Chapter 1: The Demon Youth

Drunken Immortal Tower was the most renowned restaurant in Yu Capital. Not only were its dishes famous throughout the capital, but it also had its own theatrical troupes and singing and dancing performers. Every evening when night fell, this place became the most bustling and lively spot in Yu Capital.

On this particular night, as the lanterns were first lit, a female performer in a pear-yellow silk dress sang a melodic tune on the elevated stage in the main hall on the first floor, then gracefully retired with swaying movements. Following her, a young man in white robes took the stage. He walked with leisurely steps onto the platform, his entire being untainted by worldly dust, like a white cloud drifting down from mountain peaks to the mortal realm, or like a rare ancient jade making a brief appearance in the mundane world.

A guqin had already been placed on the stage. He walked slowly to the instrument, sat cross-legged on the floor cushion, extended his fingers to touch the strings, and the melody “Spring’s Beauty” flowed from beneath his fingertips.

The white-robed young man playing the guqin was none other than Hua Zhuyu.

She had arrived in Yu Capital three days ago. With her money exhausted and no place to stay, she temporarily came to Drunken Immortal Tower to work as a qin master. She hadn’t contacted any of her former subordinates – what she needed to do next required only herself, and she didn’t want to implicate those brothers who had already settled into ordinary lives.

Yu Capital no longer held a home for her; her home had been reduced to rubble and ruins. It was said that on the day her father was executed, her grandmother had dismissed all the household servants, set fire to the house, and burned herself to death inside.

As Hua Zhuyu played the qin, she pondered her plans. After tonight, she would leave Drunken Immortal Tower. She had already formulated a plan: first find a way to infiltrate the palace, then investigate the truth behind the Hua family’s confiscation and execution.

Just as the musical piece reached its most tender passage and the patrons of Drunken Immortal Tower were listening in rapture, a jarring voice suddenly interrupted the melody.

“The tune is played well enough, and you look decent too. But you absolutely should not, under any circumstances, be playing the qin here!” A slightly immature voice, arrogant and domineering, came from ahead.

Hua Zhuyu looked up at the sound and saw the speaker slowly ascending the elevated stage.

It was a young man who appeared to be about the same age as her – seventeen or eighteen years old, still properly called a youth, especially given his voice, which clearly indicated he was still developing.

The youth was quite handsome, with long, dark eyebrows and bright, deep black eyes, beautiful enough to resemble the acolyte boy beside Guanyin Bodhisattva in paintings, making one feel compassion at first sight. However, that was only the first impression. Upon closer inspection, one would notice the youth’s arrogant gaze and the heavy aura of menace between his brows, his entire being radiating a restrained but palpable威势 that inspired fear.

This was absolutely a child with the appearance of an immortal but the heart of a demon.

Such a youth must surely be from a noble and powerful family – ordinary commoners could not raise such a little tyrant.

The young master walked directly up to Hua Zhuyu, slammed his palm down on the qin table, and with a trembling sound of strings, the entire guqin split cleanly in half.

Hua Zhuyu slowly stood up and turned to leave. Whether this youth had come to deliberately cause trouble or was having a drunken tantrum, she had no leisure to deal with it.

The youth gave a cold laugh, “You dare to flee! Let’s see where you can escape to!” His expression darkened, and his five fingers formed claws as he reached toward Hua Zhuyu’s chest. The youth’s martial arts seemed mediocre, but his strikes were extremely vicious, unlike ordinary troublemaking.

Hua Zhuyu leaned to one side, avoiding the youth’s attack, but unexpectedly, when his first strike failed, he immediately changed from claw to palm and chopped down toward Hua Zhuyu’s neck. If this palm strike connected, she would lose her life.

Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected this youth to be so ruthlessly merciless, striking with killing moves from the start! She had just arrived in Yu Capital and hadn’t offended anyone – why was this youth so determined to kill her? With no time for further thought, she lowered her head, avoided the youth’s palm wind, and retreated three steps backward.

Having dodged both attacks, the youth’s face darkened, two flames of anger rising in his ink-black pupils. His exquisite young face turned cold as ice, that chilling expression as if he wanted to devour Hua Zhuyu alive.

