Chapter 136: I Will Not Fall in Love with Anyone

When the words "I have never believed it" slipped out from Xia Jiujiang, even the sturdiest fortress would develop cracks in an instant.

Once a fissure formed in the heart, it was no longer so easy to repair.

Initially, Xia Jiujiang had been listening half-heartedly, but suddenly she began to listen with rapt attention, the expression in her eyes completely transformed.

Jun Buwen said without a shred of concealment, "Since you have brought out the secret letter, I am not afraid for you to know. When Xia Jiujiang was by my side, I deliberated and tested her step by step. Why do you think I made her the Princess of Jin? Why do you think I staged those affectionate scenes? Why do you think I had her stay at Xuan San Residence?"

Jun Buwen tossed out a series of questions, but with every single one uttered, Xia Jiujiang's heart clenched tighter. The corners of her mouth twitched into an awkward curve as she constantly comforted herself, telling herself that Jun Buwen... Jun Buwen must be saying this simply to hoodwink Ming Ningzi.

Upon hearing Jun Buwen's words, Ming Ningzi's expression grew stiff before turning into pleasant surprise.

Jun Buwen triumphantly stated, "Because I wanted her every move to be under my watchful eye. Everything I did was merely to deceive her, though as it turned out, it deceived everyone else as well."

At the very beginning, Jun Buwen had indeed arranged for Xia Jiujiang to stay by his side in order to test her. However, through their interactions, although Xia Jiujiang was as crafty and cunning as a little fox, she would never do anything to harm him.

Xia Jiujiang trembled slightly. Jun Buwen was clearly trying to shake Ming Ningzi's resolve—it had to be that.

Yet, a voice inside Xia Jiujiang's heart also whispered: Could this perhaps be Jun Buwen's true inner thought?

Ming Ningzi was shocked. "Just to deceive her? Could it be that even if I hadn't told you, you still intended to deal with Xia Jiujiang?"

Jun Buwen glanced sideways at Ming Ningzi and said, "Whether you told me she was a spy from the Southern Kingdom made no difference to me. Since she was someone planted by my side, I might as well turn the tables and use her instead. Thus, collaborating with you or not makes no difference—using you is utilizing someone, and using Xia Jiujiang is also utilizing someone."

The Southern Kingdom had already set its sights on Xia Jiujiang, so Jun Buwen needed to let the people of the Southern Kingdom know that Xia Jiujiang meant nothing at all to him and posed no threat whatsoever.

Hearing Jun Buwen's words, Ming Ningzi jumped up in great excitement and demanded, "You have no feelings for Xia Jiujiang at all—she is just a tool to be used?" Ming Ningzi had not expected Jun Buwen to conceal his intentions so deeply.

"Naturally, she is just a tool." Jun Buwen did not hesitate for even a fraction of a second.

Xia Jiujiang felt as though a sharp sword had pierced directly through her chest. It hurt so intensely that her heart and lungs felt as if they were burning with agony.

Ming Ningzi chuckled a few times and said, "Aren't you afraid you might fall in love with her?"

With that, Ming Ningzi made a motion to lean into Jun Buwen's embrace, but Jun Buwen sidestepped unceremoniously, dodging her entirely. Expecting that knowing Jun Buwen merely regarded Xia Jiujiang as a tool would allow her to use her feminine charms to seduce him, Ming Ningzi never imagined she would be turned away at the door once again.

Jun Buwen smiled contemptuously. "I will never fall in love with anyone, whether it is Xia Jiujiang or you. However, since Xia Jiujiang has become the Princess of Jin, what I want is for her to fall in love with me."

Yet, precisely when Ming Ningzi posed the question, "Aren't you afraid you might fall in love with her?", Jun Buwen felt his heart skip a beat.

Ming Ningzi looked at Jun Buwen's enigmatic smile and suddenly felt her mood lift tremendously. It was as if the anger and jealousy she once felt—seeing Xia Jiujiang as inferior to her in every way yet blessed with a superior fate—had ultimately dissolved into nothingness, like castles in the air.

Watching others standing on the precipice of danger brought an immense sense of exhilaration.

Jun Buwen's eyes turned gloomy. "Do not forget that Youhua by her side is also my person. Every single movement of Xia Jiujiang's is within my grasp. Naturally, I am confident I can make her fall in love with me, and then use her to bring down the master behind her."

Only by making Jun Buwen appear utterly indifferent and ruthless toward Xia Jiujiang would the people of the Southern Kingdom refrain from targeting her. This was Jun Buwen's way of protecting Xia Jiujiang, but these words falling upon Xia Jiujiang's ears acted as a lethal weapon.

