Младшая сестра, он точно не переодевается в женскую одежду

Глава 1

Chapter 1

A pine tree stands tall in the bright sunshine, swaying gently in the breeze.

Qiu Lanxi stood at the window, gazing affectionately at the pine tree, wishing she could take its place.

Pine trees were often planted in mausoleums during the Ning Dynasty, which is why many people considered them unlucky. Even though scholars often used them to symbolize unyielding integrity, it did not change their 'unlucky' nature. However, Qiu Lanxi insisted on planting pine trees in her own courtyard.

The servants didn't find this strange. After all, given Qiu Lanxi's status, she probably wouldn't want to stay here if she had a choice. That's why they planted pine trees in front of the courtyard, implying that this was her grave.

In reality, Qiu Lanxi planted pine trees simply because she liked them. In her world, pine trees are also called evergreen trees, and her biggest wish now is to live a little longer, just like an evergreen tree.

“Miss, the sun is shining brightly outside. Why don’t I accompany you for a walk in the courtyard?” Ke’er knew why she had been frowning all day, and said in a low voice with heartache, “Miss, you’ve been in the capital for quite some time now. Princess Shaoguang probably hasn’t noticed yet. Miss…”

Before Ke'er could comfort Qiu Lanxi and make her smile, a round-faced maid rushed over anxiously: "Du An said that Princess Shaoguang has suddenly led her troops this way. Miss, let's run away quickly! It will be too late if we don't leave now!"

"Smack—"

Upon hearing the devastating news, Qiu Lanxi's hand trembled, and the precious white jade cup in her hand fell to the ground. Like anyone about to be caught in adultery, her heart pounded as if it would burst out of her chest: "Quick! Grab your bags! Let's go!"

Ever since she learned that the person who took her away from the battlefield was a married man whose wife was the famous Princess Shaoguang of the Ning Dynasty, Qiu Lanxi had been worried about this moment and had simulated the escape route more than once. Now, when she suddenly heard this bad news, she was still able to remain relatively calm.

Wang Baiying, who took Qiu Lanxi away, was afraid of gossip, so she didn't dare to put Qiu Lanxi in the home of a friend. Instead, she settled her in her own private property. The house was very big, but there was one problem: the house was close to the river and there were few routes. If you didn't want to jump into the water, you could only walk on the main road.

But Qiu Lanxi couldn't swim before she crossed the river, and she would never have considered jumping into the river to escape unless absolutely necessary.

Qiu Lanxi was unaware that the entire Xunyan Alley had been surrounded by Princess Shaoguang's troops. As a result, when she and her maid ran to the alley entrance, they saw the well-disciplined soldiers and Princess Shaoguang sitting on a stool, waiting for them to come to them.

Where can they escape to?!

The sight of the adulterers being caught in such a dramatic scene made Qiu Lanxi's legs tremble uncontrollably. She unconsciously touched her neck, as if she could already see herself bleeding on the spot.

Upon seeing the arrival, Princess Shaoguang slowly put down her teacup, her red lips slightly raised: "You are the concubine whom the prince consort keeps in his golden house. Come here and let me see what kind of beauty you possess that has captivated the prince consort!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Lanxi turned pale with fear. After all, in this world, even if the other party killed her, there would probably be no one to seek justice for her.

She glanced at the blood-stained broadsword in the hand of the maid beside the other woman, which she had just used for something, and then at the gleaming red and gold whip on the table. She couldn't even make out what Princess Shaoguang looked like. She only felt that the sword hairpin on the other woman's head was so dazzling that she wanted to faint immediately to escape reality and not face the scene that was about to unfold.

But Qiu Lanxi was afraid that if she fainted, the other party would just chop her up, so she gritted her teeth and slowly moved over, racking her brains for a solution as she moved.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she walked at a snail's pace. The maidservant glanced at the princess and, seeing that she wasn't urging her, patiently stood in place and waited with her mistress.

Being stared at by a group of people like this is no different from being slowly sliced to death. No matter how much Qiu Lanxi delayed, she still walked up to Princess Shaoguang. Now she had no choice but to take a gamble!

