The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 136p2

Chapter 136: Taken Home by the Princess Part 24(2)

The prefect of Dongping hadn’t reported any progress, and the Grand Council, impatient with the delay, ordered the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple to go to Dongping and apprehend the remnants of the previous dynasty.

Tao Ning, receiving the edict, hadn’t expected to be tasked with capturing criminals after solving the case, and such a long trip too.

She had already figured out the details of the case, their hiding place, and the various factions involved. News traveled slowly, and they probably hadn’t been alerted yet, just waiting for the prefect of Dongping to arrive with his troops.

Was the prefect truly that incompetent, unable to capture a single person?

Seeing An Ning’s serious expression, the eunuch who delivered the edict couldn’t help but say, “Actually, this is Her Highness’s intention.”

Tao Ning’s serious expression instantly turned to confusion: “Her Highness’s intention?”

The eunuch nodded, explained briefly, and then left with his entourage.

The edict instructed Tao Ning to leave as soon as possible, meaning preferably tomorrow, so she put away the unrelated documents and chose a few people to accompany her to Dongping.

It was still early, but since she was leaving tomorrow, leaving work early wasn’t unreasonable.

Everyone needed time to pack.

Tao Ning put down the edict, ready to leave.

The record keeper, seeing that she only requested a few people, asked, puzzled, “Your Excellency, are you only taking Miss Shi Qing? Shouldn’t you bring more people?”

Tao Ning: “No need, the remnants of the previous dynasty are skilled in poison, and those Jianghu people are all martial artists, I don’t want to attract attention, and I can’t protect too many people.”

The record keeper thought it made sense. If they were poisoned, Shi Qing could handle it, having been learning autopsy techniques from the coroner recently, her tolerance for gruesome sights increasing, even able to eat while dissecting a corpse…

Wait, no, he couldn’t think about that anymore, it was too disturbing.

As for martial arts, no one was more skilled than the Junior Minister, so traveling light was better.

He was about to say something else when he realized Tao Ning was gone, having left the edict on the table.

Qin Yang’s schedule had become more regular recently, no longer working late.

Initially, Tao Ning thought she was finally taking a break, but later, she suspected Qin Yang had other plans.

However, Tao Ning wasn’t concerned about this, more worried about the boredom of being away for a month.

As expected, returning to the residence, she found Qin Yang reading on a chaise lounge in the pavilion.

Approaching, she saw a maid standing nearby, discreetly gesturing with her hands, indicating the princess was asleep.

Tao Ning nodded, lifted the gauze curtains, and entered the pavilion.

As she did, the maids all discreetly moved further away, their backs to the pavilion, their heads lowered.

Only Qin Yang remained in the pavilion, a book covering her face, shielding her from the light, a thin blanket on her lap, the weather no longer cold now that summer had arrived.

An incense burner emitted a faint smoke, and the air was filled with a pleasant fragrance. Several memorials lay scattered on the table, all reviewed and annotated.

Tao Ning quietly approached, crouching down and lifting the book, revealing Qin Yang’s slightly flushed face.

After observing for a moment, she leaned closer.

Qin Yang was awakened by the kiss, instinctively responding to the familiar scent and warmth, but the other person’s actions became more assertive.

A playful voice, “Changyi, breathe,” fully awakened Qin Yang, who opened her eyes, glanced at the person beside her, and nudged her head against Tao Ning’s hand, which was resting on the chaise lounge.

Qin Yang licked her slightly swollen lips, her voice muffled: “Why are you back so early?”

Tao Ning: “Your Highness sent me so far away, don’t you allow me to return early to pack?”

Qin Yang was now more awake: “I sent you away?”

Then she remembered the edict she had the Grand Council issue, Dongping was indeed quite far.

Tao Ning said pitifully, “Wasn’t it because Your Highness dislikes me, sending me far away? This trip to Dongping, I might not be back for a month, will you miss me?”

The last sentence was the key.

But Qin Yang focused on the first part, staring at her in disbelief: “Why would you think that?”

She was actually reluctant to let Tao Ning go so far away for so long, and now, it seemed her feelings were reciprocated.

That’s why she had returned early today, to spend some time with Tao Ning before she left.

Tao Ning, taking advantage of this, climbed onto the chaise lounge, lying beside Qin Yang, their legs intertwined.

Hugging Qin Yang’s waist, burying her face in her neck, nuzzling against her, Tao Ning’s voice was muffled: “I don’t know when I’ll be back, Your Highness, you won’t forget me, will you?”

Qin Yang, tickled by Tao Ning’s actions, tried to push her away, but it was futile, and she said helplessly, “Don’t be so clingy.”

“They say ‘one night as husband and wife, a hundred days of grace,’ we’ve been together for years, Your Highness must be tired of me, not even letting me be clingy.” Tao Ning’s voice was full of feigned sorrow, like a grieving wife. “It’s only natural, after so many years, I’m no longer new and exciting.”

Qin Yang was amused: “What if I’m truly tired of you?”

Tao Ning’s eyes drooped, like the cook’s tortoiseshell cat begging for food, a picture of utter dejection: “What can I do? Your Highness is powerful, I can’t defy you, I only ask that you bury your consort’s grave deeper after a hundred years.”

