The doors of the Crown Prince's study closed with a soft thud.
Inside, the atmosphere was quiet.
Still.
A faint scent of ink lingered in the air.
Lin Yechen walked to his desk and sat down slowly, his expression unreadable.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Hid gaze lowered slightly, lost in thought.
She agreed…
The words echoed in his mind.
A princess of the Yu Empire… agreeing so easily to a political marriage.
His fingers tapped lightly against the table.
Once.
Then stilled.
The silence did not last long.
The doors suddenly opened without much warning.
A cheerful voice broke through the calm.
"Your Highness!"
Wang Lin rushed in, nearly tripping over the threshold before catching himself at the last moment.
"Ah—!"
He straightened quickly, pretending nothing happened.
"I mean, Your Highness, we heard the news!"
Behind him, Hao Lin entered more calmly, his steps measured, his expression carrying a faint, knowing smile.
"It seems the entire court is talking about it," he said smoothly.
"The Yu Empire's Crown Princess… your future bride."
Wang Lin leaned forward slightly,
unable to hide his curiosity.
"Is she beautiful?"
A brief silence
Hao Lin glanced at him, amused.
"You ask that first?"
Wang Lin shrugged.
"Well… it's important!"
For a moment—
Lin Yechen said nothing.
Then, very faintly—
"…Perhaps."
Wang Lin's eyes lit up instantly.
"Oh! So she is beautiful—."
Before he could finish—
Lin Yechen lifted his gaze.
It was not anger.
Not quiet.
But the look in his eyes was enough to freeze the words in Wang Lin's throat.
"…Do you have nothing better to do?"
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Wang Lin immediately stepped back.
"No! I mean—yes! I mean –no, Your Highness!"
Hao Lin let out a quiet chuckle, clearly entertained.
Then, as if remembering something, his tone shifted slightly.
"Though… this is surprising."
Lin Yechen's gaze flickered towards him.
Hao Lin continued,
"Not long ago, the Qiu Empire also proposed a marriage alliance."
A pause followed
"They offered their Princess."
Wang Lin blinked.
"Oh! I remember that—she was said to be very beautiful too!"
Hao Lin smiled faintly.
"And yet… Your Highness rejected it without hesitation."
Silence settled again.
Lin Yechen leaned back slightly, his expression returning to indifference.
"A useless alliance holds no value," he said calmly.
"Beauty is irrelevant."
A pause.
"How can I marry someone so easily…"
His voice lowered.
"Without first understanding whether she is worth keeping."
The room grew quieter.
Even Wang Lin stopped moving.
"And she is from the Yu Empire."
His gaze darkened slightly.
"…If she is merely a pawn—."
A faint pause
"Then she will not last long enough."
Silence
Hao Lin's smile deepened slightly.
"Then it seems, Your Highness…"
"…this marriage will not be simple."
Lin Yechen did not respond.
But the faintest curve touched his lips.
Cold
Unseen
Just then—
The doors opened once more.
A figure entered with calm, composed steps.
Elegant
Refined
Carrying an effortless noble aura
It was Huang Lixian—Duke of the Huang family.
Lin Yechen's closest ally
His gaze swept across the room before settling on Yechen.
A faint smile appeared.
"It seems I arrived at an interesting moment."
To be continued...