Chapter 60: Men Must Have Self-Esteem and Self-Love

Shi Bing hurriedly opened his eyes. Seeing Xue Yingxue’s face so close to his, he shut them again immediately. "This humble commoner doesn't know how. My family is poor, and I often cut firewood and carry heavy loads in my youth."

"Carry heavy loads? How heavy can you lift?" Xue Yingxue’s hand moved downward. Shi Bing abruptly opened his eyes, and their gazes locked. Xue Yingxue saw the stir of emotion in his eyes.

Men were simply too easy to manipulate.

*My goodness! When you handle a man like that, of course he's easy to manipulate!*

"Within seventy kilograms, this humble commoner can lift it."

This time, Shi Bing did not close his eyes. He stared straight at Xue Yingxue, an unreadable emotion filling his gaze.

"Hold me." Xue Yingxue’s fingers lightly rubbed against Shi Bing's lower abdomen, her fingertips stained pink with henna, delicate and tender.

"This humble commoner wouldn't dare."

"Don't be afraid. Whatever this princess tells you to do, you do."

Shi Bing raised his leg and stepped out of the water, directly picking Xue Yingxue up in his arms. Xue Yingxue giggled softly and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Placing Xue Yingxue onto the bed, Shi Bing made to dress and leave.

His master had instructed: the more reserved the man, the more the woman will adore him.

A man must have self-respect and self-love!

Xue Yingxue grabbed his arm directly. "You are not allowed to leave! If you dare take another step, this princess will kill you!"

Shi Bing’s hand tightened, and he dropped directly to his knees. "This humble commoner... this humble commoner doesn't know how..."

Xue Yingxue raised her foot and hooked Shi Bing’s chin up. "Get up. Undress me."

Shi Bing slowly stood up, stepped forward, and untied Xue Yingxue’s sash. The man's movements were clumsy and unpractised, which only made Xue Yingxue even happier.

This man was untainted!

Pushing Shi Bing down beneath her, veins bulged on Shi Bing's neck. He suddenly flipped over, pinning Xue Yingxue beneath him as gentle, lingering kisses fell like rain.

"Brother Dongfang..." Lost in passion, Xue Yingxue kept calling out the name of Dongfang Jibai.

Shi Bing resolved to write a letter to his master about this!

If the princess harbored feelings for him, why didn't she just use seduction directly?

Why bother fighting any wars when you could simply conquer the princess right here on the bed?

Shi Bing was an impulsive blockhead with zero technique and pure brute force.

Xue Yingxue lost all sense of time and reality.

Outside the bedchamber, Xiao Yunjin dug his fingernails into his palms until blood welled up.

If not for her status as a princess, he would never have forced himself to fawn over her.

The sounds from inside the room rose wave after wave, making Xiao Yunjin's heart sink deeper and deeper.

He stood outside for two full hours before the noises inside finally ceased.

Shi Bing's voice rang out: "Princess, did this humble commoner serve you comfortably?"

Xue Yingxue had fallen into a deep sleep, so these words were not meant for her—they were meant for Xiao Yunjin.

Shi Bing possessed martial arts skills, and quite formidable ones at that. He had sensed someone eavesdropping outside the moment Xiao Yunjin arrived.

Since the man was so fond of listening, he would make sure Xiao Yunjin got an earful!

If not for the princess's frail constitution, this man would have had to stand outside the door the entire night.

Footsteps sounded outside the door as Xiao Yunjin departed.

Shi Bing let out a long breath of relief. His waist felt as though it might snap, and he reached out to massage his lower back. This job was indeed rather exhausting.

Xiao Yunjin packed his belongings. He had once believed he was special to Xue Yingxue, but now it was clear that Xue Yingxue only wanted men who were useful to her, while he was merely a concubine-born son with limited utility.

When those ordinary pretty boys died, Xue Yingxue did not feel even a trace of sorrow, merely dismissing them with a cold, "Bury them."

Had he not been the son of a ministry secretary's household, Xue Yingxue would never have given him a second glance.

If he were just an ordinary man, he feared Xue Yingxue would be just as ruthless when his time came.

This woman possessed a scheming mind and cared only for herself.

Xiao Yunjin did not return to the ministry secretary's residence. With a single horse and a single pack of luggage, he prepared to leave this heartbreaking place.

He had heard that merchants in Jiangnan were currently doing business with the northern border regions. While he was neither scholarly nor martial, his mind was reasonably sharp. Perhaps he should go to Jiangnan to engage in trade.

