Jiang Xiaoman was tricked with candy, and he got angry at that moment, but later on, he felt regretful about it.
Had he not shown up himself, the male protagonist would have long been engaged in flirting with the female lead. Why would he resort to deceiving this unwitting cannon fodder into sharing candy if not for sheer boredom?
He was originally sulking, about to devour the last candy. However, just as the candy reached his lips, he began feeling guilty towards the Crown Prince. Consequently, he gingerly withdrew the candy back into its pouch, intending to save it for the Crown Prince to enjoy next time.
Jiang Xiaoman sat on the edge of the bed, licking his fingers. Sweet and fragrant, the candy was indeed delicious.
After hearing the bell of the female lead that day, Jiang Xiaoman would wander around the palace every day. The palace residents, observing his daily strolls, believed this to be his secret to eternal youth, unaware that his inability to find the female lead had him on edge.
Fortunately, good things come to those who wait. Several days later, Jiang Xiaoman finally found the female lead.
However, Jiang Xiaoman’s happiness lasted only a few seconds. As soon as he realized what was happening before his eyes, he knew things were about to take a turn for the worse.
Nangong Xue was in the middle of an argument with someone.
“How did you wash the princess’s dress like this? It’s all ruined!” exclaimed a palace maid, her voice trembling with urgency, holding a piece of clothing.
“How would I know how to wash it? The water was freezing!” Nangong Xue exclaimed loudly.
“So clumsy! Can’t even wash a piece of clothing properly!” another palace maid exclaimed, also in a state of distress.
“If you love washing so much, go ahead and do it yourself! I’m not doing it!” Nangong Xue shrieked.
The last time Jiang Xiaoman saw Nangong Xue, she was wearing a beautiful red dress, but now she was dressed as a palace maid.
Jiang Xiaoman lurked nearby and eavesdropped for a while, getting a rough idea of what was going on. Nangong Xue, as per the original storyline, had infiltrated the palace using a false identity. However, she hadn’t managed to pose as a fake immortal successfully and, somehow, ended up as a maid under a certain princess.
Within the demonic sect, Nangong Xue was a cherished and pampered belle, akin to a princess receiving abundant favor. How could someone accustomed to such treatment be expected to toil? Yet, in her guise as a false palace maid, she was required to perform genuine tasks. Unversed in any skills, her mishandling of the princess’s attire inevitably attracted the reprimands of the other maids.
“How am I going to explain this ruined dress to the princess?”
“I’ll compensate for it! Will that do?”
“Can you afford to compensate?”
Unable to bear it any longer, Jiang Xiaoman appeared ethereally behind everyone.
The palace maids had seen Jiang Xiaoman before, so they hastily bowed in reverence upon his arrival. Nangong Xue, who had never seen Jiang Xiaoman, merely glanced at him before being pressed by the palace maids to lower her head and pay her respects.
Observing their tense expressions, Jiang Xiaoman remained composed and calmly gestured towards one of the palace maids, indicating for her to bring the princess’s dress.
The princess’s dress was of excellent quality, exquisitely crafted, with intricate peony embroidery adorning the fabric. Each petal of the peony displayed varying shades, creating a mesmerizing display. However, several of the peonies had been torn, their threads loose, evidently a result of Nangong Xue’s aggressive laundering.
Jiang Xiaoman glanced at Nangong Xue, whose charming face flushed red. Her watery, large eyes alternated between glaring at Jiang Xiaoman and the other two individuals. It was unclear whether her expression stemmed from anger or embarrassment.
Nangong Xue said, “It’s just a piece of torn clothing. What’s all the fuss about? I’ll compensate her with a hundred pieces!”
The palace maid replied, “Hey, why are you so disrespectful?”
Seeing that another argument was about to erupt, Jiang Xiaoman raised his hand to intervene and quell the situation.
Jiang Xiaoman reached out his finger and gently touched the embroidery. The other three didn’t understand what he was doing and observed him closely, as if waiting for him to speak. After a moment, Jiang Xiaoman raised his head and asked, “Is this Princess Yunmeng’s dress?”
The palace maid nodded.
“Does Her Highness keep a cat?”
The palace maid nodded.
After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Xiaoman sighed softly and said, “The princess had narrowly escaped a mishap before. Perhaps this dress shielded her from harm this time.”
Jiang Xiaoman was just making things up.
He had never actually seen Princess Yunmeng; he simply recalled from the book that when Princess Yunmeng made her entrance, she happened to be wearing a floral dress similar to this one.
