An Author and Protagonist Got a Happy Ending [Transmigration] - Chapter 27

“Do you not want to see the world?”

These words were far too tempting for Xiao Muyu to resist.

Even if she harbored lingering worries that the Princess had changed her mind and wanted to finish her off—but since the marriage was now public knowledge, she couldn’t strike openly and had to find an excuse to take her out and strike on the road…

She still couldn’t find a single reason to refuse.

Xiao Muyu reached out and pinched her own cheek to confirm she felt pain. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she stood up abruptly. The fallen building blocks were already forgotten.

“When do we leave?” Xiao Muyu asked impatiently.

“In one hour,” the Princess replied. “If you still need anything, tell them to prepare it for you.”

The Princess had already handled the remaining matters. If she hadn’t considered Xiao Muyu’s feelings, she would have simply tossed her into the carriage when the time came.

Xiao Muyu didn’t show the slightest hint of complaint; she didn’t feel that this hour was too tight. In fact, she wished she could fly out of the palace gates immediately. There wasn’t much to take; she had arrived empty-handed and didn’t really have the concept of “this is mine” for anything. She just looked through the cabinets and stuffed some small snacks into a bag.

Xiao Muyu looked more excited than ever before. Although she tried to hide it, she couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from turning up.

The last few bits of hesitation in the Princess’s heart faded. When she realized it, she was standing at the door, her gaze following that lively figure, a slight smile on her own lips. She was smiling.

A maid nearby caught her expression and ventured a whisper: “Her Highness seems to be in a very good mood.”

The Princess’s gaze swept over, and the maid instinctively shrank her neck, knowing she had overstepped and feeling a bit uneasy. But to the maid’s surprise, the Princess wasn’t angry; she simply looked away.

“Where did yesterday’s leftover hawthorn cakes go?” Xiao Muyu asked a nearby maid.

“There was only a little left, and we feared they weren’t fresh, so we threw them away,” the maid replied.

Hearing this, the Princess looked at the maids beside her and commanded with a tilt of her chin: “Go get some now.”

The maids nodded quickly and left. Once they stepped outside the courtyard and the bustle grew distant, the two maids breathed a sigh of relief. They weren’t used to the Princess supervising personally; the pressure was immense, and they only dared to breathe deeply once they were away.

The two looked at each other and smiled. One whispered to her companion: “It seems Her Highness truly likes the Saintess.”

The other agreed: “Yes. I’ve never seen Her Highness be so attentive to anyone else, doing everything personally.”

“I thought those rumors were true before, but they really should come and see for themselves.”

“Anyone who saw the way the Princess looks at the Saintess would never say those things.”

“The Saintess is lucky; the Princess is even taking her on a long journey. Is she afraid she’ll be bullied if she’s left behind?”

“I think the Princess just can’t bear to leave her. She wants to take her everywhere.”

…

They chatted and giggled as they walked, getting lost in their conversation until they rounded a corner and walked straight into a figure. They looked up to see Pei Qiuyue standing before them. The usually gentle Second Miss Pei had a dark face, devoid of a smile. It was unclear how long she had been standing there.

A person who never gets angry is far more terrifying when they do; even without a smile, she looked unsettling. The two maids’ minds went blank with fear. They fell to their knees, shivering. “Second Miss.”

Pei Qiuyue suppressed her dissatisfaction and frowned as she told the terrified maids to get up. She wasn’t targeting them; she simply still couldn’t accept the reality of the situation.

“Are you coming from the Saintess’s quarters?” Pei Qiuyue asked.

“Yes. The Saintess wanted hawthorn cakes, and the Princess ordered us to fetch some,” the maids answered tremulously.

“Go on then.”

Pei Qiuyue waved them away. She stood there for a moment, originally intending to see the Saintess, but decided against it. She had no right to interfere with what the Princess had decided. She sighed and walked in the opposite direction to give final instructions to the guards responsible for the escort.

She only hoped everything would go smoothly.

When she was pushed into the carriage by the Princess, Xiao Muyu felt a chill on her back. It felt as if someone was staring at her from behind.

Xiao Muyu turned around and saw Pei Qiuyue watching them. Seeing her turn, Pei Qiuyue waved a hand, as if wishing her a safe journey.

The Princess pressed down on Xiao Muyu’s shoulder to get her inside while the latter was still struggling to turn her head, asking, “Did I do something to upset Second Miss?”

“She just can’t bear to see you go,” the Princess replied matter-of-factly.

“Really?” Xiao Muyu didn’t believe it.

“Really.” It was true, just not for the simple reasons Xiao Muyu imagined.

Since the Princess wouldn’t say, Xiao Muyu didn’t ask. She was very self-aware about her situation. Traveling to another country wasn’t like walking from a room to the courtyard gate; the Xuefu Kingdom was vast, and there was a long journey to reach another nation at the border.

