Abused Female Lead And Beautiful Villainess (Quick Transmigration)

“Princess, an egg is only this big,” Shen Wan said, curving her thumb and forefinger to demonstrate the size of an egg, her face utterly serious. “So there’s only one egg here. It’s not enough for two people.”

“It’s so small, I could eat it in one bite,” Shen Wan continued, tilting her chin up. “Now that we’re back in the palace, with so many delicacies available, Princess can have whatever you want. Just tell the chefs, and they’ll prepare a variety of dishes for your breakfast every day.”

“So, Princess, why bother fighting me for one tiny egg?”

He Qingning grabbed a handful of feed and placed it where the Little Hen could reach.

This Little Hen was still as greedy as before, never refusing food regardless of how much it was given. It didn’t care if its stomach was full or if it could eat anymore; as soon as it saw food, it would quickly peck away.

Shen Wan thought that if she didn’t take the Little Hen for a walk every day, this small creature would either burst from overeating or die of obesity.

“Then I’ll watch you eat.”

Shen Wan thought: The little princess’s skin is getting thicker. She can now say such shameless things. Hmph, she clearly knows I’m angry. Does she think a few sweet words will make me easily forgive her for putting herself in danger?

Impossible!

She would stay angry for at least three days!

No, five days.

Five days is too short to serve as a warning. She would stay angry for a month.

“Princess watching me eat makes me lose my appetite,” Shen Wan said, turning her face away, completely avoiding He Qingning’s gaze. He Qingning felt both exasperated and amused. Wan Wan’s little temper was indeed growing. Fine, it was her fault this time for not involving her. It was normal for her to feel upset.

Actually, she was confident that at no point would Shen Wan need to take risks. Moreover, in this palace full of intrigue and deception, she didn’t want Shen Wan to get too involved in the mess, lest someone notice and use it against her. During those nearly three years, Shen Wan had indeed suffered greatly following her, especially during the times they were pursued by assassins and death squads. Those small hands had killed almost daily.

If she could do it all over again, she would probably still choose to lure Shen Wan to her side. She was conflicted; on one hand, she didn’t want Shen Wan to suffer too much, preferring her to be under her protection. On the other hand, she didn’t want to clip her wings. After comparison, she found she preferred the vibrant, incredibly strong, multi-talented Shen Wan.

“Actually, I didn’t involve you this time because I believed that with Wan Wan’s abilities, such a small matter wouldn’t require your help.”

Shen Wan thought: Is the little princess trying to flatter me? And so smoothly too. Has she been practicing in private? What a scheming princess. Does she think I’ll forgive her so easily?

Impossible!

“There’s another reason. You’ve been running around with me for nearly three years. I wanted you to rest well. After all, we’ll have very busy times ahead, and then you won’t have time to rest.”

He Qingning continued, gradually pulling Shen Wan by the wrist to sit beside her. “The day after tomorrow, Father will officially decree my appointment as Crown Princess. Wan Wan, I’ll face all sorts of troubles ahead,” He Qingning said, her eyes fixed on Shen Wan with utmost seriousness. “I don’t have many people I can trust. You’ll have to help me with many things. You’re the only one I can trust completely.”

Shen Wan thought: Oh my! The little princess’s sweet talk is so smooth. What should I do? I’m wavering.

Indeed, she wasn’t a person of strong will. She couldn’t resist being flattered, especially by the little princess. She felt like she could fly to the sun now.

“Father’s health is deteriorating. While he’s here, he can still help me somewhat. But when Father is gone one day, there will be no one to protect me. I’ll have to face all the troubles alone.”

Shen Wan’s gaze turned resentful. “What about me? Have you forgotten about me? I protected you for three years, and now you say no one will protect you? Princess, doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

“Of course I won’t forget you.”

“But your words just now clearly excluded me.”

“They didn’t.”

“They did. The implication was clear.”

