After Swapping Bodies, the Princess and I Became Each Other’s Cheat Code - Chapter 3

The moment Noble Consort Zheng stepped into the inner chamber, a thick, cloying fragrance filled the air. Jiang Tian, hidden beneath the brocade quilt, clenched her fingers so tightly that her nails nearly pierced her palms. The noble consort wore a crimson palace gown embroidered with golden peonies, the gold threads reflecting the sunlight in blinding flashes, as if her entire being radiated light.

“Yue’er is finally awake! This Princess has been so worried.”

Her voice dripped with honeyed sweetness, yet Jiang Tian keenly detected a sharp edge beneath the surface—much like the superficially affectionate but secretly envious colleagues in her livestreaming days. Forcing herself to relax her shoulders, she mimicked the slight nod seen in historical dramas, but her unfamiliarity with the gesture made it appear stiff and awkward.

“Many thanks for Your Highness’s concern.”

The words escaped her lips, and Jiang Tian’s heart leaped—Damn it! The original owner should have addressed her as ‘Your Imperial Highness’! She caught Ling’er’s startled glance out of the corner of her eye, and a cold sweat broke out on her back.

Noble Consort Zheng’s eyes tilted upward slightly as her crimson-lacquered fingertips lightly caressed the jade bracelet on her wrist. “After just a few days apart, Yue’er has grown so distant.” She gestured for a palace maid to set down a brocade box. “This is a hundred-year-old ginseng root from Goryeo, the finest tonic for restoring health.”

Jiang Tian stared at the intricately carved brocade box, alarm bells ringing in her mind. How many poisons in palace dramas had been delivered in such a manner? Her throat tightened as she hesitated whether to accept it, but then Noble Consort Zheng suddenly leaned closer, her meticulously made-up face looming before Jiang Tian.

“But Yue’er…” The sweet, honeyed tone abruptly turned icy. “How could a dignified princess be so foolish as to fall into a pond?”

The air in the chamber froze instantly. Jiang Tian felt a sharp pain—Noble Consort Zheng’s nail guard had pressed against her chin, its cold, sharp touch reminding her of the venomous comments that had pierced her through the screen.

“Your Highness!” Ling’er dropped to her knees. “The Princess has only just woken…”

“Does a lowly servant dare interrupt when This Princess is speaking to the Third Princess?” Noble Consort Zheng’s icy gaze swept across the room, and two palace maids immediately stepped forward to restrain Ling’er.

Jiang Tian’s blood rushed to her head. She could tolerate the black fans’ insults in the livestream, but she would never allow others to suffer because of her. She straightened up abruptly.

“Noble Consort Zheng,” she said, her voice soft yet firm, causing the Noble Consort to pause. “Ling’er is the personal attendant Mother Empress gifted me. Even when beating a dog, one should consider its master.”

The last syllable of her sentence rose in a characteristic upward inflection, betraying Jiang Tian’s signature livestreaming tone. As soon as the words left her lips, she regretted them—too modern! Sure enough, a flicker of confusion flashed in Noble Consort Zheng’s eyes, quickly hardening into a sharp, scrutinizing gaze.

“Yue’er… you’re quite sharp-tongued today,” Noble Consort Zheng said slowly, straightening her posture. Her armored nails tapped rhythmically against the brocade box. “Could it be that soaking in the water for so long has even changed your temperament?”

Jiang Tian’s heart pounded like a drum, her temples throbbing. She had to regain control of the situation immediately, or she’d be exposed sooner or later. In a split-second decision, she clutched her forehead and curled into herself.

“It hurts… my head hurts so much…” she deliberately made her voice weak and wavering. “Just now… just now this subject was disrespectful…”

The ploy worked. Noble Consort Zheng’s expression shifted slightly, and she instinctively took a half-step back. Jiang Tian seized the opportunity to observe her through the gaps between her fingers—though arrogant, the noble consort wouldn’t dare openly harm a princess.

“It seems she truly damaged her brain in the fall,” Noble Consort Zheng said, covering her mouth and nose with a handkerchief as if warding off something foul. “This Princess will return another day…”

“Your Majesty, please wait!” Jiang Tian suddenly reached out and grabbed Noble Consort Zheng’s sleeve, feeling the arm beneath the luxurious fabric stiffen noticeably. “This humble subject vaguely remembers… someone pushed me into the water.”

The chamber fell into absolute silence. Noble Consort Zheng’s pupils constricted sharply, and the jade bracelet on her wrist clinked crisply against the brocade box.

“Nonsense!” Noble Consort Zheng yanked her sleeve away. “Only Hua’er and Rou’er were present at the time. Are you trying to slander…”

“This humble subject never mentioned the two princesses,” Jiang Tian said, tilting her head with an innocent smile. “Could it be that Your Majesty knows something more?”

The words struck Noble Consort Zheng like a dagger. Jiang Tian clearly saw beads of sweat forming on her forehead, the thick makeup unable to conceal the sudden pallor of her face.

“You… you…” Noble Consort Zheng’s chest heaved violently, the gold-embroidered peonies on her robe seeming to tremble with her ragged breaths. She abruptly turned to Ling’er and barked, “Summon the Imperial Physician at once! The Third Princess’s hysteria has returned!”

Ling’er trembled with fear but remained kneeling, unmoving. Jiang Tian secretly breathed a sigh of relief—the girl’s loyalty seemed genuine.

“This Princess is perfectly lucid,” Jiang Tian said slowly, smoothing her sleeves. “But Your Ladyship… why are you sweating?”

Noble Consort Zheng could no longer maintain her composure. She stomped her embroidered slipper on the ground. “This Princess believes you’re possessed! I’ll have the Imperial Astronomical Bureau exorcise you another day!” With that, she turned and swept out, her crimson skirt brushing against the threshold.

Once the footsteps had completely faded, Jiang Tian collapsed against the cushion, only then realizing her inner robe was soaked through. Her earlier composure had been a complete act.

“Princess…” Ling’er trembled as she offered a handkerchief. “What happened to you today?”

Jiang Tian took the handkerchief and pressed it against her wildly pounding chest, suddenly realizing a fatal problem: the original Chu Yue had been known for her gentle and submissive nature, while Jiang Tian’s behavior just now had been completely different!

“Ling’er,” she asked, her voice strained, “how… how does This Princess usually speak to Noble Consort Zheng?”