Chapter 124: The Conditions, His Own Desire

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Night had fallen deep. In Dading City, December was bitterly cold, the icy wind howling without end. The vast He residence lay wrapped in silence. Only a few lanterns beneath the covered walkways swayed forlornly in the wind, casting a dim, wavering yellow glow.

The courtyards of the He residence were almost entirely shrouded in darkness. Masters and servants alike had long since retired to their beds. The sole exception was a room beside the eastern corridor, where a light still burned.

It was He Liancheng’s study.

Shen Qianmo stood quietly before a broad writing desk, meeting He Liancheng’s gaze without flinching. Yet the man’s eyes were too sharp, too brazen, and she could not help feeling faintly resistant. Her brows drew together almost imperceptibly.

He Liancheng raised his eyes and surveyed the woman before him without the slightest restraint. Her expression was cool, her gaze serene, but his mind kept returning to what she had just said.

She was willing to remain in the He residence as a hostage, provided he guaranteed her living conditions and personal safety. In every other matter, she would submit to his arrangements.

His bright, keen eyes roamed over her shamelessly, while He Liancheng felt a trace of astonishment.

In his mind, words of surrender such as these should never have come from this woman’s lips.

What was she plotting?

His thin lips parted, and he said coldly, “As a hostage, do you think you have the right to set conditions?”

He had summoned a prison guard in the middle of the night to report that she had an urgent matter to discuss with him. He had assumed something momentous had happened. As it turned out, she had merely come to bargain.

Shen Qianmo’s expression remained as calm as ever. In a steady voice, she replied, “Whether I have that right naturally depends on General He’s opinion. But the right to determine whether I live or die remains in my own hands.”

He Liancheng had imprisoned her plainly intending to use her to threaten Meng Yuanheng. Yet he had not rushed to reveal to Meng Yuanheng that she was in his possession. He must be waiting for a more advantageous moment. Which meant that, for now, she still possessed some value to him.

That was the leverage with which she could negotiate. She had to secure the best living conditions possible for herself and protect the small life growing within her.

At her indifferent words, He Liancheng’s face took on a faintly livid cast. For some inexplicable reason, anger rose within him.

Was this woman threatening him with her own life? She had only just escaped death, yet she treated her life with such contempt?

“Give me your reason.” He Liancheng absolutely refused to believe that Shen Qianmo had made this request because she craved comfort and feared hardship.

She was not that kind of woman.

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Shen Qianmo remained utterly composed as she said with utmost seriousness, “General He must know that I have only just recovered from severe injuries and that my body is still weak. I am truly unsuited to remaining for long in a prison cell, where it is cold and damp. If I were to contract a serious illness and become bedridden, would that not merely create more trouble for you?”

Naturally, she could not let He Liancheng know that she was pregnant. If he learned that she was carrying Meng Yuanheng’s child, then, given the depth of his hatred for Meng Yuanheng, the child would likely never survive.

“Heh…” He Liancheng gave a soft laugh. It lent some warmth to his usually impassive, handsome face, though the amusement never reached his eyes.

The clear laughter vanished as quickly as it had come. His audacious gaze swept over Shen Qianmo, touched with mockery. “In that case, I suppose I should thank the Princess Consort of Xuan for her thoughtful concern.”

He admired this woman more and more. She could actually present such a high-minded, perfectly respectable excuse with a straight face. Her solemn tone and composed expression nearly convinced him that she truly was acting out of consideration for him.

Shen Qianmo paid no heed to his sarcasm. She merely gave him a faint, gentle smile and said calmly, “You are giving yourself too much credit, General He. To you, I am merely a piece on the board that still retains some temporary value. How could a piece on the board concern itself with the player? At most, I can only cling to the belief that it is better to shatter like jade than live as a common tile, and seek a few more chances to survive.”

It was as though her words had wounded him. He Liancheng’s expression changed, and he rose, striding toward her. Because of the difference in their height, he had to bend slightly. His sharp eyes fixed upon the woman before him, carrying a hint of anger born of embarrassment.

She had said that she had not considered him at all. Was that not perfectly natural? They were enemies. It would have been strange for her to care about him. Yet why, after recognizing that fact, did he feel as though a heavy stone had lodged in his chest, making each breath burdensome?

He Liancheng was nearly as tall as Meng Yuanheng. Years spent fighting on battlefields had given him a sturdier, harder physique than Meng Yuanheng, who had lived secluded within the prince’s residence for seven years. His sudden nearness made Shen Qianmo’s heart tremble despite herself.

She forced herself to calm down and raised her eyes to meet his. She saw the anger concealed in their depths. Though she did not understand why he had suddenly grown furious, Shen Qianmo knew that He Liancheng would not take her life.

