Abused Female Lead And Beautiful Villainess (Quick Transmigration)

“No,” He Qingning denied.

Shen Wan obediently asked, “Then what does the Princess want me to do?”

“Follow me.”

Shen Wan was somewhat surprised, almost asking how to follow and for what purpose. Was this “follow” the same as the one she had in mind?

“Stop trying to deceive me with those lies. Shen Wan, you’re not a simple person. You’re clever, full of schemes, with many bad ideas, and incredibly strong. You’re exactly what I need by my side.”

Shen Wan thought: So, is this criticism or praise?

“You’ve given up on Third Brother and want to live a peaceful life in the prince’s mansion, but that’s just a dream. Let’s not even mention Third Brother’s ambition for higher positions and how you’d be implicated in various ways. The fact is, Third Brother doesn’t like you but cherishes Shen Shi. She’s the one in his heart. You’re occupying the best position by his side, and one day he might want to clear that position for Shen Shi. Shen Wan, you should understand what I mean, right? Your existence will always be a thorn in their side.”

“What does the Princess mean?”

“You have talent and skills. Even confined in the prince’s mansion, you can live a life of counting silver until your hands are sore while claiming to be indifferent to fame and fortune. Clearly, you’re not content with such a plain, uncontrolled life, are you? As long as Third Brother doesn’t like you and Shen Shi is in his heart, your position as the Third Prince Consort will eventually become a death warrant. Perhaps you have ways to escape, but I think instead of waiting for death, it’s better to find another way.”

Without waiting for Shen Wan’s response, He Qingning stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Shen Wan’s fair face. “Abandon your identity as the Third Prince Consort. Follow me, lend me your strength, and I’ll grant you a lifetime of glory. Hiding in the prince’s mansion’s back courtyard or being second only to one person—the choice is yours.”

Shen Wan thought: She didn’t actually care about being above ten thousand people; she just wanted to be above one person. Taking turns was fine too.

“What if I don’t agree?” Shen Wan asked tentatively.

He Qingning’s gaze turned cold as she swept over Shen Wan. “Now that I know all your little secrets and you know mine, Shen Wan, we’re in the same boat. You have to agree whether you want to or not.”

“I… I agree!”

Shen Wan hurriedly said. How could she not agree? She had been waiting for this day for a long time. The little princess had finally realized and come to take her to do great things. Being second only to one person and above ten thousand others, the taste of being ennobled—she indeed hadn’t experienced it and wanted to try.

He Qingning had anticipated that Shen Wan would agree. Had she really grasped all of Shen Wan’s little secrets? No, of course not. How could such a clever mind carelessly expose her secrets? She had only revealed them to He Qingning alone. Third Brother wasn’t a fool; except when facing Shen Shi, he occasionally acted foolishly. Removing her brothers’ pawns was precise, one by one. Even she had to put in considerable effort to plant people in the prince’s mansion.

Yet Shen Wan hadn’t aroused Third Brother’s suspicion at all. Why would she let a princess living in the palace discover her? From their first meeting at the prince’s mansion, she had been attracting He Qingning’s attention with a unique ability. Step by step, she had made He Qingning realize what path to take now.

Originally, as a princess of Xiyun Kingdom, she should have secretly eliminated such a dangerous person or exposed their flaws, leaving them no room for recovery. But she didn’t, because she sensed no danger from Shen Wan. If she truly harmed her, she would surely regret it deeply in the future.

Not knowing where she came from, what secrets she held, or whether they were truly connected, she decided to keep this person by her side. On the surface, the other seemed very reluctant, but from those eyes, it wasn’t hard to see that she had been expecting this decision for a long time.

“Princess, do you find me especially beautiful today? Is that why you’re staring at me in a daze?”

Her thoughts interrupted by Shen Wan, He Qingning wasn’t angry. She seriously examined the indeed pretty face and, seeing the expectant look in her eyes, chuckled, “No matter how beautiful you are, can you compare to this Princess?”

“Ah, Princess, your beauty is naturally beyond my reach. But you know, I’m just a tiny bit less beautiful than you, just by a hair’s breadth.”

He Qingning laughed, then her expression turned serious. “Do as I say from now on. I’ll arrange everything. Once you leave the prince’s mansion, stay by my side.”

“What method has the Princess devised for my escape?”

