This Prince Hates You Living With This Face

Serena's subtle movements did not escape Nolan Dongling's eyes; inwardly, he was delighted. He loved seeing Serena like this—soft and hesitant, evoking a protective tenderness that made him unconsciously happy.

The happier Nolan grew, the more stern his expression. He wanted to see how far Serena would go—how she’d try to cool his temper, what she'd offer for him dropping everything, defying the Emperor, and leading troops to this godforsaken place.

Nolan said nothing, so Serena assumed he liked her drawing closer. Step by step, she inched toward him until their robe hems tangled together, leaving no more space between them. Only then did Serena stop, satisfied.

"Ninth Royal Uncle, why are you here?" Unlike her previous cold arrogance, Serena's voice now carried a hint of softness—she admitted her fault, she yielded.

Seeing Ninth Royal Uncle arrive, Serena was so happy that she even forgot about the wounds on her back.

Nolan glanced at Serena, then casually withdrew his gaze. "This prince is on official business, just passing through."

"Passing through? Ninth Royal Uncle, what kind of official business would bring you here? Isn’t that a bit too much of a coincidence?" Serena spoke without thinking, voicing her true doubts.

Nolan glared at Serena, displeased. "What, do I have to report my business to you?"

Women who are too clever really aren’t cute, Nolan thought, turning his face away to hide his blush.

"No, no, not at all. I was just worried for you. The trip from the Capital is long—Ninth Royal Uncle, you must be exhausted." Serena shook her head, cursing herself for rambling. She knew Nolan's pride—he'd never admit he came for her.

"Not as hard as you. Even a thousand-li horse couldn't survive with you—clearly you were in a rush." Serena wouldn’t have mentioned it, but as soon as she did, Nolan flared with anger. Just how desperate was she, to run the Blackcloud Stallion to death?

"Little White is dead?" Serena cried out in shock.

This was bad—really bad. Felix Fuller would probably want to kill her now. The Blackcloud Stallion was irreplaceable; she couldn’t possibly make it up to him.

"Little White? That dead horse?" Nolan was genuinely annoyed—she cared more about a horse than about him.

Serena, you fret over William Warren, you mourn a dead horse—can’t you spare a thought for me? Just once, look at me.

Nolan pressed his lips together and turned away, too lazy to look at Serena. He would never say something so whiny.

Since Nolan said nothing, Serena had no idea what he was thinking. She quietly explained about Little White, still wondering if Nolan could help her find another Blackcloud Stallion to compensate Felix.

"It was the horse Dominic Zhai prepared for me. I thought it belonged to Prince Samuel Manor, but halfway, I met the real owner and realized Dominic had stolen it. I nearly got into a fight with him over it."

Serena didn’t dare tell Nolan that the horse’s owner had injured her. If Nolan found out, Felix would be in trouble for sure—she might as well play the good guy and keep quiet.

"Dominic probably didn’t know either. Most likely, someone below him found a good horse and brought it up as a tribute." Nolan replied coolly, clearly uninterested in discussing a dead horse.

Serena soon realized it was better to just keep quiet, standing obediently at Nolan’s side like a little wife, clutching the corner of his robe—wanting to please him, but not knowing what to say.

That’s more like it! Nolan watched Serena from the corner of his eye, struggling to suppress a smile. Unfortunately, the moment didn’t last—Serena hadn’t figured out how to truly please him, but because the Skyvault Palace Sect’s people, under repeated military assault, had finally collapsed. Of fifteen, seven were killed and eight captured alive—including Sienna Skyvault.

"Your Highness, all the bandits have been apprehended. Please issue your orders." Nolan was here to suppress bandits, after all. These people were criminals—their deeds were no different from banditry.

To forcibly seize men from the populace—such a thing was beyond what ordinary people could do.

"The criminals resisted arrest—no survivors." Nolan gave his order coolly, deciding their fates with a word.

"Yes, sir." The officer didn’t ask another question, simply gave the order to silence them.

Slash—a head fell. The execution was swift; the victims were already covered in wounds, so there was no need to fake anything.

Serena shook her head. Officialdom is always dirty—when someone needs silencing, the excuse is always 'resisting arrest' and 'accidental death.'

As long as there are bodies to show, the case is closed. Sometimes, even monsters slip through the law—better to end them quickly, call it 'resisting,' and move on.

When the soldiers reached Sienna Skyvault, Nolan suddenly spoke: "Wait."

Sienna Skyvault’s deathly pale face suddenly brightened with hope. She looked at Nolan with pitiful, pleading eyes: "Don’t kill me, please don’t kill me! If you spare me, I promise Skyvault Palace Sect will reward you handsomely. Whatever you want, you’ll have it.

Believe me, my father dotes on me. Keep me alive—trade me to Skyvault Palace, you'll get more. And recently, someone gifted Skyvault a treasure map—the Nine Provinces Treasure Map from the Former Dynasty! Spare me, let my father ransom me with it!

Former Dynasty treasure map? Must be the Nine Provinces Map. Skyvault’s master spoils his daughter—he even let her in on this secret. Nolan had been desperate for clues; now, one falls into his lap. This trip was worth it.

A gleam flashed in Nolan’s eyes, gone in an instant. He acted as if he hadn’t heard Sienna’s words, his gaze falling instead on the whip at her feet. The eunuch, quick on the uptake, immediately picked it up, wiped it clean, and handed it to Nolan.

Sienna had no idea what Nolan was about to do, but his lethal aura made her sob and thrash, screaming: "I swear I'm not lying! My father has the map—don't kill me! Don't!"

"Idiot," Serena rolled her eyes.

It’s true—whether sons or daughters, wealth can nurture but should never spoil. Spoil them too much and you ruin them. Seeing Sienna Skyvault’s face, so similar to her own but streaked with tears and snot, Serena felt nothing but disgust.

It was truly unpleasant to watch!

Thankfully, Serena wasn’t the only one disgusted—Nolan, too, disliked seeing Sienna with a face so similar to Serena’s.

Serena was one of a kind, so…

"I can't stand you living with that face. Don't let me see it again."

Crack—the whip in Nolan’s hand lashed out, striking Sienna Skyvault’s face. It left a scar that would never fade, stretching from her left cheek all the way to the right.

Ruined!

Sienna’s face was covered in blood—her features were unrecognizable.

Aah—Sienna squeezed her eyes shut and screamed. The sound was so sharp it could have startled birds a hundred li away.

So ruthless!

Serena couldn’t help touching her own face. She didn’t like Sienna’s face, but she’d never considered destroying it—she simply couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She was certain—Sienna was almost certainly related to her somehow.

"Finish her." Nolan wiped his hands with a cloth, tossed it aside, and turned to leave the canyon—he didn’t bother to spare Sienna another glance.

Without a face resembling Serena’s, Sienna no longer held any value for him.

After walking dozens of steps, Nolan realized Serena hadn’t caught up. He paused, "What are you standing there for? Move!"

"Oh…" Serena responded, not bothering with Sienna, and turned to follow Nolan. But as she moved, the wound on her back flared with pain…