“Speak, let’s hear it.”

Shen Qianyu looked toward Qin Rao, his expression bland.

“Since you already know that Imperial Brother’s position is precarious, this Princess will also be straightforward.”

Qin Rao smiled seductively: “This Princess wants you to help Imperial Brother secure his throne, to provide him assistance with Dongning’s strength.”

“Heh.”

Hearing this, Shen Qianyu scoffed aloud.

He looked at Qin Rao, his eyes full of mockery: “Wanting to exchange a bamboo basket for a jade crown—could it be the Princess’s madness hasn’t healed, and you’re speaking nonsense in broad daylight?”

Qin Rao pressed her lips together. Just as she was about to speak, Shen Qianyu continued: “All things in this world have their weight. Does the Princess believe that by holding two of this Prince’s old acquaintances, you can do as you please with this Prince?”

“This Prince might as well tell you plainly—Imperial Physician Yan did show this Prince grace, but if you think you can use these two people to saddle this Prince with the crime of colluding with the enemy and treason, I’m afraid Qin Zhan’s bones will have grown cold long before that day comes.”

Having said this, Shen Qianyu looked at Qin Rao with a half-smile, as if viewing a rare fool.

Qin Rao had been honored as a Nanqing princess since birth. Nanqing women held esteemed status—never had anyone dared speak to her thus. Her expression changed drastically as she gripped the soft whip in her hand and lashed it directly at Shen Qianyu.

During his time in Nanqing, Shen Qianyu didn’t know how many times Qin Rao had whipped him. Back then he was trapped in a cage, powerless to resist. Now, however, things were different.

Catching the middle section of the soft whip, Shen Qianyu pulled tight and yanked hard. The whip’s tail flew directly backward, scraping across Qin Rao’s face.

The soft whip’s end was covered in small metal hooks. This single scrape left bloody streaks from below Qin Rao’s ear to her cheek.

“Princess!”

Huai Jue and the bare-chested man cried out in unison. Qin Rao, however, glared furiously at the two: “What is it?”

She was unaware, completely oblivious to the blood streaming down her face.

Huai Jue hastily pulled a soft handkerchief from his bosom along with styptic powder to treat Qin Rao’s wound.

“Dongning scoundrel, you dare injure my Nanqing princess?”

“Having injured her, what can you do about it?”

Shen Qianyu sneered: “If you’re seeking someone’s help, then show the attitude of one seeking help. This is not Nanqing, and I am not some cruel, muddled, shameless and despicable thing like Qin Zhan.”

“You dare insult the sovereign of Nanqing?”

“Having insulted him, what can you do about it?”

Huai Jue drew his blade from his waist. Wan Xiao stepped forward. Qin Rao pressed the handkerchief hard against her face, her eyes full of venomous hatred.

A moment later, she said in a low voice: “Tie Yan Changpu and his daughter behind this Prince’s horse. When we reach the capital, remove their corpses and send them to the Dongning Crown Prince.”

“Princess, have mercy!”

Yan Qing cried out in supplication. Huai Jue signaled to have the two taken away. Shen Qianyu turned his head and said to Wan Xiao: “Publicize the matter of the Princess’s deranged torture and killing of Nanqing officials and commoners. Make sure every Nanqing citizen knows that the current princess is a perverse, cruel, and inhumane creature.”

Shen Qianyu said with a half-smile: “Add one more line—say that to intimidate Dongning, the Princess tortured and killed a Nanqing imperial physician to make herself appear imposing.”

“I imagine Lady Eman and Prince Ning would both greatly appreciate the Princess’s way of dragging Qin Zhan down and sullying his reputation.”

Hearing this, Qin Rao glared furiously at Shen Qianyu, but for the first time in her life dared to be angry but not speak.

Shen Qianyu struck at her vital points everywhere, beating her without any ability to fight back.

Huai Jue looked toward Qin Rao, momentarily not daring to act.

“Man Nu truly is different from before.”

Qin Rao narrowed her eyes slightly, smiling charmingly.

Casually grabbing a wooden chair from within the tent and pulling it beside him, Shen Qianyu sat down gracefully.

He half-reclined in the chair, looking up at Qin Rao from below.

“Qin Zhan is no fool. He wouldn’t send you with merely two people to discuss cooperation with this Prince.”

