Chapter 15: The Obsessive, Lustful Hostage Prince and the Doted-Upon, Arrogant Princess (15)

The bottom and sides of the pool were paved with mutton-fat jade, arranged in the shape of a blooming begonia flower. Spring water gushed from a dragon’s mouth at the bottom, creating a murmuring sound as layers of mist curled upward, blurring the view.

Shu Yao stepped into the jade pool with bare feet. Droplets of water splashed onto the Eastern pearls embedded in the pool walls, refracting into tiny, shimmering halos. Handmaidens carrying flower baskets scattered rose petals into the water, filling the room with a rich, intoxicating floral fragrance.

"Is the pressure comfortable, Your Highness?" Wantao asked, gently massaging Shu Yao’s temples.

"It is perfect."

Shu Yao leaned against the crimson wall. The warm water softened her limbs, washing away her fatigue. As drowsiness washed over her, she rested her head against the pool’s edge and closed her eyes.

*The spring chill gifts a bath in the Huaqing Pool; the smooth hot spring water washes over skin like congealed fat.*

Her long, waterfall-like hair clung to her snow-white back. With her makeup washed away, her face appeared even more beautiful, devoid of any sharp, aggressive edge.

On the roof, a man in black, his movements agile and powerful, accidentally caught a glimpse of this scene. His breath hitched instantly. He quickly regained his composure, turned his head away, and shut his eyes, though his increasingly rapid breathing betrayed his inner turmoil.

Absurd.

He had been scouting the palace grounds, never intending to stumble upon this wicked woman bathing. Shen Jingmu clutched his chest, wanting to leave immediately.

"Your Highness, the fur collar has arrived."

These words stopped him in his tracks. He stayed pressed against the roof, staring intently at the fur collar Wantao was holding. Even as he tried to look away, his gaze kept drifting toward the space behind the screen. Shen Jingmu swallowed hard, the pounding in his chest aching.

A dissolute woman.

Bathing with only a few defenseless maids guarding her—was she not afraid of being seen?

Shu Yao left the pool, and Wantao immediately wrapped a towel around her. "As you commanded, Your Highness, the texture and color of the fur were selected to be identical to that beast's. No one will notice the difference."

Shen Jingmu froze, unable to fathom what she was planning. Could it be that she hadn't killed that wolfhound after all? If not, why create the illusion of its death and go to such lengths to find an identical fur collar?

Shu Yao stroked the wolf-fur collar. The black and white mottled pattern was easy to match; even Zhaoyang would likely be unable to distinguish it from the original. "Well done."

After she dressed, Wantao fastened the collar around her. In the hazy bronze mirror, the woman’s fair face was reflected. "This collar suits you perfectly, Your Highness."

Shu Yao was delighted and tossed her a handful of gold melon seeds as a reward. With this collar, she could show it off before Princess Zhaoyang, and the plot point regarding the "slaughter of the dog" should be complete. She could already imagine Zhaoyang’s face turning red with fury.

Shu Yao could not hide her smile, and Wantao, watching her, couldn't help but shiver.

On the roof, Shen Jingmu took in every detail of the woman’s expression. She seemed malicious and devious, yet the venomous aura she once possessed was gone. She looked more like a child playing a prank.

Something was very wrong. In his memory, Princess Jianing was selfish and treated human life like blades of grass. But now, it seemed she was different from the rumors. If that was the case, had she saved him on purpose during the birthday banquet?

As he lost himself in thought, a roof tile shifted beneath his feet.

*Clack!*

The sound of shattering pottery immediately caught Wantao’s attention.

"Who’s there!"

She leapt onto the rafters, but aside from the hole left by the broken tile, there was no one to be seen.

"Seize the assassin!"

The guards sent by Emperor Chu'an mobilized instantly, searching everywhere. Shen Jingmu returned to Zhangtai Palace in the dark. The first thing he did was strip off his night-traveling gear and put on his usual ragged clothes.

"Master." Cen Mo and Cen Yan returned at the same time, rushing to report. "There was an assassination attempt in the inner palace, the operation—"

Before they could finish, they noticed their master’s face was alarmingly flushed.

"Master, what’s wrong with your face? Do you have a fever?" Cen Mo instinctively reached out to check Shen Jingmu’s forehead.

Shen Jingmu swatted him away with disgust and spat out a single word: "Get out."

Cen Yan ignored the foolish interaction and bowed. "Our men heard that Princess Jianing encountered an assassin while bathing. The palace is being searched, so we were forced to return."

Cen Mo was furious. They had been planning for days, and just as they were about to strike, an incompetent assassin had to show up. "Who sent them? Do they have no brains? Why go after a vase-like princess? And during her bath, no less!"

"If they had just finished the job, it would have been fine, but they didn't kill her and only alerted the guards. Now it will be much harder for us to act." Cen Mo gritted his teeth, crossing his arms. "I suspect it wasn't an assassin, but a lecher."

Cen Yan listened silently, catching a glimpse of Shen Jingmu’s dark, thunderous expression. He realized something was wrong and nudged Cen Mo’s arm.

"Hey, don't push me." Cen Mo was on a roll, wishing he could drag the assassin out and tear him apart. "Am I wrong? If that assassin had killed Princess Jianing, I would have respected him as a man. But now? Bah!"

After venting, he suddenly felt the atmosphere turn chilling. He turned his head and saw that Cen Yan had retreated to the farthest corner of the room.

??

Cen Mo felt a sense of unease. He turned to face Shen Jingmu’s icy, emotionless gaze.

"Ma... Master, why are you looking at me like that?" he whispered, "It’s terrifying."

Shen Jingmu licked his teeth and smiled. "Do you know who that assassin was?"

Cen Mo rolled his eyes, instinctively wanting to say he didn't know, but he saw Cen Yan in the corner signaling him frantically, pointing repeatedly toward Shen Jingmu. Cen Mo was confused for a moment before sudden realization dawned on him.

"Master, you peeked at Princess Jianing bathing?!"

*He’s beyond saving.* Cen Yan sighed deeply, covering his eyes, unable to watch.

"I was wrong, Master! Don't hit so hard!"

"Ouch! Not the face!"

-

That night, small gasps could be heard inside Zhangtai Palace. Cen Mo applied medicine to his face in front of a bronze mirror, wincing in pain. "Master was too harsh. Just because I said he peeked at Princess Jianing bathing, he beat me like this."

"You did it to yourself." Cen Yan said, "Keep your mouth shut, or he’ll beat you again." He pushed the medicine toward Cen Mo with annoyance. "Master is a man of pride; how could you speak of him like that? In your eyes, is that the kind of person he is?"

*Pig-headed.* Cen Yan couldn't believe Cen Mo had the audacity to say those things. Master peeking at Princess Jianing? That would only happen if the earth swallowed the sky. Master despised Princess Jianing above all else and had wanted to eliminate her more than once. He only bided his time because the grand cause was not yet achieved. He would avoid her if he could; why would he go out of his way to peek?

Cen Mo felt wronged, like Dou E. "I was just making a reasonable deduction. Didn't you see the way Master looked at Princess Jianing during the autumn hunt? It wasn't simple."

It wasn't the look one gives an enemy; it was the look a man gives a woman. Princess Jianing was the greatest beauty in the capital; it was normal for Master to have other thoughts about her. He just wouldn't let anyone say it.

Before Cen Yan could respond, a very light, shallow sound of footsteps on the stone path reached them from outside the hall.

"Your Highness, Princess Zhaoyang requests an audience."