Chapter LVI - Protecting Him
The banquet hall remained silent long after Shen Li’s words.
“This daughter also wants to protect Your Highness properly sometimes.”
Prince Rui stared at her motionlessly.
And for one dangerous second—
the entire palace disappeared around him.
Because no one had ever tried protecting him before.
Not genuinely.
People feared him. Used him. Relied on him.
But Shen Li—
Shen Li looked at him like someone precious enough to shield too.
The realization struck somewhere painfully deep inside his chest.
Dangerous woman.
Very dangerous woman.
Then slowly— very slowly—
Prince Rui released her hand.
Not because he wanted to.
Because he understood what she was trying to do.
Beside them, the entire hall waited breathlessly.
Consort Xu’s eyes sharpened faintly.
The Empress Dowager watched silently from above.
Everyone understood: this performance no longer concerned music.
It was political.
Shen Li stepped gracefully toward the central platform beneath endless lantern light.
Elegant. Calm. Untouchable.
And suddenly— the capital’s former “abandoned fiancée” looked terrifyingly worthy of standing beside Prince Rui.
The realization unsettled many people instantly.
A guqin was brought forward carefully.
Shen Li sat before it without visible hesitation while the banquet hall remained silent enough to hear snowfall beyond palace windows.
Prince Rui’s gaze never left her.
Not once.
The Emperor noticed immediately.
Then quietly muttered into his wine cup:
“Hopeless.”
Completely hopeless.
—
The first note echoed softly through the hall.
And instantly— everyone understood something.
Shen Li was not performing to entertain.
She was speaking.
The melody flowed calm and cold at first: winter wind, falling snow, loneliness stretching endlessly across empty battlefields.
The hall quieted further.
Because somehow— the music felt painfully familiar to Prince Rui’s life.
Years of war. Years of isolation. Years returning from battle to silence.
Prince Rui stilled completely.
Then slowly— the melody changed.
Warmer now.
Like lantern light appearing through endless winter snow.
Like someone waiting beside an open doorway.
Like home.
The Emperor lowered his wine cup quietly.
Even the older ministers stopped pretending indifference.
Because everyone understood now.
Shen Li was playing for Prince Rui.
Not for the banquet. Not for court approval.
For him.
The realization transformed the atmosphere completely.
Then the final melody arrived.
Soft. Steady. Unshakable.
No matter how cold winter became— someone still waited.
Someone still believed he would return alive.
Prince Rui’s chest tightened painfully.
Because Shen Li had somehow turned his entire life into music before the whole imperial court.
And worse—
everyone heard it too.
The final note faded softly into silence.
Absolute silence.
No one moved.
No one spoke.
Then unexpectedly—
Prince Rui stood.
The movement shocked the hall instantly.
Because Prince Rui never reacted emotionally in public.
Ever.
Yet now— he walked directly toward Shen Li beneath stunned silence.
Step by step.
Until he stopped before her.
The hall held its breath.
Then Prince Rui reached down slowly.
And helped Shen Li rise personally from the guqin platform.
Warm hand. Steady grip. Impossible tenderness.
His gaze remained entirely fixed on her.
Then quietly— soft enough only she heard—
he admitted:
“This prince suddenly understands why empires collapse for certain women.”
Shen Li’s heartbeat nearly stopped completely.
Dangerous man.
Impossible man.
Meanwhile the banquet hall collectively looked emotionally unstable.
Because Prince Rui— the terrifying war prince— was openly looking at his wife like this before the entire imperial court.
No hiding anymore.
No restraint anymore.
Consort Xu’s expression finally cracked slightly.
Because this had become far worse than expected.
Princess Rui was no longer merely Prince Rui’s weakness.
She had become his emotional center completely.
And somehow—
Prince Rui became even more dangerous because of it.
—
The banquet resumed awkwardly afterward.
No one truly recovered from the performance.
Because now every noble in the hall understood something terrifying:
Princess Rui was not delicate decoration beside Prince Rui.
She understood him.
Which meant controlling Prince Rui politically had become infinitely harder now.
Meanwhile Shen Li returned beside Prince Rui quietly.
And immediately noticed something dangerous.
Prince Rui remained unusually silent.
Too silent.
His fingers still held hers beneath the table.
Warm. Tight. Almost trembling faintly.
Shen Li blinked softly. “Your Highness?”
Prince Rui looked toward her slowly.
His dark eyes had changed completely.
Less restrained now. More exposed somehow.
Then quietly— with devastating honesty—
he admitted:
“This prince suddenly wants to take you home immediately.”
The atmosphere exploded instantly around her heartbeat.
Shen Li lowered her gaze quickly. “…Your Highness.”
Prince Rui leaned slightly closer beside her.
Enough that only she heard his next words.
His voice sounded rough now.
Dangerously rough.
“Shen Li.”
“If you continue protecting this prince publicly like this…”
“This prince may truly become impossible to control.”