My heart still pounded violently, as if an invisible force were choking me every second. The Crown Prince's words struck like a sharp arrow, piercing straight into the depths of my heart. He already knew my limits—knew that I had no way out.
The moment his fingers brushed against my neck, I couldn’t help but remember that night, the choice that changed my life forever. Back then, I was forced to abandon my original fate, to enter the palace disguised as a man, severing all ties to my true identity and the future I was meant to have. Now, was I to make the same kind of choice again?
The Crown Prince’s gaze was icy, devoid of any emotion. He stared at me, as if waiting for my response. I didn’t answer immediately. His breath carried a faint threat, the pressure bearing down on me.
"If you choose to stand with me, you will gain limitless power," he murmured, his voice laced with an inexplicable allure. "But if you betray me… you’ll learn just how brutal the price of treachery can be in this palace."
He gestured toward a corner of the study, where a sealed letter on the desk caught my attention. The wax seal glinted—the insignia of the Crown Prince’s residence. He let out a cold laugh, as if already disappointed by my silence. "Chen Qing’er knows about your entry into the palace. She sent someone today, intending to make you her pawn."
My heart clenched at those words. Chen Qing’er. Of course, she had been scheming behind the scenes all along. A general from the enemy nation, her cunning and methods had always sent chills down my spine. To oppose her would mean certain ruin, but to serve her would reduce me to nothing more than a puppet.
Yet, the Crown Prince’s cold detachment left me even more torn. He knew I had no escape. No matter which side I chose, it would be a gamble with no turning back.
"The contents of this letter could change everything," the Crown Prince added. "Have you decided what you’ll do?"
I lowered my head, my heart tangled in conflict, as if venomous snakes coiled around it. To side with the Crown Prince meant securing a foothold in this game of power. But to choose Chen Qing’er would mean abandoning myself completely, becoming her tool, forever losing control of my own fate.
Seeing my hesitation, the Crown Prince’s brow furrowed slightly. "Do you truly wish to live in constant fear and doubt? You could join me, push forward this reformation—for your own future, for this kingdom."
His tone softened, as if he were no longer the cold prince but someone trying to make me believe in his ideals. "Together, we could forge a new era, free this land from the shackles of meaningless tradition."
There was a magnetic pull in his words, and for a moment, I nearly succumbed to it. Was his scheme truly for the kingdom and its people, as he claimed? Or did he have other motives?
"I—" I began, but before I could finish, the study door burst open. Zhang Feng rushed in, his expression tense, unease written across his features.
"Your Highness, the situation has changed," he said in a low voice. "Chen Qing’er’s men are closing in on the Eastern Palace. We may soon face an unexpected crisis."
A flash of killing intent crossed the Crown Prince’s eyes as he stood, his gaze sharp as a blade. "It seems my choice will have to wait until tomorrow."
I knew then—this battle of schemes would no longer tolerate hesitation. Tonight’s decision would seal my fate. And tomorrow, I would stand once more at the eye of the storm, whether beside the Crown Prince or Chen Qing’er. There would be no turning back.
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