Chapter 115: Is This Profound Enough?

Chapter 115: Is This Profound Enough?

Jiang Huizhou gritted his teeth and pushed the medicine bowl away, forcing a faint smile: "No need, Mother."

"You must." The Duchess shoved the bowl into Jiang Huizhou's hand: "This medicine must be taken. Young Fedel is a good boy and wouldn't refuse, right? If you're afraid it's bitter, I've prepared some sweet candies for you!"

As she spoke, she carefully pulled out some small candies wrapped in colorful paper from her pocket.

Such candies are a rarity these days, and their packaging suggested they were quite old.

Jiang Huizhou raised an eyebrow and politely declined the Duchess's kindness.

Xisi, still digesting Jiang Huizhou's news, became the thirty-third person today to stare at him.

"Cough, how about just taking a few sips?" Shen Zhixue whispered in his ear: "After all, it's the Duchess's sincere effort."

"Is this something to take lightly?" Jiang Huizhou's voice carried a hint of uncertainty: "And these candies, the production date on the wrapper is from the last century. Wouldn't eating them send me to my grave?"

"Hmm..." Shen Zhixue pondered: "Just take a few sips; if you die, so be it."

Jiang Huizhou: "..."

Although he knew Shen Zhixue was just joking, the medicine's ingredients shouldn't be harmful, but those candies older than him were definitely not to be eaten.

Jiang Huizhou had no choice but to down the dark medicine.

Satisfied, the Duchess was about to unwrap a candy for Jiang Huizhou, but he wiped his mouth and coldly said: "No."

"It's very sweet." The Duchess said regretfully: "I couldn't bring myself to eat it."

Jiang Huizhou firmly said: "No."

"Alright then." The Duchess carefully put the candies back into her pearl pouch.

Xisi's voice rang out in disbelief: "You..."

The Duchess looked at Xisi and quickly smiled, ready to share her joy: "Princess Sith, Young Fedel,"

Xisi: "But isn't Young Fedel an Alpha? An Alpha couldn't possibly."

The Duchess's face, once beaming, instantly fell: "Is that so?"

Shen Zhixue quickly supported the Duchess's hand and said: "Of course not, you will definitely... but now you should take a nap. Someone, escort the Duchess upstairs for her nap!"

To everyone's surprise, the Duchess obediently followed the maid upstairs.

Xisi stared at Jiang Huizhou: "No way, you're an omega?!"

Then her recent feud with Shen Zhixue would be a joke?!

Jiang Huizhou smiled slightly and spoke gracefully: "The Duchess's mind is a bit unwell. I trust Princess Sith wouldn't take the words of a sick, pitiful woman seriously, right?"

Xisi then relaxed and frowned, looking at Shen Zhixue, and said imperiously: "I came today to hand an invitation to this home-wrecker. Though he's shameless, my mother, Her Majesty the Empress, doesn't scorn his lowly status and invites him to tomorrow's court banquet."

Shen Zhixue raised an eyebrow, ready to take the invitation, but Jiang Huizhou coldly said: "I hope you understand that, at present, you're the uninvited guest in the Duke's residence. Is your attitude towards the master of the Duke's residence somewhat inappropriate?"

"We were engaged, and he meddled, isn't he a home-wrecker?" Xisi sneered: "What, you want to act the saint after being the sinner? There's no such good thing in the world."

"If memory serves," Jiang Huizhou lightly clicked his tongue: "Before he came along, weren't you quite dissatisfied with our engagement, even pleading with Her Majesty the Empress to annul it? Not only that, didn't you publicly declare more than once that I was an ugly brute who only knew warfare, nothing like the refined nobleman of your dreams?"

Xisi's eyes darted away for a moment: "Those were things of the past, and besides, as a royal princess, marrying you would be beneath me! Even if I discard something, it doesn't mean just anyone can pick it up!"

Shen Zhixue's brow furrowed. Since coming to the Federation, he had always sought to avoid trouble, fearing he might cause any issues for Jiang Huizhou. So no matter how Xisi slandered him, it didn't matter; being called a few names was nothing. In his previous life, he had been a top star and had endured far worse insults than anything Xisi could dish out. He could remain unruffled by insults a thousand times harsher.

However, when he heard Xisi not only slandering him but also insulting Jiang Huizhou, his calm demeanor was disturbed.

It was downright infuriating.

No matter how imperfect or reprehensible Jiang Huizhou might be, it wasn't her place to criticize.

Xisi spoke with increasing arrogance: "Don't think for a moment that I care about you. I just don't like others taking my leftovers. Someone like him only drags down my royal status!"

Shen Zhixue meticulously tucked away the invitation, then swiftly raised his hand and struck Xisi across the face!

Since the last time Shen Zhixue had hit her, Xisi had been prepared. She swiftly seized his wrist: "Hmph, you scoundrel, how dare you strike a princess!"

Before she could finish, Shen Zhixue raised his other hand and landed a swift, forceful blow on her other cheek!

Xisi screamed and charged at Shen Zhixue like a wild animal!

Shen Zhixue's face remained stoic as he delivered a sharp kick to her leg!

Xisi yelped in pain and crumpled to the ground. Before she could react, Shen Zhixue seized her by the collar, hoisted her up, and struck her again!

"This slap is from the young Duke. He's of noble lineage and must uphold decorum. I, however, am not. As you said, I'm just a humble servant brought from the Empire. Do you know how people like us, without standing, handle others?"

Xisi had never encountered such a situation. She had always been the Empress's prized possession, and others, fearing her power and status, treated her with nothing but respect and flattery. In all her life, no one had dared to show her such disrespect. She blanched with fear.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Shen Zhixue slapped her again: "This one's from the Empress. She loves and cherishes you, but not so you can turn into this arrogant, foolish, and unrestrained person!"

