She Rebuilt Her Fallen Country With Storage Space-Chapter 184: Since We Are Enemies, There Is No Need for Words!

Chapter 184: Chapter 184: Since We Are Enemies, There Is No Need for Words!

The Sixth Prince sneered, "How dare Lu Hong pay lip service but act against me? I want Xiang Ying, but what is this thing he has sent instead?"

He never expected the usually obedient Lu Hong to dare defy him.

The Sixth Prince flung his sleeves, "Since he won’t give her to me, I’ll go find her myself!"

Seeing him about to leave, Xiang Qianqian quickly stepped forward and clung to his arm.

"Your Highness! Please don’t go," Xiang Qianqian looked up, her eyes brimming with moisture, "The Lord Governor is doing this out of consideration for you."

"For me?" The Sixth Prince raised an eyebrow, "Let’s hear you explain that."

In her urgency, Xiang Qianqian wielded the same set of flattery she used to win her Father’s favor.

"You are the most prestigious Prince, and surely the Emperor of Nanyue is aware of this. Sending you to Mei City was to refine your abilities and to secure the genuine submission of us captives from Xizhou."

"Nanyue’s Princes are so outstanding, let alone the Emperor. Therefore, that you did not meet my older sister is her bad fortune. The governor fears your troubles, considering if word were to spread, what would the Emperor of Nanyue think of you?"

"It would impact your reputation and prestige. Qianqian may not have many talents, but she has read more books than my sister and is versed in poetry and lyrics. She would not disappoint Your Highness."

Toward the end, she tilted her head down slightly, a shy blush rising on her cheeks.

A flicker of understanding crossed the narrowed eyes of the Sixth Prince.

He reached out and hooked Xiang Qianqian’s chin, his tone meaningful, "These words are charming indeed, but ultimately you seek to advocate for yourself. Are you trying to please me?"

Xiang Qianqian trembled slightly, her eyes fluttering, and by accident, the cloth slipped off her shoulder, revealing her fair skin.

Pretending ignorance, she softly said, "Qianqian naturally admires the strong. Your Highness is so handsome, no woman could resist."

The Sixth Prince was quite pleased by her flattery.

So he sat back down, and, seeing this, a little maid respectfully withdrew.

Elated, Xiang Qianqian was about to stand up, saying, "Let Qianqian pour wine for Your Highness."

"No need. Just kneel," The Sixth Prince poured his own wine, his gaze full of mockery and disdain, "You shall remain kneeling until Xiang Ying arrives. If I cannot see the person I wish to, I’ve no interest in others."

Qianqian was taken aback, her face turning an embarrassed pallor.

Her fingers tightened into her palm where they rested on her knees.

Xiang Ying, Xiang Ying, why is it always her?

Just now, upon hearing the maids shouting, she thought Xiang Ying had really run off.

That’s why she had volunteered to come see the Sixth Prince in her place. She managed to secure the opportunity, but this prince was so obstinately immovable.

Xiang Qianqian could only kneel down obediently.

After half an hour, the Sixth Prince, having eaten his fill, tossed a piece of dry bread into Qianqian’s lap.

"A reward for you, eat it."

Xiang Qianqian clutched the bread, momentarily stunned.

The Sixth Prince caught a glimpse of this and sneered inwardly.

No matter how esteemed these former princesses of Xizhou were, they’re now so destitute they’re stunned by mere dry bread?

Such lack of sophistication. It seems Xiang Ying should be even easier to deal with.

However, the faint disdain that surfaced in Xiang Qianqian’s eyes went unnoticed by him.

Xiang Qianqian thought, this bread reeks of staleness, not nearly as good as what Jie Chen distributed during her exile.

Even the bread made by Xiang Ying herself was like many layers of crisp flakiness. She had once seen Tao Xue and the others biting into it, the crisp sound even audible to her.

Is this all the Sixth Prince has to offer?

Just then, the Sixth Prince put on an aloof front, "Xiang Ying could have enjoyed such good treatment too, but her absence today is her own misfortune."

