DLWAV CH139

But when Ao Ruize woke up the next day, there was no one beside him.

He was also dressed in clean clothes, and looking down, he saw that the quilt and bedsheets had all been changed as well.

Ao Ruize raised an eyebrow.

It was self-evident whose doing this was.

Just thinking about the scene—how Jiang Zimo, after passing out last night, had to force himself to wake up, change him into clean clothes and bedding, and then, with a face full of shame and indignation, clean himself up, before finally dragging his trembling, pale legs to sleep in another room, all to create the illusion that nothing had happened last night… Ao Ruize’s Adam’s apple couldn’t help but bob up and down.

Hearing the movement inside the room, the maids and servant boys who had been waiting outside immediately walked in carrying toiletries: “Your Highness.”

Before Ao Ruize could speak, the lead servant boy said, “Does Your Highness remember? You had too much to drink last night and rested here in the Fuyun Courtyard.”

Ao Ruize shot him a glance.

Was Jiang Zimo worried that he might remember what happened last night, so he deliberately sent someone to test him?

He merely replied, “I don’t remember.”

Sure enough, the servant boy breathed a sigh of relief.

However, after Ao Ruize simply freshened up, he asked again, “Where is Mr. Jiang?”

The servant boy instinctively replied, “Mr. Jiang is not up yet.”

“Oh?”

Ao Ruize: “It’s so late, and Mr. Jiang actually still hasn’t gotten up?”

“Could he have fallen ill again? This Prince will go take a look at him.”

By the time the servant boy reacted, Ao Ruize had already stepped out the door.

Hearing the sound of the door being pushed open, and realizing the visitor hadn’t immediately announced their identity, Jiang Zimo, who was fast asleep, abruptly opened his eyes.

However, upon seeing that the visitor was Ao Ruize, not only did he not immediately relax his guard, he actually felt incredibly indignant.

Because in all his life, he had never suffered such severe “internal injuries”—

But he also had to admit one thing: in this matter, Ao Ruize was at most an accomplice; the main culprit was himself.

After all, he was the one who drugged the wine, and he was the one who personally stripped off the clothes…

So he suddenly wanted to speak to Ao Ruize even less.

He simply closed his eyes again and pretended to sleep.

Thus, when Ao Ruize walked to the bedside, he saw the scene of Jiang Zimo lying on his stomach on the bed. The redness and swelling on his lips were clearly visible. Although the flush at the corners of his eyes had faded, it didn’t stop Ao Ruize, upon seeing those slightly upturned eyelids, from recalling how teardrops had hung from them last night, silently conveying a sense of pleasure and satisfaction.

Looking further down, though he had no covers on, perhaps because the sun had risen and the room was gradually becoming a bit stifling, his clothes had inevitably been tugged somewhat loose, revealing his fair waist underneath, along with the clearly visible finger marks and hickeys.

And perhaps Ao Ruize’s gaze was too burning, causing Jiang Zimo’s waist, which he was staring at, to tremble uncontrollably.

Ao Ruize: “…”

What could Ao Ruize do?

He could only instruct the servant boy who had followed him in: “Go fetch a fan.”

Jiang Zimo pursed his lips, not understanding what Ao Ruize was trying to do.

But not long after, wave after wave of cool breeze blew over.

The stifling heat surrounding him was instantly dispelled, and Jiang Zimo’s slightly furrowed brow couldn’t help but relax.

He didn’t even need to guess to know that Ao Ruize was fanning him.

This guy is quite considerate.

Jiang Zimo thought.

Perhaps it was too comfortable, for soon, the heavy drowsiness that had just faded washed over him once again.

And so, very quickly, Jiang Zimo fell back into a deep sleep.

Seeing this, Ao Ruize simply had the servant boy bring over a chair for him.

Then, while fanning Jiang Zimo, he began to flip through the storybook disguised as the Four Books and Five Classics that Jiang Zimo had left at the head of the bed.

Perhaps the environment was just too comfortable, because it wasn’t until dusk that Jiang Zimo finally woke up.

Attended by the servant boy, Jiang Zimo washed his face.

Only then did he finally clear his head and realize what had happened that morning.

The servant boy spoke up at this moment: “Sir, His Highness didn’t leave until the sun went down, and only after Mr. Yao sent someone to invite him over.”

Hearing this, Jiang Zimo suddenly tightened his grip on his teacup.

“You mean to say, Wu Ruize sat here and fanned me for an entire day?”

The servant boy: “Yes.”

What was Ao Ruize’s status? A dignified prince.

And what was his own status? Just an ordinary scholar.

So there was absolutely no need for Ao Ruize to treat him this well.

Thus, Jiang Zimo’s first thought was whether Ao Ruize knew about what happened last night.

Clearly, the servant boy thought the same, otherwise he wouldn’t have deliberately brought this matter up.

—He didn’t understand. Jiang Zimo had always been the epitome of composure in the past.

Why, this time, had he done something so absurd?

Speaking of which, Wu Ruize’s looks… alright, he was indeed very handsome, but no matter how good-looking he was, even if Jiang Zimo liked men, he was still their enemy.

