Chapter 23: The Counterplay

Under the thick veil of night, the study of the Dingguo Marquis' residence was dimly lit by flickering candlelight, casting shadows over Su Mingli's calm, contemplative face. Her fingertips tapped lightly on the desk as she recalled the contents of the secret letter, her gaze dark and inscrutable.

Someone had acted first, meaning they had sensed the looming threat. Her adversaries were not merely within the marquis' household—even the Crown Prince was now entangled in this web.

"Miss, what should we do now?" Xiao Tao asked anxiously.

Su Mingli smiled faintly. "Since they're so eager to set their trap, we'll let them have their way."

She picked up a brush, swiftly wrote a few lines on paper, folded it, and handed it to Xiao Tao. "Have this delivered to the War Prince's residence."

Xiao Tao took the letter, her eyes flickering with hesitation. "Miss… will His Highness the War Prince truly help us?"

Su Mingli's lips curved slightly, her eyes glinting with calculation. "If he wishes to avoid being ensnared himself, he'll have no choice but to act."

Eastern Palace, Imperial Palace

In the Crown Prince's study, Xiao Chengyu held a secret letter, his expression unreadable.

"She's making the first move?" He scoffed, sounding almost amused.

A shadow guard bowed and reported, "Our spies confirm that the War Prince's faction has also begun to mobilize."

Xiao Chengyu's eyes narrowed. His fingers slowly traced the edge of the letter before he let out a cold laugh. "How intriguing."

Su Mingli… He had assumed her a mere pawn to discard, yet now she seemed an unexpected variable in his carefully laid game.

War Prince's Residence, Study

Xiao Jingxuan unfolded Su Mingli's letter and skimmed its contents. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"Amusing," he murmured.

The letter was brief, its words laced with provocation and testing intent:

[Since Your Highness asked about my odds of success… why not join the game yourself?]

Xiao Jingxuan chuckled softly and tossed the letter into the candle flame, watching it curl into ash.

"Give the order. We act tonight," he said calmly, his voice carrying an edge of unyielding authority.

Dingguo Marquis' Residence, Midnight

The estate lay silent under the moonless sky.

Yet in a shadowed corner of the rear courtyard, a dark figure slipped through the night. Light-footed, the intruder scanned the surroundings, assured of solitude, then pried open a floorboard to reveal a hidden compartment.

Just as he reached for the documents inside, a cool voice rang out from the darkness—

"Searching for this, perhaps?"

The figure froze. Su Mingli stepped into the dim light, waving an identical set of documents in her hand. Her smile was serene, but her eyes burned with killing intent.

The intruder's pupils dilated. He spun to flee—only to freeze again as the cold edge of a sword pressed against his throat.

"Stay," Xiao Jingxuan drawled, his tone casual yet sharp as a blade. "Let's… discuss this."

The intruder stiffened, sweat beading on his brow.

He had walked into a trap.

And in this game, the outcome had been decided from the very first move.