This Waste Wood Burns For You - Chapter 14

Chai Qing stumbled, yet pretending she was deaf and couldn’t hear.

But Jiang Rao carefully noticed her red ear tips and found it strangely amusing: A bad seed who fears nothing, yet has such thin skin?

With this interruption, no one talked about the “don’t want to live” topic anymore.

Spring Water Town was neither big nor small. The people who lived there had fresh gossip every day. The wedding procession went back and forth, which was quite strange. People inquired about it, but the Kingdom of Jiang’s soldiers were tight-lipped, so no one found out any valuable information.

After a few days, the heavy snow melted, and people gradually learned the reason.

—The stone bridge ahead had collapsed.

Those who wanted to go to Qingyang County could only take the goat path instead of the official road.

They could take the goat path, but the Kingdom of Jiang’s soldiers couldn’t. If the king knew the truth, he wouldn’t agree to them taking a detour.

The king valued face above all else.

Ronghua passed by the princess’s room for the third time, he frowned and said outside the door, “Reporting to the princess, this subordinate has something to ask for!”

“General, please come in.”

The door opened, Li Nu welcomed him in, the cold wind was blocked outside.

There was a brazier burning in the inner room, the charcoal made a soft crackling sound. Jiang Rao was sitting in front of the brazier, her black hair was tied up with a black wood hairpin, her posture was upright, the epitome of elegance.

Chai Qing, as the fake Yan Nu, quickly took a screen and placed it between the princess and the general. Don’t think she didn’t understand, this Ronghua was up to no good, always trying to get the princess’s attention.

Of course, she wasn’t innocent either.

But she was at least a fragrant woman, how could she compare to a bearded dog man?

The seven-foot-tall, three-foot-wide flower and bird screen blocked them. Ronghua couldn’t even see the princess’s face. He glared at ‘Yan Nu’ angrily, bowed and reported, “This subordinate has already contacted the Qingyang Magistrate and others, and we have discussed the matter of the bridge together. Unfortunately…

He said his piece, and Chai Qing changed the tea to a hot one for the princess, earning a smiling nod of approval from Jiang Rao.

After patiently listening to him finish, she said, “General, you don’t need to worry. Everything happens for a reason. The collapse of the stone bridge is not your fault. Since we’re here, we’ll make the best of it.”

“Yes…”

Jiang Rao picked up her teacup, “General, is there anything else?”

Ronghua stood there, unwilling to leave, “Unless something unexpected happens, the princess will be spending the New Year here.”

“It’s fine.”

Hearing her tone, she didn’t seem to care where she spent the New Year. Ronghua admired her, but he also feared her. He retreated awkwardly.

As soon as he left, Chai Qing asked first, “Princess, will you be spending the New Year in Spring Water Town?”

“Yes, that’s the only option.”

Chai Qing was a native of the town. Her eyes lit up when she heard this, “If the princess wants to eat and have fun, I can help.”

She straightened her back, her chest, stuffed with cotton, was bulging and very eye-catching.

For some reason, Jiang Rao always wanted to laugh at her. Her gaze lingered on the ‘cotton chest’ for a few seconds, her smile deepened, “Then I’ll trouble you.”

“It’s my pleasure to serve the beauty.” She saw Jiang Rao looking at her ‘proud’ ‘snow peaks’ with a meaningful look, and her mouth moved faster than her brain, “What, envious?”

Jiang Rao took a slow sip of fragrant tea and teased, “You’ve got it backwards.”

Why would she need to envy Chai Qing, it should be Chai Qing who envies her.

Not to mention anything else, she was extremely confident in her own appearance and figure.

It’s just that some people are not good at talking.

Chai Qing was unconvinced, “That’s nothing, I’ve seen bigger ones than yours.”

She was openly admiring other beauty’s good figure in front of Jiang Rao. The smile on Jiang Rao’s lips faltered slightly.

No woman wants to be surpassed in her natural assets, and she was no exception.

