An Author and Protagonist Got a Happy Ending [Transmigration] - Chapter 28

The Fifth Prince swallowed hard and quickly jerked his head back.

The sharp tip of the blade had grazed his cheek, giving him the terrifying illusion that a layer of skin had been shaved off. The look in the other person’s eyes was too cold; one sweep of her gaze made his heart skip beats in terror.

If he stubbornly stayed here now, the next strike wouldn’t land on the table. He snapped back to his senses, gave the Princess a forced, sheepish greeting, and secretly stood up to slip behind the stool. “You two chat, you two chat. I’ll go outside to look at the scenery.”

Before he could even finish his sentence, he had vanished in a flash.

The Princess pulled out the heavy broadsword, and with a flick of her wrist, threw it toward the main door. The blade embedded itself firmly into the doorframe, right in front of the fleeing Fifth Prince. He shivered as the approaching guards pinned him down just in time, sparing him the tragic fate of having his head split open.

The Princess didn’t even turn around, simply dropping the command: “Watch him closely.”

“Yes,” the guard replied. When Xiao Muyu turned to look, she saw him holding an empty scabbard, reaching up to pry the sword out of the doorframe. The blade had likely been snatched from him by the Princess on a whim.

“What do you want to eat?” the Princess asked Xiao Muyu.

“Hmm?” Xiao Muyu returned to her senses. “Anything is fine.”

The Princess pulled out a small piece of gold and placed it on the table, glancing up at the dazed waiter. “Repair fees. Serve the food.”

The waiter stole a glance at her, stepped forward to pick up the gold, and bit it. Immediately, he broke into a grin, bowing and scraping as he said, “Right away!”

“Is that Fifth Prince okay?” Xiao Muyu was about to look outside when the Princess pinched her chin and turned her face back.

“He won’t be jumping around for long; you don’t need to worry about him,” the Princess said, her tone growing more pointed. “Stay away from him.”

Xiao Muyu understood that without being told, but she was still curious. “Did Your Highness promise him something?” Why isn’t he afraid at all? He didn’t act like a prisoner being escorted to a dangerous destination.

“He’s been lobbying me to send people to help them suppress the internal unrest.”

“And?”

“I agreed.”

“…You wouldn’t…”

“I didn’t specify how I would help him suppress the unrest.”

“…”

Xiao Muyu suddenly felt that the Fifth Prince was a bit pitiful. The Princess clearly had no intention of actually helping him; he was the only one happily thinking he had found a backer.

“What’s there to be pitiful about?” The Princess gave a cold snort. “He’s a creature that fears a world without chaos.”

This was the first time the Princess had displayed such vivid dissatisfaction toward the Fifth Prince. Those who didn’t know the inside story might be deceived by his silver tongue, but in reality, this man harbored no good intentions. After failing his power struggle, he refused to accept his fate. Failing to win over outside help, he didn’t lower his head but instead tried to incite conflicts between nations.

Saving a life or seizing power is difficult, but making two sides that already distrust each other start fighting is incredibly easy. His logic was simple: if he couldn’t have it, he’d rather destroy everything than let someone else have it. And those who refused to help him? He would seek revenge on them as well.

The Princess had suffered because of him in the past. Back then, they were caught off guard; no one expected such a small, isolated country to cause so much trouble. By the time they realized it, they were riding a tiger—difficult to dismount. If another country’s army marches to your doorstep and you don’t fight back, you’re a coward. Word would spread, shaking military morale and affecting your reputation, making others think you are weak and easy to bully, which inevitably leads to endless trouble.

The military strength of Xuefu far surpassed that of Xiyan; the Princess’s ultimate victory had been a foregone conclusion. But such a result brought no joy. Once a conflict is sparked, it is hard to see the end. It’s like a chain reaction that only pulls you deeper until you can no longer break free. War spread from two nations to three, four, and further. The wailing of the dead on the battlefield was endless, and the people were displaced.

The Princess never claimed to be “just,” but she had arrogantly believed in the philosophy of “ending war with war,” thinking that once the world was unified, the people would no longer suffer. Only after truly experiencing several wars and falling into a low point where thousands criticized her did she begin to waver.

It was during that time that the world froze. She was trapped alone in the wind and snow, with no time to consolidate her philosophy. She could only reflect, discard, and polish her thoughts until she self-deprecatingly admitted her “sins.” By the time the silence ended, she had discarded even the concept of “sin.” There was nothing left in this world worth lingering for; the only thing of meaning was the person she saw at the end of her vision.