She seemed to want to kneel down and beg for mercy, but perhaps her legs were too weak, and she fell directly onto Princess Shaoguang because she couldn't stand properly.

"Bold—"

Everyone was startled by Qiu Lanxi's sudden action, fearing she might be an assassin. Princess Shaoguang, however, remained unmoved, seemingly very confident in her safety.

Princess Shaoguang had come from the outskirts of town and hadn't had time to change her clothes. When Qiu Lanxi fell, she was hurt by the sharp pain. She didn't know what Princess Shaoguang was wearing under her robes, perhaps something like an inner armor. Without thinking, tears streamed down her face. She buried her face in the princess's lap, lifted her head, her eyelashes trembling slightly, and said in one swift motion, "Your Highness..."

The instant she raised her face, her snow-white complexion seemed to dispel all shadows, all light focused on it, and everything seemed to lose its color in an instant.

Yan Qingli paused for a moment as she looked into those misty eyes.

How could anyone be born with such beautiful eyes? They are like the misty, rainy lakeside of Jiangnan. Some people are captivated and intoxicated by them. Even the most hard-hearted person can't help but soften a little when she gazes at them.

However, before anyone could examine it closely, the other person suddenly lowered their head, and the light seemed to dim slightly as a result, making one involuntarily want to follow them.

Yan Qingli could clearly feel her body trembling slightly. Such a small amount of courage did not seem like someone who could do bold things. It was not hard to guess that she was acting against her will.

But she knew very well that the more harmless a person seemed, the more likely they were to lie.

She reached out and pinched Qiu Lanxi's chin, forcing her to raise her head. The girl looked at her in alarm, her small face, no bigger than a palm, was slightly cool, as if it would melt at the touch of her fingertips in the next second.

Princess Shaoguang's eyes darkened slightly. She reached out and slowly wiped away the tears from Qiu Lanxi's eyes, raising her eyebrows slightly: "No wonder the prince consort couldn't resist keeping her in a golden house. Even I can't help but feel pity for her. From now on, you will follow me."

Qiu Lanxi stared at her in astonishment, and for a moment she began to doubt whether she had used a sob story strategy or a deceptive tactic.

Their eyes met, and Qiu Lanxi saw a perfectly timed look of amazement in her eyes as she looked away in a flustered manner. She couldn't help but think that she had been overthinking things; her clear eyes didn't seem like she was bewitched.

Yan Qingli saw her astonishment but didn't seem to care.

She came in a grand manner, clearly not wanting the matter to be simply suppressed. She had originally planned to do them a favor if she liked them, and to leave it to her subordinates if she didn't. But now she had a better idea.

She stood up, ignoring Qiu Lanxi who had fallen to the ground because of her sudden action, turned around and got into the carriage, her voice drifting back: "Bring her in too."

The identity of "she" is self-evident.

The maid, still in a daze, immediately shoved the knife into the person beside her and pulled them up, saying, "Miss, please."

Qiu Lanxi boarded the carriage with a somewhat bewildered and fearful expression. Knowing that her life was saved, she felt even more uneasy.

Sitting idly by and waiting for death has never been her style. Since Princess Shaoguang did not immediately call for her to be beaten or killed, she was obviously not an impatient person. When she walked over, she didn't even glance at her. This was clearly not the attitude of someone catching a mistress.

However, she made such a big fuss that Qiu Lanxi boldly guessed that the other party was after Prince Consort Wang Baiying. Based on this, her life would have a chance to turn around, which is why Qiu Lanxi chose to take the gamble.

Her initial plan was simply to play the victim, hoping to gain sympathy from the servants in the courtyard and shift all the blame onto Wang Baiying, portraying herself as an innocent victim. However, before she could even get started, the other party suddenly caught her off guard.

This unexpected road left Qiu Lanxi completely bewildered. She had no idea what Princess Shaoguang was doing, so she could only cautiously get into the carriage.

Once inside the carriage, Qiu Lanxi found a corner and huddled up. Princess Shaoguang ignored her and picked up the book she hadn't finished reading.

Seeing that the other party really didn't intend to pay attention to her, Qiu Lanxi breathed a sigh of relief and then secretly glanced at her without making a sound.

