Chapter 13

A few days later

The morning sunlight shone into the sleeping chambers of the prince’s mansion. Although it was now early autumn and the weather was starting to cool, the stove in the chamber made the room comfortably warm.

Jiang Lingyu woke up early. She wore a thin coat and sat barefoot by the desk, intently looking at reports from various regions.

She was absorbed in reading, but despite being only 14 years old – a flower-like age – she had a mature expression that looked utterly adorable.

Her crystal clear little feet were unconsciously kicking back and forth, inexplicably giving people a feeling of extreme cuteness.

Jiang Lingyu was seriously reviewing official documents when she suddenly felt something warm touch her foot.

By the time she reacted, she found Yu Yi kneeling in front of her, carefully placing her foot in his embrace.

The little fox’s unusually serious words came to her ears:

“The prince’s jade feet cannot get cold. If the prince doesn’t want to wear shoes and socks, then first put your jade feet here with this servant.”

Under Jiang Lingyu’s feet was the clearly defined, smoothly contoured… sensation.

In the faint feeling, she could even sense the other party’s heartbeat pulsing…

Jiang Lingyu suddenly felt her feet burn up. She quickly withdrew her foot and stammered:

“I… I’ll put on socks…”

Jiang Lingyu almost forgot that even though he was a big-tailed fox, he was still a canine.

Moreover, he was a big-tailed fox who had seen through life and death. If he truly started to flirt, how could it not move one’s heart and soul.

Yu Yi’s face was still as cold as ever, but his fox ears were already tinged with a rosy glow.

His deep fox eyes curved upwards, revealing a shy yet mischievous smile:

“Alright, this servant will put them on for you.”

Yu Yi bowed down and knelt, taking out the socks he had prepared earlier and carefully putting them on Jiang Lingyu.

That careful and attentive manner, as if what he held in his hands was some priceless treasure of the world.

Even though Jiang Lingyu was considered well-informed, seeing him like this still moved her heart. She asked softly:

“Is your body feeling better?”

Hearing the prince ask about his health, Yu Yi’s deep fox eyes sparkled, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upwards.

But after all, he was someone who had been a shadow guard for a long time, accustomed to hiding his emotions. He habitually lowered his head slightly so others couldn’t see the emotions on his face, but his voice was like a gentle stream.

“Last night while the prince was handling official business, the imperial physician specially took my pulse. This servant’s body is no longer in any danger.”

After saying this, Yu Yi paused slightly, his voice taking on a pleading tone:

“The imperial physician also said that this servant’s body is able to continue practicing martial arts. This servant has rested for a long time, why don’t you let me continue practicing martial arts?”

This way… this way I can continue to stay by the prince’s side to protect the prince.

Hearing these words, Jiang Lingyu became angry. After Yu Yi woke up and found that he was still called Yu Yi and was still a shadow guard, he forcefully got out of bed despite his condition, wanting to fulfill his duty as a shadow guard to protect his master.

Jiang Lingyu originally thought that if that was the case, she wouldn’t have Yu Yi be a shadow guard so he could focus on recuperating.

Little did she know that as soon as she finished speaking, she saw Yu Yi with a hurt and helpless expression, showing that he was a useless waste.

Jiang Lingyu felt that she must have gone mad, seeing him like this she forcibly swallowed back the words she had said.

She only forcefully ordered Yu Yi to rest well in the sleeping chambers.

Since it was Jiang Lingyu’s order, Yu Yi naturally had no objections, obediently following in a docile manner.

But every time Jiang Lingyu returned to the sleeping chambers after dealing with matters outside, the moment she opened the door, she would meet Yu Yi’s eyes eagerly watching the door…

Just like the big golden retriever her family had raised years ago, from the moment she left home it would squat by the door… waiting until she returned home.

No matter how late, it would always wait for her to come home.

Jiang Lingyu felt that she must have gone completely mad, as she couldn’t bear to see Yu Yi like this.

Her mind went blank and she moved her study to the sleeping chambers… this way the big-tailed fox wouldn’t lose focus because he couldn’t see her, right?

Jiang Lingyu gently cupped Yu Yi’s chin, her expression carrying a hint of playfulness:

“You want to practice so badly, then beg me.”

Yu Yi was stunned when he heard this. Shadow guards were punished if they failed to complete their objectives, and death if they failed their mission, with no room for leniency.

He had been a shadow guard for so many years and never knew what it meant to beg someone.

Because he never needed to, nor did he have the right to beg anyone.

But when he saw the prince’s smiling face, he inexplicably seemed to understand a little something, yet also seemed to understand nothing at all.

Yu Yi gently held Jiang Lingyu’s hand, carefully kissing it, his clear voice mixed with shyness and a hint of indescribable sweetness:

“This servant begs the prince!”

The morning light fell on Yu Yi’s face, illuminating his perfect profile as if sculpted by Nüwa herself. Looking at him, like a knight proposing in a Western cartoon, Jiang Lingyu’s expression shifted slightly.

She lightly tapped Yu Yi’s nose, her voice carrying a hint of mischief:

“Not allowed.”

Yu Yi had considered the possibility that the prince would refuse. After all, he had failed to protect the prince, causing the prince to be injured. It was only natural for the prince to not want him to continue protecting her.

But he couldn’t help feeling an indescribable bitterness and dejection.

If he… couldn’t continue practicing martial arts… what right did he have to continue staying by the prince’s side?

As soon as Jiang Lingyu finished speaking, she saw the subtle changes in the big-tailed fox’s emotions.

She seemed to see his fox ears droop down, and even the big tail that had been wagging seemed to hide away.