Seeing this, the patrons all realized this was someone not to be trifled with. Better to avoid trouble than invite it – they didn’t even dare watch the excitement, all standing up in terror and leaving Drunken Immortal Tower. After the customers had all departed, two of the youth’s attendants went to block the main door, while several others mounted the stage and surrounded Hua Zhuyu.

From this arrangement, it was clear they intended to close the doors and beat someone up.

The youth’s attendants all had sharp, gleaming eyes and light, quick steps – clearly all martial arts experts.

“Young master, I don’t know what this humble one has done to anger you so. Was it perhaps that the tune I played was unpleasant to hear? If so, then this humble one will immediately play another piece for you.” Hua Zhuyu’s tone was extremely polite. She had never seen this youth before, so it was very likely that the piece she had just played had somehow offended him.

The beautiful youth tilted his head and looked at her with narrowed eyes, the corner of his mouth curling upward as he said coldly, “You haven’t offended this young master. As I said, you simply shouldn’t be playing the qin here.” As he spoke, he exerted force with his right hand and slowly drew the sword at his waist.

Watching the youth unsheathe his sword, Hua Zhuyu’s dark brows furrowed slightly. She had never encountered such an unreasonably arrogant person. If she had met such a tyrannical pampered young master back in Liang Prefecture, she would have long since taught him a lesson until even his parents couldn’t recognize him. But now she couldn’t – she had just arrived in the capital and didn’t want to invite trouble.

She stepped back and cupped her hands, saying, “This humble one apologizes to you, young master, and hopes you will be magnanimous and not hold it against a small person like me. I will leave immediately and never play the qin here again!”

Even after she had spoken to this extent, the youth remained relentless, saying, “For this young master to spare your life is possible, but first, you must chop off those hands of yours. Your life or your hands – choose for yourself!”

This domineering attitude finally thoroughly enraged Hua Zhuyu. What had she done to provoke him? She had merely played the qin here! Just for this, he wanted her hands chopped off?

“I want my life, and I don’t wish to lose my hands either. I wonder if this humble one has any other options?” She stepped back, smiling with lazy indifference. Under the crystal-clear bright lamps, those eyes sparkling with rippling light were like an autumn pond, seemingly possessing some magical power that drew people to look involuntarily.

The youth’s expression paused momentarily. His icy pupils narrowed as he asked coldly, “You’re not afraid?” His opponent’s composure, complete indifference to his threats, and lazy smile while looking at him truly surprised him.

The youth gripped his sword tightly and thrust it straight forward. The long sword, carrying bone-chilling coldness, stabbed directly toward Hua Zhuyu’s chest. But this move was still dodged by Hua Zhuyu’s evasive maneuver.

“Why don’t you fight back?” the youth asked irritably.

Hua Zhuyu’s lips curved upward as she smiled, “You’re so beautiful, I don’t want to fight with you!”

Upon hearing this, the youth became so angry that veins bulged on his forehead, and the flames in his black eyes burned even more fiercely.

He was indeed handsome, but he was male – he didn’t like being described as “beautiful.” Beautiful was used to describe women or children. Was he a child? The white-robed qin master before him didn’t look much older than him, but was just a tiny bit taller – just that little bit – yet dared to mock him! He truly felt belittled, ridiculed, and even… teased.

Hua Zhuyu had no idea of the youth’s convoluted thoughts. Actually, when she called him beautiful, she was sincere. She hadn’t expected such a strong reaction – those fire-spitting black eyes staring fixedly at the top of her head, as if comparing who was taller.

Hua Zhuyu and this youth were similar in age, but perhaps because males developed later, he was slightly slighter in build, while Hua Zhuyu was among the taller females, so she was indeed that little bit taller than him. Looking at the youth’s stubbornly puffed-out chest and the youthful innocence on his exquisite face, she suspected this child might actually be jealous that she was taller than him!

The youth glared malevolently at Hua Zhuyu for a while, then waved his hand. The group of attendants who had been eagerly waiting behind him immediately surged forward, ready for a group beating.