“There’s no other way but to fake your death,” He Qingning said honestly. “I’ve arranged a new identity for you—He Wan. After leaving the prince’s mansion, you won’t be the Third Prince Consort anymore, but my person, He Wan. Understand?” She paused, patting Shen Wan’s shoulder. “When we succeed, I’ll restore your identity. No one will dare gossip about you. Rumors stop before the powerful. In the future, whoever dares to speak ill of you, I’ll make them regret it for life.”

Shen Wan: “188, did you hear that? The little princess is so eager she’s already given me her surname. Ah, how exciting! As expected of the Princess, even adding her surname to my name so openly. Isn’t He Wan basically the same as He Wan? Hoho——charge, my little princess.”

[188 sighed helplessly, “Wan Wan, don’t you think you’re not even trying to hide your intentions now? At least show some respect for the alarm and me as a system.”]

“Through previous events, I’ve already tested the alarm’s bottom line. As long as I don’t say straightforward things like ‘I like you,’ ‘I love you,’ or ‘I’m fond of you’ to anyone other than the male lead, the alarm won’t go off. Don’t worry.”

188: Furiously throws things!

I don’t want to do this anymore!!

His host was truly too unrestrained!!!

Shen Wan sensed 188’s unhappiness and anger. “188, isn’t it fine as long as the ratings are high? More bonuses mean more benefits for you too. After we finish cooperating on this series, can’t you upgrade? The process doesn’t matter; what’s important is the result, don’t you think?”

188 pondered for a moment. That’s right, the big boss 000 had told him before. Just cling to the host’s coattails; all he needed to do was win. If the alarm didn’t go off and no one from above interfered, as long as the readers were satisfied with the result, who cared about the process?

Hoho, go host, go little princess!

Next, the two discussed the matter of leaving the prince’s mansion. He Qingning only told Shen Wan to start pretending to be ill in the next couple of days, and after some time, she would send her a pill for faking death. Then they went together to see He Xiyan, whose complexion looked somewhat pale.

Even for a strong man, taking nourishing medicines and losing half a bowl of blood daily would have a significant impact on his body. If it were a frail woman, she would have collapsed long ago after so many days of bloodletting.

Shen Shi’s complexion indeed looked much better. Because He Xiyan was giving her his blood to detoxify, their relationship seemed to have improved considerably.

When Shen Wan arrived, He Xiyan maintained a cold face throughout, not even glancing at her. His words were cold and harsh, occasionally telling her to stay in her own courtyard and not wander around aimlessly, lest she frighten his dear Shi’er. Hearing this, He Qingning’s face immediately darkened. Her Third Brother was truly something—now that Shen Wan was useless, he wouldn’t even maintain a facade. It was because Shen Wan had no one backing her. If General Shen were still alive and the Shen family had someone, if the old lady of the Shen family cared about her granddaughter Shen Wan, He Xiyan would at least show some face.

He Xiyan disliked Shen Wan firstly because he didn’t like her, secondly because Shen Shi detested her, and thirdly because on their wedding night, Shen Wan had beaten him up. Even now, a certain part of him still ached, and it would take some time to fully recover. So when he looked at Shen Wan, he felt angry and wanted to cut her down with a single stroke.

Recently, he had been busy helping Shen Shi detoxify and indeed had no time for revenge. He Qingning had her own plans and didn’t say anything at this moment. She only offered a few words of comfort to He Xiyan before leaving.

“Don’t come here without reason in the future,” He Xiyan coldly glanced at Shen Wan. “Stay in your room and don’t cause trouble for this Prince everywhere.”

“Alright,” Shen Wan replied, her gaze falling on Doctor Liu. “Your Highness, I’m feeling unwell. Could I ask Doctor Liu to examine me?”

“This Prince sees your complexion is rosy and you look full of energy. How could you be unwell?” He Xiyan’s gaze landed on Shen Wan’s face. “Even if you’re pretending to be pitiful, you should at least apply more powder to your face to get this Prince’s attention. But give up; stop pretending to be weak and sick to gain this Prince’s sympathy.”

Shen Wan thought: So he knows that women can apply powder to their faces to feign illness.

Shen Wan said: “I truly feel unwell. Letting Doctor Liu take my pulse wouldn’t take long.”

“Hong Zhu, your mistress is unwell. Quickly help her back to her room to rest. If she really catches some illness and infects Shi’er, what then?”

Hong Zhu was about to explode with anger.