It just… inexplicably looked very bullied and heartbreaking.

Jiang Lingyu’s hand was placed on Yu Yi’s head, rubbing it hard before saying:

“You can continue practicing martial arts after your body has fully recovered.”

After saying this, she lightly tapped Yu Yi’s lips and added seriously: “Don’t say your body is already better, and don’t argue.

What I want is not the standard of shadow guards where as long as you can lift a sword and kill, it’s considered good enough. What I want is for your body to be completely healthy like a normal person.”

After hearing this, Yu Yi’s expression was moved yet perplexed as he asked:

“This servant no longer has internal energy now. If so, it will take a very long time to recover, and will also waste a lot of medicine and food.”

Jiang Lingyu didn’t expect the little fox to actually be a household-managing fox. She laughed heartily:

“Don’t worry about it, just one little fox like you won’t bankrupt this prince.”

“Understood.”

The little fox’s ears turned red, and he didn’t even dare to meet the prince’s eyes. But the fluffy big tail behind him seemed to wag happily again.

Jiang Lingyu’s mood had actually been quite good these past few days.

Although the original owner had a kind heart, to put it nicely, she was too weak in her actions. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been cheated and embezzled by various people in just two short years of coming to her fief.

But after all, she was the local ruler, and the military power of the fief was still in her hands.

So in these past few days, Jiang Lingyu had issued orders to recover the funds, and under pressure from the prince’s power, quite a few people had intermittently returned a lot of property.

Initially calculating, not only had the previous deficit in the private treasury been made up, but Jiang Lingyu also had some surplus in hand.

Today was the final deadline for issuing the order, and it seemed that quite a few people thought their heads were harder than axes and cleavers.

The original owner had only come to the fief recently, lacking age and prestige. Many people wanted to take a bite out of her while she was young and weak.

Previously, a small brothel actually dared to accept people sent by the emperor to the prince for auction, showing how arrogant their actions were.

How could others be allowed to sleep soundly under one’s own bed?

If Jiang Lingyu hadn’t come to this world, it would have been fine, but now that she was here, she absolutely wouldn’t allow official-merchant collusion and profiteering.

Jiang Lingyu’s lips revealed a cold smile. Since some people wanted to be the first to stick their necks out, wouldn’t it be too unfair to these people if she didn’t make an example of them and clean up those who didn’t listen?

Just at this moment, Xiao De requested an audience outside the door.

After seeing the little fox was properly dressed, Jiang Lingyu directly said:

“Come in.”

Xiao De respectfully bowed and said:

“Prince, Ruan Shi from the Huo family is willing to pay 80,000 taels of silver to redeem himself and the servants he brought to the Huo family from his natal home.”

Jiang Lingyu raised an eyebrow with interest and asked:

“Oh, what’s the story?”

Xiao De explained truthfully: “Ruan Shi originally thought that since he had married into the Huo family, now that the Huo family was in trouble, he should also do his part, taking 50,000 taels of silver from his dowry. But who knew that not only was the Huo family ungrateful, they even felt that Ruan Shi had given too little money.

They themselves were unwilling to raise money and wanted Ruan Shi to go back to his parents’ home to get money to fill this hole. Ruan Shi was unwilling to be a parasite sucking his parents’ blood after getting married, so he converted all of his dowry into silver, wanting to redeem himself from the prince.”

Jiang Lingyu asked with interest: “Is this Ruan Shi the only son of the imperial merchant Ruan family?”

“Yes, the Ruan family also said that if the prince could be merciful and spare Ruan Shi’s life, they could go raise more silver.”

A glint flashed in Jiang Lingyu’s eyes. Although the Ruan family were imperial merchants, they had only started doing business in this generation.

Their entanglement with these aristocratic families wouldn’t be too deep. Now it seemed they had a clear head, and it was worth trying to see if they could be useful.

Jiang Lingyu said: “This amount of silver is enough. If Ruan Shi truly wants to leave the Huo family, I will grant him a divorce.”

Xiao De smiled: “Ruan Shi is truly fortunate to have the prince speak up for him.”

Looking at the stack of white banknotes in front of her, Jiang Lingyu smiled and asked: “You speak up so much for Ruan Shi, did you receive some benefits from him or have you taken a liking to him?”

Hearing this, Xiao De was startled and smiled apologetically:

“Prince, please don’t tease this small one. I just saw that the Huo family was really mistreating people too much and couldn’t bear to watch, so I helped speak up a bit. But Ruan Shi did give this servant 1,000 taels of silver.”

After speaking, he took out 1,000 taels of silver from his bosom and handed it over.

Jiang Lingyu picked through the silver in her hand, after all leaving 300 taels as a reward for Xiao De’s hard work.

Looking at the silver in his hand, Xiao De said with a grin:

“Hehe, thank you for the prince’s reward.”

Just then, an attendant came in. She stood there with a troubled expression, seeming to have some difficulty speaking.

Xiao De thoughtfully introduced: “Prince, since you were afraid those debtors would run away, we’ve been sending people to follow them when they go out to raise money. Ying Xin is the one specifically following Young Miss Huo.”

Seeing Ying Xin’s expression, Jiang Lingyu guessed that the Huo family probably couldn’t raise enough money. She impatiently said:

“Speak, how much more money does the Huo family need to raise?”

Ying Xin buried her head low and said:

“The Huo family… the Huo family hasn’t raised a single tael, and… and they even said they won’t hand over a single copper coin…”

Jiang Lingyu directly threw the brush in her hand to the ground and angrily said:

“What did you say?!”