The Seventh Princess Insists on Making Me Live Off Her - Chapter 9

“Your Highness.”

Lian Liejin took a pill from her sleeve and fed it to Gao Jingxi.

“This medicine can replenish stellar power.”

Unexpectedly, they were not given even the slightest chance to catch their breath before one crisis followed another.

Rustling footsteps sounded all around them. Lian Liejin narrowed her eyes and whispered beside Gao Jingxi’s ear,

“Your Highness, how well can you swim?”

“D-Don’t tell me you intend to escape through the water?”

“Your Highness, we do not know how many assassins there are. Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, retreat is the best. Besides, you need treatment.”

Without waiting for the weakened woman to answer, Lian Liejin once again lifted Gao Jingxi into her arms and strode toward the river, deliberately choosing the path through the tallest grass.

“Your Highness, the river is very cold. Bear with it. Take a breath now and close your eyes. I will hold you the entire time.”

The river in the depths of winter was freezing, and a thin layer of ice had formed in some places.

The moment they entered the water, the cold immediately seized them both.

Gao Jingxi, already weak from her injuries, clung tightly to Lian Liejin—

Because the Seventh Princess, who had always been intelligent, diligent, and remarkably quick-witted, could not swim.

The last time they were in the hot spring, Lian Liejin had thrown her into the pool and caused her to choke on the water. This time, the dark and unfathomably deep river terrified her even more.

Feeling Gao Jingxi trembling like a frightened young animal, Lian Liejin held her firmly and swam farther out into deeper water.

Gradually, Gao Jingxi discovered that her body no longer felt so cold.

The person holding her tightly was burning hot and radiated a reassuring warmth.

After swimming for a while, Lian Liejin brought Gao Jingxi to the surface for air.

“Liejin, I feel awful.”

Looking at Gao Jingxi’s pale cheeks and wet eyes, Lian Liejin felt something strange stir within her heart.

She tightened her embrace.

“Endure it a little longer. The opposite bank is not far away.”

Many people appeared to be standing on the riverbank they had left, holding torches. As their numbers increased, they nearly illuminated the entire surface of the river.

“Your Highness, take a deep breath. This time, we need to remain underwater a little longer.”

More and more people gathered along the bank.

Gao Jingxi nodded, then sank beneath the water with Lian Liejin once again.

The river running through Changyong was called Suiyu. It circled the entire city and served as a natural moat.

The aquatic plants on the riverbed were cleared regularly, so the two women were able to swim without much obstruction.

Lian Liejin moved swiftly through the water. Gao Jingxi’s left hand clutched her clothes tightly, while her right hand still held the radish lantern.

Gradually, Lian Liejin felt the hand gripping her clothes lose its strength—

Gao Jingxi had nearly fallen unconscious.

Because the entire river had been illuminated, Lian Liejin could easily see Gao Jingxi beneath the water.

Her eyes were tightly closed, and her pearl-white teeth were biting down on her lips.

Lian Liejin’s body was burning hot, so Gao Jingxi did not feel cold.

She simply could no longer hold her breath. After suffering internal injuries, she was even more short of breath and drained of strength.

Finally, a mouthful of air was passed to her.

Gao Jingxi recovered enough strength to open her eyes. She saw Lian Liejin’s magnified face and felt the soft, tingling warmth against her lips.

Lian Liejin was taking liberties with her again!

Gao Jingxi instinctively kicked Lian Liejin.

Her foot struck exactly the same place she had kicked before.

Although Gao Jingxi had not yet recovered from her old injuries and had now suffered new ones, the kick remained extremely powerful.

It sent Lian Liejin drifting backward by nearly two meters.

Pain twisted her expression, and several bubbles escaped from her mouth. Nevertheless, she helplessly swam back, attempting to catch the princess who could not swim.

The underwater world was utterly silent.

Gao Jingxi could see panic in Lian Liejin’s peach-blossom eyes, along with a faint trace of…

Heartache?

Perhaps she was imagining it.

At that moment, however, Lian Liejin’s gaze looked far too similar to that of the tabby cat Gao Jingxi had once raised.

Its slightly brown eyes had glimmered with gentle light. Even as it was dying from poison, it had desperately tried to meow at her, though it had been unable to produce a sound.

For some reason, Lian Liejin noticed Gao Jingxi’s eyes turning red.

Her entire body was slowly sinking deeper into the water, like a red lotus from the Heavenly Mountains blooming without regard for the consequences.

Lian Liejin no longer hesitated.

She wrapped an arm around Gao Jingxi’s waist and, regardless of whether the princess was willing, passed several more breaths of air to her before finally stopping.

She truly could not understand it.

Gao Jingxi was a landlubber who could neither swim nor hold her breath for more than a few moments, so why was she still refusing necessary treatment?

Lian Liejin forcefully tucked Gao Jingxi against her body.

The two swam underwater for another two ke, surfacing twice to breathe, before finally reaching the bank through a patch of reeds.

After spending so long in the water while injured, Gao Jingxi had fallen completely unconscious.

Lian Liejin carried her and quickly found a cave sheltered from the wind.

Both women were soaked from head to toe, looking like drowned ghosts.

Gao Jingxi’s forehead felt slightly hot. She had likely begun running a fever.

