Chapter 15 — I Didn't Choose the Crown Prince, The One I Chose Made Everyone Stunned

I sat down opposite him and got straight to the point: "I wonder why Your Highness invited me here?" Trieu Khai smiled, put down the tea cup, his eyes narrowed slightly: "Younger sister is really a cheerful person, so I won't beat around the bush anymore. I've heard about the story in the palace yesterday. With just a small piece of jade, you caused the Queen and the Crown Prince to suffer such pain... it's truly admirable." His mouth spoke compliments, but his eyes flashed sharply, as if he was weighing the value of an item.

“Your Highness is too talkative.” I replied leisurely. "I'm just someone who was plotted and was lucky enough to escape. How dare I accept the word 'trick'."

"OH?" He slightly raised his eyebrows. "So you mean... you don't want revenge? You don't want to make those who plotted against you pay the price?"

Those words were like a hook, bluntly probing straight into the depths of my heart. I raised my eyes to look at him, my voice carrying a bit of helplessness mixed with resentment: "What if I want? I'm just a woman, my status is small, my words are as light as the wind. As for the other person, one is the Queen, the other is the Crown Prince. How can I fight with them?" Acting, I'm too skilled. The smile at the corner of Trieu Khai's lips became deeper. "Of course you can't fight alone. But what if... with me?" He leaned forward slightly, his voice lowered, his eyes filled with calculation.

“The Queen is autocratic, the Crown Prince is incompetent.”

Trieu Khai's voice was low, carrying genuine resentment.

"Their mother and daughter colluded to manipulate the court's affairs, ignoring their eccentricities, and have long caused internal and external grievances to pile up."

"Not only me, there are many courtiers like me - angry on the inside but not daring to speak out on the outside."

“We all want to change a piece of heaven.”

He looked straight at me.

“We need an opportunity, someone to take the lead.”

“And you and Seventh Brother… is that opportunity.”

Everything he said was filled with sincerity, as if he was truly for the country and the people. But inside we only feel disgust.

“Why did His Highness choose us?”

I calmly asked again. "Your Highness Seventh's legs are ruined, he has long left the court. As for me, I am just a daughter of the Qin family, with an ordinary status, I am afraid I cannot shoulder such a big responsibility."

“Younger sister is too humble.” Trieu Khai smiled.

"Even though Seventh Brother is physically disabled, his wisdom and strategy are unmatched among the princes."

"As for her, she has a secret mind and is braver than others. She is definitely not a fish in a small pond."

“If two people join forces, it will be enough to make this capital change heaven and earth.”

He finished speaking, his eyes locked on me, waiting for an answer. I smiled softly in my heart. The words are beautiful. Which is the opportunity, which is the leader. In the end, he just wanted to push me and Trieu Hanh to the front as cannon fodder, so that he and his "allies" could hide behind and enjoy the final benefits. I picked up the tea cup and slowly took a sip.

“Your Highness's proposal is indeed very attractive.”

I put down the cup and looked straight at him.

“It's just… how can I trust you?”

“After all, this is the first time we meet.”

"As for the Crown Prince, after all, he is still your brother."

“What if this is just a trap set by you two brothers…”

“My younger sister is worried too much.”

Trieu Khai interrupted me, his tone was still gentle but his eyes were sharper.

“Even though he and I are brothers, we have long been separated together, we cannot have the same plans."

“To show my sincerity…”

He pulled out a stack of envelopes from his sleeve and slowly pushed it towards me.

"This is the correspondence between the Crown Prince and the general guarding Bac Cuong."

Trieu Khai's voice was low, each word was clear as if it had been carefully considered. “On it are the autographs and seals of the Crown Prince's hand. Just relying on these letters... is enough to make him irresistible for life." I reached out and took it, slowly opening one of them. The familiar handwriting that caught my eye made my heart ache - it was indeed Trieu Dich's handwriting. The content inside is even more chilling: forming factions, scheming to control military power, swindling military provisions, and even hinting at treason. Any one of these is enough to condemn death. I closed the envelope, but there was no joy in my heart, on the contrary, there were layers of doubts. Could Trieu Khai easily hand over something so important to me? What kind of game is he playing?

“How?” He looked at me, his eyes searching but still remaining gentle. “Is this sincerity… enough?”

I nodded calmly, collected the envelope and folded it neatly into my sleeve. “Your Highness's sincerity, I have accepted it.”