He Qingning directly pressed down on Shen Wan’s shoulders, cupped her face, and kissed her, sealing those small lips and preventing Shen Wan from speaking further. Wan Wan’s little temper was indeed growing. This forced her to use her trump card. Sure enough, things quieted down considerably.

After releasing Shen Wan, she wiped her lips and said, “Princess, your way of arguing is truly special. How shameless, resorting to sealing people’s mouths when you can’t win with words.”

“As long as I win, what does the method matter?” He Qingning said with a smile, finding the taste better than imagined. “I haven’t forgotten you, Wan Wan. When I said no one would protect me, I didn’t mean to exclude you. Rather, what I want to do next is protect you, not be protected by you.”

Shen Wan thought: I’m sorry, but I’m going to be an unprincipled person. I’m the type who will always fail when I make small vows, and if I swear an oath, I’ll surely be struck by lightning in the end.

“Princess, what can I do next?”

“Many things. Shall we go back and discuss it slowly?” He Qingning was already holding the Little Hen’s rope in one hand and Shen Wan’s small hand in the other. When they stood together, they looked very harmonious.

As for Shen Wan’s anger, it had long been dispelled by the little princess’s words about protecting her rather than being protected by her. She almost spun in circles on the spot. How could she remember her angry mood from before?

Seeing Shen Wan not mentioning the previous matter, He Qingning felt somewhat relieved. She hadn’t expected comforting someone to be so difficult. In the future, she couldn’t afford to anger Wan Wan. She feared that if she made her angry, she might not be able to console her next time.

“Didn’t you want to be second only to one and above ten thousand?” He Qingning said. “I’ve found many books on historical officials and stories of prime ministers from various dynasties. Reading these will benefit you.” Having made her decision, she naturally wouldn’t clip Shen Wan’s wings.

Rather than keeping this dazzling person in a small cage, she would prefer to join hands with her and soar high together.

It’s lonely at the top. Flying alone would be very solitary. Look at her father; since her mother’s passing, he had grown increasingly thin and frail. If her mother were still here, Father might have more fighting spirit, rather than being so eager to cultivate a successor so he could peacefully go to accompany her mother.

She could sense that when she was able to stand in court facing the officials, Father might give up on continuing to live in this world. Father loved this realm because it was what he and her mother had protected together. If there was a reliable person to guard this realm, he could peacefully devote himself solely to loving her mother.

But she and Shen Wan were different. Shen Wan was incredibly strong and healthy. They were both women, so there was no need for childbearing, no risk of exhausting their bodies for the sake of producing heirs. As for future inheritors of this realm, there were many people in the He clan. If they knew she planned to choose from among them, they would likely be eager to support her wholeheartedly.

Shen Wan was somewhat excited. Looking at the box of books, she almost pounced on the little princess to pin her down and kiss her. As for being angry? Had she been angry? When? She didn’t know, couldn’t remember.

Shen Wan: “188, can you feel it? This is love. The little princess’s love for me is pure and flawless. She’s willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with me rather than locking me in a small cage as a pet. Actually, I wouldn’t mind being a little pet. It’s quite happy, being fed every day. But I haven’t become a marquis or minister yet. After I experience that, I’ll become a little pet.”

188: He had browsed various anonymous forums about hosts and hadn’t found a single one as shameless as his host. His host wasn’t just shameless, but also thick-skinned and weak-willed, wavering at the slightest coaxing. He truly didn’t understand how she always managed to get high scores and big rewards.

He suspected Shen Wan might have some backdoor connections, someone up there. But that didn’t make sense either. If she really had connections, why would she be in so much debt and do this exhausting job?

He Xiyan and the Fifth Prince had been confined to their residences for unclear reasons, sparking much speculation. Although the Emperor had ordered that news of the two attempting to poison He Qingning not be spread, those ministers were all shrewd. The timing of their confinement, right after He Qingning’s poisoning, led them to deduce that the two’s struggle had affected He Qingning, the Emperor’s beloved. Naturally, this would incur the Emperor’s wrath, resulting in their confinement.

