The rays of the capital planet's artificial sun slipped through the gap in the blackout curtains, casting a few golden lines across the carpet.
Jiang Lijin opened her eyes and stared at the relief on the ceiling for a few seconds before remembering that a golden fox was still lingering in the small living room.
Pushing open the bedroom door, she found the small living room completely empty; even the pillow had been taken away. That boy Tinia was surprisingly well-behaved today.
Jiang Lijin washed up simply and changed into light sportswear. Just as she opened the door to go downstairs for breakfast, she saw a person leaning against the wall in the corridor.
Tianyan was wearing a dark green cotton and linen shirt, his collar unbuttoned and his black hair looking slightly messy.
"Up so early?" Jiang Lijin asked grumpily. "Don't tell me you've been staking me out at my door."
Tianyan straightened up, toying with a silver chip the size of a fingernail in his hand.
"If I said it was a coincidence, would you believe me?"
Jiang Lijin gave him a sideways glance and bypassed him toward the stairs. "Do I look like a fool to you?"
"No. Not only are you not a fool, but you are also so smart that it makes my heart flutter." Tianyan followed her with his long legs, smiled, and casually held the chip out to her. "So, here is a practical good morning gift for you. The detailed background of the Second Prince, all the dirty secrets that were wiped clean from the Star Network, are all right here."
Jiang Lijin stopped, took the cold little gadget, and raised an eyebrow. "The black market's intelligence network even covers the Imperial Royal Family?"
The question was blunt. She and Chiron had previously suspected the background of these two brothers, and now she just wanted to hear him admit it himself.
Tianyan didn't hide it at all, surprisingly forthcoming. He spread his hands, his tone light. "What's this? If you're interested, I can even get you some dirt on the old Emperor."
"Admitting it so readily?" Jiang Lijin pocketed the chip. "Aren't you afraid I'll turn around and report you two? The Federation and the Empire don't exactly have a friendly attitude toward the black market."
Tianyan immediately clutched his chest, pretending to be heartbroken.
"Oh, Ms. Jiang, saying that really breaks my heart. My brother and I are your legal beast husbands; this is called sharing marital assets. We are very loyal, how could you bear to send us to prison?"
Jiang Lijin's face twitched. This man's acting skills could rival Felwin's.
Before she could speak, the door next to them opened.
Tianque walked out. He was dressed neatly, his white hair meticulously styled, and his cold gaze swept over Tianyan before finally landing on Jiang Lijin's face.
"If she really wanted to turn us in, she would have done it already." Tianque's voice remained flat and icy. "At least until now, the Commander-in-Chief and the Dean are only in the suspicion phase."
Jiang Lijin didn't reply.
"It's best not to get involved with the Royal Family," Tianque suddenly added.
Jiang Lijin looked at him in confusion. This iceberg usually couldn't even be bothered to utter half a word, so it was rare for him to take the initiative to dissuade her today.
Tianque avoided her gaze and turned to look out the window.
Tianyan picked up the conversation, his tone unusually serious. "What my brother means is that the Second Prince has bad intentions. Those people in the Royal Family, although they don't have to risk their lives on the front lines every day like Baal, still have to gain some credentials on the battlefield to secure their inheritance rights. However, this prince's mental power level is stuck at 2S, and he can't match with a suitable female, so he doesn't dare to go to the battlefield."
"So... he wants to be my beast husband?" Jiang Lijin frowned.
"Exactly." Tianyan sneered. "By becoming your beast husband, he can not only solve his mental rampage problem but also naturally take over the forces behind you. In his eyes, you're not a living person, but a bargaining chip that can help him secure the throne."
Jiang Lijin fell silent. She thought of that politely worded invitation; it turned out there was such a huge trap hidden underneath.
"Moreover, the Royal Family has a terrible habit of boasting about their noble blood. They require that the beast husbands of a royal member's female must be biological brothers, under the guise of maintaining a 'pure bloodline'. He might still be somewhat wary of people with status like Baal and Chiron, perhaps tossing them an empty title to brush them off. But for 'poor, unknown' nobodies like my brother and me..."
He sighed deliberately, his eyes full of grievance. "Who knows how they would ostracize us. Maybe one morning we'd wake up to find ourselves packed up and thrown out of the capital planet. Ms. Jiang, do you have the heart to watch us end up on the streets?"