This Princess Yunmeng was the niece of the Empress, bestowed with the title due to the Emperor and Empress’s favor. She dreamed of becoming the Crown Prince’s concubine and frequently tried to catch his attention.
In the novel, during the female lead’s first appearance in front of everyone, Princess Yunmeng became aware of the Crown Prince’s unwavering attention towards her. Instantly, consumed by jealousy, she resorted to vexing the female lead. Yet, the resilient protagonist refused to be intimidated. In the ten chapters that Jiang Xiaoman has perused, the princess persistently seeks to torment the female lead, only to be met with consistent and humiliating rebuttals. It is evident that the princess’s prospects in the forthcoming chapters do not bode well.
This initial humiliation is somehow related to the cat.
The princess claimed to suffer from constant sneezing, and even the court physician was unable to find a solution. She wished to request the female lead to cure her.
She harbored malicious intent towards the female lead and, upon noticing the slightest hesitation from her, swiftly turned to verbal taunts. The female lead, unable to endure the insult, recalled from hearsay that the princess harbored a fear of cats. Aware of the Emperor’s recent gift of a cat, she deliberately used her own cat to playfully tease the princess. This deliberate action caused the princess to pale in distress, and she endured multiple scratches from the cat, resulting in a pitiable and distressing spectacle.
The palace maids, privy to the princess’s fear of cats, were taken aback by Jiang Xiaoman’s ambiguous statement, revealing an expression of incredulity.
Jiang Xiaoman handed the dress back to the palace maid and added, “The dress being torn in the wash is a stroke of fate. This item served as a talisman for the princess. Upon returning, offer three incense sticks in gratitude, mend it carefully, and keep it well.”
The palace maids nodded in agreement, understanding Jiang Xiaoman’s words, while Nangong Xue remained perplexed, murmuring quietly, “What strange and cryptic talk…”
The palace maid glared at Nangong Xue and said, “Aren’t you going to thank the immortal? If it weren’t for the immortal’s guidance, the princess might have punished you!”
Nangong Xue finally looked directly at Jiang Xiaoman. Despite noticing that Jiang Xiaoman was around the same age as her, she felt a sense of imbalance as everyone treated him with utmost respect and reverence.
Her inherent pride made her particularly averse to others witnessing her moments of embarrassment, especially when someone not only observed but also extended a helping hand.
Currently, with Jiang Xiaoman busily aiding her, she felt both embarrassed and annoyed, her face turning red. She responded ungratefully, “Punish me if you must, but who asked for your help? Mind your own business!”
After her remark, Nangong Xue turned on her heel and walked away, revealing her completely arrogant and headstrong side, true to her nature as a spoiled female lead.
The palace maids rushed to call her back, but Jiang Xiaoman simply shook his head, saying, “Don’t take it to heart.”
With the immortal’s advice, everyone had no choice but to desist. However, what they didn’t know was that Jiang Xiaoman was apprehensive about them discussing Nangong Xue any further. He feared that in the future, once Nangong Xue ascended to become the Crown Prince’s concubine, she might seek revenge on those who had spoken ill of her.
Everyone was just bystanders in this situation, so it might be best to endure it.
While on the way back to the Tower of Ascension, Jiang Xiaoman’s heart felt somewhat relieved, yet the uncertainty of when the female lead would establish a connection with the Crown Prince made his heart tense once again.
It’s crucial for the Crown Prince to fall in love with the female lead as soon as possible!
On the other side, in Changle Palace.
The candlelight flickered on the desk as the Crown Prince sat, casually perusing the memorials delivered today, his mind elsewhere. He asked absentmindedly, “What did that little immortal do today?”
Tongguang stood quietly behind the Crown Prince like a shadow and whispered softly, “As usual, moving around the palace, but today, the little immortal also intervened to help one of Princess Yunmeng’s maids.”
“Oh? Is that so?” The Crown Prince paused his work.
“Yes,” Tong Guang explained the details of what had happened.
The Crown Prince listened impassively, but upon hearing about the maid’s alluring appearance and how Jiang Xiaoman played the hero, a faint smirk appeared at the corner of his mouth. He spoke in a cold tone, “Isn’t this immortal around eighty? Still interested in women? Truly vigorous in old age, quite unexpected.”
Just as the Crown Prince pondered how vigorous Jiang Xiaoman seemed despite his age, Jiang Xiaoman had already returned to the Tower of Ascension, taken a bath, and cuddled the little kitten before falling asleep.
He even dreamt that the Crown Prince and Nangong Xue got married, both of them tearfully and profusely thanking him as the matchmaker.
