The Eighth Prince did not speak at once. Instead, he lifted a hand and pushed the teacup on the desk aside, his long, slender fingers tapping lightly against the wooden surface. The sound was rhythmic, yet to my ears it pounded like a drum of execution, setting my heart thudding painfully.

  At last, he spoke. His tone was unhurried, steady—yet carried a weight that brooked no resistance.

  “Blood Lotus Cult.”

  My heart tightened instantly. I glanced at my elder brother out of reflex. Nangong Bo’s brows were drawn together into a hard knot, his face darkening.

  The Prince’s gaze swept across the two of us, cold as a winter night.

  “This cult has grown increasingly turbulent. The court has sent men to investigate several times, but none returned whole. They are hiding a certain secret item. If we cannot retrieve it soon, the consequences will be dire.”

  As he reached this point, his eyes fell directly upon me.

  In that instant, I felt pinned in place, unable to move.

  “I hear you have grown rather close to the Blood Lotus Cult. Some say you have even infiltrated them.”

  The Prince’s tone was placid, as though stating a simple fact.

  “This matter cannot be handled by anyone else but you.”

  My mind buzzed loudly, almost exploding on the spot.

  Me?!

  My lips parted, ready to deny it, but the moment I recalled Lian’s icy look back at the gambling house—how these past days I truly had been “familiar” with their people—every word died on my tongue.

  The Prince did not intend to give me the chance anyway.

  “You will do this,” he said lightly. “As for Nangong Bo, he may act as your external support, providing cover.”

  “Your Highness—!” My brother spoke up abruptly, his voice filled with urgency. “This cult is unimaginably dangerous, and Gong… my younger brother, he—”

  The Eighth Prince cast him a single glance, his eyes sharp as a blade’s edge.

  “Nangong Bo, I told you already. I will not pursue the Nangong family’s past crimes. That is my greatest mercy. If you still intend to shield him…”

  His fingers tapped the desk once more—and abruptly paused. His voice turned colder than frost:

  “Even if he is merely the Nangong family’s adopted son, as long as he bears the name ‘Nangong,’ I can order his execution all the same.”

  My heart contracted violently, as though someone had squeezed it hard with a merciless fist.

  He… he knew I was adopted?

  Even within the household, this was not spoken aloud; even servants whispered it only behind closed doors. Yet he stated it casually. If he knew this much—then what about the military tally?

  Did he know about that too?

  Cold sweat seeped down my spine. My heartbeat pounded so loudly I thought it might burst through my ribs.

  Yes—he did not care whether I was born legitimate or brought in from the streets. My worth meant nothing to him. So long as I bore the name Nangong, my life and death rested on his single command.

  I suddenly felt like the teacup he had pushed aside—fragile, helpless, something he could slide across a table without a second thought.

  Even the flames of the candles seemed to freeze in the air.

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  My brother’s fists were clenched tight, veins bulging, yet he forced himself to swallow his protest. Sweat beaded at his temples. After a long moment, he bowed his head and answered quietly:

  “…I obey.”

  My insides churned like a boiling cauldron.

  I didn’t want any part of this. Truly, I was nothing but a useless good-for-nothing—so useless I needed Lian to hint which dice to bet on! To have me infiltrate the Blood Lotus Cult and investigate? That was asking for my head on a platter!

  But I could not forget the Nangong household’s kindness over the years.

  Even if I was adopted, abandoned—my elder brother treated me as flesh and blood; my third brother used to carry me back when I scraped my knees and secretly smuggled me sweets. Those memories rose like scattered shards, stinging my eyes with heat.

  The Prince spoke again, his voice hard as forged iron:

  “The two sons of the Nangong family have no choice.”

  My chest tightened. My throat hurt. The painful look on Nangong Bo’s face flashed across my mind.

  —I knew it. There was no escaping this.

  But at the same time, a faint, uneasy suspicion stirred in my gut. This “assistance” the Eighth Prince offered… could never be as simple as he claimed.

