The Command to Pamper the Husband - Chapter 74

However, each time Song Jin shuffled forward, Yuan Bao followed suit.

Song Jin was on the verge of tears.

Originally kneeling toward the Emperor, she now turned to kneel toward Yuan Bao. “Heavenly Hound, please, I beg you, don’t follow me.”

Yuan Bao…

If I don’t follow you, who will I follow?

You are my master!

I’ve finally found my master; how can I not follow!

After thinking for a moment, Yuan Bao turned and ran toward the Emperor.

The Emperor was startled. The Crown Prince knew the dog’s prowess. The death warriors he had sent to Yuzhou were all killed by this dog.

The Crown Prince hurriedly stepped in front of the Emperor and shouted, “Stand down!”

Yuan Bao lightly leaped over the Crown Prince’s head and headed straight for the Emperor. Just as the Emperor was about to retaliate, Yuan Bao nuzzled his furry head into the Emperor’s neck. His tail wagged vigorously. His eyes, wet and imploring, were full of requests.

The Emperor was dumbfounded.

Was the Heavenly Hound pleading with him? Was it trying to please him?

This…

Damn!

The dignified Emperor swore in his mind.

You’re a dog, not a dog demon! Though you have intelligence, you’re not supposed to be this communicative.

Thinking back to years ago, the dog that served the previous Empress often showed similar affection. Could it be that divine beasts with intelligence inherently had this ability to communicate with humans?

The Emperor was both shocked and curious. But seeing his Fourth Prince kneeling there, he felt uncomfortable again. The Heavenly Hound wanted to be close to him because it wanted to follow him. He was the true master of the Heavenly Hound!

Song Jin understood that Yuan Bao was trying to appeal to the Emperor. But…

Kneeling with her forehead on the ground, Song Jin tremblingly said, “Father Emperor, perhaps the Heavenly Hound wants to assist me in the investigation, which is why it insists on following me. After all, it was the Heavenly Hound that retrieved the body from Duke.”

Hearing Song Jin’s words, Yuan Bao, perched on the Emperor’s desk, immediately nodded.

The Emperor…

Is it possible for a dog to be this intelligent?

The Emperor couldn’t help but stroke Yuan Bao’s large head. “You want to help with the investigation?”

The Heavenly Hound nodded. It then nuzzled the Emperor’s neck again. The Emperor’s heart swelled with pride.

I am indeed the true dragon Emperor. This is my divine beast, my Heavenly Hound!

“Alright, I’ll allow it!”

The Heavenly Hound wagged its tail at the Emperor before running to Song Jin. The Emperor’s gaze softened as it followed the dog, then turned cold as he looked at the Fourth Prince.

“Since the Heavenly Hound wants to investigate, you must take good care of it. If anything happens to it, I will hold you accountable.”

Song Jin quickly responded, “Yes, Father Emperor.”

“Go.”

Song Jin hastily stood and turned to leave. It was best to leave this place of trouble quickly. Yuan Bao trotted happily beside Song Jin.

Following the master is so much fun!

The Crown Prince stood to the side, puzzled.

So, this dog’s hobby is investigating?

I wasted my time preparing all those meat bones to please it! If I had known, I would have prepared some cases for it to solve.

As soon as Song Jin left, the Emperor turned to the Crown Prince. “You mentioned that Duke intended to marry his third daughter to you. Do you favor her?”

The Crown Prince hurriedly replied, “Father Emperor, you have seen the Third Miss of Duke. She is beautiful but too lively. In my eyes, she is just a child.”

The Emperor understood the Crown Prince’s meaning and asked no more. After talking for a while, the Crown Prince took his leave.

The Emperor stood, hands behind his back, and walked to the window. Looking at the withered tree swaying in the wind, his eyes were deep and dark. Years ago, Duke conspired with him. All these years, despite Duke’s loyalty, he always felt like a thorn in his side.

However…

He couldn’t kill Duke. Duke held something that could end him, something he hadn’t reclaimed. His hand, clenched into a fist behind his back, tightened as his thoughts darkened his face.

Dark as his face became, the Emperor’s eye twitched. He had forgotten to question Shen Yue about why the Heavenly Hound was with him in Yuzhou.

A true rebellious son.

As soon as the Crown Prince left the palace, he ordered his attendants to scour the country for storybooks. He wanted every storybook in the nation to be in his study. Even books from other countries must be included.

What happened today in the Imperial Study made him realize he had read far too few books. He needed to catch up.

Meanwhile, after leaving the palace, Song Jin didn’t head directly back to the mansion. Halfway there, she was stopped.

“Fourth Prince.”

The sedan chair abruptly halted, and a voice from outside was less than respectful. Song Jin’s heart sank with tension.

She hadn’t fully adapted to the story yet! Although her catchphrase used to be: The most important thing is to quickly adapt to the plot.

After the fright she experienced in the palace, she was truly a bit disoriented. She didn’t want to have a weak psyche.

Lu Zhan stood outside the sedan chair, softly saying, “It’s Duke.”

Already tense, Song Jin grew even more nervous. The man her father wanted to destroy had suddenly appeared.

She wished she could use spiritual power to control a weapon and stab him to death! If stabbing worked, her father and the Fourth Prince wouldn’t have gone to such lengths with the gold mine scheme.

Taking a deep breath, Song Jin remained seated. “What is it?”

Duke had been standing in front of the sedan chair. Seeing that the Fourth Prince did not disembark, he frowned at the indifferent response.

“Your Highness, my mansion has prepared some wine and delicacies. I would like to invite you for a discussion.”

Song Jin decisively replied, “I don’t want to discuss.”

Lu Zhan…

You can refuse, but do you have to be so blunt?

But seeing Duke’s expression as if he had eaten something unpleasant, Lu Zhan found it quite satisfying. Maybe being direct wasn’t so bad.

Duke was genuinely surprised.

“Your Highness, do you intend to speak to me from the sedan chair?”

Song Jin pursed her lips and sincerely asked, “Is there anything wrong with that?”

Duke…

Is there anything wrong?

He was Duke, a man of great influence! Even the Emperor showed him respect. And this useless prince dared to ask if there was anything wrong?

But…

Even a useless prince was still a prince, higher in status than a subject. What could he say?

Lu Zhan found it even more satisfying. The surrounding commoners were extremely curious. But no one dared to gather too closely due to Duke’s status. All they could do was slow their pace as they passed by.

Duke’s face turned blue, and he said curtly, “My mansion has prepared a fine feast for Your Highness.”

Song Jin replied, “Since it’s ready, Duke should hurry back to eat. If you’re late, the food will get cold and won’t be as tasty.”

Duke…

Had the Fourth Prince gone mad? Why was he speaking so nonsensically? He began to suspect the person inside was not the Fourth Prince!

With a sharp look, Duke turned to Lu Zhan. “Is someone threatening His Highness? Why else would he speak so strangely!”

Lu Zhan…

Duke’s voice fell, and he moved to lift the curtain.