Ever since returning to Pine Wind Hall, A’Luo had been sullen and unhappy, while Liu Jue stood by the window, equally restless and troubled. Anyone could see the sincerity in Zili’s eyes. Liu Jue thought that if not for the late king’s decree and the old man’s orders to lend full support, he might really have come to blows with Zili over A’Luo. Recalling what had just happened, he wanted to curse Zili—damn him, going too far with this so-called help, pushing A’Luo into danger, and actually meaning it when he claimed to want her. Wasn’t he afraid of provoking things to the point of truly siding with the Crown Prince? And then there was A’Luo—thinking of this, he turned around. A’Luo sat in a chair, still gloomy, tear tracks not yet dry. He blurted out furiously: “Still crying! Taking it seriously, are you?”

A’Luo was startled. She too had been troubled by Zili’s expression earlier. Sitting there, she recalled everything between her and Zili, from when they first met to growing close, to Zili’s confession on his wedding night. Thinking it over, she felt she’d never given Zili any hope or promise, nor shown any sign of falling for him. Being shouted at by Liu Jue like this felt truly unjust. “So what if I cry? Having such an outstanding man show such deep affection for me—it’s only natural to be moved!”

This statement undoubtedly added fuel to the fire. Liu Jue crossed the distance to stand before her in two steps, glaring down at her. “You—you—what kind of woman are you!”

“What kind of woman? Fickle, inconsistent? I’m human—humans have hearts, how could I not be moved? He shows such deep feeling for me, and I’m supposed to feel nothing at all?” A’Luo’s voice carried anger. She was only touched for a moment, thinking that Zili would eventually understand this was all part of a scheme set up to help him, that his devotion would ultimately come to nothing. Thinking of old times together, she simply felt for him out of old affection. Was it worth this much fuss, as if she’d truly been unfaithful?

“Fine, he shows deep feeling for you, and you’re moved. What about me, then? The heart I’ve given you—you threw it into the Duning River, is that it?” Liu Jue’s jealousy flared, and the words came out laced with bitterness.

A’Luo looked at him, and seeing how deep the pain etched in his eyes was, she paused a moment, then jumped up and threw her arms around Liu Jue. This was the first time A’Luo had embraced him on her own initiative. His heart pounded rapidly; his chest was firm and strong. A’Luo buried her face against him, holding tightly with both arms, as if only by embracing him this way could she suppress the ache in her chest from spreading further. She said softly, “I like you.”

The instant A’Luo threw herself into his arms, Liu Jue was stunned. His hands hung limp, his whole body rigid. In his ears he heard only the sound of his own heartbeat, one beat after another, gasping within his chest, wanting to cry out something. He heard her voice, clear and lovely as a kingfisher’s call. A chill ran through him. Abruptly, he pushed A’Luo away.

Stumbling backward a few steps, A’Luo looked at Liu Jue, who stared at her, dazed. Did he not believe her? Her eyes reddened; A’Luo bit her lip hard to keep from crying. She lowered her head and ran for the door.

Liu Jue came to his senses and, with a quick reach of his arm, wrapped it around her slender waist. A’Luo cried out in surprise, already pressed down onto the couch. Liu Jue leaned over her, kissing her like a fierce storm, giving her no chance to catch her breath, not allowing her to cooperate, overwhelming all her thoughts like an unstoppable force, until finally the storm calmed. A’Luo, finally able to gasp for air, pressed her hands against his chest, breathing lightly. Liu Jue smiled a bewitching smile, pulled her hands apart, and before she could cry out, kissed her again. Several more times, until A’Luo’s lips had swollen red. He finally, satisfied, rested his head in the crook of her neck and laughed.

Coming to her senses, A’Luo turned her head with displeasure. “Get up! Heavy as a pig!”

“No! Just no!”

“Believe it or not, I’ll kick you off!”

“Can your legs even still move?”

A’Luo silently cursed him for being shameless, slowly moving her hand to his waist. Taking a breath, she pinched hard, and Liu Jue yelped and jumped up ticklishly. “You—you—”

“Ha, ticklish, aren’t you? Afraid now!” A’Luo’s trick succeeded, and she laughed triumphantly.

Liu Jue couldn’t help laughing too. “You’d even resort to a trick like that?” He gently tucked the loose strands of hair on her face behind her ear. “A’Luo, say what you said to me just now, one more time?”

“Tickle you?”

“Not that. What you said when you were holding me.”

“I’m hungry.”

“What?”

“It’s well past noon since I got up this morning, and I still haven’t eaten anything. I’m hungry.”

Liu Jue, hearing this, realized he was hungry too, and called out loudly: “Sihua, this lord is hungry!”

Sihua’s voice answered with a laugh from outside: “It’s already been reheated twice—I didn’t dare disturb young master.”

Hearing this, A’Luo blushed furiously. She pushed Liu Jue away, pursed her lips, and glared fiercely at him. Liu Jue laughed softly and pressed again: “Say it again, hmm?”

“Forgot it. Let’s eat!”

At the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince said happily: “I can see Fourth Brother has truly fallen deep—his feelings for Qingluo are genuine!”

Wang Yanhui replied coolly: “So what if his feelings are genuine?”

“The grievance of stealing a wife, the public humiliation—Prince Pingnan certainly won’t be standing on his side!”

Wang Yanhui, recalling how Zili had lost himself upon seeing A’Luo, sighed. “The eighty thousand troops at the border show signs of mobilizing—do you think Fourth Brother won’t come to contest the throne?”

“I already sensed early on he’d compete with me for it! This time he’s returned with an attitude completely different from before.”

“That’s exactly it. At a time like this, would he make an enemy of Prince Anqing and his son?” Wang Yanhui replied.

The Crown Prince pondered for a while, somewhat puzzled: “But today at the residence, the two of them truly weren’t acting!”