She looked at Chai Qing coldly, “Do you have many lovers?”

“No.”

No is best.

Even if it was just a fling, she hoped that Chai Qing was not a bastard.

“You don’t have any other lovers, so you’re really a thief who likes to take advantage.”

You must have seen countless women’s bodies behind their backs.

Chai Qing couldn’t refute that. She raised her eyebrows, “Everyone loves beauty, but that was all in my youth.”

When she grew up, her standards became higher. She only liked to look at her aunt.

Her expression betrayed her wandering thoughts. Jiang Rao found it novel. Since being crowned “the most beautiful woman in the Nine Provinces,” few dared to be so openly distracted in her presence.

She asked, “Am I not beautiful?”

“…You are Beautiful.”

It’s just that your chest is a little small.

She saw the regret in her eyes clearly.

Having lived in a den of tigers and wolves for many years, the princess’s composure was unmatched. She spoke softly, “Then in your opinion, who is the most beautiful?”

“My mother.”

This was a jaw-dropping answer.

“Your mother?”

“Yes, my mother.” hearing this Jiang Rao’s gaze softened, “I didn’t expect you to be a filial daughter.”

Chai Qing chuckled, “You don’t understand. My mother died after giving birth to me. I don’t even know what she looked like, but she gave birth to me. Even if she was an absolute ugly woman, in my heart, she’s the most beautiful.”

“You’re right.”

Her words reminded Jiang Rao of her own mother.

In the past, her mother had her to keep her company during the New Year, so she wouldn’t be too lonely. But this year, she couldn’t.

She was worried about her mother, who was far away in the Kingdom of Jiang. She lost the mood to ask Chai Qing about her definition and standards of ‘beauty’. She was listless and sat there in a daze, holding her cat.

Li Nu tugged at Chai Qing’s sleeve, and the two of them left the room one after the other.

“Why are you pulling me?”

“The princess is missing the queen, we can’t disturb her.”

“Missing the queen?” Chai Qing stood under the eaves and slowly stroked her sleeve. Jiang Rao’s gloomy face appeared in her mind, “Do we just let her be sad and lonely?”

Li Nu was speechless. Her eyes showed confusion: What else could we do? The princess is the mistress, and they are the servants. The princess has always disliked them interfering in her affairs, especially those concerning the queen.

“It’ll be fine after a while.”

She said this, looking at Chai Qing’s incredulous expression.

Chai Qing didn’t understand, but she followed Li Nu anyway.

When they came back, she was holding a bowl of steaming red date and longan porridge in her hand, she protected the rim of the bowl with one hand and quickly walked through the drafty corridor.

She knocked on the door.

Jiang Rao’s thoughts were interrupted, “What is it?”

Chai Qing walked in with a smile, “Are you hungry? Come and have a bowl of red date and longan porridge that I just made?”

The aroma of the porridge filled the air. Jiang Rao still had no appetite. She suppressed the emotions that shouldn’t be shown on her face, and her eyes blinked, returning to the familiar image of the princess of the Kingdom of Jiang.

“This princess is fine, you may leave.”

Tsk.

“If you’re unhappy, then you’re unhappy. If you miss your mother, then you miss your mother. Aren’t you tired of acting like this?” Chai Qing chose a seat for herself, took out a prepared porcelain bowl and a porcelain spoon from her bosom, “If you don’t drink it, then watch me drink it.”

The porridge was divided into two portions.

“…”

Jiang Rao’s brows furrowed; she turned away, pointedly avoiding eye contact. Yet Chai Qing’s voice, as if deliberately aimed at her, seemed to penetrate straight through her defenses.

“Your body and skin are given to you by your parents. Are you torturing yourself like this? Does Queen Jiang know?”

“You don’t understand anything!”

“I don’t understand, I’m just saying it casually.” Chai Qing held the porcelain spoon and took small sips, a smile on her brow, “People can only be reckless when they’re full. If you can’t even fill your stomach, how can you satisfy other desires?”

