Chapter 4: Seeds of Revenge

The sun had barely climbed above the horizon when a thunderous horn echoed through the capital, shaking the city walls and rattling the gilded windows of noble mansions. In the Xue estate, servants scurried like frightened mice, whispering urgently.

"The Imperial Envoy has entered the city!"

"He's headed to the Ministry of Rites first!"

"Could he be coming here next?"

Even Xue Lian's embroidery needle stilled midair.

Hongyu rushed in, her eyes wide. "Miss, the envoy—he's not just anyone. He bears the jade seal of the Eastern Palace. That means—"

"The Crown Prince sent him," Xue Lian finished softly, her lashes lowering. So soon?

In her past life, this envoy's arrival had barely registered. At the time, she had been too preoccupied with her sister's cruelty and her own growing anxiety about the palace selection. But now, she remembered.

This envoy had not merely come to oversee the selection.

He had come to choose.

---

Within the hour, the Xue estate was thrown into polite chaos. Silks were swapped, hair was pinned higher, and every noble daughter in the household—legitimate or otherwise—was told to gather in the main hall.

Xue Yan was already seated at the front when Xue Lian entered. Her lips curled as her eyes drifted over her older sister's pale pink robes.

Soft color. Demure neckline. Trying to look pure.

But the smile on her lips didn't falter.

"Sister Lian," she greeted sweetly. "Come sit beside me. You must be nervous too. After all, we're about to meet a man from the Crown Prince's inner court!"

Xue Lian smiled back as she glided to her seat, her jade hairpin gleaming in the morning light.

"Why would I be nervous? The envoy isn't here to pick wives. He's here to ensure the process is fair and dignified. As long as one is innocent and well-mannered, what is there to fear?"

Xue Yan's smile stiffened. Her hand clenched beneath her sleeve.

When did she start talking like this? So calm. So composed. So... untouchable.

---

Moments later, the sound of boots echoed on the stone.

A man stepped into the hall.

He wore robes of deep navy trimmed with golden dragons, the insignia of the Eastern Palace embroidered across his chest. His bearing was cold, unapproachable—yet something about him made the heart skip.

Sharp, hawk-like eyes scanned the room. His face was lean, with high cheekbones and a straight nose. His aura was a storm wrapped in velvet.

He was not just a messenger. He was a blade.

"The envoy is Lord Shen Jingyuan," someone whispered. "His courtesy name is Zhou Yan. He's the Crown Prince's right hand—and his shadow."

Xue Lian recognized him instantly.

In her past life, he'd never spoken to her once. He had stood in the background, cold and silent, watching as the drama unfolded. When she was framed and dragged through the mud, his eyes had been like iron.

But this time... she met his gaze.

And did not look away.

Shen Jingyuan's sharp gaze swept across the hall—then paused.

It landed on her.

Just for a moment.

Long enough for her breath to catch.

Then he turned, expression unreadable.

"I am here on behalf of His Highness, the Crown Prince," he said. His voice was low, smooth, yet carried a razor's edge. "The selection shall proceed under my eyes. I trust the noble daughters of the Xue family are prepared?"

Polite nods and murmured responses followed.

But Xue Lian remained silent, head slightly bowed, playing her part as the serene first daughter.

He looked at her again.

A flicker. 

Her aura's changed.....

---

That night, after the envoy's departure, Xue Yan burst into her chamber, fury simmering beneath her powdered face.

"He looked at her," she spat to her maid. "Why did he look at her like that?"

The maid hesitated. "First Miss did seem unusually… composed."

Xue Yan grabbed the teacup and flung it against the floor.

"I was supposed to be the one they praised. I you wore the blue silk, I practiced my etiquette—she just sat there like she owned the room!"

"She… smiled, my lady," the maid whispered. "Not arrogantly. Just… calmly."

"Don't be fooled," Xue Yan hissed. "She's plotting something. I don't know what, but she's not the same idiot she used to be."

Outside the door, hidden in shadow, one of the senior maids quietly slipped away. Straight to Xue Lian's courtyard.

---

In her moonlit room, Xue Lian leaned over a scroll.

Hongyu entered and whispered, "Your sister's fuming. She's losing her calm."

Xue Lian looked up. Her eyes gleamed like obsidian.

"Good," she said. "Let her. A panicked opponent is a predictable one."

Hongyu hesitated. "What about Lord Shen? Did you… feel something? He looked at you twice."

Xue Lian paused, then smiled faintly.

"In this life," she said, "I'll make even the coldest man warm to me… if it serves my purpose."

Her fingers curled around the jade pendant at her waist.

And far away, in the Crown Prince's private residence, Lord Shen Jingyuan stood before a table of

portraits. His eyes lingered on one.

A girl in pink. Eyes steady. Smile unreadable.

"…Xue Lian," he murmured. "Interesting."