Chapter 95 A Pet That Doubles as Protection

Chapter 95: A Defensive Pet

"Your Highness..." Ning Xiang was so startled she abruptly stood up. "Why are you here?"

Without any palace attendant announcing him, Xiao Xiuzhan walked straight into her bedchamber, his gaze roaming freely over her body.

"This prince missed Consort Xiang and came uninvited!"

No sooner had he spoken than he stepped forward, wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and pulled her into his embrace.

"Your Highness! What are you doing!" Ning Xiang panicked instantly, instinctively glancing at the attendants in the chamber. "Don't do this, the attendants are watching! If word gets out..."

"What is there to fear? The attendants here are all my mother's people." Xiao Xiuzhan nipped at her earlobe, his voice suggestive. "Even if we do something improper here, they would never utter a single word about it!"

Ning Xiang was shocked.

The Fourth Prince had guessed right; she was surrounded by spies.

Fortunately, she had been cautious enough, meeting Xiao Lingchuan alone each time without bringing any attendants.

Otherwise, that she secretly served Xiao Lingchuan would likely have been discovered by Consort Xi and Xiao Xiuzhan long ago.

She put on a helpless, aggrieved look. "But this concubine is now His Majesty's consort, your nominal stepmother. For Your Highness to treat me this way... wouldn't that be committing the grave crime of defiling the palace harem?"

"So what if you are Father's consort?" He chuckled lightly, his tone frivolous and unrestrained. "That doesn't change the fact that you are this prince's woman!"

As soon as he finished speaking, disregarding her resistance, he swept her up into his arms and strode towards the bed.

Seeing this, the attendants tacitly understood and withdrew one by one, closing the bedchamber door behind them, locking the intimate scene tightly inside...

"Outrageous!"

Consort Xi was furious. "That prostitute is now a woman in your father's harem. How can you get entangled with her? Have you lost your mind?"

"Why is Mother so angry?" Fresh from his tryst with Ning Xiang, Xiao Xiuzhan felt refreshed and invigorated, his voice somewhat languid. "Anyway, the people in her palace are all Mother's people. No one will talk."

"You..." Consort Xi felt a stifling pain in her chest from anger. "I truly don't understand. What is so good about that low-born prostitute? To have both you and your father utterly bewitched! She's just a lowly, servile creature. Aren't you disgusted by her filth?"

"Mother!" Xiao Xiuzhan's expression darkened slightly. "Don't speak of Ning Xiang that way. Even though she is a courtesan, I was her first man. If I hadn't neglected her back then, and the brothel madam hadn't driven her into a corner, she wouldn't have been forced to enter the palace and submit to Father. If anything, I'm the one who owes her."

"You owe her? What, do you want to make it up to her? Shall I give her my own consort title instead?" Consort Xi sneered coldly.

Seeing she was genuinely enraged, Xiao Xiuzhan quickly soothed her. "Mother, please calm your anger. She is merely a pawn I've placed by Father's side now. I was with her today only to vent the anger Father caused me. In my heart, she is just a plaything. Why should Mother bother taking her to heart?"

"You had better only treat her as a pawn, a plaything!" Consort Xi said through gritted teeth. "Otherwise, I will surely take her life!"

"I swear to heaven, taking her to bed is merely a way to tame her!" Xiao Xiuzhan vowed earnestly. "I used this method to tame her in the past. Mother, rest assured, I know what I'm doing. Now that I have this relationship with her, it's easier to control her, isn't it?"

He leaned close to Consort Xi's ear and whispered, "She is now covered in marks I left on her body. I'm afraid she won't be able to serve Father for the next few days. Presumably, Father will come looking for Mother soon."

Hearing this, the anger on Consort Xi's face finally dissipated.

Although the thought of her son being involved with that prostitute filled her with both rage and disgust, the idea that it could temporarily keep the emperor away from that strumpet's chambers made this disgust somewhat bearable.

In Jinghe Palace, Ling Feng came to report.

"Your Highness, just as you predicted, the Third Prince has secretly sent people to search for a corpse of similar height and build to Master Gu, one that died from a sword wound to the chest. He specifically instructed that once a suitable corpse is found, its face must be completely destroyed, so the Gu family will bury it as Master Gu!"

Xiao Qiyu blurted out, "Then wouldn't the Gu family be worshiping an unidentified wandering spirit for generations? Third Brother's trick of substitution is far too malicious!"

A cold curve lifted the corner of Xiao Lingchuan's mouth. "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Have our people keep a close watch on the person responsible for finding the corpse. The moment there is any discovery, immediately carry out my previous instructions. Ensure everything goes off without a flaw." "Yes, Your Highness!" Ling Feng accepted the order and left.

