CHAPTER FIFTY‑ONE — IT SCARED THE BABY TO DEATH
Tang Ke Xin had no intention of rushing to defend herself.
Instead, she wished to see precisely how many tricks they intended to perform—and how spectacularly they would fail.
"Princess, have you ever read the secret manual yourself?" she asked gently, turning her gaze toward the young girl.
Princess Yi blinked, startled by the unexpected question.
"No. It is a secret manual—how could it be opened casually? I have never read it."
"I see."
Tang Ke Xin nodded slowly, a faint smile touching her lips.
Good. That makes things easier.
She turned to the Emperor, her voice soft and steady.
"Your Majesty, the guards claim the manual was found among my discarded garments. May this humble girl take a look at it?"
A murmur rippled through the hall.
Look at it?
At a time like this?
Should she not be begging for her life?
Was she truly frightened senseless?
Even the Emperor's brows drew together in mild surprise.
Ye Lan Jue's eyes flickered.
Even he could not guess her intention.
The manual was genuine—he knew that.
No one had ever seen it before, not even the princess.
No one could testify whether the book in Tang Ke Xin's hands was real or forged.
So what did she hope to accomplish by reading it?
Before the Emperor could respond, Old General Li barked, "Insolence! How dare you request to read a secret manual!"
Tang Ke Xin turned her head slowly, her expression serene.
"Old General Li," she said, her tone light but each word sharp as a blade, "your Fiery Eyes of Truth are truly remarkable. Wrapped in black cloth, and yet you can identify a secret manual at a single glance? How impressive."
A hush fell over the hall.
She continued, her voice cool and unhurried:
"And such authority you wield. I was addressing His Majesty just now—I do not recall asking for your opinion. Why shout so loudly? Whom are you trying to frighten to death?"
Her words struck like thunder.
The hall froze.
The temperature seemed to drop.
Old General Li's face turned a mottled shade of green.
The Emperor's expression darkened visibly.
Everyone held their breath.
Tang Ke Xin had just accused Old General Li—one of the most powerful men in the empire—of overstepping his authority and disrespecting the Emperor.
In front of the entire court.
This was not boldness.
This was madness.
The Prime Minister broke into a cold sweat.
The Empress's heart nearly stopped.
Old General Li's jaw clenched. His eyes narrowed into slits, murderous intent flickering within.
And then—
"Aiya, that frightened this baby to death."
Tang Ke Xin pressed a hand to her chest and exhaled dramatically, as though she had been startled out of her wits.
The hall erupted into stunned silence.
What… what was she doing?
Ye Lan Jue's mouth twitched.
Afraid?
Her?
Ye Lan Chen nearly burst into laughter.
This was the Tang Ke Xin he knew—utterly unpredictable, infuriatingly audacious, and impossible to anticipate.
Old General Li, who had been ready to explode, froze mid‑breath.
His face shifted from green to purple in the span of a heartbeat.
His lips trembled, but no sound emerged.
He looked as though he might choke on his own fury.
Tang Ke Xin smiled inwardly.
The Emperor had not spoken since her earlier remark—but she knew he was displeased with Old General Li's behaviour.
That was enough.
She turned back to the Emperor, her expression now solemn.
"Your Majesty, the manual was found among my garments. Before determining its true origin, surely I have the right to examine it. Would Your Majesty not agree?"
Her reasoning was impeccable.
The Emperor hesitated, then nodded.
"You may look. Though I doubt it will change anything."
Tang Ke Xin lowered her gaze, her voice softening.
"Your Majesty, I am but a weak and delicate girl. My mind is simple. My strength is small. How could I possibly overpower a princess, steal a secret manual, and escape unnoticed?"
Ye Lan Chen nearly choked.
Weak? Delicate?
If she was delicate, then there were no women left in the world.
Ye Lan Jue's lips twitched behind his teacup.
The Crown Prince's eyes glimmered with amusement.
The Emperor's expression softened slightly.
The Empress's eyes filled with pain.
The Prime Minister trembled.
The court murmured.
Perhaps… perhaps she truly was innocent?
Old General Li looked as though he might faint.
Tang Ke Xin continued, her tone gentle yet firm:
"Even so, I wish to gather every possible piece of evidence to prove my innocence. I beg Your Majesty to grant me this chance. And even if this manual is genuine, what harm is there in allowing a fool who has only just recovered to glance at it?"
"Poor child…"
The Empress's voice cracked.
The Emperor sighed heavily.
"Very well. Let her see it. It will do no harm."
The manual was handed to Tang Ke Xin.
She unwrapped the black cloth without hesitation and flipped open the pages.
Her movements were casual—almost lazy.
Her fingers brushed lightly across the parchment as she turned page after page, swiftly, effortlessly.
The hall watched in confusion.
What was she doing?
Was she truly just… flipping through it?
Senior Concubine Ming could no longer restrain herself.
"Have you not looked long enough? Are you trying to stall for time? This is a secret manual—how dare you flip through it so carelessly!"
The Emperor frowned.
"Well? Did you see anything?"
Tang Ke Xin closed the book slowly.
She exhaled softly, as though releasing a burden.
Then she lifted her gaze.
"You said this manual was found among my clothes?" she asked, turning to the guards.
"Yes," the lead guard replied. "We found it beneath the garments you changed out of."
The hall leaned forward, breath held.
What would she say next?
Tang Ke Xin smiled faintly.
"In that case," she said lightly, "it must be mine. Such a simple principle—surely everyone understands."
The hall erupted into chaos.
The moment Tang Ke Xin uttered those words, the entire hall seemed to sway. Several people nearly lost their footing in sheer disbelief.
She… she had actually said it.
The princess had just declared—before the Emperor, before the entire court—that the manual was a secret treasure of immense importance. And yet Tang Ke Xin, in this most perilous moment, had calmly claimed it as her own?
Had she lost her mind?
Under such circumstances, should she not be desperately distancing herself from the manual?
Should she not be insisting it had nothing whatsoever to do with her?
Why, then, would she say it was hers?
Was she trying to dig her own grave?
Was she determined to walk straight into death?
What was this woman doing?
Had she truly gone mad?
A wave of murmurs rippled through the hall—shock, confusion, incredulity.
Even Ye Lan Jue's brows drew together, a rare crease marring his usually composed expression. His gaze sharpened, darkened.
Why would she say such a thing?
What was she planning?
How could she dare utter such words at a time like this?
The entire court held its breath, waiting for the next move of the woman who seemed determined to defy every rule of survival.
And yet—
Tang Ke Xin stood there, serene and unhurried, as though she were the only one in the hall who understood precisely what she was doing.