Chapter 364 The Resentment of Reunion and Missed Chances

Chapter 364: The Regret of Meeting and Missing Again

On the third day of Jiang Shuning's coma, the yamen officials came to report.

"Your Excellency, Prince Ning requests an audience."

The air in the main hall instantly froze.

Jiang Tianze almost immediately turned his head to look at Xiao Lingchuan, his expression filled with shock: "Prince Ning? Why is he here? Isn't he always at odds with you?"

The curve of Xiao Lingchuan's lips turned even colder, a sinister look spreading through his alluring eyes like ink.

He leisurely adjusted his sleeves, feigning ignorance: "Indeed, why would he suddenly come to see me?"

"Could it be... that the culprit who sent someone to stab A Ning is him? How dare he?!" Jiang Tianze's voice trembled, and a terrifying murderous intent burst from his eyes.

Xiao Lingchuan did not answer; he simply glanced at him coolly, his look seemed to say, "So you're not completely stupid after all." He turned toward the door and raised his chin at the reporting servant, his voice carrying no discernible emotion.

"Let him in!"

Jiang Tianze tactfully stood up and retreated behind a screen.

In just a moment, a tall figure was led in.

Xiao Huaijin was dressed in a plain brocade robe, travel-worn, his usually gentle and refined brows now shrouded in an undeniable layer of anxiety.

He seemed to have lost some weight, the lines of his jaw more pronounced, revealing a sharpness rarely seen on ordinary days.

It was clear that he had not been at ease during this period.

"Isn't this the Fifth Brother?" Xiao Lingchuan leaned back in his chair, lazily raised his eyes, his tone dripping with blatant sarcasm. "Why are you in such a hurry? Did you come specifically to see me?"

"Fourth Brother." Xiao Huaijin's gaze quickly swept over Xiao Lingchuan. Seeing no sign of grief on his face, he breathed a small sigh of relief, but the tension in his eyes didn't fade.

He stared intently at Xiao Lingchuan's expression, trying to gauge Jiang Shuning's true condition. "I heard you were attacked at the yamen, Fourth Brother. I was worried and came specifically to check on you."

Xiao Lingchuan let out a very light sneer, coming from deep in his throat, full of disdain: "Since when has Fifth Brother cared so much about me? I'm truly honored."

Xiao Huaijin seemed not to hear the sting in his words, maintaining his surface calm, though the knuckles of his tightly clenched hands had turned white.

"I see that Fourth Brother is unharmed, so I am relieved." He paused, finally asking the real reason for his visit. "But I heard that someone took a sword strike for you at the time. That person was Doctor Jiang from You'an Hall. I wonder... is Doctor Jiang badly hurt now?"

The moment his words landed, Xiao Lingchuan stood up.

He walked step by step toward Xiao Huaijin, each step as if stepping on someone's heart, with an oppressive weight.

"Whether she is badly hurt or not, none of your business?" He stopped in front of Xiao Huaijin. The two were similar in stature, but their auras were worlds apart.

Xiao Lingchuan leaned slightly, his alluring eyes filled with malice. "Xiao Huaijin, she was injured by an assassin you sent. Don't shed crocodile tears and pretend to be kind with me here!"

The blunt accusation struck Xiao Huaijin's heart like a hammer.

His face instantly turned deathly pale, and his body swayed almost imperceptibly.

"Fourth Brother... why do you say that?" He forced himself to stay calm, his voice dry. "I really know nothing about the assassination."

The mockery on Xiao Lingchuan's face deepened: "Don't tell me you traveled thousands of miles to Nanshuo out of brotherly concern?"

"Fourth Brother may not know," Xiao Huaijin tried hard to make his voice sound calm, "I also stayed in Nanshuo for a while before. At that time, I entrusted a baby to Doctor Jiang's care. Now that I hear something happened to her, I can't help but worry. Please, Fourth Brother... allow me to see her, to ensure she is safe!"

He clumsily fabricated reasons, trying to find a plausible excuse for his concern.

However, this was precisely the flaw Xiao Lingchuan had been waiting for.

"Xiao Huaijin, I truly admire you!" Xiao Lingchuan suddenly laughed, but the smile was sharper than a blade dipped in poison. "You actually entrusted my son to the care of my princess? How dare you covet my woman, my child?"

Princess... child...

Xiao Huaijin's entire body stiffened violently, as if struck by lightning.

Those two words, each character like a red-hot branding iron, seared deeply into his mind.

He abruptly raised his head, staring at Xiao Lingchuan, his eyes full of disbelief.

On the way to the prince's mansion, a wild suspicion had been tormenting him, a terrifying possibility he almost dared not think about.

Why did he feel such an uncontrollable familiarity and attraction toward a common female doctor he had just met?

Why did Little Yejun so unconditionally get close to her, depend on her, as if they shared a natural blood bond?

Now, with Xiao Lingchuan's light remark, all his wishful thinking and self-deception were shattered.

