Han Jian awoke to the sun slanting through the thin curtains, the palace already alive with noise. Today felt… different. More possibilities. More chaos. More chances to annoy the crown prince. He stretched, flexing his fingers as Soul Flame Art pulsed faintly beneath his skin.
"Time to have some fun," he whispered.
The palace corridors were a perfect playground. Guards rushed past, nobles argued about trivialities, and Li Shuran glided along in her carefully calculated elegance, her eyes already scanning for potential threats—or opportunities. Han Jian smirked. Perfect.
By mid-morning, he had spotted Zhen Luo practicing alone in the inner courtyard again. The crown prince's expression was the same: a mix of irritation, authority, and, if Han Jian's keen eyes didn't deceive him, curiosity.
"Good morning, Your Highness," Han Jian called, stepping into view, hands tucked behind his back as if he were completely innocent.
Zhen Luo's sharp gaze cut across him. "What are you planning today?"
"Plans?" Han Jian feigned surprise. "I merely came to enjoy the scenery." He tilted his head, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Though it is amusing to watch a powerful man fume."
Zhen Luo's lips twitched. "Do you ever take anything seriously?"
"I take revenge very seriously," Han Jian replied smoothly, letting a small spark of Soul Flame curl around his wrist. "Everything else… is just entertainment."
From a nearby balcony, Bai Zehan leaned lazily against the railing, smirking. Luo Xian beside him shook his head, clearly worried. "That boy is going to get himself—and the crown prince—into trouble."
"Or make things interesting," Bai Zehan said. "Either way, I'm watching."
Han Jian wasted no time. He flicked a small burst of flame at a stack of scrolls near the crown prince, making them drift harmlessly into the air in a dramatic swirl. The cadets practicing nearby gasped, and Zhen Luo's eyes widened.
"You—what did you do?" Zhen Luo barked, trying to maintain authority while secretly impressed.
"Just… rearranging the scenery," Han Jian said with a mischievous bow. "Do you like it?"
The crown prince pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering about how nobody in the palace behaved with a shred of sanity anymore. And yet, his lips betrayed him with the tiniest twitch of amusement.
Li Shuran, watching from a distance, decided it was time to act. "That boy is a threat to the crown prince's reputation," she muttered to herself. "If I don't intervene, he will ruin everything."
Meanwhile, Bai Zehan and Luo Xian slipped into the courtyard, pretending to inspect the grounds but clearly drawn by the unfolding chaos. "Careful," Luo Xian warned, whispering to Bai Zehan. "The crown prince doesn't like unexpected… pranks."
"Relax," Bai Zehan replied with a grin. "This is the perfect opportunity for entertainment. Watch closely."
Han Jian noticed the pair watching from the sidelines and gave them a cheeky wave. Bai Zehan winked back. Luo Xian sighed, but a faint smile tugged at his lips. The palace had become a stage, and everyone was part of the show.
By late afternoon, the chaos escalated. Han Jian had rearranged ceremonial banners, subtly redirected a servant carrying tea, and created a small harmless illusion that made Zhen Luo flinch three times in ten minutes. The crown prince's composure began to crack, his dark eyes flashing with equal parts irritation and curiosity.
"You really enjoy making life difficult, don't you?" Zhen Luo asked, voice low but tense.
Han Jian leaned closer, a teasing grin on his face. "Only for certain people, Your Highness."
Zhen Luo froze slightly at the implication, but masked it quickly with a wave of his hand. "And here I thought this palace could be dull."
As evening fell, the palace had a new buzz of gossip: the mischievous nobody boy had disrupted multiple courtyards, annoyed the crown prince, and somehow escaped punishment. Li Shuran's plotting intensified. The King and Queen fumed over reports of "unacceptable behavior," while Han Jian's sister, Ling Yuhan, watched Zhen Luo with a mixture of awe and frustration.
Somewhere in the shadows, Feng Huai muttered quietly, exasperated. "How has one boy caused so much chaos in less than two days?"
Han Jian, hiding behind a marble column and watching the crown prince pace in irritation, whispered to himself, "This is only the beginning. Tomorrow, we make palace life… even more interesting."
And across the courtyard, Bai Zehan leaned toward Luo Xian with a mischievous grin. "Oh, this is going to be fun. I can feel it."