Just now, Qiu Lanxi was so focused on surviving that she didn't pay any attention to what the other person looked like. Now she realized that Princess Shaoguang was indeed the most favored princess of Ning Dynasty. Her eyebrows and eyes were truly majestic, fiery and sharp, and she had a very regal appearance. However, for the men of this era, she was probably not considered a beauty, because her sharpness would make them feel that they could not control her and that their husbands' authority would be weakened.

Princess Shaoguang pressed down on the book pages, and feeling her gaze, she looked over with a sharp look.

Qiu Lanxi was startled and looked away, her eyes about to fill with tears. Yan Qingli, however, had already looked away and said calmly, "Tea."

She paused for a moment before realizing what was happening, then hurriedly handed over the teacup, her eyes lowered: "Your Highness, tea."

Yan Qingli looked up at her. The other woman's beautiful eyes still had a lingering redness, making her look rather pitiful. Her eyes were dark, and she only took the teacup when the other woman's fingertips were trembling slightly. It was as if she was comforting her, or as if she was just casually mentioning it: "As long as you behave well, I will guarantee you a peaceful life."

It wasn't about wealth and glory, but about stability. Qiu Lanxi glanced at her subtly. What was she trying to achieve by using her? But besides being a little pretty, what did she have that would make anyone care?

Without thinking much, she mumbled, "I understand, thank you, Your Highness. I will be very good."

Perhaps because she wasn't used to the official language of Ningchao, her accent was slightly different from that of people in the capital, but it wasn't strange. While she tried her best to speak clearly, she also had an indescribable charm that was so soft that it melted one's heart.

Yan Qingli's eyebrows twitched slightly. She glanced at her and, following her own heart, said, "Come here."

Qiu Lanxi immediately moved in small steps to stand in front of her.

She was kneeling on the carriage, which gave Yan Qingli enough space to look down at her.

The original owner of this body was not of high status; she was merely the illegitimate daughter of a minor official. Because of her beauty, she was noticed by the official's superior, who intended to use her to climb the social ladder. As a result, she was raised to be delicate and pampered from a young age, and her food, clothing, and daily necessities were no less than those of legitimate daughters of high-ranking families. She never suffered any hardship.

After all, without investing heavily, even the most important people won't take notice.

Therefore, she is very disciplined and knows what she can do in her capacity. At this moment, in the presence of her 'master', she cannot sit on equal footing with him.

Yan Qingli looked down at her. The girl with black hair and snow-white skin had her slender neck exposed to her without her noticing. It looked as if it could be broken with the slightest force. She was so delicate and pitiful. She thought casually, if she put her hand on the back of her neck now, would the other girl be scared and cry like before?

Princess Shaoguang was not captivated by beauty, but she loved the poetic beauty of "jade beads falling onto a jade plate".

In the end, she restrained her desires and only stroked Qiu Lanxi's hair. Her hair was so soft that it felt as if she were touching silk rather than hair.

Qiu Lanxi lowered her head slightly to make it easier for her to touch her, unaware of the perverse thoughts that had crossed her mind. Instead, she felt a little sleepy because of her gentle movements.

After all, the other party had already shown enough goodwill, so Qiu Lanxi was quite carefree and confidently showed her trust in them, and indeed fell asleep following her heart.

Yan Qingli, who hadn't put down the book in his hand even while stroking her, then openly lowered his eyes to look at her.

The girl's hair and rounded back of the head were so beautiful that it was hard to imagine how much God must have favored her to make her so beautiful in every way.

The carriage came to a smooth stop at the princess's residence. Yan Qingli looked at her and pondered for a moment. After a while, she bent down, picked up the sleeping Qiu Lanxi, and carried her into her bedroom, ignoring the servants' astonished looks.

Chapter 2

In her previous life, Qiu Lanxi had successfully outwitted her parents by pretending to be asleep. She managed to "sleep" all the way from the carriage to the ground. She silently counted the hours in her mind, estimating that she had been lying there for almost several hours before waking up as if nothing had happened.

While pretending to be asleep, she carefully reviewed everything that had happened that day, thinking of countermeasures and trying her best to survive. When she opened her eyes and saw Yan Qingli sitting by the bed, she was not surprised. She knew that the other party had not left after putting her down.