She finished half a bowl of porridge, she was satisfied, “You really won’t eat? If you won’t, then I—”

Jiang Rao finally deigned to move, walking over to snatch the bowl.

She hadn’t eaten lunch, her stomach was already empty. Looking up at Chai Qing’s carefree smiling face, she suddenly laughed, “Is it that good?”

That unintentional outburst of capriciousness dissipated in an instant, replaced by the dignified glory of the princess of the Kingdom of Jiang.

The interest in Chai Qing’s eyes dimmed inch by inch. Compared to Jiang Rao’s composed and calm demeanor, she preferred her previous stubborn, hungry state. It wasn’t that she liked seeing her hungry, but she liked that authenticity.

The current Jiang Rao was a little fake.

Impervious to harm.

Flawless.

But what human is perfect?

Perhaps Jiang Rao’s weakness was the queen in the palace.

If Chai Qing were a little more wicked, she would have to pretend to use their mother-daughter relationship as a point of entry, forcefully squeezing into her heart.

But…

That would be too shameless.

She was also someone’s daughter.

It’s just that her mother died after giving birth to her.

She tilted her head and looked at the princess who was slowly drinking porridge, feeling that this person was full of secrets.

Porridge can warm the stomach. Sometimes, when you’re full, those worries fade away.

“Feeling better?”

Her eyes were shining.

Jiang Rao took out a handkerchief to wipe her lips. After Chai Qing’s antics, she couldn’t bring herself to feel sad anymore, but that didn’t mean she was grateful.

“Is that how you coax girls?”

It was so clumsy!

Chai Qing’s face turned green from her teasing, “Who’s coaxing you?”

“You.”

“…”

Chai Qing didn’t want to talk to her. She picked up the porcelain bowl and walked out. After taking a few steps, she still couldn’t bear it. She turned her head and said, “I just saw you alone and felt sorry for you okay…”

She said that and left.

She walked away, tapping her own head.

My head must have been kicked by a donkey.

How could a bad seed actually do something caring? Did it matter to me if Jiang Rao was hungry or not?

She regretted it endlessly.

After she left, Jiang Rao’s eyes were cold, she pursed her lips and said nothing.

….

“How did you offend the princess?”

“I didn’t offend her, I just told the truth.”

The truth had caused Chai Qing to be neglected for the past few days. The beautiful Jiang Rao seemed to have become the cold and hard person she was when they first met, she didn’t even smile.

Even getting close to her was a risk of getting frostbite.

Li Nu didn’t dare to persuade her.

She could only look at Chai Qing with pity, “You’re in trouble, you’ve made the princess angry.”

Chai Qing was used to being reckless. She just wanted to sleep with the beauty, she didn’t want to be a nanny for her. She waved her hand nonchalantly, “Whatever.”

After her period was over, Jiang Rao’s complexion was noticeably rosy.

However, she chatted and laughed with others, asked Ronghua about the bridge repair, talked about the weather with Li Nu, and even went to the backyard of the inn to talk to a dog out of boredom.

She ignored Chai Qing, as if she is blind.

This was the fourth time Chai Qing had passed by her.

Jiang Rao squatted down, her eyes looking straight ahead. Chai Qing had to squat down too, “Princess?”

Alright!

She admitted that she had spoken too loudly that day.

No matter how pitiful Jiang Rao was, she was still a princess of a country. Her words were undoubtedly stepping on her self-esteem.

She said again, “Princess?”

Jiang Rao seemed not to hear. Her jade hand stroked the black dog’s head, her voice was as gentle as water, “Chai Chai, eat more.”

She handed over the raw meat on the plate.

The black dog devoured it all.

Chai, Chai Chai?

Chai Qing was dumbfounded, her eyes widened, “You, you, you…”

Don’t go too far!

Her aggrieved expression was very vivid. Jiang Rao, who had been ignoring her for days, finally smiled. It was a fleeting smile. She stood up, “Aren’t you coming?”