But as she was just a lowly maid, she could only swallow her anger and support Shen Wan back to her room. Along the way, she muttered under her breath about Shen Shi being a vixen and He Xiyan being heartless.

From that day on, Shen Wan’s pretend illness became more and more convincing. Each day, her complexion seemed to worsen. Hong Zhu watched anxiously but could do nothing. When He Xiyan heard about this, he only thought Hong Zhu was lying and Shen Wan was faking illness to trick him into visiting her.

He wouldn’t fall for it.

That woman was incredibly strong, able to kill a bull with her bare hands. He didn’t believe she could fall ill. She must be trying to lure him over.

Seeing He Xiyan’s complete disregard for Shen Wan, Shen Shi became even more affectionate with him. Now that her health had improved considerably, as a man and woman alone together, something should have happened. However, every time they reached a crucial moment, He Xiyan would release her, which left Shen Shi somewhat dissatisfied. But because He Xiyan said it was to avoid hurting her, she didn’t feel too bad about it.

For half a month, He Qingning didn’t visit Shen Wan at the prince’s mansion due to her plans. But news about Shen Wan still reached her ears daily.

Whenever she had free time, she would go to see the Emperor.

The Emperor had aged, and after the Empress’s death many years ago, his heart was full of grief. The accumulated melancholy affected his health, making it increasingly poor. With the Empress gone, he could only shower more love on He Qingning. Also, because He Qingning was just a princess, no matter how much the Emperor doted on her, it wouldn’t arouse others’ suspicion. After all, a princess would eventually either take a consort or be married off, unable to participate in their competition.

Recently, He Qingning would accompany the Emperor on walks in the imperial garden every evening, chatting with him.

“Why hasn’t Qingning been running to Third Brother’s place lately? Third Brother married that Shen family girl a few months ago. How are they getting along?”

He Qingning paused before saying, “Not well.”

“What do you mean?” The Emperor’s expression grew serious. Shen Wan was General Shen’s daughter, and Third Brother was raised by the Empress. When General Shen was still alive, he had valued Third Brother, which is why he bestowed his daughter as his princess consort. No one had anticipated that General Shen would die on the battlefield.

“Third Brother’s heart belongs to another woman.”

“I see.”

The Emperor didn’t ask further. He couldn’t interfere in his son’s romantic affairs. As long as he didn’t openly mistreat the Shen family girl and she didn’t make a fuss, it didn’t matter who he liked.

After walking for a while, the Emperor had to sit down to rest.

Seeing the Emperor’s weary appearance, He Qingning felt a pang in her heart. “Father Emperor, you must take care of your health. I’m very worried.”

Seeing He Qingning’s concerned look, the Emperor patted her hand. “I am the Emperor; I can’t afford to be idle. Your brothers are all eyeing the throne beneath my buttocks, and every official in court is trying to guess my thoughts. If I’m idle for a day, I’ll face countless difficulties. Everything today is what your mother and I worked hard for half our lives to achieve.”

“Qingning, you’re eighteen now. Have you taken a liking to any young man in our Xiyun Kingdom? Tell Father Emperor about it. If he’s not bad, Father Emperor will bring him in as your consort. I haven’t prepared a princess’s mansion for you because I don’t want you to be too far away. I want to be able to see you when I wish.”

“Your daughter hasn’t taken a liking to any man.”

“Then take your time choosing. Qingning is this Emperor’s most beloved little princess. You deserve the best person under heaven.”

He Qingning saw the most sincere familial love in the Emperor’s affectionate gaze. She felt a lump in her throat and said, “Father Emperor, your daughter can’t like any man. They either flatter me excessively or covet my beauty. I can see right through their thoughts in their eyes. I really can’t bring myself to like them.”

The Emperor laughed heartily upon hearing this. “Father can make decisions for you while I’m here, but if Father is gone…”

“Father Emperor, do you also think that if I take a consort and seclude myself in a princess’s mansion, I can live worry-free?”

“Third Brother will give you a place of peace,” the Emperor said. “When the time comes, Father Emperor will give you a secret edict. If Third Brother goes back on his word in the future, you can produce it to save your life.”

“Father Emperor, you are the Emperor. Can you tolerate your sister having an edict that could potentially dethrone you at any time? Forgive my disrespect, but before thousands of troops, what use is a mere edict?”

The Emperor’s smile faded, and his calm gaze fell on He Qingning’s face. He Qingning didn’t flinch at all, meeting his eyes directly.

