Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 76
by Little PandaVolume 3: Courtly Winds and Clouds, Each Finds Their Place
This Palace wants to ask Imperial Elder Sister for help
Once outside and in a secluded spot, Ji Qingchi quickened her pace and threw her arms around the person who had been solely focused on hurrying ahead, muttering sullenly, “I know I was wrong.”
“I knew it was Your Highness’s plan just now.” Su Yi slowly turned around, squished Ji Qingchi’s face into a ball, and said with a satisfied smile, “Your Highness doesn’t need to apologize.”
Ji Qingchi said hesitantly, “But just now, you…”
“I didn’t doubt Your Highness’s loyalty to me. Just now, I only wanted to lure Your Highness out,” Su Yi said with a smile, then recounted to Ji Qingchi what she had experienced after they parted.
She had been mistaken for an undercover agent sent by Hua Wushang. After giving her a set of clothes, the woman had also given her a wild ox mask to put on. The maidservants and young male servants in the Prince’s Manor all wore this attire, so she wouldn’t be easily seen through.
Once everything was changed, the woman told her that the Chancellor’s Manor planned to get the two Imperial Princesses drunk and take them to a guest room. She instructed Su Yi to strike first to gain the upper hand and help the people from the Chancellor’s Manor bring the Imperial Princesses over. She also gave Su Yi a jug of wine, saying she should pour it for the Imperial Princesses.
After giving these instructions, the woman left her and went to the guest room to make preparations.
Su Yi outwardly agreed respectfully, but once she reached a hidden spot, she poured all the wine into the fish pond. She then refilled the jug with ordinary wine, brought it over, and deliberately lured Ji Qingchi out.
“So that’s how it was.” Ji Qingchi breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her tighter. “Just now… you scared me to death.”
“Your Highness.” Su Yi gently pushed her away a little, looked up, and said to her seriously, “I will not doubt Your Highness’s actions, nor will I doubt Your Highness’s heart in accompanying me. But if I do become suspicious, it means I can no longer be with Your Highness. At that time, I will naturally break up with Your Highness.”
Although Su Yi was sickly and weak, her words were as good as gold1. When she said something, she would do it.
Imagining the scene of Su Yi breaking up with her, Ji Qingchi felt a dull ache in her chest, so she tightened her arms around Su Yi. “I won’t.”
Su Yi hugged her back. “Your Highness, you’re hugging too tightly. I can’t breathe.”
Ji Qingchi loosened her grip slightly but still held onto her. “I haven’t seen you for so long, my heart aches from longing. Let me hug you a little longer.”
Su Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It had only been about half an hour since she and Ji Qingchi had parted. How was that a long time?
As the two embraced, voices faintly drifted from behind them.
“Strange, why are there… so many trees here? Where did the road go… What about the guest room? Someone, come…”
“Fifth Highness, you’re drunk. This way is the correct path.”
It sounded like the voices of the Fifth Imperial Princess and Xiao Zhengyun.
Ji Qingchi quickly released Su Yi. They exchanged a glance, and Su Yi lowered her voice, “It seems Xiao Zhengyun is going to lead the Fifth Imperial Princess to the guest room. Your Highness, let’s go over first.”
“Okay.”
The two quickly arrived at the guest room. The woman who had mistaken Su Yi for an accomplice was already waiting there. Besides her, there were two or three unfamiliar maidservants.
When the woman saw Su Yi bringing Ji Qingchi over, joy filled her heart; it seemed she had succeeded. She walked forward, feigning ignorance, “This is…”
“Elder Sister, this is the Ninth Highness. Her Highness’s clothes are wet. The Eldest Imperial Prince specially asked me to bring Her Highness to change.”
“So that’s how it is. Ninth Highness, a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years2.”
“Dispense with the formalities3.” Ji Qingchi put on airs, looking as if she couldn’t hold her liquor4, and rubbed her temples, saying, “Find some clean clothes for This Palace, and prepare hot water. This Palace wishes to bathe.”
“This servant has noted it.” The woman smiled faintly. “Your Highness, please follow this servant.”
The two followed her to the guest room on the far right. Three young male servants and two maidservants stood guard at the door. The woman nodded at the young male servants, who immediately opened the door, revealing the room’s interior.
