Chapter 12 — Four Generations of Crown Princes Concubine Died, I Replaced with Marrying the World of Great Sacrifice

His face looked like it was carved from ice, snow and a blade. Deep lines, cold edges. Deep black eyes with no bottom, no temperature inside. Only people who have been immersed in the battlefield for ten years have such eyes. That's not murderous intent. It's something even scarier than murderous intent. It's the ultimate disregard for life. He stood there, the exquisite luxury of the Eastern Palace becoming a fragile backdrop.

“My brother, Tieu Triet, pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.”

He knelt on one knee and bowed. The voice was low, like broken ice.

“Seventh brother, quickly stand up.”

Tieu Giac stepped forward and personally supported him. Two princes, two completely different temperaments, creating a clear contrast. A person as gentle as jade. A person who is cold and hard as iron.

"We haven't seen each other for ten years, Seventh Brother's demeanor is still the same." Tieu Giac said.

"His Royal Highness has a weak body, so he should still take more care." Tieu Triet stood straight, no emotion could be heard in his voice.

That was the scene of two brothers meeting again after a long time. Tieu Triet's eyes finally turned to me on the bed. That look was like a blade unsheathed, instantly piercing through the bed curtain. I felt goosebumps on my skin. He comes. One step at a time. Finally stopped by my bed. He looked down at me from above. I can feel it. He is evaluating. Rate an item. A tool. An… interesting toy that's about to break.

“This is the fifth sister-in-law?”

He asked Tieu Giac, but his eyes were still looking at me.

"Right." Tieu Giac's voice was a bit tense.

“Looking at it, it really doesn't look good.”

Tieu Triet said, suddenly reaching out towards my face. His hands are very large, his knuckles are clear, his palms are full of calluses from holding a knife for many years. That hand carried the cold northern air, getting closer and closer to my cheek. Tieu Giac instinctively wanted to stop. But Tieu Triet's movements were faster. His fingers did not touch my skin. But stopped at a distance of an inch in front of my cheek. I can feel the wind at his fingertips. Then, he made a move that surprised everyone. He used his index finger to gently flick my forehead. The force is not strong. It can even be said very lightly. But that snap was like an electric current, instantly running throughout my whole body. I'm still "comatose". The body is not moving. But my heart sank. He's testing me. Use the most direct way. Also the most humiliating. A person is truly about to die, his body functions are exhausted, and his defense response to the outside world will be extremely slow, or even non-existent. But his flick contained a tiny stream of internal energy. This internal energy flow will cause the body's most sensitive nerve endings to become paralyzed in the blink of an eye. If you pretend to be in a coma, you will definitely react unconsciously. We use strong will to suppress all instinctive reactions of the body. Even his eyelids didn't tremble. I heard a very soft laugh from his throat, with no clear meaning. He withdrew his hand.

"The royal sister-in-law is blessed with great fortune and will surely be able to endure until the day of the great ceremony."

He turned around and said to Tieu Giac.

"My brother just returned to the capital and has to go to the palace to face the saint."

“Please leave first.”

He performed another military ceremony, then turned and walked away. From beginning to end, without adding a single redundant sentence. The cold air he brought also followed his footsteps and gradually dissipated. In the palace, return to silence. Tieu Giac quickly walked to my bed, his face full of fear and anger.

“He… he is too much!”

I slowly opened my eyes and looked at him.

“He is not unreasonable.”

My voice is a bit hoarse.

“He is… warning us.”

“He saw it.”

Tieu Triet saw it. From the moment he flicked my forehead, I knew that my disguise in front of him was like it didn't exist. But he did not expose it. This is even scarier than exposure. That proves that he also wants to participate in this game. Or to be more precise, he wants to turn the chess game that I initiated into a chess game that he owns. He became a new chess player. Tieu Giac and I, from chess players, became chess pieces in his eyes.

“So… what should we do now?”

Tieu Giac's voice carried panic.

“Is the plan… still going?”

"Continue."

I looked at him, my eyes extremely determined.

“The arrow is on the string, it is impossible not to shoot.”

"He wants to be a chess player, so let's see if this player has the ability to overturn the entire chess board."

“What's more, our real enemy hasn't shown up yet.”

“Tieu Triet's appearance, perhaps... will help us force him to reveal his face.”

My calmness reassured Tieu Giac. He nodded and sat back down.

“Okay, I listen to you.”

The next two days, the atmosphere in the capital became extremely strange. Ung Vuong returned to the capital and was given the responsibility of "slaying" by the emperor. This myth became a topic of private discussion among all officials. Some people say that this is a sign that the Emperor is completely disappointed with the Crown Prince and is preparing to change the successor. Some people say that this is because the emperor is afraid of Ung Vuong's high position, using this method to strip him of his military power and keep him in the capital. Rumors of all kinds.