Chapter 292: Wanting to See Her Jealous

Chapter 292: Wanting to See Her Jealous Look

Although he didn't care in the slightest about Zhao Ruowan's life or death, Xiao Lingchuan was especially eager to see Jiang Shuning's jealous expression.

Just imagining her cold, distant face showing a hint of envy was amusing to him.

Thus, shortly after Ling Feng reported the matter, he deliberately returned to the main bedchamber to ask Jiang Shuning about it in person.

"I heard that you ordered people to burn musk in Secondary Consort Zhao's courtyard, for a full two hours, using up all the premium musk in my storehouse."

His tone was calm yet searching, his gaze fixed on Jiang Shuning's face, not wanting to miss any change in her expression.

Jiang Shuning was looking down at a book. Upon hearing this, she only lifted her eyes slightly, her gaze as cool and clear as water, her voice unruffled: "Did you come specifically to defend Secondary Consort Zhao?"

Xiao Lingchuan laughed inwardly. He wouldn't bother standing up for that woman.

He just wanted to see her jealous look.

He walked slowly to the table and sat down, his posture relaxed, his expression carrying a hint of playful mockery: "I'm just curious, why did you punish her like that?"

"How can you call it a punishment, Your Highness?" Jiang Shuning put down the book, meeting his gaze with a trace of sarcasm in her voice. "I heard that Secondary Consort Zhao is fond of musk, using it to scent her clothes, so I especially rewarded her with some musk, letting her enjoy it to the fullest. Now, not just her clothes, but her entire courtyard is probably steeped in the smell of musk, inside and out."

"Oh? So it was a reward?" Xiao Lingchuan raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in his eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting. "Yet I heard that musk can cause infertility in women. I thought you did it because you were worried she might bear my child."

Jiang Shuning frowned, her tone cold and distant: "You're overthinking things, Your Highness. I have no such intention."

"Then I must have misunderstood." His voice carried obvious disappointment, a hint of regret in his gaze. He paused, then said in a low voice, "I came specifically to make it clear to you: aside from you, I will never touch another woman in this life, nor will I let any other woman bear my offspring. So you have no need to feel jealous over them."

A corner of Jiang Shuning's mouth twitched slightly. After a moment of silence, she spoke slowly, her tone tinged with a sense of speechlessness: "...Your Highness, you truly think too much."

Seeing that Xiao Lingchuan was still looking at her with that teasing expression, she simply explained the whole matter: "When I went to Hidden Brocade Pavilion to visit Secondary Consort Cui, Secondary Consort Zhao deliberately used musk to perfume her clothes in the courtyard. She must have just found out I was pregnant and did it on purpose. Seeing her malicious intent, I bestowed musk upon her, letting her enjoy it thoroughly!"

"How dare she scheme against you? This is outrageous!" Xiao Lingchuan's face darkened instantly, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. "It seems I need to teach her a lesson and remind her of her place!"

With that, he rose to leave, but Jiang Shuning called out to stop him: "Your Highness, aren't you afraid of offending Prince Yong?"

Although Prince Yong was far away in his fiefdom, as a member of the imperial clan, his maternal family still held influence in the court. He himself commanded a significant military force and was not to be underestimated.

In her past life, he was one of Prince Rui's key allies, far from an ordinary figure.

"I intend to offend him!" Xiao Lingchuan sneered, his eyes full of disdain and provocation. "I'd like to see just how many hidden forces he has!"

That night, Xiao Lingchuan imprisoned Zhao Ruowan in the dungeon of the Prince Jing's Mansion on the grounds that she had attempted to harm imperial blood.

He deliberately did not restrict the movement of Zhao Ruowan's nanny Li and maids, allowing them to spread the news to Prince Yong.

The bait was cast, waiting for the big fish to bite.

Thousands of miles away in Prince Yong's fiefdom, a letter delivered by express horseback arrived like a stone tossed into a calm lake, stirring up massive waves.

Although Prince Yong was Xiao Lingchuan's uncle, he was only a few years older than him, not yet thirty, in his prime and full of ambition. After reading the letter, he was filled with rage.

"Xiao Lingchuan!" He gritted out the name, "What a Prince Jing! Well done indeed!"

He had originally thought that sending Zhao Ruowan into Prince Jing's Mansion was an unspoken signal of alliance, the first step in testing the waters of cooperation between their forces.

But now, Xiao Lingchuan dared to imprison his cousin—and with her, the honor of Prince Yong's Mansion—in a dark, damp dungeon under the laughable charge of "harming his child"!

