Chapter 15 : I Can Still Be Your Second Sister-in-Law

The Fourth Princess paused, then decided not to speak further to Xue Qingyin, fearing she would only make herself more frustrated.

She turned to Xie Yiyi, “If you speak of today’s events outside…”

Xie Yiyi’s face turned pale as she quickly replied, “I dare not, I dare not.”

The noble people in the palace, she couldn’t afford to offend any of them. Especially today’s matter—first involving Concubine Wan and Prince Wei, then King Xuan… several prominent figures were entangled in this!

“Good that you know your place, or I have many ways to torment you,” the Fourth Princess sneered.

She had bottled up her arrogance and show-off tendencies all day, only to unleash it all on Xie Yiyi.

While stewing in frustration, a delicate, white hand emerged from the side, holding a soft handkerchief.

The Fourth Princess looked over.

It was… Xue Qingyin?!

“What are you doing?” the Fourth Princess asked stiffly.

“Won’t you wipe the sweat from your forehead, Princess?” Xue Qingyin asked lazily.

The Fourth Princess paused for a moment. She thought Xue Qingyin, relying on her brother and Prince Wei’s favor, would be eager to retaliate fiercely…

After hesitating, the Fourth Princess grabbed the handkerchief quickly.

As a princess, she had already lost face today, and she couldn’t afford to lose her composure further.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead and finally felt a cooling sensation.

At that moment, the palace maids reacted, quickly taking out handkerchiefs and nervously asking, “SPalace I fetch a basin of hot water for the princess?”

What good was it to show kindness now?

The Fourth Princess glared at them angrily, “A bunch of fools, not a bit of awareness!”

“They fear you, but don’t respect you. Is this the kind of status and power you’re so proud of as the Fourth Princess?” Xue Qingyin’s tone remained nonchalant.

The Fourth Princess shuddered. She had never thought of this before…

After all, the Emperor dotes on her, and she was raised under the favor of Concubine Wan, rarely experiencing hardship. Except for when dealing with her older brother.

The palace maids had to watch her mood, and even those less favored concubines would flatter her…

But ever since stepping out of Concubine Wan’s palace today…

Xue Qingyin had been slowly pricking at her pride.

But the Fourth Princess didn’t show any sign of it. She gritted her teeth, “Palace matters, perhaps they’re none of your business, Miss Xue?”

Xue Qingyin nodded, “Hmm, I never said anything.”

The Fourth Princess felt like she had just punched a cotton pillow.

How could this Miss Xue be so calm?

The Fourth Princess couldn’t help but sneer, “So you really are sickly, I wonder how Prince Wei could fall for such a sickly thing?”

Xue Qingyin: “Because I’m extremely beautiful?”

The Fourth Princess was momentarily speechless. Was this person not the slightest bit ashamed? What kind of girl brags about her own beauty?

Xie Yiyi, listening to this exchange, couldn’t help but feel envious.

Her family had strict rules, and she had always disliked Xue Qingyin’s behavior. But now that she was in the palace, Xue Qingyin’s calm demeanor made her envious…

Everyone said Xue Qingyin was spoiled, but perhaps it was because of the Xue family’s indulgence that she had developed such an unafraid personality.

If it were her… she would never dare speak to the Fourth Princess like this!

“You shouldn’t get too smug… since you’re now my companion, you’ll frequently be summoned to the palace. With my older brother here, I won’t do anything to you. But have you considered…” the Fourth Princess stood and leaned in close to Xue Qingyin’s ear, “When Concubine Wan wants to do something, nothing can stop her. In the palace, it’s easy to ruin a woman’s chastity…”

Xue Qingyin turned slightly, whispering back into her ear, “The inner palace does not allow foreign ministers in, where would a man come from to ruin my chastity? Should I invite the Emperor instead? Then, when you see me, will you kneel before me?”

The Fourth Princess: “…”

Her face flushed with anger, “Shameless! How dare you, how dare you think…!”

