What Is It Now, My Princess? - Chapter 3

On the day the sixth prince left the capital, Xie Heng came to see me.

He looked tired, but managed a smile.

“Our Zhaohua has grown up. You can handle things on your own now.”

I lifted my chin proudly. “Of course.”

He hesitated.

“If one day I’m no longer here, you’ll have to learn to curb that temper.”

Unfortunately, I didn’t know how to curb anything. I only knew how to push my luck.

“Old man! What nonsense is that? You’re only ten years older than me! By the time you’re gone, I’ll be the Grand-Grand-Grand-Grand Princess. The emperor will probably have to call me Great-Aunt. Why would I need to curb my temper then?”

“You just don’t want to look after me anymore, do you?”

“Have you got another niece on the side?”

Xie Heng shook his head with a bitter smile.

“I’m only saying, what if…”

“No what-ifs.”

My voice was absolute.

In my distant childhood memories, Mother was little more than a hazy shadow.

Xie Heng was real. He had lit up those lonely years.

When the empress’s people mistreated me, he schemed tirelessly to put Mother’s old servants at my side.

When Father’s latest favorite called him away on my birthday, Xie Heng disguised himself as a eunuch and sneaked into the palace to celebrate with me.

Back then, I hadn’t become a wicked woman yet. I’d ask him sweetly, “Uncle, you’ll always stay with Zhaohua, won’t you?”

So that what-if he was talking about would never happen.

I wouldn’t allow it.

Unfortunately, what-if didn’t take orders from me.

Father died.

I couldn’t cry. The grief pressed so tightly inside me that I went back to my chambers and burned a pile of protective charms.

I’d prayed for every one of them for Father.

He thought I didn’t care about his illness. He had no idea how long I’d knelt at the Temple of National Protection to obtain those charms.

Not that all the kneeling had done any good.

I, Li Zhaohua, had lost my mother. Now I’d lost my father too.

The crown prince soon took the throne.

He stripped Xie Heng of his position as Prince Regent.

On the day his wife was crowned empress, Xie Heng was thrown into a death cell and granted poisoned wine.

I refused to believe he’d surrender without a fight. I rushed to the prison.

In the dim dungeon, he lay curled on a cold heap of straw. His once straight back was bent like dead wood.

Tangled hair covered most of his face. The eyes that showed beneath it held no light. They stared emptily into a corner.

I could barely believe it. This… was Xie Heng?

That was when the floating comments appeared.

[Ohhh, yes. The all-powerful regent has lost the will to live. A wrecked Ferrari of a man. Exquisite.]

[Once the regent exits, our leads can have their happy ending! Confetti!]

[He can’t win the heroine’s love. Our heartbroken second male lead just wants to die.]

[His only concern is his dead sister’s daughter. But he thinks the princess is old enough to protect herself now, so he can die in peace.]

Protect myself?

In peace?

Oh, don’t worry. I’d make absolutely sure he couldn’t.

Xie Heng had raised the poisoned wine and was about to drink.

I frowned, kicked open the cell door, and shouted, “Old man! Every official at court has signed a petition to marry me off to Dzungaria, that godforsaken hole in the middle of nowhere!”

He jumped and spilled most of the wine.

I went right on lying through my teeth. “The new emperor says a niece must pay her uncle’s debts. Once you’re dead, he’s going to cut the tendons in my hands and feet, poison me mute, and feed me Qianji poison!”

Eunuch Wang sucked in a breath.

Even the comments paused.

[Huh? Was any of that in the original plot?]

[The princess does become a villainess later, but the heroine keeps showing her mercy for the second male lead’s sake. She just lives out an uneventful life. Nothing this awful, surely?]

Xie Heng crushed the cup in his hand.

The Chief Justice arrived just then and bowed to me.

“I was unaware of Your Highness’s arrival. I…”

I slapped him across the face.

He stood rooted to the spot, one hand over his cheek.

The newly appointed Chief Justice was notorious for holding grudges. Offend him, and he’d repay you a hundredfold. Even Xie Heng found him a headache at court.

I’d hit him for no reason. Surely he’d hunt me down and kill me now.

I looked at Xie Heng. My face said it all: See? I’m arrogant. I’m impossible. I’ve made enemies everywhere.

The moment you die, they’ll send me down to join you.

We can have a lovely family reunion.

The Chief Justice stood to one side, his expression unreadable.

Xie Heng closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were clear.

He held out his hand.

“Help me up.”

“A marriage alliance, is it?”

“Let’s see who dares marry off our little Zetian.”

I pointed at my face.

Zetian?

Who, me?

Eunuch Wang clapped his hands over the Chief Justice’s ears. “You heard nothing. Nothing at all…”