Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 43
by Little PandaVolume 2: The Captivating Splendor of Jingdu
Assassination
Because this was the Imperial Daughter’s command, the palace maids dared not delay. Three hundred people in the Bureau of Imperial Wadrobe worked quickly together, and soon finished the fox fur cloak.
By the time Ji Qingchi returned to her residence with the garment, it was already evening.
Outside, it was pitch-black. She sat in a chair, gazing thoughtfully at the clothes on her lap.
Should she deliver the item now? Or wait until tomorrow? But what if Su Yi was very busy tomorrow, and she couldn’t see her again?
The possibility of not seeing Su Yi during the day was high. There’s no time like the present1, Ji Qingchi thought for a moment, then had someone wrap the fox fur cloak, took the item, and headed for the Marquis Estate.
Just as she reached the entrance, she saw a crowd of people pointing and gesturing at the tightly closed main gate of the Marquis Estate.
Ji Qingchi was very curious and randomly pulled aside an older woman to ask, “Auntie, what’s going on? Why are so many people gathered here?”
Ji Qingchi was wearing plain clothes, and the woman didn’t recognize her as the Ninth Imperial Daughter. “Ai ya, this Marquis Estate has truly brought misfortune! That sickly Nineteenth Miss Su, drenched with cold water on such a cold day and driven out. Now she’s staying in her shop, barely breathing2, they say. She’s almost gone.”
When Su Yi and her group were driven out after being doused with cold water, although there were few people on the street, there were still some witnesses.
Su Yi’s business was booming3; her clothing shop saw people coming and going every day, earning enough to make others green with envy. The entire Jingdu knew that the Marquis Pingyang Estate had a nineteenth miss born of a concubine.
So, the news of Su Yi being driven out quickly spread throughout the street. Everyone was curious about the Su Estate’s actions but, deterred by Marquis Pingyang’s influence, dared not get involved or offer any help to the shivering Su Yi. Thus, after Su Yi and her companions returned to the shop, a crowd gathered at the Su Estate’s gate, half out of curiosity, the other half hoping someone from the Su Estate would come out to explain, wanting to know what mistake the nineteenth miss had made.
As soon as Ji Qingchi heard Su Yi was dying, her heart trembled. Clutching the fox fur cloak, she ran towards Su Yi’s shop.
There was some distance between the Su Estate and the clothing shop. Although Ji Qingchi’s Qinggong was good, she couldn’t readily use it on streets crowded with people. So, by the time she arrived, the sky had completely darkened.
The usually bustling clothing shop, with people coming and going, was already closed. Ji Qingchi called out at the door, but no one came to open it. Having no other choice, she used Qinggong to leap into the small courtyard behind the shop.
The courtyard was pitch-dark and deathly quiet. Ji Qingchi didn’t know where Su Yi lived, so she had to crouch low, hugging the wall, and searched room by room.
Faint coughing sounds drifted from the room opposite. The familiar sound brought joy to Ji Qingchi’s heart, and she quickly and quietly pushed open the door and entered.
There were no lamps lit inside the room either.
Su Yi had been drenched with cold water and walked so long in the snow that she had fainted. Later, the doctor repeatedly applied several needles, and only then did she regain consciousness.
Her constitution was weak; after waking, she developed a high fever, her face burning red. Only after drinking several bowls of medicinal decoction did the fever barely subside a little.
After tossing and turning for a long while, she had just lain back down on the bed when she heard the faint sound of the door being opened.
She had sent her maids off to rest, and her mother had also gone back to sleep due to exhaustion. Why would someone come to her room out of the blue?
And why didn’t this person knock?
Full of suspicion, Su Yi sat up as the person pushed the door open, wrapping the quilt around herself. Fumbling to light the lamp, she asked, “Who is it?”
Ji Qingchi hid behind the door, clutching the bundle, unsure whether to answer. For an Imperial Daughter like her to come to a woman’s room in the middle of the night – it would sound absurd if word got out. If Su Yi asked, how should she reply? And if this matter accidentally spread, how should she answer others’ inquiries?
While she hesitated, she suddenly felt a chill flash past her, immediately followed by the faint hum of a blade. Unbeknownst to her, a person dressed in black had suddenly appeared in Su Yi’s room. Holding a longsword, the person stood before Su Yi and sneered, “The one who’s here to take your life!”
While Ji Qingchi was lost in thought, Su Yi had already lit the oil lamp. The moment the candlelight illuminated the room, the black-clad person swiftly thrust the longsword towards Su Yi.
The sharp longsword glinted with a chilling light, dazzling Su Yi. The attacker’s speed was too fast; she couldn’t dodge in time. Just as it seemed blood would splatter on the spot, a dark figure suddenly blocked her path.
“Clang—”
The sound of the longsword colliding with a golden hairpin was exceptionally crisp.
Su Yi was astonished, “Ninth Highness?”
Why would the female protagonist appear here out of nowhere?
“Who are you?” Ji Qingchi shielded Su Yi behind her, coldly questioning the black-clad person with the sword.
