Qian Renxue smiled faintly, resting her chin upon her palm.
“It sounds,” she said softly, “as though something has happened that made you particularly… averse to this clan. Perhaps if you explain the reason, I might offer a better solution.”
Xue Qinghe sighed, frustration showing through the perfect mask he always wore.
“The reason,” he admitted, “is their current younger generation — their so-called young clan leader, Yu Ming.”
Eve’s brow arched with theatrical curiosity. “And what terrible crime has this Yu Ming committed? Did he refuse to bow to the crown prince?”
Xue Qinghe’s expression twitched with discomfort. “That would have been preferable,” he muttered under his breath.
“Every time we meet, he acts… overly familiar. He insists we are ‘brothers of fate,’ and worse, he—” the prince’s jaw tightened, “—sometimes touches me inappropriately. I have already told him I do not swing that way, yet he behaves as though it is a game. He restrains himself for a few days, then starts again. I do not wish to see that bastard’s face ever again.”
Qian Renxue suppressed a smile. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, her amusement flashing beneath her serene exterior.
‘So,’ she thought silently, ‘that Yu Ming must believe I am the one disguised as Xue Qinghe… and he’s trying to take advantage of me.’
A dangerous glimmer crossed her eyes, half amusement, half contempt.
When she opened them again, her expression was calm — divine. Her voice, though gentle, carried an invisible weight as she began to use Manipulation once more.
“Xue Qinghe,” she said softly, “to become an emperor is not an easy road. Every alliance, every gesture, even every humiliation carries its purpose. Are you going to discard the goodwill of a great clan like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan… because of a little mischief?”
Her tone deepened, like a whisper pressing directly against his mind.
“You are already walking upon the blood-stained path of the throne. Your hands are soaked in the blood of your brothers — your heart must not waver over trifles. If you cannot endure this, how will you face what comes next?”
The prince’s eyes flickered — resistance, doubt, and then submission as his will bent beneath the subtle pull of persuasion.
After a long pause, Xue Qinghe nodded slowly, voice low but firm.
“Yes… I understand, Eve. I will not let a small setback stand in the way of my destiny. The path to the Emperor’s throne will not be swayed by discomfort.”
Qian Renxue smiled, her tone tender once again.
“Good. You are learning.”
He bowed deeply and turned to leave, unaware that the conviction in his heart had been planted — shaped — by another’s will.
When the door closed behind him, silence lingered for a moment.
As soon as he left the room, Eve burst out laughing uncontrollably.
“Ha! Ha! Ha! This is too funny!” she clutched her stomach, tears almost forming in her eyes. “Yu Ming, the so-called ultimate pervert, harassing a boy! I can already imagine it — the day he finally corners Xue Qinghe, thinking he’s won himself a delicate princess. Then the blissful night turns into a horror show, and then—” she waved her hand dramatically, “he comes running out screaming, ‘It’s a boy! It’s a boy!’”
Qian Renxue pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly.
“Your humour is dangerous,” she said flatly, her tone halfway between amusement and exasperation.
Eve tossed her hair, her violet eyes glimmering with mischief. “Dangerous? You don’t even know. As partners, he once dared to hint at ‘courting’ me. That little fool doesn’t realize how close he was to death. If not for your occasional manipulations to keep him useful, I would have him killed in an accident and would have taken his place — just like you did in the original story.”
Qian Renxue’s gaze shifted slightly, her expression unreadable. “Then you wouldn’t have had as much fun, would you?”
Eve smirked, leaning against the table. “Perhaps. But seeing the look on that prince’s face — priceless. He’s getting too bold lately, though. Are you sure we should keep him around?”
Qian Renxue walked toward the window, her reflection merging with the sunset’s gold hues. “Boldness is useful. A puppet who believes himself a king will dance more passionately on his strings.”
“Spoken like a true manipulator,” Eve said, half in admiration, half in jest. “But you’re right. As long as he keeps chasing his ‘destiny’ to become emperor, he’ll never realize who’s writing the script.”
Qian Renxue’s eyes glowed faintly purple. “The pieces are moving as planned. Yu Ming’s interest will eventually draw the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan clan into conflict. Xue Qinghe’s ambition will bind him to us further. And Ning Fengzhi’s loyalty… will be tested soon.”
Then, There was another knock at the door.
KnockKnock
A steady voice followed from the other side, “May I come in?”
Qian Renxue frowned slightly. The voice… it carried a familiar timbre — low, calm, and heavy with years of authority, but also something else beneath — weariness, perhaps.
Eve tilted her head with an amused smile and leaned closer, whispering softly, “You’ll be surprised.”
Then she raised her voice, her tone polite but edged with faint amusement. “Yes, please. Come in.”
The door opened slowly, and as the figure stepped inside, Qian Renxue’s eyes immediately narrowed — her purple pupils flickering with a faint violet sheen.
The man who entered was none other than Qian Xunji.
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