Veil of Darkness: The Enchantress's Revenge

Chapter 9: Provocation (1)

Gong Juexiang frowned slightly, showing no signs of anger, which made Jing Mohen fall silent immediately. Gong Juexiang waved his hand, signaling the attendants to leave. Gu Yihan walked over to close the door. Only then did Jing Mohen speak seriously, "Your Highness, that woman is quite extraordinary!"

Gu Yihan shrugged, "I already mentioned this to His Highness!"

"Not that!" Jing Mohen insisted, still serious. "Can you imagine a stunning beauty calmly discussing her maid's death while sipping porridge?"

Gu Yihan dismissed it. "What's so strange about that? You can't be a spy without some skills."

Jing Mohen was at a loss for words and said helplessly, "Think about it—this woman isn't from the martial world; she's a noble lady raised in seclusion. The most important thing is that all our intelligence reports say she's timid as a mouse."

Gu Yihan was taken aback, and his expression grew serious. "Are you suggesting she might have been swapped?" He didn't believe their information was wrong!

Jing Mohen nodded, responding solemnly, "Gong Mingxuan has had contact with Shangguan Mo, hasn't he? While it seems His Highness's ambush ties back to the Crown Prince, let's not forget that Gong Mingxuan is clever. Every woman he has sent to His Highness over the years has been a spy!" This led him to suspect that Gong Mingxuan had swapped Shangguan Mo.

Gu Yihan questioned this logic. "Does Gong Mingxuan really need to go through all that trouble? Sending someone from Cang Kingdom to marry and then swapping Shangguan Mo seems excessive. Why not just let the substitute go directly to His Highness's bed?"

Jing Mohen frowned, admitting he didn't understand this either. He hesitated and said, "Perhaps he thought His Highness would consider the diplomatic relationship and allow Shangguan Mo to live a bit longer! Plus, I think Gong Mingxuan's marriage proposal to Cang Kingdom has other motives."

As they discussed passionately, Gong Juexiang remained silent, deep in thought.

"Your Highness..." They both turned to the quiet figure.

Gong Juexiang adjusted his sleeve and said gently, "I'll take a walk; you don't need to follow me."

The two watched him leave, speechless for a long time. His Highness didn't seem worried at all!

After a while, Jing Mohen finally sighed, "I don't like being a guard!" Gu Yihan didn't bother responding.

In the Yuming Courtyard, Shangguan Mo sat idly on a swing, contemplating when she might explore the world outside.

"Princess..." A soft voice called.

Shangguan Mo looked up to see Gong Juexiang standing at the door. Today, he wore a red outfit that was striking yet not ostentatious, still exuding a warm, jade-like aura. His pale skin appeared slightly flushed against the red, making him look even more handsome.

Shangguan Mo smiled gently and softly called, "Your Highness..."

Gong Juexiang approached and elegantly extended his hand. Shangguan Mo smiled and placed her hand in his, allowing him to lead her to a nearby stone bench to sit.

"Princess, are you getting used to your new home?"

"Hehe..." Shangguan Mo chuckled lightly, "Your Highness, didn't you already send someone to ask?"

Gong Juexiang understood that Jing Mohen must have used this as an excuse. He showed no embarrassment, only a gentle smile as he said, "Naturally, I must personally check on the princess." A hint of tenderness shone in his eyes.

Shangguan Mo smiled shyly, lowering her head slightly, and softly asked, "Can Your Highness stay for lunch?"

Gong Juexiang gently squeezed her hand and replied, "I have other matters to attend to." His eyes reflected a hint of regret.

Shangguan Mo, understanding, said, "Then please go and take care of your business! Don't let me delay your important tasks."

Gong Juexiang's expression softened further, and with a slight apology, he said, "I'll come to see you when I have time."

Shangguan Mo nodded, smiling happily, "Mm."

As she watched Gong Juexiang walk away, Shangguan Mo looked down at her hand and murmured, "Tracking incense..."

The Shangguan family is an ancient lineage, and as its head, she was well aware of such matters. It seemed she wouldn't feel too out of place in this world.

Shangguan Mo chuckled softly, realizing this was merely a small test. Gong Juexiang wouldn't genuinely want to use tracking incense to monitor her movements, but she wasn't worried about him discovering anything. That man might be dangerous, but challenges make things interesting, don't they?

After sitting for a while, Shangguan Mo stood up, squinting at a certain spot, then swiftly vanished without a trace.

In the study, Gong Juexiang sat behind the desk, leisurely flipping through a book.

Jing Mohen lounged comfortably in a chair by the window and remarked, "Your Highness, it's rare to see you using a beauty strategy yourself."

Gong Juexiang paused in his reading, and Gu Yihan chimed in first, "His Highness is worried about you!"

Jing Mohen stroked his chin proudly and said, "Shangguan Mo is much more beautiful than those women before, but is there a woman I can't win over?"

Gong Juexiang paused briefly before continuing to flip through the pages, calmly stating, "You are not her match." That woman truly surprised him, making her difficult to read.

"Eh? Your Highness, the tracking bug is so excited!" Jing Mohen suddenly pointed at a small transparent bottle on the desk.

Gong Juexiang looked at the small bug fluttering inside the bottle and frowned. Was Shangguan Mo really that impatient? But the next moment, the tracking bug settled down again.

With the tracking incense and tracking bugs, once a person comes into contact with the tracking incense, the bug can follow the scent to find them. The scent is hard to detect and cannot be washed away easily.

Gu Yihan frowned, "Your Highness, why has the tracking bug stopped reacting again?"

Gong Juexiang looked at the little bug quietly resting in the bottle and suddenly chuckled softly, his voice warm and pleasant.

A voice suddenly came from the shadows, "Your Highness, the princess has left the courtyard; I..."