Xiao Qiyu asked curiously, "Fourth Brother, what do you plan to do?"

"I have a grand gift to give Third Brother." Xiao Lingchuan took a leisurely sip of tea. "You'll know when the time comes!"

"Fourth Brother, you do love to keep secrets!" Xiao Qiyu said with a laugh. "By the way, I just received an invitation from the Duke of Wei's household, inviting us to a polo match. Fourth Brother, will you go join the fun?"

The Duke of Wei's household he mentioned was the family home of their aunt, the Grand Princess.

The Duke of Wei's household and the Chancellor's residence were longtime family friends. The Grand Princess's only son, the Young Duke, had grown up with the Chancellor's two daughters since childhood and was especially close to Jiang Yaozhen.

"No!" Xiao Lingchuan's tone was cold, refusing without hesitation. "Aunt merely wants to use the polo match as an opportunity to show off their polo field to everyone. My going would only feed her vanity."

"Alright then, what a pity!" Xiao Qiyu deliberately sighed, his tone carrying a hint of regret. "I heard they also sent an invitation to the Chancellor's residence. Given Chancellor Jiang and the Duke of Wei's friendship, I imagine Miss Jiang will also attend."

Hearing this, Xiao Lingchuan gave a light cough.

"Speaking of which, it's been a long time since I last played polo. Going occasionally to stretch my limbs might not be a bad idea."

Xiao Qiyu suppressed a laugh. "Then I'll tell the Duke of Wei's household that we'll both be attending the polo match!"

"Go ahead." Xiao Lingchuan's expression was calm, as if he hadn't just changed his mind.

—

The Chancellor's residence also received an invitation to the Duke of Wei's polo match.

Jiang Shuning wasn't particularly interested in polo, but since Chancellor Jiang and the Duke of Wei had studied together in their youth, Chancellor Jiang would certainly bring his family to honor the occasion.

She was looking for the pair of deerskin boots newly made last year when Jiang Tianze arrived.

He walked in carrying a bamboo-woven box, beaming. "Eldest Sister, I've brought you a pet!"

Only then did Jiang Shuning remember their last trip to the East Market. She had originally intended to pick out a pet, but later became preoccupied with buying Haotian and completely forgot about the pet.

"It's rare that you still remember this."

"Of course. I said I would compensate Eldest Sister with a pet. Naturally, I wouldn't go back on my word. This pet was raised by hand by me from birth. See if you like it!"

Jiang Shuning lifted the lid of the bamboo-woven box full of eager anticipation, only to find a small snake with a snow-white body and blood-red eyes staring back at her!

It flicked its crimson tongue, writhing restlessly inside the box, giving off a faint, eerie air.

Jiang Shuning's scalp instantly prickled. Her eyes widened, and it took immense self-control not to scream aloud.

"This... this is the pet you carefully raised?" Jiang Shuning's voice trembled slightly, every hair on her body standing on end.

She had never dared to associate snakes with pets.

"Yes, Eldest Sister. I hatched this little snake from an egg myself. Look at it. Its body is pure white as snow, its eyes like sparkling rubies. Isn't it both beautiful and adorable?"

Jiang Shuning was speechless.

Her understanding of 'adorable' clearly differed vastly from her third brother's.

"You should take this little snake back. I wouldn't know how to look after it..." As Jiang Shuning spoke, she reached to close the bamboo lid. Unexpectedly, the little snake suddenly darted out and nimbly coiled around her wrist!

The slightly cool, soft snake body pressed against her skin, bringing a strange sensation. Jiang Shuning was instantly terrified into rigidity, as if under a paralysis spell, not daring to move a muscle.

"Th-third brother..." she stammered, "Hurry, get it off!"

Jiang Tianze's hand covered her wrist, his fingers seemingly soothing the little snake while subtly caressing the skin of her wrist with a hint of barely perceptible intimacy.

"Big sister, this little snake really likes you. Just let it stay by your side. It understands people—if anyone dares to bully you, it won't hesitate to bite the bad person for you!" Jiang Tianze's tone was gentle, carrying a trace of coaxing.

"No need. I have the sleeve crossbow Ling Wu gave me for self-defense. I can handle anyone who tries to bully me!" Jiang Shuning noticed the little snake showed no intention of attacking her; it merely coiled obediently around her wrist, seemingly quite attached to her. Only then did she gradually relax.

"That's only useful when you're fully conscious and can use the sleeve crossbow against those who bully you. But what if someone takes advantage of you when you're not in your right mind and defenseless? How would you use the sleeve crossbow to protect yourself then?" Jiang Tianze asked with a serious expression.

Jiang Shuning: "..."

Where did her third brother get such a weird idea?