Chapter 35 Bargaining Chips

Chapter 35: The Bargaining Chip

The hall became terrifyingly silent, broken only by her rapid, shallow breathing.

Xiao Lingchuan's gaze went cold in an instant as he stared at her, his eyes inscrutable.

It seemed he was weighing her resolve, yet also mocking her naivety.

"Jiang Shuning, do you know what you are saying?" His voice was laced with derision. "You ask me to help you, but have you considered what price you must pay? What will you trade with me? You know I never do business at a loss!"

Jiang Shuning naturally knew how calculating he was; he never suffered fools.

Every ounce of favor he granted required others to repay it tenfold.

She took a deep breath and, with trembling hands, slowly began to remove her garments, one by one.

As the legitimate daughter of a prime minister's household, she was but an ant before imperial power. What could she possibly offer in trade?

Nothing but this body of hers.

In her past life, although Xiao Lingchuan had felt no affection for her, he had been utterly consumed by their intimacy. Their encounters had always been fervent and fierce, likely due to his lust for her body.

If doing this could avenge her elder brother and soothe her parents' grief over losing their son, she was willing to offer this body, even if it meant becoming merely a plaything in his bed.

Soon, she stood completely naked.

Silver-bone charcoal burned in the hall, filling the space with warmth, yet she trembled violently.

Not from cold, but from the deep-seated fear and shame in her heart.

Tears silently fell. She had believed rebirth was heaven's mercy, granting her a chance to choose anew.

It turned out, it was only to let her taste once more the bitterness of being toyed with by fate.

Xiao Lingchuan watched her quietly, his gaze like a scorching blade—both cruel and alluring.

In that moment, she felt like a piece of goods on display, stripped of all dignity.

"Jiang Shuning, is this your bargaining chip? Your body?" He suddenly laughed, a hint of malice lacing his tone. "Ha! You're even worse than you were in your past life!"

These words were like a knife, shredding what little dignity Jiang Shuning had left.

Overwhelmed with shame, she hurriedly gathered her discarded clothes to her chest, trying to cover her exposed form.

At that moment, a heavy outer robe was abruptly draped over her shoulders, carrying a familiar scent of cool, woody fragrance.

She looked up, meeting Xiao Lingchuan's deep, abyssal peach blossom eyes, and found herself momentarily unable to look away.

She heard him speak, word by deliberate word: "I want an ally who fights by my side, not a bedmate, and certainly not a plaything! Jiang Shuning, do you know your place?"

Jiang Shuning was instantly mortified. Hanging her head, she choked out, "This subject was presumptuous! This subject is willing to fight alongside Your Highness. Please grant this subject a chance!"

Xiao Lingchuan was a man obsessed with power and schemes. Reborn into this life, how could he have time to indulge in romantic entanglements?

Even if he did, the one he desired in this lifetime would certainly not be her!

Xiao Lingchuan's gaze fell upon her slender, pale back, so dazzlingly white it made his entire body feel uncomfortably warm.

He abruptly turned away. "Get up!"

His voice held a distinct rasp.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Jiang Shuning fumbled to drape her scattered garments back on before rising to her feet.

"From now on, we share a common enemy." Xiao Lingchuan looked at her, his gaze profound as an abyss. "I don't care how much you hate the Third Prince now. You must hide your emotions, not show the slightest crack. Otherwise, no one can protect you! Understood?"

Jiang Shuning nodded vigorously.

Now that Consort Xi was favored and the Third Prince's maternal clan was powerful, even with their knowledge of the future, they were no match for him.

They had to wait. Wait for the emperor to pass away in two years, wait for Xiao Lingchuan to accumulate strength, wait for the Third Prince to lose power.

Only then could they avenge her elder brother!

"This subject understands what must be done and will not hold Your Highness back. If there's nothing further, this subject will take her leave!"

"Wait!" Xiao Lingchuan suddenly called her back. His long fingers unexpectedly brushed past the corner of her eye, wiping away a still-damp tear. "Leaving like this, others might think I bullied you."

The gesture was too intimate. Jiang Shuning's heart jolted, her composure instantly shattered.

But then she reconsidered: moments ago, she had stripped completely naked, and he had remained unmoved. Clearly, in this life, he harbored not a shred of romantic interest in her.

It was merely a thoughtless gesture.

