Chi Wan sat across from Yu Jiuzhou, peeling chestnuts.
“Chestnuts are good for those with a weak spleen and stomach. They also have anti-aging properties—they slow down the aging process.”
“Your Highness has been weak these past two days. You can’t rely on medicine alone. A proper diet will help your body recover better.”
Yu Jiuzhou watched her coldly as she placed the peeled chestnuts on a dessert plate. “You went to the Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence?”
Aside from Chi Wan’s declaration of her feelings, Yu Jiuzhou approved of what she had said at the Marquis’s residence.
The woman had grown smarter. She knew that distancing herself from the Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence now was the only way to avoid disaster later. Although a complete separation was impossible, Chi Wan was now part of the Princess’s Residence, akin to a married-out daughter. As long as it wasn’t a crime that warranted the execution of nine generations of kin, and as long as she didn’t bring trouble upon herself, she wouldn’t be implicated.
Clearly, the old Chi Wan hadn’t understood this. If she had been content to be a mere ornament, Yu Jiuzhou would have left her alone. But it was too late now; she was on Yu Jiuzhou’s kill list.
Chi Wan raised an eyebrow, a little happy inside. Her efforts hadn’t been in vain; Yu Jiuzhou was taking the initiative to ask her questions.
“The Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence has been annexing commoners’ fields in the name of the Princess’s Residence. I will make them confess their crimes themselves, so that the Princess’s Residence is not implicated in any way.”
As she spoke, she poured Yu Jiuzhou a cup of hot tea and pushed the plate of peeled chestnuts toward her, her eyes twinkling with anticipation.
Yu Jiuzhou didn’t take them. The doubt in her heart grew heavier. Chi Wan’s gaze had always been shifty and evasive, and when she looked at her from behind, it was filled with lechery. She had never seen such a clean and honest look in her eyes before.
She placed a hand on the table to stand, but her legs gave way, and she nearly fell.
Chi Wan reacted quickly, instantly steadying her. But the places she touched felt as if they were being pricked by countless needles—a dense, stinging pain.
It was partly a side effect of the poison, and partly her physical revulsion toward Chi Wan.
“Shall I carry you?”
Chi Wan didn’t know why Chun Gui and the others, who had been outside when she returned, hadn’t come in to attend to the princess. It seemed she would have to be the one to carry her back to bed.
Just as she was about to bend down, Yu Jiuzhou shoved her away. “Get lost!”
Yu Jiuzhou sat back down. If Chi Wan had been reborn, she would certainly try to curry favor with her to survive. After all, when she died in their last life, Yu Jiuzhou’s power was at its peak, to the point where whoever she supported would become the future emperor.
But Yu Jiuzhou loathed and despised this scoundrel. Her touch only made her feel sick.
Chi Wan was momentarily embarrassed but didn’t mind. If she were Yu Jiuzhou, she would also want to kill her former self.
The dignified Grand Princess had been showered with affection since childhood, always receiving the very best. No one had ever dared to be presumptuous in her presence; everyone treated her with the utmost respect. Yet this scoundrel had schemed against her, trying to drag her into the mud, into hell.
Such a person deserved to die, to have no place for burial.
Chi Wan earnestly picked up a chestnut and offered it to her. “Why don’t we sit a little longer?”
Yu Jiuzhou was taken aback. This scoundrel had always had a terrible temper, yet after being treated this way repeatedly, she showed no anger at all.
Instead, Chi Wan’s face wore a gentle smile, her eyes filled with candor and sincerity. That look, for some reason, made her want to believe that this Chi Wan was not the same person as before.
Could it be a wandering soul that had taken over this body?
Someone with such stable emotions was truly nothing like that scoundrel.
Chi Wan held her hand out for a while. Seeing that Yu Jiuzhou had no intention of taking the chestnut, she popped it into her own mouth.
“If you don’t like the ones I bought, you can have Chun Gui buy some for you. They’re good for your health. I’ll write down a few recipes for restorative meals.”
“I’ve examined your body. You suffer from abdominal pain during your monthly courses, so severe that you probably can’t even get out of bed sometimes. And your Rain and Dew Period… is it more difficult for you to endure than for most people…”
“Get out!” Before Chi Wan could finish, Yu Jiuzhou could no longer contain her anger and roared.
Female Qian Yuan also had monthly courses, but only once every two or three months, unlike Kun Ze and He Yuan who had them monthly. And the Rain and Dew Period was a rather private matter for a Kun Ze, yet Chi Wan had just blurted it out so casually.
It was a testament to her restraint that she hadn’t smashed the teacup on the table over Chi Wan’s head.
“What’s wrong?” Chi Wan didn’t quite understand. What had she said now? She was supposed to be here to serve Yu Jiuzhou, but she kept making her angry.
Yu Jiuzhou fell silent. Was this person truly not afraid that she would kill her in a fit of rage?
