Chapter 79 Exploitation and Counter-Exploitation.
Jia Yun's gaze was intense. "Miss, this dagger is coated with a potent poison, refined over a long period. It's extremely precious. Just one strike is enough..."
Shi Wan was speechless for a moment. For a moment, she even felt that she was split in two, one half of her face showing deep agreement, and the other half hiding her own considerations.
A moment later, her voice trembled, as if she had thought of something extremely frightening, and she pushed the dagger toward Jia Yun, "No, this...this is too much."
She hesitated, "After all, he is..." The next moment, before she could finish, the other person interrupted, "Miss, you mustn't soften your heart now!"
Although he tried his best to restrain himself, a trace of anxiety still leaked out in his words, "You have been humiliated by this scoundrel. Now, only when he dies can you be free and see your wife and daughter again!"
"Do you really want to stay by Prince Jingbei's side and suffer this torment? These shackles... and these injuries on your body." Every word was like a lament, seemingly spoken entirely out of concern for Shi Wan.
Hatred was like a poisonous vine. As Shi Wan listened, the hesitation on her face gradually faded. She put the dagger back into her body. The dagger was cold all over and heavy to the touch, like a branding iron, extremely hot. It seemed that even the unspeakable thoughts in her heart were being roasted.
Shi Wan can no longer quite explain what her feelings for Jiang Xu are; it seems difficult to define them with a single emotion.
A complex emotion welled up inside her, surging wildly, mixed with sharp hatred, chaotic and difficult to discern, but besides that, there was also a very faint, strange feeling that even she herself was reluctant to admit.
Jia Yun's tone was too urgent, even...
Too hasty.
Coming to her senses, Shi Wan couldn't help but gently stroke the dagger hidden in her sleeve. Its cold temperature calmed her thoughts slightly. This opportunity might be the only one. The other party most likely wanted to use her, but conversely, she could also take advantage of the convenience they provided.
Shi Wan closed her eyes slightly, trying to put aside the chaotic thoughts about Jiang Xu, and said seriously, "Of course not, I have suffered these humiliations, and I am also..." After speaking, she covered her face with her hands, as if she was about to cry.
Shi Wan continued, "I know that my mother must be thinking of me, but I didn't expect that she would still be alive and have such good fortune. I feel nervous about returning home, and my mind is in a mess."
"An assassination must be accomplished in one decisive move, otherwise... the whole operation will be lost." She sighed. "Let me think about it."
The time was already quite long, and Jia Yun understood this, so she quickly bandaged Shi Wan's wound and said no more. After a while, the room returned to silence.
......
*
After several days of silent torment, Jiang Xu came to find her again after a long time.
The night was deep, and the man, covered in frost, pushed open the door with a creak. Upon seeing this, Shi Wan immediately stood up and kept her distance from him.
Jiang Xu's tiredness was evident in his eyes. The bedroom was only so big, and even though Shi Wan didn't want to, she could still easily detect the faint smell of alcohol emanating from him.
The two sides intertwined, and it seemed that the hostility between them from ten days ago had faded somewhat.
"Still not asleep?" Jiang Xu's expression remained unchanged. He gently rubbed his temples, walked step by step to Shi Wan's side, and looked down at her. "It's already past midnight."
The sharpness in his eyes had dimmed slightly, losing some of the previous oppressive and scrutinizing quality, and was more like a simple greeting.
His voice was low and husky, extremely magnetic. Shi Wan listened in silence for a few breaths, then forced herself to look him in the eye and softly hummed in agreement.
She tried to make her voice sound steady, so much so that she added just enough to make it sound genuinely concerned, "You seem to have been very busy lately."
He paused, then continued, "Especially today... you seem particularly tired."
Jiang Xu was taken aback, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but it quickly transformed into a deeper and more complex emotion. He made a gesture to reach out and touch Shi Wan's cheek.
The pressure came instantly, but Shi Wan endured it without flinching.
A short while later, Jiang Xu's voice, seemingly smiling but not quite, came from the other end, "...What?"
She was lightly touched twice on the cheek, like teasing a kitten or puppy; the touch was fleeting and the bite was quick.
Jiang Xu's lips curled slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes, and his expression was also faint. "It's been a while. You... have learned to care about people?"
Shi Wan was extremely tense, having been paying close attention since the beginning, but even now, she still found it difficult to discern anything more in Jiang Xu's voice, unsure whether it was sarcasm or something else.
After a moment, Shi Wan lowered her eyes and said, "I have never denied your achievements in making contributions, and naturally I will not hold a grudge against you because of our past grievances."
"In any case, from beginning to end... you are an extremely capable person."
He was beloved by the people, a brilliant military strategist, and a man of great ambition.
Shi Wan choked, paused for a few moments, and when she didn't hear a reply, she lowered her head even further. "Today, I specifically asked the guards for help."
"I... I'll go make you a calming soup; you must be exhausted." She said dryly, "Let's... take a break for the night and rest."
After saying that, she wanted to hurry to the small kitchen next to her, but as soon as she stood up, Jiang Xu grabbed her wrist. Although the force was not strong, Shi Wan was still unable to move.
