Chapter 4 — After three years of pretending to be mute and deaf to save my life, I married the talkative Crown Prince

After about an incense stick, I put on my beard and stood looking at myself in the bronze mirror. That beard was both black and thick, extending from the ears down to the neck. I pointed at my face, my hands shaking. The prince tried not to laugh.

"Quite majestic."

I pulled down his beard and hit him straight in the face. The Crown Prince stuck his beard all over his face, his smile immediately disappeared. The general bowed his head and looked at the ground. The shoulders trembled extremely suspiciously. Finally, I disguised myself as a private servant close to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince wore a human skin mask and pretended to be a rich businessman. By the time we infiltrated Ha Hoa Trang, the banquet had already begun. Nine great mandarins have resigned, not one person is missing. Tu Kinh Chi sat in the chair position, with no signs of deterioration on his face after his resignation. He raised his glass of wine.

"If you persevere for many years, your great cause will soon be accomplished."

The remaining eight people raised their cups simultaneously. The Crown Prince sat in the elegant room next to him, crushing a peanut. I grabbed his hand, signaling him not to get excited. Tu Kinh Chi continued to say:

"Thuy Vuong has received the order to mobilize the Northern Camp. Three days later, during the grand ceremony to pay homage to the ancestors, the main force of the Forbidden Army will escort His Majesty out of the city."

"By that time, the capital will be empty, the Crown Prince will also follow the price."

"As long as the Eastern Palace and the Imperial City burn at the same time, we can force His Majesty to abdicate."

My palms were covered in cold sweat. Thuy Vuong is the emperor's younger brother. On normal days, fasting and reciting Buddha's name, even an ant wouldn't be able to trample it to death. Who would have thought... He is the master behind these people. An official asked:

"The To family girl still hasn't found that thing?"

Tu Kinh Chi smiled coldly.

"If it had been found, it would have been handed over to the Crown Prince long ago. The cold palace couldn't kill it, so the only way was to think of another way."

"It is now in the Eastern Palace, how can it act?"

"Soon, the Crown Prince will kill it himself."

Tu Kinh Chi took out an envelope from his sleeve.

"Just put this letter in his room, the Crown Prince will know that the person he married is a traitor."

I turned my face to look at the Crown Prince. His jaw line was tense. Right after that, Tu Kinh Chi took out a wooden box.

"The secrets the Crown Prince told in the past three months are all in here."

"To Ham Chuong thought he could fool everyone by pretending to be deaf and mute, but he didn't know that there were already our people by his side."

My mind feels like it's exploding. What I once wrote... Was stolen by someone else. And the only person who can freely enter and exit my room... is only the close palace maid Xuan Nha. Returning to Dong Cung, Xuan Nha has disappeared. My script was ransacked into chaos. All the documents hidden in the secret compartment are gone. The Crown Prince stood in the middle of the room, not saying a word. This is the first time I hope he can say something. Even if you scold me, it's okay. But he only lowered his eyes to look at the papers lying scattered on the ground. On those papers are the courtiers' secrets, written down with my own hand. Homing pigeon of Tu Kinh Chi. Trieu Vanh's jewelry store. Thuy Vuong silently mobilized the Northern camp. There are also a few words the Crown Prince once said after being drunk.

"Your father is really confused."

"If the Northern Camp Commander refuses to change, then get out."

"If the Eastern Palace has three thousand soldiers and horses, the first thing is to level Tu Kinh Chi's palace."

Just separating each sentence is enough causing the Crown Prince to lose his reputation. If there is another fake secret letter, he will definitely believe that I am a spy planted by Tu Kinh Chi. I picked up pen and paper, wanting to explain to him. The Crown Prince pressed his hand on the paper again.

"Stop writing."

I raised my head. There was no anger in his eyes. Only fatigue remains.

"From the wedding night until now, have you always heard it?"

My throat is tight. His voice, which had not been used for three years, was stuck in his chest, unable to come out no matter what. The Crown Prince waited a moment.

"You're asking her."

I opened my mouth, but there was still not a sound. He laughed softly.

"It turns out... she just didn't want to tell you."

That one sentence made my breathing choke. He turned and walked out of the room. I chased after two steps and then stopped. Xuan Nha betrayed me. The secrets we recorded also fell into enemy hands. Now is not the time to explain. If there really is a mutiny at the ceremony three days later, both the Crown Prince and the Emperor will die. I found the General Manager of Dong Cung and wrote on paper:

"Where did your highness go?"