The black-clad person was certainly not foolish enough to answer her question. The first stab having failed, she quickly changed direction, attacking Su Yi from Ji Qingchi’s left rear.
The assassin was agile, wielding the longsword with uncanny skill4. Ji Qingchi, armed only with a golden hairpin, found herself at a disadvantage after several parries. Seizing the opportunity, the assassin suddenly flicked her right hand, sending a poison dart flying towards Su Yi.
“Courting death!” Thoroughly enraged, Ji Qingchi drew the soft sword from her waist with her left hand, deflected the poison dart, and lunged at the assassin. As the assassin defended, Ji Qingchi threw the golden hairpin, piercing the assassin’s shoulder.
“Ugh…” The assassin winced in pain, shocked that this person could wield a sword with her left hand. Seeing that success was impossible today, she shot them a vicious glare, clutched her shoulder, and fled using Qinggong.
Ji Qingchi did not pursue. This assassin was highly skilled in martial arts, with a practiced killing technique, clearly not someone ordinary.
She used her handkerchief to pick up the poison dart from the floor. After carefully examining it by the candlelight, she saw two small characters inlaid at the very top.
“Xuan… Ji.”
That was a place known for harboring numerous first-rate assassins. The black-clad person just now must have been an assassin too. Why would a Jianghu6 assassin come to assassinate Su Yi, a merchant who lacked the strength even to truss a chicken7?
With the sudden appearance and departure of the assassin, Su Yi breathed a sigh of relief. Dragging her ailing body forward, she said, “Thank you for saving my life, Your Highness.”
Ji Qingchi stood with her back to Su Yi. After properly handling and storing the poison dart, she turned around and cleared her throat lightly, “You’re welcome.”
Su Yi asked again, “How did Your Highness come to be here?”
Here it comes, here it comes. The thing she worried most about had finally happened.
Ji Qingchi’s mind was torn8. In a flash9, she took out the clothing design she had drawn based on Su Yi’s sketch from her sleeve, then handed over the fox fur cloak. “This Palace… cough, This Palace had some leisure time and also sketched a design based on Miss Su’s drawing. I had the Bureau of Imperial Wadrobe make it for me. I wanted to bring it for Miss Su to see how it turned out. Since Miss Su is busy during the day, This Palace had to come at night.”
Su Yi took the drawing half-believing, half-doubting. Unfolding it, she thought, Good heavens, it really was! The design on the paper was clear and beautiful; anyone who didn’t know better would think she had drawn it herself.
But speaking of which, wasn’t the female protagonist basically plagiarizing her? Should she ask for a copyright fee?
Su Yi held the drawing, hesitating. Ji Qingchi didn’t know if she believed her or not, but the arrow was already on the bowstring; there was no turning back10. She continued, “There’s a saying, ‘even a teacher of a single word deserves the respect weighty as a mountain’11. In that sense, Miss Su could be considered This Palace’s master. Take this fox fur cloak as the Shuxiu12 for Miss Su teaching This Palace painting.”
She had just been wondering whether to charge the female protagonist, and she delivered herself.
Not bad, the female protagonist was very perceptive. Su Yi decided to give her a five-star review.
She picked up the fox fur cloak and unfolded it. It was even larger than the cape-like ones seen in TV dramas, and it even had a small hood. The inside of the cloak was entirely lined with softened cowhide, fashioned to be water-resistant. The outside was pure white, with just a few red plum blossoms outlined in embroidery thread near the hem.
Su Yi was pleasantly surprised. This was practically the Yanxue Dynasty version of a waterproof, windproof fur coat! And the style and appearance were beautiful too. The female protagonist is truly clever!
Since winter began, she had been freezing to death. Who knew why Fengcheng wasn’t cold in winter, yet Jingdu was so frigid.
She had originally planned to have one made when she had time, but unexpectedly, the female protagonist delivered it early.
Seeing the smile on her lips, Ji Qingchi knew she had successfully bluffed her way through. She chuckled lightly, “Miss Su, are you satisfied with this student of yours?”
“Ninth Highness is of imperial lineage13, exceptionally intelligent. Of course, the things you make are top-notch.” Given that the female protagonist’s item was genuinely excellent, Su Yi praised her to the skies14, words of admiration tumbling out as if they cost nothing.
Ji Qingchi found the praise quite pleasing, a smile spilling from her eyes. “This Palace never knew Miss Su was so skilled at flattery.”
Su Yi replied without batting an eye15, “How can this be flattery? Your Ninth Highness is truly a favored daughter of heaven16.”
“Is that so?” Ji Qingchi said with a smile, assessing her. Seeing that although Su Yi’s face was pale, she seemed spirited and not as weak as the rumors suggested, she felt relieved. “I heard that Miss Su was driven out by people from the Marquis’s Estate?”
Now that she mentioned this, Su Yi became animated. She quickly complained to her, recounting all of Su Tianci’s wicked deeds towards her, and also voiced her own worries, “For them to dare act so brazenly, I’m afraid Great-grandmother might also be in danger. Although my mother sent someone to inform Great-grandmother, I don’t know if anything might go wrong.”