Hua Zhuyu sighed softly. Though she had initially wanted to teach this youth a lesson, she ultimately dismissed the idea. The best of thirty-six stratagems was to flee. But before she could leave, many soldiers suddenly poured into Drunken Immortal Tower – apparently someone had seen the situation turning bad and secretly reported to the authorities.

“What’s happening here? Who’s causing trouble?” The leader wore military uniform, apparently a minor officer of the capital’s Imperial Guards, striding over aggressively.

When the minor officer approached and suddenly widened his eyes, all his imposing manner seemed like a blazing fire suddenly doused with water, completely extinguished. His legs went weak as if he were about to kneel, opening his mouth to say something, but the youth interrupted him. “You’ve come at the perfect time. Arrest him for this young master and throw him into the Ministry of Justice prison!” He spoke very casually, as if the Ministry of Justice belonged to his family.

The minor officer nodded and bowed obsequiously without even asking questions. The soldiers behind him quickly stepped forward to arrest Hua Zhuyu. Seeing the officer’s fawning expression, Hua Zhuyu narrowed her eyes and carefully studied the youth before her.

He wore a crimson brocade robe that, while appearing ordinary in style, was made of extremely luxurious fabric – thin but not transparent, certainly not something an ordinary wealthy family could afford. Around his waist was a white embroidered silk belt from which hung a jade pendant. This jade pendant was translucent and clearly a priceless treasure that probably couldn’t be bought even with money. Though the youth was tyrannical, his entire bearing could not conceal his noble aura.

Hua Zhuyu’s heart stirred. Seeing the Imperial Guard officer’s terrified and respectful manner, she thought of someone – Huangfu Wushuang, the Crown Prince of the Southern Dynasty.

If it truly was him, saying the Ministry of Justice belonged to his family wasn’t an exaggeration. It seemed this little Crown Prince was cut from the same cloth as his father – killing without blinking an eye. His father had killed her entire family, and upon seeing her, he immediately wanted to send her to prison. Did the Hua family owe the Huangfu family something in a previous life?

Hua Zhuyu had originally come to the Southern Dynasty intending to find a way into the palace to investigate the truth behind the Hua family’s confiscation and execution. Unexpectedly, before she had even put her plan into action, she had encountered this youth. Regardless of whether he was Huangfu Wushuang or not, she would follow him for now. If he truly was the Crown Prince, perhaps entering the palace could use him as a breakthrough point.

“This humble one has never been to the Ministry of Justice prison and has long wanted to see it. I should truly thank this young master for making it possible,” Hua Zhuyu said lightly, her lips carrying a leisurely smile.

Hua Zhuyu’s attitude obviously angered the youth once again. He waved his hand, “Wait! You all leave. This person, this young master will handle personally.”

Upon hearing this, the minor officer quickly bowed to the youth and hastily retreated with his soldiers. This was exactly the result Hua Zhuyu wanted. Seeing the officer about to leave, she hurriedly chased after him, feigning fear as she called out, “Official sir, please don’t leave! This person wants to chop off my hands – I’d rather you take me to prison instead!”

Seeing this, the youth’s eyes swept coldly over her, and his attendants stepped forward to pull Hua Zhuyu back.

“This young master has changed his mind again. This time I won’t chop off your hands. But how should I torment you instead?” He stroked his chin and smiled sinisterly. His beautiful smiling face was like a blooming flower, with two dimples on his cheeks that under the crystal lamps seemed filled with wine. “Who do you think you are, that an official would side with you? You want to sit in prison, but I specifically won’t let you. Don’t you know who this young master is, daring to provoke me? Come here, tie him up and throw him onto this young master’s carriage. He’s clearly a man but grows so beautiful – he just likes to attract bees and butterflies. This time, this young master will make it so you never have that qualification again!”

Hua Zhuyu didn’t understand what he meant by “never having the qualification to attract bees and butterflies,” but being skilled and bold, she went along with the plan, allowing his attendants to bind her and escort her onto the carriage outside.

The carriage traveled a winding route for approximately half an hour before stopping. Someone opened the carriage curtain and dragged the bound Hua Zhuyu, tied like a dumpling, from inside the carriage, throwing her onto the ground.

