CHAPTER 85 — WHEN THE FOX REALISED THE RABBIT HAD TEETH
The young princess's body trembled faintly.
Should she run ahead and warn the Third Prince?
Should she tell His Highness to prepare himself for the storm that was surely coming?
Before the Little Princess could gather her scattered thoughts, Tang Ke Xin lifted her head with a serene, gentle smile.
"Princess, this humble girl happens to be going to the palace to pay respects to the Empress. Would you like to accompany me?"
"Oh—yes, yes!"
The princess blinked, startled, then nodded automatically.
She was not foolish.
She understood at once that Sister Tang was not going to the palace for the Empress at all. She was going to confront her Third Imperial Brother. And by taking the princess with her, she had neatly prevented any chance of warning him.
Somewhere in the palace, the Third Prince felt a sudden, inexplicable chill.
Tang Ke Xin had originally intended to visit the Empress, but now that she had the princess at her side, it was the perfect opportunity to find His Highness and settle accounts.
And indeed, the moment they entered the palace grounds, before they had even crossed the front courtyard, fate delivered the Third Prince directly into their path.
He was alone, seemingly preparing to leave the palace.
"Third Imperial Brother!"
The princess rushed forward, eyes wide with meaning. "Didn't you say you had something interesting in your manor for me? Let's go fetch it now!"
Tang Ke Xin stood quietly behind her, watching.
The Third Prince was far too perceptive not to sense danger. His gaze flicked from the princess to Tang Ke Xin, and understanding dawned instantly.
"So," he said mildly, "I've been exposed."
The princess wilted.
"Third Imperial Brother, I—I'm sorry. I let it slip. Sister Tang… she seems very angry. You must be careful."
She spoke with genuine concern, entirely forgetting that her Third Imperial Brother was one of the most formidable men in the empire.
Tang Ke Xin, however, noticed something else.
The Third Prince was smiling.
A real smile—warm, amused, and devastatingly handsome.
The princess froze.
She had lived all her life and had never seen her Third Imperial Brother smile like that. And heavens, it was beautiful.
"Are you angry?"
Ye Lan Jue ignored the princess entirely and stepped toward Tang Ke Xin, his smile deepening, his voice soft and unhurried.
He was in an exceptionally good mood.
He enjoyed seeing her angry—especially when the anger was directed at him.
"Is it amusing for Your Highness to scheme against me?" Tang Ke Xin asked, forcing her voice to remain steady. She exhaled quietly, suppressing the unease fluttering in her chest.
She had not even begun to question him, yet he had already admitted everything. And the way he said it—almost as though she were the unreasonable one—made her feel strangely off‑balance.
"If you wish to vent your anger," he murmured, leaning closer, "this king will be waiting. Whatever you wish to do… I will accept it."
The words were ambiguous enough.
But the way he said them—low, deliberate, intimate—made them sound scandalous.
Tang Ke Xin's resolve evaporated instantly.
He admitted it.
He even offered himself up for punishment.
What was she supposed to do with that?
Shameless.
Utterly shameless.
Could he be any more insufferable?
"What are you going to do?" he asked again, stepping closer still.
"Rascal," she muttered under her breath, unable to stop herself.
"Rascal?"
His smile sharpened. "A woman being a rascal to me? If you wish… you may."
He twisted her words deliberately, wickedly, pushing them into dangerous territory.
Tang Ke Xin's heart lurched.
Was he doing this on purpose?
Or was this simply how he was?
"This king is always waiting… for you…"
His lips brushed close to her ear, his voice a warm whisper that seemed to scorch her skin.
Only the two of them could hear.
Not far away, the princess had finally recovered from her shock. She could not hear their words, but she could see their posture—and Tang Ke Xin's expression.
Why did Sister Tang look… strange?
Was her face… red?
It must be the heat.
Yes, that was it.
"Elder Sister, are you hot? Come stand over here—it's cooler!" the princess called out. "Your face is completely red!"
Tang Ke Xin stiffened.
Her hand twitched upward, almost touching her cheek.
Was she… blushing?
Yes.
Yes, she was.
It was the heat.
It had to be the heat.
The Third Prince's eyes gleamed with amusement.
He had noticed.
And he found her blush not only adorable—but breathtaking.
"Elder Sister, come quickly! Your face is getting even redder! You might faint from the heat!" the princess cried again.
Tang Ke Xin lowered her head, mortified—only to hear the Third Prince's soft, delighted laugh.
She wanted to slap that smile off his face.
If they were not in the palace—
If the princess were not present—
She absolutely would have.
But she could only grit her teeth, ignore him entirely, and walk toward the princess with as much dignity as she could salvage.
Her earlier determination had evaporated.
She had lost this round completely.
A little white rabbit should never challenge a fox.
Especially not a fox who had grown far too cunning.
"This king is ready at any time," he murmured as she passed him.
Tang Ke Xin nearly stomped on his foot.
He watched her go, lips curved, eyes bright with laughter.
This woman was truly delightful.
Tang Ke Xin stomped the ground instead and marched toward the princess.
"Elder Sister, your face is so red! Are you feeling okay?" the princess asked innocently.
The Third Prince's fox‑like smile widened.
"I'm fine," Tang Ke Xin said tightly. "Didn't thiss humble girl say we were paying respects to the Empress? Let's go."
She refused to look at him again.
She refused to give him another inch.
"Just… just like that?" the princess whispered, bewildered. "Didn't Sister Tang want to settle accounts with the Third Emperor?"
She looked between them, utterly confused.
Had she missed something?
The little Princess, of course, had not heard a single word the Third Prince whispered.
No one had.
The two of them had stood far too close—shoulder brushing shoulder, breath mingling in the warm air. Whatever they exchanged had been spoken in tones meant for no other ears.
Could a few quiet words truly resolve a conflict?
The adult world was baffling.
"Indeed, she left just like that?"
Ye Lan Jue drawled lazily, as though he had not been the one to derail the entire confrontation. His gaze slid toward her, carrying a meaning no one could decipher.
He was still playing.
Still provoking.
Still enjoying himself far too much.
But then—
Tang Ke Xin smiled.
It was slow, deliberate, and dangerously serene.
The corners of her lips curved upward with exquisite grace, and her eyes—those clear, bright eyes—held a glimmer of something unreadable.
A warning.
A promise.
A spark of mischief that matched his own.
The Third Prince's expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
A flicker of surprise crossed his gaze.
Her change of expression was too swift, too controlled.
And for the first time in this entire exchange…
he felt a faint, instinctive prickle of unease.
As though he had just awakened a sleeping beast.