Chapter 46 Treating her like a plaything
His demeanor was languid and casual, yet his words were irresistible.
Jiang Zhi really had no idea what Xiao Xuanyou was trying to do.
The two of them had never crossed paths in their lives, and this was their first meeting at the Northern Garrison. Why would he ask her to participate in the selection of the Crown Princess?
"Miss Jiang, are you hesitating because you don't want to go?"
"Your Highness, I am overwhelmed by the good news and I am so happy that I am stunned," Jiang Zhi could only bite the bullet and reply, "Your Highness, I will obey your orders."
At worst, she could just feign illness and not go. Could Xiao Xuanyou really come to the Jiang residence and take her away from Chuntang Garden?
Seeing her angry but not daring to speak out, Xiao Xuanyou's displeasure at her aloofness dissipated, and he couldn't help but tease her, "Miss Jiang, don't worry, it's just that I'm letting you participate in the selection. You don't need to be afraid that I will ultimately choose you."
Jiang Zhi felt extremely frustrated.
Why not choose her, yet force her to become a concubine? Is Xiao Xuanyou deliberately making fun of her, or does he have ulterior motives?
She recalled a rumor from her past life.
The Crown Prince's originally chosen Crown Princess was Li Jinyao, the eldest daughter of Prime Minister Li.
Unfortunately, after the engagement was made, Li Jinyao contracted a persistent cough. The Li family consulted numerous renowned doctors, but to no avail. Her health deteriorated day by day, and she became emaciated and soon passed away.
Xiao Xuanyou's marriage was put on hold, and he was indifferent by nature and did not care about matters between men and women. He had no concubines or mistresses and would visit his fiancée's spirit tablet to pay respects every year.
The world praises the Crown Prince for his loyalty and devotion to Li Jinyao, saying he is a rare and devoted lover in the imperial family.
When Jiang Zhi heard these words, she had only one thought.
As expected of the crown prince, Xiao Xuanyou's skills in managing his subordinates are truly remarkable. He can even use his own life's most important matter to win people's hearts.
Prime Minister Li is in his prime and dotes on Li Jinyao. Seeing how much Xiao Xuanyou values his deceased daughter, he will surely be grateful to Xiao Xuanyou and become even more loyal.
As for the selection of the new Crown Princess, Jiang Zhi thought it would be either the second daughter of the Rongguo Duke's family or the eldest daughter of the Cui family of Qinghe, both of which were prestigious families with great power.
As for why Xiao Xuanyou insisted on having him participate, it was probably because these two families were too conspicuous, and someone like him, whose background was not high enough, was needed to balance things out and avoid appearing too snobbish.
Thinking of this, Jiang Zhi's previous frustration dissipated, and she said calmly, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, I would never be so delusional as to covet the position of Crown Princess. I will certainly remain dutiful and dare not have the slightest thought of overstepping my bounds."
Xiao Xuanyou was just teasing her, but hearing her so eager to distance herself from the situation, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.
Just like in the dream, she indeed had no feelings for him.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have refused to bear his child, preferring to lose her life rather than drink that abortion pill.
Even if there were no romantic feelings involved, he would still keep her by his side.
He had never been so eager to be with someone forever, and he would never allow her to escape.
"It would be best if Miss Jiang thought that way."
Xiao Xuanyou released her hand, which he had been holding, and finally revealed the purpose of his visit.
"By the way, Yan Wenkang's guilt in the assassination case has been determined, and Father has ordered his execution in the autumn. You can rest assured now."
Before Jiang Zhi could even feel happy, she remembered something, and her face immediately turned ugly. "It's just Yan Wenkang?"
Yan Wenkang was not the mastermind behind this incident; the Zhongqin Earl's Mansion and the Third Prince behind them were the real culprits.
Without Yan Wenkang's intervention, it would have been extremely difficult to find any clues about this assassination.
Yin Xian'er died mysteriously, and the government would not offend Xiao Xuanyou because of a prostitute.
Yuan Zhao, a martial monk from Puzhao Temple, was only seeking revenge for his lover. Even after being captured and subjected to severe torture, he was unable to reveal the mastermind behind it.
Once Yuan Zhao succeeds, he will directly eliminate a major threat to the Third Prince, which can be described as entirely beneficial without any harm.
Xiao Xuanyou's complexion was also not very good.
"In order to protect Yan Wenhong, the Zhongqin Earl's Mansion abandoned Yan Wenkang and put all the blame on him. Yan Wenkang was unaware of Yan Wenhong's specific plans, and no matter how the Embroidered Uniform Guard tortured him, they couldn't get him to talk."
"Furthermore, Father Emperor has always known Yan Wenkang's lecherous nature. Although he was furious that Yan Wenkang had murdered a prostitute and implicated me, he did not implicate the Zhongqin Earl's family, let alone the Third Prince. I have already told Lu Yuan about my suspicions and asked him to investigate some evidence in secret, but it may not yield any results."
The details of this matter in the dream were extremely vague. Xiao Xuanyou only knew that Earl Zhongqin was eventually involved in a treason case, his family property was confiscated, and he was exiled, but he was not clear about the reasons why this happened.
We'll just have to take the time to investigate.
Jiang Zhi took a deep breath to calm herself down, trying her best not to lose her composure.
Even though Yan Wenkang has been brought to justice, the Zhongqin Earl's Mansion remains standing. They will only vent their anger on her, the "murderer" who killed Yan Wenkang.
She was alone and powerless, with no family to rely on, and could be dragged into the abyss if she wasn't careful.
Moreover, her hatred for the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion could not be ended by the death of Yan Wenkang alone.
Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she quickly composed herself. "Thank you for informing me of this matter, Your Highness."
"You must be careful in the future. The Earl of Zhongqin's mansion will definitely not let this go. I have already deployed people around the Jiang residence to protect your safety. Do not go out easily during this period unless necessary."
Jiang Zhi was very puzzled as to why Xiao Xuanyou cared so much about her.
Surely he wouldn't actually be interested in her, would he?
But she quickly gave a self-deprecating smile.
Xiao Xuanyou appears to be a gentle and refined person, but in reality, he is heartless.
In her past life, after she learned of his identity, she wanted to ask him to at least take her away from Qifeng Tower, even if he didn't give her a title.
Xiao Xuanyou smiled on the surface, but never actually agreed.
He just watched her suffer scorn and struggle to survive in the brothel, yet he wouldn't even do something that he could easily do with his status.
It's clear that he only treated her as a plaything to vent his lust.
Jiang Zhi felt a chill in her heart and used the bow to create distance between herself and him. "Thank you for your protection, Your Highness. However, it is getting late, and my family is waiting. Please forgive me for not being able to continue talking with Your Highness."
He could have someone keep an eye on her if he wanted; with the Crown Prince around, the Earl of Zhongqin's mansion wouldn't dare to go too far, which would be to her advantage.
Seeing that it was almost time, Xiao Xuanyou could only linger for a few more glances before nodding and letting her go.
The little palace maid who had just disappeared reappeared and led her out of the palace.
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