Such matters were imperial family scandals, and the Emperor certainly wouldn’t reveal the reasons. The ministers, having guessed the cause, wouldn’t risk touching a sore spot by requesting their release. That would only invite trouble and make the Emperor suspect them of being the two’s partisans.

Some ministers had new thoughts. The princes who had lost earlier had been sent to frontier territories as a consequence of their mutual struggles. These two, however, had implicated Princess Qingning, likely leaving them no chance of redemption.

The imperial harem hadn’t produced any good news in a long time. The Emperor was elderly and unwell; it was practically impossible for him to sire and raise another young prince. Thinking this way, perhaps those exiled princes might have another chance to compete?

While the ministers were contemplating, the Emperor announced in court his intention to name an heir. All the officials were surprised, silently speculating who this new heir might be. The Emperor was indeed the Emperor, always doing things they couldn’t predict or fathom. At this point, they couldn’t say anything.

When the Grand Steward read out He Qingning’s appointment as Crown Princess, the entire court knelt on the floor, too stunned to react. By the time they came to their senses, He Qingning had already changed into the ceremonial robes of the Crown Princess and stepped forward.

As He Qingning accepted the edict, the court officials finally reacted. Some hurriedly objected, stating it was inappropriate. He Qingning was a princess, a woman; how could she inherit the throne? These shocked and vocally agitated people failed to notice that only about half of the kneeling court had objected.

“Inappropriate?”

The Emperor’s aged face wore a faint smile. “I have already issued the edict. Do the ministers want me to go back on my word? ‘An Emperor’s word is golden’ is not just a saying. Once the edict is issued, the matter is settled. Qingning is more capable than all those princes. She can do what they cannot, and what they can do, she can do as well. Apart from being female, who can compare to her?”

“Your Majesty, even if Princess Qingning has talent and courage, surpassing many men in excellence, she is still a woman. After inheriting the throne, how can she continue the lineage?”

The Emperor stroked his beard and laughed. “Minister He, are you saying that your presence in this world is solely your father’s achievement?” Without waiting for He to answer, he continued, “This is truly a rare thing. To think there exists such a capable person in this world who can independently continue the lineage. I wonder if your father is well. Today, I’d very much like to summon him and ask how he managed it.”

Minister He thought: Your Majesty, you’re being unreasonable!

“Minister He, you haven’t answered my question. Is your presence in this world solely your father’s achievement, with no relation to your mother? If this is true, I must properly reward your father, this extraordinary man. I hope there will be more such men in our Xiyun Kingdom who can bear offspring on their own. It would truly be a great fortune for our nation.”

The court officials thought: Your Majesty’s ability to mock people has never diminished. He’s left them speechless.

In the end, Minister He, pale-faced, kowtowed several times and personally admitted it wasn’t true. He was born into this world through the joint efforts of both his parents. He had forgotten that although the Emperor was elderly, when the ministers pressured him together, he would usually comply if it was a reasonable matter.

But for things the Emperor had already decided, they couldn’t stop him.

The Emperor smiled. “So that’s how it is. Minister He, we receive our bodies from our parents. Get up now, don’t break your forehead. Your mother is already in her twilight years. If you return home with a forehead full of wounds, the old lady might worry, thinking you’ve committed some grave error. It might upset her health.”

Hearing this, Minister He dared not object further. If he said another word, the Emperor would suspect he wasn’t born of a mother. Yes, he could sense it.

Although the Emperor’s words were authoritative yet gentle, even showing concern for his elderly mother, upon careful consideration, wasn’t he actually cursing him? “You motherless creature, how dare you try to stop me from appointing a Crown Princess? If you dare utter another word, see if I don’t announce to the world that you’ve admitted to being motherless, letting everyone see what an ungrateful wretch you are.” The Emperor mentioning his elderly mother in court was clearly a warning.