For cultivators, traveling a thousand miles a day wasn’t hard, but they had to escort the envoy back, and Xiao Muyu was an ordinary person. The carriage was prepared specifically for her. No one knew of Xiao Muyu’s experience in the apocalypse; in the eyes of others, the Saintess was a fragile burden.

Fortunately, the guards assigned to this escort were the Princess’s elite inner circle. The upside was that they weren’t gossips and wouldn’t have emotional outbursts out of dissatisfaction; they simply executed the Princess’s orders mechanically, keeping a close watch on the envoy.

The carriage carrying the Princess and Xiao Muyu followed behind, allowing the Princess to monitor the situation ahead. Xiao Muyu leaned against the small window, watching the magnificent palace fade into the distance.

Perhaps wanting to keep a low profile, the group traveled along secluded paths, with only a few distant sounds of bustle audible. After leaving the palace, Xiao Muyu didn’t feel particularly cold; the carriage likely had some sort of warming ward. The Princess, being a cultivator, wasn’t naturally afraid of the cold, but she had clearly considered Xiao Muyu’s constitution.

Why is she suddenly being so good to me? Xiao Muyu was puzzled, but only to the extent of stealing a glance at the Princess out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t ask and soon put the question aside.

Just as she turned her head to look at the street on the other side, Xiao Muyu accidentally met the gaze of the person ahead. Based on his clothing style, he must be the Prince posing as an envoy.

He was reportedly the Fifth Prince, originally the most favored child, but due to his mother’s family lacking influence, he lost the power struggle to his eldest brother and thus thought of fleeing to find outside help. But one had to admit his brain worked well—at least he had many clever ideas. In the original plot, he was indispensable in fueling the flames of the multi-nation war. A total opportunist.

It was unknown what secret agreement the Princess had made with him, but even on the road under escort, he remained leisurely and content, showing no signs of fear or panic. Instead, he seemed confident, occasionally chatting with the people around him. Unfortunately, the guards were professional and acted like blocks of wood, offering only brief, business-like responses.

Finding no purchase with the guards, the Fifth Prince moved his gaze and quickly composed himself, looking back. “Is that lady… the one the Princess married?”

The Fifth Prince hesitated. He had been in Xuefu for a while and had heard the news of the wedding. In his country, it was rare for women to hold office, let alone the news of a Princess succeeding the throne or marrying a woman.

The guard, worried he might unintentionally offend the Princess, explained: “That is the Saintess of the Temple, whom our Princess took the initiative to marry.”

The Fifth Prince turned his head, hiding a strange expression. “So, it seems the Princess truly loves this Saintess.”

“Of course,” the guard said. “A person the Princess personally brought home is naturally someone she cherishes sincerely. It would be best for the Fifth Prince to mind his own business.”

“But the Saintess seems to have a weak constitution?”

“The Saintess has simply spent many years in the Temple. Conversely, the Fifth Prince doesn’t look like a robust man himself; perhaps you should take better care of your own health and strengthen your constitution.”

The guard shut down the Prince’s line of questioning. The implication was for him to stay away from the Saintess just because she was beautiful. If he angered the Princess, he wouldn’t have a good ending. This Fifth Prince’s combat ability wasn’t up to par; all his talent points seemed to have gone into sowing discord. But he knew his situation and knew he couldn’t provoke the Princess right now, so he could only echo the guard with a fake smile.

“Thanks for the reminder.”

The Fifth Prince took one last look at Xiao Muyu. She wasn’t looking at him anymore but was staring at the street on the other side, her eyes full of wonder and her exquisite face a bit dazed. She looked like an innocent, naive girl.

Looks very easy to deceive.

Xiao Muyu suddenly felt a chill. She turned to find the Princess leaning in close; she reached past Xiao Muyu’s shoulder and closed the curtain of the small window, blocking the gaze of the person outside. The carriage grew much quieter.

“Sorry, did it disturb you?”

The Princess gave a noncommittal “Mm” and handed her something. “Is this yours? It fell on the floor.”

Seeing the object in her hand, Xiao Muyu froze. Lying in the Princess’s palm was a jade pendant—the very one the Old National Preceptor had given her, ordering her to never let it leave her person. Xiao Muyu touched the spot where the pendant usually was and realized it had fallen out at some point. Probably when she was shifting around to get comfortable after boarding.

The fact that the Princess had casually picked it up made her overthink. Why did the Princess pick that exact moment to take her away? While she had no intention of reporting to the National Preceptor, if she had told him in advance, there would inevitably have been complications. The Princess wasn’t one for impulsive decisions; a major move like going to another country personally must have been planned well in advance.

Does the Princess already know about me and the National Preceptor? Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but think along those lines. But if she knew, why…

Xiao Muyu felt her face was going to freeze from her fake smile. The Princess grabbed her hand and pressed the pendant into her palm. Even in the warm carriage, the Princess’s hand was icy.

“Keep important things safe,” the Princess whispered her instruction. “Also, once we get there, do not leave my side, or I cannot guarantee your safety.”

