Abused Female Lead And Beautiful Villainess (Quick Transmigration)

On the slender, snow-white wrist, there were no deep, horrific scars as He Qingning had imagined. Only a very short, faint white mark was visible. It looked like a small cut had been made not long ago, which had since healed and faded.

“Princess, what are you doing?” Shen Wan tried to withdraw her hand, but He Qingning’s grip was surprisingly strong. Fearing she might hurt He Qingning if she pulled away too forcefully, she remained still.

He Qingning’s gaze moved from Shen Wan’s wrist to her pale face. They were so close they could be described as being within arm’s reach. He Qingning stared at Shen Wan’s face for a while, and in doing so, she truly noticed something unusual.

Shen Wan felt somewhat dazed by He Qingning’s gradually changing gaze.

The Princess’s focused gaze was really making her a bit nervous.

[188: “Wan Wan, do you know what you look like right now? Like a love-struck fool who’s lost her bearings.”]

Shen Wan: “No time to talk to you. The Princess is seriously looking at me; I can’t be distracted.”

Very good!!

188 fell silent. He should carefully consider whether his mysterious host was here to complete a mission or to pursue young ladies. There were more than a few strange things about his host; he needed to slowly sort them out.

He Qingning released Shen Wan’s wrist and reached out to touch her cheek.

Shen Wan thought: Princess, aren’t we moving a bit fast? Uninformed readers will surely think our relationship is abrupt. Let’s take it slow, no need to rush.

He Qingning touched Shen Wan’s face, then withdrew her hand, staring at the white powder on her fingertips. Her eyes narrowed slightly. “How much powder did you actually apply to your face?”

What? Shen Wan was stunned. So the Princess touched her face just to prove how much powder she had applied? She had thought the other found her attractive and cute, unable to resist touching her, maybe even kissing her. In the end, it was the powder on her face that had stolen her attention.

“Why is the Princess asking about this?” Shen Wan said, somewhat embarrassed. “What woman doesn’t love beauty? Applying some powder shouldn’t be wrong, should it?”

He Qingning snorted, “There’s nothing wrong with women applying powder, but besides actors in theater troupes, this Princess has never seen a woman make herself so pale with powder for the sake of beauty, like…” Here, He Qingning’s voice trailed off. She didn’t want to compare the other to a corpse or a ghost, so she left the sentence unfinished.

“Like what?” Shen Wan pressed.

He Qingning took out a handkerchief and wiped Shen Wan’s cheek with some force, then showed her the handkerchief. “Like you’ve dumped a bowl of flour on your face. Don’t you think you’d leave a trail of powder on the ground with every step?”

“It’s because the bronze mirror isn’t clear, so I didn’t notice,” Shen Wan lied blatantly, pulling He Qingning in front of the bronze mirror. “Princess, look. The bronze mirror has a yellow tint, and the reflection isn’t very clear. No matter how much powder I apply, you can’t really tell. It’s understandable that I didn’t notice, isn’t it?”

Quibbling!

He Qingning was somewhat perplexed.

Her gaze fell on Shen Wan’s wrist, and she quickly grabbed it, lifting it up. “Why is this perfectly fine wrist wrapped in white silk? Why is there bright red blood on the silk? And there’s a white mark on your wrist which, if I’m not mistaken, looks like it was made by a knife. Can you explain what all this is about?”

Shen Wan stared blankly at He Qingning, her eyes suddenly showing a hint of panic. He Qingning felt somewhat satisfied. This was the right expression. Being so calm after having a secret discovered didn’t make sense.

“Princess, this is my secret. I can’t tell anyone else.”

“But this Princess has already discovered it.”

Shen Wan thought: I know. I said I couldn’t tell anyone else, but I didn’t say I couldn’t tell you.

188: He sensed the scent of a scheme.

“Princess, you’re putting me in a difficult position.”

He Qingning raised her eyebrows slightly, her beautiful eyes showing a hint of amusement. Seeing Shen Wan’s flustered and panicked expression, she felt somewhat pleased. “This Princess needs to ensure that what you’re doing won’t threaten Xiyun Kingdom.”

Shen Wan thought: Oh… It’s escalated to the level of Xiyun Kingdom now. Princess, you’re quite capable.

