TGPSAC – Chapter 93

Chi Wan returned to the Grand Princess’s Residence in a foul mood.

She and Yu Jiuzhou were legitimate partners. Whether it was those who coveted her or those who coveted Yu Jiuzhou, did they not know that they were already married?

When dealing with married people, if it was only friendship, that was fine. But if one harbored other intentions, one should consciously keep one’s distance, not dance around in front of the legal spouse.

On second thought, outsiders all believed her relationship with Yu Jiuzhou was mediocre. After all, they had to fool the Emperor, to create the illusion that all their displays of affection were just an act for others to see, or to achieve some goal.

In any case, whether it was the Emperor or anyone else—including people like the Marquis of Pingliang—they all thought her relationship with Yu Jiuzhou was ordinary, the kind where she could be cast aside at any moment.

Or else, it could only be bought with benefits. The Nanyue princess felt that as long as she offered enough, it wasn’t impossible to trade for Chi Wan and bring her to Nanyue.

Ultimately, it all boiled down to the fact that everyone believed there were no true feelings between her and Yu Jiuzhou, that neither was indispensable to the other.

More than being upset about Yu Jiuzhou’s admirers parading in front of her, Chi Wan was unhappy that no one believed her relationship with Yu Jiuzhou was real.

To be precise, outsiders might think they treated each other with respect, like honored guests, but they certainly had no affection. They might even believe they were destined to separate.

Upon returning to the Princess’s Residence, Chi Wan was in a terrible mood, because the outsiders’ perception was close to the truth.

The two had consummated their marriage, but their hearts were not that close.

Even outsiders could see this state of affairs. No wonder the Marquis of Pingliang had been so self-righteous.

Back in the residence, the moment she saw Yu Jiuzhou, a sense of grievance washed over Chi Wan.

That person was clearly her wife. By what right did others covet her?

Chi Wan’s broken and dejected look was too obvious for Yu Jiuzhou to miss.

A pang of heartache struck her, and she couldn’t help but step forward to ask, “Did something happen with the diplomatic mission?”

Chi Wan had gone to receive the mission today. If something had happened, it must have occurred during that process.

When Chi Wan went out on business, she didn’t have people watch her.

She knew that no matter what happened, Chi Wan would tell her voluntarily.

But to her surprise, Chi Wan shook her head. “Nothing happened with the diplomatic mission.”

If nothing happened, then it must be a person, right?

The arrogant Prince of Beining from the mission, the princess who coveted Chi Wan… no, she had forgotten a very important person—the lawless An Yizhi.

An Yizhi had grown up with her and was treated like an imperial daughter, spoiled beyond measure. Yet, she possessed a talent for military leadership and had achieved great merit on the battlefield at a young age. Confident and flamboyant, she was also willful and self-indulgent.

An Yizhi never cared about the opinions of others, focusing only on her own goals and pursuits. She believed that to win, to be victorious in battle, one must cast aside all burdens and never be indecisive.

Thinking of An Yizhi gave Yu Jiuzhou a headache. They were dear friends, and nothing else should contaminate their pure friendship.

But Chi Wan was her Fuma, and that fellow An Yizhi would surely find it unacceptable.

Every ten days or so, she would receive a letter from An Yizhi, asking how things were with Chi Wan and whether she should just kill the woman to save them both the heartache of looking at her.

Regarding An Yizhi’s feelings, she had never replied to such nonsense, only to official matters.

At first, Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t expected her relationship with Chi Wan to develop this way. Before her rebirth, they had not interfered with each other. After her rebirth, she had wished Chi Wan dead.

After learning that this Chi Wan was not the original one, and after spending so much time together, she had already accepted the other as her lifelong partner.

But An Yizhi had no idea how her relationship with Chi Wan had progressed.

And Chi Wan’s current behavior… could it be that An Yizhi had said or done something?

With Chi Wan’s martial arts skills, An Yizhi couldn’t beat her. So she must have said something.

Yu Jiuzhou thought for a moment, then walked up to Chi Wan. In a half-embrace, she reached her hands behind Chi Wan’s back and untied her belt.

Chun Gui promptly took the belt, and only then did Yu Jiuzhou say, “Go change your clothes first, then we’ll eat.”

Seeing Yu Jiuzhou so close, Chi Wan reached out and pulled her into an embrace.

Her nose was filled with a familiar fragrance, and her mind was instantly captivated. She had no resistance to Yu Jiuzhou, especially a Grand Princess as gentle as this.

