Chapter 8 He Hurt Her

Chapter 8: He Hurt Her

"Fourth Prince, watch your tongue!"

Xiao Lingchuan arched a brow, his expression calm and composed. "Which statement does Miss Jiang refer to? The one about rescuing you from the lotus pond, or the one about nearly ruining your reputation?"

Cold sweat beaded on Jiang Shuning's palms, her fingertips nearly drawing blood.

She saw undisguised malice on Xiao Lingchuan's strikingly handsome face.

After ten years of marriage, she understood better than anyone that this man before her was not the harmless man he appeared to be.

He was sinister and ruthless, using despicable methods. For the sake of the Throne, he would not hesitate to harm his own brothers.

In her previous life, countless people died by his hand, including the martially exceptional Second Prince and the Sixth Prince who secretly pledged allegiance to the Third Prince.

His current eagerness to associate himself with her—could it be because she had won the Empress Dowager's favor?

Although the Empress Dowager's maternal clan was not particularly powerful, she had cultivated some influence within the court over the years.

This influence might be insignificant to the Emperor, but it was highly coveted by the princes.

Thinking this, Jiang Shuning took a deep breath and spoke tactfully, "Your Highness saved my life, and I am eternally grateful. Today, Your Highness successfully subdued the assassins, which has already impressed the Empress Dowager. I believe it won't be long before Your Highness achieves your heart's desire."

"Heart's desire?" Xiao Lingchuan chuckled, his peach blossom eyes dark and inscrutable. "How does Miss Jiang know what my desires are?"

Bitterness welled up in Jiang Shuning's heart. How could she not know?

It was nothing more than ascending the throne of Daye one day and making the beauty Jiang Yaozhen his.

She lowered her gaze, concealing the turbulent emotions in her eyes. "Your Highness's ambitions are lofty, beyond my ability to fathom. But ruining my reputation is no way to achieve grand ambitions. For your life-saving grace, I will surely repay you. I beg Your Highness to show mercy and let me go this time."

As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and her voice choked with emotion.

In her past life, she had forced him to marry her, and they spent ten years in mutual aversion.

In this life, she had to plead with him not to associate with her.

Why did fate always treat her so harshly?

"Is Miss Jiang so afraid of being associated with me?" Xiao Lingchuan closed in step by step, suddenly seizing her wrist, his voice carrying a hidden chill. "Today, you requested that decree before the Empress Dowager. Could it be that you already have someone you favor?"

Jiang Shuning was frozen in place by his sudden action.

His cold, sharp gaze felt tangible, as if it could bore a hole through her.

She was afraid. Of course she was afraid.

She was afraid of spending a lifetime in loneliness and despair within the deep mansions;

She was afraid that no matter how hard she tried, she could never earn a shred of warmth from him;

She was afraid of falling in love with him again as in her past life, only to end up in a hopeless, doomed situation.

Memories of being poisoned in her previous life suddenly flooded back like a tide.

No! Regardless of his motives for approaching her, in this life, she must not become entangled with him again!

She wrenched her hand back and said coldly, "Your Highness is withdrawn and dull by nature. Apart from this handsome appearance, you have no redeeming qualities. I wish to find a gentle and cultivated husband, so naturally, I cannot be associated with you!"

She threw Jiang Yaozhen's evaluation of him right back at him. Seeing his expression change abruptly, she felt a surge of satisfaction.

"Your Highness keeps mentioning my ruined reputation. May I ask, what evidence do you have? Making such baseless accusations to tarnish someone's innocence—if this spreads, what would the Emperor and the Empress Dowager think?"

Xiao Lingchuan's expression darkened. "Are you threatening me?"

"I wouldn't dare! I am merely reminding Your Highness. If you wish to gain the recognition of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, it's best to be cautious with your words and actions!"

Right now, he was merely a prince out of favor. Surely, he wouldn't dare to cause trouble under the watchful eyes of the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

Xiao Lingchuan looked at her deeply, the corner of his mouth curling into an ambiguous smile.

"Miss Jiang is truly unique."

"Your Highness flatters me!" Jiang Shuning replied and was about to turn and leave when his voice came from behind. "I want almond cheesecakes."