Xue Qingyin remained unbothered, “Otherwise, becoming your second sister-in-law wouldn’t be bad?”

The Fourth Princess was even more enraged, “Absolutely not! Someone like my older brother… even if a celestial beauty appeared before him, he would remain stone-hearted.”

Xue Qingyin: “Oh.”

The Fourth Princess felt a jolt in her heart. Could Xue Qingyin really want to marry her older brother?

The Fourth Princess immediately became wary of her.

She thought, Xue Qingyin couldn’t afford to lose her chastity in the palace.

This woman was thick-skinned, and if she used this chance to climb into the Emperor’s bed… it would be disastrous!

The Fourth Princess grumbled, “You can all leave now.”

Xie Yiyi awkwardly stood up.

They were leaving just like that?

Xue Qingyin asked, “Fourth Princess, will you see me out?”

The Fourth Princess glared at her, “You actually want me to see you out?”

“I have a soft palanquin, a carriage… it wasn’t easy for me to come here today, I’m out of breath. If I have to walk back like this, I might die halfway…”

“Shut up!” the Fourth Princess barked, then called for the wet nurse, “Take her out.”

The wet nurse obeyed, inwardly groaning.

“Wait.” The Fourth Princess smiled, “I want to reward Miss Xie.”

Xie Yiyi stood there, confused, not understanding why the princess had threatened her earlier, only to reward her now.

“Reward… a crystal glass. This is a rare item from the Western Regions.” The Fourth Princess said, her heart bleeding as she did so.

But she deliberately rewarded Xie Yiyi, “neglecting” Xue Qingyin.

When people outside discussed it, it would be enough to make Xue Qingyin uncomfortable.

After the wet nurse quickly brought the crystal glass, the Fourth Princess looked at Xue Qingyin’s expression.

Why was she still so indifferent?

The Fourth Princess gritted her teeth.

Xue Qingyin thought to herself, what crystal glass? It’s just a glass cup, right?

I can buy three for ten bucks!

Xue Qingyin showed no reaction, but Xie Yiyi, upon receiving the crystal glass, began to rethink.

She couldn’t help but look at Xue Qingyin more often.

Could Miss Xue be jealous of me?

Xie Yiyi was on edge all the way home.

Xue Qingyin, meanwhile, was supported out of the palace, and soon sat in a carriage back to the Xue family.

In the Mingyi Palace.

The old wet nurse was speaking with Concubine Wan, “This Miss Xue can never be chosen to marry into the Prince’s estate. She’s frail, gasping after every few steps. How can she bear children?”

“She’s too beautiful, she brings disaster. She’s also very delicate, unwilling to endure hardship. She’ll probably become a jealous, favored woman, a troublemaker.”

Concubine Wan, being a beauty herself, understood the value of beauty.

She gently pursed her lips, “Doesn’t the Duke of Zhao have a son, already in his forties and still without a wife? Why not do him a favor? If Miss Xue marries into the Duke’s house, it would be a rare fortune for her.”

The old wet nurse’s mouth curved up in a smile.

The Duke of Zhao’s son…

Born foolish, now severely overweight. Previously, the Duke had tried to marry him off, but the chosen girl died before the wedding, rumored to have been scared to death by the Duke’s family.

After that, the Duke was furious and no longer thought of finding a wife for his son.

No matter how beautiful Miss Xue was, after marrying into that family, she’d be discarded like an unwanted fish eye.

…

Xue Qingyin sneezed.

And all of it landed on He Songning.

He Songning’s temples twitched: “…”

But since he was here to “comfort” Xue Qingyin today, he had no choice but to suppress his displeasure.

Not long after Xue Qingyin returned to her residence.

A maid brought longan for her to eat, and Xue Qingyin peeled two, her hands getting sticky.

When she saw He Songning, she immediately rushed into his arms and said sweetly, “I thought you wouldn’t come to see me…”

Then, she secretly wiped the longan juice on his clothes.

You tricked me into marrying Prince Wei.

I’ll use you as my rag.

Not too much, right?