CHAPTER TWENTY‑TWO — HE'S BACK AGAIN
His words were light—almost casual—yet entirely devoid of warmth. There was no overt threat, no murderous intent, and yet they struck Tang Ke Xin with enough force to make her heart tremble.
If his tone carried meaning, then it was a meaning she could not afford to ignore.
Could it truly be him?
The thought chilled her. If the man from that night was indeed Ye Lan Jue, then her future would be far from peaceful. But she had concealed the wound on her shoulder flawlessly. Whoever had entered her room to investigate would have found nothing. Even if it was him, he could not be certain.
If he were certain, with his temperament, he would not be sitting here probing her with words. He would have already torn her limb from limb.
Across the room, Ye Lan Chen stared at his elder brother in open astonishment. The Third Prince—cold, aloof, and famously indifferent—was behaving in a manner he had never witnessed before. It was as though he were… targeting Tang Ke Xin.
Impossible, Ye Lan Chen thought.
How could Tang Ke Xin possibly offend the Third Prince?
And even if she had, ordinary matters would never provoke him.
The Prime Minister, meanwhile, felt his heart lurch violently. One day, he feared, he would either be angered to death by this daughter of his—or frightened to death by her.
"Your Highness," he said quickly, bowing low, "my daughter is still recovering from her illness. She is like a child—ignorant of many things. If she has spoken out of turn, I beg Your Highness's forgiveness."
Cold sweat trickled down his back. The Third Prince was not one to concern himself with trivialities. But once he did take notice of something, he pursued it to the end.
What was he thinking now?
Ye Lan Jue offered no reply. He merely lifted the teacup beside him and took a slow sip, his expression serene, his posture relaxed. Nothing in his demeanour betrayed his thoughts.
The Prime Minister felt his heart collapse a little more.
What did this silence mean?
Ye Lan Chen looked equally bewildered. Tang Ke Xin herself felt a faint tremor in her chest. The Third Prince's presence was like a silent storm—cold, unpredictable, and suffocating.
At that moment, the butler hurried in.
"Lord Prime Minister, Eunuch Liu has arrived. His Majesty summons you to the palace at once."
The Prime Minister exhaled in relief. Eunuch Liu's timing could not have been better. Facing the Third Prince in this mood was enough to shorten a man's lifespan.
Tang Ke Xin also breathed out quietly. If her father was being summoned, then surely the Third Prince would leave as well.
But Ye Lan Chen's next words shattered that fragile hope.
"Oh, that reminds me. When Mother heard that Kexin had recovered, she wished to see her. How fortunate—we can enter the palace together."
Tang Ke Xin's heart leapt into her throat.
Enter the palace?
See the Empress?
"Very well," the Prime Minister said at once. "Xin'er will accompany the Fourth Prince to pay respects to Her Majesty."
There was no room for refusal. When the Empress summoned, one obeyed.
"Yes," Tang Ke Xin murmured, though every fibre of her being resisted.
The group made their way toward the manor gates.
But before they could step outside, a furious voice split the air.
"I want to see Tang Ke Xin!"
Tang Ke Xin's eyes narrowed.
Mu Shaoyi? Again?
Ye Lan Chen brightened instantly. "Ah! Mu Shaoyi is back? That means the first condition is met. Now we only lack a mouse."
His grin widened with dangerous enthusiasm.
"But Xin Xin, shall we—"
"Fourth Prince," the Prime Minister hissed, wiping sweat from his brow. What kind of cursed day was this? Between his daughter's antics and the Fourth Prince's unruly nature, disaster hovered at every corner.
Ye Lan Jue's gaze—cold, star‑bright, unreadable—shifted to Tang Ke Xin. His brow lifted ever so slightly.
And Tang Ke Xin felt the weight of that look settle upon her like a blade.