Transmigration: The Fate of the Villainess

“Xiao Yu.”

“Y…Yes, Your Highness.” Bai Yu replied to show that she had woken up. She only just realized that, unlike when they had first laid down, she was now facing away from Ouyang Feilong, with him hugging her from behind.

Despite being rudely woken up late at night, she answered. However, she did not turn back to face her husband.

Who would do that?! She was a woman. Even though she came from another era, it was still best to act reserved…

Seeing that his consort did not move, Ouyang Feilong thought she was still caught in drowsiness. He touched Bai Yu’s shoulder before moving his face closer to whisper next to her ear. “Can you sit up…?”

Bai Yu kept her eyes tightly closed, thanking the darkness that prevented Ouyang Feilong from seeing how red her face was. Though she had just woken up, the thought in her head had effectively made her face heat up. So, in the end, she would not pass this night safely…

“Benwang wants to take you somewhere.”

Her eyes became wide open. Indecent imaginations were blown away by that single sentence. Bai Yu moved to sit up on the mattress, but before she could prepare herself, Ouyang Feilong pulled her to stand up and put an outer robe on her in the dark.

.....

Her face felt even hotter… No longer from shyness, but from embarrassment.

“It’s a tradition that the bride and groom should not leave the chamber…” Ouyang Feilong’s voice was lowered so that it could only be heard by the two of them. “…But benwang only has time for tonight.”

“Where are we going, Your Highness?” Bai Yu tried to process the words of her husband, who suddenly took her duty to help her dress instead of vice versa.

“You’ll see.” His voice was low so that those who were outside would not know that the couple in the palace would break the ancient tradition and leave their nuptial chamber.

Bai Yu nodded in understanding and did not ask further. Under the cloak of darkness, Ouyang Feilong silently gathered her hair and pinned it up in the style of a married woman. Ever since she transmigrated into this world, she had never worn her hair like this before. The most she did with her hair was pull it back in a ponytail while she practiced martial arts. Indeed, she had put her hair up in her old world, but having a hairstyle indicating a change in one’s status was new to her. She felt somewhat unfamiliar with the feeling of it.

Apart from the day of the ceremony where they saluted heaven, this was the first time that Ouyang Feilong helped her do her hair. After finishing, he moved away to dress himself out of the habit of a soldier. Ouyang Feilong was used to taking care of himself, so dressing his wife was only a simple matter for him.

Bai Yu could not catch up with Ouyang Feilong’s swift movements and so could not help him dress. Though she could clearly see in the dark, she still waited until he had finished before volunteering to do his hair with a non-verbal gesture. She pressed him down to sit in front of the mirror, then started gathering his hair in the same way Ouyang Feilong had done it for her before. No one uttered a word from start to finish. One man and one woman held each other’s hands as they moved to a wall in a corner of the palace.

“Put your jade here.”

‘Your jade’ that Ouyang Feilong mentioned confused Bai Yu. Other than his black jade, she never carried a jade on herself.

But…now that they had married, his jade was also hers, huh?

Rui Wang’s black jade was held against one of the many round holes on the wall that seemed to be decorative. Unexpectedly, a secret passage was hidden behind this decorative wall. It only required putting Ouyang Feilong’s jade into the right place.

The wall slid open without a sound, revealing a long passage without a light to guide the way. Ouyang Feilong did not waste a single moment before taking Bai Yu’s hand and confidently leading her into the darkness.

After stepping inside, the wall closed behind them. Ouyang Feilong who walked in front had no sign of hesitation, while Bai Yu, who was behind, followed obediently, despite her confusion. She looked at the jade in her hand that had just been used. The gears in her head turned. This was the only key to the secret passage in Ouyang Feilong’s palace.

What an important treasure… How could he give it to her?

“Wangye hands out such an important jade to a stranger at the first meeting?” She decided to ask while they were still walking. However, the answer was only silence.

“Wangye,” she called, shaking her hand that was held in his to draw his attention.

Ouyang Feilong finally stopped walking. He turned back and stared.

“Your Highness?”

“What did you call benwang?”

“Ah…” Bai Yu gave him a dry smile. “Dear…”

“Hmph.” There was no reprimand, but also no answer. His tall figure quickly turned back to continue his steps, ignoring how she had to hasten her pace to catch up.

“Dear.” She shook her connected hand again while rushing her steps.

“Are you really not going to tell me, dear?” Her trump card was used with a begging tone, with a satisfactory result. Ouyang Feilong stopped and turned around to speak to her. “Benwang thinks you’ll want to know about this more.”

Then, he immediately opened the door in front of them. Bai Yu had not realized that after walking for almost one incense, they had reached their destination. Her attention was smoothly drawn away by Ouyang Feilong.

The wind blew as soon as the door opened. Bai Yu moved, walking past the other person to step outside first.

The scene of the plum blossom tree, where she had released a lantern with Ouyang Feilong before, appeared. She never expected a winding secret passage would lead them here. Her dark eyes peered through the darkness, intently staring at the silvery light under the tree.

Bai Yu lifted her long skirt out of the way and ran toward that light, leaving her chaperone behind. Ouyang Feilong leisurely followed behind her.

On his beautiful face was a smile. With the golden irises was happiness that hid sorrow within. Bai Yu ran faster, wanting to reach the silver light that gradually revealed a silhouette that became clearer as the distance decreased. Someone was there, under the plum petals fluttering in the wind.

“Biaoge!” Her manners as a lady were thrown aside as soon as she realized the person’s identity. Bai Yu dashed forward and threw herself into the waiting arms of her older cousin. Though they had known each other for quite some time, the thought of hugging had never crossed their minds before. However, today was different. Bai Yu felt a strange yearning for his embrace. It was as if these arms were the only proof that she had yet to lose in the drawn-out fight against fate.

“You’re not afraid?” Yue Nan whispered, smilingly, as he caressed her hair, which was arranged in an unfamiliar style. “I’ve assassinated the emperor. Aren’t you afraid of your biaoge’s blade, Yu-er?”

“I’m more afraid of your answer.” She wanted to know the reason behind his action. She wanted Yue Nan to tell her that everything was only a dream.

Despite its warmth melting away the questions that had been suffocating her, Bai Yu moved away from her cousin’s hug when she sensed Ouyang Feilong’s silent gaze.

Ouyang Feilong’s bringing her to meet Yue Nan must have meant that there was something she did not know and would soon know. It might be good news.

“Can I be the one to give you your answer, sister-in-law?”

Bai Yu paused. The only one who would call her ‘sister-in-law’ was her husband’s older brother. And now that man was standing in front of her…

“Blessings to the Emperor. May—”

“No, sister-in-law.” Her words were interrupted as warm hands came to stop her from giving a curtsy. “There is no need to be so verbose…”

Ouyang Hongxian gently smiled.

“I am no longer the emperor.”

“Your Majesty…” Bai Yu could not believe her eyes, but the warmth from the person who was supposedly urged her to ask again, seeking confirmation. “…Your Majesty is really alive?”

Ouyang Hongxian let out a light chuckle. Warmth could be felt from his voice alone. “I am not dead. Nan-er only went a little too far with his joke.”

“Joke?” Bai Yu turned to look at Yue Nan, who had stabbed Ouyang Hongxian in front of her.

So everything that happened before she fainted was staged by the two of them in order to fool everyone? No, not everyone…

“Your Highness knew?” She asked Ouyang Feilong, who had remained silent from the start.