Under Yu Jiuzhou’s lead, she felt like a little puppy. She would obediently do whatever her master asked. Thinking back to her earlier dejection, she finally understood what those online posts about a broken, dejected little puppy meant.

“Chun Gui, help the Fuma change.”

At Yu Jiuzhou’s command, Chi Wan quickly clutched her clothes, looking as if she would rather die than comply. “I… I’ll change myself.”

She wasn’t used to others changing her clothes, feeling as helpless as a southerner visiting a northern public bathhouse for the first time.

Chun Gui was speechless. She had been rejected.

She had served Her Highness the Grand Princess for many years and had never been rejected before.

Chi Wan gave a dry laugh and obediently hid behind a screen to change into a more comfortable Daoist robe.

When she came out, she sat down at the dining table.

But she felt she was a bit too far from Yu Jiuzhou, so she scooted her chair closer to her side.

Chun Gui was at a loss for words. Did they have to be so close while eating?

A moment later, Xia Qu rushed in to report excitedly, “Your Highness, the Marquis of Pingliang is here.”

Chi Wan’s thoughts: ? I really don’t want to see this person.

But Yu Jiuzhou wanted to see her. “Let her in.”

Chi Wan viciously bit into a meat patty, fuming.

Yu Jiuzhou saw her expression and understood.

While Chi Wan was changing, she had sent someone to inquire about what had happened today. She now knew about the words An Yizhi had spoken, and that the Nanyue princess had expressed her admiration for Chi Wan.

When Chun Gui reported this, she was a little worried, afraid that Her Highness would get angry.

They had all witnessed how Her Highness and the Fuma had been getting along these days. The two had consummated their marriage, and they would soon have a little master.

Moreover, their daily interactions were quite sweet. Things like feeding each other, hugging, and embracing had become commonplace.

For example, when Her Highness the Grand Princess was changing her clothes, before any of the servants could approach, the Fuma would quickly and skillfully help her.

The Fuma used to be quite clumsy at dressing and undressing herself.

And it wasn’t just helping her undress; she would pull Her Highness into her arms while doing so, making it too embarrassing for anyone to watch.

As for their Highness, her changes were also significant. The first person she thought of for anything was the Fuma. Just now, for instance, merely sensing that the Fuma’s mood was off, she had sent someone to investigate what had happened.

And Her Highness had even personally helped the Fuma unfasten her clothes, getting so close. Was that normal?

In any case, it took them all a long time to get used to it and believe what was happening before their eyes.

However, the Marquis of Pingliang and their Highness had grown up together. Even if she said those things, Her Highness probably wouldn’t be angry, right?

So Chun Gui believed that the chilling aura surrounding Her Highness when she heard the report was because the Nanyue princess had declared her admiration for the Fuma. That was why Her Highness was angry.

Her Highness definitely had the Fuma in her heart. How dare someone try to steal her person? Did they have a death wish?

But for the Fuma, it was probably the opposite. The Marquis of Pingliang’s provocation… the Fuma had such a good temper, not to have flared up on the spot.

But the Fuma’s declaration, “Her Highness is my person,” was truly domineering.

But only a little bit domineering. To think the dignified Fuma was provoked like that. No wonder Her Highness worried about the Fuma being bullied outside.

It seemed it was only after hearing that sentence that the chill around Her Highness gradually dissipated.

In any case, for the Fuma, the Marquis of Pingliang, who had provoked her outside the city and was now visiting their home, would probably be seen as coming to provoke her on her own turf.

Chun Gui glanced at the Fuma, who was eating silently with her head bowed so low. Was she about to cry?

Yu Jiuzhou was also watching Chi Wan from the corner of her eye, but she couldn’t discern anything after a long look.

Not until An Yizhi’s voice rang out, “Jiuzhou, I’m back.”

Jiuzhou? How intimate. Didn’t she call her ‘Your Highness’ outside?

Chi Wan sulked in silence, not wanting to say a word.

It was An Yizhi who saw her and spoke first, seemingly displeased. “The Fuma is here too.”

This is my home. Isn’t it normal for me to be here?

An Yizhi was very surprised. Weren’t the Grand Princess and the Fuma on bad terms? Why were they both in the residence? And they were even eating together.

Could it be an act for her benefit?

Impossible. What kind of relationship did she and Yu Jiuzhou have? There was no need for deception between them, and absolutely no need for acting.

