With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

Chapter 28 Extreme Standoff

"Last night, Vice Minister Li was ambushed at his residence. Although he was not seriously injured, he was still frightened."

Qiluo reported in a low voice.

Yun Nian paused slightly, a cold glint flashing in her eyes: "As expected, they've made their move."

Li Weibao was one of the people on Qin Jiuchen's promotion list.

Everything was within Yun Nian's expectations.

She gave a cold laugh, but her face remained calm as she continued walking towards her courtyard.

As soon as Yun Nian reached the entrance of the courtyard, she stopped in her tracks.

Chen Sha was standing guard there, dressed in black, with a cold and stern face.

Upon seeing Yun Nian, he stepped forward, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Miss Yun, your master is waiting for you inside."

Yun Nian took a deep breath and quickly put on a gentle smile: "Thank you for your trouble, Guard Chen."

She turned her head and whispered to Qiluo, "Wait outside."

Having said that, he stepped into his own courtyard.

The crabapple blossoms in the courtyard were in full bloom, their pink and white flowers swaying gently in the wind, their fragrance wafting in the air.

This was a scene that Yun Nian had specially arranged.

The desk faces the crabapple tree in the courtyard, making it a pleasant place to read and admire the flowers in my spare time.

However, at this moment, this small space has been occupied by uninvited guests.

The door was wide open, and Qin Jiuchen was sitting at her desk, leaning against the armrest of the chair, holding a book in his hand, engrossed in reading it.

He wore a dark brocade robe, which made his face look even more handsome. His eyebrows and eyes revealed a hint of laziness, and a faint smile played on his lips.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a soft halo around him.

The scene should have been pleasing to the eye, but instead, alarm bells were ringing in Yun Nian's mind.

She steadied herself, entered the house, and bowed gently, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness. I was unaware of your arrival; please forgive my lack of hospitality."

Qin Jiuchen slowly raised his eyelids, his gaze shifting from the pages of the book to her face. The smile in the corner of his eyes hadn't faded, but it inexplicably revealed a hint of coldness.

"I didn't expect Miss Yun to be such a refined person, enjoying reading books like this."

He waved the book in his hand.

That was a copy of the *Nanhua Jing*, which Yun Nian read casually.

Yun Nian lowered her eyes and replied humbly, "I only look at these things when I have nothing else to do. I hope Your Highness will forgive my intrusion."

"Nothing much to do?"

Qin Jiuchen chuckled, put down his book, and stood up. "Miss Yun is not just idle, she's excessively idle. She's probably seen everything she should and shouldn't have seen."

Yun Nian's heart skipped a beat, but she looked confused: "Your Highness, what are you trying to say? Why not just say it directly? There's no need to beat around the bush like this."

Qin Jiuchen sneered and leisurely strolled over to her.

He was tall and imposing, and his aura of power and coldness swept over you.

The more this happened, the straighter Yun Nian's back became, and she looked up at him calmly, without any fear in her eyes.

Qin Jiuchen took another step forward.

Yun Nian instinctively stepped back, but bumped into the desk behind her, leaving her with nowhere to retreat.

Qin Jiuchen's shadow descended, enveloping her entirely.

He looked at her with a half-smile, slowly reaching out his hand and gently brushing the stray hairs at her temples with his fingertips.

The touch was as light as a feather, yet it made Yun Nian's whole body stiffen.

His fingertips moved slowly down, the touch gliding subtly across her cheek, past her delicate chin, and down her slender neck.

His hands were too big for her neck; his fingertips were warm and pressed against her skin, giving off a chilling sensation.

Yun Nian pursed her lips tightly, able to clearly feel the throbbing of her carotid artery.

It seemed that he could snap the neck with just a slight opening and a slight tightening.

Qin Jiuchen's seemingly gentle actions were filled with a chilling sense of oppression.

He suddenly spoke, "Miss Yun seems to have ignored my warning. I wonder how I should punish you?"

Yun Nian gritted her teeth and forced herself to look him in the eye: "Your Highness, what exactly do you want to say? Please speak plainly."

"Good acting skills."

Qin Jiuchen snorted coldly, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "Do you think the list of officials you stole is the one you want? How can you be sure that the people on it are the ones you're looking for?"

Yun Nian was taken aback.

Then, he gave a self-deprecating laugh, his eyes filled with sadness and resignation.

