The Eldest Princess Is So Annoying! - Chapter 8

“Ugh—”

Mu Xu’s heart ached as she gently patted Jiang Huaisheng’s back.

When the two of them had fled to Chang’an together, they had spent three full days and nights in a carriage. Today, however, they had traveled only a few li. No matter how uncomfortable the ride had been, he should not have been vomiting this badly.

Could the coachman have driven too quickly, causing him to catch a chill?

The more Mu Xu thought about it, the more possible it seemed. She still remembered that Jiang Huaisheng had been dressed rather thinly the previous night.

“Huaisheng, are you still feeling terribly ill?”

Jiang Huaisheng wanted to answer, but the moment he opened his mouth, he began vomiting again.

“Huaisheng, wait here. I’ll go find a physician for you.”

Jiang Huaisheng grabbed her hand.

They did not have much silver left. It was only enough to cover their ordinary expenses. If he spent money on a physician now, they might not be able to last until the imperial examination several months later.

Besides, he was only like this because he had witnessed such a gruesome scene.

Jiang Huaisheng waved his hand.

“There is no need. I am fine.”

Mu Xu took out a handkerchief and handed it to him.

She knew Jiang Huaisheng was worried about money, but even if they ran out, she could still embroider things and sell them. A few days ago, the manager of Liao’s Shop had even come looking for her personally and offered to pay her to embroider several handkerchiefs.

At the time, she had been too busy with the private school and turned him down.

Now it seemed she might have to visit that shopkeeper after all.

Jiang Huaisheng accepted the handkerchief and wiped his mouth.

“Do not worry. When have I ever lied to you?”

Mu Xu asked anxiously, “Then why are you…”

“The carriage was simply too rough. It is nothing serious.”

Since Jiang Huaisheng said so and did not appear to be lying, Mu Xu believed him.

She had not felt any jolting while sitting inside the carriage, but after thinking about it carefully, perhaps that was only because the carriage itself had been so finely made.

Jiang Huaisheng did not want Mu Xu to know what he had witnessed today.

Miss Nangong had encountered such an incident and remained perfectly calm. She could not possibly be the merchant she claimed to be.

He and Mu Xu possessed neither power nor influence in Chang’an. If they became entangled in trouble because of her, they might even lose their lives.

“Did Miss Nangong say she would come to the private school tomorrow?”

“Mm,” Mu Xu replied.

That was indeed what Qie Ge had said before leaving.

“Turn her away tomorrow. You must not remain in contact with that woman,” Jiang Huaisheng said.

“Why?”

Mu Xu did not understand why he had suddenly said such a thing.

Although Miss Nangong was a merchant, she displayed none of the usual unpleasant habits associated with merchants. On the contrary, she even seemed fond of doing good deeds.

“Trust me. It would be best to have as little contact with her as possible.”

Jiang Huaisheng had a faint intuition that the more Mu Xu interacted with Qie Ge, the farther away she would drift from him.

Mu Xu nodded in agreement.

Perhaps Jiang Huaisheng had noticed something that even she had failed to see.

At the imperial training grounds, palace maids and eunuchs stood to one side.

Qingqian handed Qie Ge the bow in her hands.

“Your Highness.”

Qie Ge accepted it, nocked an arrow, and drew back the bowstring.

Across from her, Yang Hao saw that she was ready and flung the leaf in his hand high into the air.

Qie Ge swiftly aimed at it.

She narrowed her eyes, then released her fingers.

Whoosh—

The arrow pierced straight through the leaf.

Yang Hao applauded.

“Excellent! Imperial Sister’s archery has grown even more impressive.”

Qie Ge accepted a handkerchief and wiped her hands, ignoring him.

She did not believe for a moment that Yang Hao had urgently summoned her to the training grounds merely so he could flatter her.

“I still remember how playful I was when we were children. I constantly pestered Imperial Sister to teach me archery.

“One day after lessons, I secretly carried a bow and arrows out of the training grounds without telling my teacher. Not only that, but I dragged Imperial Sister into the Imperial Garden with me to practice.

“When Father found out, he was furious. He punished me by making me face the wall for an entire month and forbade me from taking even half a step outside Ronghua Palace. I even dragged Imperial Sister into being punished with me.”

At the mention of those absurd childhood affairs, Yang Hao’s face filled with smiles.

Things had not felt nearly as restrictive back then as they did now.

Qie Ge gave a faint “Mm,” then glanced at him with a smile that was not quite a smile.

“Father may not have punished me by making me face the wall, but he did order me to copy five hundred volumes of Buddhist scriptures.”

Back then, she had copied so much that she could barely lift a brush.

Yang Hao immediately shuddered.

He wanted nothing more than to slap himself twice.

How had he forgotten about that wretched incident?

He had been hoping to coax information out of his imperial sister.

Although Yang Hao felt somewhat embarrassed, he still chuckled.

“I was wondering why Father praised Imperial Sister’s handwriting so often. So it was because you copied so many books.”

Qie Ge stopped walking.

She turned toward Yang Hao with a smile.

“Since Your Majesty has so much leisure, why not copy seven or eight hundred volumes of Buddhist scriptures and pray for the people of the realm?”