Overnight, Xiao Yunjin's mindset underwent a radical transformation.

He had been invisible in his family's mansion, and though he had hoped to be regarded with esteem in the princess's estate, he had turned out to be nothing more than a kept dog for the princess.

Riding off alone into the distance, a dashing young nobleman headed toward Jiangnan.

Xue Yingxue did not see Xiao Yunjin for several days. Assuming he was simply jealous, she figured that if she gave him the cold shoulder for a few days, he would come crawling back like a dog, wagging his tail at her.

Yet five days passed, and Xiao Yunjin still had not appeared.

Summoning a servant to inquire, she learned that Xiao Yunjin had actually stood outside her door the entire night.

Clenching her fists tightly, a flash of annoyance crossed Xue Yingxue's eyes before she shook her head. "So be it. Let him go. What kind of dogs does this princess lack?"

In the distance, Shi Bing was studying on a woven reed mat.

Shi Bing's routine had become strictly regulated: studying by day, keeping her company in bed by night!

His standard of living had skyrocketed.

Xue Yingxue had even invited a grand tutor to personally instruct Shi Bing.

Shi Bing was naturally suited for scholarship; it was precisely because of his sharp mind that he had been valued by Dongfang Jibai.

Dongfang Jibai never kept idlers by his side.

After receiving pointers from the grand tutor, Shi Bing experienced a sudden flash of enlightenment and applied himself even more diligently to his studies.

During the upcoming imperial examinations, he had a strong chance of placing in the top three—provided the princess pulled strings for him.

The imperial court was currently controlled by the eldest prince, but Xue Yingxue was not the least bit anxious. A victory now was not a true victory; once the emperor awoke and the imperial edict was formally promulgated, that would be the true triumph.

The court was a foul and smoky mess, and Xue Ping was utterly unsuited to be emperor.

While Dongfang Jibai was already building his own autonomous military power at Yanmen Pass, Xue Ping was still squabbling in the imperial capital with his own younger brother and elder sister.

The second prince no longer attended court sessions, partly out of sheer fury and partly because he had been terrified by Xue Ping's beatings.

Acting completely unhinged, Xue Ping had actually beaten a prince's backside in public!

The second prince could not afford to lose face like that, so he chose to hide away.

Since the emperor fell gravely ill, the third prince had gone to the imperial ancestral temple to pray for the emperor's health, voluntarily bowing out of the succession.

In the Golden Throne Hall.

The Minister of Revenue stepped forward to report, "Your Highness, a great number of commoners have poured into Yanmen Pass. This might lead to complications."

"What complications could there be? Yanmen Pass is barren; if the commoners actually go there and develop the place, this prince should praise them for being hardworking."

Xue Ping looked over the memorial submitted by the prefect of Yanmen: *[To the Eldest Prince: All is well at Yanmen Pass, the people live and work in peace, and there are no anomalies among the troops.]*

How concise the writing was; at a glance, one could tell there were no problems.

The Minister of Revenue shook his head and slowly stepped back.

The Junior Vice Minister of War, Pang Xu, stepped forward cautiously and said, "Your Highness, the Grand General has yet to wake up. Perhaps we should summon him back to the capital? Recuperating in the capital would make it much easier for the imperial physicians to treat him."

"Nonsense! The Grand General is in robust health! You are spreading rumors!"

Xue Ping directly hurled Pang Xu's memorial down at his feet.

Xue Yingxue nearly burst out laughing. What a pig-headed fool!

Yanmen Pass was practically on the verge of rebellion, yet he was still acting as though the world was peaceful and prosperous!

"When will His Majesty wake up?" The Minister of Revenue stepped forward once more. He was advanced in age, and even Xue Ping did not dare treat him with disrespect.

"My imperial father is already able to eat. In a few days, he will be able to attend court normally. Report any important matters to this prince, and I will naturally relay them to my father."

Xue Ping's voice softened for once, though the expression on his face remained entirely devoid of ambition.

Eunuch De announced the adjournment of court in a shrill voice.

Xue Yingxue was the first to leave. Staying in the same room as Xue Ping made her worry she might catch his stupidity!

If Xue Ping weren't still useful, she would have killed that big dummy long ago!

Hurrying back to the palace, she went straight to her new favorite.

That Shi Bing was clever and quick-witted, excelled at analyzing the political situation, and knew how to amuse her; she had no desire to waste time anywhere else in the palace.