“But the Princess currently shows no sincerity, which greatly displeases this Prince.”

Shen Qianyu curved his lips in a faint smile, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes: “This Prince has no interest in playing those underhanded tricks with you.”

“Qin Rao, miss today, and no matter what conditions you produce later, this Prince will not assist Qin Zhan one bit.”

Qin Rao clenched her teeth, regretting to this day that she had been careless that day and had a weakness seized by this man before her, allowing him to threaten her to this extent.

Shen Qianyu snorted with laughter: “Get lost. If there’s no sincerity, why waste this Prince’s energy?”

“What sincerity do you want?”

Shen Qianyu glanced toward Imperial Physician Yan. The meaning was self-evident.

After a long while, Qin Rao gripped her soft whip tightly and lowered her eyelids: “Release the two of them.”

“Princess.”

Huai Jue still wanted to offer more words of counsel, but Qin Rao lashed a whip across his back: “This Princess says to release them. Do you dare disobey?”

“Release them.”

Huai Jue spoke quietly. The guards beside him unbound Imperial Physician Yan and his daughter and released them.

Seeing this, Shen Qianyu sneered coldly: “The Princess is sensible.”

He looked at Qin Rao gripping her soft whip tightly, wishing she could lash it across his face, and grinned: “Before the Princess departed, Qin Zhan must have given the Princess a bottom line for seeking this Prince’s assistance.”

Qin Rao frowned slightly. Shen Qianyu knew his guess was correct.

He looked at Qin Rao and said word by word: “Let this Prince guess how much sincerity Qin Zhan has.”

“Gold, silver, jewels, and pearls…”

Qin Rao’s face was expressionless. Shen Qianyu shook his head: “He wouldn’t be foolish enough to think such worldly possessions could move this Prince.”

Lightly rubbing his fingers together, he raised his head: “Could it be Nanqing cities?”

Qin Rao turned her head to look at Shen Qianyu. Shen Qianyu smiled: “Truly the sovereign of Nanqing—what generous action indeed.”

Qin Rao bit her lip hard. A trickle of crimson blood flowed from the corner of her lips, making Shen Qianyu feel disgusted.

Huai Jue once again produced the styptic powder he carried with him, gently applying it to Qin Rao’s lips. Even when Qin Rao’s palm landed on his face, he remained unmoved.

Wan Xiao and Ji Rong frowned together. The two exchanged glances, both seeing disgust and incomprehension in each other’s eyes.

No wonder their master showed such a pained and disdainful expression whenever Nanqing was mentioned. Truly, among the Nanqing people they’d encountered these past days, not a single person was sound and sensible.

Looking Qin Rao up and down, Wan Xiao only felt that the Nanqing imperial family was truly a blessed land, having produced such a rare collection of unparalleled talents found nowhere else in the world.

“I only wonder how many cities could secure Qin Zhan’s throne.”

Qin Rao now knew he could perceive people’s hearts with unusual acuity. Hearing this, she lowered her head in silence.

Shen Qianyu snorted with laughter: “There’s still about a month before we can reach the capital. The Princess may give this Prince an answer before returning to the capital.”

“Wan Xiao, see the guests out.”

“This Prince still wants to have a heart-to-heart talk with my benefactor, so I won’t keep the Princess here.”

Qin Rao glared at him furiously and swept out with a flick of her sleeves.

Huai Jue hurriedly followed. When all the Nanqing people had withdrawn, Wan Xiao signaled to Ji Rong, and both of them also withdrew.

For a time, only Shen Qianyu and Yan Changpu and his daughter remained in the tent. Yan Qing stood to the side with reddened eyes, supporting her father.

She had never imagined that she and her father would so easily escape Qin Rao’s clutches.

What she imagined even less was what came next. Shen Qianyu stood up, lifted the hem of his robe, and knelt directly before Yan Changpu.

“I’ve been cared for by you, sir, for many years, truly with no way to repay you. Please accept this bow, Uncle Yan.”

Having spoken, Shen Qianyu clasped his hands together and bowed with a kowtow.

Yan Changpu started in alarm and hastily stepped forward to help him up: “Your Highness must not do this. This old man cannot bear it.”

Yan Qing at the side gripped her hem tightly, only feeling her heart thunder like drums, her face flushed red with excitement.