"What?" She thought she had misheard, looking at him suspiciously.

"Didn't Miss Jiang say you would repay my life-saving grace?" Xiao Lingchuan said coldly. "At the Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet, I tasted your culinary skills. I particularly liked the almond cheesecakes you made personally. Please make several boxes for me."

Jiang Shuning recalled the almond cheesecake he had crushed at the banquet, her suspicion growing.

"Does Your Highness truly like them?"

"I do," he said with an ambiguous expression. "I haven't been able to forget them."

"Fine, I agree." Jiang Shuning responded, picked up her flower basket, and turned to leave.

She walked swiftly until she reached a secluded path. Finally unable to hold back, she covered her mouth and wept.

The spot where he had grabbed her was reddened, conspicuously visible on her fair wrist. She rubbed it as tears fell.

Xiao Lingchuan was just like in her past life, never knowing his own strength.

In her previous life, she must have been blind to have fallen for someone like him.

Just as Jiang Yaozhen had said, apart from his handsome appearance, he was almost worthless.

Xiao Lingchuan stood not far away, watching the slender figure of the young woman rubbing her wrist in distress. A strange ache swelled in his chest.

It was as if she wasn't rubbing her own wrist, but his heart.

After standing rigidly for a moment, he took out a jar of ointment from his sleeve and handed it to the Seventh Prince beside him. "Take this ointment to Miss Jiang for me. I... seem to have hurt her just now."

"Understood, Fourth Brother!" The Seventh Prince didn't ask further, taking the ointment and walking towards Jiang Shuning.

"Sister-in-law!"

Hearing a voice behind her, Jiang Shuning was startled. She quickly wiped her tears and turned to see the youngest of the princes approaching.

The Seventh Prince was the same age as her, seemingly not even as tall, whose smile showed dimples. He was a young man with a likable appearance and disposition.

In her past life, he was the only prince close to Xiao Lingchuan, but later, for some unknown reason, they had a falling out.

Even so, Xiao Lingchuan did not pursue him to the ends of the earth, only arranging for him to be sent to a fiefdom extremely far from the capital.

Jiang Shuning composed herself. "Seventh Prince, whom are you addressing?"

"Naturally, you!" the Seventh Prince said with a smile. "The Empress Dowager said she wants you to become a prince's principal wife. In the future, you will surely become the wife of one of my brothers. Shouldn't I call you sister-in-law?"

Jiang Shuning's cheeks grew warm.

Thinking that he was indeed older than the Seventh Prince, her shyness became even harder to conceal.

"What brings you here, Seventh Prince?"

The Seventh Prince handed her a jar of ointment. "This is from the Fourth Prince. He said he accidentally hurt you just now, and this ointment can relieve the pain. Please take it!"

Jiang Shuning's face grew even redder.

What kind of phrasing was that?

That sounded far too suggestive!

If she really accepted the ointment, all sorts of misunderstandings were sure to follow.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness, but I cannot accept this ointment."

Seeing her refusal, the Seventh Prince became insistent. "Miss Jiang, please take it! This is a top-quality ointment from the palace, excellent for pain relief. The Fourth Prince is concerned about you, which is why he specially asked me to deliver this."

If this were the teenage Jiang Shuning, she would have been moved by these words.

But now, having weathered life's hardships, she was no longer that naive and ignorant girl.

Ten years of marriage with Xiao Lingchuan had given her a deep understanding of his cold and indifferent nature, so she naturally did not believe his hypocritical words.

When had he ever genuinely cared for anyone? He was simply trying to make her owe him another favor.

She said coldly, "If he truly cared, he wouldn't have hurt me in the first place. Please convey to the Fourth Prince that I will not fall for such tricks of slapping someone and then offering a sweet date. I am not so easily deceived!"

"This..." The Seventh Prince looked awkward. "Since you don't want it, I won't force you. I'll return it to Fourth Brother then."

He turned away, somewhat dejected, but Jiang Shuning stopped him.

Thinking she had changed her mind, he brightened, only to hear her ask:

"Seventh Prince, do you know where the Fifth Prince is?"

The Seventh Prince's heart sank.

Fourth Brother, Miss Jiang isn't interested in you—she's interested in Fifth Brother!