Chapter 57: Xiao Jingyuan, you must not regret it!

Shen Shuangning didn't dare take the wine in his hand; who knew if it had been drugged?

Having been bitten by a snake once, she feared the well rope for ten years; given her past experience, she wouldn't dare touch anything Zhai Ji gave her.

"Third Prince, I have urgent business; please excuse my departure."

Seeing her look as if she wanted to flee, Zhai Ji didn't stop her, only speaking gloomily: "Fourth Miss, you're so clever; I don't believe you didn't notice I wanted to see you."

Shen Shuangning froze in place, still intending to play the fool to the end; turning back, she exclaimed in surprise: "Was it the Third Prince who ordered someone to steal my belongings?"

Zhai Ji wore a frank expression: "It was me. Otherwise, how would you have come to see me?"

Shen Shuangning's eyelids twitched; she gave a slight smile and said: "Your Highness, if you wanted to see me, you could have just sent someone to say so; why go to such trouble? Surely I wouldn't dare slight your dignity?"

"I don't know where Your Highness has taken my maid."

Zhai Ji stared at her with a half-smile for a while, making Shen Shuangning feel creepy all over, not knowing why he looked at her like that.

"You're very worried about her?"

Shen Shuangning's heart jolted: "Your Highness, what have you done to her?"

Zhai Ji smiled: "Don't worry, I haven't done anything to her; I just want Ningning to behave."

Although he was smiling, anyone could hear the threat in his words.

Shen Shuangning's face bore a hint of frost: "Your Highness, what do you intend to do?"

"Relax, I just want you to give me face and share a meal; come."

Zhai Ji again pushed the wine cup forward, nearly touching Shen Shuangning's face; this was an arrogant and extremely rude gesture.

Shen Shuangning's face changed, anger welling up in her eyes, but she really didn't dare provoke him now: first, Aheng was still in his hands; second, she would soon have to enter the palace and inevitably see him.

Thus she politely refused: "Third Prince, I don't drink..."

What kind of person is Zhai Ji? As a proper prince, countless women throw themselves at him; yet this is the first time he has lowered himself to coax a woman like this, and after being refused once or twice, his patience has long been exhausted.

He struck without warning, grabbing Shen Shuangning's chin in one fist!

With a fierce look, he said: "I said, behave yourself!"

Having said that, he forced the wine in his hand into the woman's mouth.

"Mmm, no..."

Shen Shuangning struggled to rise, but as a woman she lacked strength compared to a man; Zhai Ji, tall and sturdy, drove her into a corner, making her back slam hard against the wall, leaving her no retreat.

Strong liquor was poured into her throat, making her cough nonstop and forcing tears out.

The liquor flowed down from the corner of her mouth, soon soaking the front of her clothing.

After downing a cup of wine, Zhai Ji finally released her with satisfaction, stepping back a few paces, but then immediately regretted it: how could his temper flare up again like this? He shouldn't have been so coarse.

Shen Shuangning slid slowly down the wall, powerless and helpless as she sat on the ground, her face as pale as paper, yet the corners of her eyes and lips were bright red, striking, even showing a hint of allure.

An indescribably pure and alluring charm.

Zhai Ji had originally intended to pour himself a cup of wine to quell his anger, but after just one glance at her he was greatly startled, and immediately another flame of lust surged up from his lower abdomen.

Shen Shuangning felt a faint pain in her back, her throat as if scorched by fire, both uncomfortable and fearful, her shoulders trembling.

She struggled to calm down and think.

If Ahzhao couldn't bring Pei Zhi to rescue her in time, she would have to rely on herself.

Zhai Ji seemed unwilling to let her go until he achieved his goal; Pei Zhi had been right—once the Crown Prince returned, he would force this mad dog's nature out, and the Crown Princess, after merely saying a few words to her, made Zhai Ji suspect the Crown Prince was trying to win over the Rongguo Duke's Mansion.

Hence he was so impatient as to strike first.

Escaping wasn't actually difficult; Zhai Ji merely feared the Rongguo Duke's Mansion falling into the Crown Prince's hands. She could feign negotiation, agree to his terms—whatever it took, first preserve her innocence and leave this place...

However, when Shen Shuangning prepared to negotiate with Zhai Ji, she saw him staring straight at her, his breathing still somewhat heavy.

Upon encountering his scorching gaze, Shen Shuangning's heart jumped, and she silently thought, "Oh no."

Isn't Zhai Ji supposed to like men?!

How could he so easily develop such base thoughts about her?!

In the moment she saw through Zhai Ji's intent, Shen Shuangning knew that the several strategies she had just considered were utterly useless!!

Seeing Zhai Ji already walking toward her, Shen Shuangning hurriedly rose and stepped back, hoping to regain his reason.

"Third Prince, my elder brother is waiting for me outside Drunk Cloud Pavilion; if he can't find me, he'll surely be very anxious."

Red blood vessels crept into Zhai Ji's eyes; his steps didn't stop, he fixed his gaze on her like a beast poised to strike.

"Ningning, I will marry you as my wife and cherish you well." His voice was low and slightly hoarse.

Seeing this, Shen Shuangning hardened her heart, removed the hairpin from her head, and shouted: "Don't come over!"

Suddenly, Zhai Ji stopped.

The two were five steps apart.

Shen Shuangning's back was against the table; just as she thought he was willing to relent, Zhai Ji stared at her face and smiled with relief.