Jun Buwen said very casually, "Now that I know the master behind her is the Saintess of the Southern Kingdom, it makes no difference to me."

Xia Jiujiang's heart trembled violently. It makes no difference? From the very beginning, Jun Buwen had intended to use Xia Jiujiang, and that had never changed up to this moment?

Ming Ningzi looked at him with aggrieved eyes. "Since it makes no difference, why couldn't it be me?"

Jun Buwen gave a faint laugh. "Instead of wasting your thoughts on me, you would do better to ponder the affairs of your own Southern Kingdom."

Ming Ningzi was taken aback. "The Southern Kingdom? What affairs could there be in the Southern Kingdom?"

Holding the secret letter, Jun Buwen said, "The Saintess of the Southern Kingdom has always existed in name only, devoid of actual power. Now that her reach extends everywhere, do you truly believe your Southern Kingdom can rest easy?"

The Saintess of the Southern Kingdom was by no means a simple character. Upon the death of the previous Saintess, she immediately seized the position, snatched the Mother Gu, and took the Princess of the Southern Kingdom as her disciple.

With such a person, Jun Buwen did not believe the Saintess would remain behind the scenes and take no action during the transition of power in the Southern Kingdom.

Ming Ningzi's expression turned icy. "You... do not attempt to sow discord. The Saintess of the Southern Kingdom holds a sacred office; they have never sought imperial power or status."

Jun Buwen said with detachment, "Was it not Princess Ningzi who showed utter disdain for the Saintess just a moment ago? Yet now, a tiny smudge upon her name makes your expression change so drastically..."

After speaking, Jun Buwen offered a mocking smile, his eyes fixed on Ming Ningzi as though he could see right through her. Jun Buwen believed that Ming Ningzi's secret letter was genuine, but whether the special envoys of the Southern Kingdom had other plots afoot was quite another matter—the delegation of Southern Kingdom envoys definitely harbored malicious intent.

Jun Buwen cupped his hands in a salute and said, "Since the Princess of the Southern Kingdom has nothing special to impart, this Prince will take his leave."

Ming Ningzi stared at Jun Buwen's retreating back, gritting her teeth in utter frustration. She truly could not fathom Jun Buwen. He had seen through her intentions, openly confessed his exploitation of Xia Jiujiang, and sought to instigate internal strife within the Southern Kingdom. Had he truly failed to grasp her purpose in inviting him to the auspicious tower this evening?

The conversation between Ming Ningzi and Jun Buwen that night had been a mutual probing and testing of words, but the speaker had no intention while the listener took it to heart.

After Jun Buwen departed, Xia Jiujiang remained sprawled motionless upon the rooftop. Terrified that something might be wrong with her, Ming Ze gently nudged Xia Jiujiang and whispered, "Hey... are you... alright?"

Xia Jiujiang made no sound, yet she did not know that at this moment, her expression was far more agonizing than crying.

Ming Ze said lightly, "Actually, you don't need to grieve. The fact that Jun Buwen doesn't know how to cherish you simply means he lacks the fortune. Instead of sorrowing, you should feel glad that you saw through Jun Buwen's true face ahead of time."

Should she feel glad? Xia Jiujiang and Jun Buwen had originally been in a cooperative relationship, built on mutual benefit. This had been agreed upon from the very beginning, and furthermore, she had known all along that Youhua was someone Jun Buwen had planted by her side.

Since she had known this long ago, why did hearing Jun Buwen speak those words with his own ears cause her such unbearable pain?

Xia Jiujiang could only mock her own extreme foolishness. While others wished to discuss business, why had she insisted on discussing romance?

In Xia Jiujiang's mind, the image flashed of him embracing her as they soared across the eaves on Sunset Street. The moonlight was pristine, and his appearance was deeply engraved within her eyes.

Yet, the more her heart had stirred, the more agonizing it now felt.

It was she who had let down her guard; it was she who had trusted him; it was she who had foolishly believed they were different. In the end, it was merely Xia Jiujiang indulging in unrequited wishful thinking.

An excruciating, bone-deep pain pierced through her heart, resembling the agonizing torment felt when the Mother Gu within her body became restless and tore at her soul.

At that moment, without any warning, rain began to pelting down from the sky, the pattering sound capable of driving one mad with vexation.

The raindrops pattered against her face and struck her body, blurring her vision so that she could no longer distinguish whether it was rainwater or tears.

Seeing Xia Jiujiang's mournful and grief-stricken expression, her face drenched with rain that mirrored the tracks of tears, Ming Ze suddenly felt a pang of heartache. Had he perhaps done something wrong?