Chapter 294: A Cruel Truth

Chapter 294: The Cruel Truth

After returning to his residence that day, Xiao Huaijin developed a high fever and became bedridden with a serious illness.

He was repeatedly tormented by nightmares, dreaming of Jiang Shuning being kidnapped by masked villains right before his eyes, subjected to humiliation and torment.

Each time, he would try his hardest but could never rescue her from the clutches of the evildoers, self-blame and guilt haunted him, gnawing at his heart.

When the face of the masked villain in his dream suddenly merged with Xiao Lingchuan's face, he jolted awake from the nightmare, drenched in cold sweat.

The maidservant attending him saw him awake and grew emotional, her eyes reddening as she choked out, "Prince Ning, you're finally awake! You've been ill for several days, and the Consort Dowager Rong has been so worried she couldn't sleep at night!"

Xiao Huaijin paid no attention to anything else. With difficulty, he turned his head to look at A Qi, who was standing nearby, and instructed in a hoarse voice, "All of you, leave. Leave A Qi here."

Once the servants had all left, Xiao Huaijin forced himself to sit up and asked urgently, "Have you found Miss Jiang's whereabouts?"

A Qi lowered his head, his tone filled with self-reproach: "I have failed you. After searching for many days, I still haven't found any trace of that group of bandits. Moreover, I have made inquiries, but the nearby villagers say they've never seen any bandits. That group came and went without a trace—truly bizarre!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Huaijin recalled the image from his dream where the masked villain's face merged with Xiao Lingchuan's. His eyes grew cold as he said in a deep voice:

"No need to search further. That day, we did not encounter real bandits. Don't you think their actions were extremely strange? They weren't after valuables, but instead deliberately humiliated Miss Jiang, as if deliberately to provoke me.

I suspect that the mastermind behind all this is Prince Jing, and it's even possible that Xiao Lingchuan did it himself! Help me up quickly. I want to go to Prince Jing's residence myself!"

A Qi's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. Shocked and indignant, he said:

"No wonder Prince Jing has neither sent anyone to find Miss Jiang's whereabouts nor set off for the western campaign recently. So, kidnapping Miss Jiang midway was all a performance he staged himself! This Prince Jing is truly despicable and shameless!

But Your Highness, even if you go to Prince Jing's residence in person, he may not agree to let Miss Jiang leave. Why give him the chance to humiliate you?"

Xiao Huaijin's gaze was gloomy: "If the conditions I offer are tempting enough, he may not be able to refuse."

Xiao Lingchuan, let me see just how much weight Jiang Shuning holds in your heart!

Inside Prince Jing's residence, incense smoke curled languidly.

Xiao Lingchuan reclined in a chair, playing with a jade thumb ring, his gaze lazily resting on the pale, emaciated figure before him.

"Haven't I heard that Fifth Brother was ill and bedridden? How have you recovered so soon?" Xiao Lingchuan's voice drawled, slow and unhurried. "Speaking of which, I wonder what exactly Fifth Brother went through to fall ill for so many days. Your complexion is as pale as paper."

Xiao Huaijin lifted his eyes. The once gentle, jade-like gaze now held nothing but deep frost.

"Why is Fourth Brother being so sarcastic? I know that the one who disguised himself as a bandit and kidnapped Miss Jiang that day was none other than you. What, was the humiliation you inflicted on me that day not enough?"

Xiao Lingchuan let out a low laugh.

"So Fifth Brother has figured it out?" He straightened up slightly, leaning forward, his hawk-like eyes locking onto Xiao Huaijin. "Since that's the case, what is Fifth Brother here for today? To confront me?"

"I came today to make a deal with you." Xiao Huaijin forced himself to steady his mind, to keep the upper hand in negotiations.

"Oh? A deal?" Xiao Lingchuan raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "Could it be the same trick as last time—using the loyalty of your maternal grandfather's Cui family in exchange for my princess? Fifth Brother, don't use the same move twice."

"Before this, when I was out training with my maternal grandfather and uncle, we took a detour through Xizhou." Ignoring his sarcasm, Xiao Huaijin directly stated his bargaining chip. "At the border between Xizhou and Daye's Xiyu, there is an undiscovered gold mine. Two-thirds of the mine lies within Xizhou, and one-third within Xiyu. If we can push back the Xizhou defenders, the entire gold mine can be taken. Only I know the exact location of this gold mine."