Qin Yang was puzzled: “Why?”

Tao Ning: “I’m afraid I’ll dig up your consort’s grave and lie in it myself.”

Qin Yang: “…”

Is that all you can think of?

Tao Ning, her face a picture of devotion, struggling to suppress a smile, said dramatically, “I don’t ask for a life together, Your Highness, but I want to share your tomb after death.”

Qin Yang couldn’t take it anymore, flicking Tao Ning’s forehead and pushing her away: “Go away, I won’t marry anyone else.”

With that, she turned to leave.

This half-hearted push, however, wasn’t enough to move the Junior Minister, who seized the opportunity, falling dramatically against Qin Yang, her own clothes becoming disheveled in the process.

Tao Ning pulled the blanket over them, exchanging a glance with the now aroused Qin Yang, and leaned in for a deep kiss.

At some point, her shoulder was exposed, a cool hand exploring her skin, caught and held by another, slightly damp hand.

The other hand, now warm, traveled downwards, finally finding its destination.

Qin Yang’s brows furrowed slightly, a soft moan escaping her lips, her eyes glazing over, then she heard Tao Ning whisper in her ear,

“Shh, Your Highness, be quiet.”

Qin Yang was startled, realizing where she was, this was too much for her usually reserved self, and she instinctively tried to pull away.

But her back was against the headboard, nowhere to retreat, and she could only huddle in the corner, tears welling up in her eyes.

The person who had been trying to suppress her moans had long forgotten her intentions, her arms around Qin Yang’s neck, her face buried in her shoulder, biting her collarbone as tears streamed down her face.

Tao Ning gently wiped away the tears, kissing each one as it rolled down Qin Yang’s cheek, and patted her back: “It’s okay, Changyi, don’t cry.”

Qin Yang, ignoring her, burrowed deeper into her embrace, holding onto the culprit and closing her eyes.

The next day, Tao Ning departed for Dongping, tasked with apprehending the remnants of the previous dynasty.

Upon arriving, she secretly revealed her identity and berated the incompetent prefect, surprised by his uselessness, not only failing to capture anyone, but also alerting them, making them hide deeper.

To her surprise, the prefect, after apologizing profusely and promising to assist her, sent her a chest full of gold, silver, and jewels, begging for her favor and a chance to be mentioned before the Princess Regent, even just knowing her name would be enough.

Tao Ning, exasperated, had him stripped of his official robes, tied up, and thrown into prison, to be dealt with by the princess upon her return to the capital.

This fulfilled his request of being noticed by the princess.

After this, it would be hard for the princess to forget him.

And Tao Ning would personally escort him back, a gesture of sincerity.

Fifteen days after arriving, Tao Ning located the valley, completing the mission within a month, and prepared to return to the capital with a group of prisoners.

It was then that she learned the young master, distraught over his elder brother’s death, had already passed away from illness.

The day of his funeral happened to be the day Tao Ning raided the valley. He was already buried, a fortunate timing, avoiding imprisonment.

Tao Ning dismissed the suggestion of exhuming the body for an autopsy, letting him rest in peace, and, ignoring the angry glares, ordered the treasure in the valley to be confiscated and sent back to the capital.

After giving her instructions, she walked around the valley and saw Shi Qing emerge from the young master’s former residence.

Tao Ning asked, “Did you find anything?”

Shi Qing, with her unusually keen sense of smell, could examine corpses without flinching, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t bothered by strong scents. She wrinkled her nose: “The smell of medicine everywhere, for heart ailments, anxiety, and mostly, life-prolonging drugs. The discarded herbs filled a whole jar in the corner. Not something accumulated in a short time, he must have been constantly ill.”

Tao Ning nodded: “Alright, let’s go back.”

No wonder there was no mention of this young master in the original world line. Even if he hadn’t died today, he would have soon, so there was no need to record his existence.

Autumn had arrived, the weather slightly cool, and Tao Ning, emerging from the dungeon, followed by the constable and record keeper, looked up at the sky.

Seeing her gazing at the clear blue sky, the record keeper said, “Autumn usually arrives around this time in Dongping, it’ll be cooler in the mornings and evenings, Your Excellency, please remember to dress warmly.”

Tao Ning realized: “So it’s already autumn.”

It would be even cooler in the capital, she wondered what the princess was doing.

After making arrangements, Tao Ning returned to her room, stretched, and prepared to pour herself a cup of tea.

Her outstretched hand paused, and she suddenly looked up, her voice cold: “Who’s there? Show yourself!”

Someone had entered her room while she was away. She could hear another person’s breathing, soft and shallow, not someone skilled in concealment, nor a martial artist.

“It’s me.”

A figure emerged from behind the screen.

Tao Ning, upon hearing the voice, felt a surge of joy, and as the person stepped out, revealing their face, her happiness was evident.

It was Qin Yang, dressed in ordinary clothes, the cinnabar mole between her eyebrows concealed, smiling at Tao Ning: “Junior Minister, you’re quite perceptive, I thought I could hide a little longer.”

Tao Ning was undeniably shocked, forgetting her tea: “Changyi? What are you doing here?”