Inside the room, a bathtub was already prepared, white steam rising gracefully from the hot water. Beside it was a set of clean clothes.
The woman said, “Your Highness, please bathe here. This servant will go call people in to attend to you.” With that, her gaze swept towards Su Yi, hinting, “Let’s go.”
If Su Yi left now, by the next day, scandalous tales of Ji Qingchi taking advantage of changing clothes to make advances on the Chancellor’s Son would likely be known by everyone under heaven. But if she didn’t leave, it would arouse the woman’s suspicion.
Su Yi thought for a moment, gave Ji Qingchi a look that said ‘wait for me,’ and went out the door with the woman.
After walking for a while, Su Yi pretended to have a stomachache, separated from the woman, and took a detour back to the guest room. She happened to bump into the dizzy Fifth Imperial Princess, who was being supported by Xiao Zhengyun.
“Fifth Highness, the guest room is just ahead. Let’s go in.”
Xiao Zhengyun saw the young male servants he had arranged at the door of the right-hand guest room and felt much more at ease. Now, everything was ready, all that was missing was the crucial final element5. He helped the Fifth Imperial Princess to the room next to that guest room and beckoned a young male servant over. “Go get some sobering-up tea for the Fifth Highness. Add plenty of sobering ingredients. Find a way to sober her up as quickly as possible. When Her Highness is no longer dizzy, tell her I’m next door.”
“Yes.”
“Did the Ninth Highness go into the room next door?”
“Yes, this servant saw the Ninth Highness go in with my own eyes.”
“Good, quickly go get the sobering-up tea.”
“Yes.” The young male servant complied and hurried to the kitchen.
A smirk played on Xiao Zhengyun’s lips. He straightened his clothes, adjusted his attire, and slowly walked to the door of the guest room next door. Without knocking, he walked straight in.
To his surprise, Ji Qingchi wasn’t inside. He searched carefully, even looking behind the folding screen6, but there was no sign of anyone, let alone a bathtub.
Xiao Zhengyun frowned. “Strange…”
“Is Young Master Xiao looking for This Palace?” As he frowned in thought, Ji Qingchi’s voice suddenly came from behind him.
Xiao Zhengyun’s heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly turned around and met Ji Qingchi’s eyes, which held an ambiguous smile.
He forced a smile. “Ninth Highness…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Ji Qingchi flicked her fingers within her sleeve, and a copper coin struck his sleep acupoint. He immediately collapsed limply.
After confirming he had truly fainted, Ji Qingchi went out and, in the same manner7, knocked out the guarding maidservants and young male servants.
Su Yi arrived and sighed in relief at the scene. Walking inside, she looked at the fallen Xiao Zhengyun and her head began to ache. “How should he be dealt with?”
“Where is This Palace’s Fifth Imperial Sister?”
“In the room next door. It seems she has fallen asleep.”
“Let’s go. We’ll go find her.”
Arriving at the room next door, Ji Qingchi saw the Fifth Imperial Princess sleeping soundly and unconscious8 on the bed. She smiled faintly. “I didn’t expect that even when things are so critical9, this Imperial Sister of This Palace could still sleep so comfortably, ah.”
With that, she went out for a moment and, not long after, came back in carrying a basin of water. The weather was so cold now that the pond water in the manor was still freezing. If this basin of ice-water mixture was poured over someone, even if they were drunk as a dead pig, they would have to wake up.
Seeing her posture, Su Yi was already mourning for the Fifth Imperial Princess in advance.
Sure enough, Ji Qingchi carried the basin of water and poured it directly onto the Fifth Imperial Princess’s face.
With a hua sound, the ice water all gushed onto her face and neck. The bone-chilling cold made the Fifth Imperial Princess immediately jump up, her body trembling. “Audacious?!”
After seeing Ji Qingchi’s face clearly, her anger surged straight to the crown of her head10. She rushed forward, wanting to fight her to the bitter end. “Ji Qingchi! Today, either you die or I die!”
Ji Qingchi picked up Su Yi, who was beside her, and ran. After exiting the door and arriving in the spacious courtyard, she very patiently indulged her in a fight.