He paused, fixing his gaze on Xiao Lingchuan's eyes, and added word by word, "If Fourth Brother gives Miss Jiang her freedom, I will offer you the map of this gold mine. With the gold mine, troops and supplies will all be within your grasp!"

Upon hearing "gold mine," Xiao Lingchuan's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted.

The Cui family was indeed the moneybag of Daye, but they were loyal to the Emperor of Daye.

What Xiao Lingchuan could access was ultimately limited.

If there really was an unknown gold mine that could secretly provide him with a steady stream of wealth, then his grand ambitions would give his ambitions a solid foundation.

But his expression quickly returned to calm, and he even sneered: "How do I know this isn't a trap set by Fifth Brother? When I actually send people there, you'll go to His Majesty to accuse me, slapping me with the charge of privately mining gold and plotting rebellion. That's a charge I can't afford to take on!"

"Fourth Brother worries too much." Xiao Huaijin had anticipated this question and spoke in an even colder tone. "Only one-third of the gold mine lies within Daye's territory. Even if you do mine it, you can simply hand over that one-third to the national treasury as a contribution from your western campaign. Why would the Emperor hold it against you? If you're truly worried I might stab you in the back, you can turn the tables and say I was the one who leaked this information to you. Then I would be implicated for not reporting it too. With that, Fourth Brother should be at ease, right?"

For Jiang Shuning, he was willing to stake even his own life and future.

Xiao Lingchuan fell silent. His long fingers tapped irregularly on the armrest of the chair, producing dull "thud, thud" sounds, as if he were seriously weighing Xiao Huaijin's proposal.

The hall was so quiet that only the tapping and their faint breathing could be heard.

After a long time, he suddenly laughed again. The smile carried a hint of laziness and a touch of cruel satisfaction.

"Fifth Brother's proposal is truly tempting," he said slowly, rising to his feet and pacing over to Xiao Huaijin, looking down at him from a height. "However... I'm afraid I cannot make this deal with you. Because the Princess is now pregnant with my child."

Those words, light and airy, struck Xiao Huaijin's mind like a thunderbolt from the heavens.

He froze entirely, his blood seemingly solidifying in an instant, a chill spreading through his limbs.

He even forgot to breathe, staring fixedly at the smiling, demonic face before him.

"You... what did you say?" Xiao Huaijin's voice trembled uncontrollably, each word forced out like a shard from his throat.

Xiao Lingchuan watched his devastated expression with evident pleasure, the smile on his lips deepening: "Even if I were heartless and unfeeling, I couldn't trade the mother of my child for a gold mine and give her to another man. Don't you agree, Fifth Brother? You might as well give up!"

"You beast!"

At that moment, the last thread of rationality snapped entirely. Overwhelming hatred and despair erupted in an animalistic roar.

Xiao Huaijin lunged at him like a madman, using all his strength, wanting only to tear that loathsome face to shreds.

But he had just recovered from a severe illness and was already weak and powerless—how could he contend with Xiao Lingchuan?

Xiao Lingchuan lifted his foot and kicked Xiao Huaijin square in the chest.

With a dull "thud," Xiao Huaijin flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground.

A metallic taste rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the cold floor.

"Someone come!" Xiao Lingchuan brushed at the non-existent dust on his robe, his voice as cold as ice. "Prince Ning is weak and frail, and has flown into a rage. Escort him back to Prince Ning's residence for proper care. Don't let him wander about and disturb me again."

"Yes!" Ling Feng, who was standing by, immediately stepped forward, lifted the limp Xiao Huaijin up, and dragged him away.

Outside the main hall, when A Qi saw his master in such a state, blood still seeping from the corner of his mouth, he rushed over to support him, heartbroken: "Prince Ning doesn't know martial arts—how could Prince Jing be so vicious?!"

Ling Feng's face was expressionless, his voice as cold as steel: "You can say what you like about food, but be careful with your words. Prince Ning's anger got the better of him, causing him to vomit blood. That has nothing to do with our Prince."

"Your Highness, Your Highness, are you alright? Who hurt you?" A Qi helped the staggering Xiao Huaijin, asking anxiously.

Xiao Huaijin's consciousness was already fading; everything before him was spinning.

Using the last of his strength, he clutched A Qi's sleeve, his lips moving to form a broken sentence:

"Miss Jiang... is pregnant..."

With those words, he fainted dead away.