The Seventh Princess Insists on Making Me Live Off Her - Chapter 23

As Luo Qian’er’s words became increasingly outrageous, A-You rushed over and covered her mouth, wishing she could silence her permanently on the spot.

“Luo Qian’er, the Scattered Star Pavilion once served as guards to the late Emperor. Out of mercy, the late Emperor permitted your grandfather to relinquish his noble title and retire into the jianghu. The only condition was that your family must never become enemies of the imperial household.” Gao Jingxi swept her sleeve aside. Her gaze passed over Luo Qian’er and settled on some distant, unknown point.

“So what? I, Luo Qian’er, take responsibility for my own actions.” Luo Qian’er was about to rise and pat her chest when the pain in her right hand made her cry out, “Ouch!”

“Your senior and junior sisters are currently suffering under interrogation and punishment. If you wish to save them, you had better tell me the truth.”

“Gao Jingxi, what exactly do you want? You’re truly vicious. But I like it. I mean it.” When Gao Jingxi’s eyes remained as cold and emotionless as thousand-year-old ice, Luo Qian’er immediately shrank back. “How about taking me back to Changyong and treating my hand? Once it recovers, I won’t have to remain under that pretty-faced weakling’s control.”

“You… Why do you speak like some bandit from a mountain stronghold? You are spouting complete nonsense! Speaking disrespectfully to the princess only adds to your crimes!” A-You rolled up her sleeves, one step away from slapping Luo Qian’er twice.

Unfortunately, despite Luo Qian’er’s flushed face and lengthy speech, Gao Jingxi remained cold and acted as though she had heard nothing. She merely ordered them to take Luo Qian’er away, then leaned beside the window and stared blankly into the distance.

A-You hurriedly had Luo Qian’er taken to the inn’s woodshed and assigned three people to guard her.

When she returned to the princess’s room, A-You found Gao Jingxi sitting beside the table in a daze. The window was still wide open, allowing the howling cold wind to pour inside.

She hurriedly shut the window tightly, then ordered servants to bring braziers, food, and hot water. Only after finishing everything did she cautiously say to the Seventh Princess, “Your Highness, that assassin Luo Qian’er speaks incoherently and treats everything like a joke. Please do not become angry. It is not worth damaging your health over her.”

Gao Jingxi looked at the candlestick on the table. “Is Lian Liejin not worth it, or are the assassin’s words not worth it?”

A-You did not dare answer. Perhaps it was both. Whether the Princess Consort had betrayed the princess or the assassin was simply telling endless lies, neither mattered more to her than Gao Jingxi’s health.

“A-You, who do you think the Princess Consort is?”

Confused by Gao Jingxi’s question, A-You instinctively answered, “Your Highness, the Princess Consort… The Princess Consort is Lian Liejin.”

“Who is Lian Liejin?”

“She is… the third daughter of the Duke of Yan. She was raised in the mountains from childhood and married you because of the engagement arranged by the Empress and the Duchess of Yan.” Although A-You was puzzled, she continued answering:

“The Princess Consort may look frail, behave somewhat improperly, and possess little talent. But she is not completely useless. At the very least, her medical and painting skills are exceptional. This servant absolutely refuses to believe that the Princess Consort would become involved with someone else. There must be a misunderstanding.”

“What did you say?” Gao Jingxi appeared dazed and murmured, “Her medical and painting skills are exceptional. Then could Luo Qian’er’s injured hand…”

A-You handed Gao Jingxi the medicinal pills for that day. “Yes. You rarely took medicine before, but at least you can swallow it now.”

“I must know whether Guan Xie has returned to Qingyue Mountain!” As though she had suddenly realized something, Gao Jingxi’s tone became unquestionable. She emphasized again, “I must know tonight.”

Although A-You was confused, she still obeyed. She ordered a subordinate whose star chart was a carrier pigeon to use stellar power to transmit a message rapidly to Qingyue Mountain.

Half a shichen later, after A-You had helped Gao Jingxi bathe, they received a reply. “Your Highness, the people stationed at Qingyue Mountain reported that Physician Guan Xie has already returned to the Stellar Medicine Sect. She even received patients at the pharmacy today.”

Dressed in thin clothing, Gao Jingxi clenched both hands. She finally made her decision and pressed her lips together. “A-You, help me dress and prepare a horse.”

