Chapter XXVII - Only You
The silk cloth slipped slightly from Shen Li’s fingers.
Not dramatically.
Just enough to reveal how completely Prince Rui’s words unsettled her.
“Only you.”
The room fell silent afterward.
Warm candlelight flickered softly across the chamber walls while Prince Rui continued drying her hair behind her as though he had not just said something devastating.
Dangerous man.
Extremely dangerous man.
Shen Li stared quietly at her reflection in the bronze mirror.
From this angle, she could see him clearly behind her:
broad shoulders wrapped in dark robes,
scarred hands moving carefully through her hair,
calm expression hiding impossible tenderness.
No one looking at Prince Rui now would believe he terrified entire battlefields.
Yet somehow—
that contrast only made him more dangerous.
Shen Li lowered her gaze slightly. “Your Highness says such things too naturally.”
Prince Rui looked faintly puzzled behind her reflection. “What things?”
The fact he genuinely did not understand nearly destroyed her remaining composure.
Shen Li almost laughed helplessly. “Forget it.”
Prince Rui studied her quietly for several moments.
Then his gaze lowered toward the loose strands of dark hair slipping across her shoulder.
His fingers paused there briefly.
Too brief.
Too intentional.
The atmosphere changed immediately.
Shen Li felt it too.
The room suddenly seemed much warmer than before.
Then Prince Rui spoke softly behind her.
“You become quieter when embarrassed.”
Her heartbeat stumbled instantly.
“You notice too much.”
Prince Rui answered without hesitation:
“Because I keep looking at you.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Shen Li genuinely stopped breathing for one dangerous second.
Even Prince Rui himself seemed to realize afterward how intimate those words sounded.
His hand paused against her hair.
The atmosphere thickened instantly.
Warm. Close. Impossible to escape.
Then suddenly—
a knock shattered the moment.
“Your Highness!”
The guard outside sounded urgent.
Prince Rui closed his eyes briefly once.
Displeased.
Very displeased.
Shen Li nearly looked away to hide the warmth rushing across her face.
Prince Rui set aside the silk cloth slowly before standing. “What happened?”
“The palace sent an imperial summons.”
The atmosphere cooled instantly.
Prince Rui’s expression sharpened. “At this hour?”
“Yes.”
Silence stretched briefly.
Then the guard lowered his voice further:
“The Third Prince collapsed during court banquet investigations.”
—
Half an hour later, Prince Rui stood fully dressed in black court robes once more.
The softness from moments earlier had vanished beneath cold composure.
Yet before leaving the chamber, he paused beside Shen Li unexpectedly.
“Lock the inner courtyard tonight.”
Shen Li looked up slightly. “You believe this concerns us?”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
Prince Rui adjusted the fur collar around her shoulders carefully.
The intimate movement contrasted sharply against the coldness in his eyes.
“Do not leave the estate.”
“…Mm.”
Prince Rui studied her face quietly for one long moment afterward.
As though reluctant to leave.
Then finally:
“Sleep first.
This prince will return before dawn.”
And somehow—
the simple promise felt strangely important.
Shen Li watched him disappear beyond the corridor lanterns while snow drifted softly through the estate.
Only after the footsteps vanished completely did she touch the edge of her sleeve lightly.
Still warm where his fingers brushed earlier.
Dangerous man.
Very dangerous man.
—
The imperial palace that night resembled a frozen battlefield.
Every corridor swarmed with guards while ministers gathered outside the Third Prince’s residence whispering nervously beneath dim lantern light.
Something had gone terribly wrong.
Prince Rui entered the palace halls like winter itself.
Cold. Silent. Terrifying.
The gathered officials immediately moved aside.
None dared block his path.
Inside the chamber, the Emperor stood beside the bed looking exhausted while imperial physicians knelt trembling nearby.
The Third Prince lay unconscious against crimson bedding, skin pale beneath flickering candlelight.
Consort Xu sat nearby weeping softly into silk sleeves.
The moment Prince Rui entered—
her crying paused briefly.
Fear flickered through her eyes instinctively.
Because everyone understood one dangerous truth:
The Third Prince collapsed immediately after interrogation regarding the assassination attempt.
Which meant suspicion would inevitably point toward Prince Rui.
The Emperor looked up heavily. “You came quickly.”
Prince Rui bowed minimally. “This minister heard the Third Prince collapsed.”
One imperial physician finally gathered courage to speak: “Your Majesty… poison traces were discovered.”
The chamber froze.
Poison.
Consort Xu immediately burst into tears harder. “Your Majesty must seek justice!”
Several ministers exchanged uneasy glances instantly.
Because now things became dangerous politically.
Very dangerous.
Consort Xu lifted tearful eyes toward Prince Rui suddenly. “The Third Prince merely cooperated with investigation!” Her voice shook dramatically. “Why would someone poison him afterward?”
Silence spread sharply through the chamber.
Everyone heard the hidden accusation clearly.
Prince Rui’s expression did not change.
Not even slightly.
Which somehow made the atmosphere worse.
The Emperor’s gaze sharpened faintly. “Consort Xu.”
Yet the woman continued trembling softly. “This concubine only fears someone wishes to silence him permanently…”
Another implication.
Another accusation.
The ministers nearby looked increasingly uncomfortable.
Because if Prince Rui became publicly connected to poisoning an imperial prince—
the entire court could descend into chaos.
Then finally—
Prince Rui spoke.
Calmly.
Softly.
Terrifyingly.
“If this prince wished him dead…”
“He would not still be breathing.”
Silence crashed through the room.
Even the physicians stopped moving.
Consort Xu’s face lost color instantly.
Because everyone knew—
he was telling the truth.
Prince Rui never hid violence behind poison.
If he wanted someone dead, they died openly.
The Emperor suddenly sighed heavily. “Enough.”
The chamber quieted immediately.
Then the Emperor looked directly toward Prince Rui. “Brother… what do you think?”
Prince Rui’s gaze settled briefly on the unconscious Third Prince.
Then slowly:
“Someone is provoking conflict deliberately.”
The Emperor narrowed his eyes slightly.
Prince Rui continued:
“The assassin failed.”
“The wedding failed.”
“Now suspicion shifts toward this prince.”
Sharp. Precise. Logical.
The ministers exchanged glances instantly.
Because suddenly—
the situation indeed looked manipulated.
Consort Xu’s expression tightened faintly.
Prince Rui noticed.
Of course he did.
Then suddenly he added:
“The timing is poor.”
“This prince dislikes palace matters interrupting newlywed life.”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The ministers nearly looked spiritually damaged.
Because Prince Rui— in the middle of poison investigations and succession tension—
just complained about wanting to return to his wife.
The Emperor closed his eyes briefly like someone enduring impossible things.
Meanwhile Consort Xu finally understood something terrifying:
Prince Rui’s weakness had become real.
And a man protecting something precious—
was always most dangerous before losing it.