiao shook his head.

As Qingqian advanced step by step, he continuously shrank backward.

“No… Don’t kill me… Don’t kill me…”

The handsome and charming young gentleman of ordinary days had now fallen into such a miserable state.

Rong Xiao’s maid could no longer bear the sight. Her heart ached terribly for him.

Unable to restrain herself any longer, she rushed before Qie Ge and knelt.

“This servant begs Your Highness to consider the many years Young Master Rong Xiao has served you and spare his life.”

Qie Ge shifted her gaze to the maid.

Under Qie Ge’s scrutiny, the maid felt the air around her grow increasingly oppressive, nearly crushing the breath from her lungs.

Qie Ge smiled.

“What a lovely, flowerlike young maid.”

The maid trembled from head to toe.

She could not determine what Her Highness meant by those words, nor did she dare speculate recklessly. She could only lower her head as far as it would go.

“Do you know what will happen to you for pleading on his behalf?” Qie Ge asked.

Of course the maid knew.

She would die.

“Young Master Rong Xiao has a kind heart. He rescued this servant from a slave broker and gave me a new life. This servant is willing to exchange my life for Young Master Rong Xiao’s. Please spare him, Your Highness.”

“You are quite loyal. Are you truly willing to die for Rong Xiao?”

“This servant is willing,” the maid answered firmly.

For Rong Xiao, she would do anything.

Even if the price was her life, she would not hesitate.

In Qie Ge’s eyes, the maid was frighteningly foolish.

What was even more frightening was that the maid herself did not realize it.

“What use would I have for your life?”

The maid was rendered speechless.

That was true.

Her Highness possessed overwhelming power. With a single command, she could take anyone’s life.

Yet the maid had tried to bargain with the most worthless thing she possessed.

Qie Ge suddenly laughed softly.

She tossed a dagger between the two of them.

“Whichever of you seizes the dagger first and stabs the other to death will be spared.”

The moment he heard this, Rong Xiao hurriedly crawled toward it.

What normal person would willingly surrender a chance to live?

Pain crossed the maid’s face.

If Rong Xiao killed her, he would be burdened with the crime of murder. She did not want that for him.

In the end, she resolved to cut her own throat and moved toward the dagger.

Rong Xiao’s expression changed drastically.

He quickened his pace.

That wretched woman!

Normally, he had only favored her because she was rather pretty. Who would have expected her to dare stand in his way now?

Just as the maid was about to reach the dagger, Rong Xiao snatched it first and thrust it viciously into her abdomen.

Clenching his teeth, he muttered, “Go to hell.”

Rong Xiao pulled the dagger from her body.

Blood coated the blade, droplets sliding down its tip and falling to the floor.

As though claiming credit for his deed, he turned to Qie Ge.

“Your Highness, Xiao’er did it! Xiao’er did it! Please spare Xiao’er!”

The maid’s eyes widened.

Her tears fell like pearls from a broken string.

Clutching her abdomen, she could never have imagined that Rong Xiao—the man who whispered sweet words to her in bed and promised to marry her after they left the Eldest Princess’s residence—would be the one to kill her.

Qingqian quickly stepped forward, struck the maid’s pressure points, and fed her a medicinal pill.

“Rong Xiao, did you truly believe that anyone who betrayed me would be allowed to live?”

“No! Xiao’er didn’t! Your Highness, please investigate clearly! Xiao’er has never done anything to betray you!”

The maid did not appear likely to live much longer anyway.

Even if she still had a breath left, Rong Xiao only needed to claim that she had seduced him and push all the blame onto her.

Who could do anything to him then?

As for everything else, he had already disposed of anything that needed to be dealt with.

A smile hung upon Qie Ge’s lips, but it contained no warmth whatsoever.

“Was the silver the Left Chancellor gave you enough to spend?”

Rong Xiao’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

“Your… Your Highness, what are you talking about? Xiao’er doesn’t understand.”

“Someone, bring it in and let him have a look.”

Several chests were carried into the room.

When they were opened, every one of them was packed full of silver ingots.

Rong Xiao stood there in a daze.

He had hidden them so well.

How had they been discovered?

Qie Ge picked up one silver ingot and idly toyed with it.

“Rong Xiao, I treated you so well, yet this is how you repay me?”

Rong Xiao wanted to defend himself, but he was ultimately nothing more than a favored male companion.

Each month, he could collect only fifty taels from the residence’s accounts office.

How could he possibly explain where so much silver had come from?

While Rong Xiao was still desperately thinking, Qie Ge returned the silver ingot to the chest.

“Considering that you have followed me for so many years, and that you possess such a loyal maid, I will spare your life.”

Although Rong Xiao did not understand why Qie Ge was letting him off so easily, joy immediately surged through him.

Before he could kneel and thank her for her mercy, Qie Ge continued, “Rong Xiao is rather attractive. Since you like him, I bestow him upon you.”

The hidden guards lived each day without knowing whether they would survive until the next.

But they were still human.

They also had desires they needed to vent.

Rong Xiao was completely bewildered.

Who was Her Highness speaking to?

Several figures concealed in the shadows stared at him like starving wolves, their eyes gleaming with hunger.

The instant Qie Ge finished speaking, Rong Xiao vanished from the room.

Qie Ge glanced at the maid, who had already lost consciousness.

In the end, she was merely a fool who had devoted herself to the wrong person.

Qie Ge instructed Qingqian, “Have someone send her to my fief overnight. If she behaves herself, leave her be. If she causes trouble, do not leave her alive.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“The people in this residence should also be warned while we have the opportunity. I will leave this matter to you and Jingshu.”

At the mention of Jingshu, Qingqian finally revealed a smile she could not conceal.

“Yes. Qingqian will relay your orders to Master.”

“Mm.”

The two had only just reached the main hall when they found Xiao Lezi already waiting there.

“This servant greets Your Highness Qie Ge!”

“Rise.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Xiao Lezi took the tea leaves from a young eunuch beside him.

“This is the tea Your Highness requested today.”

After Qingqian accepted it, Xiao Lezi produced another box, opened it, and presented it to Qie Ge.

“Your Highness, please.”

Qie Ge glanced at the memorials inside.

“There is no need. His Majesty can already make his own decisions regarding affairs of state. He no longer needs to consult me.”

“His Majesty asked Your Highness to look them over. He said he can only feel at ease when you are there.”

Xiao Lezi continued, “His Majesty also instructed this servant to tell Your Highness that you may choose a Prince Consort you truly love. You no longer need to wrong yourself.”

A trace of warmth spread through Qie Ge’s heart.

She felt both touched and gratified.

Her imperial brother had grown up.

She accepted the memorials.

“This servant will now go to Lord Liu’s residence to proclaim the imperial decree,” Xiao Lezi said.

“After proclaiming it, bring men here and escort these chests of silver into the palace. Deposit them in the state treasury. I will write a memorial and submit it to His Majesty.”

“Yes!”