Volume One, Chapter 19: A Hidden Dragon in the Abyss? Such Grand Ambitions!
In that instant, the air seemed to be sucked dry.
Time froze.
The wind outside the window, the rustling of bamboo leaves—all faded away.
In Su Qingxue’s world, only that face remained.
A face that should have appeared in the files, marked as “died of illness outside Yun’an City.”
A face seen by countless nobles in the capital as weak, meek, and worthless.
The Eighth Prince of the Great Qian Dynasty—Ye Xuan.
How could he be here?!
Wasn’t he supposed to have become nothing but a skeleton, gnawed beyond recognition by wild dogs?
How could he be the “divine healer like a celestial being” spoken of by Liu Chengye?!
Boom!
Su Qingxue felt as if a thunderclap had exploded in her mind, chilling her to the bone, her limbs stiffening.
Her red lips parted unconsciously, and in her clear, icy eyes that usually saw through the world, only pure shock, horror, and a deep, soul-stirring fear unknown even to herself remained.
“It’s… you?!”
A whisper like a dream escaped her throat, so light it seemed it might shatter in the wind.
Meanwhile,
At the very moment Su Qingxue clearly saw his face, Ye Xuan’s pupils contracted imperceptibly.
Though only for a fleeting moment, too swift for even Liu Chengye to catch,
A tempest of emotions surged within him.
Su Qingxue!
The cherished jewel of Chancellor Su Changqing, the capital’s foremost talented woman!
The woman the Crown Prince Ye Hao had long dreamt of but could never claim!
Her existence had long sown discord between the Crown Prince and the Chancellor.
How could she be here?
Was it coincidence?
Or had his whereabouts already been exposed?
Had the Crown Prince’s men traced him here so quickly?
Countless thoughts flashed through Ye Xuan’s mind like lightning, yet his expression remained calm and indifferent.
Only in his deep, inscrutable eyes was there a trace of unfathomable depth and coldness.
He neither admitted nor denied, merely watching her quietly as if enjoying an intriguing play.
“Hm?”
The subtle silence finally roused the dull-witted Liu Chengye’s suspicion.
He glanced at Su Qingxue, pale and distraught, then at Ye Xuan, calm and inscrutable.
“Qingxue, niece, Mr. Ye, do you… know each other?”
Liu Chengye asked cautiously, full of doubt.
Something was wrong with this atmosphere!
Snapped back to reality, Su Qingxue’s long lashes fluttered as she forced all emotions down in an instant.
She was truly Su Qingxue.
In a single breath, she forcibly regained composure, though her pale face and slightly clenched fingertips betrayed her inner unrest.
She turned to Liu Chengye, forcing a smile more pitiful than tears, her voice cool and detached.
“No, we don’t know each other.”
“It’s just… this gentleman’s demeanor reminded me of an old acquaintance. I was momentarily distracted; I hope Uncle Liu will forgive me.”
The explanation was flawless.
Upon hearing this, a faint smile curved Ye Xuan’s lips, perfectly fitting the moment.
He looked at Liu Chengye, his voice gentle and clear:
“Miss Su jokes. I have long dwelled in the mountains and fields, and this is my first meeting with the lady.”
Their words were harmonized, as if rehearsed countless times.
Liu Chengye, a shrewd man seasoned by decades in the business world, was an expert at reading people.
He immediately saw through their lie!
A colossal lie!
They definitely knew each other!
And their relationship was far from simple!
A chilling realization crept up Liu Chengye’s spine, causing cold sweat to break out again.
But he dared not ask.
Nor did he dare expose them.
Neither this almost divine Mr. Ye, nor the Chancellor’s influential daughter were people he could afford to offend.
“Ah, haha, I see, I see!” Liu Chengye hastily laughed, awkwardly trying to lighten the mood. “Come, let me introduce you.”
“Qingxue, this is the divine healer Ye I told you about who saved Yuexue’s life!”
“Mr. Ye, this is my niece, the Chancellor’s daughter Su Qingxue. We have heard of your great kindness and came to express our gratitude.”
Ye Xuan looked at Su Qingxue calmly, then slowly introduced himself with a prepared alias.
“I am no divine healer. I am Ye Qianyuan.”
Qianyuan.
The moment these two characters reached Su Qingxue’s ears, her eyes, which had just regained their icy clarity, narrowed sharply, flashing with a keen edge.
A hidden dragon lurking in the depths!
What a name—Ye Qianyuan!
What an Eighth Prince!
Was he telling her that he was biding his time here, destined to soar one day and stir the winds and clouds?
Liu Chengye, oblivious to the undercurrent between them, felt the atmosphere had become unbearably awkward, making him restless.
He quickly found an excuse.
“Ah, my memory! I promised to prepare the finest tea and snacks for Mr. Ye. I’ll go hurry the servants! You young people, please continue your conversation!”
With that, he fled the room as if granted amnesty, gently closing the door behind him.
Creak.
The door closed.
Cutting off the outside world.
And cutting off all pretenses.
Silence fell like death inside the room.
Su Qingxue remained still, standing quietly, her gaze sharp as a blade, scrutinizing the man before her inch by inch.
After a long while,
She slowly walked to a nearby chair, gracefully sat down, her movements elegant yet carrying an invisible pressure.
“Qianyuan?”
Her red lips parted, her voice as cold as ice pearls falling on jade plates.
“Rising dragon from the depths?”
“The Eighth Prince, such grand ambition.”
She tore away the veil of pretense, laying bare Ye Xuan’s identity on the table.
Ye Xuan smiled.
He showed no panic at being exposed; instead, he rose from the mat, strolled to the window, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the lake and bamboo shadows outside.
“Miss Su’s purpose here piques my curiosity even more.”
He turned, eyes deep and playful.
“A coincidence?”
“Or… a deliberate act?”
Su Qingxue met his gaze without yielding.
“Naturally, it is a pleasant surprise.”
She said coolly.
“I simply did not expect that the Crown Prince’s web of traps would not even catch a single ‘escaped fish.’”
“I am more curious about what happened to those who tried to kill you that night?”
Her voice was soft yet carried a bone-chilling coldness.
“The rumored weak and timid Eighth Prince not only escaped a deadly predicament but transformed into a divine healer who reversed ‘Cold Marrow Syndrome.’”
A mocking smile curled Su Qingxue’s lips.
“It seems we all underestimated you.”
“Or perhaps…”
She paused, each word striking the silent air like a hammer.
“Who exactly are you?”