Chapter Thirteen: Climbing Onto the Prince’s Roof Beam at Midnight?

Suddenly, a faint sound, as delicate as a feather brushing lightly, shattered the silence. The noise seemed to come from the beams above.

Ling Yichen’s heart stirred with surprise at first, but the thought quickly passed, replaced by a hint of amusement.

In this world, someone actually had the audacity to crawl onto his ceiling beams?

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he spoke with a tone neither fully serious nor entirely playful, “Will you come down of your own accord, or shall I pull you down myself?”

After a moment, Shen Ningshuang leisurely leapt down from the beam.

Her movements were light and agile, like a nimble kitten, landing without a single sound.

Ling Yichen frowned slightly at the sight.

He wondered silently—were the guards in his mansion completely useless and negligent, or had this girl’s skills surpassed his imagination?

He had never held a favorable impression of Shen Ningshuang, and now his face darkened as he spoke coldly, “Are you looking for death?”

His words were sharp as an ice blade, piercing directly at her.

Shen Ningshuang forced a dry laugh, trying to ease the tension.

“I just have something to discuss with Your Highness, though I know you wouldn’t want to see me. I had no choice but to resort to this.”

“Are all the guards in this mansion so easily ignored by you?”

She hurriedly waved her hand to explain, “Not exactly, Your Highness. It’s just that my lightness skill is quite good, and as you can see, I’m young and light, so the wind I stir up is minimal—that’s why I wasn’t discovered.”

Ling Yichen found no great reason to doubt her explanation.

After all, he had long witnessed this girl’s reckless boldness.

“You know I don’t want to see you, yet you still dare to seek me out? I haven’t forgotten what you did before. That day at your residence, with so many eyes watching, I couldn’t act against you. But now, in the dead of night, sneaking here like this—if I were to kill you, no one would even know.”

At these words, Shen Ningshuang sighed inwardly.

First impressions were truly formidable. She cursed the black-clad men from that day—her path ahead was bound to be difficult.

“Your Highness, I know your sword is swift, but I’m not one to court death. I’m truly at my wit’s end and had no choice but to come to you.”

Ling Yichen seemed not to hear her, withdrawing his gaze elsewhere as if even looking at her was a bother.

“What is it you want?” His tone remained cold.

---

“I want to meet someone. I need your help, Your Highness.”

“Hmph, you dared to climb onto my beams in the middle of the night, and there’s still someone you can’t see?” Ling Yichen sneered.

Shen Ningshuang scratched her head, helpless.

This was the drawback of their lack of trust—he always assumed the worst of her actions.

“This person can’t be met privately. It must be in a public setting. Your Highness knows, I am a woman; it’s difficult to find the right opportunity.”

At this, Ling Yichen’s interest was piqued, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. “Who?”

“The Third Prince.”

Ling Yichen was slightly taken aback, clearly unprepared for this answer.

The Third Prince’s mother had died early, and he was raised at the Empress’s side. Though not as exalted as the Crown Prince, he wielded more practical power than other princes.

The Empress’s intention in keeping him close was clear—she intended him to be a strong support for the Crown Prince. Whether the Third Prince had other ambitions remained as obscure as a mountain shrouded in mist.

“What could be so important that you’d go to such lengths, even sneaking onto my beams at midnight?”

Ling Yichen’s gaze burned into Shen Ningshuang, trying to read her expression for clues.

“I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I can’t tell you now.”

“In that case, why should I help you?”

“If you agree to help me, I will owe you a favor.”

Ling Yichen laughed lightly, a sound full of mockery in Shen Ningshuang’s ears.

“Could it be that the person you’re desperate to see has something to do with those black-clad men recently?” His eyes shone like lightning, as if he could see through her thoughts.

Shen Ningshuang cursed silently—negotiating with this man was more difficult than any challenge she had faced.

“Your Highness, you overestimate me. You can’t find any trace of those black-clad men; how could I possibly know? Besides, this matter has nothing to do with me.”

“Nothing to do with you? Isn’t your father investigating this matter?”

Shen Ningshuang remained silent, standing there wordlessly.

“Your father doesn’t know about your affairs? Doesn’t know about Yuhua Pavilion?”

---

Shen Ningshuang remained silent opposite him, clearly unwilling to explain much about Shen Fengmo.

Ling Yichen was startled.

He had always believed the influence at Yuhua Pavilion was handed to Shen Ningshuang by Shen Fengmo.

After all, for Shen Fengmo, giving his daughter a jewelry shop was only natural. Yet now it seemed the truth was far different.

Who truly built the power of Yuhua Pavilion?

Ling Yichen began to reevaluate Shen Ningshuang.

This seemingly ordinary girl was shrouded in enigmatic mist, hiding many unknown secrets.

Moreover, the power behind her was clearly not built overnight, and the secrets she carried were not formed in a short time.

Yet until now, he, who considered himself all-seeing in the Ningyuan Kingdom, had never detected even a trace of her existence in any matter.

That was what truly shocked him.

If this girl were truly so brilliantly gifted, she must have done something extraordinary before—but why had he never noticed?

It was like a vast whirlpool concealed beneath a calm lake, filling his heart with growing suspicion that rolled like a snowball.

“Who exactly are you?”

Ling Yichen’s eyes brimmed with probing intent, fixed intently on Shen Ningshuang as if he wanted to see through her soul.

Meeting his intense gaze, Shen Ningshuang knew she could not show weakness.

“Your Highness, I’m just an ordinary woman with no special status. The matter of Yuhua Pavilion was merely a coincidence.”

She lowered her head slightly, avoiding his piercing gaze, her tone calm.

Ling Yichen remained unmoved. He sneered, “A coincidence? I am no child of three who would believe such a perfunctory excuse. If you don’t speak the truth soon, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

As he spoke, his hand unconsciously rested on the sword at his waist, the gemstone embedded in the hilt gleaming coldly in the candlelight.