Hearing herself addressed, Chi Wan finally cupped her fist in greeting. “Marquis of Pingliang.”

She sat back down and continued to eat. It was like when a guest arrived while she was eating at home; as a child who didn’t want to socialize, she would just bury her head in her food, and her guardian, Her Highness the Grand Princess Yu Jiuzhou, would have to bear the social responsibility.

Yu Jiuzhou opened with, “What are you doing here?”

Good question. Chi Wan secretly gloated.

But Yu Jiuzhou’s next sentence was, “An official’s first duty upon returning to the capital is to pay respects to His Majesty.”

Alright, so she was concerned about An Yizhi. Chi Wan’s mood instantly soured.

An Yizhi chuckled and sat down at the table, reaching out to grab the last beef patty. “Don’t worry, I know how to handle things. I just came from the palace and was hungry, so I came here for a meal.”

That familiar, intimate tone was simply unbearable to hear.

Chi Wan put down her chopsticks. She wanted to leave, but she didn’t feel comfortable leaving the two of them alone.

As she hesitated, An Yizhi immediately said, “Fuma, you should go rest after you’ve finished eating. This Marquis happens to have important matters to discuss with Her Highness.”

However, Chi Wan merely glanced at her, then started sipping her tea without moving an inch.

Chun Gui served her dutifully at her side. An Yizhi, watching this, was beyond shocked.

As the Grand Princess’s female official, she usually only needed to serve the Grand Princess. When did she ever need to serve anyone else?

Forget her, even His Majesty had probably never been served by Chun Gui.

Didn’t Chi Wan have her own maids? Why was she using someone else’s?

Chi Wan paid her no mind. This was her home. If anyone was going to ask her to leave, it would be Yu Jiuzhou. What right did An Yizhi have?

Fortunately, Yu Jiuzhou put down her chopsticks and said, “There is nothing I have that the Fuma cannot know.”

An Yizhi was stunned. ? Is this right? What happened to the bad relationship?

What on earth had happened in the two years she was away from the capital? Had Yu Jiuzhou gone mad? Was she actually willing to be partners with Chi Wan?

Everyone knew Chi Wan was a good-for-nothing wastrel.

She had investigated Chi Wan back then. Although Chi Wan had changed a lot recently, and rumors claimed she had been pretending all along, only starting to show her true colors after successfully leaving the Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence.

But An Yizhi felt that if a person were to pretend, they would do so quietly, not like Chi Wan, who had let everyone know she was a good-for-nothing.

“Jiuzhou?” An Yizhi called out, puzzled.

Yu Jiuzhou waved her hand and rose to walk towards the reception hall. Chun Gui immediately gave a signal, and several maids quickly cleared the dining table, while another brought fresh tea to the reception hall.

An Yizhi was completely stunned. She hadn’t even finished eating.

She had no choice but to follow behind Yu Jiuzhou, patty in hand.

As for Chi Wan, she certainly wasn’t going to leave. Yu Jiuzhou had just said what she said, clearly backing her up.

When the two passed each other, Chi Wan looked straight ahead. An Yizhi narrowed her eyes, sizing her up, wondering what she had done to cause such a huge change in Yu Jiuzhou’s attitude.

Finally, she came to an answer: a pretty boy.

Chi Wan was a pretty boy—good-looking, with a fair face, unlike her, who was tanned from leading troops all day.

So what if her face was a little fairer? What was so great about that?

Arriving at the reception hall, Chi Wan naturally sat down on the arhat bed. The arhat bed was the seat of honor, with a small table in the middle. She and Yu Jiuzhou sat on either side.

It was obvious: the two hosts were sitting on either side.

An Yizhi could only sit in a chair below them, but she quickly composed herself, thinking, So what? It’s probably just a disguise.

“Jiuzhou, I heard the rebel prince’s revolt implicated the Capital Camps, the Jinwu Guard, and the Imperial Guard. The capital’s military is completely rotten. I’m glad you’re alright. This time, I’m thinking of not leaving. I’ll ask His Majesty for a decree to take command of the Capital Camps.”

She could command a hundred thousand troops in Yanbei and train them well, which was proof enough of her ability. Coming back to train the Capital Camps would naturally be no problem.

An Yizhi’s claim to command the Capital Camps was no idle boast. She had been on the battlefield in Yanbei many times and was brave, resolute, and decisive. She was just too self-centered, and ruthless.

She showed no mercy to her enemies, which was why the people of Beining called her the Black Panther.