  When he finally left with his attendants, the room fell utterly silent. I still felt foggy, scratching my head as worry gnawed at me. His orders looked simple enough on paper: infiltrate the Blood Lotus Cult, find the secret item.

  But think more carefully…

  Simple?

  This was nothing but an empty order!

  Even the imperial court barely knew anything about the item. And now he wanted me—a man who had a system and still couldn’t make good use of it—to go digging for answers? He even tossed out, “I’ve heard it’s the Blood Lotus Cult Master’s treasure.” That was Lian! What did he expect me to do, squat by his bed listening for sleep talk?

  Too bad he slept like a dead stone. Never uttered a word in his dreams. I kept guard three nights, and all I ever heard was him rolling over.

  A Prince traveled thousands of miles from the capital, not invoking imperial authority, instead using “covering for the Nangong family” as bargaining chips—nothing about this made sense. If the secret item truly mattered to the court, a single imperial decree would have flushed it out. Why detour around the issue?

  Questions tumbled in my mind, one after the other, and not a single answer emerged. My brother looked grim as well—clearly he was equally unsure.

  According to our original plan, all we needed was the military seal (AKA, the purple jade); once retrieved, we would slip away quietly. But now the Eighth Prince had barged in midway. With his interference, we could neither flee nor remain safely.

  I blinked at my brother, trying for a hopeful smile.

  “So… big brother, that seal… that purple jade… do we still want it?”

  He shot me a look.

  “If we can get it, we keep it. Having more leverage never hurts.”

  Just as he finished speaking, the curtain at the doorway lifted.

  Pink Lotus-jie glided inside, now dressed in a pale pink gauze gown, her waist swaying, her gaze rippling with charm. She smiled—sweet, seductive, intoxicating.

  She cooed lightly, “My, this elder young master looks even more handsome than the younger one. You must be Nangong Bo, eldest son of the Nangong household?”

  My brother stiffened immediately. He stepped forward, his gaze sharp.

  “Who are you? And what is your relationship with the Eighth Prince?”

  Pink Lotus-jie showed no irritation; instead, she covered her lips and giggled softly, her voice warm as silk.

  “You two only need to follow the Prince’s instructions. Why ask so many questions? Me here dislikes seeing two beautiful faces meet early graves.”

  With a flick of her wrist, she drew out a small handkerchief bundle from her sleeve. A gentle touch of her finger opened it—revealing a luminous piece of purple jade.

  “This is what you wanted. Take it.”

  My eyes lit up instantly. I practically pounced forward, holding the jade like it was solid gold. I wiped it with my sleeve—left, right, polishing it until it almost gleamed—then turned to my brother.

  “This is the one, right?”

  He leaned closer to examine it, but Pink Lotus-jie chuckled lazily before he could speak.

  “Would I bother deceiving you? It's good jade—but hardly rare for someone like me.”

  I froze.

  She spoke so casually, as if she had no idea of the jade’s significance at all.

  —So she, or rather the Eighth Prince behind her, truly did not know what this purple jade was connected to.

  I tucked the jade carefully into my robe, still nervous though I plastered on a fawning smile.

  “Many thanks, Pink Lotus-jie. We’ve troubled you far too much. I’ll take my leave now—will treat you to wine properly another day—”

  Before my words even finished, her slender hand rose again.

  “No hurry. Since you two have come, how could I let you leave on an empty stomach? I’ve prepared fine tea. Please drink before you go.”

  I shook my head violently.

  “No, no, we’re of humble status—we wouldn’t dare trouble Pink Lotus-jie!”

  But the moment I spoke, the air seemed to freeze.

  Pink Lotus-jie still smiled sweetly, but her tone carried a deeper implication.

  “This is the Eighth Prince’s order. If the two young masters refuse… would that not mean disrespecting the Prince?”

  A gulp caught in my throat. Danger thrummed in my gut.

  My brother’s face was expressionless, carved from stone. He simply nodded.