Chapter 126

Chapter 126

The Minister of Revenue paused, then hesitantly asked, "Your Highness Prince Zhao, what do you mean by 'he's coming on so strong'?"

Jiang Cihe let out a quiet chuckle, his voice cold and clear. "Did Lord Chen not understand? His relentless pursuit of me means he has feelings for me."

The Minister of Revenue's eyes widened in shock. He glanced at Meng Shuping, then at Jiang Cihe, and fell silent for a moment.

If they weren't currently in the Minister of Revenue's home, Meng Shuping would have retorted right then and there: "That dog! How can he say such things? Can he be any more narcissistic? Shameless!"

Jiang Cihe glanced at him with a half-smile. "What? Didn't you throw yourself into my arms?"

Meng Shuping awkwardly averted his gaze, his face slightly flushed. "That was so long ago. Why is he still hung up on that? Is he never going to let it go?"

Hearing this, the Minister of Revenue completely gave up hope. He cupped his hands in apology toward Meng Shuping and said, "My apologies for the rudeness."

Meng Shuping quickly waved his hand. "It's fine, it's fine."

Jiang Cihe's gaze shifted to the Minister of Revenue. "Since Lord Chen has no further business, Vice Director Meng and I will take our leave."

The Minister of Revenue hurriedly said, "Let me see you out, Your Highness."

Jiang Cihe politely declined, "No need. Vice Director Meng and I can see ourselves out. Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Chen."

With that, he took Meng Shuping's hand and quickly walked out.

Watching their retreating figures, the Minister of Revenue suddenly realized: If Prince Zhao said Vice Director Meng has feelings for him, why doesn’t Prince Zhao keep his distance? Could it be that Prince Zhao…

As he pondered, the Minister of Revenue’s expression turned to one of astonishment.

After walking for a while, Meng Shuping looked back and saw that the Minister of Revenue was no longer in sight. He immediately tried to pull his hand back, but after one attempt, he found he couldn’t break free. He whispered, "You can let go now. Nobody can see us anymore."

Unexpectedly, Jiang Cihe didn’t release his hand. Without a word, he pulled Meng Shuping along quickly until they reached the carriage, finally letting go. "Get in."

Meng Shuping glanced at Jiang Cihe suspiciously. "What’s going on? Weren’t you fine just a moment ago?"

He got into the carriage and sat down. Soon after, Jiang Cihe also got in and sat beside him.

Meng Shuping stole a glance at Jiang Cihe. "Why did you come here?"

Jiang Cihe sneered. "If I hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known you were about to be recruited as a son-in-law. You were taken away—didn’t you even think to explain?"

Meng Shuping was still resentful. "How was I supposed to know what they wanted? I thought I was being kidnapped!"

Jiang Cihe looked at him with an unreadable expression. "And now you know? What were you doing getting mixed up in that business in the first place? Did you know anyone on that list?"

Meng Shuping guiltily lowered his head. "I’d never seen it before. Is it wrong to want to take a look?"

But after saying that, he realized: Why should he feel guilty? Being taken away wasn’t his fault! He turned the question back to Jiang Cihe. "I haven’t even asked you yet—why did you say that to Lord Chen?"

Jiang Cihe’s gaze darkened. He looked coldly at Meng Shuping. "Say what?"

Meng Shuping said indignantly, "Why did you say I like you?"

Jiang Cihe’s expression remained calm. "Are you regretting not becoming Lord Chen’s son-in-law?"

Meng Shuping looked at him in disbelief. "Why would I regret it?"

Jiang Cihe took a deep breath and fixed his eyes on Meng Shuping’s face. "Then what are you dissatisfied with?"

Meeting Jiang Cihe’s gaze, Meng Shuping suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He instinctively avoided Jiang Cihe’s eyes and said unhappily, "Why couldn’t you say it was you who likes me, that you’re the one who can’t live without me? The way you said it was too cunning!"

"And saying I’m relentlessly pursuing him—why didn’t he just say I forced myself on him? Making it seem like I’m so pathetic—just taking advantage of the fact that I can’t refute him, right?"

Jiang Cihe’s expression relaxed, and his demeanor softened considerably. A smirk played on his lips. "Wasn’t I just trying to make Lord Chen give up completely? If I had said I was the one who likes you, Lord Chen might not have given up so easily."

Meng Shuping retorted, "Then you could have said we both have feelings for each other!"

Jiang Cihe looked at him with a smile, his voice low and husky. "You and I have mutual feelings?"

Meng Shuping was momentarily stunned by his gaze. After a moment, he came back to his senses. "I meant you could say that!"

"That bastard! He almost tempted me again! Why does he have to speak so seductively? Showing off how charming he is?"

Jiang Cihe’s smile deepened. "I’ll say that next time."

Meng Shuping quickly shook his head. "No, no, I don’t want there to be a next time. This time was more than enough for me!"

Jiang Cihe snorted. "Vice Director Meng is truly popular. If it’s not this one proposing a marriage, it’s that one trying to recruit you as a son-in-law. Who knows, maybe someday someone else will take a liking to you."

Meng Shuping felt there was something passive-aggressive in Jiang Cihe’s tone. He looked Jiang Cihe up and down, then leaned in and said smugly, "Your Highness, you’re not jealous, are you?"

Jiang Cihe’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and his heart raced. "...Jealous of what?"

Meng Shuping said boastfully, "Jealous that more people are interested in me than you!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Who would’ve thought I’d be more in demand than the prince? Is he especially envious and resentful? Well, that’s something he can’t help—it’s just my natural charm!"

