Chapter 278: The Zhao Family’s Intent to Ally

Chapter 278: The Zhao Family’s Intent to Form an Alliance

As the servant’s words fell, Ling Wu immediately stepped forward, frowning, and reminded her in a low voice:

“Your Highness, these secondary consorts are all cunning. They deliberately come to see you when the prince is away—they must have ill intentions!”

Jiang Shuning’s expression remained calm, her gaze steady as she turned to the maid and asked in a detached tone, “Did Concubine Zhao say why she wished to see me?”

The maid replied cautiously, “She said… she came specifically to serve you tea, Your Highness.”

Serve tea?

Jiang Shuning raised an eyebrow slightly, a flicker of confusion passing through her mind.

Zhao Ruowan, a formally wedded secondary consort—why would she serve tea to her, a woman burdened with the identity of an “escaped convict”?

“Let her in,” Jiang Shuning said flatly, waving her hand to signal the maid.

Before long, the sound of light footsteps and the rustle of robes came from the main courtyard’s front hall.

Zhao Ruowan entered slowly, coming to a stop before Jiang Shuning.

She kept her eyes lowered, her posture submissive, as if deliberately suppressing all her sharpness.

“This concubine pays respects to Your Highness, the Princess!” Zhao Ruowan knelt and performed a deep bow, her manner reverent and her attitude so humble it bordered on flattery.

Jiang Shuning studied her quietly, a strange sense of absurdity rising in her heart.

A secondary consort from a prestigious family, formally wedded, was bowing so deeply to her—a woman who bore the title of princess but was in a truly awkward position.

Something was off. Zhao Ruowan’s behavior clearly indicated she had an agenda.

“I dare not accept such courtesy, Concubine Zhao. You may address me as Miss Ning,” Jiang Shuning said, her voice soft but carrying a chill of distance. “May I ask what business you have with me?”

Zhao Ruowan stiffened, stealing a quick glance at Jiang Shuning before lowering her eyes again.

“This concubine… this concubine has something to discuss with Your Highness. May I have a word in private?”

Her tone became hesitant, and she involuntarily glanced toward Ling Wu, who stood steadfastly by Jiang Shuning’s side—the meaning in her eyes all too clear.

Jiang Shuning understood.

She turned to Ling Wu and waved her hand. “Ling Wu, you may withdraw.”

Ling Wu looked reluctant but replied, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Once Ling Wu’s figure disappeared beyond the door, only Jiang Shuning and Zhao Ruowan remained in the front hall.

Jiang Shuning turned back to Zhao Ruowan, her brow slightly arched. “Concubine Zhao, now that there’s no one else, please speak frankly.”

The moment Jiang Shuning finished, Zhao Ruowan suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud before her.

Her body trembled faintly, her head nearly buried in her chest, and her voice carried obvious tears and quivers: “Your Highness… this concubine was blind before and has offended you greatly. I beg you not to hold it against me!”

In the past, she had never regarded Jiang Shuning, the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s mansion, as worthy of her attention.

But now Wang Bishan was dead, and Huo Xianyue had been sent to the Jingyue Temple. Two daughters from aristocratic clans had met such a fate simply for scheming against Jiang Shuning.

Xiao Lingchuan’s iron hand was terrifying.

He cared nothing for the dignity of those aristocratic clans, nor for the lives of these secondary consorts.

He cared only for the one he wanted to protect.

Only then did Zhao Ruowan realize the heavy weight Jiang Shuning held in Prince Jing’s heart.

If she wanted to continue to survive—and even preserve her life—within the Prince Jing’s residence, she had to mend her relationship with Jiang Shuning.

Otherwise, Wang Bishan and Huo Xianyue would be her fate!

“Concubine Zhao, please rise and speak,” Jiang Shuning said lightly, her voice utterly devoid of emotion.

She had no interest in these petty intrigues, no desire to befriend Xiao Lingchuan’s secondary consorts, and certainly no wish to make enemies of them.

Dealing with them would only bring unnecessary trouble.

Zhao Ruowan felt as if she had received a pardon and quickly rose from the ground, tears still lingering on her face.

She looked at Jiang Shuning with a mix of fawning and fear, as if terrified that one wrong word would anger her again.

“Your Highness, this concubine is different from Concubine Wang and Concubine Huo!” Zhao Ruowan took a deep breath, her tone becoming anxious and resolute, as if eager to declare her stance—and to completely sever ties with those two.

Her fingers twisted tightly in her sleeves, her body leaning slightly forward, her voice tinged with urgency: “They entered the residence under orders from their families and the Emperor to secretly monitor the prince. But this concubine is different. This concubine entered the residence sincerely to form an alliance with the prince! If the prince is willing, the Zhao family will devote all their strength to helping him ascend to that highest position!”

Jiang Shuning suddenly recalled that the Zhao family was the maternal family of Xiao Lingchuan’s imperial uncle, Prince Yong.

Back then, the late Emperor ascended the throne with ruthless means, stepping over the bones of his brothers to secure the imperial seat.

Prince Yong, being young, narrowly escaped that fate, but was exiled to a barren fief far from the capital, forbidden to set foot in the capital without an imperial summons.

