Chapter 12 — Wedding Day Switch: My Husband Traded Me Away

Across this entire realm, I am likely the only one. The hand gripping the blade was so tense that emerald veins bulged violently across the skin, and the murderous intent in his gaze had grown so dense it felt almost tangible. Yet, in the very end, he abruptly pulled the weapon back with a harsh rasp.

Get inside!

He let out a low, suppressed roar before turning sharply and striding into the study. I had won the gamble.

I forced myself up from the cold earth, sending waves of sharp, piercing agony shooting through my bruised knees. Yet my expression remained utterly serene as I picked up the bowl of lotus seed soup, which had long since grown ice-cold, and followed him into the shadowy depths of the room. The study was heavy with the scent of calming incense, mingling seamlessly with the distinct, coppery stench of blood that clung to his garments. It created an atmosphere that was at once bizarrely surreal and strangely grounding. He refused to let any lamps be lit, leaving the last fading rays of the twilight to spill across the window sills, stretching long, distorted shadows lazily across the wooden floorboards.

Speak.

With his back turned entirely toward me, his voice retained its glacial edge. How do you wish to die?

I placed the bowl of lotus seed soup gently upon his mahogany desk, then stepped forward until I stood directly before him, meeting his dark, unfathomable gaze head-on. Before answering Your Highness is question, this concubine has one thing to ask first.

Granted.

Do you believe the rumors swirling outside these walls, My Lord?

My question hung heavily in the air. He stared down at me, withholding his response for a long, agonizing moment. Within the fathomless depths of his eyes, emotions churned in a complex, turbulent vortex akin to a deep abyss. Whether this prince believes them or not, does it truly matter? he countered.

It matters a great deal.

I nodded, my tone resolute and unyielding. If Your Highness believes them, then this concubine has nothing further to say and will gladly offer her neck to the executioner's blade. But if Your Highness knows they are false, yet still intends to take my life merely to silence the gossips, then it will only prove one thing.

You are nothing more than a fool, easily manipulated by anger and idle whispers.

My words were tantamount to pouring seasoned oil over roaring flames. The oppressive aura radiating from his towering frame intensified by severalfold in a fraction of a second, making the very air around us feel thick and frozen solid.

Shen Hua, do you truly believe this prince lacks the courage to execute you?

Thick, palpable murderous intent bled heavily into his tone.

No, this concubine firmly believes Your Highness is capable of it.

I shook my head slowly. The men you have personally slain outnumber all the grains of salt this concubine has ever consumed in a lifetime. Ending my life would be far easier for you than crushing a helpless ant beneath your heel. It is simply that...

I paused, altering the cadence of my voice. Taking my life will achieve nothing. It will only cause those malicious rumors to spread with twice the ferocity. They will whisper that the grand Regent is petty-hearted, driven mad by humiliation and desperate to silence an innocent princess consort. They will mock you for wearing horns upon your brow, a powerless ruler lashing out in futile rage. When that day arrives, what you forfeit will not merely be your pride. It will be the absolute, unquestioned majesty and dread that belongs to the Regent alone.

I methodically analyzed the prospective gains and losses, dragging the brutal, bleeding reality out into the harsh light before him. Bit by bit, the lethal glint in his eyes began to recede, replaced gradually by a heavy, contemplative stillness full of probing scrutiny.

Then explain to me, why did you choose to confess just now?

This remained his greatest point of bewilderment. A faint, knowing smile touched my lips.

My Lord, when dealing with a raging torrent, channeling the water is far more effective than trying to build a dam. The same principle applies to scandalous rumors; the harder one struggles to defend oneself, the more convinced outsiders grow that a guilty conscience is at play. Conversely, when this concubine calmly acknowledged the accusations, it sowed the seeds of doubt in their minds. Furthermore...

I lifted my gaze, meeting his with bright, unwavering eyes. I did not kneel outside those doors to beg for mercy, but rather to deliver a message to Your Highness. This predicament is something I can resolve. And I am the only one who can resolve it properly. What I require from Your Highness is not a sharp blade pointed at my throat, but absolute, unwavering trust coupled with supreme authority.

Silence reclaimed the study once more, stretching out into a profound quietude. He watched me for a long, unbroken duration, offering not a single word. The final embers of the sunset vanished entirely, yielding the sky to the ascending moon. Pale, ethereal moonlight poured through the lattice windows, casting a silvery sheen across my features. After an indeterminate span of time, he finally broke the silence.

What kind of authority do you desire?

I knew then that I had emerged victorious.

You remarked earlier that within these manor walls, life and death rest entirely upon my whim. This concubine wishes to know whether those exact words still hold true once we step beyond these gates.

My soaring ambition lay bare before him, undisguised and bold. Yet, to my surprise, a low chuckle escaped his lips. It was the very first time I witnessed a genuine smile curve his mouth; though faint, it possessed the warmth of melting spring ice.

They still hold true, he declared. Within this capital city, save for the Emperor himself, whoever you wish to see dead will not survive to witness the following dawn.

Having Your Highness's word is more than enough.