Chapter 1697 – The Fate of Hua Yuan (Part Six)
“Who is this?”
The Xichang Princess was heavily pregnant, her belly so heavy it needed both hands for support just to feel comfortable.
Jiang Pengji pretended not to recognize her, but the idlers in the livestream genuinely had no clue.
【Gym Weight Loss Diary】: This young lady seems somewhat familiar, but I can’t quite remember where I’ve seen her. Does anyone big shot remember?
【Candy Factory】: I think she looks familiar too. Although she’s really swollen from pregnancy, her facial features are still quite lovely. She must be pretty attractive, right? There are only a handful of beautiful ladies who’ve appeared in this livestream; with such good looks, she couldn’t possibly be unknown…
The strength of five hundred thousand idle folks shouldn’t be underestimated; a few of those idlers have decent memories.
【Streamer Marry Me】: Wait a second! I just remembered! No wonder her face looks familiar, she appears to be the Xichang Princess!
Someone pieced it together and offered a hint, but most of the idlers were still sporting the “no idea what’s happening” look.
Who is the Xichang Princess?
Is she famous?
Well, just hearing the title “Princess” tells you she comes from a prestigious background and holds an exceptional status.
After some deduction, the crowd finally matched their few scattered memories of the Xichang Princess.
Many exclaimed in sudden realization, “Oh, it’s her!”
【Two Hundred Pound Idle Fish】: Xichang Princess? I vaguely remember her. How did she end up like this?
A while ago, an idle fish participated in a time travel event, becoming a guard who escorted the Xichang Princess and the Xichang Prince. The idlers in the livestream got their first glimpse of this pair of siblings blessed with heavenly looks; both had faces that could make anyone fall in love at first sight.
One year had barely passed, and how had the Xichang Princess turned out like this?
Well, it wasn’t hard to guess.
The Xichang Princess was now a concubine of An Huan, pregnant with his illegitimate child, making her a rather special war captive. Jiang Pengji hadn’t planned on making things difficult for her, but some of An Huan’s former officials wanted to take shortcuts and volunteered the Xichang Princess to curry favor.
Pregnancy was tough, and this time around, the Xichang Princess wasn’t exactly stable. Worrying that her child’s lineage might be revealed added to her stress. The recent turmoil had left her even more haggard and older-looking; her face swollen in several layers, chunks of fat creating double chins, and her sturdy neck made her collarbones disappear. Her once enchanting almond eyes were now squished into slits. Where had her former jaw-dropping beauty gone?
If not for the faint traces of her peak beauty remaining, even five hundred thousand idlers couldn’t have guessed who she was.
Jiang Pengji kept her composure and offered an explanation about the fallen princess.
“This person was originally a legitimate princess of the Xichang royal family, later taken as a concubine by the late Lord An Huan; the child she carries is An Huan’s illegitimate son.”
Upon hearing this, the Xichang Princess, previously expressionless, finally reacted as if somewhat overwhelmed, covering her face with one hand.
Jiang Pengji averted her gaze.
“An Huan’s illegitimate son? I thought you would take into account the bond between lord and vassal, to preserve the last trace of his bloodline.”
The faces of those former officials turned pale as if they had been slapped with a heavy coat of white paint.
They had heard of Jiang Pengji’s infamous reputation, but hadn’t expected her to be this cutting with her words, leaving them no face at all.
Her previous remark almost accused them of being heartless, base people.
In an instant, they felt a scorching sensation on their faces, as if they were slapped in front of the whole world.
However, Jiang was still the wily old fox; they were seasoned veterans who had weathered many storms, with strong mental fortitude that wouldn’t allow them to show embarrassment.
Not only did they refrain from showing their discomfort, but they would find suitable explanations to regain some dignity in no time.
What was the purpose of bringing forth An Huan’s concubine and illegitimate child?
Wasn’t it for Jiang Pengji, their new lord?
Since Jiang Pengji was the one destined by fate, even though An Huan was their former lord, they had to align with the new ruler.
Whoever Heaven chose to be the true dragon son, they should assist that individual and not commit acts that defy divine will simply because of a past flawed relationship! Furthermore, since Jiang Pengji was indeed that true dragon son, blessed with the heart to embrace all, why would she be petty enough to falter over the child of her defeated foe? Their presentation of An Huan’s concubine and her child wasn’t for flattery; whether she accepted them or not was her business, they had done what they needed to as loyal subjects.
Truly, they had lived long enough to become wise and knew how to navigate the situation properly. If it were someone more ambitious, the impact of their words would be huge. What leader wouldn’t want to hear compliments? But now, they faced none other than Jiang Pengji!
Ignoring their insincere flattery, Jiang Pengji turned her focus to the size of the fetus in the Xichang Princess’ belly.
The princess replied in a flustered voice, practically wishing to dig a hole and bury herself.
She had no clue how she ended up in this situation.
The first time she met Jiang Pengji, she was still enjoying the privileges of being a national princess.
Now she was just a concubine of Jiang Pengji’s defeated foe, a captive subject to the whims of others.
Jiang Pengji mentally calculated the timeline; the due date was approaching.
“You are An Huan’s concubine, carrying his illegitimate child, and I have never been one to make life difficult for the weak and vulnerable. As An Huan’s lineage is only left in this child of yours, you should give birth to the child without worries. I will send someone to ensure you and your child are taken care of.”
She held no emotional upheaval; to her, the Xichang Princess was just an inconsequential passerby.
Well…
In reality, she truly was just a passerby, not worth Jiang Pengji’s attention.
The princess thought she was doomed; how could she have ever guessed this would be her outcome? She could live, and her child could too?
In a moment, the Xichang Princess’ feelings were mixed, a whirlwind of thoughts tangled up in her heart.
All this time, she had racked her brain to stay alive, anxious for so long.
What was a matter of life and death for her was of little importance to Jiang Pengji.
Jiang’s few light words determined the fate of her life and that of her unborn child…
The Xichang Princess’ heart was churning with jealousy and bitterness, the sourness almost rising to her throat.
Is this the feeling of wielding power?
A single word shapes a life.
A single word spells death.
It was only at this moment that the Xichang Princess understood what “both thunder and rain are the compassion of the ruler” really meant.
Jiang Pengji didn’t care about the Xichang Princess’ plight; she was more concerned about Hua Yuan’s whereabouts.
That madman dared to delude himself into thinking he was “Liu Xi”?
Hmph, I really want to gouge out his eyeballs and show him what “the real deal” looks like!
