“You…”
Ji Xun rested his elbow on the armrest, supporting his cheek with his five fingers. A few strands of his dark hair slipped messily between his fingers. He was too lazy to properly open his mouth, merely letting a few words drift lazily through the gap between his lips.
“Marquis Chu, why don’t you open it yourself and take a look?”
The corridor was exposed to the wind. The northern wind howled fiercely, and Chu Jing’s back broke out in a cold sweat from sheer shock.
Had Chu Zhaojiang been killed?
Impossible.
Ji Xun had only been awake for two days. Chu Zhaojiang was hiding in a private estate outside the capital. Where would Ji Xun have found the time and energy to locate and kill him?
Besides, even if he had killed Chu Zhaojiang, what benefit would that bring Prince Jing?
At a time like this, Chu Jing was still rational enough to think things through. Yet after quickly weighing the possibilities, another thought forced its way into his mind.
What if…
A few years ago, Ji Xun had survived a dangerous assassination attempt. Amid a heavily guarded entourage, an assassin had managed to break through and thrust a sword at him. The blade had missed his heart by less than half an inch.
Ji Xun had been covered in blood, yet while gripping the assassin’s blade, he had laughed loudly and praised the man for his bravery and fearlessness, saying that he had great potential. He had even let the assassin leave unharmed.
That same autumn, during the imperial hunt, a palace attendant carrying a lantern had accidentally let the candlelight flash into Ji Xun’s eyes.
Ji Xun had immediately killed the attendant on the spot, completely disregarding even the Emperor’s presence. He then had the body hung outside his tent.
The entire court had been shocked. Memorials impeaching him had poured in one after another, and the Emperor had finally punished him by docking three months of his salary.
This man was completely insane.
He always acted according to his mood, and no one could ever predict what he would do.
Cold sweat slid down Chu Jing’s forehead. His throat felt dry and constricted. He opened his mouth several times to ask a question, but no sound came out.
Ji Xun was considerate enough to help him.
“Chongshan.”
Yin Chongshan remained expressionless as he raised a hand and snapped open the iron clasp.
Chu Jing’s pupils contracted violently.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly.
Finally, the lid flipped open, revealing a bloodstained lock of hair inside.
The world spun before Chu Jing’s eyes. His eyes instantly reddened.
He could no longer maintain his composure and roared:
“Ji Mingchen—! Are you insane?!”
Ji Xun was accustomed to being cursed at, so he was not angry. Instead, he smiled leisurely and asked gently, “Marquis Chu, why would you say that?”
Chu Jing’s entire body trembled.
“This marriage was decreed by His Majesty! You actually dare to defy the imperial decree… You show complete disregard for imperial authority! You… are you planning to rebel?!”
Seeing that Chu Jing had been so frightened that he was stumbling over his words and had even begun accusing him of treason, Ji Xun finally could not hold back his laughter.
The plum blossoms swayed in the cold wind, their branches as pale as snow.
Ji Xun sat beneath the clusters of plum trees, looking as though he were enjoying an exceptionally entertaining performance. His eyes curved slightly as he laughed, while his unbound hair fell messily over his shoulders. His lips were crimson, making him look almost like a vengeful ghost.
The ghost smiled and said,
“It seems Marquis Chu is even more pleased with this gift.”
Chu Jing was both shocked and furious. He could taste blood in his throat and was almost on the verge of losing his reason.
But after Ji Xun had laughed to his heart’s content, he casually lifted his dove-headed staff and gave it a slight sweep.
The box in Yin Chongshan’s hands was knocked over, spilling its contents onto the ground.
It was only a bloodstained lock of hair.
Chu Jing froze.
The bloodied hair was tied with a golden clasp. Judging from its design, it was the same hair ornament Chu Zhaojiang had been wearing when he left the Marquis’s residence.
In an instant, Chu Jing’s overwhelming anger vanished.
In its place came an almost suffocating terror.
Only then did he realize—
He had said the wrong thing.
The person who had married Ji Xun was now Chu Zhaohuai. Even if Chu Zhaojiang really had died at Ji Xun’s hands, at most it could be considered another bout of madness and result in a punishment such as docking his salary.
Other than a charge of rebellion, the Emperor would never actually move against him.
Ji Xun stroked his dove-headed staff and smiled.
“I only thought this golden clasp was unusual, so I specially picked it out as a gift. Why? Where did Marquis Chu get the idea of ‘defying the imperial decree’ just now?”
Still shaken, Chu Jing had no idea how to answer.
Unexpectedly, Ji Xun did not pursue his slip of the tongue. He seemed to genuinely intend only to deliver the return-home gifts.
