Chapter 19 Shameless

Chapter 19: Brazen

Jiang Shuning had been thoroughly vexed lately by the Third Prince, Xiao Xiuzhan.

Knowing full well that she held the Empress Dowager's imperial edict, which prevented him from requesting a marriage decree from His Majesty, he had resorted to pressuring her elder brother, Jiang Tianen, to invite her out.

Jiang Tianen proved to be Xiao Xiuzhan's die-hard follower. Despite Jiang Shuning repeatedly expressing her unwillingness to have any association with the Third Prince, he persisted in advocating for him daily, acting as if he wanted to marry her off to the Third Prince then and there.

That day, when she received a letter from Fourth Prince Xiao Lingchuan inviting her to the palace, she initially intended to decline. However, considering that staying at home would mean enduring Jiang Tianen's incessant badgering, she decided to accept and made her way to the imperial palace with her maidservant.

As usual, Jiang Shuning left Dong Mei by the carriage outside the palace gates and entered alone, carrying a food box.

Arriving at Jinghe Palace, a eunuch warmly ushered her to the flower hall. She glanced around but saw no sign of the Seventh Prince, only the black leopard lounging lazily on the grass, basking in the sun. She felt a pang of inexplicable unease.

Facing Xiao Lingchuan alone made her feel deeply uncomfortable, especially since she had previously pushed him into the lotus pond, leading to his injury by an assassin.

Before long, Xiao Lingchuan walked in slowly.

Though his complexion was somewhat pale, his peach-blossom eyes were exceptionally bright, their pupils dark as ink and startlingly vivid. He showed no trace of a patient's languor; instead, he exuded a unique, handsome elegance.

Jiang Shuning was momentarily dazed before regaining her composure and hurriedly rising to curtsy. "This humble subject pays her respects to Your Highness, the Fourth Prince. I hope Your Highness is fully recovered?"

She inwardly scolded herself. Having been reborn, how could she still be captivated by mere appearance? It was truly forgetting the pain once the wound had healed.

"Miss Jiang, please rise. It was but a minor injury, nothing serious," Xiao Lingchuan replied, his voice low and carrying a hint of casual coolness.

His gaze involuntarily fell upon the food box she had casually placed on the table. "Is this for me?"

Jiang Shuning nodded. "Yes, Your Highness. I personally prepared an angelica and meat soup to replenish your blood and qi."

Xiao Lingchuan's lips curved slightly, and a faint light glimmered in his eyes.

It had been days since he'd tasted her soup, and he felt an unexpected twinge of nostalgia.

"My seventh brother informed me you brought soup for several days. A pity I was unconscious and couldn't enjoy it. Now that I'm awake, I can't very well let your kindness go to waste, Miss Jiang."

No sooner had he spoken than he lifted the lid of the food box, took out the soup bowl, and began to savor it unhurriedly.

Wispy steam rose from the surface of the soup, misting around his brows and eyes, lending a touch of softness to his otherwise stern face.

The atmosphere in the flower hall suddenly grew tense.

Watching him drink, Jiang Shuning's mind drifted back to her past life—back then, though Xiao Lingchuan had been as cold as ice toward her, he had never refused the meals and soups she personally prepared.

She loved nothing more than sitting at the table, chin in hand, gazing at him, infatuated, as he ate.

Recalling her former self, her heart clenched with a wave of bitterness. She felt both ridiculous and pitiful.

She snapped back to reality, forcefully suppressed her emotions, and instinctively rose. "Now that Your Highness is well, I am at ease. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

"Wait!" Xiao Lingchuan abruptly set down the soup bowl and fixed her with a piercing gaze. "What's your hurry, Miss Jiang? The score between us has yet to be settled."

Jiang Shuning's heart tightened sharply. "That night, pushing you into the water... I truly had no other choice!" she blurted out.

Xiao Lingchuan cut her off, his voice cold. "The almond cheese cake—did you also make it for the Fifth Prince?"

Jiang Shuning was taken aback and lowered her gaze. "Yes."

"Why did you make it for him?" Xiao Lingchuan pressed closer, his tone tinged with a barely perceptible anger. "Did he also save your life?"

