Chapter 16: The Madman’s Insatiable Prince x The Pampered and Willful Princess (16)

“Princess Zhaoyang? What is she doing here again? Does she really think the lord would cooperate with her?” Cen Mo sneered coldly. He disliked the Chu people, especially this ambitious Princess Zhaoyang.

But Cen Yan disagreed, “It’s not impossible.”

If Princess Zhaoyang truly harbored hatred for the Great Chu Kingdom as much as the lord did, she could become the greatest ally in the lord’s campaign to crush Chu.

After all, no one knew the treacherous imperial palace better than a princess.

Princess Zhaoyang was invited in by Cen Yan.

The young man, dressed in worn clothes, sat quietly at the desk practicing calligraphy.

No matter how innocent he appeared, Zhaoyang knew in her heart that he was the most deeply concealed beast in the entire imperial city.

The eldest prince was simple-minded, his thoughts plainly written on his face. He relied on the favor of his birth mother and his extraordinary martial prowess to gain the emperor’s attention.

The third prince was cunning and strategic, but because of that, he was feared by the emperor.

As for the fifth prince, he was nothing more than a worthless follower of the third prince.

Other princes were even less significant, lacking any real standing.

She did not want to rely on any of them. She had a strong premonition that the final victor would definitely be this young hostage prince who had suffered so much humiliation.

This imperial city, buried beneath countless dried bones, was long overdue for change.

“Your Highness,” Zhaoyang respectfully bowed as Cen Yan led her to sit beside him.

“What is it?”

“I have come this time hoping Your Highness will fulfill your previous promise and cooperate with me.”

“Cooperate?”

Shen Jingmu pondered those words. “And what value do you think you can bring me?”

Zhaoyang’s smile stiffened. Seeing the young man seemed uninterested in cooperation, she frowned, “What do you mean by that?”

“You spoke those words yourself. Now that the fifth prince lies unconscious and the surrender rites have been delivered, are you planning to betray me?”

Shen Jingmu neither confirmed nor denied. He put down his brush and lazily looked over.

“Allow me to ask, why do you hate Great Chu so deeply? After all, you are a princess of noble birth. Why take on the crime of treason?”

“Princess?” Zhaoyang laughed bitterly. “What a so-called princess.”

“My situation here is no different from yours. It’s just an empty title.”

Shen Jingmu showed a glimmer of interest. “Is that all?”

Zhaoyang glared fiercely at him. “Isn’t it enough?”

“From birth, everyone called me princess, but they all despised me to the bone. They knew I was unloved, so they took advantage without restraint. I’ve long since had enough of this life.”

He could understand that.

Shen Jingmu tapped his fingers and tentatively said, “I heard on the day of the autumn hunt, Princess Jianing snatched away the wolfhound you painstakingly hunted.”

A flicker of pain crossed Zhaoyang’s eyes.

The deliberately forgotten memory was like reopening a nearly healed wound.

“Yes. She is spoiled. If she sets her sights on something, she will stop at nothing to get it.”

Shen Jingmu smiled ambiguously.

“Don’t you hate her?”

“I do! How could I not!” Zhaoyang bit her teeth. “Even my Frost Blossom died by her hands!”

She had raised Frost Blossom for two years; it was the only solace she could find in this endless life.

Yet Jianing had drowned it alive. Now the wolfhound she desired also met a cruel end at her hands.

Why?

Though she had humbled herself and never provoked them, why press her relentlessly to the brink of death?

The young man’s eyes curved slightly, his thin lips parted to speak with seductive allure.

“Do you want her dead?”

“Of course I do.” Zhaoyang clenched her palm so tightly she didn’t even notice the blood seeping out. “I want her, everyone, dead.”

Could mere bullying kindle such deep hatred?

Shen Jingmu suspected there was a deeper secret behind it all.

But he had no interest in old grievances.

“Deal. Once this is done, what will you ask for?”

Without hesitation, Zhaoyang answered, “Freedom.”

Watching Zhaoyang’s retreating figure, Cen Mo asked in confusion, “Master, why deliberately provoke Princess Zhaoyang? Clearly…”

Clearly Princess Jianing did not kill that wolfhound…

Cen Mo dared not finish his sentence.

Shen Jingmu replied, “Isn’t it amusing to see two sisters, once close, tearing each other apart?”

Anyway, the revered princess did not want her to find out about this matter, so he might as well give it a push.

She should be grateful to him.

He was genuinely curious—what was the spoiled princess’s purpose in doing all this? To cement her vicious reputation?

How amusing.

—

Autumn had come, and the drizzling rain soaked the entire imperial city, making the vermilion walls appear bleak and desolate.

Palace maids all donned thick cotton clothes and swept the fallen leaves along the palace paths in the rain.

“Wan Tao, bring that scarlet dress.”

The maid prepared over a dozen dresses for Shu Yao to choose from. Shu Yao naturally selected the most magnificent and dazzling one.

To stir up envy before the female lead, she had to dress well.

Inside Fengchen Hall, the teacher’s lecture sounded calm and orderly.

Originally, the protagonist had intended to attend, but her bad temper drove away several teachers, so Emperor Chu’an excused her from classes.

“Princess Jianing has arrived!”

The shrill voice of a eunuch interrupted the lesson. The noble ladies inside all looked towards the door in alarm.

Kong Tai, standing at the lectern, was so frightened he dropped his book.

“This is bad. Why has this ancestor come again?”

“Mr. Kong, how have you been lately?”

The voice came before the person.

Shu Yao walked in slowly, a scarlet brocade dress trailing on the ground, the long skirt wrapping her graceful figure. Golden hairpins jingled as she moved.

Her skin was fairer than fresh snow, lips like crimson beads seemingly dripping rouge tears. The lotus embroidery on her sleeves, a pattern exclusive to palace matrons, made her appearance strikingly gorgeous.

The wolf fur collar around her neck was particularly eye-catching.

When the noble ladies saw her face clearly, their eyes widened.

Most had never met the rumored Princess Jianing, only heard tales of her viciousness and selfishness, but also her undeniable beauty.

Now seeing her, whether vicious or not, her beauty was undeniable.

Kong Tai broke out in a cold sweat, hurriedly setting down his book to greet her, clinging to a last shred of hope, “Princess, it’s been a long time since you visited. Is there anything urgent?”

Shu Yao smiled sweetly and nodded, “As you said, it has been a while since I attended your lessons. I rather missed them. I hope you don’t mind.”

“I—” Kong Tai’s throat tightened. “I don’t mind.”

Shu Yao dragged her long skirt and sat in a corner, coincidentally right next to Zhaoyang.

From the first glance, Zhaoyang noticed that collar and felt a sharp sting in her nose.

She gritted her teeth, forcing back the flood of hatred.

Soon, very soon, they would all die.

Princess Anle sat not far off, turning slightly toward Shu Yao and whispered, “Jianing, why have you come?”

Shu Yao pointed to her collar. Anle understood immediately and showed a smirk of schadenfreude.

Kong Tai’s lecture was obscure and difficult to understand, and Shu Yao soon grew drowsy.

Fortunately, she did not cause trouble, so Kong Tai’s lesson continued smoothly. After the incense burned out, she hurriedly gathered her books and left Fengchen Hall.

The noble ladies gathered around to flatter her and seek connections.