Jiang Cihe: "..."

After a long pause, he took a deep breath and called out to the driver outside, "Stop the carriage!"

Meng Shuping was puzzled. "Your Highness, why are you suddenly stopping the carriage?"

Jiang Cihe said expressionlessly, "I have other matters to attend to. I’ll be going now. You can return on your own."

Without waiting for Meng Shuping to respond, Jiang Cihe got up and stepped out of the carriage. Meng Shuping was left confused. He lifted the carriage curtain and leaned out to look. "What’s wrong with him now? Why does he get upset so easily? Did I do something to provoke him?"

Seeing Jiang Cihe walk away without looking back, Meng Shuping angrily let the curtain fall. "Who knows who he inherited that dog-like temper from—so unpredictable! If he’s unhappy, I’m unhappy too!"

After a while, he began to ponder. "Could he really be that angry because he’s not as in demand as I am? That can’t be, right? He is a prince, after all—he should still be popular, shouldn’t he?"

The next day, Meng Shuping attended the morning court session. As usual, he paid attention to matters that interested him and zoned out during the ones that didn’t.

When the eunuch above announced the end of the session, Meng Shuping inadvertently glanced over and saw Jiang Cihe standing there with a cold, aloof expression, appearing utterly unapproachable.

Meng Shuping was taken aback. It seemed like it had been a long time since he’d seen Jiang Cihe like this.

As if noticing Meng Shuping’s gaze, Jiang Cihe turned his eyes and met Meng Shuping’s. Meng Shuping was startled, and the next moment, he turned around and walked away.

"What’s there to look at? He left without a word yesterday—do I not have a temper? If he doesn’t come to me first, don’t expect me to initiate contact!"

Jiang Cihe paused mid-step but did not follow. He pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to walk in another direction.

Over the next few days, Meng Shuping did not seek out Jiang Cihe again, focusing solely on his duties in the Ministry of Justice. Noticing that Meng Shuping and Jiang Cihe hadn’t seen each other for several days, Minister of Justice Cao Jie took pleasure in Meng Shuping’s predicament when they crossed paths. "Vice Director Meng, has Prince Zhao been giving you the cold shoulder?"

Meng Shuping gave him a blank look. "What’s it to you?"

"I’m the one ignoring him, not the other way around. Besides, what does our business have to do with him? Why is he so nosy?"

Cao Jie: "..."

He was genuinely curious. The two of them had such a good relationship—what exactly had caused them to fall out? He patted Meng Shuping's shoulder cheerfully, "Hey, young man, why so worked up? If there's something bothering you, spill it—I could use a good laugh."

Meng Shuping's mind raced, and he said sincerely, "There is indeed something bothering me. Can Lord Cao help me?"

Cao Jie was very interested, "Of course, if I can help, I definitely will!"

Meng Shuping immediately said, "Then can Lord Cao lend me two hundred taels? The no-return kind."

"Ah?" Cao Jie was stunned, "Vice Director Meng, are you joking?"

Lending money is one thing, but with no return—why not just call it a gift?

Meng Shuping looked at him disdainfully, "Can't handle it?"

"I knew he wouldn't keep his word. If he can't do it, why run his mouth?"

Cao Jie: "..."

In the Military Hall Department, after dealing with paperwork for a while, Jiang Cihe leaned back in his chair. He pursed his lips and suddenly asked, "What has he been up to these past few days?"

Ling Feng cautiously glanced at him, "Your Highness, Vice Director Meng has been busy with the Ministry of Justice affairs these past few days, occasionally taking walks around town."

After these words, the room fell silent for a moment.

Seeing Jiang Cihe's gloomy expression, Ling Feng tried to comfort him, "Perhaps Vice Director Meng is in a bad mood, so he went out to blow off steam?"

Jiang Cihe lowered his eyes and was silent for a while before suddenly laughing. Here he was, so angry he couldn't calm down, while that little moneygrubber still had the mood to go out for a stroll—how could he be so carefree!

As it was almost time to finish work, he cleared his desk and stood up, "Let's go, to the Ministry of Justice."

After finishing the day's work, as soon as it was time, Meng Shuping dipped out. But just as he stepped out of the Ministry of Justice, he noticed a familiar carriage. At the same time, Jiang Cihe's face appeared from the carriage window, "Get in."

Meng Shuping scowled, annoyed, "He tells me to get in, and I just get in? Why should I listen to him?"

Jiang Cihe sighed. He helplessly put down the curtain and got up to step outside. But just as he lifted the front carriage curtain, he banged heads with Meng Shuping. Ignoring the pain in his forehead, he quickly used his other hand to steady Meng Shuping, preventing him from falling.

After settling into the carriage with Meng Shuping, he looked at Meng Shuping's forehead with concern, "Are you okay?"

Meng Shuping snapped, "No, it's killing me!"

"Did he tell me to get in just to bump into me? Ouch... his head is so hard!"

Jiang Cihe cupped Meng Shuping's head with both hands, examining it carefully. Meng Shuping's breathing grew slightly uneven, feeling surrounded by Jiang Cihe's presence.

After a moment, Jiang Cihe blew gently on the spot where Meng Shuping had been hit, "Does it feel better now?"

Meng Shuping's fingers curled nervously, feeling it tingle where Jiang Cihe had blown. He pushed Jiang Cihe away with both hands, "I'm fine, it's nothing."