Hua Zhuyu lay on the ground, quickly surveying her surroundings.

The night was deep. In this courtyard, palace lanterns bloomed brilliantly. In the pale light and shadows, one could clearly see layer upon layer of buildings with carved beams and painted rafters – such luxury could only be found in the imperial palace’s inner gardens.

The youth had already alighted from the carriage and now stood with hands clasped behind his back under the corridor. His beautiful face was shrouded in the lanterns’ glow, frighteningly gloomy, yet those ink-black eyes sparkled with bright light, as if he had finally found something entertaining.

Around him, a large crowd surrounded him like stars around the moon – men and women, the men wearing eunuch clothing, the women dressed in palace attire. Hua Zhuyu had guessed correctly – the youth was indeed Crown Prince Huangfu Wushuang of the Eastern Palace.

“Ji Xiang, go summon Eunuch Ge, and remember to tell him to bring his tools,” Huangfu Wushuang commanded coldly, then walked with hands behind his back to stand before Hua Zhuyu. He crouched down and suddenly smiled. His gloomy expression disappeared like dark clouds blown away by wind, nowhere to be seen. He smiled so brilliantly, his face a garden of blooming flowers.

Hua Zhuyu was somewhat puzzled, not knowing what sinister scheme he had thought of to deal with her that made him so happy. She suddenly shivered, thinking that if the situation looked bad, she would circulate her internal energy to break the ropes. With her martial arts skills, escaping from the palace shouldn’t be too difficult.

“Now you know who this Crown Prince is, don’t you?” Huangfu Wushuang asked with a smile.

Hua Zhuyu nodded and said, “Please spare this humble one’s life, Your Highness. Your great kindness and virtue, this humble one will repay by working like an ox or horse.”

Huangfu Wushuang was very satisfied with her current attitude. He curved his lips and said cheerfully, “Now you know to be afraid? It’s too late! This Crown Prince asks you – have you taken a wife?” No matter how one listened, there was something eerie in his voice.

Though Hua Zhuyu didn’t understand why he asked this question, she still shook her head. Being a woman herself, she naturally had never taken a wife.

“What a pity! So handsome, yet still unmarried, and yet…” Huangfu Wushuang shook his head with great regret but didn’t finish his sentence.

This half-sentence made Hua Zhuyu’s heart turn cold. Was he really going to kill her? Huangfu Wushuang’s smile suddenly froze as he said coldly, “Take him to the torture chamber and treat him well! When Eunuch Ge arrives, carry out the punishment.”

Hua Zhuyu had originally schemed in every way to enter the palace, and now that she had finally gotten in, she was determined to stay. Therefore, she didn’t resist and allowed several guards to escort her to the torture chamber in the back.

The torture chamber was pitch black and somewhat damp. A guard lit candles, and only then could Hua Zhuyu see the room’s furnishings clearly. A large redwood table sat prominently in the center of the room, very large and conspicuous. On shelves around the room were various torture instruments – whips, large knives, wooden clubs, and the like. It seemed this little Crown Prince often employed private torture, even having such a torture chamber.

Several guards said nothing and directly placed Hua Zhuyu on the large redwood table. Perhaps they were going to give her dozens of heavy blows with a rod – she could use internal energy to minimize the pain. Footsteps approached, and someone arrived. She heard a guard’s voice say, “Eunuch Ge.”

So the executioner had arrived. She heard Eunuch Ge grunt and say in a light tone, “Turn him over.”

Immediately, guards flipped Hua Zhuyu’s body over. She lay face-up on the table, immediately seeing the blade instruments suspended above. They were strangely shaped and appeared very sharp, gleaming with cold light in the candlelight.

Looking at those strange blade instruments, Hua Zhuyu suddenly understood – this wasn’t about beating with rods. The guards who had escorted Hua Zhuyu had already withdrawn from the room, tightly closing the door behind them.

Eunuch Ge, holding the blade instruments, smiled slightly at her and said slowly, “Don’t be afraid. I, Eunuch Ge, have been doing this for decades and have the best skills in the palace. It will only hurt for a moment and then it will be over.” After speaking, his gaze focused on the area between Hua Zhuyu’s legs, and he made a motion to lift the hem of her clothing.

