I'm a Useless Crown Princess. All I Do Is Tattle. - Chapter 3

Mother died of an illness when I was eight.

They rolled her in a straw mat and threw her onto the burial ground for the destitute.

I thought that was all my life would ever be.

Until the day word came from the palace: Aunt had drenched it in blood. Every member of the imperial family with a cock had lost his head.

Then came the reckoning, household by household, with their property seized.

The imperial guards kicked down the gates of the princely residence and dragged the wailing occupants out of the courtyard.

I was crouched beside the well in the back, scrubbing clothes, when I heard the commotion out front.

Before I could run, a sharp-eyed officer seized me by the back of my collar.

“Here’s another one that got away!”

I struggled. My clothes were thin to begin with; the fabric tore open, exposing a broad patch of my back.

The officer lost his temper and raised his sword to cut me down.

Aunt stopped him.

She gripped me by the neck and examined my back closely.

Then she ordered someone to fetch water and wipe my face clean.

She stared at me for a long time before giving a derisive laugh.

“The imperial family’s flying-swallow birthmark on her back. And those eyes and brows look like my sixth brother’s.”

“Even he never imagined there was a little girl hiding right under his nose.”

Aunt asked my name.

I told her I didn’t have one. Everyone just called me “Hey.”

She fell still for a long while. In the end, she decided to take me back to the palace.

“You have a knack for surviving. Perhaps we were meant to meet. From now on, live well.”

She gave me a name: Zhaoning.

Not long after ascending the throne, she named me Crown Princess.

Everyone said I was lucky. An illiterate little girl had caught the Empress’s eye and risen above everyone in the realm but her.

But I knew that, years ago, Aunt’s brothers had played a cruel trick on her. She had fallen into a frozen lake in winter, damaging her health so badly that she could no longer bear children.

She needed a child to preserve the empire she had won with her own hands.

I happened to fit the bill.

Two years passed, and then people started saying I was unlucky: Aunt ordered me about like a puppet.

I thought they should mind their own business.

Once, I had eaten scraps and slept in a woodshed. Now I lived in the Eastern Palace, wore silk, and had twelve dishes at every meal.

I had never even dared to dream of a life like this.

And Xie Xuanzhi had wanted me to rebel. Rebel against what?

I was finally living like a human being. I would have to be mad to follow him to my death.

That day, I accompanied Aunt back after morning court.

We had walked a little way when she suddenly remembered something. “A pity Xie Xuanzhi didn’t leave you with a child.”

Realization dawned.

Of course. Aunt had found me a husband so I could have children.

I silently cursed Xie Xuanzhi for being useless again. In such a hurry to get himself killed, without even giving me a child first.

“Never mind. Of the four princely heirs from the four corners of the realm, three remain.”

“Pick another one and get it done.”

I nodded eagerly. “As long as he’s good-looking, anyone will do. I’m not fussy!”

Aunt waved a hand. “Suit yourself. The Shen family’s third son isn’t bad. He seems obliging, and he’s reasonably handsome. Would you like to meet him?”

My eyes lit up.

“Whatever you say, Aunt!”