This was not just punishing a concubine; it was a resounding slap in the face!

Xiao Lingchuan had no intention of cooperating with him, not even giving lip service.

Rage burned away his reason, but he quickly regained his composure.

He walked to the desk, personally grinding ink and laying out paper.

Since Xiao Lingchuan shows no mercy, don't blame him for being ruthless.

He wanted everyone to see how arrogant and overbearing Prince Jing was.

He picked up his brush and swiftly wrote a petition, sending it by swift horse to the capital.

In the Imperial Study, Emperor Xiao Zhengxian put down his brush and took the confidential letter presented by the eunuch.

The wax seal of Prince Yong's Mansion on the envelope made his brow twitch.

Unfolding the letter, he scanned it quickly. His originally calm expression gradually gave way to an almost imperceptible smile.

"Summon Prince Jing," he said in a calm, unreadable tone.

When Xiao Lingchuan entered the Imperial Study, he felt an invisible pressure.

Xiao Zhengxian was sitting behind the imperial desk, looking at him with an inscrutable expression.

"Fourth brother has come." Xiao Zhengxian's tone was as gentle as ever. "Take a seat."

Xiao Lingchuan thanked him and sat down, his back straight.

"I summoned you today to inquire about something in your household." Xiao Zhengxian spoke slowly. "I heard that you imprisoned your Uncle Prince Yong's cousin, your Secondary Consort Zhao, in the dungeon?"

"Yes." Xiao Lingchuan answered directly, without any hesitation or guilt.

Xiao Zhengxian seemed somewhat surprised by his frankness, leaning forward slightly. "Why? There must be a reason."

"That Zhao woman was malicious, intending to use musk to harm my unborn child." Xiao Lingchuan's voice was as cold as ice. "For such a venomous woman, imprisonment is already lenient, out of consideration for Uncle Prince Yong's dignity. Given my temper, I would have written a letter of divorce and cast her out of the mansion!"

A flicker passed through Xiao Zhengxian's eyes. He keenly caught the key point.

"Oh? An unborn child?" He feigned surprise, his tone carrying a hint of curiosity. "May I ask which Secondary Consort is so fortunate as to be carrying your child?"

He was almost certain it was Jiang Shuning.

Only Jiang Shuning could make Xiao Lingchuan act so impulsively and protectively.

But Jiang Shuning's identity was now nothing more than a fugitive hiding in the shadows. He wanted to see how Xiao Lingchuan would respond.

Xiao Lingchuan's face immediately darkened, and his presence became oppressive.

"Is that the point?" He retorted coldly, his impatience undisguised. "Regardless of which of my consorts is pregnant, Zhao Ruowan's malicious intent to harm imperial blood deserves punishment! Do I need to report to anyone when I discipline a secondary consort in my own household?"

"That's not the right way to put it." Xiao Zhengxian picked up his teacup, gently skimming the foam, his posture leisurely. "After all, she is from Uncle Prince Yong's maternal clan. Aren't you embarrassing him with this? Always leave some leeway for future meetings. Fourth brother, be lenient; don't lose the big picture over a small matter."

The words sounded like advice, but every sentence was an instigation.

Xiao Lingchuan scoffed, his laughter full of mockery and disdain.

"Does having a secondary consort mean I have no right to discipline her? Then I might as well not have her!" He stood up abruptly, his demeanor imposing. "Please convey to Prince Yong on my behalf that he can come and take his people back! The noble lady of his maternal clan—my humble Prince Jing's Mansion cannot keep her!"

With that, without even glancing at the man on the throne, he flung his sleeves back, turned around, and strode out of the Zichen Hall without looking back.

Inside the hall, the eunuchs were so terrified that they hardly dared to breathe.

Xiao Zhengxian, however, watched his resolute back as he retreated, his tense lips slowly relaxed, revealing a relieved smile.

Good, very good.

What he had most feared was that Xiao Lingchuan and Prince Yong, who held military power, would secretly form an alliance.

Now it seemed that this greatest hidden danger had been so easily eliminated.

Come to think of it, he really had to thank Jiang Shuning.

She had turned Xiao Lingchuan, that ruthless and vicious menace, into a love-struck fool willing to risk everything for his beloved.

As long as she was around, any aristocratic clans trying to win over Xiao Lingchuan through marriage would only humiliate themselves.

His throne seemed a bit more secure now.

If he could intensify the conflict between Xiao Lingchuan and Prince Yong, and watch them fight it out from the sidelines, that would be even more interesting.