"Hmph." Jiang Lijin couldn't hold back a cold laugh.
"In my hometown, only breeding dogs care about things like 'pure bloodlines'."
Tianyan froze for a moment, seemingly completely unprepared for her to say that. After a brief moment of shock, he chuckled softly, and the look he gave Jiang Lijin contained a trace of admiration that even he himself hadn't noticed.
Jiang Lijin ignored him and started walking downstairs.
"Alright, it's not even certain who would be bullying whom. Besides, do you think the door to my house is that easy to enter?"
Her steps downstairs were extremely fast. Tianyan glanced at Tianque, but Tianque's gaze kept following that slender figure until she disappeared around the corner of the stairs.
"Go down and eat once you've looked enough, your eyeballs are about to fall out." Tianyan patted his brother's shoulder in exasperation.
By the time Jiang Lijin sat down at the dining table, the butler had already prepared breakfast.
Her optical computer vibrated; it was a star message from Chiron.
Chiron: [I didn't go to the hospital today. I'm handling some official business in the study. Those twins haven't left the house yet. It's not safe for you to be alone with them. Call me anytime if you need anything.]
Jiang Lijin pursed her lips and replied with an "Okay."
She took a bite of her bread, but the image of Baal's back as he left last night surfaced in her mind.
That guy ran off in the middle of the night to haggle with those old foxes in the parliament, and he still hasn't returned. She wondered how things were going. Most importantly, his poison hadn't been cured yet.
Hesitating for a moment, she clicked on Baal's profile picture.
Jiang Lijin: [Are you done talking? If your body can't take it, come back first. There's no rush for this right now.]
The message was sent out, but it was like a stone dropped into the ocean.
Jiang Lijin put down her optical computer, feeling inexplicably empty inside. The feeling of waiting was still not wonderful.
Footsteps came from the stairs, and Tianyan and Tianque walked down one after the other.
The two sat down at the table, and the atmosphere became somewhat eerie for a moment.
"What, worried about the Commander-in-Chief?" Tianyan glanced at the optical computer she had placed on the table and asked casually.
"Eat your food," Jiang Lijin didn't even look up.
"Those old men in the Federation Parliament are very difficult to deal with." Tianyan took a piece of toast and slowly spread butter on it. "But given Commander-in-Chief Baal's personality, there's a high probability he'll just flip the table. Sometimes, violence is more effective than negotiation."
Jiang Lijin ignored his teasing.
She looked up at the two brothers sitting opposite her.
"What is your status in the black market? You must have quite a few informants, right?" she suddenly asked.
Tianyan stopped what he was doing and looked at her with interest. "Why, planning to hire us?"
"I wouldn't call it hiring." Jiang Lijin took a sip of milk, her eyes clear. "Since we are all in the same boat now, if the Second Prince wants to capsize it, it won't end well for you either. Help me keep an eye on the movements over at the palace, especially the Second Prince's private armed forces."
Tianque put down his cup, his red eyes looking straight at her, and said in a stiff tone, "I'm already watching them."
Jiang Lijin was taken aback for a moment, but then she smiled.
"Alright." She stood up and brushed the crumbs off her hands. "I'm full. I'll go to the study and check out the chip you gave me. Let's see exactly what kind of piece of work His Highness the Second Prince really is."
...
In the top-floor office of the Federal Military Council, Baal wore a cold expression as he slammed a drafted agreement down in front of Dante.
"Is this the sincerity you spent all night discussing?" Baal's voice was deep and low. "An honorary consultant title, plus a few insignificant privileges? Do you really think she's some naive little girl who's easy to fool?"
Dante wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and opened his mouth, but before he could say a word, Baal interrupted him.
"Redraft it. I want her to have actual power. If you can't give her that, and she goes over to the royal family's side, you can all just wait to die."
After speaking, Baal turned and strode out of the office. He activated his optical computer and happened to see the message Jiang Lijin had just sent.
The ice in his golden eyes melted instantly. It seemed that he, as her beast husband, wasn't entirely out of favor after all.
He quickly replied with a few words: [Got it. I'll be home before dinner.]
