Chapter 289 If only the bait wasn't Jiang Zhi
Jiang Zhi slept very soundly that night.
But when I woke up, my palms were sore for some reason, as if they had been rubbed red by something.
It was probably scratched on the hot spring rock wall.
She didn't take it to heart.
She was still in the villa. It was getting dark. She had slept all afternoon without eating, and now a feeling of hunger was rising in her heart.
Hearing the noise, Qingxing came in and brought her the bird's nest porridge that had been simmering on the stove.
"Miss, please have something to eat first. I will immediately instruct the kitchen to prepare the meal."
Jiang Zhi asked her, "Where is the teacher?"
"The son-in-law is currently receiving guests in the front hall."
Jiang Zhi couldn't help but feel puzzled.
Why would a guest choose to come to such a secluded courtyard instead of the Shen residence?
She took a few sips of porridge and got up. "No need to serve the meal. I'll go take a look first."
When they arrived at the front yard, they saw Shen Ci'an seeing off a guest.
Jiang Zhi, not wanting to see outsiders, stayed hidden to the side.
The man was wearing a cloak and a hood. Although his face was not visible, his tall figure looked somewhat familiar.
After Shen Ci'an saw the person off, Jiang Zhi stepped forward and asked him, "Master, who was that person?"
Shen Ci'an's eyes flickered, and he asked her, "Have you had dinner yet?"
“Master, who is he?” Jiang Zhi became even more suspicious when Shen Ci’an remained silent. “You never used to hide things from me.”
Shen Ci'an sighed, "It's not that I wanted to hide it from you, it's that I was afraid you'd be angry if you found out."
Jiang Zhi raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"He is the heir apparent of the King of Xiang."
Jiang Zhi almost thought she had misheard.
"Master, you should know that Xiao Yunheng has tried to kill me time and time again. Why do you associate with him?"
"Let's go inside. It's cool outside. I'll tell you slowly." Shen Ci'an took her hand and led her back to the backyard.
Jiang Zhi followed him into the house with a stern face, as if he wouldn't let the matter rest until he made things clear to her.
Shen Ci'an smiled helplessly, "Does Miss think I betrayed you?"
"Isn't that right?"
"The Crown Prince of Xiang promised me that as long as I help him, he will not harm you and will guarantee your safety."
Jiang Zhi frowned. "He's hurt me so many times, do I still need him to guarantee my safety?"
“Young Miss, no matter how the Crown Prince and the Prince of Xiang fight, it is of no concern to me as a subject, but I cannot allow these disturbances to endanger you.”
"So, you're going to work for him?" Jiang Zhi took a deep breath. "Master, are you going to stand against me?"
Shen Ci'an looked at Jiang Zhi with a clear and cold gaze.
She was sulking, her brows furrowed as she glared at him.
He pulled her to his side and softened his tone, "The secret guards and assassins that the Prince of Xiang has trained over the years have all been dealt with by His Highness the Crown Prince. Moreover, his position is illegitimate, and he doesn't have many people he can rely on."
"I opposed him before, and if I switch sides to him now, it won't arouse suspicion from anyone, especially the Crown Prince. That's why he came to me."
Jiang Zhi's anger intensified. "Since you've decided to help Xiao Yunheng, then there's nothing more for us to talk about."
She shook off his hand and was about to leave.
Shen Ci'an hugged her from behind, "Miss, shouldn't you let me finish what I have to say?"
He knew that if he didn't make things clear this time, the young lady would probably never talk to him again.
Jiang Zhi pursed her lips, without turning around, and said, "Okay, then you go ahead."
"I'll pretend to secretly pledge allegiance to him, gain his trust, and guarantee your safety—"
Shen Ci'an buried his head in the back of her neck, inhaling her scent deeply, as if only in this way could he soothe the unease in his heart.
"Find the last opportunity to deliver a fatal blow."
Jiang Zhi's heart skipped a beat. Realizing she had misunderstood him, she immediately turned around. "Master, you could clearly..."
He could have been a loyal subject and avoided getting involved in factional struggles, but he chose to participate in these internal royal conflicts for her sake.
“But I’m feeling terrible right now,” Shen Ci’an said in a muffled voice. “As your husband, it seems you’ve never believed me.”
Jiang Zhi was stunned, and immediately felt embarrassed and apologetic.
“I’m sorry, Master, I thought you were after power… I was wrong, it’s all my fault.”
Shen Ci'an took her hand and placed it on his face. "There's no need to apologize. As long as my wife hugs me, I won't be sad anymore."
Jiang Zhi hissed and pulled her hand back, saying, "It hurts."
"What's wrong?" Shen Ci'an asked with concern as he examined her palm.
"It's nothing, I probably just got it in the hot spring. I'll have Qingxing apply some medicine later," Jiang Zhi said, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Since you're so honest with me, I also have something to say to you."
Shen Ci'an's expression was somewhat unnatural, but he still let Qingxing bring in the ointment first, and took her hand off his waist. "Okay, go ahead and tell me."
The cool, refreshing ointment felt wonderful on her palms. Jiang Zhi enjoyed Shen Ci'an's care and told him about the decision she and Xiao Xuanyou had discussed in Chengguang Hall.
However, the more Shen Ci'an listened, the more his brows furrowed.
"The Crown Prince actually intends to use you as bait?"
Jiang Zhi shook her head. "It's a mutual cooperation. I'm doing it voluntarily, and this matter won't pose any danger to me."
"You won't?" Shen Ci'an's gaze turned cold. "But the Crown Prince is the greatest danger to you."
“Don’t worry, Master, he’s no longer the Crown Prince he used to be,” Jiang Zhi told him about Xiao Xuanyou’s transformation in Yao City. “He promised me that he would not force me to do anything again.”
Shen Ci'an sighed heavily.
“Since you have made your decision, I will do my best to cooperate. And since I am now planning to defect to the Prince of Xiang, I can use this opportunity to confuse him.”
“Master, I knew you would help me.” Jiang Zhi couldn’t help but rub against his lean chest.
With Shen Ci'an's cooperation, the plan will proceed more smoothly.
Now only Lu Yuan's side remains, which might be more difficult to handle.
We should tell him about this as soon as possible.
Although Shen Ci'an agreed, he couldn't help but worry.
Xiao Yunheng had previously planned to use Jiang Zhi to sow discord between the Crown Prince and Xie Qi.
The Crown Prince now plans to turn the tables on Xiao Yunheng, making him believe that he still has a lingering obsession with Jiang Zhi, thus inducing Xiao Yunheng to reveal his ambitions and allowing the Emperor to see his true colors.
The plan sounds good—if only the bait wasn't Jiang Zhi.
But there's no better way right now.
Rather than not knowing what methods Xiao Yunheng would use to deal with Jiang Zhi, keeping things under control is a form of protection for the young lady.
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