Blame the Villain – Chapter 61

Villainous Crown Prince (3)

At first, Empress Wang was reluctant to let her daughter venture out.

The Wang family has been entrenched in the Jiangnan Central Province, which is thousands of miles away from the beautiful capital, Lido. The journey alone takes several months, and including the time spent at the Wang residence, it almost amounts to a year.

However, the Emperor’s considerations were different from Empress Wang’s.

Given Song Xuyi’s currently unfavorable reputation in Huadu, it seemed better to first seek refuge in Jiangnan to escape the public eye. Once the situation died down, they could return.

Thus, despite Empress Wang’s reluctance, under the persistent persuasion of Song Xuyi and with the Emperor’s tacit approval, Song Xuyi set off for Jiangnan.

Lishui Country, almost a century old, appears strong, but domestically, it is far from peaceful.

Clans divide and entangle themselves, monopolizing the economy and livelihoods of various provinces. Encountering a clan like Song Xuyi’s maternal grandfather, Wang Mian’s, that values face and decency, the people living under their jurisdiction could lead peaceful and productive lives. However, when subjected to the mercy of avaricious clans, the lives of their people become miserable, with many forced into homelessness and despair, some even resorting to banditry.

The Emperor and the clans led by figures such as Wang Mian were aware of these issues. However, if the Emperor attempted to address these exploitative clans, it would disrupt the long-standing balance, uniting the clans against him. Similarly, if Wang Mian attempted to regulate his own clans, it could easily lead to internal turmoil, giving the Emperor an opportunity to exploit.

Therefore, both the Emperor and Wang Mian, for political reasons, chose to overlook the exploitation of the people by some clans.

Considering the instability en route, Empress Wang was extremely anxious about Song Xuyi’s travel, sparing no effort to deploy her private army to organize a well-equipped escort for Song Xuyi.

Carrying the concerns of Empress Wang, Song Xuyi, accompanied by Nie Qianyu, embarked on the journey to Zhongzhou.

Initially, as they were close to Lido, the situation seemed manageable. The powerful families restrained themselves, and the journey was uneventful. However, after three or five days, obstructions began to appear on the road, along with groups of ragged, murky-eyed refugees.

Song Xuyi’s entourage, numerous and strong, evidently not to be trifled with, deterred the refugees from confrontations. Instead, they pitifully begged along the sides. Song Xuyi understood that such scenarios would only increase as they continued their journey. Nevertheless, faced with the elderly, women, and children, Song Xuyi couldn’t help but distribute some food and money.

This act of kindness quickly spread among the refugees, leading more and more of them to gather around Song Xuyi’s convoy, slowing their progress with their pitiful cries.

“Princess,” the general leading Song Xuyi’s protection detail expressed his frustration during a rest stop, “This delay could cause us to miss the family head’s birthday. Should we execute a few of these lowlifes as a warning?”

This reflected a common belief in this world: to the nobility born in powerful families, stateless refugees were considered less than commoners, disposable without consequence.

To the general, Song Xuyi’s charity seemed like a fleeting act of kindness from a pampered princess known for her temper, occasionally lashing out at servants and eunuchs in the palace. He suspected she was growing tired of this “game” of pretense.

Contrary to his expectations, the princess didn’t react with annoyance. Seated upright in her carriage, she glanced up from a map she was contemplating. With a modest and slightly sheepish bow to the general, she said, “These past days have been trying, General Wang. I appreciate your patience and recognize my own lack of foresight.”

“We needn’t resort to harming lives. As for our journey ahead,” Song Xuyi handed the map to General Wang, a small smile playing at her lips, “Perhaps we can take a detour via waterway, arriving directly at the ferry in Wenzhou.”

Wenzhou was adjacent to Zhongzhou, the property of the Wang family, and not far from their current location. Indeed, taking the water route would significantly hasten their journey.

Initially, General Wang had included a water route in his planning, but Empress Wang vetoed this idea on the grounds that Song Xuyi, physically frail, couldn’t withstand a boat journey. Now, with Song Xuyi herself bringing it up, General Wang couldn’t help but steal a glance at her:

This princess can actually adapt on the fly, quite unlike the capricious and brainless character rumored…

However, no sooner had this thought surfaced in his mind than the little princess stood up, called her maids to don the carriage curtains, and descended from the carriage: “Let’s go see Prince Nie! It’s been quite a while since we last saw him…”

Unaware of General Wang’s thoughts about her, Song Xuyi had been feeling extremely distressed during this period. Visiting Nie Qianyu was just an excuse; in reality, she just wanted to get out and get some fresh air.

Nie Qianyu’s carriage was just behind Song Xuyi’s, a short walk away.

As Song Xuyi lifted the carriage curtain, she found Nie Qianyu reading. He seemed as serene and unobtrusive as ever, making an effort to minimize his presence. He also continued to be as endearing to animals as always; when Song Xuyi approached, two brightly colored birds were hovering around him, chirping and frolicking. Given the recent years of famine, with villagers digging up even tree roots, Song Xuyi wondered where these lively birds had come from.

These birds seemed exceptionally human-friendly, not avoiding Song Xuyi as other animals near Nie Qianyu usually did. In fact, one even landed on Song Xuyi’s shoulder.

Nie Qianyu handed Song Xuyi a cup of tea, glancing at the bird on her shoulder.

