Chapter Twelve: Did the Master Tell You That Bloodshed Was in Your Future?

Jia Yibo stood rooted to the spot, his facial muscles twitching uncontrollably. He fixed his gaze fiercely on the direction where Nurse Rong and her group had departed, his eyes burning as if about to shoot flames.

Hatred!

He wished he could rush forward this very moment and tear Xie Ning to pieces.

But he dared not.

Princess Li Qingning.

Those words weighed on his heart like a towering mountain, suffocating him.

He couldn’t comprehend it, not at all.

That worthless Xie Ning, the scoundrel he had bullied since childhood, how had he managed to climb up to the lofty branch of the princess?

And to be valued so highly by her—not only had she sent two elite guards, but also personally dispatched her confidant, who, in front of all the servants, had viciously slapped him across the face.

“Lord Marquis...”

A servant behind him cautiously spoke, trying to warn him.

“Get lost!”

Jia Yibo spun around abruptly, roaring fiercely, frightening the servant into trembling before he fled hastily.

The other servants lowered their heads even further, barely breathing, fearful of angering the Marquis of Dingyuan in his furious state.

Oh, he was acting as the acting lord.

Jia Yibo’s chest heaved violently as he forced himself to calm down.

He must not touch him.

At least not here, within the Marquis of Dingyuan’s mansion.

The princess had said she would personally inquire over a single fallen hair—she was not joking.

Taking a deep breath, Jia Yibo temporarily suppressed the overwhelming murderous intent and humiliation.

He turned back to look at Xie Ning, who still stood there as if nothing had happened.

At this moment, Xie Ning was indeed in a rather good mood.

He looked at Qingfeng and Mingyue standing quietly behind him, feeling considerably reassured.

These two were the foundation of his foothold in the Marquis’s residence.

The princess’s gift had arrived just in time and was exceedingly weighty.

So weighty that he even wondered if he truly possessed some kingly aura that had captivated Her Highness at first sight.

But then he thought again—it seemed unlikely.

The princess’s gaze was cold and commanding, clearly a decisive and deep-minded ruler.

Her actions must have only one reason.

She needed him.

Or rather, she needed him to cure her illness.

Having realized this, Xie Ning’s mindset completely settled.

This was a transaction.

He used his strength to exchange for the princess’s protection.

Very fair.

He met Jia Yibo’s murderous glare with a radiant smile.

“Lord Marquis, why are you looking at me like that? Could it be you’re intimidated by my current prestige?”

Jia Yibo’s eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

Ungrateful son!

This ungrateful son!

Gritting his teeth, he spat out through clenched jaws, “Xie Ning, don’t get too cocky!”

“Cocky?”

Xie Ning seemed to hear something amusing. He stepped forward and whispered into Jia Yibo’s ear, voice low enough for only the two of them.

“Lord Marquis, this is just the beginning.”

“My mother’s debts, the debts your precious son Jia Huizu owes me, I will collect every last one, principal and interest.”

“You just wait.”

Then he straightened up and patted Jia Yibo on the shoulder, the gesture so intimate it resembled that of a real father and son.

“Lord Marquis, don’t let your anger harm your health. After all, you’ll still have to manage this marquisate in the future, won’t you?”

Jia Yibo’s body stiffened like stone.

He could feel the force behind Xie Ning’s hand on his shoulder.

He seemed to understand something.

The Xie Ning before him was no longer the pushover he once controlled.

Ignoring the frozen Jia Yibo, Xie Ning turned and scrutinized Qingfeng and Mingyue with interest.

“Do you two have anything fun?”

Qingfeng and Mingyue exchanged a glance, puzzled, then shook their heads in unison.

“Prince, we only know how to kill.”

Their handsome faces remained expressionless, their voices cold.

“Oh?”

Xie Ning stroked his chin, a playful smile on his lips.

“That won’t do. Only knowing how to kill is boring.”

“Come on, I’ll take you to do something fun.”

With that, he swaggered toward the inner courtyard of the marquis’s residence.

Without hesitation, Qingfeng and Mingyue flanked him on either side, shielding him in the middle.

Jia Yibo clenched his fists tightly as he watched Xie Ning’s departing back, his nails digging into his flesh.

Only when he noticed the direction Xie Ning was heading did his clenched hands suddenly relax.

That direction was Huizu’s quarters.

What was this ungrateful son planning?

A bad premonition surged in Jia Yibo’s heart. Forgetting all decorum, he hurried after him.

Inside Jia Huizu’s room was a strong scent of medicine.

He lay on the bed, his head wrapped thickly in bandages, his face as pale as paper.

Since being diagnosed by Doctor Lin with the possibility of becoming mentally incapacitated, he had been lying there in a daze, spiritless with vacant eyes.

He couldn’t understand his misfortune.

Wasn’t it just chasing away a quack? How did he end up banging his head against a stone lion?

And so badly.

Lost in his troubled thoughts, he heard the creak of the door opening.

He thought it was his father Jia Yibo or his mother Xu, so he weakly lifted his eyelids.

But when he saw who entered, his whole body instantly bristled.

Xie Ning!

He still dared to come!

Jia Huizu struggled to sit up, but any movement sent a stabbing pain through his head wound, making him gasp.

“You useless wretch, what are you doing here? Get out! Who let you in?”

He roared, his voice sharp with weakness and fury.

Xie Ning, as if ignoring the insults, walked in and began to scrutinize the room seriously.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

He shook his head as he spoke.

“I was wondering why you were so unlucky—turns out the feng shui in this room is terrible.”

He pointed at a precious rosewood table.

“Look at this table, its sharp edges emit strong negative energy aimed right at your bed every day. No wonder your luck’s so bad.”

Then he gestured to a hanging painting of a fierce tiger descending a mountain.

“And this painting, the tiger embodies killing and decisiveness. Hanging it in your bedroom unsettles your spirit, causes sleepless nights, and naturally ruins your health.”

Jia Huizu was so infuriated by these ramblings he nearly fainted again.

“Nonsense! I hired the most famous feng shui master in the capital. He said this layout brings wealth and good fortune.”

“Oh? Really?”

Xie Ning turned to him, smiling brightly.

“Did the master happen to mention you’re about to suffer a bloody disaster?”

“You!”

Jia Huizu was so stifled he couldn’t reply.

A bloody disaster!

If it weren’t for Xie Ning’s jinx, how could he have collided with the stone lion?

This was definitely Xie Ning’s doing.