The Third Princess suddenly glanced around carefully to confirm no one else was nearby. Then immediately her elegant royal composure cracked.
"There is absolutely nothing in this capital I cannot do," she declared proudly while walking backward slightly toward Luo He with visible satisfaction.
"I am my father's favorite daughter after all." She said with utmost pride. Jin Mulan narrowed her eyes slightly. Then the princess smiled beautifully toward Luo He.
"So you truly have nothing to worry about, my love." The last two words were spoken deliberately. Softly. Intimately.
And very intentionally in front of Jin Mulan.
"I would have welcomed you with a kiss," the princess added with a wicked grin. "If circumstances were different." Her eyes shifted briefly toward Jin Mulan afterward. Almost provocatively.
Luo He immediately laughed. "Or perhaps it is fortunate you did not," he replied lightly.
But inwardly he was already mentally cursing the Ning Jia for speaking such bold words Infront of his wife.
Using emotional women inside political games was already dangerous enough.
Allowing one this bold to speak carelessly in front of Jin Mulan was practically suicidal.
Beside him Jin Mulan remained smiling politely. Which somehow worried him far more. Luo He quietly leaned closer toward her while they continued walking.
His voice lowered enough that only she could hear. "From now on," he whispered calmly. "Do not react emotionally to anything." He said firmly.
Jin Mulan glanced sideways toward him.
"Do exactly as I ask." His tone remained gentle. But serious. "Do you remember what I once told you?" He asked.
She stayed silent. "We are team players," Luo He continued quietly. "That means absolute trust in each other." His eyes briefly met hers. "Even if things become dangerous, even if sacrifice becomes necessary, be ready."
Jin Mulan's expression shifted slightly afterward. "And please," he added softly. "Do not question me openly in front of others." He said calmly.
Several moments passed. Then slowly a strange smile appeared on Jin Mulan's face. "Should I die for you too?" she asked lightly. Luo He looked toward her calmly.
But before he could answer she smiled politely afterward. "Do not worry, honey," she said sweetly. "I trust you absolutely."
Something about that answer felt dangerous.
Luo He immediately understood he had perhaps said too much too directly.
Meanwhile the Third Princess had already walked several steps ahead before realizing they stopped speaking.
She turned immediately. "Hurry up!" she called cheerfully. "Do not fall behind!"
The two resumed following her deeper into the palace. Eventually they arrived before the Crown Prince's residence.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The palace ahead was enormous.
Quiet. Oppressive. Golden banners hung from towering black pillars while armored royal guards lined both sides of the entrance staircase without speaking.
Even the air itself felt heavier there.
Then from behind two female warriors belonging to the Third Princess's personal guard finally arrived carrying Luo He's wrapped dark cloud shuttle between them.
The outer cloth wrapping was now stained lightly with fresh blood from earlier events. Neither woman commented on it. Neither appeared disturbed. Inside the imperial palace
blood was simply another form of conversation.
The Crown Prince finally received them inside the palace residence. The moment Luo He stepped through the enormous carved doors, warm laughter greeted him before the servants could even announce his arrival.
"Brother Zane," Luo He said smoothly with a respectful smile, "forgive my delay. Your guards troubled me quite a bit on the way here." Luo He said laughing.
The Crown Prince's expression twitched almost invisibly at the way Luo He addressed him. Brother. Not Your Highness. Not Crown Prince. Just Brother Zane. Casual. Equal. Deliberately irritating.
Yet the prince hid his displeasure beneath a calm elegant smile perfected through years inside court politics.
"Fortunately," the Crown Prince replied lightly. "We still have enough time for a proper game of chess."
His sharp eyes drifted briefly toward Jin Mulan before returning to Luo He. "I even sent my personal concubines to guide you here safely," he continued. "Though it appears she failed me rather badly."
Then the Crown Prince clapped his hands once. A palace servant immediately opened the inner side doors. The woman in pale yellow entered quietly afterward.