Xiao Muyu felt like the pendant was burning her palm. She nodded randomly, feeling a rare twinge of conscience.

“But with you gone, Princess, won’t the Palace… be too busy?” Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but ask. “And His Majesty…”

“It’s fine. We won’t be gone long. Qiuyue is there for Imperial Father, and the National Preceptor is watching over things; there shouldn’t be any problems for now.”

“The National Preceptor?” Xiao Muyu was surprised.

“What?” The Princess looked at her, questioning her shock.

“No, nothing.” Xiao Muyu covered her mouth, but after a moment her curiosity got the better of her. “I heard Your Highness and the National Preceptor had some… minor friction. You trust him that much?”

“He is quite dedicated to Imperial Father,” the Princess replied. “But I heard he has been plagued by bad luck recently; he should know that Imperial Father’s health is precious and will likely stay away to avoid causing any ill omens.”

Xiao Muyu’s brow twitched as she tried hard not to overthink that.

As they were talking, the carriage suddenly lurched violently. Xiao Muyu lost her balance and crashed into the Princess’s embrace. Once the carriage stabilized, Xiao Muyu hurriedly tried to get up, only to be pressed back by the Princess’s hand on the back of her neck.

The Princess lifted the curtain and asked coldly, “What happened?”

A guard came up to report that a large pit had been dug in the road ahead, and the surrounding area was uneven. The horse had been startled, and the carriage had nearly crashed. No major harm was done, but the wheels looked skewed; it was best to stop ahead for repairs.

Because they were on a secluded path, they were nearing the wilderness. After traveling a bit further, they spotted a small inn. Repairing the carriage wasn’t Xiao Muyu’s job, so she could only sit in the inn holding a teacup and staring blankly. The Princess was speaking to the guards in a low voice.

Xiao Muyu retracted her gaze to see a waiter approaching with a smile. The group hadn’t revealed their identities, and the owner of the small shop had never seen the Princess, so he just took them for a wealthy family. Hoping for a tip, he saw that Xiao Muyu looked bored, so while waiting for her order, he began to chat.

“Here is our menu, and these are complimentary appetizers.” The waiter deftly handed over the dishes and the menu. “If you are bored, I can tell you about a new storybook?”

An inn with such thoughtful service? Xiao Muyu was intrigued and turned her attention to him.

“If you find my story interesting, you can just give me a couple extra coins in tip,” the waiter smiled broadly. “Well then, I’ll tell the tale of the Princess marrying the Saintess. They say there was such a…”

“Pfft—!”

Xiao Muyu nearly choked on her tea. She waved her hands frantically, signaling the waiter to stop. “Change it, change another one!”

“But this is the hottest one right now…” The waiter looked bewildered.

Xiao Muyu was still coughing. She thought to herself that this world was truly bizarre—could the affairs of a Princess be spoken of so casually?

“What’s wrong with that? It shows that the Princess and His Majesty love the people like their own children and are approachable. The story of His Majesty and the late Empress is still a very popular play even now.”

“…” She didn’t quite understand the worldview of this world. Even if she had technically created it—all that “open social customs” stuff.

“I think the shopkeeper speaks well. Here, a reward for you.” The Fifth Prince walked over at some point, pulled out a silver ingot, and tossed it to the waiter. “Bring another pot of tea.”

Xiao Muyu watched as this “prisoner” arrogantly sat down beside her, looking ready to act friendly. Once the waiter happily turned back to get the tea, the Fifth Prince lowered his voice. “You must be the Saintess. I’ve heard much about you.”

Xiao Muyu shifted imperceptibly in the opposite direction. “Not at all, not at all. I’m just a nobody; you needn’t mind me.” In short: trying to latch onto her was useless.

“The Saintess is being modest. You are the person the Princess holds in her heart; surely you have extraordinary qualities.” The Fifth Prince flattered her with a smile. “Just looking at your appearance and your aura, you are clearly beyond compare.”

As he praised her, perhaps he got too into character, and his gaze grew increasingly dazed. Staring at Xiao Muyu’s face, a genuine look of astonishment unconsciously appeared. This Saintess was indeed a true beauty. What a pity to be paired with the Princess—a waste of natural talent.

The Fifth Prince leaned closer and closer. “To be honest, I am someone of noble birth and wide experience, but even if I searched my entire country, I might not find one who compares to you…”

Xiao Muyu was almost flat against the wall. If I can’t resist slamming the table into his face, will it affect international peace or the Princess’s plans?

Just as she was thinking this, a sharp Clang! rang out as a flash of cold light embedded itself into the table between them. It was mere fractions of an inch from the Fifth Prince’s face.

In the dead silence, the waiter, who had just returned with the tea, shivered and dropped the pot. Everyone else finally reacted.

The Princess twisted the hilt of the blade and shot the Fifth Prince a freezing glance. “Take your dog eyes back.”