“Your Highness? You cannot possibly intend to go to Qingyue Mountain… You absolutely must not! If His Majesty discovers that you abandoned the mission halfway, she will certainly become suspicious and may even punish you severely in her anger.” A-You panicked, completely at a loss. She did not understand why the princess, who had seemingly abandoned the idea of searching for Guan Xie, had suddenly brought it up again.

“Your Highness, even if you find Physician Guan Xie, the two of you cannot… cannot have any future together.”

“Your Highness, why not have them invite Physician Guan Xie to Changyong? Finding the Princess Consort is more important right now.”

“Your Highness…”

The sugar coating around the pill in Gao Jingxi’s mouth dissolved, yet she still did not swallow it. Bitterness spread from the tip of her tongue into her heart.

“A-You, I merely want closure.” Even Gao Jingxi felt as though she had been bewitched. She had never even seen Guan Xie’s face. They had spent only one month together as physician and patient.

Why, then, had she sunk so deeply into this mire? Perhaps it was because Guan Xie had shown her a strange gentleness while she was injured—the first she had ever experienced. Afterward, she could never forget it.

“But Your Highness, this servant feels that you seem… somewhat different toward the Princess Consort. You have always rarely become angry, but with the Princess Consort, you do.”

“Toward the Princess Consort? She truly is unusual. These past few days, I…” Gao Jingxi could not help becoming dazed. Ever since the Lantern Festival, a strange atmosphere had developed between her and Lian Liejin. At times, she even unconsciously overlapped Guan Xie and Lian Liejin in her mind as though they were the same person.

But the mere fact that Lian Liejin also knew medicine proved nothing. After all, Gao Jingxi had previously sent someone to inquire at the Duke of Yan’s Residence. According to them, Lian Liejin had not learned medicine from the Stellar Medicine Sect on Qingyue Mountain.

When she received that answer, she could not tell whether she felt disappointed or dejected.

When she saw the assassin holding a sword against Lian Liejin, her first reaction had surprisingly been to wonder how she would explain matters to the Duke of Yan if something happened to the Princess Consort.

Only afterward did threads of worry and pain slowly emerge within her heart.

Perhaps she, an imperial princess, was no different from the members of the royal family depicted in storybooks—equally heartless, selfish, and concerned only with herself.

Gao Jingxi’s voice was so quiet that only she could hear it. “A-You, I must give both myself and the Princess Consort an explanation.” After pausing, she rose and pushed the window open again, gazing at the cold moon in the sky. “Remain here and wait for news from the Sun Radiance Guard. I must go to Qingyue Mountain.”

“You cannot, Your Highness!” A-You hurried over, grabbed the hem of Gao Jingxi’s clothes, and knelt on the floor. She pleaded softly, “Please reconsider. His Majesty already intends to punish you. The people of the Sun Radiance Guard may obey your commands, but that does not mean they are not also His Majesty’s eyes and ears, watching your every action.”

Gao Jingxi slowly crouched, gently removed A-You’s hand, and helped her stand. “A-You, do you envy Luo Qian’er?”

“Your Highness, what are you saying? Luo Qian’er is an outrageously bold assassin. What could possibly be enviable about her? This servant wants nothing more than to tear apart that mouth of hers that spouts endless lies.”

“Yet I envy her greatly. If I could express joy, love, and hatred as freely as she does, perhaps I would not suffer so many regrets.” After speaking, Gao Jingxi suddenly gave a bitter smile. “Though in truth, I am not qualified to say such things.”

“Your Highness, what is there to envy about that shameless flirt?” A-You stared at her princess’s back, feeling as though she understood yet understood nothing at all. In her eyes, ever since the princess turned ten, Gao Jingxi had lived safely and smoothly while receiving endless favor. For someone of imperial blood, what could possibly leave her dissatisfied?

“There is no need to persuade me further. My heart has already chosen its direction.” Gao Jingxi looked at the painting scroll in her hand, and a faint smile appeared on her face. “No matter the outcome, I can bear it.”

It was the first time A-You had seen the Seventh Princess look so serious, and her heart trembled. “Then please allow this servant to accompany Your Highness, attend to you personally, and protect your safety.”

“I can go alone. Someone must find the Princess Consort. If it is not you, then it will be… me.” Seeing A-You lift her tear-streaked face and stare stubbornly at her, Gao Jingxi could only wave her hand. “Imperial Aunt is about to come and find me. I will travel to Qingyue Mountain with her. Will that put your mind at ease?”

Only then did A-You smile through her tears. She reluctantly suppressed her confusion and worry and began preparing Gao Jingxi’s luggage.