The Half-Spirit Princess - Chapter 5

First thing the next morning, I went to Mother.

She was happily eating a meat bun at breakfast. I sat down and looked around. “Where’s Father?”

“He barely ate before taking his birds out.” Her eyes grew sinister as she swallowed the bun in one bite. “One of these days, I’m going to eat every last one of those damned birds.”

I wasn’t in the mood to banter. “Mother, Father has to go to the palace and see His Majesty today. I can’t agree to this marriage.”

Mother looked astonished. “Eh? Didn’t you quite like him yesterday? That boy Qi Zhao was very pleased with you, too!”

I told her what had happened the night before.

Her eyes widened, and she poked my forehead. “Gongyi Xiaoya, are you trying to get yourself killed? If you wanted to save your friend, how hard would it have been to ask your father to request the medicine from His Majesty? Why go stealing?”

I sighed. “That medicine is precious. Asking His Majesty might have taken time. Leyun couldn’t wait that long.”

Mother sighed too, apparently lost in thought. “From what you’ve said, Qi Zhao is probably a spirit hunter. The sword he carried should be Evil-Slayer.”

“Evil-Slayer?”

She nodded. “It once belonged to the spirit hunter Xu Jiu’an. My own sister—your elder aunt—died beneath its blade.”

“What? Then don’t you have a blood feud with Xu Jiu’an?”

Mother waved a hand. “No. Your aunt took the demonic path and ate an entire village of people to cultivate her powers. She was a menace. She deserved to die!”

Then she changed the subject. “You certainly must break off this marriage. You’re half-spirit. Living with a spirit hunter, you’d inevitably give yourself away. We’d be at his mercy then. Better to end it now.”

I nodded vigorously.

We agreed easily enough about ending the engagement, but I still felt uneasy. “Mother, there are only so many noble families in Tiandu. We’re bound to run into that Qi-whatever at banquets and outings. He’s a spirit hunter, and we’re spirits. It feels like we have to bow our heads to him. It’s so fucking annoying!”

Mother agreed. We brooded together for a while, then she suddenly said, “Why don’t the two of us join forces and kill him?”

I gave her a speechless look. “Not funny.”

“Heh. Just lightening the mood.”

Just then, Chuntao came in beaming. The Duke of Qi had brought his wife and son to visit the prince and princess consort, along with fine jadeite bracelets as gifts for the princess consort and me.

Mother and I exchanged a glance, stood up together, and went to our rooms to change.

We had to make a dazzling entrance with our heads held high. If we cowered before this spirit hunter, life would be unbearable from now on.

Besides, judging by what had happened to the bat spirit last night, showing weakness before Qi Zhao wouldn’t end well.

Before long, Mother and I appeared in all our finery.

The hall was full of laughter and cheerful conversation. Seeing us, Father called out happily, “My dear, come and look! The duke brought this fine jadeite back from Dali. Its beautiful translucence will suit you perfectly!”

Qi Zhao stood behind his parents with his hands clasped behind his back, every inch the gentle, courteous gentleman. He first bowed to Mother, then looked at me with a warm smile.

I sneered inwardly. Playing the dutiful son, are we? Do your parents know you lop people’s heads off in the middle of the night?

The duchess looked at me with shining eyes. “Our Zhao’er is busy with official affairs all year. Usually, he can scarcely be bothered to see his own parents. Yet yesterday, as soon as he returned from the Wumu residence, he had someone find the jadeite bracelet we intended to present to Her Majesty the Empress and said it was for the princess.”

“I’d long heard that the princess’s beauty and talent were unrivaled, that even all the noble young ladies of Tiandu together couldn’t surpass her. Now I’ve seen you, I know it’s true. Never mind Qi Zhao—even I’m terribly fond of you.”

I bent my knees slightly. “You flatter me, Your Grace.”

Mother interrupted. “Whether you like her doesn’t matter. I don’t like Qi Zhao. I do not agree to this marriage.”

The duchess was taken aback. Cautiously, she said, “But yesterday, the Marchioness of Wumu said Xiaoya was pleased with our Qi Zhao…”

“If I say no, it’s no,” Mother said coldly. “Marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers. What the hell does a little girl know?”

I had no words.

Seriously, with all the tactful, roundabout ways to say something, why did Mother insist on blasting people with a cannon?

I thought she was better suited to being a wild spirit in the mountains.

Father looked embarrassed. He nudged her with his elbow and whispered, “My dear, what are you saying?”

In the end, the duke smoothed things over. “Quite all right, quite all right. Let the young people spend some time together first. There’s no hurry to decide.”

He beckoned. “Qi Zhao, bring your gifts to the princess consort and the princess.”

Qi Zhao presented the bracelet to me.

Clear and luminous as a pool of lake water, it held delicate strands of color just where they should be. It truly was fine jadeite.

However, as he withdrew his hand, Qi Zhao “accidentally” knocked over the teacup whose lid I’d lifted.

Just before it hit the floor, I caught it without a change of expression. A few deft turns of the cup caught the spilled tea, and with a flick of my wrist I set it back on the table.

Qi Zhao had turned sideways to shield me from view. No one else could see these little movements.

An unreadable smile lingered in his eyes as he whispered, “Excellent skills, Princess.”

Keeping my face stern, I leaned forward slightly and murmured by his ear, “Stop testing me, or I’ll take your miserable life.”