Happy reading~

Chapter 99: What Does That Have to Do With Me?

"This princess's maid has deep feelings for you and as her master, this princess seriously cannot ignore this maid's heart. For better or for worse, she has served this princess for many years after all. This princess hopes that you'll treat this maid well."

As Ning Shu spoke, she saw Duan Xinghui's stern expression crack to reveal disbelief. Even Madame Duan was looking at Ning Shu strangely.

"Princess?" Yuan Dong was delighted and apprehensive at the same time. She was delighted to have a chance to be with General Duan, but she was apprehensive because of the princess's att.i.tude, and the fact that the princess knew of her secret desires. In brief, Yuan Dong's feelings were very mixed.

"This servant doesn't want to leave Princess. Princess, please don't chase this servant away." Yuan Dong knelt in front of Ning Shu, making it seem as if their servant and master bond was very deep.

However, the act would only work if Ning Shu was willing to play along.

Ning Shu simply said in a mild tone, "You're now someone of the Duan Residence. Serve the Duan family well."

In the end, Yuan Dong kowtowed to Ning Shu helplessly, then went to stand beside Duan Xinghui.

"Princess, forgive this worthless commoner for not being able to accept. This worthless commoner already has a true love and cannot accept anyone else." At this point in time, Duan Xinghui had already forgotten about the injury on his arm and cupped his fist as he bowed to Ning Shu.

Ning Shu seemed unconcerned. "What does you having a true love have to do with this princess?"

Duan Xinghui: …

Duan Xinghui found that, for some unknown reason, it was really hard to communicate with Princess Jiahui now.

Ning Shu turned and returned her residence, paying no more mind to these people.

In the end, Duan Xinghui had no choice but to accept Yuan Dong and slip back to the Duan Residence with Madame Duan.

When the three got to the residence, Er Ya was standing at the entrance waiting. She was wearing a brightly-colored silk garment that made her skin seem even darker in contrast. It was like the way a leopard wearing crown prince garments would only look foolish rather than like an actual crown prince.

Yuan Dong's eyes filled with deep disdain and contempt when she saw Er Ya. When Er Ya met Yuan Dong's gaze, she felt a surge of embarra.s.sment. She turned and ran back into the residence, crying as she went, and failed to even notice the injury on Duan Xinghui's arm.

Her woman's intuition allowed her to sense Yuan Dong's hostility towards her and also made her feel similar animosity and wariness towards Yuan Dong.

When Duan Xinghui saw that the woman he loved was hurt, he hastily chased after her with reckless abandon. He acted very hot-headedly, like a teenage brat.

"Xinghui ah! Your injury!" shouted Madame Duan after Duan Xinghui. The two people looked as if they were playing tag in the Duan Residence, making Madame Duan's head hurt.

"General…" When Yuan Dong saw that Duan Xinghui had chased after that village girl without a thought, she was shocked and envious. Why that ugly wretch? Why!?

Happy reading~

Chapter 100: Play Among Themselves

Since Yuan Dong was no longer serving her, Ning Shu went and randomly picked a servant girl from the Princess Residence to be her personal maid. However, in reality, Ning Shu really didn't need anyone to wait on her. The kitchen always sent someone to deliver her meals.

These days, if Ning Shu wasn't practicing martial arts, then she was practicing martial arts. She practiced with the whip everyday to try to perfect her technique since she had a faint premonition that she might really have to head onto the battlefield.

She had to display her worth to Li Wen and convince him that she was more useful kept in this country than being married off.

Ning Shu retrieved her whip and took the handkerchief offered by the servant girl. As she wipe the sweat on her face and on her hands, she asked, "Any news from Duan Residence?"

The little servant girl's name was Xiao Hong. She had delicate features that were pretty, but couldn't be said to be beautiful. However, she was very lively and quick-witted, and had a bright personality. When she heard Ning Shu's question, she quickly replied, "Only that Yuan Dong and Er Ya are clas.h.i.+ng and causing a huge ruckus."

"Duan Xinghui is suffering a lot, being clamped between two women," said Xiao Hong.