Only then did Hua Zhuyu understand what punishment this Eunuch Ge intended to carry out on her.

Huangfu Wushuang was truly ruthless, malicious, and sinister enough. No wonder he had smiled at her so triumphantly – he had been planning this devastating blow all along.

Even though Hua Zhuyu wasn’t male, she still cursed the Huangfu family’s ancestors for eighteen generations in her heart.

This Eunuch Ge was apparently the one who castrated people. If she were truly male, while one cut wouldn’t take her life, it would make death preferable to living.

Huangfu Wushuang’s move was truly more vicious than taking someone’s life.

Seeing Eunuch Ge’s hand about to reach toward her lower body, Hua Zhuyu’s eyes filled with tears as she said mournfully, “Eunuch Ge, this humble one has never taken a wife, nor visited brothels. To tell the truth, except for my birth mother, no one else has ever seen this body. Though I’m about to become a eunuch, this body is still pure. Eunuch Ge, actually, this humble one truly wishes to become a eunuch to serve the Crown Prince. Could this matter perhaps be left for this humble one to do personally?”

Eunuch Ge raised his eyebrows in surprise, “You’ll do it yourself? Do you know how?”

Hua Zhuyu nodded, leaped down from the table, took the torture instrument from Eunuch Ge’s hands, walked to the wall and turned her back, steeled herself and stabbed her inner thigh. Blood immediately flowed out, staining the clothing between her legs red. She used a white silk handkerchief to cover the bleeding area, and when the handkerchief was soaked red, she balled it up and held it in her hand. Turning around, under Eunuch Ge’s watchful gaze, she stuffed the blood-soaked bundle into her bosom.

With one hand covering the bleeding area and the other supporting herself on the table, she asked, “Eunuch Ge, do you have medicine? The pain is killing me.” This wasn’t pretense – she was truly in pain.

“Yes! Yes!” Eunuch Ge placed a packet of medicinal powder in Hua Zhuyu’s hand with trembling hands. He had been doing this castration work for so many years but had never seen anyone be so ruthless with themselves. In the past, which one didn’t cry and scream, refusing the punishment, only to be tied down or knocked unconscious before he could proceed?

Hua Zhuyu turned and sprinkled the medicinal powder on her wound, stopping the continuous bleeding. After a moment, she heard guards outside saying, “Eunuch Ge, are you finished?”

Hua Zhuyu secretly felt fortunate that these guards hadn’t remained inside to watch, or it would have been truly difficult to handle.

“Finished, finished.” Eunuch Ge muttered, gathered his instruments, and slowly walked out.

The guards came in and escorted Hua Zhuyu out.

Eunuch it was then – as long as she could deal with Emperor Yan and Ji Fengli, she accepted it.

However, the guards looking at Hua Zhuyu now had an additional trace of sympathy in their eyes. Some were naturally gloating – they had just been envying this young man’s handsomeness, and now he had become neither male nor female.

Noticing everyone’s gazes, Hua Zhuyu suddenly realized she needed to appear heartbroken and desperate. So she limped as she entered the Crown Prince’s sleeping quarters.

Huangfu Wushuang’s sleeping quarters were brilliantly lit and decorated extremely luxuriously. A large screen appeared to be made of rare crystal stone, exquisite and translucent. When light reflected on it, radiance flowed and shifted. Carved on it were palace-dressed ladies with graceful figures, very lifelike.

Turning around the screen, she saw Huangfu Wushuang comfortably reclining on a couch, with seven or eight young palace maids attending him, all appearing fifteen or sixteen years old with delicate, elegant features. Some held tea in their hands, others held cut fruit. One little palace maid knelt before him, holding a soup bowl, feeding him spoonful by spoonful!

This harmful little demon was certainly enjoying himself.

When Huangfu Wushuang saw Hua Zhuyu enter, he waved to dismiss the attending palace maids. He sat up from the couch with interest and walked before Hua Zhuyu, his black eyes constantly glancing toward the area between her legs.

