The Beauty Trap

Qian Renxue pondered briefly before speaking slowly after careful consideration. "Teacher, this Madam Eva is indeed no ordinary woman."

She paused, as if searching for the most fitting words. "She possesses a charm that is impossible to ignore. She is like a mandrake blooming in the darkness of night—one knows it is poisonous, yet cannot help but look at it. And Father seems to be completely captivated by her."

Qian Renxue had once caught a distant glimpse of Eva in the palace, and that single encounter had left a deep impression on her.

She was a woman with fatal allure.

Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly, quite satisfied with the crown prince's answer.

This answer also confirmed his own observations.

"In merely a few months, she rose from an obscure outsider to the foremost woman in the imperial harem. She has both means and resolve; she is certainly no ordinary person. Your father is in the prime of life, while she is in the full bloom of youth..."

Ning Fengzhi did not continue, but his meaning was already obvious.

A young favored consort with both schemes and the emperor's deep affection had a very high chance of bearing a prince in the future.

The study fell into a brief silence.

Ning Fengzhi's fingers unconsciously tapped lightly against the smooth rosewood tabletop, a habitual motion whenever he was thinking.

"Qinghe."

Ning Fengzhi spoke again, his sharp gaze fixed on the crown prince. "Do you think it would be possible to win her over to our side?"

"Win her over?"

A trace of surprise flashed through Qian Renxue's eyes before she fell into thought.

In Qian Renxue's view, Eva was Snow Night's favored consort. Young and beautiful, setting aside her soul power level and talent, she already held power and wealth in her hands. How could she possibly be won over?

She felt Ning Fengzhi was being rather fanciful, asking her to win over a favored consort who might bear a new crown prince.

Yet in Ning Fengzhi's eyes, his proposal was not nonsense. It had a certain degree of possibility.

As he looked at Xue Qinghe's gentle, jade-like features, an idea happened to enter his mind.

Still, Ning Fengzhi worried that Xue Qinghe might find this idea difficult to accept and refuse it.

"Qinghe cannot think of any way to win over this madam. Does Teacher have any suggestions?"

Qian Renxue looked at Ning Fengzhi with a troubled expression, wanting to see what clever method the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had for winning over a favored consort of the imperial harem.

"Does Qinghe know Madam Eva's usual conduct?"

Ning Fengzhi gently set down his teacup and smiled.

Qian Renxue was somewhat speechless at Ning Fengzhi's repeated question.

She was currently pretending to be Xue Qinghe!

The crown prince!

Why would a crown prince pay attention to his father's concubine?

Although she found Ning Fengzhi's question absurd, Qian Renxue still wore a slightly puzzled expression.

"I ask Teacher to resolve Qinghe's confusion."

Qian Renxue leaned forward slightly, displaying her thirst for knowledge at that moment and her trust in Ning Fengzhi's wisdom.

Seeing Xue Qinghe's curiosity and trust in him, Ning Fengzhi could not help feeling somewhat pleased.

He lifted his teacup and gently blew away the foam, his movements calm and unhurried, before speaking. "According to our people's observations, Madam Eva is rather fond of beauty."

"Fond of beauty?"

Qian Renxue was somewhat stunned when she heard this.

"Indeed."

Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup, his gaze profound as he looked at Xue Qinghe before him.

"This woman appears low-key in her actions, but the details reveal the truth. The maidservants around her, whether close attendants or those assigned menial tasks, are all carefully selected beauties, outstanding in appearance and varied in temperament. That is no coincidence."

Ning Fengzhi paused before continuing, "According to reports from people in the palace, she often summoned exceptionally handsome young guards or musicians to perform for her."

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had operated within the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace for many years, with informants scattered throughout every corner.

As sect master, Ning Fengzhi often worried about the future of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Although it currently possessed high-level combatants such as Chen Xin and Gu Rong, neither of them was young. Should the two die, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would inevitably become a target for all.

Therefore, from the moment he decided to bind the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to the Heaven Dou Empire, he had had the palace informants become active once more.

Thus, from the very first day the mysterious and stunning Madam Eva stepped into the imperial harem, every one of her actions had been placed under close surveillance.

Her every movement had been captured and recorded by Ning Fengzhi's intelligence network before being delivered to his study.

Through his analysis of Eva, Ning Fengzhi had reached a conclusion: this beauty, Eva, possessed a powerful desire to possess and admire all beautiful appearances.

Qian Renxue was surprised and astonished by Ning Fengzhi's words. In the past, Ning Fengzhi had mentioned that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had an intelligence network within the palace, and had even said that he would hand it over to Xue Qinghe in the future.

But Qian Renxue had never imagined that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's intelligence network would be so formidable.

At the same time, she had doubts about the truth of this information.

Ning Fengzhi clearly saw the suspicion on Xue Qinghe's face, but he was evidently certain of the information's authenticity.

Suppressing her doubts, Qian Renxue asked quietly, "Teacher means that we should begin from this angle?"

"Precisely."

A glint flashed through Ning Fengzhi's eyes. "Since she has a preference, that is her weakness, and also the fulcrum we can use to move her."

"This..."

Qian Renxue looked at Ning Fengzhi, somewhat hesitant and troubled.

"Teacher, would this not be improper? If Father learns of it, or if Madam Eva turns the accusation back on us, I fear..."

Qian Renxue was somewhat worried. Once such a despicable method was exposed, it would deal an enormous blow to her reputation.

Moreover, the target was the emperor's favored consort. The risk was far too great!

Ning Fengzhi had long anticipated Xue Qinghe's concern. Looking at Qian Renxue, he said, "Those who accomplish great things do not fuss over trifles. If this can stabilize Eva and eliminate her potential threat to the position of crown prince, then a few extraordinary measures are worth attempting."

Qian Renxue dearly wanted to reject Ning Fengzhi's proposal, but after a moment of silence, she slowly nodded.

"Teacher is far-sighted. Qinghe has learned much. But who should we choose?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly and looked directly at Qian Renxue.

Looking into Ning Fengzhi's eyes, Qian Renxue inexplicably had a bad feeling.

Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup and leaned forward slightly, his tone becoming incomparably solemn.

"Qinghe, as crown prince, you bear the empire's future upon your shoulders. Any factor that could shake the foundations of the state must be eliminated at all costs while it is still in its infancy, or turned to our own use. Madam Eva currently enjoys unparalleled imperial favor, and her influence has already taken shape. Conventional methods will find it difficult to shake her."

Qian Renxue nodded, agreeing with Ning Fengzhi's view.

"In terms of appearance and temperament, Qinghe, you are gentle as jade and remarkably handsome. Though you are not as devastatingly beautiful as Madam Eva, you are still a dragon among men, with your own unique charm. Looking across all of Heaven Dou City, there are likely few young men more outstanding than you, or of nobler status."