Not the common spotted leopard, but a panther that was black all over, a testament to her ruthlessness.

The reputation of General Black Panther was renowned in Yanbei and Beining. With her present, the Beining diplomatic mission had caused no trouble on their journey and had arrived in the capital obediently.

An Yizhi’s military ability was plain for all to see; it was a natural talent.

However, based on today’s interaction, Chi Wan felt that this General Black Panther might be lacking in emotional intelligence, or perhaps she was just too self-absorbed.

Perhaps on the battlefield, General An Yizhi was invincible, but the battlefield of the capital was different. This place was full of conspiracies and schemes. A personality like hers would find it hard to succeed in the capital unless she had a powerful background.

And as it happened, An Yizhi’s background was very powerful, with the Emperor as her backer. But in his later years, the Emperor’s suspicion had grown many times over. He didn’t even trust his own daughter, let alone An Yizhi.

One thing was surprising, though. The Capital Camps were a sensitive post. An Yizhi was asking to control them just like that. Did she think the Emperor would give them to her?

Sure enough, An Yizhi’s next sentence was, “I’ll need your cooperation on this matter, Jiuzhou. Otherwise, I won’t be able to get my wish.”

Yu Jiuzhou frowned. “No.”

“Why not?” An Yizhi grew anxious. “If I control the Capital Camps, your Fuma has the Imperial City Division, and you control the Imperial Guard and the Jinwu Guard, then you, the Regent Grand Princess, will become the de facto ruling Grand Princess.”

Hearing An Yizhi’s words, Chi Wan finally became interested.

Everyone else advised Yu Jiuzhou to be like most Kun Ze—even as a Grand Princess, it was best to be a virtuous wife at home. The memorials impeaching her were piled as high as a mountain.

Then there were those who expressed no opinion, who hung high above, unconcerned with matters that didn’t affect them. Such people were already quite decent.

Only An Yizhi actually wished for Yu Jiuzhou to become regent. For the sake of Yu Jiuzhou’s regency, she would even be willing to rebel.

For someone educated in this world to have such thoughts was incredibly rare. She was indeed special. No wonder she and Yu Jiuzhou could become friends.

She looked at Yu Jiuzhou curiously, wanting to know how she would respond.

Yu Jiuzhou said without hesitation, “I already have someone in mind to take over the Capital Camps.”

“Who?” An Yizhi was unconvinced. Who would dare to compete with her? Who could compete with her?

“Chi Wan.”

An Yizhi was surprised to hear this name. She had seen the Embroidered-Robe Guard today and had noted their discipline and training.

But such training was not something a person with no military experience could devise. Even if the Marquis of Huai’an’s family was a military lineage, if they had known such training methods, someone would have used them long ago. Why wait for Chi Wan?

An Yizhi believed the methods must have been thought up by someone else, and the credit was simply given to Chi Wan to boost her reputation.

She had also heard that the Emperor wanted to hand the Capital Camps over to Chi Wan, but on what grounds?

Hearing her own name, Chi Wan raised her eyebrows in surprise. The Emperor did indeed want to give her the Capital Camps, but she hadn’t expected Yu Jiuzhou to think the same.

Her mood was now as refreshing as drinking an iced cola in summer. An Yizhi looked down on her, didn’t she? But when it came to the Capital Camps, Her Highness still chose her.

Should she pretend to be modest?

Chi Wan cleared her throat. “I am honored by my wife’s high regard. I, your wife, will certainly do my utmost.”

Wife? I, your wife?

Not just An Yizhi, even Yu Jiuzhou was stunned for a moment before she quickly understood.

She felt as if Chi Wan had knocked over a vat of vinegar. This person who never called her that had suddenly started doing so in front of an outsider.

An Yizhi’s fists cracked as she clenched them. She felt that coming to find Yu Jiuzhou in high spirits was just asking for torture.

“Your Highness,” An Yizhi’s tone was no longer so intimate. “Are you sure she is capable?”

Yu Jiuzhou was very serious. “Yizhi, Chi Wan is my Fuma. I trust her.”

“And you’re content to let her be your Fuma?”

An Yizhi still couldn’t believe it. Even if Chi Wan had turned over a new leaf, the things she had done in the past were all things Yu Jiuzhou detested. Why would she accept such a person?

But Yu Jiuzhou gave her the most definitive answer. “Chi Wan is my Fuma. We are a united couple.”

Whether An Yizhi was satisfied with this answer or not, Chi Wan certainly was.

