Obsessively Raised by My Doll 14

Chapter 14

Hearing that the Crown Princess was going to the Library Pavilion, the staff of Changning Palace scrambled into action. Their movements, however, were orderly. Though they worked quickly, they made no sound as they went about their tasks, lest they disturb Her Highness.

Matron Zhang was getting on in years, and the recent stress had left her feeling drowsy and weary. She hadn’t managed to wake up early today. When she finally awoke and asked if the Crown Princess had attended morning court, a young maid replied, “Her Highness did not attend court. Instead, she went to the Library Pavilion.”

A thoughtful expression appeared on Matron Zhang’s aged face.

The Library Pavilion?

It was such a remote place. The last time Her Highness went, she had fainted right there. After returning, she had someone fetch the library’s borrowing register, clearly taking an interest in someone or something there. Or perhaps something had happened there that caught Her Highness’s attention.

Could it be that Her Highness was going to meet someone?

But the Library Pavilion was so remote… Hardly anyone in the rear palace ever went there. For Her Highness to skip morning court and go to the library instead was strange, no matter how one looked at it.

Even without understanding court politics, Matron Zhang knew that her Highness’s position was not as stable as it once was. If she didn’t come up with a plan, she might truly be deposed by His Majesty.

Matron Zhang’s heart leaped into her throat. The older Her Highness got, the harder it was to guess her thoughts.

The staff in Changning Palace all knew that when the Crown Princess was away, Matron Zhang was in charge. She was practically Her Highness’s wet nurse, her status very unusual.

Seeing her like this, the young maid couldn’t help but ask, “Shall this servant have someone follow Her Highness?”

Matron Zhang’s eyelids twitched as she looked at her.

“Do not act on your own initiative. Do your duty.”

This was already a reprimand.

The young maid trembled, immediately realizing she had overstepped her bounds. Matron Zhang was reminding her that Her Highness was the heir apparent. Whatever she did, they had no room to interfere or comment behind her back.

In fact, for this trip to the Library Pavilion, Zheng Xuening had dressed very simply. If not for her exceptionally striking face and aura, almost no one would have associated her with the exalted Crown Princess based on her clothes.

The Library Pavilion was located in a remote area, and few people even bothered to sweep the snow in front of it. In the vast imperial palace, the servants would selectively cut corners and steal moments of leisure based on the frequency of noble visitors. For instance, with such heavy snow, it was unlikely any nobles would come to the Library Pavilion, so someone had gotten lazy, not bothering to clean properly and just going through the motions.

A’Sang always woke up earlier than the crowing rooster. Unable to stand the sight of the deep snow in front of the library, which was already up to her knees, she would take a broom and clear it herself.

When Lu Dieqing arrived today, she had intended to look through the puppetry manuals again. But from a distance, she saw A’Sang’s thin figure, bent over, struggling with the snow.

She trotted over, the snow crunching under her feet. Her small, makeup-free face was slightly flushed from the wind, making her fair skin seem even more translucent, with a clarity that made one want to reach out and gently pinch it to see if water would emerge.

“Ah, you’re here.” A’Sang subconsciously looked up. Seeing Lu Dieqing, her tone brightened.

Heaven knows how monotonous and boring it was to guard the Library Pavilion’s gate. Being able to see this Little Princess of Shan every day was a complete delight.

Lu Dieqing had wanted to go straight into the library, but seeing A’Sang struggling to sweep so much snow by herself, she asked in a small voice, “Are there any extra brooms? I’ll help you.”

A’Sang froze, about to refuse, but looking at the Little Princess of Shan’s sweet, flower-like smile, for some reason, she foolishly pointed to a corner.

“There’s another one over there…”

Lu Dieqing had a soft nature to begin with and hadn’t lived a life of luxury since she was young. As she helped A’Sang sweep, she looked serene, showing no signs of grievance or discomfort, just quietly working. But even so, she still seemed out of place doing such work, like a celestial fairy who had mistakenly wandered into the mortal world and was stranded there, doing a task completely unbefitting of her status.

Seeing her working with a broom, A’Sang’s heart ached after just a short while. She came over and said, “You should go into the library first, while there’s no one around. I can finish sweeping the rest of the snow in a few strokes.”

Lu Dieqing hesitated for a moment, her jade-like cheeks making her face look as delicate as a flower.

A’Sang stomped her foot. “Aiya, just go, don’t delay your business. It’s early today, so no one will come. I told you last time, the Crown Princess came to the library a few days ago and even asked for the registration list. Now is the perfect time for you to go.”

Seeing that she had brought up the Crown Princess, Lu Dieqing didn’t delay any longer. She couldn’t get A’Sang into trouble because of her. She really did need to go in and out quickly while there were few people around.

“Then I’ll go in first,” Lu Dieqing said softly.

A’Sang nodded repeatedly. “Go, go. If there are people outside when you’re done reading, just avoid them and leave through the back door.”

