Chapter LVII - Impossible to Control
The banquet suddenly felt far too warm.
Prince Rui’s voice lingered low beside her ear while his fingers remained tightly intertwined with hers beneath the table.
“This prince may truly become impossible to control.”
Shen Li’s heartbeat softened painfully.
Because she knew he meant it.
Tonight changed something.
Not privately. Not emotionally alone.
Publicly.
The entire imperial court had witnessed:
Prince Rui’s devotion,
Shen Li’s understanding of him,
and the terrifying depth of attachment between them.
There was no hiding it anymore.
Dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Shen Li lowered her gaze slightly. “Your Highness already frightens the court enough.”
Prince Rui looked entirely unconcerned. “They survived.”
The shameless calm nearly made her laugh softly despite the tension still lingering through the hall.
Then Prince Rui’s thumb brushed once slowly against her hand beneath the table.
Warm. Possessive. Distractingly intimate.
His voice lowered again:
“This prince truly wants to leave now.”
The honesty inside the confession touched her chest unexpectedly hard.
Because Prince Rui— who once belonged entirely to battlefields and politics—
now openly preferred returning home beside her instead.
Dangerous man.
Very dangerous man.
Before Shen Li could answer, another voice interrupted from across the hall.
“Royal Uncle.”
The atmosphere cooled instantly.
The Third Prince approached slowly beneath golden lantern light, still pale from lingering poison recovery but smiling carefully enough to sharpen every instinct in the room.
Prince Rui’s warmth vanished immediately.
Cold prince returned.
Shen Li noticed how quickly it happened now:
softness only for her,
ice for everyone else.
The contrast felt almost frightening lately.
The Third Prince bowed lightly. “Princess Rui’s performance moved the banquet greatly.”
Shen Li answered calmly: “The Third Prince praises too highly.”
The prince’s gaze drifted briefly toward Prince Rui afterward. “Royal Uncle appears unusually pleased tonight.”
Prince Rui remained expressionless. “This prince’s wife performed beautifully.”
Direct. Without hesitation. Again.
The Third Prince’s smile stiffened faintly.
Because every conversation with Prince Rui now somehow returned toward Shen Li naturally.
Then the Third Prince lowered his voice slightly. “Royal Uncle should still be careful.”
Silence.
The hidden meaning beneath the words sharpened immediately.
Political danger. Public attachment. Weakness.
Prince Rui’s gaze turned colder. “Careful of what?”
The Third Prince smiled faintly.
“The more precious something becomes…”
“The easier others target it.”
The banquet hall quieted dangerously around them.
Several ministers instantly pretended deep interest in wine cups.
Because now the conversation bordered openly threatening.
Shen Li felt Prince Rui’s fingers tighten around hers beneath the table.
Not frightened.
Angry.
Very angry.
Then Prince Rui smiled slightly.
A terrible smile.
The kind terrifying enough to silence battlefields.
“Then perhaps others should pray this prince never loses what is precious.”
Silence crashed violently through the hall.
Even the Third Prince’s expression changed slightly.
Because everyone heard the warning clearly.
If Shen Li were harmed—
Prince Rui would not stop.
Not for politics. Not for the throne. Not for the empire itself.
The realization chilled the banquet more than winter outside.
Then suddenly Shen Li placed her free hand lightly over Prince Rui’s wrist beneath the table.
Tiny touch.
Instant effect.
The murderous coldness around him eased slightly again.
Only slightly.
Yet enough for the Third Prince to notice.
And suddenly—
the Third Prince understood something dangerous too.
Shen Li was no longer merely Prince Rui’s weakness.
She was the only person capable of controlling him.
That made her infinitely more dangerous politically than anyone realized.
—
The banquet ended shortly afterward.
Probably because the Emperor sensed another half hour would result in someone dying publicly.
Wise decision.
As nobles departed through snowy palace corridors, whispers followed Prince Rui and Shen Li everywhere.
“They truly love each other.”
“Prince Rui nearly threatened the Third Prince openly.”
“No—he did threaten him.”
“Princess Rui calmed him again.”
“Did you see the way His Highness looked at her during the guqin performance?”
The capital would lose its mind by morning.
Meanwhile, Prince Rui clearly no longer cared.
The moment they entered the carriage alone—
he pulled Shen Li directly into his arms again.
No hesitation.
As though finally reaching privacy exhausted his remaining restraint entirely.
Shen Li gasped softly. “Your Highness.”
Prince Rui buried his face briefly near her neck afterward.
Warm breath. Tight embrace. Dangerously possessive.
Then quietly— almost exhaustedly—
he admitted:
“This prince disliked every person in that banquet hall tonight.”
Shen Li nearly laughed softly. “Even the Emperor?”
“…Slightly less.”
The answer made her shoulders shake faintly with suppressed laughter.
Prince Rui immediately lifted his head enough to look at her properly afterward.
And stilled.
Because Shen Li laughing softly inside his arms beneath dim carriage lanterns looked too beautiful.
Dangerously beautiful.
Prince Rui’s gaze darkened slowly.
Then softly:
“You should not smile like this after making this prince jealous all evening.”
Shen Li blinked softly. “…Jealous?”
Prince Rui looked entirely serious.
“Half the banquet watched you too long.”
Silence.
Then Shen Li genuinely laughed.
Actually laughed.
Prince Rui watched her silently afterward.
Then his expression softened completely.
Because this— this warmth, this laughter, this life beside her—
felt worth every battlefield he survived.
Then suddenly— very quietly—
Prince Rui confessed:
“This prince thinks he already crossed the point of reason regarding you.”