“Tell me. If it’s nothing major, this Princess will help you keep the secret.”

Shen Wan hesitated for a moment, looking coy. “Princess, let’s close the door to prevent anyone from barging in and discovering us.”

He Qingning didn’t object. After Shen Wan closed the door, she sat upright, her eyes never leaving Shen Wan for a moment.

Shen Wan moved to He Qingning’s side, bringing a small stool to sit in front of her. Seeing Shen Wan’s trembling, pitiful appearance, He Qingning’s eyes were full of amusement. Actually, this woman wasn’t so detestable; she was different from those seductive vixens outside.

“Princess, where should I begin?”

“Start with the bowl of medicine Hong Zhu was carrying. This Princess discovered it wasn’t medicine but blood. Don’t think I can’t tell the difference. What kind of blood was it, whose blood, and why was Hong Zhu taking that bowl of blood to Third Brother?”

“It is blood, but it’s also medicine. At least those who know consider it medicine,” Shen Wan answered honestly. “As for why it was being sent to the Prince, it’s because the Prince said he was poisoned and needed that blood to detoxify. The doctor said one time wasn’t enough; it needs to be taken continuously for forty-nine days to be effective.”

He Qingning frowned. She already sensed something unusual about this.

“You still haven’t said what kind of blood it is and whose blood it is.”

“Pig… pig blood,” Shen Wan continued to answer honestly. “There’s a street behind the Prince’s mansion with an alley where there’s a pig slaughterhouse. The blood comes from there. They slaughter pigs very early every day. I paid a hefty sum and promised to keep a bowl of the freshest blood for me.”

He Qingning: “……” Pig blood???

“Third Brother was poisoned?” He Qingning reacted, but didn’t seem particularly urgent when asking. If he had been poisoned, why hadn’t the news spread? Why hadn’t an Imperial Physician been summoned? So, this matter was suspicious in many ways.

“If Third Brother was poisoned, why wasn’t an Imperial Physician summoned from the palace? Why use pig blood to detoxify?”

Shen Wan thought: Here it comes, here it comes. The key point has arrived.

“Of course, that’s not how it is.”

He Qingning naturally understood that the inside story must be different. “Tell me, what’s the truth?”

“Not long after the Princess left that day, the Prince suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed. The steward called for a doctor who said the Prince had been severely poisoned and wouldn’t last an hour. At the critical moment, I remembered a secret about myself. To save the Prince, I had no choice but to use this method.”

188: She’s making it sound so convincing.

“Princess, you must keep my secret. My life and everything I have now depends on you.”

He Qingning suddenly felt a heavy weight on her shoulders. What did Shen Wan say? Entrusting her life and everything to her? She wasn’t a good person, being a princess who had experienced all sorts of palace intrigues since childhood. Once she held someone’s lifeline, that person could never escape her grasp and would have to do her bidding forever. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a good outcome.

She’s truly foolish!

Shen Wan thought: I’m just pretending to be foolish for the Princess to see.

“Then tell me, what’s the secret?”

Shen Wan hesitated for a moment, then said softly, “My blood can cure all poisons. Ordinary toxins don’t affect me much. For a poison that requires forty-nine days to cleanse, I need to give about half a bowl of blood daily. After forty-nine days, I won’t be able to withstand it anymore, and my body will become very weak. My body is also special in that if I lose so much blood, I might become frail and sickly for life, easily blown over by a breeze.”

“So you’re unwilling to detoxify Third Brother and are using pig blood instead?”

“That’s not it.” Of course not.

“Then if you’re willing to sacrifice yourself for Third Brother, why use pig blood?” He Qingning’s voice grew colder. She didn’t understand why she felt unhappy even though the other was willing.

Shen Wan said in a low voice, “I suspect the Prince isn’t poisoned at all. He’s faking it.”

“You’ve discovered something?” He Qingning said with certainty. “You must have discovered something, right?”

“The Princess is astute, seeing through everything. I did indeed discover something heartbreaking.” Shen Wan truly looked somewhat sad now. He Qingning pursed her lips slightly, feeling a knot in her chest. “What did you discover?”

“The Prince is pretending to be poisoned for my Second Sister’s sake.”

