Chapter 35: Want a token? There isn’t one. Want my life? I have it, but I won’t give it to you!

But she was certain that the original Bai Li Tianchang had never seen such a thing!

“It’s like this, Your Highness, I just remembered.” Bai Li Gang smacked his forehead, adopting an expression of sudden revelation.

He turned to the Fourth Prince and said, “Wasn’t that useless, ugly girl playing around and fell into the river when she was five? The keepsake was with her at the time. I suppose it must have fallen into the river, or perhaps someone with ulterior motives took it away.”

“Your Highness, whether the keepsake is lost or returned, the result is the same. In any case, it’s no longer in Bai Li Tianchang’s possession. Without it, the engagement is as good as broken, nothing is more certain. Please rest assured.” Qian Yue Shuang smiled ingratiatingly, persuading the Fourth Prince.

“You make it sound so simple!” The Fourth Prince’s attendant, adept at reading expressions, saw his master’s face darkening like the bottom of a pot, and spoke with greater force.

“General Pingnan, Madam, do you even know what that keepsake is? It’s a magical artifact! The Violet Jade Exquisite! You toss it aside with a few casual words and don’t intend to return it to the Fourth Prince?”

So, it was a magical artifact called the Violet Jade Exquisite!

A sudden clarity dawned in Bai Li Tianchang’s heart, as if she finally understood something.

“But, Your Highness, we truly do not have the Violet Jade Exquisite at the Pingnan General’s residence. That useless girl has lived outside for ten years; whether she lives or dies, she has no connection to our household anymore. As for the whereabouts of her keepsake—whether it’s lost, hidden, or sold—we genuinely have no idea. Your Highness, if she truly cannot produce it, perhaps you should take her to see the magistrate!”

Though Bai Li Gang maintained a respectful attitude toward the Fourth Prince, his words betrayed a reckless indifference. As long as he insisted he knew nothing of the keepsake’s whereabouts, he would be safe. After all, this trouble should fall upon that useless girl.

“Bai Li Tianchang, hand over the keepsake at once! Otherwise, you’ll pay with your life!”

The attendant, catching the Fourth Prince’s look, barked a harsh command at Bai Li Tianchang.

“You want the keepsake? Sorry, I don’t have it. You want my life? How convenient—I do have that. But I refuse to give it.”

Bai Li Tianchang stood proudly before the Fourth Prince and his attendant, her voice clear and unhurried. “You truly wish to break the engagement, but what you desire even more is to reclaim the Violet Jade Exquisite, am I right? This magical artifact, in your eyes, is far more valuable than the life of the person you deem worthless. Imagine: if you kill me, the engagement is broken, but your connection to the Violet Jade Exquisite ends with my death. From then on, the true whereabouts of the keepsake will be forever lost to you. If you spare me, however, you have every reason to continue searching for its whereabouts. With your abilities, Your Highness, are you truly afraid you won’t find it?”

“Consider carefully: is it wiser to kill me, or to uncover the truth and retrieve the Violet Jade Exquisite?”

After hearing Bai Li Tianchang’s reasoning, the Fourth Prince’s heart trembled ever so slightly.