She had never thought that one day, Yu Jiuzhou would speak of their relationship in front of others, especially with words like “a united couple.”

She thought she would never hear it in this lifetime.

Hearing it so suddenly today, her heart felt strangely warm.

Yu Jiuzhou continued, “Yizhi, you are my best friend. We grew up together. You know what I want, and I know what you want.”

“Your battlefield is in Beining, not the capital. The capital is not suitable for you.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s tone was calm, still maintaining her rationality.

Evidently, An Yizhi didn’t want to hear it. “How do you know the capital isn’t suitable for me?”

“I know you,” Yu Jiuzhou said almost without thinking.

No one knew An Yizhi better than her. A person who had dreamed of going to the battlefield since childhood, of becoming a general like the Champion Marquis—such a person would never stay in the capital to play at conspiracies and schemes.

She was like a fish in water on the battlefield; returning to the capital would only destroy her.

Yu Jiuzhou walked over to An Yizhi and patted her on the shoulder. “Yizhi, be good.”

Those words were so gentle that Chi Wan sat up straight, and An Yizhi also calmed down.

An Yizhi was still very smart. She was just too self-centered and had an ingrained belief that Chi Wan was a good-for-nothing and that Yu Jiuzhou disliked her, so she naturally disliked Chi Wan even more.

Today, she had seen it for herself. With her understanding of Yu Jiuzhou, if she didn’t accept Chi Wan, the two would not be eating at the same table. No, they wouldn’t even be in the same courtyard.

And she had said that there was nothing of hers that Chi Wan couldn’t hear.

On top of that, she was advocating for Chi Wan to take over the Capital Camps. That required an immense amount of trust.

An Yizhi could feel it: Yu Jiuzhou’s trust in Chi Wan was no less than her trust in her.

In summary: Yu Jiuzhou trusted Chi Wan, not just her loyalty, but also her ability.

In that case, the rumors circulating outside were probably something they had deliberately put on to deceive the Emperor.

Deceive the Emperor?

An Yizhi calmed down. As an invincible general on the battlefield, she quickly figured it out.

She had no choice but to accept the fact that Yu Jiuzhou had accepted Chi Wan, and that their relationship was very good.

Perhaps besides the people in the Grand Princess’s Residence, she was the first person to know.

On her first day back in the capital, she had come excitedly to find the person she loved, only to find someone else by her side.

An Yizhi’s heart ached, but she couldn’t blame anyone. Yu Jiuzhou only saw her as a sister and had told her long ago that they could only be sisters.

She hadn’t confessed her feelings all these years for this very reason. It could be said that she had long known it was impossible between them. But now that such a person had truly appeared by Yu Jiuzhou’s side, how could she not be heartbroken?

After a moment of sorrow, she felt more happiness for Yu Jiuzhou than anything else.

At this moment, An Yizhi was in no mood to discuss official matters any further and announced her departure.

Chi Wan watched her retreating back, feeling slightly awkward. “Aren’t you going to see her off, Your Highness?”

“She knows the way.” An Yizhi had supervised the construction of this residence.

Chi Wan gave a dry laugh. “I’m afraid she might cry.”

“A dignified general does not cry.”

Just as she, a dignified Grand Princess, would never cry.

Chi Wan stood up, crossed her arms, and leaned in slightly. “Even Your Highness cries. A general can cry too.”

Yu Jiuzhou was speechless. She had only cried once, and wasn’t it Chi Wan’s fault?

Last night, a tear had slipped out accidentally. She considered it an uncontrollable reaction, not real crying.

“I did not cry.”

A woman as proud as a female eagle, so stubborn.

Chi Wan’s lips curved into a smile, her eyebrows raised slightly. “Right. ‘Yizhi, be good.’”

Yu Jiuzhou was taken aback. She felt like she was being mocked.

Seeing Yu Jiuzhou’s silence, Chi Wan continued to press, “Your Highness, is Yizhi good?”

“Shut up.”

Chi Wan hummed lightly. “I’m not good. I won’t shut up.”

You little rascal, you really don’t listen.

Exasperated, Yu Jiuzhou suddenly leaned forward, tilted her head, and sealed Chi Wan’s lips with a kiss. That should shut her up.

Chi Wan’s pupils slowly widened, her shock mingled with a racing heart. Then, she cupped the back of Yu Jiuzhou’s neck, leaving her no room to retreat, and fiercely deepened the kiss.

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