<b>Translator: PastTimer</b>
<b>Editor: PastTimer</b>
<b>Proofreader: PastTimer</b>
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The Princess, Xia Xi, was almost choked to death when he was born.
Because he was an abnormal child, an intersex child with both male and female organs on his lower body. For the Xia Dynasty at that time, the birth of such a baby was extremely unlucky. Even in a civilian's house, the fate of one would be thrown into a pool and drowned or buried alive in a pit in the wilderness. If born in a lowly household, one already had little chance of survival, let alone being born in the royal family.
But his mother, Concubine Yu, was a cunning woman. After hearing the screams of the midwife, her first reaction was to order that palace gate to be closed, no one was allowed in or out, she then continued to give birth to her second child. Before she went into labour, no one knew that she was pregnant with twins, not even herself. After giving birth, no one knew that she had another child except for a few very close friends. All the outside world knew was that she gave birth to a healthy normal daughter.
Concubine Yu couldn't be considered favoured. After she gave birth, her Emperor-husband didn't come to see her until the next day. He hugged his newborn daughter and gave her the name 'Rong', making her name Xia Rong. Little Xia Rong wasn't favoured when she was born. After all, a baby who was just born had a wrinkled face and one couldn't really see what they look like. When her face started to gradually smoothen, she was revealed to look quite exquisite and cute. Paired along with her sweet (flattering) mouth, the Emperor started to gradually like her more and more, he eventually liked her so much that he gave her the title of a Princess.
As for Concubine Yu's other child, Xia Xi, the Emperor didn't know of his existence until he was twelve years old.
At that time, Princess Rong accidentally fell into a pool and drowned. The Emperor was sad for three days and didn't go to court. Occasionally, he would go to the courtyard where the Princess lived to mourn her, this was where Xia Xi also went to pay homage to his sister. Spotting his appearance was almost the same as his twin the Emperor was fascinated, he thought he was dreaming and rushed to hold Xia Xi's wrist in a daze, only to realize that the arm was warm.
The truth of the matter became clear, Concubine Yu had raised an 'unknown' child secretly inside his Palace and had just been found out! The Emperor was furious, he sent Concubine Yu to the Cold Palace on the spot and cut her off from all her supporters. When he was about to deal with the 'ominous person', his eyes fell on a familiar face and his cruel heart softened.
After all, he looked so much like Princess Rong, almost as if they were the same person. It was just Princess Rong was a bit arrogant and was spoiled by him. She laughed freely and had a sense of naĂŻve innocence. The person in front of him was timid and didn't know how to hide his emotions, his face was white with fright.
In the end, the Emperor couldn't do anything, he found a remote courtyard for him to live in. He wasn't allowed to go out and the palace people weren't allowed to gossip about his affairs.
Xia Xi stayed alive and didn't dare to ask for too much. Besides, although he grew up beside his mother he had to live in hiding. He used to live in a smaller place with his sister but still couldn't see her that often. Apart from his mother being gone, it wasn't much different from before.
If there was a real difference, then it was that he was seeing more people now.
The Emperor ordered him not to see or allow outsiders to visit him but didn't ban others from seeing or visiting him. So when his identity first spread in the Palace, many people were really curious about him. Especially his brothers and sisters.
The Emperor had many concubines and having many concubines would naturally mean having more children. His mother, Concubine Yu, wasn't favoured and gave birth to three children, although the other two died. Other favoured concubines gave birth to more, such as Concubine Yuan Gui, who had given birth to seven children for the emperor. She had just given birth last year and was now pregnant again. Xia Xi had many brothers and sisters; the eldest was twenty years old and the youngest only a few days old. Almost all of the little princes and princesses who came to see him were ten-year-olds.
The Xia Dynasty's hierarchy system was strict, the children born from the Emperor weren't born titled Prince and Princess. The title was earned. There were many children and there were only so many titles. The people who weren't given titles were just considered ordinary nobility. Those princes and princesses, even if they married in the future, were just a bit better than the sons and daughters of ordinary ministers. They were subject to too many restrictions and were sometimes not a good enough choice.
Among those who loved to visit Xia Xi's courtyard, there was a Princess. She was the eldest daughter of the Concubine Yuan Gui and was similar in age to Xia Xi. Named Hui, she was called Princess Hui. The Emperor had so far only three princesses canonized. One was already married and the other two were Xia Xi's younger twin and Xia Hui. The two younger Princesses originally liked to compete very much, they would often do things like stumbling each other to fight for favour, but because of their young age, they didn't do anything too outrageous. But there were little tricks like pulling one's hairpin, making the other step on dirty things, or stepping on skirt corners.
Half a year after Xia Rong's death, Xia Hui leisurely came to Xia Xi's courtyard, squatting in front of him and saying in boredom: "You're so boring, not half as interesting as your twin. I teased you and you don't even dare to fight back? Huh?"
