A Decade of Playing the Fool

In the three-hundredth year of the Tianlu era, the empress died. On her deathbed, she passed the throne to her second son. When the imperial decree was announced, the entire court was stunned.

The new emperor's first act was to order his eldest sister, stationed three thousand li away on the western frontier of Xiliang, to surrender her military authority. She was forbidden to return to the capital without an imperial summons. His second act was to summon the daughter his eldest sister had left behind in the capital, the Princess Yuekang, whose mind had been addled by a fever as a child, and humiliate her for his amusement.

At the banquet, the new emperor made Princess Yuekang bow to every guest seated before her. The sight greatly pleased him. He beckoned the foolish princess forward and magnanimously said, "Yuekang, you may ask me for one reward today."

Princess Yuekang clapped her hands and laughed. "Your Majesty, I want to study! I want to go to school!"

The new emperor's expression cooled. "Go to school? Why do you suddenly want to do that?"

Princess Yuekang scratched her head. "I want to ride a big horse. I'm tired of riding the servants at home. They're not fun anymore."

The new emperor paused, then burst out laughing, finally letting down his guard. "Good, good! Someone take my niece to school!"

Princess Yuekang got her wish and returned to her residence. The joke from the palace banquet spread, and the whole capital buzzed with gossip about her.

She, however, didn't care in the least.

Back at the princess's residence, Qing Yi was giddy with delight. Trading ten years of biding her time for the imperial power in the hands of her cheap uncle was a bargain!

As for the academy... Qing Yi yawned. She'd already learned everything worth learning, so she'd just have to sit in on classes.

*

Princess Yuekang Qing Yi was infamous. In just three days after starting school, she'd already caused a heap of trouble.

Before long, her fellow students were going to great lengths to avoid her. In the little Qiong'e Academy, Qing Yi enjoyed the most peaceful, carefree days she'd had in ten years.

That lasted until the day Xia Jingyao, daughter of General Yulin, arrived to enroll after returning from far-off Xiliang.

Surrounded by servants, the general's daughter stepped gracefully down from her carriage, delicate and breathtaking. It was the height of summer, and the other students wore light gauze, but she was dressed so modestly that not a speck of skin showed.

Qing Yi: "Why are you wrapped up so tightly? Are you a golden statue of a bodhisattva, afraid someone will secretly chip off a piece to feed their family?"

Xia Jingyao glanced at her, her expression both coy and coquettish. "What would you know? Only my future husband gets to see my body."

Qing Yi: "..."

With such beauty right before her eyes, Qing Yi was jealous, resentful, and a little tempted. She secretly donated all her pocket money to supplies for the Xiliang army. Mother had better hurry up and reclaim the throne! Qing Yi refused to believe Xia Jingyao wouldn't be moved by this future dowry!

Then one day, beneath the hazy night sky, Qing Yi was sneaking out of the city in disguise to hunt when she ran straight into a tall white horse.

The woman astride it had skin white as snow and scars crisscrossing beneath her armor.

Seeing Qing Yi frozen in place, Xia Jingyao dropped her usual coy act. She twirled her sword, the muscles in her arm flexing. "Oh dear, the little princess has seen my body. Tell me, Your Highness, what should I do now?"

-The seemingly coy but actually battle-hardened, scheming young general × the princess who faked madness for ten years while harboring lofty ideals-

Theme: Where there's a will, there's a way.