Fairies Are Fierce

Chapter 17: Reasoning with Dawn

Inside the Cloud Terrace, the noble sons and daughters gradually dispersed.

At the entrance below the tall building, the Imperial Guards stood on both sides with swords in hand, while palace maids stood beside the horse-drawn carriages, their curious gazes occasionally glancing at the young man in white standing at the door, their expressions strange yet filled with curiosity.

Zuo Lingquan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the clear sky with rolling clouds. After waiting for just a moment, footsteps could be heard from behind in the main hall.

Turning around, at the corner of the hall's staircase, the hem of a red dress appeared, moving lightly and causing ripples in the skirt. The red palace shoes and pristine ankles beneath the skirt would occasionally reveal themselves.

If they were strangers, Zuo Lingquan would find this scene of a light fabric strolling very beautiful. However, as soon as he thought about who the owner of these long legs was, his interest in appreciating it disappeared.

Tap, tap, tap...

Jiang Yi's pace was neither fast nor slow. With her palace maid, she descended the stairs. She didn't look sideways until she passed by, then she signaled for Zuo Lingquan to join her in the carriage. Zuo Lingquan also wanted to have a private conversation with Jiang Yi and did not refuse.

Leng Zhu helped Jiang Yi onto the carriage, intending to follow her inside. However, Jiang Yi unexpectedly turned around and said, "Leng Zhu, you get off and follow behind."

"Hmm?"

Leng Zhu was taken aback, thinking to herself, 'A man and a woman alone in the same carriage, this is...' But she didn't dare to disobey the princess's order and quickly got off the carriage, even shooing away the guard palace maid to follow behind.

Creak, creak...

The horse's hooves lifted lightly as the luxurious carriage rose up, slowly moving towards the imperial city.

The carriage that the Princess rode in was naturally decorated luxuriously, with tea tables and soft couches, and gold and jade decorations adorned the surroundings.

Jiang Yi's face slightly darkened as she entered the carriage and sat on the carved soft couch, contemplating the wording of her "intimidation" towards Zuo Lingquan. However, what Jiang Yi didn't expect was that as Zuo Lingquan entered, he closed the carriage door behind him and his previously courteous demeanor disappeared. He walked over to sit beside her, picked up the cup and teapot on the tea table, and poured himself a cup of tea, completely disregarding himself as an outsider.

The soft couch was large enough for two people to lie down and rest, but when had Jiang Yi ever sat together with a man on the same chair? She quickly stood up, but immediately felt that something was wrong. How could a dignified princess like her stand while others sat?

Jiang Yi hurriedly sat back down, sitting at the other end of the soft couch, her gaze like two sharp swords.

"Who allowed you to sit?"

Zuo Lingquan turned a deaf ear and poured two cups of tea for himself, saying, "Last time at Linhe Lane, I didn't know that the lady was the Princess. My behavior may have been disrespectful. I ask for the Princess's forgiveness."

Jiang Yi leaned against the armrest, keeping her distance from Zuo Lingquan, feeling as if she were sitting on pins and needles. However, she didn't want to lose face by standing up, so she forcefully maintained her composure and said,

"You, get up!"

"According to rumors, Princess Chang served as regent for three years, governing diligently, loving the people, and handling matters with fairness..."

"If you don't get up soon, don't blame me for not showing mercy! I have plenty of people who can deal with you!"

"I just didn't expect that even the princess has her shortcomings. I used to think too highly of her righteousness and greatness."

Jiang Yi heard these audacious words and narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, sitting up straight and saying:

"What shortcomings do I have? It was you who used underhanded tactics to win against me in our sparring. And you have the audacity to criticize me?"

After Zuo Lingquan brought up the topic, he calmly looked at Jiang Yi and said:

"Princess, as the regent, you have a clear understanding of handling court affairs. The other night in Linhe Lane, I coincidentally ran into you. We talked about martial arts, and it was you who proposed sparring. At first, I didn't agree, but you insisted, so I accepted the challenge."

"I was the one who initiated the request for sparring, but do you have the nerve to claim that you won fairly? Those sneaky tactics..."

Zuo Lingquan raised his hand, interrupting Jiang Yi's words:

"Since the princess practices martial arts, you should understand the purpose of sparring, right?"

"Mutual sparring between martial artists aims to improve skills through practical combat, without resorting to actual life-or-death battles that result in severe injuries. It emphasizes restraint and knowing when to stop."

"Then let me ask the princess, after our sparring, has your martial arts improved?"

"Hmm?"

Jiang Yi was taken aback.

Zuo Lingquan felt that he hadn't made himself clear enough and continued, "If the princess were to face an enemy in the future, would she still fall for the same tricks and be ambushed in blind spots?"

As the saying goes, 'once bitten by a snake, one is afraid of well ropes for ten years.' Jiang Yi was ambushed twice by Zuo Lingquan during their previous fight, and she would probably never forget it in her lifetime. If she were to engage in combat with someone else, she would definitely be on guard against such tactics.

Jiang Yi's gaze changed slightly. She no longer met Zuo Lingquan's eyes and stubbornly said:

"I would never repeat the same mistake. I will definitely be cautious in the future. But... during our sparring, you didn't fight fairly and used those dishonorable tricks..."

"The princess can choose her sparring partners, but can she choose her mortal enemies? If you were to encounter enemies in the future who excel in dirty tricks, and your life hangs by a thread, would you still have the audacity to call them shameless?"

"I..."

Zuo Lingquan was already guilt-free in his heart, and Jiang Yi naturally couldn't argue. However, her inherent pride made her unwilling to back down:

"Spar is spar, it's different from real combat..."