The Princess pulled her thoughts back from the edge of the snow. She pushed the dish the waiter had just served toward Xiao Muyu. “Eat. You don’t need to worry about those things. Just do what you want to do.”

She had no intention of involving Xiao Muyu in those messes. Bringing her out this time was simply to let her see the world. She was prepared for the affairs in Xiyan; she wouldn’t fail a second time. Before, by the time she realized what was happening, she had no choice. Now, before anything has occurred, she can take the opportunity to eliminate many future risks and troubles.

Xiao Muyu looked at the Princess through the steam of the food. She felt the Princess’s profile was looking more and more ethereal. The Princess, assuming she was still worried about her safety, comforted her: “Don’t worry, I will protect you.”

Xiao Muyu blinked. She wanted to say she wasn’t worried about that, but on second thought, their relationship hadn’t reached the point of sharing heart-to-heart secrets. So she just nodded silently and gave a soft “Mm.”

The rest of the journey was uneventful. However, the roads near Xiyan were difficult. Even the robust guards showed signs of fatigue and had to stop frequently for rest.

During these breaks, the Fifth Prince tried several times to get close to Xiao Muyu, but without exception, the Princess blocked him. After the final time—where she shaved a lock of hair off his head and threatened to gouge his eyes out if he approached her again—the Fifth Prince finally settled down.

As they grew closer to Xiyan, the Fifth Prince became increasingly silent. The guards whispered that he was likely anxious or apprehensive. Passing by, Xiao Muyu felt that wasn’t the case. She leaned out of the carriage window to look at him. The spot on his head where the hair had been shaved off was a noticeable bald patch; travelers they encountered couldn’t help but cover their mouths and snicker.

But he didn’t seem to care. His expression was calm, and occasionally he wore a strange smile. It looked like… excitement. Definitely a pervert.

Xiao Muyu retracted her gaze and stopped paying him any mind. Even if the Princess hadn’t said anything, she had no intention of interfering. Firstly, she lacked self-defense skills. Secondly, the plot had long since spun out of her control. she believed the Princess would handle it better than she could.

But then again, in the original plot, the Princess was kept in the dark at the beginning. Why the sudden change of heart now? Xiao Muyu tapped the carriage doorframe idly, her thoughts drifting. Was it a butterfly effect caused by my existence? Since the plot was already unrecognizable, dwelling on these minor details seemed meaningless…

“Saintess—”

It wasn’t until the guard called her for the third time that Xiao Muyu snapped back. “Ah, what is it?”

“The capital of Xiyan is just ahead. Please enter with the Princess first. We will wait until nightfall to bring the Fifth Prince into the city.”

“Oh, okay.” Xiao Muyu hurriedly hopped down from the carriage and ran toward the Princess.

The Princess was at the city gate verifying documents with the guards. She was entering the city through official channels, having announced her arrival beforehand, so she could walk in openly. It was said the current King of Xiyan wanted to send someone to welcome her at the gate, but she refused on the grounds that it shouldn’t be too conspicuous. It wouldn’t be good if the Fifth Prince sensed something. As soon as this reason was given, the King—who was desperate to catch his troublemaking fifth brother—immediately stopped insisting.

“Please enter.” The guard handed the verified documents back.

Xiao Muyu reached her side just then. The Princess grabbed her hand, ready to enter together. The guard asked one more question: “And this lady is?”

The Princess replied, “My wife.”

The guard froze, his gaze darting between the two of them for several loops. Xiao Muyu covered her face, acting the part of a shy bride. The guard nodded and let them through, adding a warning: “The city hasn’t been peaceful lately. You weak women should best avoid going out at night.”

The Princess nodded, pulled Xiao Muyu into the city, and stepped onto the street. She looked left and right, picked a path, and headed straight in that direction.

“Where are we going?” Xiao Muyu lowered her hands. Her expression was normal, but curiosity showed in her eyes as she took in the street scenes.

Xiyan was further south; unlike Xuefu, which was permanently covered in snow, it was much warmer here. Willow leaves and green branches were visible along the streets. It looked similar to the old alleys and ancient cities of Xiao Muyu’s era, but much more crowded. Vendors were shouting on both sides, and there was a candied haw vendor at the end of the street.