Hua Zhuyu gritted her teeth and lifted the hem of her clothing, “Does Your Highness wish to personally inspect?”

Seeing that her white undergarments were stained red with blood, Huangfu Wushuang had originally intended to feel around, but seeing such a bloody scene, he wrinkled his brow in disgust, “Forget it, forget it, so filthy, who wants to inspect?” He turned and walked back to the couch, raising an eyebrow to ask, “This Crown Prince has made you into a useless person. Right now, don’t you hate me enough to want to kill this Crown Prince?”

“This slave wouldn’t dare!” Hua Zhuyu put on an appearance of heartbreak and despair, her voice shrill as she said, “This slave was originally a wandering vagrant of the martial world without father or mother. Though the world is vast, there was no place for me to belong. Today, by strange coincidence, I followed Your Highness into the palace. Though I’ve been castrated, this slave bears no resentment toward Your Highness. This slave only hopes Your Highness will allow me to remain in the palace to assist Your Highness. Though this slave lacks talent, I still possess some abilities. If I could assist Your Highness and achieve something worthwhile, even being physically disabled would be worth it.” Though she called herself a slave and her tone was very humble, because of her clear, beautiful voice, these words carried a hint of carefree spirit.

Huangfu Wushuang was slightly stunned, a trace of inexplicable guilt rising in his heart. He also knew that some scholars studied hard for ten years in cold windows, all for the chance to serve their country. If the person before him was truly such a person, then hadn’t he wronged a person of aspiration? Currently, whether in court or in the martial world, undercurrents were surging, and he naturally needed worthy advisors. He might as well keep him nearby to see if he was truly talented.

“If that’s the case, from today on, you’ll follow this Crown Prince. Tell me, what’s your name?” Huangfu Wushuang asked lazily.

“Now that this slave has become like this, I no longer dare use my former name. Please grant me a name, Your Highness!” Hua Zhuyu said slowly.

Huangfu Wushuang held his chin in thought, then said with a strange smile, “The Eastern Palace just had a little eunuch die, named Yuan Bao. You can take his name. Ji Xiang, take Little Bao’er down.”

Little Bao’er? Hua Zhuyu’s face immediately darkened. This name was truly difficult to accept.

After Hua Zhuyu withdrew, Huangfu Wushuang’s eyes deepened as he said, “Ru Yi, go to Drunken Immortal Tower and investigate Yuan Bao’s background.”

“Yes!” A eunuch hurriedly responded and quickly withdrew.

New eunuchs entering the palace followed strict procedures. Generally, they entered at seven or eight years old, all from families with clean backgrounds. After entering the palace, they would follow teaching eunuchs to learn etiquette and rules, and only after four or five years would they be assigned to various palaces to serve. If Hua Zhuyu hadn’t taken the name of a recently deceased eunuch, she couldn’t have entered the palace at all. Fortunately, the original eunuch Yuan Bao had always served in the Eastern Palace, was usually quiet and spoke little, so few people outside knew him.

Hua Zhuyu belonged to the Eastern Palace, and her residence was also arranged in the Eastern Palace’s rear courtyard. For several consecutive days, Huangfu Wushuang didn’t summon her, and other eunuchs, knowing she had just undergone castration, perhaps feeling sympathy for a fellow sufferer, didn’t make things difficult for her. The little eunuch named Ji Xiang brought her meals daily and explained all the palace rules and etiquette, which Hua Zhuyu carefully memorized.

She hadn’t expected to enter the palace as a eunuch, but now that she was settled, she felt this identity was extremely suitable – even safer than being a palace maid.

Later, Hua Zhuyu learned from Ji Xiang why Huangfu Wushuang didn’t want her playing the qin at Drunken Immortal Tower.

It turned out that when she played the qin at Drunken Immortal Tower, Wen Wan had happened to hear her once and was reportedly shocked upon returning, then began practicing qin techniques desperately every day. Huangfu Wushuang harbored romantic feelings for Wen Wan. That day he had secretly slipped out of the palace to find Wen Wan and saw that she had practiced until her fingers bled, which pained the little Crown Prince terribly. Learning it was because the qin master at Drunken Immortal Tower played better than Wen Wan, he had aggressively gone to Drunken Immortal Tower to provoke Hua Zhuyu.