The woman in Lian Liejin’s arms had her eyes tightly closed. Her lips, which had been full and rosy moments earlier, were now completely drained of color.

Even while unconscious, her body trembled faintly.

Unable to bear the sight, Lian Liejin removed the black jade resting over her heart and tossed it aside.

A thin layer of black mist suddenly emerged behind her.

The mist took the shape of a phoenix preparing to spread its wings, while molten-gold light flowed through Lian Liejin’s eyes until it gradually covered them completely.

The black-feathered phoenix circled Gao Jingxi’s body.

In less than one ke, the color returned to her lips, and her clothes became completely dry—

More than half of her internal injuries had already healed.

Lian Liejin retrieved the black jade from the ground and once again checked Gao Jingxi’s pulse.

She nodded in satisfaction, took another pill from her sleeve, and pinched Gao Jingxi’s chin, preparing to feed it to her.

Unexpectedly, Gao Jingxi regained consciousness very quickly.

Before the pill could reach her lips, the two women found themselves staring directly at each other again.

“Your Highness! This humble subject only intended to feed you another pill. I could never possibly harbor any improper intentions toward you!”

Lian Liejin hurriedly withdrew her hand and placed the pill in Gao Jingxi’s palm.

“Even if you beat me to death, I could never possibly fall in love with you.”

“I can swear it to the heavens!”

Lian Liejin crouched on the ground, pointing one hand toward the sky while hiding the other behind her back.

“This humble subject’s heart can be witnessed by the heavens.”

Gao Jingxi was completely awakened by Lian Liejin’s deep, magnetic voice.

She glanced irritably at the cold and elegant young woman dressed in black before her.

Somehow, Lian Liejin’s vigorous denials made her seem even more suspicious.

“Why are our clothes dry?”

“This…”

The moment Lian Liejin met Gao Jingxi’s bright black eyes, her heart began pounding wildly.

“This humble subject started a fire. Did Your Highness not see me starting a fire earlier today?”

Fortunately, there truly was a pile of ashes left behind by someone else nearby.

Gao Jingxi asked with an ambiguous smile,

“So you removed my clothes again?”

Lian Liejin: “…”

I did not.

I absolutely did not.

Even if you are a princess, you cannot falsely accuse people.

“Let us return.”

Gao Jingxi ignored Lian Liejin and pursed her lips.

“The person who attacked us was a high-ranking Star Master. Although I severely injured them, that does not mean they will not send more people.”

They did not dare send any signal to A-You.

High-ranking Star Masters had already gained mastery over stellar domains. They could create illusory spaces that isolated and concealed battles. They could even trap enemies inside spaces where time itself became distorted, ensuring they entered but never returned.

Fortunately, before the enemy’s stellar domain had fully formed, Gao Jingxi had unleashed an attack that nearly destroyed both sides, effectively preventing the domain from taking shape.

Even so, they could not lower their guard.

Only after returning to the Princess’s Residence could they consider themselves truly safe.

Gao Jingxi slowly sat up from the ground.

She had expected a wave of agony to surge through her body. After all, she had suffered grave injuries earlier.

She cast a suspicious glance at Lian Liejin.

She knew precisely how serious her injuries had been. Even with medicine from the imperial physicians, she would have required at least three months of recuperation.

What miraculous medicine could possibly have allowed her to recover nearly completely in such a short time?

“Your Highness, do you have any idea who might be behind the assassination?”

To ease the strange and awkward atmosphere between them, Lian Liejin took the initiative to begin a conversation.

It was already deep into the night, and a cold moon hung at the edge of the sky.

Gao Jingxi walked ahead and asked casually,

“Who does the Princess Consort believe would try to assassinate me? Three generations of the Lian family have been loyal and virtuous. You have never participated in factional struggles. Presumably, the old duke taught you a great deal in the past. Can you truly not guess who it was?”

The muddy ground beneath the reeds was filled with puddles. Lian Liejin carefully walked around them.

“Not at all. This humble subject left Changyong at the age of five and did not return even once during the following thirteen years.”

“Not even once?”

Gao Jingxi was deeply surprised.

The Duke of Yan’s affection for Lian Liejin was known to everyone. He had sent more than a hundred people to escort her back to Changyong, surrounding her with attendants throughout the journey in an extremely grand display.

“No. Father and I both prefer reunions and dislike separations. Since every meeting must eventually end in parting, it is better not to meet at all.”

Lian Liejin had lowered her head and failed to watch the path ahead.

Her chin suddenly collided with the back of Gao Jingxi’s head.

One covered her mouth while the other rubbed her head. Tears of pain appeared in both their eyes.

“Hiss…”

Gao Jingxi turned around and rubbed her head vigorously, her lips pursed slightly.

“What kind of reasoning is that?”

“Well, that is simply what this humble subject believes. Perhaps it was also because Father missed my mother.”

Lian Liejin shrugged.

“He said my eyes resemble hers too closely, and looking at them caused him too much pain.”

“I remember that the Duchess passed away from illness more than ten years ago. I once ate the sugar cakes she made. Your mother was an exceptionally gentle woman.”

Lian Liejin looked at Gao Jingxi with a burning intensity.

“Thank you for remembering her, Your Highness. Mother was afraid of loneliness. With one more person remembering her, she will be a little less lonely.”