Chapter 112: Calculating and Shrewd

Chapter 112: Deep and Devious

Seeing her friend in such a state, Jiang Shuning's heart ached for her.

She walked her friend out herself, apology written all over her face. "Xia Yan, I'm truly sorry. I originally wanted to set you up with my third brother. I never imagined he would be so unreliable, taking you to see the snakes he keeps and frightening you like this..."

Xia Yan forced a smile that was uglier than a frown. "If it weren't for our friendship since childhood, I'd think you were deliberately setting me up! What were you thinking? Your third brother has such a weird disposition; who in their right mind would marry him?"

"But he's not usually like this. I'm to blame. He did mention keeping snakes as pets before, but I had no idea you were so scared of them." As Jiang Shuning spoke, she rolled up her sleeve, revealing the little white snake, Xiao Bai, wrapped around her wrist. "Look, this is what he gave me. This little white snake was also venomous originally, but he removed the venom glands himself. Now it doesn't hurt a soul."

Xia Yan looked down at the utterly non-threatening, even somewhat cute, little snake on her friend's wrist and let out a helpless sigh. "If what he showed me was a little snake like this, I wouldn't have been so scared. But what he brought out were colorful snakes, each as thick as two fingers! And he grabbed several at once, they were writhing wildly in his hands... Just thinking about it makes my scalp crawl! I bet he knew you wanted to matchmake us and deliberately scared me off."

"No way. Third Brother agreed to the matchmaking. He even said he would try his best to win your favor!" Jiang Shuning was quick to say.

Hearing this, Xia Yan felt an even deeper chill run down her spine.

"That just proves he's two-faced! Shuning, I don't mean to speak ill of your third brother, but I have to warn you: he may appear gentle and harmless on the surface, but he's dark and scheming on the inside. You really need to watch out for him!"

Jiang Shuning was stunned, then frowned. "It can't be that bad, can it? He's just a sixteen-year-old boy. How deep could his cunning possibly be?"

"I hope I'm just overthinking it." Xia Yan grasped her hand, a hint of scolding in her voice. "You, why must you play matchmaker without thinking?"

"I see you moping around all day, and it pains me to see! What's so great about that Second Prince? He's just a muscle-headed brute. He didn't appreciate you; that's his loss!" Jiang Shuning said indignantly.

Xia Yan smiled, seeming a little comforted. "Thank you, Shuning. Actually, I've already let it go. I did have feelings for him, but he wasn't obligated to return them. Love doesn't always work out."

"You've really let go of the Second Prince?" Jiang Shuning's eyes lit up, then she said regretfully. "If I'd known earlier, I wouldn't have sent Hao Li to him!"

She had originally worried that if the Second Prince died in the Nanyue war as he had in her past life, Xia Yan would be heartbroken and become a nun. That's why she sent Hao Li to protect him.

Now that Xia Yan had moved on, wasn't a talent like Hao Li, with his innate divine strength, just being wasted on the Second Prince for nothing!

Xia Yan couldn't help but laugh too. "Exactly! I should have given Hao Li to my father! With such an excellent general assisting him, he could surely capture several more cities for Daye on the battlefield!"

The two friends looked at each other and smiled, the gloom from the venomous snake incident completely dispelled.

After seeing Xia Yan onto her carriage, Jiang Shuning returned to the Emerald Bamboo Courtyard.

Jiang Tianze came forward to meet her, asking with concern, "Elder Sister, is Sister Xia Yan alright?"

Seeing him, Jiang Shuning couldn't help but recall Xia Yan's warning before leaving. Her expression immediately darkened, her tone carrying a hint of scrutiny. "Tianze, tell me, did you deliberately scare her with the venomous snakes because you don't want to consider marriage with Xia Yan? If you don't like her, you could have just said so directly. You shouldn't use such extreme methods to make her back off."

A flicker of panic flashed in Jiang Tianze's eyes, and he hurriedly explained, "Elder Sister, Tianze absolutely did not intend to frighten Sister Xia Yan. I just thought that if we were truly to be joined in marriage in the future, she should understand my interests. That's why I took her to see the snakes I keep. I never imagined it would scare her so much. It was truly unintentional."

Jiang Shuning didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "What young lady would like venomous snakes? Also, you never told me you kept so many snakes, even removing their venom glands and fangs with your bare hands. Why on earth do you do these things?"