Hua Zhuyu hadn’t expected this trouble to stem from Wen Wan again. First it was Ji Fengli, then Xiao Yin, and now Huangfu Wushuang.

Just because she played the qin better than Wen Wan, someone couldn’t stand it. Was there any justice left in this world? Just because she was the Southern Dynasty’s foremost beauty, did she have to excel at everything?

After resting for four or five days, Ji Xiang came with a summons, saying Huangfu Wushuang wanted her to come serve him.

Hua Zhuyu followed Ji Xiang to the Eastern Palace’s rear garden. From a considerable distance, she could see attendants like clouds around a small pavilion with carved railings and jade balustrades, with several palace-dressed women surrounding a figure.

Hua Zhuyu lowered her eyes and followed Ji Xiang slowly to stand ten steps outside the pavilion. Ji Xiang went forward to report, and Huangfu Wushuang’s voice came from inside.

“Let him come in to serve!” Huangfu Wushuang’s characteristic rough voice from his developmental period wasn’t particularly pleasant, but it had another kind of seductive magnetism.

Hua Zhuyu walked into the pavilion and saw Huangfu Wushuang sitting leisurely on a couch with a chess board set on the low table before him. A palace maid in red clothing stood opposite Huangfu Wushuang, holding white pieces, playing against him.

The little palace maid played conventionally without anything remarkable, and soon showed signs of defeat.

Huangfu Wushuang put down his black piece somewhat uninterestedly, saying with waning enthusiasm, “Little Rouge, you’ve lost again. How can you be so stupid?” Then with a gloomy expression, “Get lost! You’re forbidden from eating for the entire day. Go!”

The little palace maid called “Little Rouge” hurriedly knelt on the ground, kowtowed several times with trembling voice, “This slave thanks Your Highness.” Even when punished and scolded, she still had to gratefully kowtow in thanks – this was the proper behavior for a slave.

Huangfu Wushuang glanced to his side and saw Hua Zhuyu standing in the morning light, wearing dark red eunuch clothing. Though dressed as a standard slave, she was pleasing to look at no matter how he viewed her. This slave not only looked good but also had excellent bearing – every gesture and movement was graceful and elegant, causing several little palace maids to steal glances constantly. Already a eunuch and still attracting bees and butterflies? He had always prided himself on his handsomeness, but in front of this slave, he was completely overshadowed, immediately feeling angry.

“Little Bao’er, come play a game with this Crown Prince!” Huangfu Wushuang didn’t know if Hua Zhuyu could play chess, but to assist him, if she couldn’t even play chess, there was no need to keep her.

Hua Zhuyu responded and quickly stepped forward. No matter what the master commanded, one had to willingly comply, even if told to die, one must do so with a smile – this was the fundamental principle of being a slave. This was what Ji Xiang had taught her these past days, and she kept it firmly in mind. Of course, she absolutely wouldn’t be willing to die – except for death, she could endure anything else.

Hua Zhuyu stood opposite Huangfu Wushuang, her jade-like hand holding a piece, calmly placing it in the northeast corner. Her fingers were snow-white and slender, extremely elegant, appearing crystal clear under the pale sunlight.

She didn’t take Huangfu Wushuang seriously. With his pampered young master’s nature, his chess skills shouldn’t be particularly advanced. However, after just a few moves, Hua Zhuyu felt that each of Huangfu Wushuang’s moves was both ingenious and aggressively pressing, making it impossible for her to discern his strategy. Her pace of placing pieces grew increasingly slow, carefully considering each move.

Huangfu Wushuang’s expression also grew increasingly serious, and occasionally when he looked at Hua Zhuyu, there was a depth in his eyes that she couldn’t understand.

The gentle breeze blew leisurely, pieces fell silently.

Unknowingly, the chess board was filled with black and white pieces, the small space radiating killing intent. By the end, neither could achieve victory, and they could only end in a draw.

Huangfu Wushuang seemed surprised by this result, looking at Hua Zhuyu appreciatively, “I underestimated you. Your chess skills are quite good, but I wonder if you’re equally skilled in strategy?”

