Chapter 204 -

Chapter 204: Chapter

The night air was freezing, biting right through Yueqing’s cloak as she hurried down the stone hallways. Moving around the palace late at night was dangerous.

She stayed in the dark corners, turning down streets she did not know as she tried to find the Third Prince. But the palace was a huge maze, and before she knew it, the grand buildings gave way to broken stone and wild weeds.

Yueqing stopped walking.

Right in front of her was the Cold Palace, the empty, falling-apart prison where she had been locked away for years before dying a miserable death in her first life.

Her chest tightened.

The heavy iron gate was slightly open on rusty hinges. She reached out, meaning to touch the metal and turn back before anyone saw her.

Creeeak.

Before she could pull her hand back, the gate swung open a little wider. Yueqing jumped and turned around, looking straight at a familiar face stepping out of the dark.

It was Xiao Chen.

His eyes went wide with shock when he saw her standing outside the scary ruins in the middle of the night. But before either of them could say a word, the loud, steady clanking of armor cut through the quiet.

Footsteps. A guard patrol was coming.

Panic hit Xiao Chen’s eyes. Without thinking, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her hard through the gates into the dark courtyard just as the bright glow of torches swept past the entrance.

Inside the courtyard, the air smelled of damp earth and old dust.

Xiao Chen let go of her wrist, taking a half-step back. He looked down at her in the dim moonlight, his dark eyes sharp and filled with disbelief.

"What are you doing here?" Xiao Chen asked, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. "Do you have a death wish, wandering around the palace at midnight? Especially right outside this place."

Yueqing rubbed her wrist and looked straight up at him.

"I was looking for you," she said.

Xiao Chen froze. His dark, scary eyes went wide. The cold Third Prince could not speak.

Then, his whole face changed. He just looked like a boy who was wildly happy that she cared.

Yueqing turned away and began walking through the dirty, dusty courtyard. Dry weeds and old dirt crunched under her shoes.

Xiao Chen hurried after her. He did not act like a scary prince anymore. He followed close behind her, buzzing around like a happy bee.

"Why did you come looking for me?" he asked, stepping right next to her. "Have you finally forgiven me? Huh, Yueqing?"

She kept walking, but he would not stop pestering her.

"Tell me," he bothered her again, leaning in to see her face in the dark. "Are you not mad at me anymore?"

Yueqing stopped walking. Her eyes caught something on the dusty ground.

Hidden in a corner was a small pile of ashes, some burnt paper, and a little food offering. It was the kind of paper people burned for the dead.

She looked at the ashes, then looked up at him. The teasing smile slowly faded from Xiao Chen’s face.

"Oh, it is already midnight," Yueqing said softly. She pointed at the corner. "You sneaked in here to burn paper for your late mother, huh?"

Xiao Chen looked down. The bright smile vanished from his face. He stared at the burnt paper blowing in the cold wind.

"Yes," he said quietly. "Today is the day she died in this horrible place. The Empress locked her here and made sure everyone forgot her. We are forbidden from saying the name of even mourning anyone concubine or consorts who had been banished to the cold palace.. so my mom won’t even be mourned or remembered."

His fists squeezed tight. Pure anger burned in his eyes.

Yueqing felt her own heart ache. She knew the pain of this Cold Palace too well. She stepped closer to him, her face serious and fierce.

"I will not let the Empress forget," Yueqing said firmly. "And I will not let her win."

Xiao Chen looked up, surprised by her strong voice.

"I came to find you because we have work to do," she told him straight away, skipping the games. "I am going to help you take the throne, Xiao Chen. We are going to make all those adults pay for what they did to you."

Yueqing blinked. Her own words shocked her.

Wait. Why did I just say that? she thought, her heart beating fast.

Her only goal was to finish her system mission and leave this world. She never wanted to join a bloody royal war. She never wanted to care this much.

But standing in the dark, looking at the sad boy next to the ashes, something snapped inside her. This Cold Palace took her first life. It took his mother’s life. They were both victims of the same cruel adults.

She stared at her own hands. A fierce fire burned in her chest. She did not just want to survive anymore. She actually wanted to destroy the people who ruined them. She truly wanted to see Xiao Chen win.

Xiao Chen’s face suddenly turned very cold and serious.

"I don’t know what exactly is going on in that head of yours, but forget it," he said sharply. "I don’t need your help with anything."

He turned his back to her and started walking away into the dark. "We will use another exit to leave this place. Follow me."

He walked straight toward the back of the ruined palace.

Yueqing frowned, completely annoyed. She had just made a huge, brave decision to join his fight, and he threw it right back in her face!

She hurried after him, stepping over broken stones and dry weeds.

"What do you mean you don’t need my help?" she bickered, walking fast to keep up with his long steps. "Don’t act so tough! You are fighting the Empress! I am offering you my help, so why are you acting like such a stubborn jerk?"