No need for thanks, just let me return home safely.
In his slumber, Jiang Xiaoman smiled contentedly.
On the following day, while Jiang Xiaoman was contemplating how to present Nangong Xue before the Crown Prince, he was abruptly summoned for an audience.
This person happened to be Princess Yunmeng.
The countenance of Princess Yunmeng, though not as striking as that of the female protagonist, held an undeniable allure, particularly in the lively spark of her phoenix eyes. Regrettably, sharing a similar headstrong disposition as the female lead, and not ordained with the fate of the protagonist, she remained relegated to the role of a secondary character, destined for a supporting role.
Unexpectedly, she displayed a rather courteous demeanor towards Jiang Xiaoman, respectfully inviting him and promptly offering him a seat. This initial impression left Jiang Xiaoman with a favorable view of her.
The two sat facing each other, and the princess spoke, “I1 heard about what happened yesterday. I wanted to personally express my gratitude to the immortal.”
Jiang Xiaoman nodded without saying a word. The princess expressed her gratitude once more. Seeing Jiang Xiaoman maintaining the same demeanor, she was unsure how to proceed and quickly gestured to the palace maids, saying, “Why are you all standing there? Bring some refreshments!”
Three palace maids appeared, each carrying a tray of refreshments.
“This was made by me personally. Please, immortal, have a taste.”
The pastries were all exquisitely crafted, emitting a tantalizing aroma. Jiang Xiaoman discreetly swallowed, believing he had maintained his composure. Unbeknownst to him, the princess noticed his reaction to the pastries. Seeing the immortal’s expression finally change, she hurriedly instructed for more refreshments to be brought in.
Having sampled several pastries offered by the princess, Jiang Xiaoman’s fondness for her increased significantly. He responded more actively to the princess’s conversation, acknowledging her words more frequently.
Just at that moment, a small white cat suddenly leaped onto the table, causing the pastries to topple over.
“Oh no!” The princess turned pale with a frightened expression, shrilly exclaiming, “Quick, catch it! Get it off the table!”
“Your Highness!” One of the palace maids hurriedly moved forward to catch the cat, unaware that the little cat leaped and landed in Jiang Xiaoman’s arms.
“Immortal!” Everyone became even more anxious. An immortal of around eighty years old—if the cat accidentally harmed his fragile bones, how could they compensate for the damages?
The scene was chaotic, with the princess screaming, palace maids in a frenzy trying to catch the cat and clean the table. Meanwhile, Jiang Xiaoman remained calm, raising his hand to gently stroke the kitten’s head. He then picked up a piece of pastry that remained on the tray and calmly ate it.
Delicious, delicious, Jiang Xiaoman exclaimed as he was halfway through eating. Only then did he notice everyone staring at him in panic. He hurriedly swallowed the pastry, cleared his throat, and said solemnly, “No need to panic. This humble one2 and the cat share a bond.” After speaking, he discreetly wiped his mouth with his hand.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but the princess wore an uneasy expression and even sneezed twice in succession.
The cat in Jiang Xiaoman’s arms happened to be the one gifted by the Emperor. Although the princess was afraid of cats, she dared not refuse it. In fact, when in the presence of the Emperor, she would even display fondness for the cat.
Observing the princess bowing her head to dab her nose with a handkerchief and recalling her mentioning frequent sneezing, Jiang Xiaoman suddenly realized that she might be allergic to cat fur.
Jiang Xiaoman looked at the table filled with pastries, thinking, You offered me delicious food, so I should help you too. He raised his hand and gently stroked the cat’s back, asking, “Is this cat a gift from His Majesty?”
The princess nodded, “Indeed.”
“Such a pity,” Jiang Xiaoman shook his head, “Although it’s a gift from His Majesty, unfortunately, it seems the princess’s fate isn’t aligned with the cat. Continuing to raise a cat will surely bring misfortune.”
The princess widened her eyes in astonishment, as Jiang Xiaoman’s words struck a chord deep within her. She nodded hurriedly in agreement.
“This humble one will take this cat with me. If His Majesty inquires, this humble one will truthfully report what transpired,” Jiang Xiaoman declared.
For Jiang Xiaoman, this seemed like a trivial matter that the Emperor wouldn’t bother pursuing. Yet, it relieved a major concern for the princess. Her respect for Jiang Xiaoman grew considerably. Initially, she had some doubts about Jiang Xiaoman’s abilities, but now she felt he truly possessed mystical powers, seemingly aware of her thoughts and concerns.