“I wouldn’t dare claim to be skilled, but from observing chess, one can understand people. Your Highness should now have some understanding of this slave,” Hua Zhuyu smiled lightly at Huangfu Wushuang, her eyes also full of surprise. She hadn’t expected the seemingly arrogant and tyrannical little Crown Prince to possess such chess skills.

“Observing chess to understand people?!” Huangfu Wushuang slowly stood up, walked outside the pavilion, and gazed at the early-blooming flowers in the garden with hands clasped behind his back, frowning as he asked, “Then from the chess game just now, what do you think of this Crown Prince’s character?”

After brief consideration, Hua Zhuyu said softly, “In the chess game just now, each of Your Highness’s moves was ingenious and inspired. At crucial points, your killing techniques were precise and decisive. Chess playing is a small way, governing a country is the great way. Your Highness’s chess is magnificent and grand, showing that Your Highness has a broad mind and great spirit. If Your Highness were to become ruler one day, you would surely be a wise and enlightened emperor.”

Hua Zhuyu wasn’t deliberately flattering – these were her genuine feelings from observing Huangfu Wushuang’s chess playing. However, upon hearing these words, Huangfu Wushuang not only wasn’t pleased but his expression grew even darker.

Beautiful flowers bloomed right before him. He reached out and roughly plucked a branch, brought it to his nose to smell, then clenched it in his hand and crushed it hard. Petals scattered down, sprinkling the ground with red fragments.

Hua Zhuyu quietly watched Huangfu Wushuang, not understanding why he was so gloomy. Her words just now were clearly praise. Were such straightforward words too difficult for him to understand? Had he become stupid? Or had she violated some taboo of his again?

“A wise and enlightened emperor? A mere subject thinking he could become a wise emperor? Dreaming of usurping the throne?” he said viciously, his face full of brutality.

Without even looking at Hua Zhuyu, he walked to the chess board, picked up a chess piece with a cold smile, and lightly tossed it. The endgame on the board was scattered into complete chaos by his throw.

“No matter how good your chess skills, you can’t escape my fatal strike,” his handsome face radiated killing intent.

“Ji Xiang, Yuan Bao spoke inappropriately – punish him with three days of fasting!” After speaking, he flicked his sleeves and left the pavilion.

Hua Zhuyu watched Huangfu Wushuang’s gradually receding figure with some bewilderment. What exactly had gone wrong?

Little eunuch Ji Xiang quietly said, “Yuan Bao, when His Highness just played chess with you, he used entirely the chess strategies of Left Prime Minister Ji Fengli. Your praise was very good, but you really praised the wrong person. No wonder His Highness was angry. Remember, even when flattering your master in the future, you must understand the situation clearly first! Look, you got it wrong this time! His Highness already doesn’t get along with the Left Prime Minister. This time, being punished with three days of fasting is considered light – you should reflect well! In the palace, every word spoken and every step taken must be carefully considered.”

Ji Xiang chattered in Hua Zhuyu’s ear for a long time before shaking his head and hurrying after Huangfu Wushuang.

Only then did Hua Zhuyu understand why Huangfu Wushuang was so angry – her praise had actually been for Ji Fengli.

Precise and wonderful killing techniques, decisive and swift… broad mind, great spirit… a wise and enlightened emperor…

She had been puzzled earlier, feeling that Huangfu Wushuang’s chess playing style and character were completely inconsistent. Though she had praised him that way, she had been doubtful in her heart.

Unexpectedly, these were Ji Fengli’s chess strategies. But how could Ji Fengli, that despicable villain, be such a person?

For the first time, Hua Zhuyu no longer believed in the nonsense about “observing chess to understand people.” Perhaps Ji Fengli was indeed excellent, but this didn’t rule out his cold, ruthless, and vicious qualities, nor could it erase the fact that he was her enemy!

She looked at the chaotic endgame that Huangfu Wushuang had scattered on the table, picked up a white piece, and similarly tossed it out.

The gentle breeze swayed gracefully, willow branches drooped, and the already chaotic game on the table became even more disordered.