The scalding hot water from washing the pot splashed all over Shen Jun, making him shudder and almost cry out. He pinched his arm hard and barely managed to suppress the urge to scream.
Su Xiaoning had no idea that she had splashed the water from washing the pot onto someone. She took the pot back to the stove to cook, but poor Shen Jun was so burned that he almost fainted, yet he still had to carry out his task despite the pain.
Shen Jun was in excruciating pain and wanted to temporarily leave his post to rinse himself with cold water. Before he even left his hiding place, he saw Su Qingcai walking towards the kitchen from afar. He immediately suppressed his restless thoughts and silently observed the situation in the kitchen.
Su Qingcai walked into the kitchen and saw that Su Xiaoning was indeed cooking. He snorted coldly.
"I thought you were completely bewitched by Meng Ruqiao, so how could you have the leisure to cook for me?"
His tone, like a jealous young wife, made Su Xiaoning burst out laughing. Seeing Su Qingcai's face growing darker and darker, Su Xiaoning suppressed her laughter, put on a serious face, and pulled Su Qingcai to the stove.
"Since you're already here, don't just sit around. Help me start the fire; I've been worried about not having anyone to help me."
He was all love and affection towards Meng Ruqiao, even giving her beauty secrets for free, but towards him, he treated him like a laborer, making him start a fire.
Su Qingcai was filled with resentment and was about to explode when he saw Su Xiaoning grab his sleeve and shake it, her face clearly saying, "Please." A suspicious blush rose on Su Qingcai's face. He coughed awkwardly and actually went to start a fire.
On the stove, Su Xiaoning washed her hands and prepared soup, while Su Qingcai sat silently watching the fire, occasionally adding a few pieces of firewood.
What should have been a warm and beautiful scene looked strange to Shen Jun no matter how he looked at it.
How could a prince, a prince of such high status, sit there like a servant, lighting a fire?!
Shen Jun became even more convinced that Su Qingcai had been bewitched by Su Xiaoning. He was anxious to return to the palace to report to the emperor, but before he could even leave the palace, he was stopped by someone.
"Who are you? What is your purpose in infiltrating the Prince's residence?"
Bing Er stood in front of Shen Jun with a very unfriendly expression.
He had been staying by Su Qingcai's side when he suddenly noticed a furtive figure trying to escape the palace. Without thinking, he chased after the figure and stopped him at the gate.
"Don't even the Ninth Prince's bodyguards know who I am now?" Shen Jun glanced at Bing Er with a half-smile. "I have important matters to attend to right now and can't get entangled with you any longer. Get out of my way!"
"Why should I know a petty thief? Don't leave, you must come with me to see the Prince!" Bing Er sneered, still relentlessly trying to drag Shen Jun to see Su Qingcai.
His impolite actions completely enraged Shen Jun. Shen Jun grabbed Bing Er with his other hand, his eyes darkening slightly. "You little brat, you actually dare to fight me. I don't know whether to say you have courage or you don't know your own limitations!"
The two glared at each other, their anger ignited, and without a word, they started fighting. Every move was deadly, and they showed no mercy.
The furnishings in the courtyard were affected, falling to the ground with a clatter, and the noise alerted Ding Yi, who was patrolling on the other side of the palace.
Ding Yi, thinking something serious had happened, rushed over. Seeing his two good brothers fighting, he was utterly bewildered and roared:
"Stop fighting, all of you!"
"Ding Yi?"
Shen Jun and Bing Er spoke at the same time. When they realized that they both seemed to know Ding Yi, they stared at each other with wide eyes and incredulous expressions.
Taking advantage of their momentary daze, Ding Yi quickly separated the two who were locked in a fierce fight, and then asked Bing Er, "Why did you start fighting with him?"
His words seemed to favor Shen Jun, and Bing Er suddenly felt a little wronged. He stubbornly turned his face away and said coldly, "This little thief has been sneaking around in the mansion. If I don't arrest him, who should I arrest?"
"Little thief?" Ding Yi was both amused and exasperated. "You've misunderstood. He's Shen Jun, the leader of the Palace Guards. He's my good brother. I was supposed to introduce you to him when I came back this time, but I've been so busy lately that I forgot."
As he spoke, he turned to Shen Jun and asked, "Brother, you wouldn't be at the Prince's residence for no reason, would you? What mission are you on? Can you tell us?"
After all, the person asking the question was his good brother, and it wasn't a secret mission, so Shen Jun hesitated for a while before finally telling the truth.
"The Emperor has ordered me to investigate Su Xiaoning's identity."
"What's there to investigate about Miss Su's identity?" Ding Yi exclaimed in surprise. "Brother, I advise you not to speak carelessly in front of the Emperor. Miss Su is a very good person. Whether it was in Carp Village or on the way back to the capital, she took good care of us. She is a trustworthy person, I can guarantee it to you."
Ding Yi, unusually, spoke well of someone. Shen Jun stared at him silently for a while, then suddenly said:
"What? You've been bewitched too?"
"What?" Ding Yi was stunned, his mind not quite processing it for a moment.
"As expected, you and the Ninth Prince are both seriously ill. I've noticed that you've even forgotten who you're loyal to." Shen Jun snorted coldly, unwilling to speak to his "terminally ill" brother any longer. He leaped away from the palace and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
A quarter of an hour later, Shen Jun returned to the palace and told the emperor about his investigation results.
Of course, most of these so-called investigation results were his own conjecture, such as the matter of him bewitching Su Qingcai and the people around him.
The emperor had complete faith in Shen Jun and immediately slammed his fist on the table, declaring, "This vixen cannot be allowed to live!"
"Your Majesty, should we proceed with the original plan and eliminate her directly?" Shen Jun asked in a deep voice, a murderous intent rising in his eyes.
The emperor pondered for a while, then shook his head and said, "No... It seems that Su Xiaoning has bewitched too many people. Who knows how many things will be involved if she dies? Let her go for now. Just take her back to where she came from."
"Understood, subordinate." Shen Jun responded, concealing the murderous intent in his eyes, and slowly retreated.
...
The following day.
Su Xiaoning went to the street to buy medicinal herbs as she had done in the past few days, and listened carefully to the gossip on the street. Suddenly, she heard some different news.
"Have you heard? The Ninth Prince is going to choose a consort!"
"Really? The Ninth Prince has never married a principal wife, and there isn't even a concubine in his mansion. Is he finally going to marry a mistress?"
"This news came directly from the palace, how could it be false! If you ask me, this is a good thing, everyone on this street can share in the joy..."
Su Qingcai? He's going to choose a concubine?!
Su Xiaoning was horrified. She wanted to get closer to hear more details, but a figure flashed before her eyes from nowhere. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through her neck, her vision went black, and she collapsed to the ground without a sound.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