Ning Shu smiled. This was exactly the effect she had been going for. Who asked all of them to try and use her as a s.h.i.+eld? She'd like to see what Yuan Dong and Madame Duan could do now that she wasn't dealing with Er Ya for them.

Speaking of which, it was also funny. Now that she, this high status supporting female lead wasn't going to cause a ruckus, who would help the couple complete their 'true love story'? Duan Xinghui and Er Ya's love had been completely established on the ruins of the original host's reputation.

That's why Ning Shu decided to just directly send Yuan Dong over so that the little nest of people could play among themselves.

This past period hadn't been easy for Duan Xinghui. It had seriously been tough; he was exhausted. Er Ya had become very sensitive and was sticking to him more and more. Everytime he looked at her, he would see that her simple face was filled with unease and anxiety.

Duan Xinghui had said many times that he wouldn't betray her, but Er Ya still felt uneasy. In addition, Yuan Dong was fanning the flames from the side, causing Duan Xinghui to feel tired as never before.

However, since Yuan Dong was someone from the Princess Residence and he didn't hold an official's position anymore, he couldn't do as Er Ya wanted and chase Yuan Dong out. If he did and Princess Jiahui raised a fuss about it, the consequences would be dire.

When Er Ya saw that Duan Xinghui was going to maintain this att.i.tude, she started kicking up a scene again. Er Ya was from the countryside, so when she caused a ruckus, it was a serious ruckus. The entire Duan Residence was pretty much turned upside down. Duan Xinghui felt embarra.s.sed and helpless.

Now that Princess Jiahui, this powerful buffer wasn't between them, Duan Xinghui and Er Ya started having a lot of arguments, especially due to their differing social status. No matter what, Duan Xinghui was still a well-off gentleman that had been brought up in the capital. He seriously wasn't used to dealing with unreasonable scenes like this.

Er Ya was inwardly terrified since she had abandoned everything to come to the capital with Duan Xinghui. As of now, Duan Xinghui was the only life-saving rope she could hold on to, so she felt that she had to clutch it tightly. The more Duan Xinghui expressed impatience towards her, the more scared she felt and the more tantrums she threw in order to reinforce her existence.

Sometimes Duan Xinghui would wonder if this Er Ya was really the same innocent and pure Er Ya he had met back then. Duan Xinghui was very distressed, but he still restrained his temper and patiently placated Er Ya. It was just that he was getting a little tired of it.

Originally, Madame Duan was planning to watch Er Ya and Yuan Dong duel, but when she saw Er Ya's completely manner-less behavior, she had no choice but to find someone to teach Er Ya etiquette. She couldn't allow it to continue, else the Duan Residence would become the laughingstock of the entire capital.

Her son didn't want the princess that was placed in front of him and had insisted on having this village girl. Everyone outside was saying that Duan Xinghui's brain was mush. If this continued on, Madame Duan felt that she wouldn't even have the face to greet the Duan family's ancestors.

When Er Ya was forced to learn etiquette, she started raising a fuss again because she really didn't want to learn. Eating, sleeping, even walking was based on detailed rules. All of this bewildered Er Ya and also made life very much an ordeal.

Er Ya had grown up in the country, so some things were etched into her bones and learning etiquette was abnormally difficult for her. It was as if someone was trying to snap off her wings; the tormenting process was easy to imagine.

Duan Xinghui also felt a lot of pain. In his heart, Er Ya was free and unfettered, yet she now had to be the same as all the women in the capital and become a product of set standards. However, on one side was the woman he loved and on the other was the mother that had single-handedly raised him.

Duan Xinghui couldn't be bothered to return to Duan Residence anymore. When he had nothing to do, he would go out to drink. However, once this went on for a while, every time he went out he would face strange looks from people. They looked at him as if they were looking at a fool.

Upon seeing those looks, Duan Xinghui's heart couldn't help but waver. Had it been a mistake to give up Princess Jiahui? People that had always been humble and groveled to him in the past now looked down on him arrogantly. During this period of time, his doubts were especially intense. Had he really made a mistake?

#comment: Xiao Hong translates to little red. Haha, and this gets fun (bloodier) soon.