Chapter 128: Step Six in Chasing a Wife: As Long as It’s His Majesty’s Command

Chapter 128: Step Six in Chasing a Wife: As Long as It's His Majesty's Command

Jiang Huizhou's expression was so fierce it looked like he could kill Ting Yu on the spot and dump her in a mass grave.

Shen Zhixue cleared his throat and spoke up at just the right moment: "You can't blame Ting Yu, she meant well."

Ting Yu was too scared of Jiang Huizhou's glare to say a word. Seeing Shen Zhixue intercede for her, she quickly nodded and said softly, "I noticed Brother Jiang was overworked, so I wanted to help with whatever I could."

Jiang Huizhou let out a chilling laugh, his knuckles popping as he clenched his fists: "Is that so?"

Shen Zhixue pursed his lips, scratched his brow, then suddenly slapped his thigh: "Since Ting Yu cares so much about you, and you've been quite tired lately, why not let her take care of you for a while? She may not be high-born, but she’s quick and capable."

Jiang Huizhou turned his head, catching a brief glint of mischief in Shen Zhixue's eyes, then lowered his gaze.

Ting Yu beamed with delight. Jiang Huizhou's current affection for Shen Zhixue must be due to Shen Zhixue's noble status. If she could get close to Jiang Huizhou and show him her good qualities, he would surely abandon Shen Zhixue and fall for her instead.

That’s just how men are. He would soon realize that Shen Zhixue was like the moon in the sky—visible but untouchable—while she was the one standing by his side, a living, breathing person.

She could tell Jiang Huizhou was no ordinary man. He wouldn’t be content to live an obscure life on this backward planet. She had heard from the maids around His Majesty that in the Federation and Empire beyond this planet, this man was a formidable figure. If she could latch onto this golden opportunity, she wouldn’t have to be a servant here, subject to others' commands.

"If it’s His Majesty’s order," Jiang Huizhou said coldly, "I have no choice but to comply."

The spark in his eyes from earlier had vanished. He picked up the cleaned fox fur, touched it, placed it on the stone table in front of Shen Zhixue, and walked away.

Ting Yu eagerly trailed after Jiang Huizhou, even forgetting to curtsy.

Shen Zhixue glanced at the neatly folded fox fur, sneered, and swept it off the table before storming off.

Was he really angry?

What right did he have to be angry?

Was Shen Zhixue the one causing all this trouble?!

Ting Yu followed Jiang Huizhou to the stone house. Jiang Huizhou, with his back to her, angrily threw a piece of porcelain at her feet: "Who told you to come in? Get out."

Ting Yu flinched but then gathered her courage and crept behind Jiang Huizhou, speaking softly, "Brother Jiang, don't be upset. You know His Majesty, he's always been so aloof, treating everyone like they're his slaves... But I would never treat you like that. To me, Brother Jiang is the greatest man alive!"

Her tone was gentle, and she was quite attractive, adopting a pitiful demeanor that would naturally evoke a protective instinct in any man.

Jiang Huizhou shot her a sidelong glance and rasped, "Follow me."

With that, he walked out of the stone house first.

Ting Yu’s heart soared, convinced Jiang Huizhou’s attitude had softened, and quickly followed.

She looked back at Shen Zhixue's main palace.

Who did Shen Zhixue think he was?

He was just lucky to be born into royalty. Why did everyone like him so much?

Everyone in the palace was a bunch of snobs who looked down their noses at people. They only liked Shen Zhixue because he was the prince. What did a noble status matter? Men didn’t want cold, distant figures; they wanted warm, tender women like her from the south.

As Ting Yu followed Jiang Huizhou, she noticed fewer and fewer palace servants around. They were heading to a secluded spot. Blushing, she hurried to keep up with Jiang Huizhou: "Brother Jiang, where are you taking me?"

Jiang Huizhou avoided her outstretched hand and remained silent.

Taking her to such a secluded spot, his intentions were clear. She was already imagining whether to play coy or just let him take the lead.

She lowered her head, nervously and shyly thinking, and then she heard a rough male voice.

"Jiang Yuan!" The man had a thick beard all over his face, wearing a dirty, discolored tunic, and the stench emanating from him could be smelled from three meters away—a nauseating and unsettling stench, like that of a rotting animal.

Jiang Huizhou walked over, pointed at Ting Yu, and coldly said, "She's here today."

"Ah?" The man was stunned, looked Ting Yu up and down, and his ears instantly turned red. "Jiang Yuan, what... what does this mean? This place is dirty, smelly, and there's that thing inside. You're bringing such a young girl here, won't she be scared at night?"

"She won't," Jiang Huizhou twisted his wrist. "She's very brave."

She dares to mess with anyone.

Ting Yu froze in place, not understanding what Jiang Huizhou meant.

The rough man could only rub his hands. "Then what about me?"

Jiang Huizhou tilted his head. "You've been working alone here, and it's tiring. Isn't it good to have someone help you? By the way, she loves washing clothes. Your clothes need washing too, right?"

