The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 105

“Unless I am meddling too much?”

The Duchess sneered coldly. “Do you know, my lord, how many of the Crown Prince’s elite soldiers were stationed outside the residence when you instructed the steward to notify the archers? Do you know how many of the capital guards were outside? If there had been any commotion, those people would have stormed in immediately.”

The Duke’s face changed suddenly. “Is what you say true?”

The Duchess glanced at him as if looking at a pig’s head. “Men, huh!” Too lazy to explain further, she turned and walked out. “If you don’t go to the palace soon, even Consort Li won’t be able to save your life!”

The Duke felt a wave of anxiety in his heart. Why did the Crown Prince deploy elite soldiers around his residence? Did the Crown Prince know about his private gold mine early on? Or did the Crown Prince discover something else? When were these soldiers deployed? Was it before or after the Crown Prince got injured? Had the Crown Prince never intended to align himself with the him?

As far as he knew, the Crown Prince had not been deliberately building his own power in court. What made him so confident that he would secure the throne? The other princes were not easy to deal with.

For a moment, the Duke’s mind was in turmoil. He glanced back at the gold in the pit and hurriedly left for the palace. The only consolation was that his wife arrived in time, preventing him from harming the Crown Prince. Otherwise, the consequences…

With cold sweat running down his back, the Duke arrived at the palace. In the long and dim passageway, palace servants kept passing by, stopping to salute the Crown Prince and then the Fourth Prince.

The Crown Prince, standing next to the Fourth Prince, asked in a low voice, “Fourth Brother, do you think we can nail the Duke to the wall this time?”

Song Jin, standing so close to him that every hair on his body bristled, replied, “Brother, don’t be so cruel. Don’t always talk about death.”

The Crown Prince grinned. “Cruel? Isn’t Fourth Brother here to help eliminate the Duke? If I’m not mistaken, if you can’t get rid of him this time, once he regains his strength, you will be the one in danger.”

Song Jin… Is this Crown Prince crazy? He turned to look at the Crown Prince’s handsome but unpleasant face and grinned. “Then, can I hug your thigh now, Brother?”

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow and placed a hand on Song Jin’s shoulder, pulling him close. “Truly hug my thigh? Really hug? How will you hug? In the street or in a room?”

Song Jin’s face turned red. He struggled to break free from the Crown Prince’s embrace. “Show some respect!” His voice rose, attracting curious glances from those around them.

The Crown Prince smiled innocently. “What’s wrong, Fourth Brother?”

Song Jin… He’s just a scoundrel! Glaring at the Crown Prince, Song Jin turned and walked away with long strides.

She really wanted to use a dagger to cut off the Crown Prince’s leg, damn it. How dare he flirt with her! But she didn’t dare. Unless absolutely necessary, it was better to heed her father’s advice and not use that skill.

Walking briskly, Song Jin heard the Crown Prince leisurely following two steps behind, smiling as he watched her back.

The Duked Duchess walked behind them, observing the unusual closeness between the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince, their eyes filled with complicated emotions. It was well known that the Crown Prince loathed the Fourth Prince. What had changed recently to make the Crown Prince’s feelings take a 180-degree turn?

Only Yuan Bao occasionally glanced at the Crown Prince warily. Filthy man, stay away from my master! With various thoughts, the group soon arrived at the Imperial Study.

The Emperor had already been informed of their arrival and watched them with a complex expression. It turned out that gold had indeed been found in the Duke’s Estate. What complicated his feelings further was that it wasn’t his Minister of Justice who discovered it. The Minister of Justice probably hadn’t even started his investigation when the Fourth Prince found all the gold.

This Fourth Prince… Was his usual foolishness all an act? And that divine dog…

As he pondered, the Emperor’s gaze fell on the dog. Song Jin had already instructed the dog to act friendly towards the Emperor when he was present.

After all, the legend was that the dog only remained loyal to the ruling monarch. If it showed affection only towards her… She wouldn’t have enough lives to live through it.

Seeing the Emperor looking at it, despite its reluctance, the dog wagged its tail and trotted happily from Song Jin’s side to the Emperor.

The Emperor’s previously cold gaze softened. He was overthinking it. He was the Emperor; naturally, the dog was loyal to him. It was with the Fourth Prince merely for the investigation. The dog was interested in the case.

As he thought, the Emperor silently reassured himself, as if avoiding some troubling thoughts. These feelings, no matter how hard he suppressed them, still stirred slightly.

The dog, extremely unwilling, squatted beside the Emperor and rubbed its head affectionately against his leg. A spark of brightness appeared in the Emperor’s eyes. Song Jin noticed this and felt relieved. But she didn’t dare to look directly at the Emperor’s face.

In her bloody and brutal dreams, it was this man who killed the parents of that baby. She didn’t know what the dream meant, but she was sure there were no such coincidences in the world.

With her head lowered, Song Jin stood silently.

The Emperor gently petted the dog’s head and looked at the Crown Prince. “What happened to your shoulder?”

The Duke trembled, cold sweat dripping from his forehead.

The Crown Prince glanced at his wound. “The Duke sent his death warriors to assassinate the Fourth Prince. I was injured while saving him.”

“I am wronged!” The Duke fell to his knees, his voice trembling with immense fear. “Your Majesty, I am loyal to you and aware of your fondness for the Crown Prince. How could I dare to harm him?”

The Crown Prince replied coldly, “You didn’t harm me, but you did try to harm my Fourth Brother.”

The Duke, trembling, said, “Your Majesty, I didn’t send anyone to assassinate the Fourth Prince either.”

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow. “Then, did I wound myself?”

Song Jin… That’s exactly what happened, I saw it with my own eyes.

Despite the Crown Prince’s teasing tone towards her, he had always protected her. Song Jin couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince acted this way. Not understanding, she just stood there silently.

The Duke, asked by the Crown Prince, trembled and bowed his head to the ground. “I only ordered people to block the Fourth Prince, not to assassinate him. With so many people outside, how could I do something so foolish? Please, Your Majesty, see the truth!”