She chuckled softly, "So the prince still suspects that Nian'er stole this damn list."

She pushed him away abruptly with both hands, creating distance between them.

Qin Jiuchen did not insist on keeping her, but took a half step back, his gaze still fixed on her face.

Yun Nian's expression was stubborn, her eyes filled with tears.

She took a deep breath, her voice trembling slightly: "Your Highness, I'll tell you one last time, I did not steal your list."

She paused, tears finally streaming down her face, but she wiped them away fiercely with her hand: "Yes, I was asked to steal some kind of list, but I didn't. I'm unwilling and disdainful to risk my life for that so-called home. Nian'er can weigh the options."

Qin Jiuchen narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over her face, as if considering how much truth there was in her words.

The air inside was almost frozen, with only the rustling sound of crabapple blossoms swaying gently in the wind outside the window.

After a long silence, Qin Jiuchen finally spoke, "Yun Nian, you are smarter than I imagined."

"But sometimes, being too smart can be a recipe for disaster."

A chill ran through Yun Nian, who sensed a faint but palpable killing intent.

She clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves, her palms already damp with sweat, yet she still kept her eyes fixed on him.

"If Your Highness does not believe me,"

Her voice was surprisingly calm, but a resolute glint flashed in her eyes. "I can give you an idea."

Qin Jiuchen looked at her with great interest: "Speak."

"You can kill me."

Yun Nian spoke each word earnestly, "Only the dead will not betray you, only the dead can put your mind at ease forever."

Qin Jiuchen's eyes sharpened, and he took a step closer, his breath brushing against her cheek: "You think I wouldn't dare?"

Yun Nian met his gaze without flinching: "Of course you dare. You are the God of War of the Great Jin, decisive and ruthless. Killing Nian'er is as easy as crushing an ant."

She paused, a hint of weariness and relief in her voice: "Kill me if you want. Nian'er has never lived a life of her own choosing in this world; it's utterly meaningless. Death is death. Nian'er has only one wish..."

"Never be buried in the Yun family ancestral graves, and there is no need to inscribe the Yun surname on the tombstone."

Qin Jiuchen narrowed his eyes, his deep gaze revealing a complex and unfathomable turmoil of emotions.

Yun Nian closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, adopting a posture of facing death without fear.

She could feel Qin Jiuchen's gaze lingering on her face, and she could sense the murderous aura in the air appearing and disappearing intermittently.

After a moment, Qin Jiuchen suddenly took two steps back, turned around, and said indifferently, "Your life is still useful, there's no need to rush to die."

After saying that, he turned and walked away.

Yun Nian didn't open her eyes until the footsteps completely disappeared outside the courtyard.

Feeling completely drained, Yun Nian braced herself against the edge of the desk, panting heavily.

The back of my clothes was soaked with cold sweat, clinging to my skin and bringing a chill.

Her heart was pounding like a drum.

For a fleeting moment, she truly believed that Qin Jiuchen would kill her.

The chill in those eyes was so real, the murderous intent so chilling.

She took a desperate gamble.

Fortunately, she won her bet.

But this gamble was too dangerous; the slightest mistake could lead to utter ruin.

Yun Nian slowly sat down, supporting herself on the desk, her fingers trembling slightly.

She poured herself a glass of iced tea and drank it all in one gulp. The icy liquid slid down her throat, calming her down a little.

At that moment, Qiluo rushed in, her face full of worry: "Miss, are you alright? The Prince...?"

"fine."

Yun Nian shook her head, having regained her usual composure.

Qi Luo breathed a sigh of relief, but then frowned and lowered her voice, saying, "Miss, Yun Xiang's men are waiting for you outside. They say Yun Xiang wants you to return to the manor immediately."

Yun Nian paused.

Having just escaped one danger's clutches, they now enter another.

That's incredibly precise timing.

The carriage was already waiting at the side gate of the Prince's Mansion.

Yun Nian returned to the Prime Minister's residence.

The atmosphere in the mansion was somber.

The guards led her straight toward the ancestral hall.

Inside the ancestral hall, candles burned brightly and incense smoke wafted through the air.

Yun Chengming sat in the main seat with a gloomy face, still wearing his dark purple official robes, clearly having just returned from the palace.

Standing beside him was Yun Duantao, who was looking at her with a gloating expression.

Yun Nian stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Daughter greets Father and Brother."

"Kneel down."