The grand hall of the imperial palace had never been this quiet.

Not even when the Emperor passed judgment on treasonous officials.

Not even when a noble house was stripped of their title.

But now, right at this moment, the silence was deafening.

Bai Yueru looked as if she had just witnessed a public execution, her delicate features frozen in shock.

Several noble ladies clutched their fans, their expressions torn between horror and undisguised excitement.

Even the most composed ministers couldn’t help but dart nervous glances toward the Crown Prince himself.

But Xia Wei?

She simply sipped her tea, utterly relaxed.

The only person who didn’t seem offended, enraged, or completely scandalized…

Was Li Xuan himself.

The Crown Prince, the Future Ruler, the Dragon of the Empire…

…was smiling.

And that, in itself, was the most terrifying part of all.

The Prince Speaks. Again.

Li Xuan took a single step forward, his long robes brushing against the floor. His voice was smooth as silk, sharp as a blade hidden beneath layers of refinement.

“You’re bold,” he mused, as if he were studying a rare, exotic creature that had just performed an unexpected trick.

Xia Wei met his gaze without a flicker of fear.

“Oh?” she drawled lazily. “I thought I was just stating the obvious.”

A dangerous glint flashed in his golden eyes.

“Most don’t dare.”

She arched a perfectly sculpted brow. “Most aren’t as intelligent as me.”

A noble lady gasped into her fan.

An old minister’s hands trembled so hard his teacup slipped, shattering into porcelain shards.

Even the emperor’s most trusted advisors—men who had witnessed war, betrayals, and palace intrigue—looked deeply troubled.

It wasn’t just that Xia Wei was bold.

It was that she showed no hesitation. No trembling fingers, no stammering, no attempt to soften her words.

She was playing with fire.

And she didn’t seem to care if she burned.

The White Lotus Tries to Intervene

Bai Yueru, sensing an opportunity, stepped forward with a perfectly calculated expression of concern.

“Your Highness,” she said in a soft, delicate voice, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. “Lady Xia must be overwhelmed. She surely did not—”

Xia Wei didn’t even let her finish.

Without looking at her, she waved a hand dismissively.

“Oh, don’t worry, Bai Yueru. I’m perfectly fine.”

Her voice was light, almost playful, but the underlying message was clear—shut up and stop interrupting.

Bai Yueru’s fingers curled into her embroidered sleeves.

Her lips trembled just enough to appear pitiful, yet she could barely contain the fury blazing in her heart.

She had spent years crafting the image of the fragile, virtuous heroine.

She was supposed to be the one men protected.

The one women envied.

But Xia Wei?

She wasn’t playing the game.

She was rewriting the rules.

A Direct Challenge

Xia Wei turned her gaze back to Li Xuan, her eyes glinting with a sharp, dangerous amusement.

“You say I’m bold,” she continued, “but tell me, Your Highness—”

She took a single step forward, her every movement slow, deliberate, calculated.

“How timid must a prince be, to feel threatened by a mere woman’s words?”

Boom.

The hall exploded into whispers.

Someone audibly choked.

Another person fainted.

Even the imperial guards, who were trained to remain emotionless in the face of chaos, visibly tensed.

This wasn’t just bold.

This was open provocation.

She was questioning the Crown Prince’s strength to his face.

Either she was insane… or she was untouchable.

Li Xuan’s Reaction

Li Xuan did not get angry.

He did not frown.

He did not even flinch.

Instead, he laughed.

A low, rumbling chuckle that sent shivers down every spine in the room.

The kind of laugh that belonged to a man who enjoyed destruction.

A predator that had found something particularly amusing before devouring it.

Finally, he murmured, “You’re quite different from before.”

Xia Wei tilted her head, feigning confusion. “Oh? And what was I before?”

His lips curved into something dark and knowing.

“A fool.”

Gasps echoed around the hall.

Even Bai Yueru couldn’t hide her smirk, her eyes flashing with triumph.

Yes. Finally. That’s right. Call her a fool. Remind everyone what kind of woman she used to be. Destroy her reputation.

But then—

Xia Wei… smiled.

Not in embarrassment.

Not in humiliation.

Not in anger.

But in sheer amusement.

She lifted her hand, examining her perfectly manicured nails before letting out a soft sigh.

“I prefer the term misunderstood genius.”

Another explosion of whispers.

The boldness.

The sheer audacity.

Bai Yueru’s fingers clenched so hard her nails nearly pierced her own skin.

How?

How was Xia Wei winning?

Why was Li Xuan still entertained?

And then—

His voice dropped just slightly, low enough that only she could hear.

“You’ve piqued my interest.”

Xia Wei?

She rolled her eyes.

“Oh, what a tragedy,” she murmured. “I was hoping to avoid that.”

And with that—

She turned her back on the Crown Prince.

Walked away.

As if he was just another nameless side character.

As if he didn’t matter.

As if he wasn’t the most powerful man in the empire.

And Li Xuan?

He laughed again—a deep, dark laugh filled with dangerous intent.

The kind of laugh that meant he was going to chase her now.

And Bai Yueru?

She looked like she was ready to set the world on fire.