"Ah, my Crown Princess," He said, his voice calm but carrying a teasing edge. "What brings you here in the dead of night?"
Her stomach lurched. The words she had planned for this moment evaporated into panic. "I... I..." She stammered, trying to think of an excuse that sounded innocent. Her mind raced. "I... I wanted to see... if everything was... alright in your room," she blurted, voice trembling.
Bai Hu vanished in a blink, leaving her alone with the prince.
DongZe's eyebrows lifted, the smirk widening into something unreadable. "You wanted to see me?" His voice was calm, but there was a spark in his eyes, sharp as a blade.
XiaoQi's face heated further. "I—I mean, not really! I just... wanted to make sure... um, nothing was wrong! Yes, nothing wrong!" Her hands flew up, wringing together as she tried to emphasize her point. "Absolutely nothing!"
His gaze softened slightly, but the glimmer in his eyes suggested amusement. "I see," he said slowly. "So, in the middle of the night, you sneak into my chambers to check on me. And yet you blush as if you were caught doing something... entirely different."
Her heart thumped painfully. She wanted to sink into the floor, disappear entirely. "I—It is not what you think!" she gasped, but her voice came out a little higher than intended.
DongZe stepped closer, slow, deliberate, filling the space between them. "It seems," he said, voice low and teasing, "that you do want to see me. Am I mistaken, XiaoQi?"
She froze, her mind scrambling for an excuse. "No! I mean, yes! I mean... I was checking... the room! Yes, the room! Absolutely the room!"
His smirk deepened. "How convenient that the room requires you to be so... close."
XiaoQi's ears burned, her pulse stuttering in her chest. Bai Hu's disappearance had left her completely alone, and she realized she had no backup this time. Yet, in her panic, a small, defiant spark lit in her mind. She would not admit defeat. She would not let him know she had seen him like this.
"I... I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable! That is all!" she said firmly, hands clenching into fists at her sides, though her voice wavered.
DongZe's gaze held hers, unflinching, and then he leaned slightly closer, lowering his voice into a murmur that made her stomach tighten.
"Very well. If you were only concerned about my comfort... I shall allow it this time. But XiaoQi, next time... do not be so shy in your intentions."
XiaoQi's legs nearly gave out. She swallowed hard, her mind racing with a mixture of embarrassment, fury, and a strange, unwanted thrill. She had intended a prank tonight, yet now the prank had almost completely lost its focus.
She backed toward the door, finally finding a foothold of courage. "I—should go now," she stammered. "It is... late."
DongZe's gaze followed her, and the faintest curve of a smile lingered as she slipped into the hallway. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to calm the wild beating of her heart.
Bai Hu reappeared in a puff of silver light, tails flicking in amusement. "Well done, you almost ruined the entire prank with that little confession."
XiaoQi groaned. "Do not remind me! He misinterpreted everything! How am I supposed to sneak the frog now?"
The fox chuckled. "Creativity."
The morning sunlight spilled into the prince's chambers, casting golden streaks across the polished floor and glinting off the lacquered furniture. XiaoQi crouched behind a large silk screen, heart thumping in anticipation. Bai Hu was perched quietly on the windowsill, tails flicking in amusement, eyes bright with excitement.
The frog was in place, hidden in DongZe's slipper. XiaoQi's lips curved into a small, victorious smile. This was it. The moment of truth.
She heard him stirring, the soft rustle of fabric, the faint scrape of wood as he moved. Her pulse quickened. She could almost hear the smug grin in his mind, assuming he had won last night, that she had fled in embarrassment.
He stepped toward the slipper, fully clothed now in his morning robe, his expression calm, but there was a faint spark of curiosity in his dark eyes. Then—
A sudden, sharp croak erupted from the slipper. DongZe froze, eyebrows shooting up. His foot jerked violently, the frog leaping out onto the polished floor. He yelped, almost toppling over, and scrambled backward in a mixture of shock and indignation.
She stifled a laugh, biting the inside of her cheek as Bai Hu doubled over in quiet mirth. The prince's face had turned a shade darker than the morning sun, his eyes wide and glinting with disbelief.
His dark eyes swept the room, landing on her hiding place. "XiaoQi?" His voice was calm, but there was a spark of something sharp and teasing beneath it. "Did you... place this little creature here?"
XiaoQi rose, stepping from behind the screen with perfect composure, hiding her grin. "I... I did not!" she said lightly, shrugging as though the frog's presence were entirely unrelated. "I simply... happened upon it. Perhaps it had escaped its cage."
DongZe raised a brow, smirk curving on his lips. "Happened upon it? In my chambers? At night?"
Her chest warmed, but she met his gaze evenly. "Yes. I only wanted to make sure... nothing untoward occurred while you slept."
The words lingered in the air, and DongZe's eyes darkened slightly, amusement and something more unreadable flickering in their depths. "Is that so?" he murmured, stepping closer. "So your concern for my... safety... brought you to see me directly. Quite brave of you."
Her face flushed, though she forced her expression into calm innocence. "I... of course," she said smoothly. "I merely wished to ensure everything was in order. Nothing more."
His smirk widened, and he shook his head lightly, still keeping the frog under his foot. "You have a way with excuses. Most would crumble under such... circumstances. Yet here you are, defiant, clever, and oddly... captivating."
Her pulse jumped, but she kept her composure. "Flattery will not save you, Crown Prince. Perhaps you should focus on the frog before it escapes again."
He let out a low chuckle, giving a careful glance at the wriggling creature. "Perhaps you are right. I should not be so easily distracted. But mark my words, your cleverness will not go unchallenged."
