At the hour of Si, the sun was already high in the sky, radiating a blazing light. In the side hall of the front courtyard of Prince You's mansion, sunlight streamed through the windows onto the ground, creating patches of mottled light and shadow.

Hua Qingcheng slowly turned around, her gaze settling on Bai Yuheng, who had just walked in. A complex expression flickered in her eyes, a mixture of anger, disappointment, and betrayal, with a hint of hurt that perhaps she herself hadn't even noticed.

"Master Bai," Hua Qingcheng murmured softly, but then she shook her head with a sneer on her lips, "No, how can a person who is full of lies be worthy of the title of 'Master'? Right, Your Highness Gongyang?" Her words were full of sarcasm, as if she wanted to vent all the dissatisfaction in her heart.

Bai Yuheng didn't show the slightest sign of panic in the face of Hua Qingcheng's questioning. He walked steadily to Hua Qingcheng, pausing a meter away. He then stood straight and faced her with a faint smile on his face. "Your Highness, you...are still as straightforward as ever."

Bai Yuheng's tone was calm, as if unaffected by Hua Qingcheng's verbal attack. However, beneath his seemingly calm exterior, were there deeper emotions? No one knew the answer.

At this moment, the side hall was completely silent and hushed. The atmosphere was heavy and tense, as if even the air itself had frozen. A faint sense of oppression permeated the entire space, leaving one feeling inexplicably uneasy and restless.

"My name...my name is Gongyang Yuheng. In six days, I'll be turning twenty-one. I'm the Sixth Prince of the Lengyue Kingdom. I've been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. I could read and write at the age of three, and began practicing martial arts at the age of five. I'm also gifted with the ability to control spirit beasts. As a result, I'm deeply favored by the Empress Dowager, who bestowed upon me the 'Father's Flute' from the Magic Flute."

Bai Yuheng's voice was low and steady as he slowly recounted his life story. His gaze was firm and deep, as if hiding endless stories and secrets.

"Ten years ago, my father advised my mother to send the seemingly harmless Yuheng to infiltrate the Kingdom of Laifeng. He was to secretly investigate the confidential matters of the Laifeng court and, if possible, to create conflicts and overthrow the government. Thanks to heaven's blessing, after years of unremitting efforts, Yuheng finally achieved his wish five years ago and entered the Imperial Academy of Laifeng. As a man, he took on the position of painting instructor..."

Bai Yuheng stood there quietly, his face expressionless as he recounted his past as a spy. His tone was as calm as water, as if he were discussing something as mundane as "The weather is nice today," betraying no emotion at all. However, beneath this calm surface lay a heart already exhausted.

"Gongyang Yuheng, you...you are really good!" Hua Qingcheng gritted her teeth and said word by word.

But Hua Qingcheng's watery eyes were fierce as she approached Bai Yuheng step by step, forcing him into a corner where he could not move. Suddenly, Hua Qingcheng stretched out her right hand and clamped it tightly around Bai Yuheng's neck like an iron clamp, with such force that it was suffocating.

However, Bai Yuheng had no intention of resisting. He stood there quietly, eyes closed, as if ready to accept everything. He knew that this noble and cold woman in front of him held the power of life and death, and controlled his future fate.

Seeing Bai Yuheng's submissive expression, Hua Qingcheng couldn't help but feel a surge of nameless anger. She suddenly loosened her grip, letting Bai Yuheng's body slump against the wall. Then, she turned away, leaving behind a cold and resolute figure.

"Your Highness, you... you're not cruel enough after all." Bai Yuheng said with a wry smile, a hint of helplessness and sadness in his voice. A faint glint flickered in his eyes, as if tears were about to burst. "As the crown prince, the foolish and ignorant pity of those little men in the harem will only harm you and become a stumbling block on your path forward..."

Hearing this, Hua Qingcheng turned her head abruptly, her eyes as sharp as an eagle fixed on Bai Yuheng, her eyes full of doubt and scrutiny.

"What about you?" Hua Qingcheng raised the corner of her mouth slightly, revealing a sneer. "Your Highness Gongyang, although you are a spy, I have never seen you do anything that would harm my Laifeng Kingdom. On the contrary... when the assassin attacked me, you repeatedly helped me. What exactly does this mean?"

Bai Yuheng closed his eyes slightly, then opened them again, blinking away the tears. His gaze was leisurely, as if he saw through the world. He said, "Your Highness, Yuheng... Yuheng's origins were not determined by herself. In Yuheng's heart, wealth and glory are like passing clouds, and serving as a spy is a matter of necessity. Yuheng is not a competent spy, because... Yuheng... has never passed on any intelligence that could lead to war between the two countries..."

"Gongyang Yuheng, I'd like to inform you that the Queen Mother has authorized me to handle the matter of Lengyue Nation redeeming Gongyang Jieying. The Queen Mother wants you to cede ten cities, but your Emperor seems only willing to use five to redeem the princess."

Hua Qingcheng's words were as cold as the wind, piercing her bones. Suddenly, she changed the subject, her tone full of meaning: "But, as for the fate of you and your good sister Gongyang Jiezhen, your great and good mother...didn't say a word!"

Bai Yuheng, who had been as silent as stagnant water, turned pale instantly after hearing Hua Qingcheng's words.

Because, if what the woman in front of him said was true, it meant... he and his sister had been completely abandoned by their queen mother!

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!