The Boss Your Majesty Is Looking For Has Always Been Me. Chapter 1

I’ll choose you.

Having a blade held to his throat was nothing, and having his hands pinned behind his back until they ached was also nothing, but for a wooden cangue to be this large and this heavy was simply beyond belief!

Qin Zhi knit his brows and stared wide-eyed, watching helplessly as a soldier of the Kingdom of Jiang approached step by step, carrying a hundred-jin wooden collar. In his mind, a stampede of thousands of horses galloped past.

The Kingdom of Jiang has no sense of magnanimity for a great power; this is clearly prisoner abuse. When the heavy wooden collar was forced onto his shoulders, Qin Zhi finally couldn’t help but speak up.

There are so many of you, can’t you keep an eye on the dozen or so of us? Using this… He nudged his chin toward the wooden boards. It is completely unnecessary.

The soldier fitting the collar remained unmoved by these words, continuing to focus on stuffing Qin Zhi’s wrists into the holes of the device.

A dozen prisoners who killed over a hundred of our men plus a high-ranking general? Even if the Heavenly King himself came to plead for you, you’d still be wearing this. One more word and see if I don’t go find one even heavier than this!

Perhaps the last sentence had an effect, as Qin Zhi sensibly shut his mouth.

The soldier finished fiddling with the torture device and gave the prisoner a sharp glare. Stay quiet. A great figure is coming to see you later.

While kneeling under the scorching sun until his throat was parched and he was half-asleep, the soldiers came to take him away.

The soldier who disliked Qin Zhi the most grabbed the chain on his wooden collar and yanked him up. Move! If you want to live, remember to be respectful in a moment!

Qin Zhi stumbled, and after finally steadying himself, he was dragged hurriedly forward.

Upon arriving at a large tent, the soldier pushed him inside, and he went in directly on his knees.

Hmph… quite sensible. A cold voice drifted down from above.

Though the voice was cold, it flowed through his lungs like spring water, making the listener feel strangely comfortable. Qin Zhi suddenly felt as if his heart had been brushed by a feather.

He couldn’t help but look up, and in an instant, his heart drummed like a mallet—this person was incredibly beautiful!

Unfortunately, the flaw in this beauty lay in those eyes.

Those eyes seemed to contain a thousand years of frost, possessing a piercing coldness that cut through the flesh and reached straight into the soul.

He was so frozen by the gaze that his heart shuddered, and he quickly lowered his head—it seemed this beauty was only to be observed from a distance, not approached.

The small spark of the obscure young general’s first romantic stirring was thus quickly extinguished.

But Qin Zhi had never had any resistance toward good-looking people.

He lifted his head again, boldly sizing the man up.

The person before him was dressed in black robes, which made his complexion appear even fairer. His features were as exquisite as carved jade, slightly feminine, yet his thin, pale lips—lined as clearly as if cut by a knife—added an intimidating aura.

You are truly good-looking. Qin Zhi’s inner thoughts slipped out.

For a man to be evaluated this way was quite an insult. However, the man did not get angry; he was merely surprised for a moment. Then, the corners of his lips curled into a faint, inscrutable arc, and he replied with a hollow smile, Mmm, you are too.

Being praised by a beauty.

Qin Zhi’s face quickly turned crimson.

Although he had been fighting in the war for several months, he hadn’t tanned much because of his naturally good complexion.

As his face flushed, it stood in sharp contrast to his relatively pale neck, impossible to hide.

Are you… The man seemed to find Qin Zhi quite interesting. Blushing?

Qin Zhi was worrying about how to save his life, but hearing this, he felt awkward for a moment before breaking into a grin, following the lead. Yes, I admire you. I want to serve you.

A cup of tea later, Qin Zhi, whose prison clothes had been torn until only the upper half remained, was kicked off the bed.

He clutched the gold hairpin stuck in his shoulder and asked back as if he had discovered a treasure, You actually know martial arts?!

Jiang Wang stood with bare feet and loose hair, pulling his outer robe back on. He looked down from above at the prisoner who had dared to attempt regicide.

