My Turn

"There are no what-ifs." Qian Renxue withdrew her gaze and resumed walking. "He has already decided. The edict of succession will be issued tomorrow. Between now and then, there is no need to stir up any more trouble."

She stopped at the corner of the corridor and glanced out the window.

"Besides..." Her voice suddenly softened. "He was half a good father."

She Long said nothing more, merely letting his figure melt back into the shadows.

Ah...

Who would have thought that the affection Miss had longed for all this time would come from Xue Ye?

Qian Renxue took another step forward, then stopped again.

She turned and looked toward the tightly shut doors of the bedchamber. Then she withdrew her gaze and turned away.

She Long followed silently behind her.

The next day, under Xue Ye's covert instructions, news of Xue Qinghe's imminent ascension spread like wildfire.

The street before the East Palace was packed with carriages and people. The gift-bearing procession had long since stretched beyond two streets, as lively as a festival.

That explained why Prince Xue Xing's residence was unnaturally quiet.

After all, it was an open secret that Xue Xing belonged to the Xue Beng faction. Now that he had backed the wrong horse, aside from his die-hard followers, who would still be willing to stand with him?

Xue Beng sat in a chair in the study, too restless to eat or sleep.

"Uncle, do we truly have no chance left?"

He had waited for this moment for so many years.

From the time he understood such things, he had known that he was not the Crown Prince, that the throne belonged to his eldest brother, Xue Qinghe. Yet he had never been willing to accept it.

To conceal his true thoughts, he had played