The smile on Yang Hao’s face froze.

Whenever she addressed him as “Your Majesty” to his face, it meant his imperial sister was becoming angry.

“Imperial Sister must be joking. Affairs of state are so demanding, and these Buddhist scriptures…”

Yang Hao glanced at Qie Ge several more times, wondering whether there was still room to negotiate.

But when he saw her smile growing increasingly “delighted,” cold sweat began streaming down his back.

It was only seven or eight hundred volumes of Buddhist scriptures.

What was so terrible about that?

He would copy them!

“I’ll copy them, I’ll copy them,” Yang Hao said.

Then he waved his hand and called loudly, “Xiao Lezi!”

Xiao Lezi, who had been chatting with a palace maid, immediately ran over.

“This servant is here.”

“Pass down my command. I will personally copy seven hundred—”

Before Yang Hao could finish, he saw Qie Ge glance at him.

He immediately corrected himself.

“No, eight hundred volumes of Buddhist scriptures to pray for the people of the realm!”

After saying it, Yang Hao felt his very heart trembling.

How long would it take to copy eight hundred volumes?

“Yes!”

Xiao Lezi had clearly been whispering about something amusing with the palace maid just moments ago, because there was still a smile on his face.

The more Yang Hao looked at him, the more irritating he found him.

Qie Ge raised an eyebrow, turned around, and continued walking, no longer paying attention to the two of them.

Once Qie Ge had gone some distance, Yang Hao seized Xiao Lezi by the collar.

“You wretch! You failed to warn me and caused me to be punished with copying scriptures, yet you still dare laugh at me? Let me tell you—if I suffer, you will suffer too!”

Xiao Lezi felt terribly wronged.

He had been too busy chatting with the palace maid to know what had happened. He had genuinely assumed His Majesty had overeaten today and suddenly decided to copy Buddhist scriptures to aid his digestion.

“Your Majesty, this servant wasn’t laughing at you!”

Yang Hao snorted coldly.

“Seven hundred volumes. Copy them for me. If you refuse, I’ll have your head!”

Xiao Lezi wanted to cry but had no tears.

Had he known this would happen, he would never have spoken to that palace maid even if someone beat him to death.

“Yes. This servant obeys the decree.”

After shifting seven hundred volumes onto Xiao Lezi, Yang Hao’s mood improved considerably.

He hurried after Qie Ge.

Only one hundred remained. Once he returned to Qianqing Palace, he could frighten a few young eunuchs into copying them for him.

As for the so-called “personally copy eight hundred volumes of Buddhist scriptures,” those were only eight words.

“Imperial Sister, the imperial examination will be held in a few months. Do you have any thoughts about it?” Yang Hao asked casually.

Qie Ge thought of Jiang Huaisheng.

“Why not make the palace examination topic ‘How Should a Nation Be Governed?’”

“Huh?”

Yang Hao looked surprised.

Since when had his imperial sister chosen such a simple question?

Still, after thinking for a moment, he said, “Very well. We’ll follow Imperial Sister’s suggestion.”

If she had proposed it, she naturally had her reasons.

Yang Hao asked, “Has Liu Puyu come to bother Imperial Sister again?”

“He came while I was away from the residence. Jingshu drove him out.”

Yang Hao secretly glanced at Qie Ge.

She had not noticed.

Excellent.

He continued, “Liu Puyu truly is outrageous. To think he still dares pester Imperial Sister. Do you need my help?”

“It is fine. It is only a minor matter.”

Qie Ge found his behavior strange.

A few days ago, Yang Hao had demanded that she deal with Liu Puyu herself. Why was he suddenly offering to help her today?

Yang Hao nodded.

It seemed his imperial sister truly had not been moved by Liu Puyu.

That was excellent.

“Then does Imperial Sister have someone she loves?”

Qie Ge turned and looked at him.

She had known something was strange about today.

So this was what he had been working toward.

“Why do you ask?”

Yang Hao grew slightly uncomfortable under her gaze.

Pretending to remain calm, he replied, “I simply wanted to ask whether Imperial Sister has anyone she loves. Should there be someone, I can bestow an imperial marriage upon you and let you marry in glorious fashion.”

Qie Ge let out a soft laugh.

It sounded faintly self-mocking, and helplessness flickered in the depths of her eyes.

When had any of her marriages not been “glorious”?

Whenever she married, not only did all of Chang’an hear about it, but the news spread throughout the entire Kingdom of Canglan.

The commoners’ gossip was never absent either.

It was always the same words.

Wanton woman.

Husband-killer.

What other woman beneath the heavens had ever married as “gloriously” as she did?

In only an instant, Qie Ge collected herself.

“There is no one.”

Yang Hao seemed to catch sight of the emotion that vanished from her face.

He called softly, “Imperial Sister…”

A smile returned to Qie Ge’s lips.

She looked at him in confusion.

“Mm?”

Yang Hao stared blankly.

His imperial sister looked exactly as she always did. Nothing seemed unusual about her.

He could not help wondering whether he had imagined what he saw just now.

“Should Imperial Sister ever find someone you love, you must tell me!”

“All right.”