"So it's you."

Zhai Ji somehow recognized her, speaking gloomily: "The person who injured me and fled that day was you!"

Shen Shuangning's pupils contracted sharply.

After only a moment of stunned hesitation, Zhai Ji seized the chance to lunge forward, snatching the hairpin from her hand and then gripping her throat!

"It's you, isn't it? I've finally found you!" he said through gritted teeth.

Shen Shuangning couldn't speak; she stared at him, not hiding the hatred in her eyes.

Zhai Ji looked at her for a while, his fingers loosening slightly, his tone shifting to gentle:

"It's fine; I'll forgive you, as long as you submit to me..."

Saying that, he lowered his head.

Just as his breath fell on her neck, Shen Shuangning lifted her leg and struck with force!

Zhai Ji's face changed; he immediately winced in pain, released her, staggered backward, bent at the waist, and clutched his lower body.

Shen Shuangning held the table with one hand and covered her chest with the other, glaring at him with a face full of chill.

"Third Prince, this is the second time—you still haven't learned your lesson!"

At this moment, Shen Shuangning showed no trace of weakness; her face bore no smile, and she was even mocking him.

Zhai Ji slowly rose to his feet, furious beyond measure, yet at the same time a strange feeling flickered in his heart.

He was furious and excited.

"You really are... different."

Shen Shuangning looked at his expression and burst out laughing angrily: "You're really a lunatic!"

Suddenly, with a "Bang!"

The door was kicked open.

Zhai Ji's face changed drastically; seeing that the person who came in was not one of his own, he shouted angrily: "Who are you? Get out!"

He instinctively thought the intruder was a gambler who had wandered in by mistake.

Wang Huanzi entered, first glancing at Shen Shuangning, then at Zhai Ji, and smiled: "Sorry to disturb Your Highness's leisure; it's not my fault, but you should go out and see what's happening—outside is about to turn into a pot of porridge!"

Zhai Ji's eyes were full of hostility; he was about to scold him when he saw that the two people lying at the entrance were clearly his own men.

He immediately flew into a rage: "You dare hurt my people?!"

Wang Huanzi maintained a respectful demeanor, yet he said: "Please calm your anger, Your Highness; I too came in haste to bring you news, but they wouldn't let me in, so I had no choice but to resort to this—you may not know, Your Highness, but the people of the Guardian Bureau have already broken in!"

Upon hearing the words "Guardian Bureau", Zhai Ji's face changed again: "What did you say? The Guardian Bureau is here?!"

Wang Huanzi said: "Indeed!"

Sure enough, noisy sounds came from outside.

Zhai Ji no longer bothered with Shen Shuangning and immediately left the place.

Wang Huanzi watched him leave, gave a cold snort—the Guardian Bureau had already surrounded this place on all sides, even guarding the secret passages; there was no escaping, even with wings.

Seeing Zhai Ji finally go, Shen Shuangning breathed a sigh of relief; the composure and ferocity she had forced herself to maintain vanished at once, her legs went weak as she leaned on the nearby table, barely managing to stay upright.

Wang Huanzi slowly turned his eyes, his gaze falling on the woman's face, and mocked: "Miss Shen Fourth, your taste in men is terrible—look, the Third Prince himself has run off and doesn't care whether you live or die."

Shen Shuangning heard this and looked at him doubtfully.

Was he taking her to be in league with Zhai Ji?

Suddenly she felt this man before her looked somewhat familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere...

"Hurry up and go!"

Shen Shuangning was shoved by him toward the exit, treated like a criminal.

"I still have a maid taken by the Third Prince; I beg you, sir, to help find her..."

"You're already struggling to save yourself—like a clay Buddha crossing a river—do you still have the leisure to worry about a maid?" Wang Huanzi had no patience left, shoved her again, and said: "No more talk, hurry up!"

The sun gradually sank westward.

Inside and outside the Drunken Cloud Pavilion were occupied by the Black Armor Guard, and for a moment every sound of wind and crane, every blade of grass and tree, seemed like an enemy.

Inside the gambling house was a mess; a group of gamblers shrank their necks and heads, all crouching on the ground, trembling with fear.

The Black Armor Guard showed no mercy, seizing anyone they saw.

"Pei Third Young Master, what are you doing here?" Su Chen exclaimed, looking at the person brought in by the Black Armor Guard.

Pei Zhi wore a grim face, ignored him, turned his gaze to Xiao Jingyuan seated there, and said bluntly: "I came to save Miss Ning; she was taken away by the Third Prince—you had better send people to look for her quickly, or you'll regret it."

Xiao Jingyuan sat by the window, holding his tea with calm composure; hearing this, his face showed no ripple as he looked at him askance: "You know she was taken by the Third Prince?"

Pei Zhi looked at his utterly unconcerned demeanor and almost laughed in anger.

"You don't care at all about her safety."

Xiao Jingyuan furrowed his brows; Pei Zhi's gaze made him both displeased and bewildered.

"Should I care?"

Pei Zhi looked at his lofty attitude, had nothing more to say, flicked his sleeves with a frosty face and left: "If you won't go, I'll go save her myself."

The Black Armor Guard didn't stop him either.

As he reached the doorway, Pei Zhi stopped, turned back, and said coldly:

"Xiao Jingyuan, you'd better not regret it."