The rough man became even shyer, scratching his head. "Jiang Yuan, when we talked about the job, you didn't mention sending a wife, and such a delicate one at that... Is she willing?"

"Just ask her yourself. Girls are shy when they first meet. Just be a bit thick-skinned, okay?" Jiang Huizhou raised his hand. "Show her around the work environment. I'll leave first."

Seeing Jiang Huizhou turn and leave, Ting Yu panicked. She quickly followed, trying to grab his hand. "Brother Jiang, what are you doing? Where are you going? Take me with you..."

Before she could finish, her arm was grabbed by the rough man behind her. "Jiang Yuan said you're staying here with me today. I'll show you around inside. If you see it during the day, you won't be scared at night. Come on."

Ting Yu looked at the foul-smelling hut behind her, and fear instantly overwhelmed her. She struggled desperately, ignoring the pain. "I won't go! Let me go! Brother Jiang, don't leave me here! I don't want to stay here!"

The rough man's grip was like an iron clamp, not loosening at all as he dragged her inside. "Don't be shy. I'm pretty easygoing..."

Ting Yu screamed in terror, "Jiang Huizhou! Shen Zhixue sent me to look after you. How could you treat me like this?! He asked me to look after you, not to send me to such a place! I'm Shen Zhixue's personal maid. You can't treat me like this! If he gets angry, can you handle it?!"

"Now you know whose dog you are?" Jiang Huizhou stopped, turned around, and looked at her coldly. "A dog that bites its master is lucky if it's not beaten to death."

Ting Yu cried out, "How could you do this to me? How could you be so cruel to me for Shen Zhixue, that scoundrel? At least I truly care for you. What does Shen Zhixue mean to you? Don't you know how he treats you?! Is he really worth it?!"

Jiang Huizhou ignored her, and his figure soon disappeared around the corner.

Ting Yu lay on the ground, screaming hysterically, as the rough man grabbed her hand and dragged her into the foul-smelling house behind them!

A cold draft hit her, and Ting Yu felt a chilling breeze that raised the fine hairs on her body. Through her tears, she looked back and saw a vast empty room with rows of stone platforms. On the platforms lay nauseating corpses, some in nutrient tanks, others exposed to the air. Some were still recognizable as people, but others were already rotting and stinking, with red and white substances piled on top, completely unrecognizable.

Ting Yu screamed and tried to bolt out with all her might, but the rough man grabbed her calf and dragged her back in. "What are you running for? You have to stand watch tonight!"

"No! I won't! I don't want to!" Ting Yu screamed in terror. "What kind of place is this?! I don't want to stand watch here!!"

"It's the morgue. Didn't Jiang Yuan explain it to you when he brought you here?" The rough man said. "Their experiments often need these things. This used to be where the palace's executed criminals were placed if no family claimed them, so someone needs to keep watch."

Seeing Ting Yu trembling with fear, the rough man kindly reminded her, "Honestly, you don't need to be scared. Even though they say the unclaimed dead carry heavy grudges and might move around at night, I've been keeping watch here for two months and haven't seen a single one move! But more importantly, you should watch out for the wolves from the mountains."

"Wolves!" Ting Yu exclaimed.

"There are wild wolves in the back mountains. Sometimes, when they're starving, they might come in packs, smelling the corpses, and try to take them to eat." The rough man nodded. "But the corpses here are accounted for. We can't let those beasts take them! Jiang Yuan is really kind. He even gave me a gun, though I have no idea where he got it. It's much better than the weapons on our planet! Don't worry, if wolves come, just shoot them!"

Before he could finish, the beautiful omega in front of him trembled and fainted.

"Oh."

The rough man squatted down and poked Ting Yu. "Are you getting up? Jiang Yuan said you like washing clothes. Could you wash my clothes for me?"

Tingyu was fated to have an unforgettable night, but that was no longer of any concern to Jiang Huizhou.

When he returned to Shen Zhixue's hall, he saw the overturned fox fur on the ground.

He quietly walked over and picked up the fox fur.

Jiang Huizhou somehow managed to get a few pieces of wood, nailed them together, and managed to put together a makeshift door for his small stone house.

He had never faced such hardships or lived in such a rundown place before, whether in the Federation or the Empire. But for the past two months, he had taken it in stride—until today.

He had clearly felt Shen Zhixue's affection for him.

He was ecstatic, he was overjoyed.

But it was just Shen Zhixue's ploy to use him against Tingyu.

So this is how it feels.

To have your joy trampled, your love callously tossed aside.

So this is how it feels.

Jiang Huizhou found a wooden basin, fetched some water from the well, and soaked the fox fur in it, scrubbing it meticulously.

The fox fur had a small stain, barely noticeable unless one looked closely.

But Jiang Huizhou knew—the fox fur was dirty.

He kept scrubbing, using various detergents, trying to remove that tiny stain.

But despite scrubbing until his hands turned red, the stain wouldn't budge.

He couldn't get it clean anymore.