Chapter 17: The Consort Is Quite Clingy
Gan Qiongying was no fool. Hearing the male lead actually suggest they get a room together, she felt the world had gone utterly surreal.
The female lead was still watching from the corner, for heaven’s sake, and here the male lead was asking the villainess to get a room with him. The world had gone mad.
But whether the world was mad or not, Gan Qiongying had no interest in sharing a room with the male lead.
Besides, she had just recalled that part of the plot where the male lead acted ambiguously toward the villainess!
In the latter half of the story, to destabilize Nánzhào’s political situation, the male lead needed to eliminate an old minister from Nánzhào. Unwilling to dirty his own hands, he decided to use the villainess.
Princess Duanrong wasn’t so easily manipulated, though. Her demand was to “do the deed” with the male lead, and Zhongli Zhengzhen actually “did” it with her!
Of course, it was all a sham!
Zhongli Zhengzhen drugged Princess Duanrong with hallucinogenic and addictive substances, driving her to madness and stripping her of all royal dignity.
But that was supposed to happen later in the plot. Gan Qiongying couldn’t understand why this part of the story had been moved up.
Gan Qiongying’s expression shifted several times, while Zhongli Zhengzhen’s face also twisted with a mix of emotions as she took half a step back.
The two of them stared at each other, their expressions changing in a silent standoff.
Gan Qiongying had no intention of dealing with changes outside the plot, so she simply ignored Zhongli Zhengzhen’s nonsense.
Boldly, she raised her hand and pointed to the jade pendant hanging from his waist. “That’s mine, isn’t it?”
Zhongli Zhengzhen lowered his head, then looked up again after a moment, letting out a soft chuckle. “Yes.”
Today, to deceive Princess Duanrong, he had specifically asked someone to dig out one of the trinkets she had given him and wore it on his person.
She must be overjoyed to have noticed it.
Gan Qiongying was indeed overjoyed—so much so that her face flushed and her eyes sparkled.
She spoke up, but the lingering, prickling pain in her heart from the nightmare didn’t intensify. This meant that outside the plot, she could take some extra liberties!
So, under Zhongli Zhengzhen’s deliberately gentle smile, she pointed to the jade pendant at his waist and said, “To be honest, my husband is quite fond of jade pendants. Lately, I’ve been rummaging through the storerooms in the mansion but couldn’t find a single piece that satisfies him.”
Gan Qiongying spun her tale without batting an eye. “He’s been sulking about it and even went back to the Consort’s residence tonight…”
She continued, “As a prince of Jinchuan, Your Highness must have seen countless rare treasures and would surely disdain such a common trinket.”
“How about returning it to me?”
Zhongli Zhengzhen: “…” He slowly clenched his fist, his face twitching slightly with shock and anger.
Through gritted teeth, he asked, “What did the Princess say?”
“I said, give the jade pendant back to me. I want to use it to please my husband.”
After saying this, Gan Qiongying pressed a hand to her chest. Good, no pain!
Joy!
She didn’t bother looking at Zhongli Zhengzhen’s expression or the terrifying glint in his eyes. Asking for something back after giving it away was indeed tacky.
But so what?
She was a villainess—what morals did she have to speak of?
So she extended her slender, delicate hand, palm upward, demanding the jade pendant.
Zhongli Zhengzhen’s hands trembled slightly as he untied the pendant and slapped it into Gan Qiongying’s palm with a sharp “smack!”
His voice dripped with sarcasm as he said, “I never imagined Princess Duanrong was so fond of her Consort.”
Gan Qiongying felt a sting in her palm from the impact, but thinking of the pendant’s value, what did a little pain matter?
She closed her palm and tucked it into her sleeve. Having retrieved the item, she grinned playfully at Zhongli Zhengzhen and said, “Tonight’s banquet was truly delightful. Thank you for your generous hospitality.”
After speaking, Gan Qiongying turned to Silver Moon and said, “Let’s go, back to the manor.”
As soon as Gan Qiongying turned around, Zhongli Zhengzhen’s expression changed dramatically.
Watching Gan Qiongying make as if to leave for real, Zhongli Zhengzhen almost wanted to storm off in a huff.
He had to admit that tonight, he had indeed been drawn to Gan Qiongying’s antics and had paid her much attention. But he was born a prince of Jinchuan, and even if his father disliked him, no one had ever dared to slight him.
He had volunteered to come to Nánzhào as a hostage, in exchange for his mother’s preferential treatment in Jinchuan’s imperial harem.
In the year since Zhongli Zhengzhen arrived in Nánzhào, he had already proven his worth with his own abilities. It had been a long time since anyone had humiliated him like this. He never expected that Princess Duanrong, who had previously been practically kneeling before him, would act so out of character today.
But even now, Zhongli Zhengzhen still didn’t believe Gan Qiongying truly wanted to leave or was truly willing to reject him.
He merely thought she was putting on airs, playing hard to get.
Under normal circumstances, Zhongli Zhengzhen would have ignored Duanrong outright. But today was different. Earlier in the day, he had already promised San Jiu that by tonight, he would rescue him from the Princess Manor, that den of wolves and tigers…
Thus, Zhongli Zhengzhen had no choice but to stride after Gan Qiongying with a dark expression, reaching out to grab her wrist.
Gan Qiongying had long heard his footsteps and took two quick steps, calling out into the empty air, “Stop him!”
Her regular guards were still some distance away, but her shadow guards followed her closely.
Sure enough, as soon as she spoke, two burly men in black descended from above, blocking Zhongli Zhengzhen’s path like two walls.
Zhongli Zhengzhen laughed in anger.
He was truly laughing in anger.
After half a year in Nánzhào, no one dared to speak disrespectfully to him. Even now, the true princes of Yindu who had been enfeoffed as kings did not dare to treat him, a hostage, with any disrespect.
The political situation in Nánzhào was chaotic. The Regent colluded with the Empress Dowager, while the Emperor was weak, merely a gilded puppet. As for this seemingly prominent Princess Duanrong…
Not only was she, like the Emperor, not the biological child of the powerful Empress Dowager, but she was also just the child of Emperor Huicheng’s long-deceased younger sister. If not for Emperor Huicheng’s exceptional favor, breaking protocol to enfeoff her as a princess and showering her with affection, where would Nánzhào’s Princess Duanrong come from?
How did she deserve the name “Duanrong”!
Even now, only the Emperor held her in any regard.
If not for the grand plans Zhongli Zhengzhen needed to accomplish, which could benefit from her status, why would he spare such a woman a second glance! Why would he let Lihua suffer her temper!
Zhongli Zhengzhen’s face was cold and stern as he spoke in a low, mocking tone, “Princess Duanrong, surely you don’t intend to attack me?”
Unexpectedly, Gan Qiongying stepped onto the carriage footboard, poked her head out, and clutching the jade ring tightly, said, “Ah! A misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!”
She had no idea what grand schemes of state Zhongli Zhengzhen was thinking about. She was afraid he might regret returning the jade ring after giving it back. Hearing his footsteps pursuing her, in her panic, she had naturally ordered him stopped.
Seeing that Zhongli Zhengzhen was no longer chasing, she feigned anger and scolded the two shadow guards, “Why haven’t you withdrawn yet!”
Then, in a posture of half-entering the carriage, she said to Zhongli Zhengzhen, “It’s very late. The banquet is over. Third Prince, please stay your steps. There’s no need to see me off any further.”
“As for staying at Huishui Inn, I’d rather not. The Consort is quite clingy; if I don’t return at night, I’m afraid he won’t be able to sleep.”
Without another glance at Zhongli Zhengzhen’s expression, she slipped into the carriage and said, “Let’s head back.”