The other person seemed to be a great book lover, as they were still reading at this moment. Before the other person realized that she was awake, Qiu Lanxi took a look around. This seemed to be the other person's bedroom, and the furniture and furnishings did not seem to indicate that it was not usually occupied.

As if sensing Qiu Lanxi's gaze, Princess Shaoguang put down her book and looked at her. She found that the other woman's eyes were truly beautiful and poignant. No matter when she looked at her, her eyes seemed to be chasing after the flowing river, carrying an indescribable sorrow.

Yan Qingli's eyebrows twitched slightly, and a slight itch arose in her heart. She looked away and said lightly, "Since you're awake, let's have a meal together."

Qiu Lanxi obediently responded, then sat up from the bed and put on the embroidered shoes on the ground. However, perhaps because she was uncomfortable kneeling in the carriage, her legs went weak as soon as she stood up.

Yan Qingli subconsciously reached out to help him, and once he was steady, she withdrew her hand and took a half step back without making a sound.

Qiu Lanxi blinked gently and curtsied to Yan Qingli: "Thank you, Your Highness."

Yan Qingli's gaze swept over her face before she chuckled and reached out her hand: "Qingqing is delicate, why don't you hold my hand? It wouldn't be pretty if you fell again."

Qiu Lanxi immediately and gently placed her hand on it. She knew that Princess Shaoguang had seen through her deliberate act and guessed that the other party might have even discovered that she was pretending to be asleep. After all, judging from the fact that the other party could pick her up, she must have practiced martial arts.

But none of that matters. Princess Shaoguang wants to make herself 'blinded by lust,' and she needs Princess Shaoguang's 'obsession,' so they just put on an act.

Yan Qingli looked down at the hand that the woman had placed on her. It was slender and thin, and even her knuckles seemed to reveal her melancholy, like a rootless duckweed.

As the most favored princess of Da Ning, Yan Qingli was never short of beauties around her, but this was the first time she had seen someone so beautiful in every way. This made her understand why her husband, Prince Bai Ying, was willing to take such a big risk to win her over.

The thought suddenly popped into Yan Qingli's mind. She paused for a moment, thinking that she had already passed the test of having such a thought, which was not in vain for her to have read so many pretentious books written by down-on-his-luck scholars.

As she led Qiu Lanxi out, Chun Su was standing at the door. When she saw Yan Qingli leading the other out, she was stunned. She only responded somewhat dazedly when Yan Qingli called her, and then turned around to instruct the kitchen staff to bring the food over.

But she still found it somewhat absurd.

The princess knew she disliked her husband, Chun Su, so she wasn't surprised the princess hadn't harmed Qiu Lanxi; after all, the princess was a reasonable person. But bringing her back was already an exception, yet... how come they seem more like husband and wife than the prince consort?

They were clearly two women...

No one knew Princess Shaoguang's plans, not even Qiu Lanxi, but she knew that Princess Shaoguang still needed her, so her life was temporarily safe.

Based on this, Qiu Lanxi doesn't mind living a more comfortable life.

Princess Shaoguang's steps were not reserved, unlike those of ordinary noble ladies. She didn't hold back her strides, and being tall, one of her steps was equivalent to two of Qiu Lanxi's. Gradually, Qiu Lanxi couldn't keep up with her pace. She didn't force herself to keep up, but instead said:

"Your Highness, please slow down. My feet are bound, so I can't walk fast."

The Teng Kingdom, which was destroyed by the Ning Dynasty, had a custom of foot binding, but it was not the deformed kind of foot binding. Instead, only the sides were bound to make the feet look narrower and more delicate, so that they could walk more gracefully. Usually, only families that kept their feet as concubines or entertainers would do this.

Upon hearing this, Yan Qingli couldn't help but frown slightly and slowed his pace to accommodate her.

Qiu Lanxi smiled brightly and said, "Thank you, Your Highness."

Yan Qingli turned her head to look at her. The dim moonlight shone on her face. Her eyebrows and eyes did not have the heart-wrenching fragility that she had when she was crying, but they had a touch of something that made people feel uneasy.

She didn't respond, calmly turning her gaze away.