Chapter 10: Xie Ning Is Under My Protection as the Eldest Princess!

Watching the servant depart, Jia Yibo’s face twisted into a malevolent sneer.

"Xie Ning, you rebellious brat, do not think that just because you have latched onto the Grand Princess, you can rest easy. You are still too naive to play games with this Marquis. I would like to see which carries more weight: a casual word from the Grand Princess, or the brute force and greed of the Prince of Jing’s estate!"

He could almost see Xie Ning being dragged back to the Prince’s estate by Li Rushu, forced to live a life worse than death, and a wave of morbid pleasure surged within him.

However, before his smug smile could fully bloom, his butler came scrambling through the main gate, tumbling in with a look of terror and a stammering tongue.

"Marquis... Marquis, it is dire! People have come from the palace!"

Jia Yibo frowned. "People from the palace? Has the imperial physician returned?"

"No... no, it is not that, my Lord!" The butler panted heavily, pointing toward the gate with an expression as if he had seen a ghost. "It is Nanny Rong from the Grand Princess’s side! She has arrived with a massive entourage, saying she is here to deliver a gift to the Heir Apparent under the Grand Princess’s orders!"

A gift for the Heir Apparent?

Jia Yibo’s brain hummed as if struck by a heavy hammer; for a moment, he could not process the words. He knew, of course, that this "Heir Apparent" could not possibly refer to his own precious son, Jia Huizu. The triumph and pleasure he had felt a moment ago were instantly doused by a bucket of ice water, leaving him shivering. A sense of intense unease permeated his heart.

"Where are they?" Jia Yibo asked, his voice rasping.

"Waiting right outside the gate, saying they wish for the Heir Apparent to come out and receive the gift in person," the butler replied, trembling.

Jia Yibo’s expression shifted, his mind racing. He could not fathom what medicine the Grand Princess was selling in her gourd. Logically, even if Xie Ning had collided with her carriage and she had been magnanimous enough to overlook it, sending an imperial physician to check on him would have been an immense act of grace. Why would she send her own trusted nanny to deliver a gift? Could it be that the rebellious brat really had reached some unspeakable agreement with the Grand Princess inside that carriage?

As soon as this thought surfaced, a chill crept up Jia Yibo’s spine. He knew the Grand Princess’s methods all too well. If Xie Ning had truly gained her favor, everything he had done until now would likely be rendered useless. Worse still, he might even bring disaster upon himself.

No, he had to see for himself.

"Help Huizu back to his room to rest. Without my orders, no one is to visit him," Jia Yibo commanded the Lady Xu beside him. He then straightened his robes, suppressed the shock and suspicion in his heart, and strode toward the gate.

Before he even reached the entrance, he saw a sight that made his pupils contract. The modest gate of the Marquis of Dingyuan’s estate was currently shrouded in a chilling, murderous aura. More than a dozen guards in imperial-standard armor stood on either side, holding long halberds, their faces cold and their presence imposing.

In the center of the guards stood Nanny Rong, her posture rigid, her expression solemn and naturally intimidating. Behind her stood two extraordinarily handsome youths dressed in black. Even though they stood perfectly still, they radiated an unnerving, dangerous energy.

This was no simple gift-giving party; this was a show of force!

Jia Yibo’s heart sank. He quickly donned a humble, submissive smile and hurried forward, bowing deeply. "I am Jia Yibo. I did not know Nanny Rong was gracing us with her presence. I apologize for the lack of a proper welcome; I beg your forgiveness."

Nanny Rong did not even lift her eyelids. Her voice was flat and emotionless, yet it carried an air of condescending authority. "Marquis Jia, you are too kind. I am here under the orders of Her Highness the Grand Princess to deliver a gift to Heir Apparent Xie Ning. I would not dare trouble the Marquis further. Please, invite the Heir Apparent out."

She intentionally emphasized the words "Heir Apparent Xie Ning," her tone implying that Xie Ning was the true master of this estate, while he, Jia Yibo, was merely a steward.

The muscles in Jia Yibo’s face twitched involuntarily. Humiliation and rage surged like a stormy sea within him, yet he dared not reveal a shred of it. He forced a smile and said, "Yes, yes, please wait a moment, Nanny. I shall send someone to call... to invite Ning out."

He turned to instruct a servant, only to see that Xie Ning had already emerged from the courtyard.

Xie Ning was still wearing the same plain, washed-out robes. His frame looked slightly thin, and his face was somewhat pale. Yet, his eyes were strikingly bright. He looked calmly at the formation outside the gate, with no trace of surprise or panic, as if all of this were within his expectations.

The unease in Jia Yibo’s heart grew even more intense.

Xie Ning walked up to them, gave a slight nod to Nanny Rong, and said with neither arrogance nor servility, "I am Xie Ning. May I ask what this gift is that you speak of, Nanny?"

Only then did Nanny Rong look directly at Xie Ning. Her eyes were like blades, scanning the youth as if to see right through him. Was this the person who could save the Princess? Aside from a decent appearance, he seemed entirely unremarkable; she could discern no extraordinary qualities. But the Princess’s orders were not to be questioned.

"Your Highness," Nanny Rong said, her tone still flat, though the form of address had changed quietly. "The Grand Princess, moved by your noble character, has specifically bestowed upon you two personal guards to ensure your safety."

She stepped aside and gestured toward the two youths in black behind her. "Qingfeng, Mingyue."

At the sound of their names, the two youths stepped forward in perfect unison, without making a sound. They knelt on one knee before Xie Ning, pressing their right hands to their chests. Their voices sounded like metal striking stone, devoid of emotion.

"We act under the orders of the Grand Princess. From this day forward, we swear to protect the life of the Heir Apparent with our own. Should we break this vow, may heaven and earth strike us down."

The sound rolled through the air, vibrating with such intensity that even the stone lions at the gate seemed to tremble.

A dead silence fell before the Marquis’s estate. Jia Yibo stood dumbfounded, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. The servants behind him were all agape, like ducks with their necks throttled, unable to utter a single sound.

Personal guards? The Grand Princess had actually gifted the useless Xie Ning two high-level experts as bodyguards?

What immense favor was this!

Jia Yibo felt his worldview being utterly overturned. He could not fathom how things had reached this point. He had just sent someone to the Prince of Jing’s estate to get rid of this jinx, and in the next moment, the Grand Princess had sent over two protective amulets.

This was no less than a resounding slap to his face in front of everyone.

At this moment, he finally realized how ridiculous and overconfident his previous schemes had been in the face of the Grand Princess. Her actions were not merely about giving a gift to Xie Ning; they were a declaration to everyone, especially to him, Jia Yibo: Xie Ning is under my protection. Anyone who dares to touch him becomes an enemy of Li Qingning.

With the threat laid out so openly, how could he possibly continue this game?