At the mention of Shen Shi, He Qingning instantly understood. It was said that Shen Shi was sickly, but few truly knew she carried poison from the womb. Those unaware would surely think the General’s wife had poisoned Shen Shi’s mother. He Qingning, familiar with the General’s wife, didn’t believe that. That concubine was cunning, looking just like Shen Shi. She believed the poison was self-inflicted. Although the General’s wife’s background was mysterious, she was a very magnanimous woman who would never stoop to do such a thing.

“You mean Third Brother is pretending to be poisoned to help Shen Shi detoxify, forcing you to give blood?” He Qingning’s voice carried a hint of anger. “Third Brother has truly disappointed me in this matter.”

“You applied powder to make your face pale also to avoid suspicion?”

Shen Wan: “I just accidentally applied too much.”

“Stop lying to me. There’s hardly any truth in what you say. Now that I know your little secret, your life is in my hands. You still dare to lie?”

“Alright, the Princess has guessed correctly. I applied extra powder to make my face look pale so no one would suspect I hadn’t given blood. Indeed, having a little secret in someone else’s hands really does make one feel insecure.”

He Qingning laughed. She pondered for a moment, then said, “I’ll help you keep the secret.”

“Thank you, Princess. You truly are a good person.”

He Qingning’s lips curled into a smile as she stood up, her eyes meeting Shen Wan’s. “No, this Princess is not a good person. Knowing someone’s secret means controlling that person. One day, that person can be used by me, tied to my boat for life with no way to retreat.”

Shen Wan thought: She never intended to retreat anyway.

“If Shen Shi doesn’t recover soon, your scheme will eventually fail. Third Brother is more heartless than you imagine. Those he favors are treasured in his palm. Those he dislikes are useless objects, to be discarded at any time. Shen Wan, you’ve misplaced your true feelings, but at least your mind is still clear.”

Shen Wan thought: No, she had never misplaced her true feelings on a scumbag. Her true feelings were always exchanged for true feelings.

“To be honest, I’ve already thought of a countermeasure.”

He Qingning should have been surprised, but hearing Shen Wan’s words, she didn’t feel surprised at all. It seemed natural that the other had thought of a countermeasure.

“Then I’ll see how you weather this storm.”

“As long as the Princess doesn’t expose me.”

He Qingning chuckled softly, intending to go check on He Xiyan. Remembering something, she suddenly turned back, almost causing Shen Wan to bump into her. She steadied Shen Wan slightly but didn’t let go, asking directly, “Are you truly so infatuated with Third Brother?”

“Whether I’m infatuated or not, what does it matter, Princess?” Shen Wan looked at He Qingning with a smile. “Princess, I just want to live well, to live peacefully. Because I promised my mother I wouldn’t let others harm me, I must do so.”

He Qingning was stunned for a moment. Why did these words make her heart ache? Indeed, what did it matter whether she was infatuated or not? Regardless of Shen Wan’s feelings for Third Brother, she could only be his Princess Consort for life, with no other choice. If Third Brother liked her, she would be fortunate. If he disliked her, it would be her misfortune.

He Qingning let go of Shen Wan, suddenly disliking the phrase “misfortune.” Shen Wan’s fate truly was unfortunate—her father died in battle, her mother died of illness, and now she was the Third Princess Consort, clearly disliked by Third Brother.

“I’ll go see how Third Brother is doing and inquire about Shen Shi’s condition. I’ll keep your secret.”

“Thank you, Princess.”

He Qingning stopped and turned back, saying, “Remember what you said. Live well, and don’t let others harm you.”

Watching He Qingning’s figure disappear, Shen Wan collapsed onto the bed. “Damn, 188, did my words just now move the little Princess?”

[188: “So you were pretending just now?”] He had felt sorry for his host, thinking how hard it must be to complete missions, all that bitterness… and it turns out she was pretending??

“Not entirely. I just channeled the original owner’s emotions. She couldn’t manage to live well without being harmed, so I’ll help her achieve that. Even if they’re novel characters, I want a different ending for them. I don’t pity her; I just feel there are many things in this world that aren’t worth it, leaving one feeling unsatisfied.”