I truly thought you were a fair-faced coward who feared death, but I didn’t expect you to be such a cunning and treacherous wolf…

I?

You?

Qin Zhi’s eyes lit up. You… You are the King of Jiang?

Without waiting for Jiang Wang to answer, he continued to himself, Your Majesty called me ‘dear subject,’ so you still want to take me in, right? Just now… just now my head was just spinning, thinking that maybe…

Maybe if you killed a great figure and caused chaos, you could take the opportunity to escape? Jiang Wang looked at Qin Zhi with a half-smile.

Even though the smile was very gentle, Qin Zhi felt a sense of coldness for no reason.

It was a gamble, just a gamble.

Qin Zhi endured the pain in his shoulder and knelt properly, crawling on his knees to Jiang Wang’s feet. He looked up, his watery eyes appearing quite pitiable.

If Your Majesty forgives me this once, my brothers and I will go through fire and water for you!

The young general kneeling at his feet looked excited. His half-exposed shoulder showed the sturdy lines of his arm, but the skin was exceptionally pale, just like his face, creating a strangely harmonious look.

Jiang Wang reached out and flicked the hairpin in Qin Zhi’s shoulder. Qin Zhi trembled with pain but quickly went still again, acting very obedient.

Jiang Wang gripped the hairpin and pulled it out abruptly. Qin Zhi instinctively lowered his head, covering the wound with his left hand, yet he maintained a steady kneeling posture.

Jiang Wang used the hairpin to wipe the blood on Qin Zhi’s tattered prison clothes, then blew on it and casually used it to pin up his hair.

Qin Zhi’s gaze followed those long, jade-like hands, eventually stopping at the King of Jiang’s beautiful Adam’s apple.

He unconsciously swallowed his saliva and pleaded like a fool, Your Majesty, please forgive me. Now, I truly admire you and want to serve you.

Serve me in the underworld? Jiang Wang teased nonchalantly, neither saying he would kill him nor let him go.

Seeing the superior’s disdainful look, a wave of unease hit Qin Zhi’s heart.

It would be a huge loss to actually die here.

Your Majesty should have heard of our battle record. Keeping us will be very useful.

The wound on Qin Zhi’s shoulder was still bleeding. The crimson overflowed from between his fingers and slid into his half-open prison clothes. The whiteness of his skin and the red of the blood made this prisoner look somewhat bewitching.

Only then did Jiang Wang carefully size up the prisoner—

His features were heroic and upright. While not stunningly beautiful, he was extremely handsome, especially those bright eyes that seemed to hold all the hope in the world, making it hard to look away. There were probably fewer than five people in the entire Kingdom of Jiang more good-looking than him.

But this behavior… Jiang Wang unconsciously hissed. He did whatever came to mind; it was completely without order.

I do not like those who are too clever. Jiang Wang leaned against the couch, his left hand resting on his knee, rubbing it.

Qin Zhi noticed this movement and knew the other was hesitating. He quickly smiled more sincerely. As long as Your Majesty takes us in, we will surely be the most honest subjects! We will strike wherever you point!

The way he said it really didn’t make him seem very clever.

Jiang Wang let out a low laugh, seemingly amused by the prisoner’s sincerity.

Fine. I will spare your lives.

Before Qin Zhi could breathe a sigh of relief, Jiang Wang walked over to him and patted his messy hair. As long as you can survive the journey back to the capital.

Huh???

Jiang Wang did not respond to Qin Zhi’s confused look and simply called for the soldiers to drag him away.

It wasn’t until he returned to the group of prisoners kneeling under the sun as punishment that Qin Zhi understood what the King of Jiang meant—he could live, but he had to pass a test.

Qin Zhi had originally intended to slip away midway, but now, he had a new idea.

Jiang Wang… Qin Zhi recalled the King’s heroic posture when he kicked him off the bed and stabbed him with the hairpin. He licked his dry lips and murmured, How about… I just choose you…