“Now that the gifts have been delivered, this prince will take his leave.”
Yin Chongshan pushed his wheelchair forward.
Chu Jing instinctively took half a step forward.
“Wait…”
Ji Xun glanced sideways at him.
“Does Marquis Chu have anything else to say?”
After such a terrifying series of emotional ups and downs, Chu Jing’s mind was a mess, but he still retained enough sense to know that now was not the time to foolishly ask, Is Chu Zhaojiang in your hands?
After struggling for a long while, Chu Jing finally forced several words through his clenched teeth.
“Take care, Your Highness.”
The wheelchair rolled over the gruesome blood covering the ground as Ji Xun smiled and left.
With dozens of severed heads scattered across the ground and no idea how to deal with the situation, Chu Jing was already suffering from a splitting headache when he suddenly heard a scream.
“Ah—!”
He turned toward the sound.
Madam Zheng was walking down the corridor. The moment she saw the severed heads with their eyes still open, her legs went weak. She grabbed hold of a pillar and nearly collapsed.
“Marquis…?”
Chu Jing closed his eyes and said with difficulty,
“Find someone to clean this up.”
Madam Zheng guessed that this was the work of that God of Death. Still shaken, she struggled to steady herself and was about to call for someone when she heard Chu Jing weakly add,
“And send someone to check the private estate outside the capital.”
Madam Zheng froze.
“The private estate? Does that mean… Zhaojiang can come home now?”
Chu Jing’s face was pale as he gave a cold laugh.
Even the jade pendant that Chu Zhaojiang always wore had fallen into Ji Xun’s hands, and it was stained with blood.
He had clearly suffered terribly.
Whether Chu Zhaojiang could even be found at the private estate was now uncertain.
His life was in danger.
How could they talk about him coming home?
The return-home banquet lasted less than half an hour before Prince Jing headed back.
Outside the Marquis’s residence, the guards carried Chu Zhaohuai’s battered little cabinet onto the carriage and secured it in place.
Chu Zhaohuai looked at the empty carriage and silently pressed a hand to his chest.
Ji Xun had really sent those three huge boxes of return-home gifts into the Marquis’s residence.
What a wasteful man.
Before long, the sound of a wheelchair rolling over came from outside.
The wasteful Ji Xun was pushed onto the carriage by Yin Chongshan.
Chu Zhaohuai hurried forward and thoughtfully lifted the curtain for him. Unlike on the way there, he did not sit far away this time. Instead, he scooted over and sat close beside Ji Xun.
Yin Chongshan looked like he wanted to say something but stopped himself.
When strangers sat too close, people instinctively felt that their personal space had been invaded. This was even more true for someone with Ji Xun’s domineering and peculiar personality.
Most likely, he would order Chu Zhaohuai out of the carriage and make him run after it.
With that thought, Yin Chongshan did not leave. He simply waited for his master’s command.
Once Ji Xun settled into his seat, he was about to speak when he caught sight of Yin Chongshan standing beside him stiffly like a pillar.
He raised an eyebrow and gently attacked him without distinction.
“The journey back is quite long. Shall I give Commander Yin a ride?”
Yin Chongshan:
“…”
He… wasn’t going to throw him out?
Yin Chongshan suppressed the turmoil in his heart and awkwardly climbed down from the carriage.
After eating several plates of tea cakes, the faint fragrance of tea clung to Chu Zhaohuai’s robes. When he leaned closer, he seemed like a soft cloud drifting toward Ji Xun.
The jade pendant and dowry inventory from the Marquis’s residence had not been delivered yet, and they had also lost three huge boxes of return-home gifts.
Chu Zhaohuai was somewhat unwilling to admit defeat.
He did not really care about the jade pendant. What he really wanted was the dowry inventory so he could borrow Ji Xun’s authority to pressure Chu Jing and see if he could force him to return the dowry he had swallowed.
“Your Highness, are we heading back now?”
Ji Xun asked, “Did the Princess Consort leave anything behind?”
“Not really.”
The moment Chu Zhaohuai finished speaking, the voice of the Marquis’s steward came from outside.
“Your Highness, Princess Consort.”
Chu Zhaohuai lifted the curtain and looked out.
The steward held a presentation tray with both hands and respectfully raised it toward the carriage window.
On it lay the jade pendant carved with the character “Jiang” and the gold-edged dowry inventory.
Chu Zhaohuai’s eyes instantly lit up like copper coins.
Chu Jing had actually kept his word this time?
So borrowing the authority of the powerful really did work…
Ahem.
It seemed Prince Jing’s reputation really was useful.
Chu Zhaohuai took the dowry inventory and placed it on his lap, then leisurely picked up the beautiful jade pendant.
