Chapter 472

He had already decided not to bother about her affairs anymore, but didn't expect her husband to be so unreliable. She was willing to give her own wife to another man...

What a heartless and ungrateful scoundrel, how bad was her judgement?

He was good when they were young, but has gotten worse day by day as an adult.

Zhao Changdu scoffed to himself, and also felt pitiful. He must have been crazy to rush back from the military camp for her sake.

But if he didn't come...how would Prince Shu have treated Gu Ying?

Zhao Changdu didn't dare imagine it. Since he had chosen to come over, he would repay her for her protection.

Prince Shu fell to the ground. The young girl's outer garment was halfway stripped off. Her entire body flushed red from the heat. Her small hands fumbled to pull her skirt open, revealing a pair of slender, porcelain-white legs...

His eyes darkened, Adam's apple rolling. He wanted to take her away but didn't expect her to restlessly pull his big hand over, pitifully snuggling up to him.

"Brother Jiang..."

Calling him Brother Jiang in a weak, kitten-like voice.

The drugged body was exceptionally hot. A pair of misty eyes looked at him through the fog, not knowing who she saw.

The drug Jiang Yin gave her seemed to confuse her mind, making her unable to distinguish who she saw. So when she was in the Jiang house, under Jiang Yin, she must have been this enchanting vixen, tenderly calling Jiang Yin as well?

The man coldly laughed. In the end, he couldn't control his anger. He forcibly pressed her under him and made her cry in pain all night.

If he didn't see her crying so pitifully, he wouldn't have wanted to come out...or let her off so easily.

Some things, if done once, could still be controlled.

But if done twice, it would be uncontrollable.

His grandfather wanted to get him a wife, and had arranged for Huo Qiyan, his aunt's daughter.

As long as it wasn't her, whoever became his wife didn't matter.

He began closely following the Jiang house. If Jiang Yin dared send her to someone again, he would definitely not let him off easily. After being punished, Jiang Yin became more restrained.

He only kept Gu Ying concealed in the mansion, rarely letting her go out. The next time she appeared was two years later. Her face was the same, but her temperament was a bit different.

After the death of the Prince of Duan, Zhao Changdu was promoted to Commander of the Imperial Guards. Within two more years he entered the Privy Council and held great power.

Even Prince Shu had to bow and scrape before him, showing the utmost respect.

He looked down condescendingly at Prince Shu's ambitious eyes, and thought of the message his subordinate had delivered.

Prince Shu actually wanted to force his way into the palace and become Emperor in order to obtain Gu Ying.

What a lovestruck fool, did he really think he had touched Gu Ying?

Every time with Gu Ying belonged to him, Zhao Changdu.

Zhao Changdu watched mockingly as Prince Shu put on an obedient act before him, letting him scheme for power. He would just wait until Prince Shu tried to seize the throne, then behead him under his horse.

This Prince Shu was indeed a debauched and useless ruler.

His death was quite miserable. His group of wine sacks and rice bags attacked the Forbidden Palace but were beaten to scraps by his Qilin Army in less than two hours. Two of his generals surrendered, Prince Shu himself was cut down to dust, and committed suicide in front of Tianqi Emperor with his broken spear.

After losing two imperial sons, the dynasty had no successor. Along with his excessive grief making him depressed and ill, Tianqi Emperor soon passed away.

The mighty Dongli Dynasty, just like that, fell at the hands of Li Yang.

The Zhao family held military power, suppressing lords from all directions, and became the biggest power holder in Dongli.

He leapt to become the regent of Dongli, taking control of court politics.

Jiang Yin also entered the cabinet along with him.

Countless people flattered them. Jiang Yin also understood, and said to him, "Your Highness, I have no feelings for my wife. When she returns from the old residence in Haizhou, I will formally divorce her."

Seated high above, Zhao Changdu's sword-like brows quirked slightly, his emotions unrevealed. "Oh?"

Jiang Yin prostrated on the green bricks, his attitude respectful. "I'm willing to present the beauty to Your Highness, and hope that you will kindly accept her."

These days, many people sent gold, silver, and beauties to the Zhao family.

Zhao Changdu accepted them all, and had Huo Qiyan manage and arrange the gold, silver, and beauties.

Of course, the gold and silver all went to military provisions and disaster relief. The beauties, he didn't touch a single one.

No one could figure out his true thoughts. The excellent position of Emperor was vacant, yet he held the title of regent, controlling all officials, for unknown reasons.

But at this moment, the Jiang Yin kneeling before him seemed to have seen through his thoughts.

He knew that he wanted Gu Ying.

After a long silence, Zhao Changdu spoke heavily. "What benefits do you want?"

"I desire nothing else, only hope that Your Highness can soon ascend the throne." Zhao Changdu lazily propped his elbow on his knee, his aura powerful. His dark eyes looked deeply at him. "You're an educated man, yet your ambition is not small."

Jiang Yin smiled. "Your Highness overthinks. I only want to be a minister who assists and upholds the nation. What ambitions could I have?"

Zhao Changdu's eyes dangerously narrowed. By now, he finally truly understood what role Jiang Yin had played in this situation.

He was unwilling to be a hardworking minor official, and secretly planned amidst the struggle between the two imperial sons for the throne. After the Prince of Duan's death, he used Gu Ying as bait to provoke conflict between him and Prince Shu.

The Jiang clan's empire perished, the Zhao clan's empire reopened, and he would become the great meritorious minister who assisted the new Son of Heaven, granted a fief and noble title, reaching the height of glory and wealth.

"Good for you, Jiang Yin!" He ground his teeth and sneered coldly.

Yet Jiang Yin remained calm and unruffled. "Does Your Highness no longer want Gu Ying?"

Zhao Changdu restrained his anger and walked down from his high seat, stopping in front of him and looking straight at him intently. "Tell me, where is she?"

"In Haizhou."

"You think you can fool this king so easily?"

He had already sent people to look for her in Haizhou, but Gu Ying wasn't at the Ye family residence at all!

Jiang Yin smiled calmly and leisurely looked up. "Your Highness is wise and brilliant, your achievements lofty and great. As long as you grant what I desire soon, I will personally deliver Gu Ying to Your Highness's estate."

A burst of gloomy fury rose in Zhao Changdu's phoenix eyes. He couldn't restrain his anger, pressing his lips thin. "You know she is very important to this king. You should understand that if you dare harm a hair on her, this king will slaughter your entire clan!"

Jiang Yin said, "I understand."

Just three short words, yet this man had completely grasped control over him.

Zhao Changdu really disliked this feeling of being controlled and manipulated by someone.

But he could hardly imagine how dangerous Gu Ying's situation was currently.

Facing a scheming man like Jiang Yin, how could a simple and weak young girl resist him?

Even though he was unwilling to cooperate with Jiang Yin, for Gu Ying's sake, he finally still gave Jiang Yin everything he wanted.

Two months later, an imperial decree directly from the palace arrived at the Jiang clan manor.

The decree stated that amidst the palace chaos, Jiang Yin protected the emperor, achieving merit, and was granted the title of Duke Who Protects the Nation.

What awaited him would be endless honor and boundless glory and wealth.

Zhao Changdu calculated the time. It had been nearly half a year since he last saw that girl. He coldly laughed and summoned the newly titled Duke Who Protects the Nation to the regent's estate.

Same old place, but the person kneeling on the ground was now dressed in rich silks, his temperament completely different from the lowly subordinate back then.

"What you wanted, this king has already given you." Zhao Changdu narrowed his phoenix eyes, his patience clearly nearing its limit. "Where is the person this king wants?"