Lu Dieqing memorized the location of the back door that A’Sang mentioned and immediately lifted her skirt to enter the building.

It was just… she was still thinking about what had happened last night.

Was it a dream, or was it real?

If her little doll had already come to life, would it leave again because of her temper tantrum?

The thought of this answer made Lu Dieqing’s heart twist with unbearable conflict, even a sour ache.

At this moment, a sedan chair was parked at a corner outside the Library Pavilion. The palace staff beside it stood silently, not daring to breathe too loudly. They also didn’t understand why the Crown Princess would rush to the Library Pavilion so early in the morning, braving the cold wind at sunrise. And yet, she didn’t go in, only watching the two young maids talk from a distance.

No one could guess what the Crown Princess was thinking, nor did they dare to.

The curtain of the sedan chair was lifted. Zheng Xuening sat inside, quietly watching Lu Dieqing.

This was not their first meeting, nor was it the first time she had watched her from afar.

She watched the little girl who loved to cry in secret, now smiling brightly in front of others, coaxing the library guard until she was completely bewitched, even letting her in to read without signing the register. This would explain why she hadn’t found the girl when she had checked the names on the list.

Zheng Xuening lowered her gaze slightly, thought for a moment, and then spoke coldly.

“Investigate. Find out who the Library Pavilion staff neglected their duty to secretly let in.”

She wanted to know this crybaby’s name and identity.

A palace attendant beside her immediately answered softly.

“Be discreet. Do not alarm anyone,” the Crown Princess’s voice came again.

The attendant took his orders and left.

Zheng Xuening gazed at the entrance of the Library Pavilion, the door the little girl had entered, and gently raised an eyebrow.

…

The Library Pavilion had three floors.

Lu Dieqing bypassed many of the books and went straight to the most hidden corner of the third floor. The puppetry manuals were collected as myths and legends, so hardly anyone ever came to read them. Although it was called a library, because so few people came, the corners that were least browsed had the most dust on the books.

Previously, Lu Dieqing had only looked at the books on the shelves, not noticing the pile of old books stacked as high as a person in the corner. It was as if it was assumed no one would read them, so they were just piled there. The book on top was covered in a thick layer of dust. When Lu Dieqing reached for it, she left a fingerprint behind.

She tried to flip through them, taking them one by one to see what was written inside. The corner of the third floor immediately filled with dust.

Caught off guard, Lu Dieqing inhaled a large mouthful of dust. “Cough, cough, cough…”

She coughed until her little face was red. She couldn’t help but wave her hand, but it was no use. In fact, because her hands were already dusty, the air became even murkier.

The little girl had to take a few steps back, moving to the staircase, intending to wait for the dust from the pile of books to settle before going back.

However, as she stepped back, she suddenly bumped into something soft and warm.

Startled, Lu Dieqing subconsciously turned around, and her gaze fell into a pair of exceedingly cold eyes.

The Crown Princess’s iconic cold face came into view.

She was almost half a head taller than Lu Dieqing. The first thing she noticed was the other’s aggressive gaze.

“…Your… Your Highness the Crown Princess…” Lu Dieqing lifted her small face, her red lips slightly parted in shock. She never would have thought she would run into the Crown Princess!

Although A’Sang had told her a few times in the past two days that the Crown Princess would come to the Library Pavilion, how could she have expected to encounter her when the sun had just risen?

The Crown Princess of the Chaoying Kingdom was obviously not to be compared with a fallen hostage from Shan living under another’s roof. Even Matron Li, who managed the hostages’ palace, could humiliate her at will, let alone the future ruler of the entire Chaoying Kingdom.

Lu Dieqing’s pretty face turned pale, a trace of fear flashing in her watery eyes. Without saying anything, her body was already sinking to its knees.

A noble personage, high above. With a flick of a finger, she could extinguish homeless hostages like them.

If she were a little carp, the Crown Princess of Chaoying would be… a great fox. With a flick of a claw, she could pull the carp out of the water and turn it into food.

The moment she knelt, a jumble of thoughts flashed through Lu Dieqing’s mind.

Her eyes saw the Crown Princess’s gold-threaded boots. But just as her gaze fell upon the shoes, she found her bowing motion had been stopped.

Lu Dieqing froze. One of her arms had been grabbed by the Crown Princess with a single hand, and her entire body was lifted up, no longer under her own control.

“Who told you to kneel?”

Zheng Xuening’s voice was cold, a flash of anger in her eyes.

Lu Dieqing flinched, staring blankly at her. Her beautiful, begonia-like face looked even more exquisitely peerless than it did at night.

—But if I don’t kneel and beg for mercy, will the Crown Princess have me executed?

As a wooden doll, Zheng Xuening had heard this girl cry many times and had, of course, seen her shed tears. After just a few days together, she had observed Lu Dieqing so closely that she might even know her better than the girl knew herself.

Lu Dieqing only had to flinch, and Zheng Xuening could see it.

—She’s afraid of me.