The jade was translucent like water, rare and precious, and worth a considerable fortune.
When he was young, Chu Zhaohuai had dreamed of possessing this jade pendant.
It seemed that if he had it, he would also possess his father’s attention and affection.
Now that he finally had it in his hands, he could no longer see anything particularly precious about it.
The jade pendant hung in the air, slowly turning on its cord. Sunlight poured over it, making it look like a piece of ice that would never melt.
Chu Zhaohuai loosened his fingers.
The jade pendant fell.
Crack!
It shattered into two pieces on the bluestone pavement.
The character “Jiang” carved into it was split cleanly in half.
The steward froze.
Chu Zhaohuai let out an innocent little “Ah” and smiled at him.
“My hand slipped.”
Ji Xun watched with an amused, knowing smile.
The steward did not dare say anything else. He stammered,
“The residence’s storerooms are already sorting out the dowry the Princess Consort accidentally left behind. It should all be delivered to the Prince’s residence tonight.”
Chu Zhaohuai was flipping through the dowry inventory when his hand suddenly stopped.
Dowry he accidentally left behind?
Something was not right.
Why had Chu Jing suddenly become so obedient and voluntarily returned the dowry he had taken?
Before Chu Zhaohuai could say anything, Ji Xun spoke gently.
“Marquis Chu must be getting old. His memory seems even worse than mine. He actually managed to leave out the dowry.”
He turned to Yin Chongshan.
“Since that is the case, Chongshan, wait here with the men. Once the Marquis’s residence has finished sorting everything, personally escort the dowry back to the Prince’s residence.”
Yin Chongshan answered,
“Yes.”
Chu Zhaohuai looked at Ji Xun in surprise.
A noble family like the Marquis’s household could never openly withhold a bride’s dowry. Clearly, Chu Jing had intended to quietly send the dowry to the Prince’s residence so he could preserve the family’s dignity.
But Ji Xun had done the exact opposite.
He was leaving Yin Chongshan and a large number of guards behind to escort it.
With such a grand procession, news of it would probably spread throughout the capital in no time.
The frustration that had been building in Chu Zhaohuai’s chest all day finally eased somewhat.
His last trace of fear toward Ji Xun also disappeared.
This prince was so powerful yet still so considerate.
Were the people in the capital all blind?
They had even spread their insults all the way to Jiangnan.
Fortunately, he had not believed the rumors.
For now, Chu Zhaohuai had no way to escape cleanly, so he could only continue hiding his identity and take things one step at a time.
Madam Bai’s belongings were merely objects. It did not matter how long they remained in the Marquis’s residence. One day, Chu Zhaohuai would personally take them back.
Chu Zhaojiang, however, was a living person.
As long as Chu Zhaohuai did not reveal his identity, Chu Zhaojiang could only continue hiding in the shadows.
The longer this dragged on, the more anxious Chu Jing would become.
Chu Zhaohuai’s mind, which had been clouded by anger toward his father, finally became clear again.
He quickly organized his thoughts.
For now, his first priority was to keep his identity hidden from Ji Xun.
Once everything was settled, the carriage began moving gently.
Chu Zhaohuai held the dowry inventory and flipped through it.
The treasures he had lost and now regained made him happier and happier. Even with the black veil covering his face, anyone could tell that his eyes were practically glowing like copper coins.
Ji Xun took a sip of cold wine and turned his head to look at him.
After who knew what thought crossed his mind, he suddenly asked,
“Does the Princess Consort have a courtesy name?”
Chu Zhaohuai did not even look up.
“Yes. Rongshui.”
His mouth answered faster than his brain.
Only after saying it did he suddenly realize what he had done.
His maternal grandfather was already advanced in years and always felt as though he might not live to see another day. He had been afraid he would not live long enough to see Chu Zhaohuai come of age, so he had given him a courtesy name in advance.
It was rarely used.
Chu Zhaohuai had no idea whether Chu Zhaojiang had been given a courtesy name in advance.
His heart skipped a beat.
But it was too late to change his answer, so he could only grit his teeth and remain silent.
Ji Xun smiled.
“Rongshui? Mm. That’s a nice name.”
He paused, then added in a gentle voice,
“Be careful to keep it hidden. Otherwise, some noble young lady might take a liking to you and forcibly steal you away.”
Chu Zhaohuai:
“…”
Rendered speechless by another of Ji Xun’s sarcastic remarks, Chu Zhaohuai silently tried to convince himself.
Forget it, forget it.
For the sake of all this dowry, putting up with a few sarcastic remarks is worth it.
As long as he doesn’t see through my identity, that’s all that matters.