Wang Yanhui slowly rose from the couch and looked outside at the new buds bursting on the branches, at the white mourning banners fluttering that couldn’t hold back spring’s approach. The green that belonged to spring would eventually find its own space to spread and flourish amid the cold, desolate white world. Zili was that touch of spring, finally beginning to assert himself forcefully to claim his own space and standing. She smiled softly. “There are only two possibilities. One—Fourth Brother is confident in his own plans, no longer fearing Prince Anqing and his son’s power, even as your attitude toward him begins to shift. Two—they’ve already joined forces. Either way, neither bodes well for us. The first scenario is impossible to guard against, its depths unknown. The second means their military strength matches ours evenly, and Wind City is already under Prince Pingnan’s control.”

“I’ve discussed this with the advisors of the Eastern Palace. As you say, there are these two possibilities. For the former, we cannot determine what cards Fourth Brother holds. For the latter, if Prince Anqing and his son have joined forces with him, it would be a direct clash of strength, with no room for cleverness—whoever wins becomes king, whoever loses becomes an outlaw.” The Crown Prince said. “Of course, all the advisors hope we can win over Prince Anqing and his son to our side—that would make the situation far more favorable for us. So today, seeing that scene, though I have my doubts, it didn’t look like acting, and either way I’m reluctant to easily give up on Prince Anqing and his son’s support!”

“Indeed, winning their support would greatly increase our chances in this struggle for the throne. Still, we can’t trust them completely.”

The Crown Prince frowned. “We must trust and rely on them, yet not trust them entirely—how should we handle this?”

Wang Yanhui answered steadily: “Father has already worked out a plan—to replace all the guards within the palace. Prince Pingnan controls Wind City, but he cannot control the royal palace. Should the worst happen, the palace will be our final line of defense. This matter has already been entrusted to Vice Minister Cheng to arrange personally. If the palace holds firm against a prolonged siege, chaos will surely spread throughout Ning Guo, and that will split the troops stationed across the land in two—those supporting you, and those supporting Fourth Brother, locked in conflict, and whoever proves more capable will win.” The confusion in her eyes gradually gave way to firm, ruthless resolve. “On the fifteenth of the third month, if the Fourth Prince and Prince Pingnan truly do battle, it’s our chance to wipe them both out in one stroke. If instead they’ve joined forces, then it’s a trap they’ve set—either way, I intend to make sure they don’t leave Yellow Water Gorge alive.”

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment. “Don’t forget Prince Pingnan’s one hundred fifty thousand Southern Route Army stationed outside the southern gate. If we strike first, we’ll be giving them the pretext to mobilize their troops. With only three days left until the enthronement ceremony, if we eliminate both Fourth Brother and Prince Pingnan at this moment, which of the court officials would truly submit?”

“Your Highness forgets—to deploy troops, we naturally have the two hundred thousand Northern Route Army I’ve hidden in Black Mountain Forest. There’s no such military unit on record. It cannot be traced. Even if defeated, it has nothing to do with the Eastern Palace or the Wang family.” Wang Yanhui’s face showed a proud expression. “Besides, to fight against both Fourth Brother and Prince Pingnan is truly a fortunate opportunity for me, Yanhui!”

Qinglei approached the palace entrance; a palace attendant went in to announce her to the Crown Prince and Wang Yanhui. Wang Yanhui smiled at the Crown Prince. “Consort Li’s feelings for Your Highness run deep. Don’t disappoint her.” She turned and settled back onto the couch, smiling as she waited for Qinglei.

The Crown Prince’s eyes flickered. “Actually, having both Yanhui and Qinglei’s true devotion is enough to satisfy this heart of mine.”

Qinglei entered gracefully and bowed, standing to the side. “I wonder why sister called for Qinglei?”

“Sister, there’s something you should know…” The Crown Prince recounted in detail everything that had happened at the residence that day, then sighed. “I was just discussing with Yanhui how to resolve this.”

Qinglei listened, gasping repeatedly. “How did A’Luo get into such trouble! What did Father say?”

“Chancellor Li kept complaining of headaches, and Prince Anqing’s residence won’t let Qingluo return home. Sigh!”

“What does Your Highness intend to do?” Qinglei asked obediently.

Wang Yanhui answered lazily: “I think the best thing would be to bring Qingluo into the palace. Once the enthronement ceremony passes, Your Highness could personally grant her a bridal tower and hold an archery contest for suitors.”

Qinglei laughed. “Sister is quite amusing. What if the two princes end up fighting and tear the whole tower down?”

“Indeed! Today, if Your Highness hadn’t been there, those two would have nearly torn Prince Anqing apart. I think Sister Qingluo truly doesn’t want to stay at that residence anymore, yet can’t resist Prince Pingnan’s forcefulness. Going home means having to listen to Chancellor Li’s nagging—might as well come into the palace and play with Xin’er instead, much more pleasant.” Wang Yanhui’s face carried a smile, her eyes fixed on Qinglei, cold as ice.

Qinglei shuddered and forced a smile. “Sister and Your Highness thinking so much of A’Luo is truly her good fortune. Ever since Xin’er met A’Luo once, she’s constantly asking me when her heavenly fairy aunt will come visit again. I think A’Luo would miss Xin’er too.”

Wang Yanhui smiled as warmly as a spring breeze. “Sister, do think this through carefully. That Prince Pingnan is quite the jealous type. Oh right, on the fifteenth of the third month he’s also going to duel Fourth Brother.”

Qinglei smiled. “With two princes treating her this way, she hasn’t lived in vain.” Her gaze couldn’t help but steal a glance toward the Crown Prince. Seeing him still lost in thought, she sighed inwardly, her smile unchanged. “Qinglei will take her leave now, to go tell Xin’er this good news.”