After a long while, the Emperor suddenly sighed, “What a pity Qingning isn’t male.” If she were a man, how could there be such worries today? Choosing Third Brother was also a helpless decision. He had several sons, all not bad, but only Third Brother could treat Qingning well.

“I’ve heard Father Emperor has been troubled by corruption cases in various regions lately,” He Qingning said softly. “Has Father Emperor sent people to investigate?”

“It’s the same no matter who I send. Before they even reach their destination, the account books are made flawless, leaving nothing to investigate.” This was also the Emperor’s helplessness; many things were beyond his control or reach.

“Father Emperor, why don’t I go?”

In the quiet imperial garden, only He Qingning’s soft voice was clearly audible. The Emperor, who had looked tired and helpless, suddenly had a spark in his eyes. His gaze slowly moved to He Qingning’s face, and the two looked at each other for a long time, neither speaking.

The Emperor was sitting, and He Qingning was crouching beside him. Even though her legs had gone numb, she didn’t show any weakness. She said, “Your daughter also wants to share Father Emperor’s burdens.”

“Qingning.”

“Father Emperor, Qingning is here.”

“This path is not easy to walk.”

“But your daughter wants to try.”

“Why?”

“Qingning wants to live well, not be bullied by others, and have the ability to protect those I want to protect in the future.”

Hearing these words, the Emperor suddenly laughed. He gently patted He Qingning’s head and said affectionately, “Have I spoiled you so much that you only know how to pinch my soft spots?”

“Apart from not being male, is there anything about me that Father Emperor is dissatisfied with?” He Qingning raised her chin and asked.

The Emperor took a deep breath, held He Qingning’s hand, and stood up. “It’s getting dark. Let’s go back.”

He Qingning supported the Emperor as they walked back, not saying anything more.

“Qingning, are you willing to go and see how vast this Emperor’s world is on my behalf?”

He Qingning looked up, her eyes filled with tears. “Your daughter is willing.”

Shen Wan had been “ill” for almost half a month, and He Xiyan showed no intention of caring for her, not believing she was truly sick.

At first, Hong Zhu could still notify He Xiyan, but later he simply had people block her, not allowing her to enter the courtyard.

Thus, except for Hong Zhu, no one knew about Shen Wan’s “critical condition.”

When He Qingning, who hadn’t come to the prince’s mansion for a long time, appeared again, Hong Zhu was overjoyed to tears and quickly invited her inside.

He Qingning’s heart sank when she saw Shen Wan’s deathly pale face, but then she noticed Shen Wan playfully winking at her, and her sunken heart relaxed. This time she was sure Shen Wan hadn’t applied any powder; her complexion was genuinely pale.

“Hong Zhu, go and ask Doctor Liu to come. If Third Brother doesn’t allow it, say I’m here and I’m asking Doctor Liu to examine the Princess Consort.”

Hearing this, Hong Zhu quickly ran out.

“What’s going on? Your face is so pale, I thought you were critically ill,” He Qingning said, grasping Shen Wan’s wrist. Feeling it was similar to before, she finally relaxed.

“Thirsty,” Shen Wan replied. “Princess, I’ve really suffered to pretend to be ill recently. If you don’t ennoble me in the future, I’ll be upset with you.”

“I promise you, I absolutely won’t go back on my word. I said second only to one person and above ten thousand others, and I mean it.”

Shen Wan thought: Why does the Princess always emphasize this? Isn’t it better if we take turns? Always saying she’s below one person, below one person, it’s tiring.

“Enough of that for now, the doctor is coming. Whatever Doctor Liu says, just go along with it. He’s my man.”

Shen Wan nodded reassuringly. Oh, so Doctor Liu was the Princess’s person.

This guy was truly a multi-faceted spy.

Doctor Liu was hurriedly pulled in by Hong Zhu. He Xiyan, hearing that He Qingning had come and seeing Hong Zhu’s manner, thought something serious had happened.

But when he entered, he saw Shen Wan lying on the bed with a pale face, barely breathing, her lips so white they seemed about to crack. She looked in a terrible state, nothing like the spirited woman who had beaten him that night.

Doctor Liu carefully took her pulse, then his face turned grim. He Xiyan sensed the situation wasn’t good, He Qingning frowned, and Hong Zhu anxiously burst into tears.