However, Jiang Zimo quickly came to his senses.

“Impossible. If he knew what happened last night, how could he be so calm?”

After all, it couldn’t possibly be because Wu Ruize liked him, right?

And therefore, even if he had taken liberties with Wu Ruize, Wu Ruize wasn’t angry?

But how could that be possible?

If Wu Ruize liked him, how come, despite him living in Prince Wu’s manor for over half a month, counting yesterday, he had only seen Wu Ruize three times?

Jiang Zimo said, “Wu Ruize probably just wants to use this incident to broadcast how courteous he is to the wise and how much he values talent, thereby achieving his goal of winning people’s hearts.”

The servant boy thought about it, felt that Jiang Zimo’s words seemed quite reasonable, and so didn’t say anything more.

Jiang Zimo’s heart slowly settled down, and then… began to stir with restlessness again.

Mainly because speaking of Wu Ruize, he couldn’t help but recall what happened last night again.

It was like he said before.

This kind of thing was actually even more pleasurable than he had imagined.

Most importantly, he originally thought that after being tossed about inside and out by Ao Ruize last night, he would inevitably fall gravely ill today.

To his surprise, he was completely fine today.

He touched his lower back again, and it wasn’t even sore anymore.

Could this be the legendary “a happy event lifts one’s spirits”?

Therefore, Jiang Zimo immediately dismissed the idea of “slaying the donkey after the grinding is done” and sending Ao Ruize off with a bowl of poison right after finally tasting meat.

Anyway, the imperial court wasn’t in a hurry right now, so why shouldn’t he wait until he got tired of playing with Ao Ruize before killing him?

With this thought, he casually took the still-unopened letter that Dr. Li had sent someone to deliver to him that morning and held it over a nearby candle flame.

But soon, his good mood vanished again.

After all, one can’t help but think about this kind of thing, and thinking about it too much makes one crave it again, right?

What a pity; the same excuse couldn’t be used twice, otherwise it would arouse Ao Ruize’s suspicion.

So for the next few days at least, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to sleep with Ao Ruize.

Who knew that right at this moment, the sound of greetings suddenly came from outside the room: “Your Highness.”

“Your Highness.”

Jiang Zimo turned his head and saw Ao Ruize walking in carrying a bamboo basket: “Mr. Jiang, the estate sent over some crabs. I packed a basket to bring over for you to taste.”

Jiang Zimo’s eyes flickered, and he said with a smile, “Thank you, Your Highness, for keeping me in your thoughts.”

He continued, “As it happens, my fellow townsman sent over a basket of late peaches today. Why doesn’t Your Highness stay and eat here with me tonight?”

Ao Ruize: “Alright.”

Jiang Zimo’s good mood instantly returned.

After all, when the prey delivered itself right to his door, how could he not be happy?

And while Jiang Zimo was busy playing with his prey, Ao Ruize, on the other side, with the unsparing help of Yao Wenju and the others, the imperial army finally defeated the Prince of Qinghe’s forces half a month later. They shot and killed the Prince of Qinghe and captured his entire family alive.

This wasn’t even the most important part. Most importantly, the Third Prince discovered numerous letters in the Prince of Qinghe’s residence between him and the other vassal kings. These included letters inciting other vassal kings to rebel together, and letters using their secrets to coerce and bribe them into providing him with rations and military supplies.

And the secret he used to coerce the Prince of Luoyang was—the Prince of Luoyang was having an affair with Noble Consort Ning, and even the Sixth Prince, born to Noble Consort Ning, was actually the Prince of Luoyang’s son.

When this news reached the capital, Emperor Jianzhao flew into a thunderous rage. He immediately ordered the Third Prince, who had just conquered the Prince of Qinghe’s fiefdom, to lead the army to attack the Prince of Luoyang’s fiefdom and escort the Prince of Luoyang to the capital under guard.

The Prince of Luoyang’s strength was already far inferior to the Prince of Qinghe’s, and with the suddenness of the event, the Prince of Luoyang was even less of a match for the imperial court.

Thus, in just a short span of five days, the Third Prince conquered the Prince of Luoyang’s fiefdom as well.

Upon learning this news in the backyard of the Minister of War’s estate, Meng Jiao was completely numb.

By this time, the female lead’s illness had finally been cured.

However, after the major villain (Wu Ruize) had killed Male Lead #9 (Fu Deben), the main Male Lead (the Third Prince) had just killed Male Lead #8 (the Prince of Qinghe), and had also hacked Male Lead #7 (the Heir of Luoyang) into critical condition—it looked like he wouldn’t last much longer either.

Oh, wait, no—

The female lead had fallen ill again.

Because after recovering, she wanted to go out for a stroll to relax. But as soon as she stepped out, she encountered die-hard loyalists of the Prince of Qinghe attempting to assassinate the Third Prince for revenge. She witnessed the two assassins being hacked to death by the army’s chaotic blades, failed to catch her breath on the spot, and fainted dead away.

And then she was bedridden once again.