The palace courtyard was alive with whispers.
"Isn't that… Yue Zhenzhen?"
"She dares show her face again?"
"After the scandal? She has no shame!"
But the moment she stepped into view, the gossip died.
The world fell quiet.
The rustling leaves, the flapping banners, even the breeze seemed to stop for a second — as if the palace itself were holding its breath.
She walked slowly, deliberately, like a queen without a crown — like she was the throne everyone had forgotten to kneel to. The crimson silk of her robes clung to her body like a second skin. Each step sent a gentle bounce through her breasts, the fabric hugging the curve of her hips, the deep slit at the side revealing one flawless long, pale leg.
> 🔥 System Alert: "All Eyes on You" Skill Activated
🔸 Effect: Aura of Lust intensified. Male targets become distracted, flustered, weak-willed.
🔸 Passive Status: Temptress — +10 bonus to all charm-related interactions.
Every guard forgot to breathe. Their gazes dropped from her eyes to her chest, then lower. One even dropped his halberd, the crash echoing through the courtyard.
A minister turned red and nearly choked on his words. A servant tripped while trying not to stare. Even the palace maids blushed and turned away, jealous and confused by the pull she had.
But she saw him — the Crown Prince.
Tall, proud, emotionless. Standing with her stepsister Bai Xiulan at his side.
Xiulan's eyes narrowed the moment Yue appeared. Her painted lips faltered, her perfectly styled hair suddenly meaningless beside Zhenzhen's effortless allure.
The Crown Prince's gaze lifted — and he stared.
Not at Xiulan.
At Yue.
For the first time since her rebirth, she saw it.
That flicker of raw, male hunger. The one he tried to suppress behind his cold facade. The one Xiulan never received.
And she smiled.
> 💋 System Task Update:
🌸 Bonus Objective: Make the Crown Prince break his composure in public. Reward: Aphrodesia Elixir (1 vial)
Xiulan stepped forward, desperate to draw his attention back. "Crown Prince, it's so unbecoming that she—"
"I didn't ask for your opinion, Xiulan," he said sharply, eyes never leaving Zhenzhen.
The crowd gasped.
Xiulan froze.
Zhenzhen's smile widened — slow, devastating, lethal.
She walked straight up to them, her heels clicking like countdowns. "Your Highness," she purred, her voice thick as honey, "I didn't expect to see you here… watching me."
The Crown Prince swallowed. "Yue—"
"I'm flattered," she cut in, eyes glittering. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm just taking a stroll. You know… letting the palace dogs bark while I walk like royalty."
Xiulan's mouth fell open. The slap in her words was deliberate, elegant, unforgiving.
> 🌹 System Bonus Unlocked: Aphrodesia Elixir Acquired
Effect: Amplifies user's sexual aura for 6 hours. Causes arousal in targets upon proximity.
> 🌟 New Passive Unlocked: Wicked Tongue
Grants sharp wit, double-edged compliments, and verbal seduction.
Zhenzhen turned without waiting for permission. Her hips swayed like pendulums of punishment. The sound of her heels faded behind her, but the tension she left behind lingered like perfume.
Xiulan clenched her fists.
The Crown Prince couldn't stop staring.
And Yue Zhenzhen?
She laughed softly under her breath.
They thought they could destroy her.
But this was just the beginning.
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