Chapter 28

📖 CHAPTER 28: THE FIRST MOVE

The banquet was over, but the ripples it left behind were only beginning to spread.

Gu Qingyan stepped through the palace gates, her expression unreadable as the cool night air brushed against her skin. The encounter with the two princes had been unexpected, but not unmanageable.

Her gaze darkened slightly.

Feng Yusheng's interest was dangerous. He was a man forged in war, not one who entertained idle fancies. If he had chosen to look her way, it was for a reason.

And Feng Liyan…

A smirk. A warning. A game.

She exhaled softly.

It seemed she had become a piece on the board.

[Ding! Mission Progress: The Banquet's Aftermath – Unravel the Intentions of the Princes. 30% Completed.]

A soft rustle in the distance.

Gu Qingyan didn't turn. "If you wish to hide, do it properly."

Silence.

Then—

A figure stepped out from the shadows.

Dressed in deep violet robes embroidered with golden threads, the man carried himself with an ease that belied his sharp gaze. Long, ink-black hair cascaded down his back, tied with a simple jade ornament.

His presence was not as cold as Feng Yusheng's or as teasing as Feng Liyan's. Instead, it was quiet, steady, and undeniably dangerous.

Gu Qingyan's gaze sharpened.

The Fourth Prince.

Feng Xuan.

The ghost of the Imperial Family.

Unlike his brothers, he had never been involved in court politics, nor had he sought the throne. He lived in obscurity, rarely appearing in public, and yet—

Here he was.

"You are not easy to read, Lady Gu," he finally spoke, his voice low and measured. "Perhaps that is why they are all watching you."

Gu Qingyan's lips curled slightly. "And what of Your Highness? Are you merely an observer, or do you wish to join the game?"

A faint smile touched his lips. "I do not play games."

She tilted her head. "Then why are you here?"

Feng Xuan studied her for a long moment. "Because the storm is coming."

His words sent a chill down her spine.

[Ding! New Hidden Mission Unlocked – The Storm's Warning.]

The Fourth Prince turned away. "Be careful, Gu Qingyan."

And just like that, he disappeared into the night.

---

📍 Gu Manor – Midnight

Gu Qingyan sat in her courtyard, staring at the lanterns swaying gently in the wind.

The night was silent, but her mind was anything but.

The banquet had revealed much.

Feng Yusheng had taken notice of her.

Feng Liyan had warned her.

Feng Xuan had appeared before her.

Three princes.

Three different threats.

And in the midst of it all—her system, whispering in her mind.

[Ding! Host is advised to proceed cautiously. Calculating possible dangers…]

She exhaled slowly. "Proceed cautiously?"

That was never an option.

Gu Qingyan leaned back, a slow smile playing at her lips.

If the game had begun, then it was time to make the first move.