Xia Xi's forehead was full of cold sweat and he whispered: "You... you're a Princess, I... I..." his voice became smaller and smaller, gradually falling silent. Xia Hui hummed, "Aren't you also father's son? Oh yes, should you be called father's son or daughter? They say you have both on your body but you don't show me. Look, how about you take off your pants and let me see?"
Xia Xi was startled and shrank back. The Princess was interested now and pinned him down but refused to let other court ladies or eunuchs help, she directly pressed Xia Xi down the bamboo couch. Xia Xi didn't dare to struggle for fear of hurting the Princess and causing trouble to himself, but he didn't want his pants to be taken off in public. His panicked eyes were already red and he begged for mercy in a low voice: "Please, don't do this, Princess, don't..." But his pants were still taken off by the overbearing Princess, and his legs were still forced open.
Xia Hui was originally curious, but when she saw the organ that was like hers she didn't feel anything. When she saw the little jade stalk at the front her face turned red and she screamed, "You! You're such a freak! Go away!" she seemed to have been frightened enough to run away and didn't appear again for several days.
Xia Xi couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Princess Hui eventually wandered back in his courtyard again but seemed to lack interest in his body. She just liked to go to his courtyard when she was bored, occasionally bringing some cakes and showing off in front of him. Sometimes, the rewards she got would be given to him when she was in a good mood, but Xia Xi never dared to use them.
Princess Hui was very favoured. After reaching the age of fifteen, many people asked for her hand in marriage but the emperor was reluctant to marry her away. He dragged the matter on until she was seventeen before discussing marriage again with her.
This time it wasn't to negotiate marriage matters and candidates but forced marriage. In the peace treaty with the Northwest Barbarians, one of the conditions was to let the Emperor marry off a Princess to their Great King.
The Barbarians had been harassing the border in recent decades and had even invaded a city. The Emperor wanted to fight them, but after several defeats, many officials got in favour of a peace treaty so he compromised.
Just a Princess, give it to them.
But right now, the other Princesses were still young, only about five years old, the most suitable candidate was Princess Xia Hui.
That day, while Xia Xi was carefully watering his cabbage sprouts, Xia Hui ran in violently and started crying as soon as she got to her favourite chair, cursing all the while. Xia Xi was confused. Although he was still afraid of the people living in the Palace, after so many years he had become familiar with Xia Hui and knew that her heart wasn't bad. After hesitating, he put down his watering can take out a clean handkerchief, he handed it over and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Xia Hui blew her nose with his handkerchief and whimpered: "Father wants me to marry a Barbarian in the north! He also said that I would be sent off in three months! In this lifetime, in this life, I may not be able to come back.... wu wu wu... I heard that the King of the Barbarians were extremely terrible— he's old, older than father, and would choke people to death with one hand. He also eats raw meat and drinks human blood! I don't want to marry a person like that in a place where even mosquitoes don't even dare to fly... wu... I knew I should've agreed to marry Prime Minister Zuo's son last year..."
Northern Barbarians?
Xia Xi had heard of them and knew that the people there were brave and good at fighting. It was a country where everyone rode on horseback, was not an easy character to provoke, and were cruel and terrifying. Although he didn't like the Princess very much in his heart, he still felt sympathy when he heard the news that she was going to be married and whispered: "The rumours may not be credible. Your Royal Highness, you shouldn't cry too much..."
Xia Hui cried more fiercely. She wrinkled his handkerchief and stared at him with red eyes, she suddenly asked, "Are you gloating in your heart?" She didn't wait for Xia Xi to answer and said again: "I know that other people are gloating, they think that what happened is simply a great show, you must think so too!"
Xia Xi was accused and explained weakly: "I... I'm not..."
Xia Hui said fiercely: "You better not!" Her attitude softened again, with an uncomfortable expression on her face, "Among all our brothers and sisters, I treat you the best, if you also laugh at me, I'll be sad."
Xia Hui could hardly accept the news, her mother concubine, Yuan Gui Fei had even more difficulty accepting it. Almost after hearing the news, she cried nonstop on the way from her palace to the Emperor's residence, begging the Emperor to take the edict back. The Emperor refused, so she said again: "The Barbarians only said they want a Princess. But they didn't say which Princess they want! Your Majesty, please have kindness on my Hui'er. Find someone else. Hui'er can give up the title of Princess..."
The Emperor was also reluctant to part with his most beloved daughter, so he asked a eunuch to make a list of his daughters that were in the right age. When his eyes fell on the words 'Xia Rong' that was crossed out, he felt a little sad, but then he suddenly remembered another face. A face that was almost the same as Xia Rong's.
An idea was born, and the Emperor felt that it was very suitable for the current situation.
Didn't the Barbarians want a Princess? Then give them a 'Princess'.
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<b>Hello! I hope you like this novel as much as I did.</b>
<b>The schedule update is still undetermined for now, but do stay alert for updates! I'm planning on updating this story more after I finish my other project but there should be at least three chapter releases a week. Stay safe.</b>
<b>-</b><b>PastTimer</b>
<b>10/08/22- New cover! You can download uncompressed at my Patreon (free)</b>
<b>A young Xia Xi! 🌸</b>
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