XiaoQi's lips curved in a victorious, subtle smile. She had not only pulled off the prank but maintained her dignity, even as DongZe misread her intentions. She knew the game between them had only just begun—and tomorrow would bring new opportunities for mischief, wit, and... something far more complicated.
The hall outside DongZe's chambers was quiet, sunbeams spilling across the polished floors. XiaoQi walked with calm, measured steps, her head held high, though her lips still curved with the thrill of the morning's success. The frog had caused chaos, DongZe had flustered himself spectacularly, and she had maintained the perfect balance of innocence and cleverness.
But not everyone was pleased.
Concubine Lian stood near the hall's alcove, her fan held rigidly in one hand, eyes narrowing as she watched XiaoQi approach. The delicate pink silk of her robes contrasted sharply with the sharpness in her gaze. Her lips pressed into a tight line, and a flicker of green-yellow jealousy danced in her expression.
"Well, well," Lian murmured, her tone deceptively sweet. "It seems the little princess has been... quite active this morning."
XiaoQi arched an eyebrow, glancing at her with mild amusement. "I merely ensured the palace was in order," she said lightly, as if nothing extraordinary had happened.
Lian's grip on her fan tightened. "Is that so? I would have thought a young lady of your... station might have other duties to attend to." Her words were honeyed but sharp, dripping with subtle accusation. "But it seems you have... quite the influence over the Crown Prince."
XiaoQi's lips twitched in a faint, knowing smile. "Influence? I hardly think that is true. The prince merely... appreciated my concern for the palace." She tilted her head just enough to convey amusement, though her eyes were steady. "I am sure he values every attentive subject equally."
A shadow of irritation crossed Lian's face. She snapped her fan open and shut with a soft crack, a barely restrained hiss escaping her lips. "Equal attention?" she said, voice tight. "Do you truly think your little tricks go unnoticed?"
XiaoQi's gaze softened into mock innocence. "Oh? Which trick do you mean?" she asked, voice light, playful. Her eyes sparkled as she let the ambiguity hang in the air. Lian's green-yellow glare faltered, and her lips pressed together.
"You..." Lian breathed out, frustration lacing her tone. "You have the audacity to... to toy with him in public, and yet remain untouchable, unshaken, unscathed."
XiaoQi laughed softly, almost melodic, letting the words hang. "It is hardly audacity if one is careful. And I have never claimed to be untouchable." Her gaze flicked subtly to the door of DongZe's chambers, hinting at what had just transpired. "I simply... enjoy keeping the court lively."
Lian's hand trembled slightly as she closed her fan, lips curling into a thin, forced smile. "Keep the court lively, indeed. Some of us might call it boldness... or perhaps reckless... attention-seeking."
XiaoQi tilted her head, expression calm but eyes sharp. "Attention-seeking is hardly necessary when one's actions speak for themselves. And sometimes, the court enjoys... a bit of amusement."
Lian's jaw tightened. She bowed slightly, though her eyes never left XiaoQi, a simmering storm beneath the surface. "Enjoy your amusement while you can, little princess. Some lessons come at a price."
XiaoQi smiled softly, voice smooth as silk. "I shall remember that. But I am very good at learning... and at avoiding unnecessary cost." She stepped past Lian with perfect poise, every movement deliberate, leaving the concubine simmering in restrained envy.
Once she was out of Lian's sight, XiaoQi exhaled, a small grin tugging at her lips. "Bai Hu," she whispered, her voice low and conspiratorial, "the morning has gone perfectly. Lian is simmering with jealousy, and the prince is none the wiser to my intentions."
From the shadows, Bai Hu appeared, tails flicking with delight.
Later that afternoon, the sun hung high over the palace, painting the marble courtyards in bright gold. XiaoQi's laughter echoed faintly through the corridors as she recounted the morning's escapades to Bai Hu, unaware that every word had been noted from a shadowed alcove.
Concubine Lian sat alone in her private chambers, the silk of her robes shimmering in the low light. Her fan lay unopened across her lap. Eyes narrowed, she stared at her reflection in the polished bronze mirror, but her mind was far from idle contemplation. It churned, dark and relentless.
"Bold," she whispered, her voice low and sharp. "Clever. Untouchable. And utterly insufferable."
Her fingers drummed against the fan, and a faint tremor ran through her hand—not from fear, but from the furious envy that had been building for hours. The way XiaoQi had maneuvered the frog prank, the way she had flustered the Crown Prince, and the audacity of walking past her without hesitation—it was more than Lian could endure.
"You think yourself untouchable, little princess," she murmured, leaning close to her reflection. "But even the cleverest fox can be trapped. Even the boldest girl can be undone."
Her lips formed a thin, bitter smile. "Maybe she underestimated me. She is unaware of my influence and precise schemes. She believes the prince is hers to taunt, and the court is hers to entertain. But, oh, yeah, she will learn.
Lian's eyes were filled with planned malice as she rose from her seat, sliding across the chamber like a shadow. She unlocked a concealed drawer in her elegant desk and discovered a little, intricately carved box. Inside was a small bottle of transparent liquid with a hint of danger locked inside.
"By morning," she murmured, tilting the vial in her fingers, "her luck will run out. The little princess will find that boldness has a price, and the game is far from over. By the time the prince notices, it will be too late."
Her reflection in the mirror smiled back at her, beautiful and merciless, a portrait of jealousy turned lethal. The green-yellow fire in her eyes burned with intent.
"Prepare yourself, XiaoQi," Lian whispered, voice like silk over steel. "Your morning triumph was but the first move in a game you do not yet understand. And I... will play to win."