Ji Qingchi nodded, “Mother Emperor arranged many guards for the safety of the sacrificial rites; you shouldn’t need to worry. Just in case, This Palace will dispatch more people to protect Marquis Pingyang after returning.”
“As for Su Tianci…” Ji Qingchi frowned. This legitimate son of the Marquis Estate, constantly pestering her. She had initially thought he was just a young master from a prominent family who was ignorant of propriety, but she hadn’t expected him to be so vicious.
“Indeed,” Su Yi nodded. In consideration of the fox fur cloak the female protagonist had just given her, she offered a tactful reminder, “He’s no easy person to deal with17. If you were to take him into your residence as an Attendant Lord, I’m afraid it would bring unrest to the household18.”
This sentence should probably be directed at her Imperial Sisters, Ji Qingchi thought.
Su Tianci was handsome. Her Imperial Sisters, unaware of his personality, were interested in marrying him as their Principal Consort19.
He was currently the Marquis Estate’s legitimate eldest grandson; he likely couldn’t be easily touched.
Ji Qingchi’s brows deeply furrowed, “This Palace understands.”
Su Yi nodded repeatedly. The female protagonist seemed quite perceptive.
She held the fox fur cloak, opened the door for Ji Qingchi, and then made a “please” gesture.
Ji Qingchi raised an eyebrow, “What is Miss Su doing?”
Su Yi said as if it were obvious, “It’s late. Isn’t Your Highness going back?”
Trying to kick her out on such a cold night? Where was Su Yi’s humanity? Ji Qingchi thought.
“I see,” Ji Qingchi indicated understanding. Just as she stepped outside, she said, “The assassin from earlier might return.”
“Your Highness!” Su Yi immediately rushed out and grabbed her, “It’s cold and dark outside. For Your Highness’s safety, please stay!”
The author has something to say:
Got a wart on my hand, went for cryotherapy, hurts like hell, makes typing characters really difficult
Footnotes
- 择日不如撞日 | zé rì bùrú zhuàng rì | Lit. “Choosing a day is not as good as hitting the day”; Meaning it’s better to do something right away than to pick a later date.
- 进气多出气少 | jìn qì duō chū qì shǎo | Lit. “more air going in than out” (can also mean the reverse depending on interpretation, but context implies near death); Meaning someone is breathing very weakly, on the verge of death.
- 生意蒸蒸日上 | shēngyì zhēngzhēngrìshàng | Lit. “business steams and steams up daily”; Meaning business is flourishing and rapidly improving.
- 出神入化 | chū shén rù huà | Lit. “exit the spirit, enter the transformation”; Meaning reaching a state of perfection or mastery in a skill.
- 璇玑楼 | Xuánjī Lóu |璇玑 (Xuánjī) relates to astronomy/mechanisms (like an armillary sphere) or profoundness; 楼 (Lóu) means tower/building. Likely the name of an organization.
- 江湖 | jiānghú | Lit. “rivers and lakes”; Refers to the martial arts world, a semi-autonomous society outside conventional structures, often depicted in Wuxia stories.
- 手无缚鸡之力 | shǒu wú fù jī zhī lì | Lit. “hands lack the strength to tie up a chicken”; Meaning completely powerless or physically very weak.
- 心里如天人交战 | xīnli rú tiānrén jiāozhàn | Lit. “heart like heaven and man battling”; Describing intense internal conflict or indecision.
- 电光火石间 | diàn guāng huǒ shí jiān | Lit. “between lightning flash and flint spark”; In an instant, the blink of an eye.
- 箭在弦上不得不发 | jiàn zài xián shàng bùdé bù fā | Lit. “the arrow is on the bowstring, it must be shot”; A situation where one is committed to a course of action and cannot back down.
- 一字之师也恩重如山 | yī zì zhī shī yě ēn zhòng rú shān | Lit. “A teacher of even one character, kindness heavy as a mountain”; Expresses profound respect owed even for minimal teaching.
- 束脩 | shùxiū | Traditionally, a gift (often dried meat, later money) given to a teacher by a student as tuition or a token of respect.
- 天潢贵胄 | tiānhuáng guìzhòu | Lit. “heavenly stream, noble descendants”; Refers to members of the imperial family, those of noble blood.
- 夸的天花乱坠 | kuā de tiānhuā luànzhuì | Lit. “praised until heavenly flowers fell in disorder”; To praise lavishly and extravagantly.
- 脸不红心不跳 | liǎn bù hóng xīn bù tiào | Lit. “face not red, heart not pounding”; To be completely unfazed, showing no signs of embarrassment or nervousness.
- 天之娇女 | tiān zhī jiāo nǚ | Lit. “Heaven’s favored daughter”; Someone born into privilege and seemingly blessed by fortune.
- 善茬 | shànchá | Lit. “good stubble (after harvest)”; Colloquially means someone easy to deal with, a pushover. Often used in the negative.
- 家宅不宁 | jiā zhái bù níng | Lit. “home and residence not peaceful”; Meaning domestic trouble or lack of peace within the family.
- 正君 | zhèngjūn | The primary official male consort, similar in status to an empress or primary wife in a reverse setting.
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