The Fifth Imperial Princess’s drunkenness had not yet dissipated, and her limbs still lacked strength. After chasing Ji Qingchi for a lap, she was somewhat breathless, gasping for air, her eyes practically shooting fire at Ji Qingchi.
“Fifth Imperial Sister, your stamina isn’t good, ah!” Ji Qingchi deliberately teased her, relying on her good qinggong11 to dodge left and hide right in the courtyard, leading her on like teasing a cat. Seeing the Fifth Imperial Princess panting against a rock after one lap, she smiled triumphantly. “Didn’t Fifth Imperial Sister want to kill This Palace, me12? Come on then, ah!”
The Fifth Imperial Princess was so angry that smoke seemed to come from her seven orifices13. She stood there coughing from anger, and it would be no exaggeration to say that sound was heart-rending and lung-splitting14.
Su Yi quickly tugged Ji Qingchi’s sleeve, asking her to put her down.
Ji Qingchi did as she was told. As soon as Su Yi landed, she went into the house, poured a cup of tea, and brought it to the Fifth Imperial Princess.
Coughing violently, the Fifth Imperial Princess saw a cup of water appear in her line of sight. Without caring who brought it, she took it and drank it all in one gulp.
When she finally caught her breath, she sighed in relief and turned to thank the person who brought the water.
“Thanks…” Seeing Su Yi’s face, the word “thank you” was forcefully swallowed back. She sneered, “So it’s Young Miss Su from the Marquis Pingyang Manor.”
It was widely rumored in Jingdu City that Su Yi and Ji Qingchi were close, and that the Marquis Pingyang Manor supports the Ninth Imperial Princess’s ascension to the throne. These rumors and gossip15 had already spread. Since she hated Ji Qingchi, she naturally didn’t have a pleasant expression for Su Yi.
Before Su Yi could speak, Ji Qingchi said sarcastically, “Even a dog, if saved, would wang16 twice to express thanks. How come Fifth Imperial Sister is worse than a dog, ne17?”
After speaking, she stepped forward, pulled Su Yi further away, and looked at her resentfully, saying, “So you asked This Palace to put you down just now only to give her water. Others will treat your good intentions as ill will18; they definitely won’t thank you.”
Su Yi shook her head and said, “Just now, the Fifth Highness was coughing so hard, it was alarming to hear. It was merely a small effort. I don’t need her thanks either.”
The Fifth Imperial Princess, having been indirectly scolded, hated them so much her teeth itched. However, Ji Qingchi was right about one thing: although she disliked Su Yi, the girl had, after all, helped her once.
The Fifth Imperial Princess shot Ji Qingchi a fierce glare, forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart, and made a bow with clasped hands19 to Su Yi, saying, “Many thanks, Young Miss Su. Young Miss Su can be considered to have saved This Palace once. If there’s anything you need, you can tell This Palace. This Palace can gift it to Young Miss Su as a thank-you gift.”
Su Yi shook her head. “No need. It was merely a small effort.” She now had whatever she wanted, and if worst came to worst, she could still ask Ji Qingchi. She really couldn’t think of anything she needed.
“She doesn’t want it, but This Palace wants it, ah!” Ji Qingchi lazily interjected. “Actually, Young Miss Su also owes This Palace a thank-you gift. Since Imperial Sister owes her, then she owes This Palace. Might as well compensate This Palace directly.”
The Fifth Imperial Princess was shocked by her thick-skinned shamelessness and sneered, “Indeed the daughter of common city folk20. Truly shameless!”
“Imperial Sister overpraises me,” Ji Qingchi replied with a beaming smile. She never cared about her birth background; anyway, as long as she was the Empress Mother’s daughter, then she was an Imperial Princess. What did it have to do with who her father was?
“If Imperial Sister doesn’t help with this, tomorrow the entire Jingdu will know that Imperial Sister is ungrateful21.”
The Fifth Imperial Princess was angered by her shameless maneuver to the point that smoke seemed to come from her seven orifices. For her own reputation, she endured it. So, with a flick of her sleeve22, she said angrily, “Fine! Say it! What help do you want This Palace to provide?”
