Chapter 110: Mismatched Pairing

Chapter 110: A Forced Matchmaking

Shortly thereafter, the emperor issued an edict formally stripping Xiao Xiuzhan of his title as Prince Rui and demanding the return of all rewards bestowed upon him. This was done to appease the Gu family and halt their inquiry into the poisoning of "Gu Yiting's" corpse.

Xiao Qiyu arrived at Jinghe Palace and said, smiling, to Xiao Lingchuan, "Fourth Brother, Third Brother has truly reaped what he sowed this time! That corpse he found, our people had already tampered with. He thought his subordinates were incompetent and was so angry he killed those who found the body for him. But really, we have to thank the Nanyue Poison Master. If she hadn't developed that special poison, we wouldn't have had the chance to make Third Brother suffer such a major setback!"

Ling Wu had secretly taken the poisons hidden in the kitchen by Third Madam Jiang and handed them over for examination.

They discovered one particular poison was quite special. When applied to a corpse's surface, it could make the bones appear poisoned, as if the deceased had been poisoned while alive.

They used this very poison to tamper with that corpse.

"Gu Yiting was silenced because he discovered Xiao Xiuzhan's collusion with the enemy. He ought to pay a price," Xiao Lingchuan's voice was cold, his expression impassive. "Revoking his title and reclaiming the rewards is not a severe punishment. Our father still favors him and is reluctant to come down hard."

"Making him return the rewards is enough to give him a massive headache!" Xiao Qiyu said gleefully. "As far as I know, he had already exchanged those rewards for grain and weapons, sending them to Xiyu to support his private army. Trying to get them back now is next to impossible. This time, he's truly been backed into a corner!"

A cold smile curled at the corner of Xiao Lingchuan's lips. "Only when backed into a corner is he likely to slip up."

The Duke of State Stabilization managed the Xiyu private army affair for Xiao Xiuzhan, making evidence difficult to trace. However, the underground gambling dens and the slave trade in the capital were managed by him alone, so it was easy for mistakes to surface.

Now, desperate for money to fill the treasury deficit, he might very well be driven to a corner and expose a flaw.

That was exactly the opening Xiao Lingchuan was waiting for.

—

Upon learning that Xiao Xiuzhan had been stripped of his title and had to return the rewards from the western campaign against bandits, Jiang Shuning was in particularly high spirits.

She personally made a dozen or so different kinds of dumplings and specifically invited Xia Yan and Jiang Tianze to her courtyard to enjoy them together.

Xia Yan had been in low spirits ever since she learned that the Second Prince favored Zhang Yan.

Unable to bear seeing her friend linger in her sorrow, Jiang Shuning invited her over to lift her spirits.

Truth be told, she also had a little scheme in mind—to introduce Xia Yan to Jiang Tianze.

Jiang Tianze was now the heir to the Prime Minister's household, and his marriage ought to be arranged soon.

Xia Yan, the daughter of a general, was from a respectable family and was her close friend. If she could become the future mistress of the Jiang household, she would surely get along well with Jiang Shuning.

Then, even if Jiang Shuning never married and stayed in the Jiang family, Xia Yan probably wouldn't mind.

Xia Yan actually had no appetite, but unable to resist Jiang Shuning's persistent coaxing, she accepted the invitation to the Prime Minister's residence.

When she arrived, Jiang Shuning was busy making dumplings and greeted her with a bright smile. "I've made quite a few flavors. Pick a few you like, and I'll make them for you later. Oh, and you need to specify whether you want boiled or pan-fried dumplings so I can prepare accordingly."

Xia Yan randomly chose shepherd's purse and corn fillings. Not really hungry, she said she wanted boiled dumplings.

Jiang Shuning's eyes curved into happy crescents. "What a coincidence! Your taste is exactly the same as my third brother's! He also chose shepherd's purse and corn, and said he wanted boiled dumplings too!"

Jiang Tianze, who was helping wrap dumplings nearby, was taken aback upon hearing this. He then smiled and said, "Eldest Sister, I've suddenly changed my mind. I'd like pan-fried dumplings instead. Could you pan-fry them for me later? Also, the beef dumplings look good too. Could you prepare some of those for me as well?"

Jiang Shuning gritted her teeth in frustration and shot him a fierce glare.

The "shared taste" she had worked so hard to create was completely ruined by his one sentence!

Jiang Tianze looked back at her, all innocence and confusion. "Eldest Sister, why are you glaring at me like that?"

"Third Brother, I have a question for you," Jiang Shuning leaned closer to Jiang Tianze and asked in a low voice, "Do you like women older than you?"