"Shen Zhixue, how dare you insult me—Ah!!"

Another slap, and Shen Zhixue pushed her away, shaking his hand.

Jiang Huizhou gently placed the invitation in Xisi's arms and spoke softly: "Her Majesty sent you to deliver this invitation, and this is how you do it? Surely this wasn't the Empress's intention. It seems we should skip the banquet."

Xisi had come to deliver the invitation to Shen Zhixue, hoping to disgrace him at the banquet and make him the royal family's laughingstock. That way, even if he gained the young Duke's favor, he could never legitimately marry into the Duke's family. Duke Fidel would never allow such a joke to become a talking point for the Duke's household.

"No! You must attend!" Xisi immediately responded.

"Since Princess Xisi insists that my fiancé attend the banquet, shouldn't you show some sincerity?" Jiang Huizhou spoke leisurely: "My leg is injured, so I can't accompany my dear fiancé to the banquet. With your attitude, I'm concerned he might be mistreated there. If the Empress asks, I'll have to tell her the truth, don't you agree?"

Xisi gritted her teeth: "What do you want?"

"It's just a matter of words, what could I possibly ask of Princess Xisi? Just an apology to my fiancé will suffice." Jiang Huizhou sighed, as if he had already conceded a great deal.

"I am a royal princess, why should I apologize to a homewrecker—"

"Princess Xisi." Jiang Huizhou's voice deepened, carrying a hint of warning.

Xisi stopped mid-sentence. It was clear that Shen Zhixue knew he would be humiliated at the banquet and was making excuses not to go. The grand surprise prepared for him at the banquet would be wasted...

Reluctantly, Xisi, her face swollen, trembled as she spoke: "I'm sorry... I was out of line earlier. Please, Mr. Shen, don't hold it against me."

Even though she was the one who had been beaten, she had to apologize to Shen Zhixue!

Tears welled up in Xisi's eyes, her gaze filled with barely contained hatred.

Shen Zhixue deftly picked up the invitation: "Since Princess Xisi is so sincere, then I won’t refuse. Oh, Princess Xisi, your face seems swollen. Was I too rough?"

Princess Xisi touched her red and swollen face, gritting her teeth: "It’s fine, it’s not that bad."

Shen Zhixue smugly patted Princess Xisi's head, as if she were a misbehaving puppy: "It's normal to get punished when you make a mistake. Don't do it again next time."

Princess Xisi: "..."

So mad! But what could she do?

Having achieved his goal, Shen Zhixue didn't hesitate to show her the door: "Well, it's getting late, so I won’t keep Princess Xisi for dinner. Her Majesty is probably waiting for you. Please, go ahead."

Princess Xisi stood up and ran out of the duke's mansion, seething with anger and frustration.

"Tsk, she must despise me now," Shen Zhixue sighed. "If your plan doesn’t succeed, I will definitely be killed by Princess Xisi and Her Majesty."

Jiang Huizhou's eyes darkened, showing rare concern: "The palace banquet will undoubtedly be fraught with danger. I need to handle the DNA test to be safe. If the result from the overseer is not what I want, I will abandon the plan and prioritize your safety. But until then, I won’t be by your side, so be careful."

Shen Zhixue nodded: "I’ve got it under control."

"I hope so," Jiang Huizhou chuckled. "Every time you say you know your limits, you end up in a mess. That's not what I want to see, Shen Zhixue. Your safety comes before any plan... Don’t make me lose my mind worrying."

Shen Zhixue lowered his eyes, tapping Jiang Huizhou's chest with his fingertip: "I hope you mean that."

Jiang Huizhou quickly grabbed his wrist: "I’ve lied a lot, I’m suspicious, and even in the craziest times, I’ve never believed in any deity. But this time, I hope all the gods can hear my heart. Shen Zhixue, keep yourself safe."

Shen Zhixue paused, but before he could speak, he saw two streams of blood flowing from Jiang Huizhou's nose...

Shen Zhixue: "!!!!"

Jiang Huizhou was stunned for a moment, then touched the tip of his nose: "...Damn."

"You... this..." Shen Zhixue quickly grabbed a tissue and pressed it against Jiang Huizhou's nose: "Was it that soup? Too much of a good thing?"

Jiang Huizhou's eyes gradually turned crimson: "...What was in that bowl? Wasn’t it supposed to be safe?"

Shen Zhixue: "...In theory, it’s safe, right?"

Jiang Huizhou threw away the tissue and quickly headed towards the bathroom.

Shen Zhixue hurriedly stopped him: "Where are you going?"

"I need the bathroom," Jiang Huizhou's voice became hoarse. He impatiently tugged at his collar, red spreading up his neck: "It’s so hot..."

He looked like a cornered animal, pacing restlessly, his exposed skin turning an unusual red, breathing heavily.

Shen Zhixue swallowed, instinctively backing away a few steps under the overwhelming pheromones.

This feeling...

The normally cool scent had turned overpowering. Shen Zhixue sensed something was wrong. Though he didn’t know why, he wanted to bolt.

But the pheromones were too strong. His legs went weak, and after taking a few steps, he felt exhausted. Before he could catch his breath, he felt his collar being grabbed forcefully and yanked back!

Shen Zhixue was instantly pulled back. Jiang Huizhou shook his head, roughly holding Shen Zhixue by the collar and throwing him onto the sofa.

Already disoriented by the pheromones, the fall left Shen Zhixue dazed. He struggled to sit up: "What’s going on... Jiang Huizhou..."

Jiang Huizhou didn’t speak. He pressed Shen Zhixue's shoulders, leaning down to his neck, his voice hoarse: "You’re mine... my omega, my Zhi Zhi..."