Xiyan felt more familiar to Xiao Muyu than Xuefu. It was hard to imagine the country had recently been in turmoil; as an outsider walking through, the primary feeling was one of “peace.”

“The previous King was a generous and kind man. As a ruler, he lacked great ambition, but the people loved him,” the Princess explained. “Pity his sons are quite incompetent. Their schemes are each more devious than the last. Only the eldest son has a bit of his father’s style, but sadly, his brain isn’t very good.”

She was referring to the current King. By status and reputation, he was the rightful heir. If the Fifth Prince hadn’t been inciting trouble, he would have stabilized the situation much faster.

Xiao Muyu was about to point out that openly insulting a King in his own capital might not be the best idea, but the Princess stopped. “Let’s not talk about those things for now; they aren’t important.” The Princess stood before the candied haw vendor and handed over some silver. “I’ll take them all. Keep the change.”

The vendor dazed for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He hurriedly took the silver and handed over the entire straw-wrapped pole of candied haws.

Xiao Muyu whispered, “Your Highness, are you trying to experience commoner life?”

The Princess didn’t even lift an eyelid. She pulled one stick from the pole and handed it to Xiao Muyu. “Call me Feixue. Didn’t you say you wanted to eat these?”

Xiao Muyu froze. She stared at the candied haws for a long time before digging that specific memory out. That was back when she had just moved into the small courtyard. And she had asked for candied haws not because she wanted to eat them, but as a random excuse to ask the maids about the situation outside the palace.

The Princess glanced at her and asked, “You don’t like it?”

Xiao Muyu hesitated, unable to explain the truth through her bitter expression. She could only sigh and say reluctantly, “…I like it.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t like them. There were few things she could eat that she didn’t enjoy. Putting the past aside, Xiao Muyu was soon happily munching on the candied haws.

“Where are we going now?” Xiao Muyu asked. “The palace shouldn’t be in this direction.” She had seen the shadow of some grand high-rise buildings when they entered, but in the opposite direction they were walking.

“Finding a place to stay,” the Princess explained. “The palace is full of eyes, ears, and rules. There would inevitably be slips.”

“What about the… Fifth? Aren’t you worried he’ll cause trouble?”

“My mission ended the moment he reached the city gate. The King has already sent people to meet him. Entering at night was also the King’s wish. How they handle him after that is their own business,” the Princess said indifferently.

She hadn’t come here entirely for the Fifth Prince’s sake. But she didn’t explain the details to Xiao Muyu.

There was an inn not far ahead that looked clean and spacious from the outside. The Princess dragged Xiao Muyu inside without another word. “This will do. Rest well for a day. We have to go up the mountain the day after tomorrow at the latest; you’re coming with me.”

Up the mountain for what? Xiao Muyu didn’t have time to ask.

They took a suite. There was a small partition inside, originally intended for a family; it suited them perfectly. Since the night of the wedding, they had never slept together. This kind of solitude was rare. Xiao Muyu, normally heartless, felt a bit awkward as her thoughts drifted, though her expression didn’t change much.

The Princess sat by the bed reading a book left in the room. Xiao Muyu sat at the table, shelling sunflower seeds one by one. She put the kernels in one pile and the shells in another. She didn’t eat them, just shelled them and used the kernels to build a little castle. She was almost finished with half a bowl of seeds.

Knock, knock— Someone tapped on the door. The Princess looked up from her book, her brow slightly furrowed as she looked toward the entrance. The person outside asked if they wanted hot water; it was clearly the inn worker.

Before leaving, he called out a reminder. “Guests, remember to close your doors and windows before sleeping. Try not to go out at night.”

Xiao Muyu continued shelling seeds and couldn’t help but say, “It looks quite peaceful here during the day. Why is everyone so panicky at night?”

The Princess waited until the noise outside faded before looking back down, explaining: “I heard there are bandits and outlaws who specifically commit crimes at night. With the transition of power, the new King is busy handling private affairs under the cover of night and has no heart to manage the outlaws, so they are allowed to be arrogant for now.”

Before she finished speaking, a clatter of noise drifted from downstairs. It sounded like someone had kicked the door in, followed by the sound of things being smashed and a series of curses. But aside from that, it was quiet, as if everyone else was used to it.

Xiao Muyu was a bit worried. The Princess closed the book and looked at her. “It’s getting late. Do you want to sleep with me?”