Jiang Shuning and the female doctor from You'an Hall were indeed the same person!

He had found her trail before Xiao Lingchuan, yet because he failed to recognize her identity, he missed his chance and could only watch her return to Xiao Lingchuan's side.

Even more ridiculous, without knowing it, he had inadvertently entrusted his own flesh and blood to her care.

How ironic! How absurd!

Xiao Huaijin tasted blood in his throat, and his limbs seemed to be plunged into icy water, cold to the bone.

He looked at Xiao Lingchuan's face, full of undisguised, victor-like mockery, feeling like a naked clown thrown into a busy street for everyone to gawk at.

After Xiao Lingchuan had had his fill of his shocked and pained expression, he lazily raised his hand and motioned for Xiao Huaijin to sit.

"Since Fifth Brother has come all this way to 'visit' me, I must play the good host." He dragged out his words, each one like a sharp blade scraping Xiao Huaijin's already battered heart. "Come, have a cup of weak tea before you go!"

This was not the etiquette of a host; it was the gloating of a victor, the cruelty of a cat playing with a mouse before killing it.

Xiao Huaijin's limbs remained cold and stiff, his mind buzzing with the bitterness of having met and lost Jiang Shuning again.

He should turn and leave immediately, escaping this place that humiliated him so.

But his feet seemed nailed to the ground; a tangled emotion gripped him.

If he left now, it would be tantamount to admitting he was the mastermind behind the assassination.

Moreover, he simply couldn't stop worrying about Jiang Shuning's injuries.

He hesitated for a moment, then finally took steps as heavy as lead, following Xiao Lingchuan to a nearby rosewood round table and sitting down.

A servant quickly brought a full tea set, skillfully warming the cups, adding the leaves, and brewing the tea.

A white porcelain cup was pushed in front of him. The amber tea trembled slightly in the cup, reflecting his pale, twisted face.

Xiao Huaijin held the teacup, not moving for a long time.

"What's the matter?" Xiao Lingchuan's voice carried undisguised mockery, especially grating in the quiet room. "Afraid I poisoned the tea, Fifth Brother? Rest assured, I wouldn't lower myself to poisoning you!"

Xiao Huaijin felt his face burning with the embarrassment of being seen through.

"I came here to see Miss Jiang," he forced himself to speak, his voice hoarse and dry but striving to remain steady. "I'll leave once I know she's safe. As for the assassination... I truly knew nothing about it. Please, Fourth Brother, look into this!"

With that, he finally picked up the teacup and drained it in one gulp.

Xiao Lingchuan watched him drink the tea, the mocking smile in his eyes growing stronger, almost overflowing.

"Xiao Huaijin, I keep thinking how stupid I was back then," he began slowly, his voice laced with ice. "I used to worry that Shuning might develop feelings for you, guarding against you and nursing jealousy. Now, seeing this cowardly face of yours—daring to act but too scared to own up—I find all my past concerns entirely superfluous!"

His gaze cut like a knife, carving into Xiao Huaijin's nerves piece by piece.

"Not to mention now," Xiao Lingchuan gave a light laugh, full of contempt, "even in the future, Shuning would never look twice at a wimp like you!"

"You!" This merciless taunt hit like a stinging slap across Xiao Huaijin's face.

Yet even so, Xiao Huaijin still refused to admit he was behind the assassination attempt on Xiao Lingchuan.

Once he admitted it, it would implicate his imperial elder brother, Xiao Zhengxian.

At least he had the Cui family as his maternal backing; even if Xiao Lingchuan's fury was burning, he might not actually kill him.

But Xiao Zhengxian was different. If Xiao Lingchuan discovered his involvement in this matter, he'd definitely take the chance to attack, accusing him of plotting to usurp the throne and having him executed!

Anyway... Xiao Lingchuan was only speculating; he had no solid proof and couldn't touch him.

As long as he held firm and denied everything, what could Xiao Lingchuan do?

Right as Xiao Huaijin was thinking that, a strange, wrenching pain suddenly gripped his stomach.

Then, without warning, a gush of blood burst from his mouth, splattering onto the clean floor in a shocking crimson stain.

His face changed drastically, his eyes wide with disbelief, locked on the empty teacup beside his hand.

"The tea… it's poisoned! Didn't you say…"

Xiao Lingchuan looked on coldly as he writhed in pain, all trace of a smile gone from his face, replaced by nothing but deep-seated hatred.

"That's right, I did say I wouldn't stoop to poisoning you."

His voice was terrifyingly calm, cold as the frozen north, devoid of any warmth.

"But you hurt Shuning, nearly killing her. A mere dose of poison would be far too easy on you."

Xiao Lingchuan slowly rose to his feet, looking down at Xiao Huaijin, who lay on the ground convulsing, and spoke each word like a verdict.

"Let you feel the agony of this heart-eating poison as well, to satisfy the hatred in my heart!"