Pulling herself together, she forced a calm demeanor, vigorously wiping the tear stains from her eyes, and said softly, "Your Highness need not worry. This subject will ensure no misunderstandings arise."

Xiao Lingchuan watched her silently, a turbulent undercurrent seeming to swirl within his peach blossom eyes, unfathomable.

After a long while, the corner of his mouth twitched, but in the end, he said nothing.

As she left Jinghe Palace, the black panther caught up with her.

It stood in the snow, its jet-black fur stark against the white, exceptionally vivid.

Jiang Shuning's heart softened. Unable to resist, she bent down and scooped it into her arms.

It, too, rubbed its furry head against her cheek, affectionately, just like in her past life.

"Black Panther, I'll come see you again next time," she said, reluctantly rising to leave.

Completely unaware of a deep, penetrating gaze watching her from behind.

Xiao Lingchuan stood by the window, his gaze dark and inscrutable.

In that moment, he was intensely jealous of his own panther.

Leaving Jinghe Palace, a glint of malice rose in Jiang Shuning's eyes.

She had only told Xiao Lingchuan half the truth.

In reality, the ones she had to contend with weren't just Xiao Xiuzhan, but also Jiang Yaozhen.

Jiang Yaozhen was equally culpable for Jiang Tian'en's death!

Jiang Shuning knew that Xiao Lingchuan cared for Jiang Yaozhen and would never allow anyone to harm her.

Therefore, she could only secretly scheme alone, seeking justice from Jiang Yaozhen for Jiang Tian'en's tragic death!

On her way back through the palace grounds, she encountered the Fifth Prince, Xiao Huaijin.

He looked both excited and surprised to see her.

"Miss Jiang, what brings you here?"

Jiang Shuning didn't want anyone to know she was here to see Xiao Lingchuan, so she offered an awkward curtsy to him: "Greetings, Your Highness."

"There's no need for such formality, Miss Jiang. I heard about your elder brother... Miss Jiang, please accept my condolences." Xiao Huaijin's gentle, jade-like face held a touch of concern.

At the mention of her brother, Jiang Shuning's eyes reddened: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Seeing her on the verge of tears, Xiao Huaijin grew flustered: "Miss Jiang, please don't be sad. It was my fault for mentioning it..."

Watching his anxious expression, a warmth spread in Jiang Shuning's heart.

In her past life, she had known the Fifth Prince was gentle and refined, a courteous gentleman who cherished beauty, but she hadn't expected him to be so unwilling to see even a single tear from a woman.

Jiang Shuning quickly composed herself, forcing a slight smile: "Forgive my display, Your Highness."

Seeing her smile through tears, Xiao Huaijin relaxed, a soft light shimmering in his eyes: "You look very lovely when you smile, Miss Jiang. You should smile more often in the future."

Although the Fifth Prince and Xiao Lingchuan were brothers, their temperaments were polar opposites.

Recalling her past life, Xiao Lingchuan most enjoyed tormenting her in the bedchamber until she wept and pleaded.

He would even whisper wickedly in her ear: "Cry louder, Princess Consort. I love hearing you cry."

Calling him a demon was not an exaggeration.

If it weren't for the need to deal with the Third Prince, she would have wanted nothing to do with Xiao Lingchuan in this life.

Xiao Huaijin hesitated for a moment before asking softly: "I wonder if Miss Jiang has any free time lately? I would like to invite you to tutor my younger sister in archery."

"Princess Ronghua?" Jiang Shuning was taken aback. "Didn't Consort Rong ask Yaozhen to teach her?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted her slip.

Jiang Yaozhen had been involved in that scandal with the Third Prince. Although it was hushed up, Consort Rong must have heard about it. How could she allow such a woman to teach her daughter?

Xiao Huaijin looked somewhat embarrassed: "If it's inconvenient for Miss Jiang, then never mind."

"Your Highness misunderstands!" Jiang Shuning hurriedly explained. "I merely thought that Xia Yan's archery skills surpass mine. Why doesn't Your Highness invite her instead?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Huaijin smiled meaningfully: "I'm afraid Miss Xia is rather busy. You may not know, Miss Jiang, but recently Second Brother often summons her to the palace to spar. I fear it won't be long before she becomes our Second Sister-in-law."

Jiang Shuning was stunned.

Xia Yan and the Second Prince?