Rebirth of a Lost Nation: Princess, Please Respect Yourself

Chapter 267 Hijacking

When Concubine Han heard this, she was so angry that her eyes were about to spit fire, but she suppressed her anger and smiled.

"Princess Zhaohua is truly worthy of her reputation. Not only is she clever, but her words are also merciless. I just wonder what qualifications does Princess Zhaohua, now a prisoner, have to challenge me?"

Jiang Lige sneered, "Qualifications? You're just a concubine, how can you compete with this princess?"

Concubine Han's face darkened, and a fierce look flashed in her eyes. She could no longer maintain the hypocrisy on her face, and she grabbed Jiang Lige's chin fiercely.

"Do you still think you're the glorious Princess Zhaohua, the legitimate daughter of the Empress Dowager? Your mother is now deposed, the Xu family is ruined, and you're nothing more than a pawn used by your father to curry favor with Nan Chu. If you'd cooperated with me, I could have guaranteed you a life of prosperity and peace. Otherwise... now, strangling you to death would be as easy as strangling an ant."

Jiang Lige sneered, "The Xu family's affairs were indeed the work of your Han family."

Concubine Han raised her lips in a smug smile. "Yes, so what? Princess Zhaohua wants to speak up for her family, but she might as well take a good look at her own situation."

Jiang Lige calmly asked, "Noble Concubine Han did everything in her power to abduct me. So, why not tell me directly, what do you want from me?"

Concubine Han got straight to the point. "I heard that Princess Zhaohua has a birth jade gifted by His Majesty himself, one of a kind in the world. I want that jade."

Only with Jiang Lige's birth jade could she make Queen Xu plead guilty and give up her throne.

Only if Queen Xu willingly gave up her throne could she silence the gossips of the ministers of Southern Chu and relieve the Han family of their worries.

The Han family had been planning this for a long time, and Jiang Lige could probably guess it a little, but he didn't point it out, but instead asked deliberately.

"What does Concubine Han want with my birth jade? No matter how precious a jade pendant is, it's just a common item. With your Han family's current power, how many precious jades can't you obtain?"

When Concubine Han heard Jiang Lige's words, her arrogance increased a bit. She thought Jiang Lige was such a smart person, but it turned out that he was just bluffing.

Could it be that he really thinks her jade pendant is so precious?

Concubine Han despised it in her heart, but she said nothing.

"Right now, Princess Zhaohua is not qualified to ask me questions."

Jiang Lige did not argue, but shrugged and told the truth.

"Unfortunately, this princess's birth jade has been lost for a long time. Many people know about this. If Concubine Han doesn't believe me, just ask a few people and you will know that what I said is true."

Concubine Han frowned, obviously skeptical about Jiang Lige's answer.

"That jade pendant was given to Princess Zhaohua by His Majesty himself. How could she have lost it so easily?"

"It wasn't lost easily. Afterwards, I sent people to search everywhere for a long time, but they just couldn't find it."

Jiang Lige sighed with regret at this point and added an explanation.

"This jade pendant is so precious, I was troubled for a long time because of it. Later, the Empress Dowager comforted me for a long time, saying that the jade pendant was just a symbol of status, just a toy. As long as I am here, who would dare not respect me? I am too obsessed with it, which is putting the cart before the horse. So, I gave up looking for the jade pendant completely."

When Concubine Han heard this, a gleam of light flashed in her eyes.

Yes, it was just a threat to Empress Xu. If the jade pendant was gone, wouldn’t it be more convincing to just tie the person in front of her?

If Queen Xu dared to bargain with her at that time, she would chop off Jiang Lige's fingers in front of Queen Xu.

After the fingers are chopped off, there are still hands and legs...

Doesn’t that woman always like to pretend to be a good wife and mother?

She wanted to see how long Empress Xu could hold on.

Concubine Han thought about it, a trace of calculation flashed in her eyes, and then she returned to her arrogant look.

Releasing the hand that was holding Jiang Lige's chin, Concubine Han took a few steps back and spoke.

"That makes some sense. Congratulations to Princess Zhaohua for saving her life for now."

"I don't know what the Imperial Concubine is planning, but since I still have some use for you, you won't treat me so harshly, will you? How long do you plan to keep me tied up?"

Jiang Lige spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he was not aware of the danger in front of him at all. Instead, it seemed like he was discussing a daily trivial matter with someone.

Concubine Han sneered, "Princess Zhaohua knows how to joke. You're a prisoner, how could it be your turn to make demands?"

Jiang Lige shrugged nonchalantly and smiled.

"I'm all alone here, tied up by you, surrounded by your men. Even if you untie me, where can I escape? So, the Imperial Concubine is so afraid of me?"

This sentence, which was neither too light nor too heavy, hit Concubine Han's sore spot.

She had been in the palace for many years and was extremely cautious. Before Empress Xu completely lost her power, she had not even had a good night's sleep.

The word "fear" is the deepest secret hidden in her heart, and it is also humiliation.

Thinking of this, Concubine Han's eyes became cold and a mocking arc appeared at the corner of her mouth.

"Princess Zhaohua, there's no need to provoke me. How about untying you? If you run away, where will I find you?"

Jiang Lige sneered, "Have you ever heard the phrase 'judge others by your own standards,' Your Majesty? I thought your Han family, though ruthless, at least had some pride. I never imagined your Majesty would only think of escaping. You're truly as cowardly as a mouse."

Since Empress Xu was imprisoned, Concubine Han has been the only one favored in the Southern Chu harem. When has she ever suffered such humiliation, not to mention that the person who said this was the daughter of her defeated general.

"How dare you!" Concubine Han shouted angrily, raised her hand suddenly, and slapped Jiang Lige's cheek with her palm making a sound of wind.

Unexpectedly, just when her palm was about to touch Jiang Lige's cheek, Jiang Lige moved her wrist slightly and instantly broke free from the rope that had bound her for a long time.

Concubine Han's palm strike missed, and she was shocked to see Jiang Lige had already restrained her with his backhand. The sharp hairpin was gently placed on the side of her neck, and the chill was pressing against her.

Concubine Han, whose throat was pressed, turned pale instantly. She never expected that Jiang Lige could break free from their Han family's unique rope tying method, a method that even those vicious habitual criminals did not know!

"You... how dare you..."

"Dare? Why wouldn't this princess dare? Well, Concubine Han, when you were plotting to kill the entire Xu family, did you ever imagine that this day would come your way?"

Jiang Lige said this, sneered and pushed the hairpin forward. The tip of the hairpin left a shallow mark on Concubine Han's delicate neck. Bright red blood slowly seeped out, forming a sharp contrast with the fair skin, which was particularly glaring.

Concubine Han trembled a little, but still tried to remain calm.

"Jiang Lige, don't forget that the Xu family is destroyed. Now you are alone. If you are smart, you should put aside your grudges and cooperate with me."