Damn it, he had just followed the usual court practice of reflexively objecting. Who knew the Emperor had such malicious intent, wanting to ruin his reputation? Indeed, serving the Emperor was like serving a tiger; it wasn’t an idle saying. If his elderly mother learned of today’s events, wouldn’t she chase him around the courtyard with a broom? Although he was well into his fifties, he still feared his robust old mother. One sweep of her broom would be hard to endure.

Where would he put his old face then?

Seeing Minister He’s fate, the court officials hesitated when they wanted to object to the Emperor. They recalled how the Emperor had just insinuated that Minister He was motherless, and all fell silent.

It was truly a dilemma. If they didn’t speak up, the Emperor would appoint the Crown Princess, and there would be no way to stop it.

If they did speak up, they would be accused of being motherless, and their reputations might be ruined.

Most of their elderly mothers were still alive and quite long-lived. If this matter were spread and their mothers learned of it, wouldn’t they be asking for trouble? They claimed to be filial sons, and indeed they were, but if their reputations were ruined and their public image crumbled, it would be a great embarrassment, and they would be scolded by many.

The Emperor was truly the Emperor, so insidious. He wanted to use their contrarian nature, first accusing them of being motherless, causing discord between them and their mothers. With just a few words, he would split their families, causing domestic disharmony. It was too inhuman. Impossible, they absolutely couldn’t fall for it.

In just a moment of thought, the court officials decided they couldn’t be the ones to speak out. Look at Minister He, his forehead broken from kowtowing, not daring to say a word of complaint. They didn’t want to experience that fate. Glancing at the imperial edict in He Qingning’s hand and her well-fitted Crown Princess ceremonial robes, clearly different from a Crown Prince’s, it was evident the Emperor had long harbored this intention. They recalled when He Qingning’s reputation began to soar, and a chill ran down their spines, their eyes full of disbelief.

So when He Qingning left the capital to do those things years ago, it was all the Emperor building momentum for her? No wonder… no wonder after her return, the Emperor delayed in rewarding her. Thinking back on how the princes had fallen one by one in their struggles over the years, being sent directly to frontier territories, the officials were shocked. His Majesty the Emperor had truly played a grand game, using all the princes as stepping stones and whetstones to elevate He Qingning to power.

“We pay our respects to the Crown Princess. May Princess live for thousands of autumns, thousands of autumns, thousands upon thousands of autumns.”

The Emperor stroked his beard with satisfaction. If they had been this sensible earlier, wouldn’t it have been better?

Now that the matter was settled, their objections were completely meaningless. Before his ascension to the throne, he had endured humiliation and hardship. After ascending, he had fought through thorns and brambles, all to grasp absolute power and have the final say, not to be held hostage by his ministers. Did these old foxes really think his usual compromises meant he feared them? If he didn’t put on a show, how could he make them lower their guard?

From this day forward, He Qingning attended court daily. When she did, she also brought Shen Wan by her side. The Emperor had learned that Shen Wan possessed incredible strength and had protected He Qingning throughout their journey. Having met her a few times, he found this young woman truly extraordinary, worthy of being called both civil and military talented.

Since Qingning had already become Crown Princess, having a female confidant by her side posed no problem. Being female was even better, as she could wholeheartedly serve Qingning. After all, there were some differences between men and women. If men stayed by Qingning’s side for too long, they might develop other thoughts. Using their looks to seduce Qingning would not be good.

The Emperor felt he still needed to consider many things, such as He Qingning’s consort. He picked and chose, even sending secret agents to investigate, but the results were unsatisfactory. Those with some talent and looks, of suitable age, all had several concubines. How could the Crown Princess’s consort be someone so impure? They needed to have a clean background, with body and heart belonging only to Qingning, after all, his Qingning was now the Crown Princess.

None of those romantic scholars met his standards.