The same woman Luo He had seen earlier watching from the distant tower window. She walked forward gracefully before immediately falling to her knees.
Her forehead touched the polished floor.
"This concubine begs forgiveness from Your Highness," she said softly. Her voice trembled slightly. Not entirely falsely.
The Crown Prince's expression became colder. "If it were solely my decision," he said calmly. "I would have you executed for incompetence already." He said coldly. The woman visibly trembled.
"But unfortunately," the prince continued while glancing toward Luo He, "the one you truly wronged today was my brother."
Then he smiled faintly. "So your fate belongs to him now." He said coldly.
The room became quiet afterward.
Jin Mulan watched silently from nearby while Ning Jia stood beside her without speaking.
Meanwhile Luo He slowly approached the kneeling woman. She immediately bowed lower before him. "Please forgive me, my lord." She said. Her voice cracked slightly.
Tears rolled down her face afterward.
Real tears. Not forced ones. And the moment Luo He saw that he understood everything completely.
The Crown Prince wanted her gone.
Perhaps she had failed him politically.
Perhaps she had seen too much.
Perhaps she had simply become inconvenient.
But instead of killing her personally he had created a cleaner solution. If Luo He demanded punishment, the prince would immediately agree.
If Luo He ordered death, the woman would vanish before sunset. And afterward the blame would belong to Luo He instead of the Crown Prince. It was elegant. Cruel. And efficient.
The Crown Prince likely expected Luo He to recognize the trap was set intentionaly, and casually request her execution.
Because he can't kill the Crownd Prince, this will give him some compensation. Because that was what most nobles would do. Let the water flow from the lowest point.
But unfortunately Luo He was not most nobles. He stepped closer toward the kneeling concubine.
Then slowly crouched beside her. The woman looked up at him through tearful eyes filled with genuine fear now. Luo He smiled warmly afterward. Acting perfectly like the arrogant fool everyone believed him to be.
"Aiya…" he sighed softly. "Why cry over something so small?" Then he gently caught her shoulders and helped her stand.
The entire room subtly froze. Even the Crown Prince's calm expression shifted slightly. Luo He raised one hand afterward and lightly wiped away the woman's tears with his thumb.
"You are far too beautiful to cry like this," he said casually. The concubine stared at him in visible shock. "So," Luo He continued proudly while glancing toward the Crown Prince, "I forgive her."
Then he looked back toward the woman again. "Go now," he said lightly. "Do not cry anymore." He said affectionately. For a brief moment both the Crown Prince and the concubine genuinely looked stunned.
Because unbelievably Luo He appeared to have actually believed the entire performance. The woman immediately lowered herself into another deep bow.
"Thank you, my lord."
This time her gratitude sounded real.
Then she quietly withdrew from the room as quickly as palace dignity allowed.
Silence lingered briefly afterward.
The Crown Prince studied Luo He carefully.
Trying to decide whether the man before him was genuinely foolish or simply far more dangerous than expected. Meanwhile Luo He merely smiled lazily as if none of it mattered.
Then he suddenly clapped his hands together once. "Now then," he said cheerfully, "shall we finally play a game properly this time?" His eyes narrowed slightly with amusement.
"And no cheating." Luo He sounded firm. For the first time that evening the Crown Prince openly laughed. "You noticed?" He said smiling.
"You moved your left rook twice at one time," Luo He replied immediately. "And your servant coughed whenever you were about to sacrifice a pieces unknowingly." Luo He said some minor tricks the crown prince played on their last tournament to always stay in top.
Ning Jia nearly choked trying not to laugh. Even Jin Mulan's lips twitched slightly. The Crown Prince slowly shook his head afterward with visible amusement.
"Fine," he admitted calmly. "No cheap tricks this time." He said. Then the two men finally moved toward the chess table waiting deeper inside the palace hall.
And somewhere beneath all the smiles, politeness, and laughter everyone present understood the truth. The real game had already begun long before the first chess piece touched the board.