The palace walls stood silent, the morning bell yet to toll. In the dimly lit chamber, Han Sheng and I locked gazes for a long moment before I finally reined in the storm raging within me.
The secrets and truths of this night had pierced through all my past naivety like a sharp arrow. My mother’s final orders, the covert decree from the Mysterious Pavilion, the pear-blossom dream of shock… There was no retreating now.
I lowered my voice and asked, “Then what should we do now?”
Han Sheng looked at me, his tone deep and measured. “From this moment onward, you can no longer merely be an obedient palace maid, nor can you cling to your identity as the ‘Crown Prince’s confidante.’ Starting now—you must learn to weave schemes of your own.”
I tightened my grip on the jade pendant in my hand and nodded.
Han Sheng handed me a thin booklet. “This is the first secret volume Mother left for you. It details the true distribution of power among the factions in the palace—those seemingly insignificant concubines, the old palace maids guarding the gates, even the grannies sweeping fallen leaves… They are all eyes and ears.”
My mind reeled. I hastily flipped it open to find a meticulously drawn palace map, dotted with a staggering network of red marks and black circles. And among them, one name was boldly underlined twice in crimson—
Xiao Jing.
“She’s also making her move?” I narrowed my eyes.
Han Sheng let out a cold laugh. “She was never a loyal subject. What she seeks isn’t just survival—it’s vengeance.”
A chill ran down my spine. No wonder she had said to me that day—
“If you refuse, then you must bear the consequences.”
She hadn’t been threatening me. She had been warning me—if I didn’t join her, I would become a sacrificial pawn for the other side.
Han Sheng saw through my thoughts. “You can ally with Xiao Jing for now, or you can lay your own traps. But no matter what, time is running out.”
“Why?” I stared at him.
He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a whisper by my ear:
“Because the Crown Prince… has ordered you to accompany him to the Cold Palace tomorrow.”
My pupils constricted. “The Cold Palace? Why?”
Han Sheng’s gaze darkened. “The Crown Prince holds old letters from Mother’s time, along with the final registry of your maternal family’s fief. He wants to force you to talk—or lure you into revealing yourself.”
My throat tightened. The Crown Prince had already made his move in secret. This hunt had begun long before I realized it, and now—he intended to drag me into the killing field himself.
“You must choose a side before the Cold Palace visit. Otherwise…”
“I’ll be doomed beyond redemption.”
I finished his sentence softly.
**
The next day, the sky was heavy with gloom, dark clouds pressing low. The Crown Prince idly stroked his jade-handled fan, his lazy smile edged with hidden sharpness.
“Today’s weather is quite fitting. I feel like taking a stroll to the Cold Palace.” He turned to me, his eyes mirror-like, reflecting not a trace of emotion. “You’ll accompany me.”
I bowed, my demeanor obedient and meek.
But in my heart, the gears of intrigue had already begun to turn. This trip to the Cold Palace wasn’t just a test—it would also be the moment I set my first trap.
It was time to make the hunter the hunted.
ns216.73.216.168da2
and then Add to home screen.