Chapter 13 — The Crown Prince just got married, King Tinh is already waiting outside my room

“Tell you,” his voice was low, carrying the power to penetrate straight into people's hearts, “that day at the lotus reward banquet, when you stood up for you, did you ever have a trace of pleasure in your heart?”

My lips moved slightly, there was no way to deny it. Looking at To Nguyet Nhu in a difficult position, looking at the Crown Prince's troubled expression, a little secret pleasure was born in my heart.

"The crown prince is entangled with you. If you chase him away, do you feel liberated?"

"Princess Vinh An insulted you. You forced her to kneel down and apologize. Do you feel... protected?"

Our heart beats faster and faster. Even though that method frightened me, it cannot be denied that in that moment, I was surrounded by an unprecedented sense of safety.

“Answer me.”

He forced the question, not giving me any way to escape. Under his gaze, all my disguises and struggles have no place to hide. I closed my eyes slightly, almost sighed, then let out two words. Tieu Dien's eyes suddenly burst into a bright light, like fireworks exploding in the dark night, so bright that it made people feel scared. He took another step forward, the distance between us was so close that we could feel each other's breath.

“If that's the case,” he lowered his head, his warm breath gently blowing across the tip of my nose, his voice hoarse, carrying captivating magic, “why couldn't it be you?”

Why can't it be him? That sentence was like a thunderclap, exploding in my head, destroying all the coldness that tried to appear calm, along with the resistance born from fear, crushing it until there was no trace left. Right, why couldn't it be him? He clearly remembers all my preferences, knows the deepest secrets that I keep hidden, when I am struggling the most, he appears powerfully, shields me from the rain and wind, and sweeps away all obstacles. He may have strong tactics and an unpredictable personality, but his eyes, from beginning to end, were only on me. The observation that lasted for ten years was so heavy that it made people suffocate, but also...so real that it was impossible to ignore. I looked at his handsome face close at hand, looked at his eyes that contained deep affection and unconcealed desire, so intense that it seemed to burn me, the string in my heart that had been tight for so long seemed to quietly break at that moment. The words of refusal, in the end, cannot be uttered. My silence seemed to be taken by him as a tacit approval. The smile in his eyes deepened, bringing with it the satisfaction of a satisfied person. He didn't continue to press closer, just reached out and gently grabbed the hand that was hanging next to her, trembling very slightly. His hand was large and warm, covering my hand completely, carrying a strength that made me feel secure.

“Three days later,” he said in a low voice, his fingertips gently caressing the back of my hand, bringing a numb feeling, “waiting for you.”

After speaking, he looked deeply at me, as if he wanted to engrave my current appearance into the bottom of his heart, then let go, turned around, and strode away. Until his back disappeared at the flower hall door, I still stood there, the back of my hand still seemed to retain the temperature and feeling from his fingertips. His face was hot, his heart was beating like a drum, his whole body felt like he was dying Stepping on the clouds, floating and floating, unable to find support. Three days later… the engagement ceremony… All of this is really about to come true. For the next three days, I lived in a confused state of panic. Tran Bac Marquis Palace fell into unprecedented busyness and tension. Although his father still frowned worriedly, looking at the stream of rewards continuously coming from the palace, and the fact that Tinh Vuong Palace had already sent someone to discuss the process, in the end he could only sigh, tacitly accepting this sudden marriage. Mother was half happy and half worried, while commanding the servants to clean the courtyard, preparing to welcome me, while holding my hand, she recited the rules of Tinh Vuong Palace and the ethics of being a daughter-in-law and wife. I heard it, but I couldn't remember a single word. The only things in my mind are Tieu Dien's deep eyes and his words.

“Why can't it be you?”

On the third day, it was just dawn, Bich Ngoc pulled me up from the bed to put on makeup and get ready.

"Miss, you must be radiant today. I heard that the ceremony-carrying team of Tinh Vuong Palace can line up from the end of the street to the front door of my palace several times in a row!" Bich Ngoc just tied my hair and said excitedly.

I sat in front of the dressing table, looking at the person in the mirror with a slightly pink face, sparkling eyes moving, and a strange feeling arose in my heart. It's like there's a little rabbit hidden in my heart, pounding non-stop, both tense, panicked, and also a little bit... I don't even want to think about it deeply, I have vague expectations.