After Meng Yuanheng’s armed rebellion and treason, everyone under heaven likely knew how deeply the Prince of Xuan cherished his consort. So long as He Liancheng still intended to deal with Meng Yuanheng, he would make proper use of her.

Sure enough, He Liancheng stared at her for a long while with an unreadable expression before finally saying in a low voice, “Someone, take her to the eastern wing and keep her under strict watch. There must be no mistakes.”

He would never admit that, when Shen Qianmo had just told him she would remain peacefully in the He residence and submit to his every command, a faint, secret delight had stirred deep within him.

The eastern wing was a guestroom on the eastern side of the courtyard where He Liancheng lived. It was seldom occupied, and the surroundings were therefore quiet and secluded—much to Shen Qianmo’s liking. The only imperfection was that the room lay too close to He Liancheng’s study; through the windows, the two could see each other from afar.

It was probably for the sake of keeping her under surveillance. That was the only explanation Shen Qianmo could come up with.

Still, He Liancheng proved true to his word. During the three days she stayed in the eastern wing, aside from occasionally sensing his distant gaze watching her through the window, everything else remained peaceful. The meals sent to her were quite decent, and even Lou Xinyue’s attempts to provoke trouble at her door were blocked by him.

Naturally, he also asked her for the antidote to the Seven-Day Soul-Severing Pill.

Watching Shen Qianmo casually pick up a small porcelain bottle from the table and extend it steadily toward him, He Liancheng’s lips twitched almost imperceptibly. Raising a brow, he asked, “Are you certain this is truly the antidote?”

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Shen Qianmo nodded, her expression as calm as ever. “Since General He has treated me so well, I should naturally return the favor. Rest assured—this was personally prepared by Baili Xiao. It is genuine. Miss Lou is of special importance to you, General, so I naturally would not let anything happen to her. I only hope that, when convenient, you might persuade her to conduct herself properly. Otherwise, what awaits her will be far worse than the Seven-Day Soul-Severing Pill.”

After spending several days in the He residence, she had gained a rough understanding of Lou Xinyue’s current identity. By a twist of fate, she had apparently become the adopted daughter of the chieftain of the largest tribe in Northern Di. The chieftain had five sons but only one daughter—Lou Xinyue. Thus, although she was merely an adopted daughter, she was deeply cherished by him. He had even begun considering betrothing her to He Liancheng.

He Liancheng took the porcelain bottle from her. Their hands brushed unintentionally, and the smooth, delicate sensation of her skin sent an unexpected ripple through him. Suppressing the long-forgotten stirrings of his heart, he gazed at her for a long while with a complicated look in his eyes. Then he gave a soft snort and turned away.

Hmph. He had no desire whatsoever to explain that he felt nothing for Lou Xinyue.

Shen Qianmo could not be bothered to concern herself with his unusual expression. She simply went back to bed to rest.

She knew medicine as well and understood that she was at risk of miscarriage. She had to remain in bed and rest as much as possible. With He Liancheng keeping watch over Lou Xinyue, there was no way that woman could stir up much trouble. For now, Shen Qianmo’s task was simply to recuperate in peace. No matter how difficult her circumstances or how unwell she felt, she had to do everything in her power to protect the child within her.

As for Baili Xiao, it seemed he would have to endure some time alone in the dungeon.

That night, He Liancheng stood with his hands clasped behind his back before the study window, gazing toward the eastern wing opposite him. A graceful silhouette, illuminated by candlelight, appeared against its window.

The cold wind poured unhindered through the open window, setting his robes billowing and his dark hair flying.

He stood tall and straight, his thin lips pressed tightly together. His deep eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with an unreadable light in the murky yellow darkness.

At that moment, he had no choice but to admit that assigning Shen Qianmo to the eastern wing had actually been done to satisfy a selfish desire of his own.

She was probably sitting by the window reading. As a hostage, the woman was almost unnaturally obedient. Every day, she remained indoors, doing little more than eating and sleeping. At most, she would sit by the window and read.

He had discovered that she seemed especially fond of books. She also liked to take up a brush and scribble freely across sheets of paper. He had once secretly looked through what she had written, only to find that he could not understand it at all. The characters were crooked and twisting, resembling strange symbols. They seemed to run together in strings, yet each formed a complete whole.

This woman appeared to be hiding countless secrets, and her thoughts so often took people by surprise.

He turned his head toward the small porcelain bottle resting on the table. Suddenly, he felt that playing along with this woman’s little performance might be rather entertaining.

Perhaps he would wait a few more days before giving the antidote to Lou Xinyue.

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