chapter 4 : The first meeting; a game of wits

The Eastern Palace was as imposing as it was elegant, its towering red pillars and intricate golden carvings whispering of power and restraint. Xu Nuan moved with quiet grace through the grand hall, her gaze steady as she approached the Crown Prince.

Li Feng sat at the head of the room, his dark robes pooling around him like a shadow. His expression was unreadable, his sharp eyes assessing her with detached curiosity. He had not spoken a word since she entered, letting the silence stretch long enough to unsettle most.

But Xu Nuan merely lowered her gaze and offered a perfectly measured bow. "Your Highness."

Li Feng finally spoke, his voice smooth yet chillingly indifferent. "Lady Xu. You are well-versed in medicine, are you not?"

Xu Nuan hesitated briefly, then lowered her eyes with practiced humility. "Your Highness gives me too much credit. I have only studied it as a pastime."

A flicker of something—amusement?—passed through his gaze. "A pastime?" He gestured to the servant beside him. "Then humor me."

A tray was brought forward, holding three porcelain teacups filled with steaming tea. The scent of herbs lingered in the air, subtle yet distinct.

Li Feng leaned back, watching her closely. "One of these contains something… unusual. If you are as skilled as the rumors suggest, you should be able to tell."

Xu Nuan kept her expression composed, though inwardly, she noted his choice of words. Unusual—not simply poisoned. He was testing her, not just her knowledge, but her reaction.

She stepped forward, lifting the first teacup to her nose. The fragrance was light, floral. Harmless. She set it down.

The second carried a stronger scent—oolong with a hint of ginseng. Also safe.

The third, however…

Xu Nuan's fingers tightened slightly around the cup. At first glance, it smelled normal, but underneath the rich aroma of tea leaves, there was something faint—too faint for an untrained nose to catch. A slow-acting toxin, meant not to kill immediately, but to linger in the body, weakening its victim over time.

She carefully placed the cup down and lowered her gaze, feigning uncertainty. "I am but an amateur, Your Highness. I would not dare guess blindly."

Li Feng's gaze sharpened. He studied her for a moment, his fingers tapping idly against the armrest of his chair.

Then, ever so slightly, the corner of his lips curled ,his blood which was poisoned by an unknown slow acting toxinwas added to the tea leaves 

He knew.

She had passed his test—not by exposing the poison, but by choosing not to reveal what she knew.

Smart.

"I see," he murmured, his voice carrying the faintest trace of amusement. "Then, it seems we both have much to learn about one another."

Xu Nuan smiled demurely, lowering her gaze once more. "It would seem so, Your Highness."

As she stepped back, she knew one thing for certain—this was no ordinary marriage.

It was a game of survival. And she had just taken her first move 

The Xu Manor was quiet in the late afternoon, the scent of jasmine tea drifting through the open-air pavilion where General Xu and Madam Xu sat, enjoying a rare moment of peace. The golden hues of the setting sun cast a warm glow over the courtyard, reflecting off the delicate porcelain teacups in their hands.

Just as Madam Xu lifted her cup to take a sip, a familiar voice rang out.

"Father! Mother! You won't believe what happened today!"

Xu Nuan practically skipped into the pavilion, her silk robes swishing as she flopped down beside her mother, leaning against her like a spoiled child.

Madam Xu sighed, though a small smile tugged at her lips. "Nuan'er, must you always return home like a gust of wind?"

General Xu raised an eyebrow, setting his cup down. "What mischief have you gotten into now?"

Xu Nuan grinned, resting her chin on her hands. "I wasn't the one causing mischief this time." She took a dramatic pause before saying, "I was saved by the Crown Prince today."

Madam Xu's hand froze mid-pour, while General Xu's sharp eyes narrowed slightly.

"…The Crown Prince?"

"Mhm." Xu Nuan nodded, her expression deliberately nonchalant. "It happened in the marketplace. A cart nearly ran over Susu, and when I pushed her away, I almost got hit instead. But just before I could become a tragic figure, His Highness appeared and saved me."

Madam Xu placed a hand over her chest. "Heavens, child! Must you always be so reckless?"

Xu Nuan pouted, tugging at her mother's sleeve. "It was an accident! Besides, isn't it good news? If I must marry him, at least he's capable of catching me if I fall."

General Xu let out a deep hum, studying his daughter carefully. "And after that?"

