The mad princess forces love upon him, and the aloof imperial advisor trembles every night.

The Emperor of Chu laughed heartily: "Excellent! Excellent! Since the founding of the nation, the Imperial Advisor's divinations have never been wrong. Since Heaven has chosen Che'er, then let us choose an auspicious day to offer sacrifices to Heaven and inform our ancestors!"

He pondered for a moment, then said, "Once we have the approval of Heaven and our ancestors—we will hold the investiture ceremony and establish Che'er as the Crown Prince!"

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Chu Xuanche kowtowed, his forehead touching the ground, a sharp glint of determination flashing in his eyes.

The Third Prince Chu Xuanjing clenched his fist tightly in his sleeve, his knuckles turning white, but he still maintained a gentle smile on his face.

The smile on Chu Qingyue's lips deepened, becoming more eerie and chilling.

"A sacrifice to Heaven..." she murmured softly. "Very well. Let's see if Heaven truly accepts your 'destiny'."

When the court session ended, the officials filed out in single file, their steps hurried.

Chu Qingyue deliberately slowed her pace, pausing on the high steps outside the palace to gaze at the layers of palaces shrouded in the morning mist. Until a clear, crisp scent, like pine needles after a snowfall, approached from behind, she did not turn around, but a cold and beautiful smile curved her lips.

"As expected of the Imperial Advisor," she said, her voice clear as shattering ice in the empty hall, "Seven years have passed, yet you still determine the fate of the world with a single divination."

She slowly turned around, her gaze piercing straight into Si Chen's eyes: "Just like how you sent me away with a single divination back then... clean and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation."

She took a step forward, closing the distance between them to the point where they could hear each other's breaths. The morning light finally illuminated the crimson sea in her eyes: "I'm just curious. Was the Imperial Advisor's divination—the one that said my eldest brother would be the next crown prince—truly a sign from the stars, a destiny ordained by heaven?"

Si Chen's gaze shifted, moving from the eaves of the distant palace back to the depths of her eyes, which burned with scarlet flames. His image was not reflected there, only a sea of ​​hatred that seemed to want to devour everything.

"The stars shine brightly, and destiny is clear and bright." His voice remained calm, like the icicles on a snow-capped mountain peak touching each other. "The divination indicates that this is the will of Heaven, which cannot be changed by human power, nor can it be swayed by personal feelings."

"Private affair?" Chu Qingyue chuckled softly, her laughter both mournful and manic. "So, even the Imperial Preceptor knows the meaning of 'private affair'? I thought your heart, made of stone, had long been refined by that damned ruthless path, rendering it impervious to fire and water, devoid of any love or hate!"

Si Chen remained silent. His long eyelashes cast a faint shadow beneath his eyes, obscuring all emotions within them. After a moment, Chu Qingyue slowly curved her lips into a smile that exuded a chilling calmness and a sense of control.

"My eldest brother is the crown prince, very good. Then I will see carefully whether this 'destined' crown prince can gain the approval of Heaven. Or... how long can he sit in this position in the Eastern Palace?"

She turned around, her silver armor reflecting a dazzling cold light in the morning light. Si Chen stood still, the star chart in his sleeve trembling silently. He watched her figure gradually walk away and finally disappear at the end of the palace road.

———The Residence of the Princess Zhenguo————

This mansion was originally the residence of a prince of the previous dynasty. It covers a vast area and features exquisite pavilions and towers.

To show his favor, the Emperor of Chu bestowed the residence upon the Princess, unaware that this was exactly what Chu Qingyue wanted—three years ago, the Jinxue Pavilion had secretly dug a network of secret passages beneath the residence, leading directly to the outside of the city.

Inside the study, candlelight shone brightly. Chu Qingyue had changed out of her blood-stained silver armor and into a scarlet casual dress.

There were no elaborate embroidery patterns, only a few flowing cloud patterns outlined in dark gold thread on the cuffs and hem. Her dark hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, and a few strands of hair fell around her cheeks, making her face appear even paler and more alluring.