No one noticed that when Doctor Liu turned his back to them, his old face looked exasperated as he gazed at Shen Wan. Shen Wan gestured towards the edge of the blanket, and he quickly grasped something hidden there with his other hand.

Doctor Liu thought: These days, being a doctor is really not easy.

The Prince thought he held his weakness and could trust him as part of the prince’s mansion. Little did he know, he was a spy planted by the Princess. The Princess thought he was her man, never imagining that the Princess Consort had long ago turned him with even more powerful methods. The temptation was too great; he had no choice but to switch sides.

As a small doctor, he truly felt overwhelmed, not understanding why these three formidable people couldn’t leave him, a mere doctor, alone.

When Doctor Liu released Shen Wan’s wrist, Hong Zhu asked through her tears, “Doctor Liu, how is the Princess Consort?”

“Your Highness, Princess,” Doctor Liu said regretfully, “It’s best to prepare for the Princess Consort’s funeral. Her days are numbered.”

“What?”

He Xiyan was the most surprised. Wasn’t she perfectly fine just a while ago, even strong enough to beat him up? How could she suddenly be at death’s door?

But Doctor Liu’s weakness was in his hands; he absolutely wouldn’t lie to him.

“What’s going on?” He Xiyan asked.

Doctor Liu said, “The cause is unknown, but the Princess Consort’s body is like a lamp running out of oil. So…”

Only Hong Zhu burst into loud sobs. He Qingning walked up to Doctor Liu and, while He Xiyan was still in shock, turned her back to him. Doctor Liu quickly handed something to He Qingning.

He Qingning hid the item and then asked, “Is there really no way?”

“No.” Doctor Liu shook his head regretfully. The Princess Consort should leave the prince’s mansion quickly. With this dangerous person in the mansion, he felt nowhere was safe.

It took He Xiyan a long time to react and finally accept that Shen Wan’s days were numbered. He felt no particular emotion, just surprise. Then he thought of a possibility—could it be that because his blood could cure all poisons, drinking her blood on that specific day had caused her to waste away like this?

He Qingning stayed by Shen Wan’s side while He Xiyan called Doctor Liu out to inquire about the situation. Doctor Liu hesitated before saying it was very likely.

He Xiyan’s eyes showed a complex emotion. He asked again, “If that day was a specific day, did she know that giving me her blood to drink would result in this?” He had always known about Shen Wan’s infatuation with him, which is why he used that method to make her give blood. He just hadn’t anticipated all the unforeseen complications that followed.

“Seeing the Princess Consort’s calm demeanor, perhaps she knew.”

He Xiyan’s expression grew even more complex. Although he didn’t like Shen Wan and even despised her for certain reasons, when this person was about to die, and because of him, anyone with a heart not made of stone would feel some emotion.

“You may go. Keep this matter confidential.”

Doctor Liu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left. Good heavens, being a doctor was truly a high-risk occupation. He would never be a doctor again in his next life.

“What’s this?” Shen Wan asked, her face tense as she looked at the familiar brown pill in He Qingning’s hand.

188 thought: His host was truly a little genius, maneuvering to send the item out and have the little princess personally deliver it to her hand.

“This is a fake death pill. After taking it, you’ll be in a state of apparent death for twelve hours. You don’t need to worry about what happens next; I’ll have someone take you out of the prince’s mansion.”

“Oh, alright then.”

“Father Emperor has allowed me to get involved, but whether we succeed depends on us now.”

Shen Wan thought: We must succeed!

He Qingning grasped Shen Wan’s hand and said softly, “From today on, you truly have no way back. Whether we succeed or fail, in life or death, we’re bound together.”

Shen Wan thought: She had been waiting for this day for a long time.

“Hong Zhu, I’ll make arrangements for you. You won’t have to worry about anything.”

Shen Wan thought: The little princess truly understands her heart. How adorable.

“We may face many dangers ahead. Are you afraid?” The Emperor had nominally permitted her to travel around, but secretly he was letting her investigate those corrupt matters.

At first, it wouldn’t arouse suspicion, but after a few times, dangers would lurk all around her. Her brothers probably wouldn’t think she would get involved, assuming it was just another of their father’s strategies, using the princess’s identity as a cover to investigate things clearly. But there were still many dangers.

“Princess, I’m incredibly strong. One small fist can shatter a person’s chest.”

Shen Wan thought: Wife, charge ahead, I’ll protect you!