Jian Rui had braced himself long before the summons came. He knew his father's temper, knew that the exposure of Lord Leung's crimes would not pass without consequence.
When he stepped into the throne hall, he wore the mask he had perfected over the years. It was the mask of a useless prince, meek and ignorant, claiming he knew nothing of the scandal. But inside, he was calculating.
He had been careful with the evidence he leaked, strategic in every move. There was bo mention of the secret labs. Nothing about Jian Ci being drugged. Just enough to topple the Leung family without drawing suspicion too close to their family. His father's fury was volcanic. The tirade left Jian Rui staggering out of the chamber with bruises around his neck, his eyes red from the assault. He looked so pitiful that even the palace attendants whispered sympathy, pitying the prince who seemed too weak to bear the weight of his father's wrath.
