chapter 9 ：Terrifying thought

After leaving Lord Yu's sleeping quarters and returning to her own palace, Feiyu Palace, Si Jiang kept pondering how to deal with Yi Bo. She played chess alone in the study.

The study was simple yet elegant. Moonlight filtered through the carved window lattice, casting mottled shadows on the dark wooden chessboard. Si Jiang sat at the table, her expression focused, eyes sharp. She held a white chess piece, weighing it in her hand, contemplating the next move.

She knew Yi Bo's crimes: first, harming Ying Jiu and the dragon clan to vie for the throne; second, using poison against Lord Yu. However, there was no evidence to prove these crimes. Third, embezzling disaster relief funds—there was evidence but it was insufficient and needed a witness. This witness had to be someone who had worked for Yi Bo and could be persuaded to turn against him.

Only Feng An! Si Jiang's lips curled into a confident smile. She spun the white chess piece between her fingers and placed it on the board with a crisp sound, contrasting with the quiet of the study.

The Feng An tribe, known as the Crow Clan, was controlled by Yi Bo's beast-taming skills. Earlier, Si Jiang had given Qing Xuan an antidote to free his clan members from Yi Bo's control, giving him five days to complete the task, which should be nearly done by now.

"Caw—caw—" Si Jiang looked up at the sound, her smile widening. "Well, speak of the devil."

Through the lattice, she saw two crows perched on the eaves, their black bodies blending with the night, their sharp eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Their feathers rustled in the breeze, silent watchers of the dark.

"Come in," Si Jiang called softly, opening the window. The crows obediently flew into the room, landing on the chess table. Si Jiang closed the window and set up a protective array to ensure privacy before sitting down.

"Now it's safe. Qing Xuan, how did it go?" Si Jiang casually sipped her tea.

"My benefactor, Qing Xuan only had a chance to give the antidote to our tribe's leader," the crows transformed into two handsome men, kneeling before Si Jiang.

"Can you transform? What is your leader's name? If you can transform, it means your spiritual power is strong. Why did Yi Bo control you?" Si Jiang raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Greetings, princess. My name is Wu Yi. I pretended to be controlled to save my life," Wu Yi admitted, blushing and trembling.

"Yi Bo imprisoned our tribe in his mansion, ready to command us at any time. If I didn't comply, I would have been killed long ago. Today he strengthened the beast control spell; I barely resisted. Ordinary beasts couldn't escape his control. After that, he sent us out to gather information, which gave Qing Xuan a chance to find me..."

Si Jiang suppressed her amusement at Wu Yi's timid demeanor. How adorable these little birds were, even Qing Xuan had been terrified to leave his hiding place.

"Oh? What did you learn?" Si Jiang changed her posture, crossing her legs and sipping her tea, her face impassive.

"I...I..." Wu Yi stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.

"Bang—" Si Jiang slammed her teacup on the table, the sound echoing in the room.

"Did Qing Xuan not tell you the situation? Do you intend to defy me?" Si Jiang feigned anger.

Both young men shuddered in fear.

"Brother, just tell her. Why hide anything from our benefactor?" Qing Xuan nudged Wu Yi, annoyed.

"He...he wants us to monitor Lord Ying and you. I overheard that Lord Ying intended to marry you. Yi Bo believes if you two marry, he'll lose his chance at the throne, so he plotted to harm Lord Ying," Wu Yi blurted out, growing more anxious.

A buzz filled Si Jiang's mind at the revelation. Lord Ying wanted to marry her? Because of her, Yi Bo harmed him? How absurd. Si Jiang never imagined her existence could sway the throne.

Even without a powerful clan behind her, would her marriage to Lord Ying truly threaten Yi Bo so much? Was it fear of the dragon clan's power, beyond his control, or something else?

For now, Yi Bo's next move was crucial. Si Jiang refocused, her face pale from shock, and said to Wu Yi, "Past events, I mostly know. Tell me his recent plans."

"He sent three of us to different places: the Huo Clan, the disaster area, and to track Lord Qi's movements. I was sent to gather evidence from the disaster area."

"Why Lord Qi's movements?" Si Jiang's brow furrowed.

Wait, she had overlooked something crucial in this game. Ying Jiu, Yi Bo, Lord Qi, Lord Yu...

On the surface, Lord Yu groomed Ying Jiu as his heir but also used Yi Bo to balance power. Their struggle was a matter of survival. But what if both Ying Jiu and Yi Bo were pawns, sacrifices to ensure Lord Yu's bloodline continued?

Si Jiang's eyes widened, her brow furrowed, sweat beading on her forehead. These details, previously unnoticed, now struck her like lightning.

Another possibility was Lord Qi vying for the throne. He had been present during the hunting incident, the first to arrive when Ying Jiu was sealed, and involved in every major event since. Si Jiang's breathing quickened, her fingers trembling.

No, it can't be... it can't be...

A father who raised her, a younger brother she watched grow up—if her suspicions were correct, she had been ensnared in this game all along. What was her role in this?

Si Jiang couldn't believe her terrible conjecture.

"My benefactor, are you alright? Are you unwell?" Qing Xuan asked, concerned by her pale face.

Si Jiang raised a hand, indicating she was fine. She had to stay calm.

"Wu Yi, will you work for me?" Si Jiang asked directly.

"I will! For saving Qing Xuan and my tribe, I am forever grateful!" Wu Yi wasn't foolish. He knew aligning with Si Jiang, a powerful ally, was crucial for his tribe's future.

"Good. Continue to gather information for Yi Bo and report back to me first." Si Jiang massaged her temples, her voice cold.

"And let me be clear, no betrayal. I will kill your entire tribe if you do. Understand?"

Si Jiang deliberately threatened. Fear, the most powerful emotion, was necessary. Yi Bo used the tribe but couldn't harm them, while Si Jiang could kill any beast instantly.

"We understand!" Wu Yi, though timid, grasped her meaning immediately.