"Mei City’s provisions are limited, and I can offer these; once I return to the Capital, I will give even more. But since Xiang Ying is so ungrateful, I believe she must have some backbone, so let her continue to starve."

Xiang Qianqian snapped back to reality, a gleam flickered in the depths of her eyes.

So Xiang Ying was like her, also starving these days?

She immediately showed a smile: "Your Highness’s favor, Qianqian is aware."

Due to drought and famine, Mei City didn’t have much food left, but the Sixth Prince’s food would never be lacking, just this fact alone made her superior to Xiang Ying!

Seeing that Xiang Qianqian was agreeable, the Sixth Prince finally waved her over to share the leftovers from his meal.

Xiang Qianqian, who had been starving for days, tried to maintain ladylike manners, but still couldn’t help gobbling the food voraciously.

The Sixth Prince sneered, "Do you like it? Then help me with something at the banquet the day after tomorrow."

Xiang Qianqian nodded repeatedly: "Whatever Your Highness wishes to do, Qianqian will do her utmost."

The Sixth Prince leaned in and whispered.

Meanwhile, on Fenglin Slope, a slanting, dim moonlight.

Before Yan Jing arrived, he thought Jie Chen would converge with a grand army and have an ambush waiting for him.

But when he arrived, he only saw Jie Chen mounted on horseback, alone.

Yet his aura was astonishing, his tall figure on the horseback, bathed in moonlight, cold and statue-like.

Yan Jing paused, walking forward: "I wonder why the Vice General summoned me in the dead of night, to a place like this. Could it be you have some clandestine dealings you can’t expose?"

Jie Chen’s eyes, cold as frosty stars, swept him with one glance.

"Calling you here, I have but one question. Once it’s clear, whether we are enemies or friends, all will be apparent."

Yan Jing felt a surge of doubt in his heart.

His connection with Jie Chen was distant, what friendship was there to speak of?

As for being enemies, it was not quite so dire.

Currently under the Sixth Prince’s command, he had become disillusioned and was preparing to seek another path.

"What does the Vice General wish to say?"

"All I want to know is, back when Old Prince Gong at his travel palace was assassinated, and Princess Consort Zhuang gave her life to save him, sparing his life, Old Prince Gong promised to repay her. Before Princess Consort Zhuang died, she entrusted a message to Old Prince Gong, why didn’t he lift a finger to help?"

Having said this, Jie Chen raised his sword, pointing the blade directly at Yan Jing.

He repeated it once more: "Why didn’t he help!"

If Old Prince Gong had acted then, his own mother wouldn’t have died such a miserable death.

The Sixth Prince’s birth mother died of illness when he was two, and in the entire palace, nobody wanted to raise this prince of lowly birth—only Princess Consort Zhuang, seeing his pitiable state, took him in, to keep Jie Chen company.

And after Princess Consort Zhuang died, Jie Chen was sent to Xizhou, and by the time he received the news, the strategist who once served Old Prince Gong had astonishingly joined the Sixth Prince’s command.

What a joke it was to say a life-saving debt should be repaid with a life!

Yan Jing stood rooted to the spot.

He stared at Jie Chen blankly: "Who are you, and how do you know Princess Consort Zhuang once sent a message to Old Prince Gong?"

Jie Chen, however, was unwilling to answer; his eyes were black as the lupus stars at night.

He was born with a pair of sword-like eyebrows, sharp and unsheathed like blades, penetrating into his temples, dark and neat. At this moment, he frowned slightly, and between those brows, it seemed as though a storm was brewing, a murderous aura hitting one in the face.

"My identity is no longer important. Since you are aware that Princess Consort Zhuang once sent a message to Old Prince Gong, it seems that indeed he turned a blind eye to her death!"

Jie Chen flicked his sword, and with a cold voice said, "If we are enemies, there’s no need for further words!"

With that, he hurled himself forward with the sword, ready to put Yan Jing to the sword in one strike!