Xu Nuan waved a hand dismissively. "He invited me to the palace."

Madam Xu and General Xu exchanged glances.

"You met with him alone?" Madam Xu asked, her voice calm but filled with underlying concern.

"Not alone," Xu Nuan said lightly. "There were servants and guards, of course. We only talked for a little while before I came home."

General Xu's fingers tapped against the table, his expression unreadable. "And what did you talk about?"

Xu Nuan picked up a piece of sweet osmanthus cake from the tray, taking a small bite before responding. "Oh, nothing much. Just small talk."

That wasn't entirely a lie. If testing my intelligence with poisoned tea and watching my every reaction counts as small talk.

Madam Xu sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair from Xu Nuan's face. "This marriage… I still worry for you."

Xu Nuan leaned into her mother's touch, her voice softer now. "I know, Mother. But what choice do we have?"

General Xu's gaze lingered on her, his usually stern expression betraying a flicker of something—pride, perhaps, or regret. "The imperial family is not easy to navigate, Nuan'er."

Xu Nuan smiled, though there was something unreadable in her eyes. "Neither am I."

Silence settled over them before Madam Xu sighed again, pouring another cup of tea. "Then at least finish your sweets before worrying your father further."

Xu Nuan laughed, reaching for another pastry. "That, I can do."

For now, she could play the role of the carefree daughter. But deep down, she knew—her real battles were only just beginning.

The candlelight flickered in the dimly lit study, casting long shadows against the carved wooden screens. Seated at his desk, Crown Prince Li Feng swirled the tea in his cup absentmindedly, his sharp gaze fixed on the dark liquid as if searching for answers within its depths.

Xu Nuan.

He had expected many things from the daughter of General Xu—a delicate noblewoman, a proper and obedient future princess consort, perhaps even someone who would bore him. But she had been neither meek nor foolish.

She had noticed the poison.

He was certain of it.

A slow-acting toxin, rare and almost undetectable, mixed skillfully into the tea. A test—one she had passed, though not in the way most would expect. Any other physician or scholar eager to prove themselves would have announced their discovery. But she had remained silent, feigning ignorance while choosing not to expose it.

That intrigued him.

It meant she understood more than just medicine. She understood caution. Restraint. The wisdom of keeping one's cards hidden.

He set his teacup down with a quiet clink, his fingers tapping lightly against the lacquered table.

Had she suspected his intentions? Or was she simply playing safe?

Either way, it was dangerous to underestimate her.

A slow smirk tugged at his lips, though it held no warmth. "Interesting."

Xu Nuan was not just a pawn placed at his side by imperial decree.

She was a player in her own right.

And in the treacherous game of the imperial court, that made her either a useful ally… or a dangerous opponent.

Late at night, the soft glow of a lantern illuminated Xu Nuan's study, casting golden light over the rows of neatly arranged medicinal scrolls and porcelain bottles. The faint scent of dried herbs filled the air as she carefully ground a mixture of ingredients with a jade mortar, her brows slightly furrowed in concentration.

She had detected it—just barely. The poison in the Crown Prince's tea had been subtle, expertly masked beneath layers of rich fragrance. Too slow-acting to kill immediately, too faint to alarm an untrained eye.

But what was it? And more importantly—why had it been there?

Xu Nuan set down the mortar and reached for an aged medical compendium, her fingers trailing over the delicate pages filled with faded ink. A poison so rare that even its scent barely lingers…

Her eyes flicked across the entries until a familiar description caught her attention.

Ghost Vein Powder.

A toxin known for its gradual deterioration of the body. Symptoms would start as mere fatigue, then weakness, until the victim's strength faded day by day—until it was too late. Even imperial physicians would struggle to diagnose it in time.

Her fingers tightened around the pages. Was it a test?

Crown Prince Li Feng had watched her closely, every movement, every hesitation. If she had spoken up, would he have punished her? Or had he simply been waiting to see if she was intelligent enough to notice?

Xu Nuan exhaled slowly, suppressing a wry smile. The palace is truly a den of wolves.

She turned another page, her sharp eyes scanning for an antidote.

Crimson Frost Root.

A rare herb, difficult to obtain and even harder to refine. If Ghost Vein Powder was a hidden dagger, Crimson Frost Root was the only shield.

Xu Nuan closed the book, leaning back in her chair.

Now, she had her answer.

And the next time she faced the Crown Prince, she would be ready.