Huo Wujiu had anticipated running into Ji Hongcheng at the banquet today.
Although the man wanted to help him, he was of little use. Instead, his frequent letters, filled with useless information, only drew unwanted attention and caused trouble for the Prince of Jing’s residence.
To Huo Wujiu, Ji Hongcheng’s only value lay in helping him contact Lou Yue.
Huo Wujiu sat quietly in his wheelchair, his gaze inscrutable.
He’d endured and survived, not to grant Jiang Shunheng more time to humiliate him but to bide his time for a chance to escape. He had no allies in all of Southern Jing; Lou Yue was the only person he could rely on.
Though Lou Yue was on the opposite side of the conflict from his father and was now his enemy, he owed Huo Wujiu a life debt from years ago.
Huo Wujiu didn’t care about being repaid for favors, nor would he ask Lou Yue to do anything against his principles. However, being stranded in enemy territory left him with no choice but to rely on what few connections he had in order to turn the tide in his favor.
Thinking this, he looked up at Jiang Suizhou.
The prince walked a step ahead of him, his figure tall and robes fluttering. He must have looked quite displeased, judging by the way people around them cautiously glanced their way but didn’t dare approach.
If that day ever came, Jiang Shunheng would not let them go easily.
Huo Wujiu looked away again.
For as long as the heavens had yet to forsake him, as long as he possessed even a fragment of strength, he supposed he could use it to try to save this rabbit’s life in the upheaval—if only out of respect for his kind heart and inexplicable infatuation.
Jiang Suizhou walked ahead. He was, of course, oblivious to Huo Wujiu’s silent declaration.
A eunuch was already waiting for them when the palace attendants dropped them off at Qiwu Hall. Seeing Jiang Suizhou approach, the eunuch hurried forward with a smile and bowed deeply.
“Greetings, Prince of Jing,” he said as he stepped aside. “This servant will escort you to your seat.”
The eunuch gestured for Jiang Suizhou to enter, but then his gaze fell on the Prince of Jing’s companion. Immediately, the eunuch’s smile became more obsequious, and he stepped forward again.
“Your Highness, there are rules in the palace. Wives and concubines must sit in the women’s section.”
Then he turned and called out to someone behind him.
“Quickly, bring someone to escort the Prince of Jing’s…companion to the banquet hall on the west—”
But Jiang Suizhou raised his hand and cut him off, his expression cold.
Send Huo Wujiu to sit with the women? Are you kidding?
Instantly, Jiang Suizhou understood what was going on. This was obviously a long-devised scheme to humiliate Huo Wujiu. Furthermore, it would isolate Huo Wujiu from Jiang Suizhou and leave him vulnerable to their underhanded tactics.
Therefore, he couldn’t agree to these demands.
But how could he escape them?
Jiang Suizhou paused briefly to gather his thoughts. Then he cast a dark glance at Huo Wujiu before turning back to the eunuch again.
His eyes were ruthless and cold, and a faint but venomous smile curved his delicate mouth. It was a carefully crafted expression of sinister, boundless perversion.
“The thing is, you see,” he said languidly, “my companion is quite unruly, and I’ll need to keep an eye on him myself. I’m the only one who can control him, so I hope you can make an exception.”
The prince’s voice was soft but dangerous, and it sent a chill down the eunuch’s spine. When he gathered the courage to cautiously look up, he saw the Prince of Jing standing boldly against the light, a sadistic smile on his lips.
His demeanor was not that of someone making a request, nor was it necessarily even a demand. It felt more like he was simply telling the eunuch that he wished to bring along a personal plaything for his amusement, and that was exactly what he was going to do.