Her unique, faint fragrance mixed with her warm breath brushed against his ear. Jiang Tianze felt his cheeks grow warm and replied honestly, "I do."

"That's great!" Jiang Shuning's face lit up with joy. "Xia Yan is the same age as me, seventeen this year, exactly one year older than you! A marriage alliance with the Xia family would be most suitable!"

The smile instantly froze on Jiang Tianze's face.

"Eldest Sister wants me to be introduced to Xia Yan for a potential match?"

"You are the heir to the Prime Minister's household. You'll have to marry sooner or later. Xia Yan is exceptional in both appearance and lineage. If you put in some effort, winning her affection shouldn't be difficult."

Jiang Tianze replied respectfully on the surface, "Yes, Tianze will certainly do his best."

But a sly smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He would make sure Xia Yan would never dare to consider marrying him in this lifetime.

Seeing Jiang Tianze agree to this, Jiang Shuning was overjoyed.

Now that Jiang Tianze had nodded, she just needed to persuade Xia Yan, and this marriage would be practically settled!

She deliberately raised her voice and suggested with a laugh, "The dumplings will take a while. How about the two of you spar a bit? It would be a great show for us!"

Xia Yan had always favored men with strong martial skills. Although Jiang Tianze wasn't as burly as the Second Prince, his martial arts were quite impressive.

If he could showcase his skills in a match, he was sure to impress Xia Yan.

As soon as she said this, Ling Wu and Xia Chan immediately applauded in encouragement, and the maids joined in, the atmosphere becoming lively.

Unable to decline such enthusiasm, Xia Yan and Jiang Tianze walked into the courtyard, preparing for a hand-to-hand sparring match.

Jiang Tianze had grown quite a bit taller after the New Year. He used to be about the same height as Jiang Shuning, but now he was half a head taller than the already tall Xia Yan.

He had a slender build and strikingly handsome features. Simply standing there was enough to make the maids swoon.

Jiang Shuning knew well that Xia Yan didn't care much for pretty faces. She had to find a way to bring out Jiang Tianze's martial prowess to make Xia Yan fall for him.

She said to Xia Yan with a smile, "Xia Yan, my third brother's martial arts are quite formidable. You'd better be careful not to let him win too easily!"

This sparked Xia Yan's competitive spirit. "Shuning, don't worry. I'll give it my all!"

The match began quickly.

Jiang Tianze, who was usually agile and skilled, now seemed hesitant and timid, only dodging Xia Yan's attacks without any intention of fighting back.

Jiang Shuning watched anxiously and couldn't help but shout, "Third Brother, don't just dodge! Fight back!"

Hearing this, Jiang Tianze seemed to make a difficult attempt to counterattack but failed to avoid Xia Yan's incoming punch. It landed squarely on his nose bridge, and his nose immediately started bleeding.

Xia Yan quickly pulled back her fist, her face filled with remorse. "I'm sorry, Tianze! I thought you could dodge it!"

Jiang Shuning was stunned by the sudden turn of events.

She distinctly remembered that when Jiang Tianze sparred with his martial arts instructor before, his skills were nowhere near this poor.

"Third Brother, are you alright?" she hurried forward and asked worriedly.

"Eldest Sister..." Jiang Tianze's eyes reddened. He buried his head against her shoulder, sounding choked up. "It hurts so much... Tianze is bleeding..."

Jiang Shuning's lips twitched: Third Brother, why did you have to act spoiled right in front of Xia Yan?

There's not a shred of manliness left in this!

"Xia Yan, Tianze isn't usually like this!" she told Xia Yan, utterly exasperated.

"Maybe I should call the estate doctor. He seems to be in real pain!" Xia Yan said, turning to fetch the doctor.

After Xia Yan left, Jiang Shuning shoved Jiang Tianze, who was still slumped against her shoulder, away and glared at him fiercely. "How could you not dodge Xia Yan's punch? Did you do it on purpose?"

Jiang Tianze rubbed his still-bleeding nose and explained pitifully, "Big Sis, it's my fault. I've been neglecting my training lately, and Xia Yan came on too strong. I got scared for a moment and couldn't dodge in time."

"I'll believe you for now!" Jiang Shuning said through gritted teeth. "But you must show some manliness! Let her see your brave side, and stop your sniveling!"

Jiang Tianze wiped away the nonexistent tears at the corner of his eye with his fingertip and nodded obediently. "Yes, Big Sis."

But a trace of malice flickered in his eyes.

He certainly had a brave side—he just didn't know if Xia Yan could take it.