This question left Jiang Shuning momentarily speechless. After hesitating for a long moment, she finally replied, "The Fifth Prince... he also likes the almond cheesecake I make."

"He likes it, so you make it for him?" Xiao Lingchuan raised an eyebrow slightly, the cold light in his eyes intensifying, while a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips. "How generous of you, Miss Jiang. I thought only a life-saving favor would earn the privilege of tasting your homemade pastries. This bowl of angelica and pork soup—have you also made it for the Fifth Prince?"

Jiang Shuning wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but she felt there was a hint of jealousy in Xiao Lingchuan's expression and tone as he said this.

No, she must be overthinking it.

How could someone as arrogant as him be jealous because of her?

"No, Your Highness, I have not."

Upon hearing her answer, Xiao Lingchuan's expression softened slightly.

"From now on, all the food you make—whether it's pastries, dishes, or soups—must not be given to any man other than me or your family. If you can do this, we'll call it even for my saving your life."

"Your Highness!" Jiang Shuning looked up in shock. What kind of absurd request is this?

"What, unwilling to agree?" Xiao Lingchuan narrowed his eyes slightly, lazily lifting his eyelids, his voice carrying a hint of teasing. "In that case, why not repay the favor by offering your hand in marriage?"

Jiang Shuning's heart trembled, and she was so startled she nearly lost her voice.

Memories of her past life suddenly flashed through her mind—ten years of cold neglect and loneliness, watching him entangled with Jiang Yaozhen, and those nightly, unspeakable demands he made...

She absolutely refused to repeat the mistakes of her past life!

"Your Highness must have forgotten," she suppressed the surging emotions in her heart and gritted her teeth, "I am in possession of an imperial edict from the Empress Dowager, and I have the right to decide my own marriage!"

"Is that so?" Xiao Lingchuan chuckled indifferently, his tone casual. "Or has Miss Jiang forgotten that I, too, hold an edict from the Empress Dowager, and I also have the right to decide my own marriage? If I insist on marrying you, and given that I saved your life, do you think my father would deny my request if I persisted?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shuning's face flushed and paled alternately.

Why had she never noticed in her past life that Xiao Lingchuan was so shameless?

With such calculated steps, could it be that the Empress Dowager's covert support wasn't enough to satisfy his ambitions, and he also wanted to win over her, the Legitimate Daughter of the Prime Minister's estate, to increase his leverage?

A sudden thought occurred to her, and she reminded him, "Fourth Prince, my younger sister Jiang Yaozhen has now been elevated to the status of Secondary Legitimate Daughter. If the Fourth Prince wishes to form a marriage alliance with our Jiang family, perhaps you should consider marrying her."

In their past life, even after they were both married, they remained entangled. In this life, she might as well bring them together early to avoid harming others.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingchuan narrowed his peach blossom eyes, and his face suddenly darkened with anger.

"My marriage is none of your concern!" He abruptly stood up, his voice icy. "Someone, escort the guest out!"

And just like that, Jiang Shuning was driven out of Jinghe Palace.

Standing outside the palace gates, she was at a loss to understand why Xiao Lingchuan was so angry.

At the Chrysanthemum Banquet in her past life, he had clearly fallen in love with Jiang Yaozhen at first sight and couldn't wait to propose marriage.

But in this life, his attitude was completely different.

Was it because she had gained the Empress Dowager's favor at the Chrysanthemum Banquet, altering the course of fate?

Thinking carefully, in her past life, not only had the Fourth Prince never... but the Third Prince had also never expressed any intention to marry her.

Jiang Shuning secretly regretted it. If she had known it would lead to such trouble, she wouldn't have drawn so much attention to myself at the banquet!

She walked to the palace gate and boarded the carriage, but unexpectedly, the carriage came to a sudden halt after traveling a short distance.

"What happened?" Jiang Shuning frowned and asked.

Dong Mei hurriedly got off to check, then reported, "Young Mistress, the wheel is broken. You'd better step down."

They happened to be in a narrow alley, where changing carriages would be difficult. Without much thought, Jiang Shuning followed Dong Mei out of the carriage.

After walking for a while, she suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Instinctively turning around, she saw a sharp sword slashing down toward her face!