"Huh? Turns out you're an obedient little lass after all!" The moment
Jiang Chen spoke with a casual air, as if breaking through to Eleven-Meridian True Qi was as routine as eating or sleeping — nothing worth making a fuss over.
Princess Gouyu had been brimming with anticipation, waiting for Jiang Chen to offer her a word of praise. Even some generic compliment would do — something about outstanding talent, or being a martial arts prodigy.
But she was dismayed to discover that this infuriating fellow seemed completely unaware that women needed to be praised.
Seeing Princess Gouyu staring at him with wide, fiery eyes, Jiang Chen grinned lazily. "Out with it — what do you need me for? These past few days have worn me out. If there's nothing important, I'm heading home to sleep."
Princess Gouyu looked at him, equal parts exasperated and amused.
"Jiang Chen, judging by how you look — is your father all right?"
Jiang Chen blinked. "Were you hoping something happened to him?"
"Of course not!" Princess Gouyu's jade-like lips moved rapidly, clearly flustered. "Is that what you think of me? Do you really think I'm that terrible?"
"All right, all right. We're all in the same boat now anyway. Whether you're good or bad, I'm stuck with you, aren't I? So — you've been coming to my house every single day. What's so urgent?"
Princess Gouyu had no choice but to give in to this impossible man and told the truth. "Of course I have business with you. Come with me."
"Where? You're not going to try to rob the cradle, are you?" Jiang Chen said with a guarded expression.
"Rob the cradle?! What do you take me for?!" Princess Gouyu nearly kicked him in the face.
"Oh come on, you're clearly a tough one — you look like one of those manly women. You probably like women, right?"
Princess Gouyu was thoroughly defeated. If looks could kill, Jiang Chen would have died a dozen times over by now.
She led Jiang Chen along a path to a large warehouse, surrounded by heavily armed guards. The moment they saw Princess Gouyu arrive, they all bowed respectfully.
"Jiang Chen, come inside with me."
In front of others, Jiang Chen knew he had to give Princess Gouyu some face, so he obediently followed her in. It turned out to be a grand treasury.
Inside, gold and silver treasures were heaped into a small mountain. On racks lining both sides, all manner of rare and exotic valuables were displayed.
"Guess what these are?" Princess Gouyu asked.
"Do I look blind to you?" Jiang Chen replied, unamused.
"These were all confiscated from Du Ruhai's residence. Completely untouched — they're all here."
"What? That corrupt little official was embezzling this much?" Upon learning these were Du Ruhai's illicit gains, Jiang Chen erupted in outrage. "So this is what it's like being an official in the Royal Capital? Maybe I should consider taking a post here. What's the point of being a marquis? Fighting wars every day, bleeding and sweating, and still getting stomped on. Being a capital official is so much better — even a piddling clerk like Du Ruhai can skim off this much! Wait — why did you bring me here? You're not trying to corrupt me, are you? If so, I've only got one thing to say — you win. Just start hauling this stuff to my house."
Princess Gouyu couldn't help but smile at his deadpan delivery.
She suddenly realized that being around this infuriating fellow was actually quite relaxing. He always found opportunities to crack jokes, and beneath that casual demeanor there was an unmistakable air of open-minded optimism.
"Jiang Chen, my brother the King has given an order. You may take whatever you like from here."
"You really are trying to corrupt me." Jiang Chen hadn't expected Princess Gouyu to bring him here for this.
"You're not seriously going to say you want everything, are you?" Princess Gouyu's eyes widened.
"I don't need to take gold and silver from a corrupt official's coffers. But I could consider doing you a favor." Jiang Chen grinned. "If I remember correctly, Marquis Jinshan's territory has suffered floods year after year. The people are destitute, and nine out of ten homes stand empty. If this confiscated wealth could be sent to aid the disaster victims, that would be a worthy deed. The question is whether your King would be willing to part with it."
"You... you mean that?" Princess Gouyu had never expected such words from Jiang Chen's mouth. It gave her a new understanding of him.
Jiang Chen said earnestly, "Do you think I'd joke about the lives of a million suffering people?"
Princess Gouyu felt momentarily dizzy, overwhelmed by the force of Jiang Chen's righteous conviction. In the end, her phoenix eyes narrowed with decision. "Very well — I'll make this decision on my brother's behalf. If I'm not mistaken, Marquis Jinshan's family and yours are old friends, aren't they?"
"Aiding disaster victims is a virtuous policy — it brings honor to your royal house. What does that have to do with friendship between our families?"
Jiang Chen fired back with a counter-question that made Princess Gouyu blush, realizing her own words had been rather clumsy. She deserved to be scolded.
After an awkward moment, Princess Gouyu finally found a new topic. "Jiang Chen, Du Ruhai was an avid collector of rare weapons. These arms are all extraordinary pieces. Won't you pick out one or two?"
"Oh? Now that I can't refuse." Jiang Chen didn't stand on ceremony and walked over to the rows of weapon racks.
Calling mundane weapons "rare treasures" was a bit of an exaggeration.
Jiang Chen scanned the collection. Most of it was, in his eyes, nothing more than scrap metal. A few pieces were marginally passable.