“Doesn’t Imperial Sister like Young Master Xiao, me?” Ji Qingchi said with a slight smile. “This Palace can help Imperial Sister achieve her wish. It’s just that I don’t know if Fifth Imperial Sister is willing or not?”
Footnotes
- 一诺千金 | yī nuò qiānjīn | Lit. “one promise, a thousand gold pieces”; Fig. a promise that is worth a thousand pieces of gold; a solemn promise that will be kept.
- 九殿下千岁千岁千千岁 | Jiǔ Diànxià qiānsuì qiānsuì qiānqiānsuì | A thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand thousand years. A formal salutation wishing long life to royalty, with ‘千岁’ (qiānsuì – a thousand years) being appropriate for a princess or prince, as opposed to ‘万岁’ (wànsuì – ten thousand years) reserved for the Emperor.
- 免礼 | miǎn lǐ | Lit. “exempt from ceremony/courtesy”; Fig. dispense with the formalities; you may rise (after a bow or kowtow).
- 不胜酒力 | búshèng jiǔlì | Lit. “not able to overcome the strength of alcohol”; Fig. to be a poor drinker; unable to hold one’s liquor.
- 万事俱备, 就差东风 | wànshì jùbèi, jiù chā dōngfēng | Lit. “all things are ready, only the east wind is lacking”; Fig. everything is prepared except for the last crucial item or condition. An allusion to the Battle of Red Cliffs in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
- 屏风 | píngfēng | Folding screen. A piece of furniture consisting of several panels, often decorated, used to divide a room or provide privacy.
- 如法炮制 | rúfǎpáozhì | Lit. “to concoct according to the same method”; Fig. to follow a set pattern; to do things in the same old way; to replicate a method.
- 不省人事 | bùxǐngrénshì | Lit. “not to be conscious of human affairs”; Fig. to be unconscious; to have lost consciousness.
- 火烧眉毛 | huǒshāoméimao | Lit. “fire singes the eyebrows”; Fig. a matter of extreme urgency; a desperate situation.
- 天灵盖 | tiānlínggài | Lit. “celestial spirit cover”; Fig. the crown of the head, fontanelle. “怒气直冲天灵盖” (nùqì zhíchōng tiānlínggài) is an idiom meaning to be extremely furious, with anger rushing to the top of one’s head.
- 轻功 | qīnggōng | Lightness Skill. A martial arts technique allowing practitioners to move swiftly and lightly, as if defying gravity, often involving leaping onto rooftops or across water.
- 么 | me | A sentence-final particle often used in questions, similar to “eh?” or indicating a rhetorical question or a playful tone.
- 七窍生烟 | qīqiàoshēngyān | Lit. “seven apertures/orifices produce smoke”; Fig. to be extremely angry or furious, to the point where one feels like smoke is coming out of their head (eyes, ears, nostrils, mouth).
- 撕心裂肺 | sīxīnlièfèi | Lit. “to tear the heart and rip the lungs”; Fig. heart-rending; gut-wrenching; extremely painful or sorrowful (often describing crying or shouting).
- 风言风语 | fēngyánfēngyǔ | Lit. “wind words, wind speech”; Fig. rumors, gossip, slanderous talk.
- 汪 | wāng | Onomatopoeia for a dog’s bark; woof.
- 呢 | ne | A sentence-final particle often indicating a question, continuation of a thought, or a softened tone.
- 好心当成驴肝肺 | hǎoxīn dàngchéng lǘgānfèi | Lit. “good heart taken as donkey’s liver and lungs”; Fig. to mistake good intentions for ill will; one’s kindness is not appreciated.
- 作揖 | zuòyī | A traditional Chinese salutation made by bowing with hands clasped in front of the chest.
- 市井小民 | shìjǐngxiǎomín | Lit. “market-well small commoners”; Fig. common townspeople; ordinary urban dwellers; plebeians.
- 忘恩负义 | wàng’ēnfùyì | Lit. “to forget favors and betray trust/justice”; Fig. ungrateful; to turn against a benefactor.
- 甩袖子 | shuǎi xiùzi | To flick one’s sleeve(s). A gesture often indicating annoyance, dismissal, or departure in a huff.
Thankyou for the chapter
Am I a fool for wanting the Fifth and Ninth to reconcile? Be honest