Just as Song Xuyi turned her head to play with the bird, it flew away as if escaping, leaving her shoulder…

Song Xuyi sighed in regret, took the tea from Nie Qianyu’s hand, and began, as usual, to instill the concept of “benevolence” in Nie Qianyu.

“Prince Nie, having seen these displaced people in recent days, what are your thoughts?” Princess Song Xuyi looked across at the young villain. Perhaps it was his youth that made her lower her guard, allowing her thoughts to slip out unconsciously: “My heart aches terribly. These displaced people are so pitiful. They have supported me with their taxes until now, yet I am powerless to help them…”

“Princess, why concern yourself with a group of people… who are less than chaff? It is their honor to serve the royal family…”

Breaking his usual silence, Nie Qianyu picked up where Song Xuyi left off. He lifted his head to look at Song Xuyi, his gaze as mild as ever, but his words were shockingly cold: “Not just in Lishui Country, this is how it is everywhere under the heavens. Like my father, who, out of a wager with his favored concubine, deliberately cut open several pregnant women. My… stepmother, steadfast in her belief in folk remedies for fertility, sacrificed the blood of hundreds…”

“Look around, such is the way of the world, all down to fate.”

Song Xuyi did not expect the royal palace of the Wu Country to be so bloody and degenerate, with its rulers so indifferent to human life. No wonder their national strength had declined so rapidly!

However…

“Just because something is perpetuated and accepted by everyone, it doesn’t mean it’s right.”

Song Xuyi took a sip of the tea handed to her by Nie Qianyu, looking him earnestly in the eye, intending to set straight what seemed to be his warped worldview influenced by the Wu Country’s royal palace: “It is this world that is wrong!”

“Everyone is born of their parents; there should never be any so-called distinction between the noble and the lowly.”

“Rather than fixating on one’s social standing or lineage, I believe more in overcoming one’s destiny.” As Song Xuyi spoke, her path forward became clearer to her, her spirit invigorated. Her gaze on Nie Qianyu grew increasingly determined: “Prince Nie, since you’re here in Lishui Country with nothing pressing, perhaps we can work together to improve the lives of these displaced people…”

Princess Song Xuyi deliberately involved Nie Qianyu in her plans.

After all, Nie Qianyu was still young, and his detachment stemmed from a lack of involvement in anything. Once he started participating, regardless of whether it was voluntary, his investment of effort would make him think twice about any lingering thoughts of avenging his country by committing atrocities, recalling his contributions, he might well weigh things more carefully.

However, Nie Qianyu avoided Song Xuyi’s gaze.

He reverted to the cautious and detached hostage from the Wu Country, his head bowed as he spoke softly, his voice bland and emotionless: “I will follow the Princess’s orders.”

Song Xuyi hadn’t expected Nie Qianyu to willingly plan together with her from the start, nor was she discouraged by his attitude, quietly beginning to plan her future on her own: Even though she might not be able to overturn this suffocating world, she could still do her utmost to create more room for the suffering people within it…

Song Xuyi didn’t stay much longer after that and bid Nie Qianyu farewell.

She was eager to put down her inspiration on paper and did not notice the scrutinizing look that Nie Qianyu gave her departing figure.

Almost as soon as Song Xuyi left, two little birds that had flown away returned to Nie Qianyu’s shoulders, chirping away.

“Not a bad person?”

Nie Qianyu tilted his head, his previously cold demeanor replaced by a noticeable sneer, “A foolish princess raised in luxury, how long can her plans last?”

The bird chirped again.

“Do I enjoy watching her?”

Nie Qianyu’s gaze grew colder. Deliberately, he poured a drop of water onto his hand and, in the next instant, flicked the water droplet with just the right amount of force onto the head of the fleeing bird.

With a pitiful cry, the bird swiftly flew even farther away!

Quietness enveloped the surroundings once again.

Nie Qianyu tried to return to his reading, but found himself unable to concentrate. The image of Song Xuyi’s youthful yet resolute face, and her bright eyes, always brimming with vitality, kept appearing in his mind.

The messenger bird wasn’t wrong.

Nie Qianyu pursed his lips, realizing that he probably did enjoy watching her.

The precious little princess, untouched by the hardships of life, still clung to some unrealistic fantasies. He had to admit, though, that every time she tried to instill those nonsensical ‘virtues’ of benevolence and righteousness in him, or talked about her ambitions, there was a beautiful, sun-like glow in the little princess’s eyes.

It was also for this reason that the days spent in the company of the little princess weren’t so unbearable.

As Nie Qianyu awaits with anticipation…

Recalling the news he heard from the animals, Nie Qianyu’s lips curled up maliciously:

How much longer can the light in the little princess’s eyes last?

The author has something to say:

Just…

I… I have a friend who, due to the disdain from the little angels in the comment section, has developed a huge confusion over HE (happy endings) and BE (bad endings). She exiled herself to the desert and is now on the verge of dying of thirst, urgently in need of some sort of liquid to survive.

I’m not even sure if this friend of mine deserves to be saved, but her only merit is that she’s a good reader, with shelves full of books like 《The Self-Cultivation of Sweet Novel Authors》, 《I Don’t Care, I’m a Sweet Novel Author Anyway》, 《Double Deaths – The Best Possible Finale of a Small World》…

So… She said if the support hits over 4000, and the collection passes 2000, she’ll crawl out of the desert tomorrow to work her hands and feet off, writing six chapters a day for everyone. So… maybe you all want to try giving her a lease on life? (Humble/jpg)

LP: Re-translated on April 03, 2024