A sixteen-year-old boy having such bizarre hobbies and skills was simply unbelievable.

What woman would dare marry him to become the mistress of the Jiang family in the future?

Jiang Tianze's eyes dimmed slightly as he explained in a low voice, "Elder Sister, you don't know how hard our life was in Xuzhou all these years. Father was a playboy in his youth. After he redeemed Mother, the family fortune was already squandered. Mother heard that someone in Xuzhou was paying a high price for venom glands to make medicine. To make a living, she learned to catch snakes in the mountains and forests, gradually mastering the skills of extracting venom glands and pulling fangs.

"Those snakes, having lost their venom glands and fangs, would surely die if released back into the wild. So, Mother kept them in bamboo baskets. I grew up alongside these snakes since childhood. They have bright, colorful patterns. Others might find them terrifying, but I think they are beautiful. I was happy to catch insects and feed mice to them."

Speaking of the past, a soft light flickered in Jiang Tianze's beautiful phoenix eyes, as if filled with endless emotion.

After listening, Jiang Shuning was also moved.

She had lived a life of luxury since childhood and never imagined her cousin's family in Xuzhou had such a difficult life.

Third Aunt, a delicate woman, had actually learned the skills of catching snakes and removing venom glands and fangs to make ends meet.

How arduous must Jiang Tianze's childhood have been, growing up alongside venomous snakes?

"I was wrong to blame you," she said, her tone softening. "You're right. The person who will spend their life with you should accept your interests. It was my lack of consideration. From now on, I will definitely find you a woman who isn't afraid of snakes."

"Thank you, Elder Sister." Jiang Tianze smiled slightly, but a shadowy, inscrutable light flickered deep in his eyes.

He knew perfectly well that his elder sister was probably also afraid of snakes.

But it didn't matter. He had plenty of patience. He would help her overcome her fear of snakes, little by little.

Even if she never liked snakes in her entire life, that was fine too. He just wouldn't let her see the snakes he kept.

In his heart, she was far more important than any snake.

——

Xiao Xiuzhan sat in a private room of a teahouse, taking the account book handed to him by his attendant. His brow furrowed tightly. "With just this little silver, how can I possibly repay Father Emperor's rewards within a month? Go think of a way, and make sure the income increases!"

The attendant looked troubled. "Your Highness, these gambling dens and human trafficking operations are already shady dealings that can't be publicized. How can we increase the income in such a short time?"

"If they can't be publicized, can't we use other methods?" Xiao Xiuzhan's face darkened. "In the gambling dens, raise the stakes and force the gamblers to fork over more silver. As for the human trafficking, it's a business with no capital and endless profit. As long as we can capture more girls, won't there be buyers? Do I need to teach you these things step by step?"

"Yes!" the attendant hurriedly replied. "This humble one will immediately instruct the gambling dens and trafficking rings in various locations to step up their efforts to raise funds!"

A few days later, Ling Feng strode quickly into Xiao Lingchuan's study and reported, "Your Highness, our informants have discovered that the underground gambling dens under the Third Prince's command have recently been enticing gamblers to increase their bets. They are even resorting to unscrupulous methods, openly abducting and seizing young women in several cities around the capital, selling them into brothels in the capital or as private concubines in the back courtyards of wealthy families. Their methods are vicious and ruthless, utterly devoid of conscience!"

Xiao Lingchuan's expression instantly turned grim, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Intensify the evidence gathering and report this matter to the Chief Minister of the Dali Temple!"

Ling Feng was taken aback, hesitating. "Your Highness, this subordinate has learned that there is no direct evidence linking these underground gambling dens and human trafficking rings to the Third Prince. If the Dali Temple rashly shuts them down, wouldn't that destroy the clues that could prove his crimes?"

"I anticipated he would have a backup plan and act cautiously." Xiao Lingchuan snorted coldly, but the corner of his mouth curled into a confident, determined arc. "But it doesn't matter. As long as we capture alive the key figures who handle these affairs for him and apply severe torture, I'm not afraid we can't pry their mouths open. Moreover, his actions this time are so brazen, it's like laying all his dirty deeds out in the open. Once the Dali Temple shuts them down in one fell swoop, his source of funds will be completely severed. Then, let's see what he'll use to support that private army from Xiyu!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Ling Feng respectfully accepted the order and withdrew.