Volume One, Chapter Fifteen: Dominance

Can he find the silver?

Ning Shu looked at Shen Ji in disbelief.

Was he really able to find it, or was he just lying to calm his own anger?

But what use would lying serve now?

If he couldn’t find the silver, wouldn’t she have to settle the score with him later?

“Can you really find the silver?”

A flicker of hope suddenly appeared in Ning Shu’s eyes, completely pushing the matter of dealing with Shen Ji out of her mind.

Everything else could wait.

Finding the silver was the most important thing!

“If the princess doesn’t believe me, then have someone drag me out and behead me!”

Shen Ji shrugged, looking utterly fearless, as if he had nothing to lose.

“You…”

Ning Shu bit her lip, struggling to suppress the anger rising inside her. “Fine, I believe you, alright?”

“No sincerity.”

Shen Ji pouted.

Ning Shu’s chest heaved violently; she felt an urge to strike him again.

Thankfully, she kept reminding herself not to get caught up with this reckless fool, and gradually calmed down.

“So, what does the young marquis think would show sincerity from this princess?”

Ning Shu raised an eyebrow, looking at Shen Ji. “Or should I kowtow and apologize to you?”

Great!

Here she went again, wielding her princess status to pressure him.

Damn it!

Reincarnation really was an art in itself!

“I wouldn’t dare let the princess kowtow and apologize to me.”

Shen Ji shook his head with a smile. “I just need the princess’s trust.”

“Fine, I trust you!”

Ning Shu said decisively.

“No.”

Shen Ji lifted his eyes slightly. “Trusting me with words isn’t enough; you need to trust me in your heart.”

“I trust, I trust!”

Ning Shu said perfunctorily, then hurriedly added, “Let’s go find the silver now!”

With that, she grabbed Shen Ji’s arm and dragged him toward the door.

“Wait!”

Shen Ji stopped her impulsive rush. “My princess, could you please let me finish what I’m saying first?”

My princess?

Ning Shu’s delicate face twitched as she yanked her arm free.

“Who’s your princess?”

She shot Shen Ji a sharp glare. “Say whatever you need to quickly! I’m telling you, this isn’t just about the court; it concerns your life too. Don’t dawdle here! And don’t try to bargain with me!”

Ning Shu cut off any thought Shen Ji had of negotiating with her.

Hearing this, Shen Ji was speechless.

After all, he needed to find the silver now; otherwise, given how she always expected favors in return for asking others for help, he wouldn’t bother.

After silently venting his frustration in his mind, Shen Ji finally said, “I can only pinpoint a general location…”

“That’s enough!”

Ning Shu said sternly, “If we send more people, we should be able to find it quickly!”

“Listen to me first!”

Shen Ji reminded her again before continuing, “We don’t need to waste manpower and resources with a grand search! I have a better way to find the silver!”

A better way?

Ning Shu looked at Shen Ji in surprise.

“Tell me!”

Expectation lit up her eyes again.

“Does the princess trust me?”

Shen Ji asked once more.

“…”

Ning Shu clenched her small fists, feeling a bit exasperated as she stared at Shen Ji. “Do you think because you’re fearless, I’m helpless against you?”

“You really flip so quickly.”

Shen Ji was speechless. “I have to have your trust! Otherwise, what I’m about to say next, you’ll just think I’m trying to take revenge on others!”

Is that so?

But what does that have to do with finding silver?

Ning Shu thought for a moment, then said seriously, “Although I don’t have a good impression of you, as long as what you say is reasonable and well-founded, I won’t jump to conclusions!”

“Then it’s settled!”

Shen Ji stopped beating around the bush and smiled. “Does the princess really think the Song family are good people?”

Hmm?

Why bring the Song family into this again?

Ning Shu felt a little lost following Shen Ji’s erratic train of thought.

After a pause, Ning Shu replied, “I don’t know if the Song family are good people, but from what I understand, you’re probably the less virtuous one!”

Shen Ji’s face darkened.

Damn, did she have to be so direct?

Well, she wasn’t wrong.

He wasn’t exactly a good person.

And he never intended to be.

Good people usually don’t live long.

“Alright, let’s not argue over who’s good or bad.”

Shen Ji smiled helplessly. “So, princess, who do you think understands the Song family better, you or me?”

Ning Shu was silent.

After a moment, she said seriously, “It’s definitely you.”

There was no denying that.

In these past few days, she had learned a bit about Shen Ji’s dealings with the Song family.

He certainly knew them better than she did.

“Yeah, I know them better.”

Shen Ji nodded with a smile, then pulled out a half piece of jade pendant from his clothing. “Princess, you’ve seen much of the world. What do you think this half jade pendant is worth?”

Ning Shu stepped closer and glanced at the half jade pendant.

“Judging by its quality and craftsmanship, if it were whole, it should be worth about five hundred taels of silver! But now, it’s only worth thirty to fifty taels at most.”

She gave her judgment quickly.

The jade pendant was of superior material and exquisite carving.

But unfortunately, it was just a broken piece now.

Even thirty to fifty taels felt generous.

“Princess, your eye for value is impressive.”

Shen Ji gave a small pat to Ning Shu’s ego, then suddenly changed the subject. “From what I know, the Song family is extremely stingy!”

“But now, they’re willing to pay so much wealth to retrieve this half jade pendant!”

“Doesn’t the princess find something suspicious about this?”

Suspicious?

Ning Shu lowered her brow in thought.

Twenty thousand taels of silver plus two fine horses!

All for this half jade pendant?

Although it belonged to Song Qingluan, the cost to reclaim it was indeed steep.

Could it be that this half pendant held special significance to the Song family, much like how the peace amulet meant something to her?

Ning Shu pondered, then asked with a frown, “What exactly are you trying to say?”

Shen Ji put away the half jade pendant and spoke seriously, “The day before I stumbled and fell off the cliff, I accidentally overheard Song Qingluan meeting secretly with a man. I vaguely caught words like ‘silver’ and ‘transport’. At that moment, the man seemed to give Song Qingluan something…”

Silver, transport…

Ning Shu’s pupils contracted sharply. “You mean the Song family is helping the Fire Worshippers transport silver, and this half jade pendant might be a token that man gave Song Qingluan?”

“Yes.”

Shen Ji nodded lightly. “I hadn’t thought along these lines before, until I saw Song Qingwu so desperate to retrieve this half jade pendant today. It suddenly felt off.”

Listening to Shen Ji, Ning Shu fell into deep thought once more.

If he wasn’t lying, it was indeed possible.

After a long moment, Ning Shu looked up slightly. “Is that why you need me to trust you?”

“Yes!”

Shen Ji nodded softly. “If the princess trusts me, we won’t just easily find the silver, but might also root out more Fire Worshippers disguised as demons!”

Ning Shu considered this, her gaze burning with resolve. “You’re gambling with your life on this, so I have no reason not to trust you! But…”

She suddenly paused.

“But what?”

Shen Ji was suspicious. Why did he feel this woman had some hidden agenda?

A mischievous glint flashed in Ning Shu’s eyes. “Even if what you say is true, I’m going to have someone hang you upside down for half an hour… no, fifteen minutes!”

“Why?”

Shen Ji was indignant.

Did she think she was being merciful?

“Because you’ve been disrespectful to this princess more than once!”

Ning Shu snorted lightly.

Well, that would teach him a lesson and also give her a chance to see if the peace amulet was on him.

Two birds with one stone!

“Princess, aren’t you being a bit too overbearing?”

Shen Ji was speechless.

Ning Shu raised a delicate brow. “I’m the emperor’s most beloved princess. What’s wrong with being a little overbearing?”