She leaned back on the chaise lounge, toying with a piece of jade chess piece in her hand. The piece was warm and smooth to the touch, cool to the touch, and was made of the finest Hetian jade.

"Your Highness," Chi Xiao knelt on one knee, presenting a secret report, "We've investigated the Blood Blade Sect. Three days ago, the First Prince hired them for 100,000 taels of gold, demanding they intercept and assassinate you on your way back to the capital. If they fail..."

"If we fail," Chu Qingyue interjected, tapping the chess piece lightly with her fingertips, "then you'll frame the Third Prince, won't you?"

Chi Xiao was startled: "How did Your Highness know?"

Chu Qingyue chuckled, but there was no hint of amusement in her eyes: "That fool Chu Xuanche thinks he's the mantis stalking the cicada, but he'll never know—the Blood Blade Sect is nothing more than a spy planted by his gentle and refined third brother. The evidence of his hiring murderers over the years has long been gathering dust in the secret compartment of the Third Prince's study. As for those around him…"

She paused, a flicker of bloodlust in her eyes.

"Even the few words he uttered in his sleep while sleeping with which concubine last night were reported to the Third Prince's residence without missing a single word."

She sat up and tossed the chess pieces back into the jar. "My third brother, he's a master of using others to do his dirty work. Seven years ago, when I went to marry him, did you think it was just Chu Xuanche's idea alone?"

A glint of bloodlust flashed in her eyes. "My third brother, on one hand, knelt in the imperial study begging Father to rescind his decree, putting on a show of brotherly love; on the other hand, he secretly sent people to cut off all possible supplies and military reports that could save me. He handed me the knife, let others shed blood, and remained forever pure as a lotus and compassionate as a Buddha."

Liu Yun served a cup of tea and asked softly, "How does Your Highness intend to deal with this?"

Chu Qingyue pondered for a moment, her fingertips slowly tracing a path across the table, leaving behind an invisible killing formation.

"After nightfall, the men disguised as Bloodblade Sect assassins will 'invite' the Crown Prince to the Relief Pavilion—to find a few gentlemen skilled in serving people to properly entertain our Crown Prince."

Chu Qingyue's lips curled into a sinister smile. "If the Empress and the Prime Minister weren't incompetent, they would have discovered the connection between the Blood Blade Sect and the Third Prince. I'll make those brothers throw this dirty water on each other—so that the whole world knows."

Chi Xiao accepted the order and withdrew.

Liu Yun draped a light blanket over her: "Your Highness, please rest for a while. You haven't slept for three days."

Chu Qingyue got up and walked into the courtyard. A reclining chair had already been prepared under the crabapple tree. She went over and gently lay down, her red dress and dark hair blooming into a breathtakingly beautiful sight in the twilight.

Summon a red-feathered bird, whisper a few words in its ear, and the bird flaps its wings and disappears into the darkening sky.

"Liuyun, wake me when it gets dark." She closed her eyes. "I have something to do tonight."

"What tasks cannot be delegated to subordinates?"

The image of that figure in purple robes with silver hair flashed through Chu Qingyue's mind, and she felt a sudden stabbing in her heart.

"No," she said, her voice barely a sigh. "This matter cannot be left to me alone."

Liu Yun covered her with a thin blanket, gazing at her pale profile—a face that, in the seven years she had spent in Beiming, had never peacefully closed its eyes in the darkness. She always rested her head on swords or gazed at the stars and moon of the northern desert until dawn. The wind blew petals down, landing on the cinnabar scar between her brows—red like congealed blood.

--------

Night fell completely, and the lights of the imperial city lit up one after another, like a cascading galaxy. Chi Xiao, accompanied by twenty bodyguards, moved stealthily through the shadows of the streets and alleys like ghosts.

They had originally planned to sneak into the palace, but they never expected that Chu Xuanche would be having a banquet at the "Number One Restaurant Under Heaven" tonight—several courtiers who were trying to curry favor with him were getting him completely drunk.

"Heaven is on my side." A slight smile played on the corners of Chi Xiao's lips beneath the mask.