"If sparring does not resemble real combat and is just a back-and-forth exchange, then what is the point of sparring? Furthermore, sparring should have its limits. When I fought against the princess, I had the upper hand. Did I ever harm the princess in the slightest?"

That night's fight was intense, but Jiang Yi was indeed unharmed, indicating that Zuo Lingquan was mindful of boundaries. In the end, it was she who couldn't accept it and chased after Zuo Lingquan, swinging her weapon recklessly.

If we follow this logic, it is indeed her fault first...

Jiang Yi pursed her lips. In the midst of the argument, she realized she was wrong, and her momentum weakened instantly.

However, Jiang Yi was a proud person and unwilling to admit her mistake so easily. Her mind raced, and suddenly she remembered something important!

Who said she wasn't injured?

Her butt was swollen, okay!

Zuo Lingquan had been observing Jiang Yi's expression. Before Jiang Yi could speak, he spoke first:

"I used the scabbard as a ruler and hit the princess's butt..."

"Spit—"

Jiang Yi's face instantly turned red. For some reason, she lifted her palace shoe and kicked Zuo Lingquan.

Zuo Lingquan reacted quickly, grabbing the red palace shoe with his hand, slightly displeased:

"If it weren't for the princess's interference, chasing after me and attacking without restraint, would I have hit you? Furthermore, using the scabbard as a ruler, I never crossed any boundaries. The use of corporal punishment is meant to teach and leave a lasting impression on the student. Does the princess consider it an insult? Should we also chop off the heads of the teachers who taught us to read and write when we were young?"

Zuo Lingquan held onto Jiang Yi's foot, and due to the angle, the large red skirt slid up above her knees, revealing her fair and slender legs.

Jiang Yi's face was already red, and she realized she had exposed herself. She quickly pulled her foot back, but it didn't come out. She hurriedly used her skirt to cover up, feeling both embarrassed and angry:

"Hey—shameless thief, let go of me! How dare you... I'll call for help!"

Zuo Lingquan didn't look away, only staring into Jiang Yi's eyes:

"If your heart is impure, everyone looks dirty to you. I have never shown any disrespect to the princess, but the princess has repeatedly schemed against me in secret. Who is the shameless thief? Doesn't the princess understand that in her heart?"

Jiang Yi used her skirt to cover her legs, pulling a few times, but she realized that Zuo Lingquan didn't even steal a glance. His eyes were proud and cold, as if he could write 'don't flatter yourself' on his face.

The slight blush on Jiang Yi's face stiffened for a moment, and then she felt a mix of emotions. She didn't know whether to scold Zuo Lingquan for being a pervert or for being blind, not even noticing such fair legs.

However, faced with Zuo Lingquan's slightly harsh words, no matter how much Jiang Yi thought, she couldn't possibly back down. She straightened her back and stared at him:

"How dare you say that I am shameless? How am I shameless? I sparred with you, and you treated me like this. And yet, I still recommended you to go to the Qihuang Valley as I promised..."

(Note: The translation provided is a faithful representation of the original Chinese text. However, please note that the content may contain sensitive or offensive language.)

"Has Her Royal Highness the Princess ever greeted Qihuang Valley and shown me special 'consideration'?"

"..."

Jiang Yi's expression stiffened, and after some thought, she replied, "Qihuang Valley is a sacred place, and it is already difficult for disciples to enter. It is not easy for you to be admitted. What else do you want? Should the National Teacher and the housekeeper come out to welcome you?"

"Fine."

Zuo Lingquan nodded, not pursuing the matter any further, and continued, "Today's equestrian examination, the exceptional 'steed,' was arranged by the Princess, right?"

Once Jiang Yi's identity was exposed, it was impossible to hide the secret manipulations. Even a fool could figure it out.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi's expression truly froze. She was caught red-handed in her secret schemes and had no way to refute it.

Zuo Lingquan released Jiang Yi's palace boots and shook his head, saying, "I act with integrity and have never done anything inappropriate to the Princess. However, the Princess used this method to plot against me and almost caused Zhao Huai'an's death. If I were the one sitting on the horse today, I would have embarrassed myself and then fallen off and been trampled to death. The Princess would have vented her anger and probably felt pleased. Unfortunately, I have disappointed the Princess."

This remark was both sarcastic and mocking, equivalent to stepping on Jiang Yi's face.

Jiang Yi's face changed unpredictably. She also understood honor and disgrace and was not a shameless person. It was embarrassing to be exposed in front of everyone, and she couldn't bear it.

Jiang Yi clenched her silver teeth and responded after a long while, "I... I didn't intend to kill you. I just wanted the horse to not move, it was just a joke. With your abilities, you wouldn't necessarily embarrass yourself. Didn't you make a stunning performance today?"

Zuo Lingquan snorted lightly, "I'll take it as a joke. But when the Princess suddenly appeared and declared me as the husband, knowing that I aspire for longevity, yet deliberately obstructed and cut off my path, isn't that holding a grudge a bit too much?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yi initially felt embarrassed, but upon careful consideration, she felt that something was off—hey? What are you implying? Am I mistreating you by choosing you as my husband?

Jiang Yi's momentum suddenly rose. She sat upright without any sense of guilt, coldly looking at Zuo Lingquan, "You ungrateful person, don't you know how fortunate you are? What's wrong with me choosing you as my husband? Have I mistreated you?"

Uh...

Zuo Lingquan's expression of having the upper hand slightly froze. He looked Jiang Yi up and down—her prominent front and curvaceous figure, her picturesque features, and her stunning beauty were not exaggerated. It seemed like she really didn't mistreat him...

(End of this chapter)