The Great Yan Imperial Capital was quiet that morning.
Too quiet.
The kind of silence that came before storms.
Golden sunlight spilt across the palace walls, but inside the Third Prince's residence, the air felt colder than winter.
Servants moved without making a sound.
No one dared breathe too loudly.
Because today—
A carriage had arrived from the Northern Border.
No royal seal.
No formal report.
Just a plain black carriage covered in snow and bloodstains.
And inside—
a gift.
In the inner courtyard, Third Prince Chen Lie stood beneath the stone pavilion, calmly drinking tea.
His expression was as elegant and composed as ever.
As if the world itself could not disturb him.
Before him knelt Shadow Sparrow, still wearing her silver mask.
Her voice was low.
"The carriage arrived at dawn."
Chen Lie took another sip.
"From my Fifth Brother?"
"Yes."
A faint smile touched his lips.
Interesting.
So the exile had learned manners.
Good.
He set down the teacup.
"Bring it here."
Moments later, four guards dragged a heavy wooden chest into the courtyard.
The smell arrived first.
Blood.
Rot.
Death.
Even the guards looked pale.
The wooden box was stained dark red around the edges.
Fresh enough.
Chen Lie stared at it for several breaths.
Then smiled.
"How dramatic."
He stepped forward himself.
No fear.
No hesitation.
He opened the lid.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Inside the chest—
A severed head stared back at him.
Eyes still open.
Wolf mask beside it.
Frozen in death.
Luo Shan.
Captain of the Blood Wolf Battalion.
His most trusted execution blade.
Dead.
For the first time in a very long time—
Chen Lie stopped smiling.
The courtyard became suffocatingly still.
Even the birds seemed to vanish.
Shadow Sparrow lowered her head further.
She knew this silence.
It was dangerous.
Far more dangerous than anger.
Chen Lie stared at Luo Shan's face.
Then, slowly, he reached inside the chest and lifted something else.
A bloodstained piece of paper.
Only one sentence was written.
Clear.
Sharp.
Simple.
Third Brother, thank you for sending men to warm up my sword.
— Chen Sheng
Crack.
The paper tore in his hand.
The teacup on the stone table shattered without anyone touching it.
Spiritual pressure flooded the courtyard like a storm.
The servants outside immediately dropped to their knees, faces pale with terror.
Even Shadow Sparrow felt cold sweat run down her back.
Chen Lie finally laughed.
But this time—
There was no warmth in it.
Only killing intent.
"Good."
His voice was soft.
Too soft.
"Very good."
He turned and looked north.
His eyes had become terrifyingly calm.
"My little brother finally learned how to bite."
He looked back at Luo Shan's severed head.
Then smiled again.
Cold.
Beautiful.
Deadly.
"Then I suppose I should stop treating him like a child."
Shadow Sparrow remained kneeling.
"Your Highness… shall I mobilise the Black Iron Army?"
Chen Lie shook his head.
"No."
Too simple.
Too boring.
Chen Sheng had sent him a message.
That meant this was no longer just extermination.
This had become personal.
He wanted something better.
Something crueller.
He walked slowly through the courtyard, hands behind his back.
"The Northern Border is poor."
He spoke like a man discussing the weather.
"Hungry people are easy to buy."
Shadow Sparrow understood immediately.
"You wish to cut off his support."
Chen Lie nodded.
"Burn the trade routes."
"Poison the grain supplies."
"Spread rumours that the Fifth Prince is raising demons and monsters."
His smile deepened.
"Let the villagers fear him."
Yes.
That was better.
War was not only won by swords.
It was won by starving the enemy before the battle even began.
And Chen Lie was very good at starving people.
Then he stopped walking.
"There is another matter."
Shadow Sparrow waited.
"The Seventh Princess."
Ah.
Chen Yao.
The only royal sibling who never fully stood on anyone's side.
Too intelligent.
Too dangerous.
"She sent gifts north three days ago," Shadow Sparrow reported.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Chen Lie's smile thinned.
"So even she is curious."
He looked toward the plum blossom courtyard where Chen Yao lived.
Then gave a quiet order.
"Watch her."
"Yes, Your Highness."
Far away, in that very courtyard, the Seventh Princess stood beneath the falling white blossoms, feeding koi fish in the frozen pond.
Her maid hurried forward nervously.
"Your Highness."
Chen Yao did not turn.
"The chest arrived?"
The maid swallowed.
"Yes."
She lowered her voice.
"The Third Prince received the Blood Wolf Captain's head."
A small ripple passed through the pond.
Then—
The Seventh Princess smiled.
Softly.
"Fifth Brother has become interesting."
Her maid hesitated.
"Should we stop sending gifts?"
Chen Yao looked toward the north.
Snow-covered mountains.
The border.
A forgotten prince raising his own banner.
She shook her head.
"No."
Her voice was calm.
"Send more."
The maid blinked.
"More?"
Chen Yao nodded once.
"Medicine. Grain. Winter supplies."
Then after a pause—
"And a letter."
Her maid lowered her head.
"What should it say?"
Chen Yao's smile became faint.
Mysterious.
Dangerous in its own way.
She spoke softly.
If you truly intend to shake the throne…
Then do not die too early, Fifth Brother.
At that same moment, far in the northern border, I stood atop the outpost wall, watching the snow fall over my growing territory.
The wind was sharp.
The crimson banner behind me snapped proudly in the storm.
Somewhere in the capital, Chen Lie had opened his gift.
Good.
Let him rage.
Let him fear.
Because this was only the beginning.
I closed my eyes and smiled.
"Third Brother…"
My voice disappeared into the northern wind.
"The next gift will be your throne."