Song Jiuchen was satisfied and instructed Ye Yu beside him, “Arrange it personally. Secretly transport them to be stationed at the four city gates.”
“Yes.”
Ye Yu accepted the order while also glancing at Shen Qingyao in his arms.
The prince has truly gone mad, actually using the Four Great Guardians to watch over a woman.
If the princess finds out, the prince is definitely going to get scolded.
Song Jiuchen walked away holding the woman, his steps confident and strategic.
The four fierce tigers he had meticulously trained were no ordinary beasts. They were kings of tigers, specially trained for over seven years, raised from cubs, and possessed astonishing tracking abilities.
Not only were their senses of smell sharp enough to distinguish scent traces left three days prior, but they also had the extraordinary ability to traverse complex terrain.
Each time they carried out a mission, these four fierce tigers would adopt a unique triangular formation. With their infrared vision and exceptional memory, they could distinguish scents, predict escape routes, lock onto targets, and ensure they had no chance of escape.
Song Jiuchen had trained them specifically to track traitors and spies.
He did not believe the woman in his arms would obediently submit to him so easily. To prevent her from quietly leaving one day, he had no choice but to use the Four Great Guardians to secretly guard her.
After leaving the Punishment Mansion, he carried the woman to his own bedchamber. He did not place her on the bed, as he disliked the prison uniform she was wearing. She needed to bathe and change before she could lie on his bed.
Sitting at the table, he unsealed the acupoint on the woman in his arms, waiting for her to wake up.
Before long, Shen Qingyao slowly opened her eyes. When her vision cleared, the opulence before her startled her!
Immediately, she understood. Frowning, she met Song Jiuchen’s gaze.
This was his residence.
She also remembered that she had been kissed by him and then fainted.
“Why did you make me faint?”
She questioned him seriously, “What did you do after I passed out?”
Was it necessary to do this just to bring her out?
Song Jiuchen smiled faintly, “The secret passage I used to bring you out couldn’t be discovered by you.”
“……” Shen Qingyao was speechless.
Song Jiuchen set her down, “Your maid will be here shortly. Bathe and change your clothes first, then we’ll rest.”
After saying this, he stood up and left.
Shen Qingyao stood there in disarray, her expression more complicated than ever. Was he planning to do that with her tonight?
She glanced around, then swallowed hard.
“Miss?”
At that moment, Xiao Mei’s voice came from the doorway. She looked over and saw Xiao Mei entering with three maidservants carrying fresh clothes.
“Miss, are you alright?” Xiao Mei approached, concerned.
Shen Qingyao shook her head, “I’m fine.”
“We greet Lady Li.” The three maidservants bowed to her.
Shen Qingyao’s lips twitched. Lady Li?
A title, right?
Below the princess consort, all are concubines, but they are divided into noble concubines and ordinary concubines. Noble concubines include side consorts, secondary consorts, ladies, and gentlewomen. These individuals all have titles, while those without titles are ordinary concubines.
“Please move to the bath, Lady Li. We will attend to your bathing.”
Shen Qingyao really wanted to hit someone. Xiao Mei also looked at them helplessly.
Although the position of Lady is quite high, her mistress did not care for it.
Shen Qingyao shook her head inwardly. Never mind, arguing with them was pointless. She would bathe first and then talk to that guy afterward.
About half an hour later, she emerged from the bath chamber wearing a water-red sleeping gown, her long hair cascading down to her waist, her beautiful eyes sparkling.
Song Jiuchen was sitting by the table waiting for her. When she emerged, he looked her up and down, and a flash of admiration instantly passed through his eyes.
Truly a peerless beauty in the mortal world!
Xiao Mei and three maidservants carrying clothes came out, and he immediately ordered, “All of you, leave.”
“Yes.”
Xiao Mei glanced at her young mistress, feeling helpless, and could only follow the others out.
Shen Qingyao walked up to the man and got straight to the point. “Your Highness, shall we talk?”
Song Jiuchen pulled her into his arms, holding her on his lap as he asked with a smile, “Talk about what?”
“I am willing to be your woman, but I don’t want any status. Just as you said the first time, I’ll be your mistress, hidden from the light.”
“…”
After hearing this, Song Jiuchen’s expression turned stunned, then deeply puzzled.
“Why?”
Shen Qingyao replied candidly, “Your Highness, you must already understand my views from Xiao Mei. So, unless it’s a lifelong commitment to one person, I don’t care for any status. But to repay my uncle’s kindness, I’m willing to be your woman—only as a mistress. This way, if you ever tire of me in the future, I can still regain my freedom.”
“Who says I’ll tire of you?”
Song Jiuchen asked sharply, feeling very displeased.
Not wanting any status—was it because living outside would make it easier to leave him at any time?
Freedom?
Did she think she could escape?
Seeing his anger, Shen Qingyao suppressed her aversion and wrapped her arms around his neck, coquettishly pleading, “Your Highness, don’t be angry. Whether I’m a mistress or a concubine, aren’t I still your woman? I won’t do anything behind your back.
I just want to live in my own home, do my own things, and have a bit more freedom without so many rules binding me. I don’t want to bow and scrape to your future princess consort in the future, alright?”
She detested palace and household intrigues—fighting over a man was utterly disgusting.
Even without participating, it was revolting.
After hearing the woman’s words and being embraced and coaxed by her like this, Song Jiuchen felt very pleased, and his anger instantly dissipated.
Only then did he consider the woman’s feelings, thinking from her perspective.
Then he said, “But if you become a mistress, our child won’t be able to enjoy the treatment of a prince.”
Shen Qingyao inwardly shuddered in disgust.
Child?
Who would have a child with you?
Suppressing the urge to blurt it out, she continued to cling to the man’s neck and coo, “What does that matter? Among your sons, only the heir can inherit your title. The others can only enjoy a life of wealth and perhaps secure a minor official position. I can provide our child with a life of wealth too, can’t I?”
As she spoke, she leaned closer to his ear and whispered, “As for an official position, you are still the child’s biological father. Surely you wouldn’t stop loving him just because I’m a mistress?”
Song Jiuchen’s face flushed, his heart stirred by her teasing. He chuckled and said, “How could that be? I’ll give him everything he deserves. I won’t allow anyone to look down on him.”
“Then it’s settled.”
Shen Qingyao pulled back from his ear, gazing at his face with a seductive, silken smile.
Song Jiuchen was utterly captivated, his breath catching. He could clearly feel a surge of scorching heat rising from his abdomen, rapidly spreading through his limbs.
His eyes suddenly turned dark and intense, fixed tightly on the woman’s face. His Adam’s apple bobbed uncontrollably, dry and tight.
Then, almost instinctively, he scooped the woman up and carried her toward the bed.
He wanted her, and he wanted her now.
Shen Qingyao let the man carry her onto the bed without resistance. She knew this day was inevitable, so the sooner it was over, the sooner she could go home.
The man leaned over her, pressing down, but just as he was about to touch those tempting lips, he suddenly stopped.
“I promise you, but don’t play tricks, and don’t burn the bridge after crossing it. Otherwise—”
A flash of ruthlessness gleamed in his deep eyes.
Then, he abruptly lowered his head, delivering a kiss he could no longer restrain, as if victory was assured.
He pinned her hands above her head, forcing her fingers apart and intertwining them with his own.