CHAPTER TWO — HE COULD NOT HELP BUT BE SHOCKED
Tang Kexin stepped out of the hidden chamber and came to an abrupt halt.
A temple.
Or perhaps a monastery.
Whatever it was, it stretched out before her in sweeping, breath‑taking grandeur — carved beams, curved roofs layered like the wings of a great bird, and lanterns swaying gently in the morning breeze. It was magnificent… and entirely unfamiliar.
A cold shiver crept down her spine. She cast a glance over her shoulder at the concealed room she had just escaped. The memory of the man inside — his aura, his chilling intent — made her stomach twist.
She did not linger. She turned away and walked quickly, eager to put as much distance as possible between herself and that chamber.
"My lady! My lady, where have you been? Dong'er was frightened half to death!"
Tang Kexin halted as a young girl rushed towards her, eyes brimming with tears. Dong'er seized her hands with both of hers, clutching them as though terrified Tang Kexin might vanish again.
"My lady, we finally found you!"
Tang Kexin blinked. She had no idea how far she had wandered, nor who this girl was — but the relief on Dong'er's face was unmistakably genuine.
"…Let us return first," Tang Kexin said quietly.
Dong'er stared at her, stunned.
Had her lady just spoken… sensibly?
But she did not question it. She simply nodded and guided Tang Kexin back to what appeared to be her room.
The moment Tang Kexin stepped inside, her breath caught.
The furnishings were ancient. The clothes she wore were not her own. And then — like a tide rising far too quickly — came memories that did not belong to her.
Memories of another girl.
A girl with her face.
Her name.
Her life.
A girl who had been painfully simple. Foolish, even. Sheltered to the point of absurdity.
Tang Kexin sat heavily on the edge of the bed, her pulse thudding in her ears.
She had not merely travelled.
She had transmigrated.
And she had landed in the body of a girl who would have struggled to outwit a houseplant.
How utterly marvellous.
Her thoughts snapped back to the man she had encountered earlier — the one in the hidden chamber. The one whose aura had been colder than winter steel.
If this world was ancient, then a man like him would be someone of terrifying influence. Someone who could command armies, topple noble houses, or erase a person from existence with a single order.
And she had offended him.
Boldly.
Repeatedly.
Her earlier confidence — telling him he would never find her — now felt painfully naïve. In a society where powerful men ruled without question, a foolish young lady who had crossed such a man…
She did not wish to imagine the consequences.
A chill ran down her spine.
"My lady? My lady, what's wrong? What happened to you?" Dong'er's voice trembled as she took in Tang Kexin's dishevelled hair and shaken expression. Tears welled again, spilling like beads scattering across a table.
"Stop," Tang Kexin said gently but firmly. "Go to sleep. Don't ask anything. Don't say anything. I need quiet."
Even she — calm, composed, and rational — needed a moment to process the sheer absurdity of what had happened. She could not hide the truth from Dong'er forever; the girl was loyal, and Tang Kexin would need her. But not now.
Dong'er hesitated, eyes wide with confusion. Her lady had never spoken like this before. Never sounded so clear, so steady. But she obeyed, retreating silently.
Left alone, Tang Kexin exhaled slowly.
Her shoulder throbbed. She touched the wound — the mark left by the man's teeth. It was deep, still seeping faintly. She cleaned it as best she could with the limited supplies available.
At least it was a human bite. No risk of rabies. Small mercies.
Leaving now would be foolish. Even if the original girl had been simple, the man would suspect her first. Remaining here, behaving as the foolish young lady, would be the safest disguise she had.
Ironically, the girl's earlier foolishness had helped her more than she realised.
She lay down, exhaustion finally dragging her under.
---
"My lady, wake up! The Crown Prince has ordered everyone to gather in the meditation hall. Grandmaster Hui Yuan's lecture is about to begin."
Dawn had broken. Dong'er hovered anxiously beside the bed, wringing her hands. A lecture from Master Hui Yuan was important — but why would the Crown Prince himself issue the summons so early?
Regardless, they could not afford to be late.
Tang Kexin dressed swiftly and followed Dong'er out. As they walked, several young ladies passed them, whispering behind their sleeves, their eyes filled with thinly veiled ridicule.
Tang Kexin ignored them.
But the moment she stepped into the meditation hall, she sensed something was wrong.
The air was heavy. Tense.
In the centre of the hall lay a shape covered by a cloth. One glance was enough — it was a body.
A bad feeling twisted in her gut.
"Is everyone present?" a man seated at the front asked.
His voice cut through the hall like a blade. Silence fell instantly. His presence alone commanded obedience.
"All present, Your Highness," a guard replied.
The Crown Prince nodded once.
"Last night, Sir Lin — residing in the second room on the second floor of the east wing — died in an accident. Before Master Hui Yuan begins his lecture, this matter must be thoroughly investigated."
Tang Kexin's heart lurched.
The second room on the second floor of the east wing…
That was where she had appeared.
Where she had triggered the mechanism and fallen through to the hidden chamber below.
So who had died above her?
And was the man from last night here now, watching her?
She did not dare look around. But she felt it — a presence, sharp and cold, observing everything.
This was no coincidence.
This was a trap.
And she was the target.
Even someone as composed as Tang Kexin felt a jolt of fear.
She had truly provoked someone she could not afford to offend.