Chapter 93: Refuse a Toast, and You Will Drink the Forfeit

On a dark street not far from the prison cells, a voice rang out.

“How is the task I gave you coming along?” The voice was eerily familiar. It was Xia Mingxuan.

Though Xia Jiujiang was already a prisoner, Prince Jin had not yet made his move. Xia Mingxuan was still anxious to settle her inside the prison before matters dragged on any longer.

One jailer hurriedly explained, “I put in three packets of rat poison, but somehow Xia Jiujiang still refused to die. Did you perhaps buy counterfeit poison?”

The other jailer said in surprise, “This was the real thing. There’s no way it could be fake. Could it be that you used the wrong medicine yourself?”

The first jailer panicked. “Could it be that we’ve seen a ghost? I really did put it in. Afraid one packet wouldn’t be enough, I used all three!”

Xia Mingxuan’s face twisted with rage. “Shut up! Are you trying to tell the whole world you used rat poison? What is wrong with Xia Jiujiang? Three packets of rat poison and she still wasn’t poisoned to death?”

The jailer glanced at Xia Mingxuan and asked in a low voice, “Then do we still need to act?”

Xia Mingxuan’s gaze turned vicious. “I don’t care which one of you tampered with it. You took my money, and if the job is not done... I’d rather kill the wrong man than let one of you escape.” He suspected one of the two jailers had lied and never poisoned Xia Jiujiang at all; otherwise, three packets of rat poison would have already sent her to the grave.

The jailers dropped to their knees at once. “Young Master Xia, you must believe me. I really poisoned the princess consort. If you still don’t believe me, I’ll go poison her again. I’ll make sure she dies.”

“Young Master Xia, since we took this job, we were already putting our lives on the line. Why would we dare play tricks? You have to believe us!”

Xia Mingxuan said coldly, “You want me to believe you? Fine. Kill Xia Jiujiang, and you live. Fail, and you die.”

He gave the two jailers a death order. But just as they were about to return to the prison, Prince Jin’s carriage appeared.

Seeing the carriage, Xia Mingxuan quickly changed his tune. “Wait. This time I’ll let you off. Since the poison attempt failed, pretend nothing happened. We must not alert the snake by striking the grass.”

The two jailers were overwhelmed with gratitude, yet neither noticed the murderous light in Xia Mingxuan’s eyes. How could he possibly let anyone who knew his secret remain alive in this world?

Inside the prison, Xia Jiujiang seemed to have heard the most absurd joke and said, “Is His Highness the Seventh Prince joking? I am Prince Jin’s princess consort, already a married woman, and you want me to divorce and remarry you?”

Jun Qianye showed no sign of surprise at her reaction. “At the gathering at the Marquis’ Residence, I discovered that Prince Jin’s princess consort is not only extraordinarily intelligent, but also sharp-tongued. A woman like you, left beside a man as dull as Jun Buwen, would be wasted. You’d be better off following me. I can guarantee you a rise to great heights in the future.”

After a few scoffs, Xia Jiujiang gritted out, “I know I’m charming, but I never expected His Highness to go to such lengths just to make me yours.”

She emphasized the words “go to such lengths.”

Jun Qianye shook his head. “I did not resort to underhanded tricks. The Xia family handled you; I merely helped the current along.”

Xia Jiujiang’s eyes were full of scorn. “Is His Highness overestimating his own charm, or do you think I have nowhere else to go and will surely agree to your demand?”

Jun Qianye froze. The meaning of her words was unmistakable mockery; she was treating his proposal as a joke.

“You have no way out. You can only agree,” Jun Qianye said, displeased.

Why was Xia Jiujiang always so cold toward him? Jun Buwen was nothing more than a prince, while he was the Seventh Prince, and his mother, the Noble Consort Chen, was the most honored woman in the imperial harem.

Xia Jiujiang looked at him with contempt. “I can only agree? That may not be true.”

She glared at him in fury. What a shameless wretch, using such despicable methods to force her!

Jun Qianye’s expression turned icy. “Xia Jiujiang, don’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. You are locked in this prison now, and all the evidence points to you. Do you really think you still have a way out after a public interrogation? If you agree to this prince’s terms, those so-called proofs can all be overturned. If not... I would rather shatter like jade than remain whole like tile!”

Xia Jiujiang said with contempt, “I happen to dislike being offered a toast. I prefer the forfeit.”

Jun Qianye was furious. “Fine, splendid. Since you’re so stubborn, then I’ll see how long you can keep this up. Men, take Green Ivy away!”

Xia Jiujiang snapped, “Jun Qianye, what are you trying to do?”

Gao Shanshui, standing by, shot her a shocked glance. It was her honor to be noticed by the Seventh Prince, yet she dared refuse him and even address him by name. Truly brazen beyond belief.

Just as Gao Shanshui thought Jun Qianye would be angered, he instead laughed softly and said, “I simply enjoy watching you in a rage.”

Xia Jiujiang clenched her teeth. Madman.

Jun Qianye said, “Right now, Lord Gao does indeed hold conclusive evidence. But if Green Ivy personally signs her confession, then Prince Jin’s princess consort will have no way to argue her innocence.”

Behind Xia Jiujiang, Green Ivy said angrily, “I will not let you have your way. The princess consort has done nothing wrong.”

Jun Qianye had long anticipated this reaction from Green Ivy. He gave a strange smile. “I know you are loyal and protective of your mistress, but there is no need to boast so boldly. Since I have brought you away, of course I have a way to make you sign.”

He meant to use torture on Green Ivy.

A flash of coldness passed through Xia Jiujiang’s eyes. She was truly tempted to kill. If Jun Qianye dared lay a hand on Green Ivy, Xia Jiujiang might wipe them all out on the spot.

She had plenty of ways to escape prison. With her mastery of gu arts, killing this entire group here and now would be child’s play.

But what then? If Xia Jiujiang truly fled, it would be an admission of guilt. Without proof of her innocence, she would not only ruin herself, but even Prince Jin’s residence would be dragged down with her.

Who would have thought that Xia Jiujiang, fearless as she had always been, would now have so many things to fear?

Jun Qianye had found her weakness: the people around her.

He said, “If you do not want me to touch Green Ivy, it is very simple. My door is already open to you. You know very well what choice to make.”

Xia Jiujiang tightened her fists. Green Ivy grabbed her and pleaded, “Princess Consort, you cannot agree to him. No matter what they do to me, I will never betray you.”

What a fool. If Xia Jiujiang refused Jun Qianye, then no matter whether Green Ivy betrayed her or not, the end result would be a confession beaten out under torture.

Just as Xia Jiujiang prepared to unleash her gu and settle matters in mutual destruction, a voice suddenly sounded from outside.

“Who would have thought the prison of the Pacification Bureau could be so lively? His Highness the Seventh Prince is showing such deep concern for this prince’s consort in the middle of the night. I am truly touched.”