A sense of unease inexplicably arose within her. "...What's wrong?"
"Just have those guards, or the maids who serve you, come." Jiang Xu stared at her, his eyes filled with scrutiny.
Upon hearing this, Shi Wan felt a pang of panic, almost thinking that this person had suddenly realized something, but she remained expressionless. "They didn't cook it properly, it just doesn't taste right. It would be better if I went myself."
“I had previously studied these kinds of herbal decoctions, so I’m now considered a semi-expert.”
She said, half-jokingly, "I want to cook it for you myself; it seems like I'd be more sincere that way...?"
“I haven’t drunk it many times yet.” Jiang Xu stared at Shi Wan’s slightly trembling eyes, felt her deliberately light breathing for a while, and said calmly, “Sometimes, I feel like I know you very well, but I also feel like I don’t know you that well.”
Jiang Xu didn't refuse, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. Hearing this, she subconsciously glanced at her and calmly said, "I've learned a lot in the past year or so."
People grow up gradually.
She didn't want to say much, so she quickly left after making a few perfunctory remarks. Even as she walked to the door, she could still feel Jiang Xu's gaze on her.
The small kitchen was next to the bedroom. It was called a small kitchen, but it was really just a simple place to brew medicine and heat up food. During this period, Shi Wan's daily meals were brought in by the guards outside and were not cooked in the small kitchen next to her.
Shi Wan mixed the potent calming and sleep-inducing herbs that she had asked Jia Yun to find into the soup. She had her servants test the herbs beforehand. The herbs were enough to make an ordinary woman sleep for half a day, but considering that Jiang Xu was strong and healthy and a martial artist, the efficacy of the herbs would undoubtedly be greatly reduced.
Worried about the dosage, Shi Wan hesitated for a moment and still didn't dare to add too much.
Practice makes perfect, but Jiang Xu has an extremely sensitive nose; the slightest mistake could ruin everything. Therefore, it's best to be cautious.
When they returned to the bedroom, they found the man already leaning against the soft couch, resting with his eyes closed.
Shi Wan placed the soup bowl on the side table, looked up at him, and said, "Drink it while it's hot, so it doesn't get cold."
Jiang Xu seemed to have really listened to what she had said a moment ago. Although the atmosphere between the two was not as good as before, it was much better than last time.
He glanced at the bowl of dark brown medicine, then turned to look at her. His black eyes were extremely deep, as if he could see right through her innermost thoughts and despicable pretense.
Shi Wan felt her heart stop beating.
Fortunately, Jiang Xu's gaze swept over briefly, and he said nothing. He picked up the bowl, blew on it gently twice, and instantly, a wisp of steam rose up, blurring the man's expression. Then, he picked up the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
After finishing the drink, he put the soup bowl back in its original place. It all happened in just a few breaths, nothing out of the ordinary.
Shi Wan blinked and asked, "How is it? How does it taste?"
Jiang Xu was silent for a moment, then chuckled and said, "You finally did something to please me, and you can't wait to exchange it?"
Shi Wan was taken aback, then pursed her lips and said, "I was just asking... to see if my cooking skills have deteriorated."
You're overthinking it.
Jiang Xu's expression remained unchanged as he gently patted his side. "Come here." After a moment, seeing Shi Wan obediently sit down, his mood finally improved somewhat.
He didn't give her a chance to escape. He turned slightly to the side, closing the distance between them. His voice was very low, carrying a certain danger and a hint of magnetism, "Think too much? Maybe not."
Jiang Xu casually untied a silk rope from his neck. Shi Wan's breath caught in her throat, and her gaze involuntarily followed it. The dark gray rope had an ancient jade-like token hanging from it. Upon closer inspection, she saw that it was engraved with intricate patterns.
She keenly realized that this thing was extraordinary. Just as she was pondering it, she heard Jiang Xu say, "This has been with me for many years, and has gone through life and death several times. It can be said to have quite a history."
"Since you've cooked and prepared meals for me, I can't let you leave empty-handed."
He naturally wouldn't tell her that this item was a "protective charm," but it was also a "death warrant."
When Jiang Xu is around, he provides protection; but if he is not around, he becomes a deadly weapon.
Coming to his senses, Jiang Xu said calmly, "You can think of it as a get-out-of-jail-free card, ensuring your safety."
Upon hearing this, Shi Wan suppressed the chaotic thoughts in her heart and tried her best not to tremble too much. She slowly outlined a just-right hesitation on her face, waited for a few breaths, and then reached out to take it.
The token felt cool to the touch, and as you gently stroked it, you could faintly feel the lingering warmth of Jiang Xu's body.
Beside her, Jiang Xu suddenly grasped her hand and asked in a normal tone, "Do you want me to put this on for you?" His eyes were dark and deep, and a very dim light flashed across them, so fast that Shi Wan could hardly catch it.
Only a deep, even slightly teasing voice, each word clear and distinct, reached my ears: "Otherwise..."
"I think you're probably still thinking about it."
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