[188: “Wan Wan, you weren’t pretending just now with that speech, were you?”] With a host full of lies, how could he believe her? Who knew which sentences were true and which were false? He felt a bit scared.

“Get lost, you.”

The system secretly observed Shen Wan’s expression. She was smiling, seemingly without the earlier heaviness. She acted very convincingly. So, how was she planning to ensnare the little Princess? That’s right, he was now certain that Shen Wan had planned to entrap He Qingning from the moment she saw her.

He Qingning went to see He Xiyan, who of course only said he had been feeling unwell lately, not mentioning anything about being poisoned. He added that fortunately, the medicine left by the Princess Consort’s mother was helping him recover, which is why he had refused to summon an Imperial Physician from the palace.

“Then Third Brother must take good care of his health,” He Qingning said. “I just saw the Princess Consort, and her complexion looked very pale. Has she been exhausting herself taking care of you?”

“The Princess Consort has indeed been working hard these days. I’ll remind her to rest more and not neglect her own health for my sake.”

Looking at He Xiyan’s face, He Qingning suddenly felt disgusted. Using the excuse of being poisoned to trick Shen Wan into giving half a bowl of blood every day—if he were truly poisoned, that would be one thing. But he was doing this just for Shen Shi, coming up with such a despicable method.

She knew He Xiyan too well. If Shen Wan truly refused, he might resort to more extreme measures. For instance, he might make the Princess Consort disappear, lock her up to draw blood. It would be more troublesome, but he was capable of doing such things.

“Then Third Brother, take care of yourself. I’ll come see you again tomorrow.”

He Xiyan had brought Shen Shi to the Prince’s mansion, placing her in a secluded small courtyard. That place was guarded, and no one was allowed to enter without his permission. Among Shen Wan’s attendants, only Hong Zhu was truly hers; the others all obeyed He Xiyan and would never tell her these things. He Xiyan felt secure, not worrying that Shen Wan would suspect anything. Little did he know that the blood he fed Shen Shi daily was all pig blood from the slaughterhouse in the alley behind the street, and it was fresh every day.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. Shen Shi, gritting her teeth as she drank the fresh blood, showed no improvement in her condition. He Xiyan observed this situation and felt something was amiss, so he called for a doctor to examine her. After taking her pulse, the doctor discovered that the toxins in Shen Shi’s body had only decreased slightly. After informing He Xiyan of this, the doctor suggested observing for two more days. If there was still no progress, they would need to investigate the problem.

A few days later, the toxins in Shen Shi’s body showed no change at all. Coincidentally, that day’s blood hadn’t been consumed yet, so He Xiyan asked the doctor to check if there was a problem with the blood.

After examining it, the doctor fell to his knees in fear. “Your Highness, this blood has no detoxifying properties at all!”

“How is that possible??”

He Xiyan’s face darkened. “Go tell the Princess Consort that my condition has worsened. Ask her to brew another package of medicine.” At the same time, he secretly sent someone to follow and see with their own eyes if Shen Wan was truly drawing her own blood.

At that moment, He Qingning was with Shen Wan. Hearing the steward’s words, her expression changed imperceptibly.

“Then I’ll go brew the medicine now,” Shen Wan said, standing up and turning to enter the room.

He Qingning grabbed her and turned to the steward, saying, “Go check on Third Brother again. If it’s really serious, send someone to the palace to summon an Imperial Physician.”

After the steward left, He Qingning followed Shen Wan into the room. “He…”

“Princess, I need to go brew the medicine now. You’re too noble to follow me, aren’t you?” Shen Wan held He Qingning’s hand, tracing a pattern on her palm and using her fingers to point outside from within her sleeve.

He Qingning was startled by the ticklish feeling in her palm and this sudden gesture. She pursed her lips, realizing she had been careless. Perhaps things had been too peaceful lately. Third Brother was already suspicious and would surely send someone to follow.

So, was she going to cut herself this time?

He Qingning leaned close to Shen Wan’s ear and whispered, “Don’t cut yourself.”

“Princess, you…”

“You said you’d protect yourself and not let others harm you.”

Shen Wan thought: The Princess is finally worried about me.

“If you cut your hand, this Princess will reveal your little secret.”

Shen Wan thought: How can she be so unlovable? Always threatening to expose her little secret.