Chapter 11 — Wu Yang Flower – Jade Snow Palace

He only knows that, with his own hands, he has turned his whole life into a joke - a deadlocked chess game with no way out, the more he struggles, the more he gets bogged down. That night, Tieu Quyet went to Lam Nguyet Hien. He drank a lot of alcohol, his steps were somewhat unsteady, but his eyes were surprisingly alert. He ordered the guard to open the lock. This was the first time he stepped foot back into the room where Tham Thanh Nguyet was being held. In the room, elegant incense was burned, the thin scent of smoke wafting in the candlelight. Tham Thanh Nguyet sat on a soft sofa next to the window, holding a book in her hand. The flickering firelight illuminated her face, as still as autumn lake water. Outside the capital, there was a stir, the court was in turmoil, people's hearts were shaken; But here, she was at peace as if everything had nothing to do with her. It seemed she had long predicted he would come. Hearing the door open, she didn't even bother to raise her eyes, still leisurely turning the pages of the book, concentrating as if no one existed. Her calmness was a complete contrast to his struggling appearance, making his heart ache even more.

“You did it, right?”

He spoke, his voice hoarse from alcohol. At this time, Tham Thanh Nguyet closed the book. I raised my head to look at him, there was no surprise or pride in his eyes - just a bottomless silence. In my eyes at that time there was only a piece of calm without any ripples. Not angry. Not pleased. Not even the slightest bit of panic.

“What are you talking about, Your Majesty?” I asked softly, my voice so calm that even he had to pause. "I'm just a woman imprisoned in this small hospital, with nothing to do, what can I do?"

“Weak woman?” He laughed, a hoarse laugh full of self-deprecation.

"Can a weak woman make the whole capital shake? Tham Thanh Nguyet, how long do you want to act?"

I also smiled. Closing the book, I stood up and slowly walked towards him step by step. The faint scent of ink on his body mixed with the familiar cold air, quietly lingering around the tip of his nose. I saw a flash of dismay in his eyes.

"Your Majesty has misunderstood," I said, my voice still steady, "this is not an act. This is the truth. I, Tham Thanh Nguyet, from beginning to end, am just a businessman."

I stopped in front of him, looking straight into his eyes that were red with anger.

"It's common sense for merchants to gain profits. You cut off my way to make money, so why don't you still let me get some of my profits back?"

"Income?" He looked at me, his eyes were red. "Do you call causing chaos in the capital and the court to be profit? You are destroying the entire Great Zhou Dynasty! You are creating a treason!"

I curled my lips slightly.

"Your Majesty is exaggerating. I just want to take back what belongs to me. Like... freedom."

“Don't even try!” he blurted it out almost without thinking. "As long as I live one day, don't even dream of leaving the capital, and don't even dream of leaving my side!"

I looked at him, my smile deepened a bit, but there was only faint pity left.

“Tieu Quyet,” I said softly, “don't you understand yet?”

"This chess game, from the moment you locked Lam Nguyet Hien's door and locked me up, you lost."

I looked at him for a long time, my eyes never wavering.

“You think you're the one in charge? No. You and I are both just a chess piece. What really controls this chessboard is people's hearts, interests, and the great world."

“I just went along with it.”

As soon as my words ended, Tieu Quyet stood still. He looked at me for a long time, his eyes seemed to be fixed on this face - a face he had known for ten years, then was unfamiliar to him for another ten years. I clearly see the confusion in his eyes. Perhaps only now did he realize that he had never really understood me until now. He once thought that I was just a strand of mistletoe, that I had to cling to him to live. But unfortunately, I am not mistletoe. I am the one who can turn the whole chessboard around, the one who dares to overturn the situation if pushed to the wall.

“What does she want anyway?” he asked, his voice hoarse, with a hint of pleading in it that he didn't even recognize.

I look at him. Clearly see the pain, struggle and despair in those eyes. I know, the time is ripe.

“I don't want anything too much,” I said slowly. “I just want to make a deal with the Royal Family.”

“What transaction?”

“Very simple.”

I held up two long fingers, the candlelight reflecting on my fingertips was faintly bright.

“First, let me leave. From now on, you and I will go our separate ways and never see each other again."

We pause for a moment, then continue:

“Second, transfer the right to specialize in transporting Jiangnan salt in your name to me.”