Chapter 98 - 9: The Princess Who Refuses to Be Cannon Fodder (Part 9)

"Oh, so what? Is there only one smart person under the sky? Give me a break, Jiang Ling, don’t bring that mysterious act in front of me, we’re not close enough for late-night candle talks, are we?"

Jiang Ling nodded, his tall figure radiating an oppressive aura in the confined space.

"Sister, you’re different from before. You used to be so innocent and pure, unlike now, sharp-tongued."

Was that called innocent and pure?

That was called stupid.

Getting sold and still counting the money for them.

"So did you come here to reminisce?"

"Get up, I’m taking you to catch a cheater."

"?"

Are you meddling too much?

"Whose affair are we catching?"

Jiang Lai played dumb.

"Aren’t you curious about what your husband’s late-night rendezvous girl looks like?"

"Not interested, he’s a man, it’s normal for men to have multiple wives, and besides, my husband is so outstanding, what’s wrong if there are more women around him, don’t meddle."

"..."

Jiang Ling looked at Jiang Lai as if looking at a fool.

He was silent for a moment.

"Well, that’s good, continue to rest."

Since Jiang Lai said that, what else could he do but temporarily pause his plan.

After Jiang Ling left, Little Buding finally spoke again.

"Do you know why Jiang Ling has been trying to come between you and Murong Dun?"

"Could it be because he’s fallen for the beautiful me?"

"Impossible, it’s clear you didn’t read the novel carefully, with Jiang Xiong’s immense power, commanding tens of thousands of elite soldiers, why did the Jiang Family fall so easily after he died?"

Jiang Lai frowned, not even bothering to guess.

"Hmm, why?"

"The Commander’s Seal, the one commanding Jiang Xiong’s ten thousand cavalry, was taken by Jiang Ling."

"Oh, no wonder... so I need to find it and hide it before he does?"

"You don’t need to find it; the Commander’s Seal is already on you."

As for who Jiang Xiong’s most beloved child was in his lifetime, it was Jiang Lai. This fatherly love was mainly expressed by hiding the Jiang Family’s most important item on Jiang Lai.

This heavy fatherly love was something the original owner was completely unaware of, not even knowing why she was completely deceived in the end.

Indeed, cannon fodder is cannon fodder.

Jiang Lai felt around her own body, finding nothing but clothes, not a single piece of jewelry, wondering where the Commander’s Seal could be hidden.

"Where?"

"Take off your clothes and look in the mirror at your back."

Jiang Lai did as told, undressing and standing in front of the dressing mirror, turned her head to look, and saw a bright red pattern carved on her smooth and delicate waist, the size of a baby’s fist. Looking closely, there was a red phoenix around her waist, with a vivid red ruby held in its mouth.

Jiang Lai frowned and scratched with her hand, a wave of pain surged through her, like trying to scratch off a mole, numbing her waist.

"Damn."

The Commander’s Seal had been tattooed on her young daughter’s waist ever since childhood by Jiang Xiong, no wonder it took Jiang Ling two years to find it.

After all, Murong Dun never touched Jiang Lai, and Jiang Lai wouldn’t look at her own back for no reason.

No, Xiao Lian should have been able to see it.

Then why had Xiao Lian never mentioned it?

Putting her clothes back on, Jiang Lai pondered over how that gem was embedded in her waist, like it had grown there, hard and painful to the touch.

"Even if Murong Dun saw it, he wouldn’t necessarily think this thing is the Commander’s Seal."

"So next time if he needs to deploy troops, he has to take me along to undress?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, Jiang Xiong himself was more effective than the Commander’s Seal. Only after his death would the Seal be useful, so hiding it in this way on you ensures your safety."

Jiang Lai couldn’t help but touch it again.

"Could this be a mole, so hard, does it need to be surgically removed?"

How could a human body possibly have a diamond growing on it?

"Whatever it is, Jiang Ling is definitely after the Commander’s Seal on you, keep it hidden, don’t let yourself get killed before completing your mission, Jiang Ling kills more easily than killing a chicken."

Jiang Lai recalled the hairpin he gifted her, realizing he wanted her to swap the one she usually wore, to secretly take it back and study if the Commander’s Seal was hidden in the adornment.

While still pondering, Murong Dun returned, and Jiang Lai laid back down, pretending to sleep again.

He came back sooner than expected, different from the original plot.

The next morning, Murong Dun was up early preparing his horse to head into the mountains.

Jiang Lai changed into men’s clothing, a Jade Belt cinched around her waist, carrying a longbow and wearing an arrow box, picked a handsome black horse and mounted it right behind Murong Dun.

Watching her agile and confident posture as she mounted the horse, a flicker of surprise and admiration appeared in Murong Dun’s eyes.

"You know how to ride?"

"My father is the Great General, haven’t you heard ’a tiger father has no inferior daughters’?"

The young woman on horseback radiated heroic spirit, her back straight, a Jade Belt accentuating that slim waist, her black hair tied high. The restless steed kicked up its hooves, and Jiang Lai flicked the reins, turned back, and gave Murong Dun a teasing smile.

"I’m not waiting for you, wait any longer and the best deer might be gone!"

Watching that distant figure, a spark of turmoil ignited in Murong Dun’s heart, a fiery surge rising, with an expectant smile on his face, he was about to whip his horse forward when he suddenly remembered Luoyang behind him, and held back, patiently waiting for her to mount.

"Heartbeat Value change, current Heartbeat Value: 50."

Luoyang wore a mask, changed into hunting attire, and had a Water Jade, something only princely nobility could afford, around her waist. Transformed from maid to an unseen noble lady.

Murong Dun watched her mount, remembering how long ago he was drawn to Luoyang on horseback.

Describing her as ’capable women don’t yield to men’ could not be more fitting.

But seeing her today, Murong Dun realized Luoyang’s mounting posture was not very practiced, appearing a bit amateurish and flashy compared to Jiang Lai’s genuine skill.

"Ready? Let’s set off."

"Hmm, let’s go."

Luoyang was aiming for the Deer King, everyone knew there was a towering and mighty buck in these mountains, with magnificent and giant antlers that many desired to capture and admire.

Everyone at court knew that Prime Minister Wen loved these kinds of things, if it could be brought to him, it would surely boost the effort to overthrow Jiang Xiong.

More importantly, the medicinal use of deer bones can cure bone toxins, the older the deer, the better the bones’ detoxifying effect. Murong Dun had been framed and injured in the bones, still suffering from persistent ailments.

Luoyang wanted to make medicine from the deer bones to cure him.

Now that the hunting ground was reopened, the sound of horseshoes filled the mountains, arrows flying, everyone was determined to win this hunt.

Murong Dun kept looking for that familiar silhouette, but he had fallen too far behind, the mountain was vast, and finding Jiang Lai was impossible.