This glance was startling.
Although what the Princess Consort was eating looked like noodles, the pungent stench was emanating from there.
Who would have thought His Highness the War Prince would treat the Princess Consort so poorly, actually feeding her such a thing.
However, judging by the Princess Consort’s expression of pure enjoyment, it clearly wasn’t an act.
Could it be that this thing smells foul but tastes delicious?
—I really want to try it too; it’s better than starving to death.
The personal guard standing in the corner suddenly felt something wet on his face. Without thinking much, he quickly stretched his hand toward the sky.
“It seems like it’s raining.”
Song Qing, standing nearby, gave him an annoyed push. “Don’t daydream in broad daylight. That’s clearly drool.”
The guard looked up skeptically, only to see another drop of saliva fall from the person peering into the courtyard. Fortunately, he dodged quickly, or he would have caught another drop.
“Are you some kind of pervert? Actually drooling over something so smelly.”
The guard standing on the stone was unconvinced.
“If you don’t believe me, take a look. The Princess Consort is clearly eating it with great relish.”
Song Qing, no longer as composed as usual, pulled the guard down and stood on the stone himself to look inside.
Sure enough, he saw the Princess Consort eating with gusto, seemingly even more delicious than the noodles from earlier.
Seeing Song Qing’s miserable expression as he climbed down from the stone, the guard couldn’t help but speak up.
“Boss, if we want to survive now, there’s only one path we can take.”
Song Qing pretended not to know. “Which path?”
“If we become His Highness the War Prince’s men, I guarantee that, given his character, he would never let us starve to death.”
Clearly, aside from this path, there was no other.
Song Qing understood this well, but now he was in a dilemma.
Seeing Song Qing’s expression waver, the guard added fuel to the fire.
“Boss, we both know perfectly well that the Emperor assigned us this mission, clearly intending for us to die. Although we’re all alone in this world, none of us want to lose our lives like this.
If we died at the hands of the enemy, so be it, but that’s not the case. We’re facing starvation.”
Soon, several other guards gathered around, all urging Song Qing to lead them in pledging allegiance to His Highness the War Prince.
Seeing his sworn brothers, who had faced life and death together, all looking sallow and emaciated, Song Qing couldn’t bear it.
Song Qing let out a long sigh. “Alright, I’ll go find His Highness the War Prince now.”
At that moment, Xuan Zhan was frowning as he stared at Jian Junyao.
Were those noodles really that delicious?
She was eating with such rapture…
“Your Highness, Song Qing is here again.” Ling Feng couldn’t help but chuckle. Their prince was truly cunning, using such a foul-smelling thing to lure Song Qing here.
“Hmm, let him come and report.” Xuan Zhan appeared calm and composed, but no one knew what he was thinking.
This time, Song Qing didn’t clasp his fists. Instead, he knelt on one knee before Xuan Zhan.
“Your Highness, my men and I wish to pledge our allegiance to His Highness the War Prince. From now on, we will serve only you, even if it means sacrificing our lives.”
“How can this prince trust you?” Xuan Zhan had been waiting for these words, yet his tone remained so indifferent that it revealed no emotion whatsoever.
“This…” For a moment, Song Qing was at a loss. He had offered his pledge, but he currently had nothing tangible to demonstrate his sincerity. On the contrary, he needed His Highness the War Prince to first solve the food problem for his large group of men.
Xuan Zhan was in no hurry. He did indeed need a team loyal to him at the moment, but he couldn’t just accept anyone.
His gaze shifted to Jian Junyao, who wore a satisfied expression. “Princess Consort, push me inside first. I need to relieve myself.”
Relieve himself?
Jian Junyao had just taken a sip of soup and nearly spat it out.
Damn it, this man didn’t seem like the shameless type on the surface!
Instead of calling a guard to help him pee, he actually asked a young maiden like her—did he have no shame?
Under someone else’s roof, one must bow their head. Jian Junyao reluctantly put down her bowl and chopsticks, putting on an obedient front in front of everyone as she pushed Xuan Zhan toward the room.
To make herself feel better, Jian Junyao waved her little fists a few times at the back of Xuan Zhan’s head when no one was looking.
Xuan Zhan seemed to have eyes on the back of his head.
“Those who disrespect me end up in a miserable state.”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness, I respect you absolutely.”
Once inside the inner chamber, Xuan Zhan had no interest in bickering.
“Do you have any poison there?”
“Poison?” Jian Junyao was puzzled.
“Preferably the kind that causes death if the antidote isn’t taken within a set time.” Xuan Zhan spoke unhurriedly.
Jian Junyao was well-versed in pharmacology. Before the apocalypse, her major had been pharmacy.
However, while she could prepare medicines to save lives, poison was something she truly didn’t know how to make.
Although she couldn’t make poison, her Space still had a medical mall. She wondered if there was any poison there.
After thinking it over, Jian Junyao quickly browsed through the medical mall. It had both traditional Chinese and Western medicines, but no poison.
Just as she was about to tell Xuan Zhan, she suddenly noticed a medicine link priced at only 3 Space Coins.
She decisively purchased it. To make it look more impressive, Jian Junyao spent 10 Space Coins on a retro-style small porcelain bottle.
Using her will, she repackaged the medicine inside her Space and returned her consciousness to reality.
“The medicine Your Highness wants isn’t unavailable, but it requires a bit more silver.”
“How much?” Xuan Zhan asked, already pulling several banknotes from his pocket.
Seeing the banknotes, Jian Junyao felt as though countless delicious treats were waving at her. Without answering, she reached out to take them.
But Xuan Zhan deftly avoided her.
“How much?”
Looking at his gloomy face, Jian Junyao felt a chill deep in her soul.
If it weren’t for this man’s knowledge of metaphysics, she would have run away the moment she got the five hundred taels of silver. Unfortunately, stuck with such a terrifying person, she didn’t dare act recklessly.
If she were caught by him and beaten until her soul scattered and spirit dispersed, it would be a loss not worth the gain.
However, making her his lackey also came at a price.
“Your Highness, this medicine is extremely precious. One bottle contains a hundred pills, and it’s only a thousand taels—you definitely won’t lose out?”
“How effective is it?” Xuan Zhan asked.
Seeing that Xuan Zhan believed her, Jian Junyao continued her bluff.
“Exactly the kind Your Highness wants.”
Xuan Zhan handed her two five-hundred-tael banknotes. “If you dare deceive me, I’ll make sure your soul scatters and spirit disperses.”
Jian Junyao was currently most wary of the phrase “soul scattering and spirit dispersing,” but her low spirits were quickly cured by the two banknotes.
She cheerfully handed Xuan Zhan a bottle of repackaged vitamin C.
“Your Highness, I have as much of this poison as you could ever need.”
Xuan Zhan ignored her. Instead, he opened the medicine bottle and sniffed it, asking with some suspicion, “Are you sure this is that poison?”
“Absolutely sure. If I’m lying, you can beat me until my soul scatters and spirit disperses.”
Hmph! Once I save up more silver notes, I’ll find a chance to escape, so my soul can rest in peace…