Chapter 66 Unusually Lenient

Chapter 66: Exceptionally Lenient

"You're saying the Nanyue Poison Master drugged you just to prevent you from accompanying Miss Jiang on her outing?" Xiao Lingchuan looked down at Ling Wu kneeling before him, his expression as cold as frost.

"Yes! Ling Wu was derelict in her duty, allowing the young mistress to fall into danger. I beg Your Highness to punish me!" Ling Wu pressed her forehead tightly against the floor, her voice trembling.

"The bandits sent by Jiang Yaozhen were unsuccessful; instead, she ended up injuring herself, while Miss Jiang was saved by Jiang Tianze. What do you think their true intentions were?" Xiao Lingchuan's tone carried a hint of inquiry.

Ling Wu pondered for a moment before venturing a guess: "Ling Wu dares to speculate that the Nanyue Poison Master and her son did this to win the young mistress's trust."

"Trust?" Xiao Lingchuan's brows furrowed slightly. "Jiang Tianze is the sole heir of the Chancellor's household. Why would he go to such lengths to curry favor with Miss Jiang and gain her trust? There must be more to this."

"This... Ling Wu lacks the wit and truly cannot guess the Third Young Master's intentions."

Xiao Lingchuan was silent for a moment before speaking again. "The powder you had Ling Feng bring that day has been identified. It's an extremely rare poison. In small doses, it causes fever and fainting, resembling a high fever. Who did the Nanyue Poison Master use this poison on?"

At this, Ling Wu was startled. Her mind suddenly flashed back to the day Jiang Shuning returned from the palace, when Xia Chan informed her that Jiang Tianze had fallen ill.

Hadn't Jiang Tianze's symptoms been exactly like that?

"Your Highness, the Nanyue Poison Master used this poison on the Third Young Master!" Ling Wu stated with certainty.

"On her own biological son?" A flicker of doubt crossed Xiao Lingchuan's eyes. "Why? Are they at odds?"

"The Nanyue Poison Master has always doted on her son; there's no suggestion of discord. That day, when the Third Young Master fell ill, the young mistress was deeply worried and personally stayed to care for him. Ling Wu always felt..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "...felt that the Third Young Master... seems somewhat immature in mind? His behavior carries a hint of... acting spoiled towards the young mistress?" Xiao Lingchuan frowned deeply, sinking into thought.

In his previous life, he had little interaction with the Jiang family. Apart from Chancellor Jiang's immediate family, Jiang Shuning's uncles were all far away in Xuzhou, so he knew little about this future brother-in-law from his past life.

A boy of fifteen, doted on by his mother—why would he be so attached and affectionate towards his elder sister?

After a moment's contemplation, a suspicion began to form in his mind.

"This Jiang Tianze is likely deliberately creating a false impression of supporting Miss Jiang, to lull her into a false sense of security, so she won't suspect his collusion with Jiang Yaozhen!"

As soon as he said this, Ling Feng, standing nearby, immediately chimed in. "Your Highness is wise! Jiang Yaozhen's mother is a Nanyue spy, and Jiang Tianze's mother is also of Nanyue descent. They must have secret dealings. Jiang Tianze is now deliberately getting close to the young mistress, even going so far as to sabotage Jiang Yaozhen's plot, all to make the young mistress let down her guard and mistakenly believe he's on her side! So young, yet to have such deep cunning!"

Ling Wu felt Jiang Tianze's closeness to Jiang Shuning wasn't feigned, but seeing Xiao Lingchuan so certain, she swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.

Xiao Lingchuan gave a slight nod and looked at Ling Wu. "In that case, from now on, you are to guard Miss Jiang closely, never leaving her side, to prevent her from being plotted against by Jiang Tianze and Jiang Yaozhen!"

Ling Wu was taken aback. Was His Highness not going to punish her for today's failure?

"Your Highness..."

She was about to speak up when Ling Feng interrupted. "Since His Highness has assigned you a new task, why aren't you hurrying back to the Chancellor's estate? If the young mistress needs you and can't find you, His Highness will surely not be lenient!"

Ling Wu looked up at Ling Feng and saw him frantically signaling to her with his eyes.

They both worked for the Fourth Prince; they could be considered colleagues.

