Chapter 56-Part 2

She felt that her life was truly hanging by a thread and that she might never leave this torture chamber alive. It all depended on the prince’s mood—whether he wanted to watch her be slowly dismembered or gradually executed.

At that moment, Feng Liwu came up behind her, handed her a handkerchief, and said, “It’s suffocating here. Come outside for some fresh air.”

When Jiang Xiurun, completely weakened, followed Feng Liwu out of the torture chamber, the sky was already dotted with stars, and night had fallen.

After boarding the carriage, Feng Liwu looked at Jiang Xiurun, who was still standing outside in a daze, and said coldly, “Get in already, or do you want to stay here?”

Jiang Xiurun hurriedly climbed into the carriage, kneeling nervously beside Feng Liwu.

Now, she didn’t even dare to look up at him. The flattery and slickness she had displayed in front of the prince over the past few days had been utterly shattered by fear.

She had underestimated the crown prince of Great Qi.

She had forgotten that behind Feng Liwu’s reticence and seemingly dull appearance was the same suspicious and lonely prince who had pointed a knife at her heart after she saved him with her archery.

A wolf accustomed to solitude would never lower its guard for anyone.

Feng Liwu had known she received the cloth, yet he had kept silent, merely to test her. If she had indeed gone to the meeting… perhaps he had known her secret all along.

Upon thinking this through, Jiang Xiurun couldn’t help but shiver again. Her usually sharp and astute mind couldn’t fathom what Feng Liwu might do to her next.

However, Feng Liwu noticed her pale face and trembling body, which seemed pitiful. So, he personally poured a cup of hot water from the teapot on the carriage and handed it to her.

Jiang Xiurun accepted it, drank silently, and steeled herself, waiting for the prince’s judgment.

For the rest of the journey, Feng Liwu didn’t say a word, just closed his eyes to rest, leaving Jiang Xiurun to sit there in anxious anticipation.

When they arrived back at the prince’s residence, Feng Liwu led Jiang Xiurun to the new courtyard for the hostage princess from Bo State, which was in the most secluded part of the garden.

He looked around at the rather simple furnishings in the room, then used his long fingers to open a clothing chest. He took out a bright red wedding dress and tossed it onto her, saying, “Try it on and see if it fits.”

Jiang Xiurun suddenly raised her head and said, “Your Highness, what… what do you mean by this?”

Feng Liwu, still cold and expressionless, slowly said, “I’m giving you a chance to redeem yourself. You were bold enough to impersonate Jiang Xiuyao and dance in front of my father in the main hall, thinking he was blind and couldn’t tell that you and Lady Yao don’t look alike? There will be many court banquets in the future, and I don’t want to waste time explaining why Lady Yao suddenly looks different. So, how about you take her place and make your lie a reality?”

Feng Liwu’s reasoning sounded logical, but Jiang Xiurun had already thought of these issues earlier. Although she had shown her face, she had deliberately applied heavy makeup. With a thick layer of cosmetics, a woman’s appearance can change slightly, and even if someone saw her, she could find an excuse to cover it up.

Besides, among the prince’s three concubines, those of noble birth would take precedence at court banquets. When would it be Lady Yao’s turn? She could spend her entire life in the garden without anyone noticing.

With these thoughts in mind, Jiang Xiurun carefully expressed her concerns.

Feng Liwu’s expression grew colder, and in a low voice, he said, “So, you’re saying you have no use to me anymore? Although I value talent, I’m not so desperate as to make up the numbers with a woman. I think it’s best you head back to the Ministry of Justice to receive your punishment!”

Jiang Xiurun was unwilling to go and hastily said, “That’s not what I meant. But everyone in Luo’an City knows of Bo state’s hostage prince, Jiang Herun. If he suddenly disappears, even if we claim he died of an illness, it will arouse suspicion. People might think Your Highness mistreated your subordinates, causing distrust among those who sincerely pledge their loyalty. Once rumors start, wouldn’t it tarnish your reputation as someone as pure as jade and as serene as the moon?”

Feng Liwu’s expression softened a bit. He raised an eyebrow and said, “You are indeed loyal, even considering my reputation in such a situation… You don’t want to rely on your looks, and you’re naturally inclined to be active. If I confine you to a house for too long, I’m afraid it would wear down your loyalty. It seems I’ll have to trouble you a bit more. How about letting Lady Xiuyao and Young Master Jiang Herun complement each other and stay by my side together?”

Jiang Xiurun was dumbfounded, unable to grasp what he meant by “complement each other.”

But the prince, feeling that after a night of trouble, he needed something pleasing to the eye, grew slightly impatient and said, “Well, aren’t you going to change?”

There was no other option for Jiang Xiurun at this point. She silently moved behind the screen and, after a while, emerged with her hair down, wearing the bright red wedding dress.

Feng Liwu had never paid much attention to a woman’s appearance.

But his tutor, whom he usually saw as a handsome young man, was now standing before him with long flowing hair and a red dress. Her skin looked even more radiant, her eyes large and bright, her nose delicate, and her face seemed smaller, exuding a captivating charm.

Feng Liwu’s gaze slowly moved downward after a long pause. But as he looked, he frowned—why was her chest still flat?