His maternal family, the Zhao clan, naturally refused to accept their decline and had always sought opportunities to attach themselves to other imperial bloodlines, hoping to make a comeback.

In her previous life, they chose to ally with Prince Rui; in this life, with Prince Rui imprisoned, the Zhao family placed their bet on Xiao Lingchuan.

“Concubine Zhao, these words should be said to the prince himself,” Jiang Shuning said indifferently, without a trace of emotion.

“Would this concubine not wish to say them to the prince?” Zhao Ruowan’s face was pained, her eyes full of helplessness. “But this concubine has no chance at all!”

In the months since her marriage into the residence, she had seen Xiao Lingchuan only a handful of times, and each time there were other secondary consorts present, leaving her no opportunity to speak.

Before her marriage, she had been full of confidence, believing her beauty and family backing would make Prince Jing look upon her favorably.

However, reality had dealt her a resounding slap.

Prince Jing never gave her even a single chance to be alone with him. Whenever she tried to visit the main courtyard to pay her respects, she was coldly refused.

Left with no alternative, she had to settle for a lesser course: seeking help from Jiang Shuning.

“So you want me to help arrange a moment alone with the prince, so you can convince him to join forces with the Zhao family?” Jiang Shuning raised an eyebrow, her cool gaze falling on Zhao Ruowan.

Zhao Ruowan nodded quickly: “Your Highness, rest assured!

The servants set the dishes and retreated silently, leaving only the two of them seated across from each other in the spacious hall.

Jiang Shuning picked up a piece of the food that was as white and smooth as tender tofu, placed it on the white porcelain plate in front of him, and said in a calm tone, “Your Highness, try this.”

Xiao Lingchuan, without a second thought, picked up the piece of “tofu” and put it in his mouth.

He paused in his chewing for a moment, then a hint of approval appeared in his eyes: “Hmm, this tofu is tender and smooth, melts in the mouth, truly a rare delicacy. Your culinary skills have improved, Princess.”

“Your Highness, this is not tofu,” Jiang Shuning said slowly, setting down her ivory chopsticks. “It’s made from fish.”

Xiao Lingchuan’s hand froze in mid-air, holding the chopsticks, his brows furrowed deeply, his expression showed undisguised aversion and suspicion.

He had always disliked fishy or gamey flavors, especially fish, to the point of being unable to touch it.

“Is that so?” His voice sank. “But I didn’t detect any fishy taste at all.”

Jiang Shuning did not answer directly but instead picked up another piece of fish and gently placed it in his bowl.

The fish was white and tender, glistening warmly under the lamplight.

“This fish is called Liuxi fish, a specialty of Liuxi. Because it only lives in clear, swift streams and feeds on aquatic plants and moss, its flesh is tender and free of any muddy smell,” Jiang Shuning said, meeting his gaze with clear eyes. “Your Highness, from now on, you can eat fish too.”

The frost in Xiao Lingchuan’s eyes seemed to melt slightly, replaced by a complex, hard-to-read expression.

After a long moment, he spoke slowly, his voice carrying a trace of emotion even he hadn't noticed: “You went to such trouble just to let me eat fish. Shuning, I’m truly moved.”

“You flatter me, Your Highness.” Jiang Shuning lowered her gaze, her long lashes concealing all emotions beneath. “The recipe for this dish was told to me by Concubine Zhao. Moreover, the fish was personally cooked by Concubine Zhao.”

She paused, then added as if offhandedly, “I heard that Liuxi is the fiefdom of Prince Yong. Although the land is barren, the mountains are clear and the waters are beautiful, and the fish, shrimp, fruits, and vegetables raised there are especially flavorful.”

“Zhao Ruowan?”

As Xiao Lingchuan uttered this name, his face instantly darkened, and the atmosphere around him grew heavy, as if the air itself had frozen.

He stared at Jiang Shuning, his gaze as sharp as a knife, as if trying to see right through her: “When did you become so close to her?”

She met his gaze without flinching, even offering a faint smile: “Your Highness, there are only a few people in this mansion. If you cross paths often enough, and after a while, a few words are inevitable, isn’t that normal?”

She picked up a spoon, slowly took a spoonful of soup, blew on it to cool it, and then countered, “What, does Your Highness expect me to spend my entire life here without speaking to anyone else?”

Jiang Shuning’s words carried a subtle hint of sarcasm, like a tiny needle lightly pricking his taut nerves.

“Of course not.” Xiao Lingchuan forced out a few words stiffly, then lowered his eyes, no longer looking at her, thereby hiding the fleeting cold gleam in his gaze.

The rest of the meal ended in an eerie silence.

After finishing dinner, Xiao Lingchuan rose without a word and left.

In Cangjin Pavilion, Zhao Ruowan was pacing restlessly.

When she heard the servants announce the prince’s arrival, the panic on her face was instantly replaced by wild joy.

She hurried out to greet him, full of happiness, believing that her act of submission had finally paid off.

However, before she could even bend her knees in a curtsey, she met a pair of ice-cold eyes.

Xiao Lingchuan’s expression was grim, his whole being exuding a terrifying ferocity, as if he were a demon returned from hell.

“Who gave you the audacity to approach the Princess?”