He probably didn't want anything to happen to her either.

She quickly kowtowed and accepted the order. "Yes, Your Highness! Ling Wu will spare no effort and will not fail Your Highness's trust!"

As she rose to leave, Xiao Lingchuan called her back. "Wait!"

Ling Wu's heart tightened. What was coming had finally arrived.

"Your actions this time were indeed a dereliction of duty and deserve punishment." Xiao Lingchuan's tone was light. "You are to bring me a bowl of mutton soup made by Shuning's own hands before sunset tomorrow. Remember, no ginger, scallions, or garlic!"

Ling Wu looked up at Xiao Lingchuan in surprise, then quickly lowered her gaze and replied respectfully, "Yes, Your Highness!"

After Ling Wu withdrew, Xiao Lingchuan noticed Ling Feng's gaze lingering on him.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, his tone flat, revealing neither joy nor anger.

Ling Feng quickly averted his eyes and said respectfully, "This subordinate was just worried Your Highness would severely punish Ling Wu."

Their Highness was not a soft-hearted man. For Ling Wu to leave today completely unscathed was nothing short of a miracle.

"Severely punish how? Take her life? Or cripple her limbs? And then go through the trouble of finding and placing someone else by Miss Jiang's side?" Xiao Lingchuan said irritably. "It's just too much trouble. If any of you make such a basic mistake, I won't be so lenient!"

"This subordinate will remember!" Ling Feng bowed in response, though the corners of his mouth unconsciously lifted slightly.

His Highness was indeed exceptionally lenient towards those around Miss Jiang.

If the young mistress could marry His Highness someday, with her by his side, His Highness's attitude towards his subordinates would likely become much gentler.

—

After a good night's sleep, Jiang Shuning woke up feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

Ling Wu served her breakfast, watching her intently. "This servant thought that after such a frightening experience yesterday, the young mistress would surely be plagued by nightmares last night."

Jiang Shuning chuckled softly. "Jiang Yaozhen killed someone yesterday and could still sleep soundly. Why shouldn't I?"

She suddenly realized she had never truly understood Jiang Yaozhen before.

She was not just two-faced and unscrupulous; she was also ruthless and cruel, sending chills down one's spine.

To deal with her, one had to be even more ruthless; otherwise, one would only be defeated by her.

Remembering Xiao Lingchuan's instructions from yesterday, Ling Wu deliberately sighed with a hint of grievance. "But Ling Wu didn't sleep well at all last night."

Jiang Shuning paused while eating and asked with concern, "Ling Wu, what's wrong?"

"Every time this servant remembers the young mistress being in danger yesterday, I'm still shaken with fear. How could the young mistress go out alone without calling this servant? You promised this servant before that you would always take me with you when you go out, so I wouldn't worry!" Ling Wu's tone carried a trace of hurt.

"I'm sorry, Ling Wu. I wasn't thinking clearly." Jiang Shuning took her hand and soothed her gently. "Let me make it up to you, alright? Whatever you want, as long as I can do it, I'll definitely grant it!"

"Really?" A flicker of delight appeared in Ling Wu's eyes. "Then this servant dares to ask the young mistress to personally make a bowl of mutton soup for me!"

"Of course! In this freezing weather, mutton soup is perfect! I'll make a pot today for everyone in the estate to try!" Jiang Shuning said with a smile. "Adding some ginger to mutton soup is the best for warming and warding off the cold!"

"Young mistress, this servant doesn't like ginger, and no scallions or garlic either!" Ling Wu quickly added.

"You don't eat ginger, scallions, or garlic either?" Jiang Shuning said with a hint of regret. "That's a shame. But I can make a separate portion for you without them."

"Thank you, young mistress!" Ling Wu was deeply moved.

Their young mistress was not only kind-hearted but also an excellent cook—truly a perfect candidate for a principal wife.

Before, she had thought Jiang Shuning, a legitimate daughter of the Chancellor's estate, was marrying above her station by wedding the Fourth Prince. But now, she increasingly felt that if the young mistress were ever willing to marry the Fourth Prince, it would surely be a blessing His Highness had earned from his past life!

The Fourth Prince in his past life... must have accumulated some good karma, right?