The princess quickly added, “Didn’t I prepare lotus seed soup as well? Bring it over quickly!”
“Making lotus seed soup is one of my specialties. Immortal, you must taste it.”
Jiang Xiaoman, hearing this, discreetly swallowed, eagerly anticipating the lotus seed soup. As the soup was brought forward, he looked up, only to find that the approaching palace maid was unexpectedly Nangong Xue.
Upon seeing him, Nangong Xue’s eyes widened in surprise. As she set down the small bowl, her grip was a bit forceful, causing some of the lotus seed soup to spill.
“Goodness! How clumsy of you!” The princess exclaimed upon noticing the spill, her voice elevated. Nangong Xue, taken aback by the mishap and feeling somewhat embarrassed, was caught off guard by the princess’s reprimand. However, in response to the scolding, a flicker of irritation flashed across her, and she shot a defiant glare at the princess.
“What’s with that look? Is that how you regard others?” The princess’s temper flared in response.
Observing his dampened sleeve and the escalating tension, Jiang Xiaoman felt a sense of distress. I haven’t even said a word. What are you both arguing about?
“Stop arguing,” Jiang Xiaoman weakly intervened.
“Immortal! This maid is incredibly rude!”
“You’re the one being rude!”
“You dare address me in such a manner? Guards! Seize this insolent—”
“Stop arguing,” Jiang Xiaoman’s voice raised slightly, “this one has a headache!”
The princess, showing respect for her elder, fell silent. Nangong Xue, having realized that Jiang Xiaoman was the rumored living immortal, also refrained from speaking. The two young women exchanged mutual glares in silence.
Jiang Xiaoman truly felt a headache coming on. He delicately nibbled on a piece of pastry, savoring it slowly. Upon finishing, he sighed softly before speaking, “The two of you are not destined to be together. If you do not wish to be sisters in the next life, it’s best not to sow discord in this one.”
Upon reaching this point, Jiang Xiaoman decided to continue according to his plan. He said, “This palace maid and this humble one have a bond. From now on, you should come to the Tower of Ascension.”
The princess had never held much favor for this particular palace maid, and with Jiang Xiaoman seemingly compliant with his own directive, she expressed no dissent. However, Nangong Xue responded differently. Despite Jiang Xiaoman sparing her from further reprimand, she harbored a disdain for the seemingly delicate and youthful appearance of the living immortal. With a disdainful huff, she pivoted and departed in a manner both proud and dismissive.
The princess felt an urge to scold someone, but Jiang Xiaoman simply shook his head in a nonchalant manner while holding the little cat.
The woman associated with the male lead was not to be trifled with.
On the other hand, in Changle Palace, the Crown Prince had already been informed of Jiang Xiaoman’s activities for the day.
“So, he took that palace maid to his place? Surprising, isn’t it? It’s only been a few days, and he’s already feeling impatient.”
The Crown Prince leaned thoughtfully on his hand, his dark eyes devoid of any smile, yet his tone bore a hint of amusement. “That immortal was brought upon my request by my father, His Majesty. I haven’t crossed paths with him much, but it appears that the palace maids have found favor in his presence.”
“Several days have passed without the presence of that immortal. It seems that without a maiden, there’s no proper way to welcome such an esteemed guest.”
“Go and say that I require the service of that palace maiden. Escort her to Changle Palace.”
Jiang Xiaoman had originally devised a plan to first bring Nangong Xue to his residence and subsequently find a means to transfer her to the Crown Prince’s location.
Surprisingly, even before he returned to the Tower of Ascension, a eunuch from Changle Palace arrived with a message. It appeared that the Crown Prince also expressed interest in the same maid, so the maid was promptly escorted to the Crown Prince’s residence.
The eunuch mentioned sending other palace maids as compensation for the vacancy caused by taking away that maid, but Jiang Xiaoman declined with joy overflowing in his heart.
Oh, my!
Is this the legendary overbearing cripple?
Seems like the prince has had his eye on the female lead for a while. Now that he’s seen she might be taken by someone else, he’s rushing in to make his move.
Is this the plot of a domineering cripple falling in love?
It’s too sweet!
Really too sweet!
Jiang Xiaoman felt like he had too much sweetness.
1本宫 běn gōng — I (term to address oneself, used by women of high status living in a palace)
2贫道 pín dào — humble self-address of a Taoist priest; the translation is not the most accurate but oh well T_T
To support the author, click here! To buy chapters on jjwxc, please refer to this guide!
Check out my ko-fi for faster releases! (ෆ˙ᵕ˙ෆ)♡
Pomegranate Pills 