But that wasn’t her anymore. By the end of her last life, she had become a proper Grand Princess, manipulating imperial power and court officials in the palm of her hand. She would first consider the pros and cons of any situation. If she had been reborn right after her father, the Emperor, had passed away, she would have killed Chi Wan without a second thought. But now, she had to weigh her options.
Yu Jiuzhou hated this version of herself, but she didn’t want to repeat the ending of her past life. Forbearance and restraint were what she needed now.
Seeing that Yu Jiuzhou had no intention of responding, Chi Wan didn’t mind. She had figured it out. Yu Jiuzhou had told her to get lost twice, but nothing happened when she didn’t.
Although Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t agreed to let her serve her, as long as she was thick-skinned enough to stay, there would always be a chance to change her opinion. What else could she do? Her life was on the line.
“Your Highness, I know you don’t believe me. But you should know that I have married into the Princess’s Residence. We are one, sharing honor and disgrace. You don’t have to believe what I say, but you can watch what I do.”
“If anything I do brings you harm and no benefit, then by all means, kill me.”
Of course, Chi Wan wouldn’t oppose Yu Jiuzhou. It wasn’t just because she wanted to curry favor and prevent her from killing her. More importantly, she genuinely liked the character of Yu Jiuzhou and felt deep sympathy for everything she had been through.
If she couldn’t help her, Chi Wan felt, then at the very least, she shouldn’t cause her any trouble.
In the past, Yu Jiuzhou had wondered how such a beautiful face as Chi Wan’s could produce such vulgar, lecherous, and disgusting expressions.
Now, she began to wonder again, why were there stars in Chi Wan’s eyes? Her gaze was so clear and clean, completely unlike that scoundrel.
After speaking, Chi Wan picked up the remaining chestnuts and prepared to leave. It was getting late, and she had to return to her own small courtyard. Now that Yu Jiuzhou was awake, she certainly wouldn’t let her stay. It was best to come back tomorrow.
Just as she was about to go, Yu Jiuzhou suddenly spoke. “Tomorrow morning, I want botuo from Lao Wang’s place in the north of the city, and a roasted lamb flatbread from the west of the city.”
Chi Wan froze. She knew the princess wanted her to buy breakfast, but she didn’t immediately recognize what “botuo” was. Then, she found it in her predecessor’s memories: botuo was a type of noodle soup. Noodle soup tended to get soggy quickly. Yu Jiuzhou rose at the beginning of the Mao hour, around five or six in the morning. The journey from the Princess’s Residence to the north and west sides of the city each took over half a shichen, and the trip from the north to the west side also took over half a shichen, and that was on horseback.
Not only would she have to leave the residence one or two shichen earlier, but with such a long round trip, the botuo would surely be inedible, and the roasted lamb flatbread would be cold.
And she would have to leave at two or three in the morning, which was no different from not sleeping at all.
As Chi Wan mentally calculated the time, Yu Jiuzhou raised her eyes slightly. “What, are you unwilling?”
Since Chi Wan had made such a fine speech, and since she couldn’t kill her right now, she might as well vent some of her frustration!
But that single glance from Yu Jiuzhou stunned Chi Wan. The noble lift of her head, her languid tone, her fair and slender swan-like neck exposed to the air, her long fingers toying with the teacup on the table—every frown and every smile was utterly captivating.
Her eyes were filled with admiration. Being stared at with such a blatant, clean gaze made Yu Jiuzhou feel inexplicably awkward. For the first time, she didn’t feel a sense of disgust when Chi Wan looked at her.
Yu Jiuzhou frowned. The wretch was surprisingly deceptive. It would be better to kill her sooner rather than later.
Footnotes:
- Shichen (时辰): A traditional Chinese unit of time equal to two hours. A full day was divided into twelve shichen, each named after one of the twelve Earthly Branches.
- Zi Hour (子时): 11 PM – 1 AM (Hour of the Rat)
- Chou Hour (丑时): 1 AM – 3 AM (Hour of the Ox)
- Yin Hour (寅时): 3 AM – 5 AM (Hour of the Tiger)
- Mao Hour (卯时): 5 AM – 7 AM (Hour of the Rabbit)
- Chen Hour (辰时): 7 AM – 9 AM (Hour of the Dragon)
- Si Hour (巳时): 9 AM – 11 AM (Hour of the Snake)
- Wu Hour (午时): 11 AM – 1 PM (Hour of the Horse)
- Wei Hour (未时): 1 PM – 3 PM (Hour of the Goat)
- Shen Hour (申时): 3 PM – 5 PM (Hour of the Monkey)
- You Hour (酉时): 5 PM – 7 PM (Hour of the Rooster)
- Xu Hour (戌时): 7 PM – 9 PM (Hour of the Dog)
- Hai Hour (亥时): 9 PM – 11 PM (Hour of the Pig)
