Chapter 25: The Crippled Young Lady (Twenty-Five)

Chapter 25: The Crippled Miss (XXV)

Jun Mo stood in the center of the banquet hall. His dark hair was secured by a purple-gold crown, and the four-clawed python robe he wore made his appearance all the more cold, sharp, and intimidating.

His mere presence was enough to shroud the entire venue in an air of extraordinary nobility, striking awe into all who were present.

Su Kui winked at him and flashed a cheeky, toothy grin.

What a dangerously captivating man.

One only had to observe the frequent, stolen glances cast by the ladies present to gauge just how immense his charm truly was.

They say that a beautiful woman is a curse, but that is only because they have yet to encounter a man like Jun Mo.

A faint itch stirred in his heart. Jun Mo’s fingers twitched; he truly wanted to reach out, grab the little woman who was grinning at him from across the way, and pull her into his embrace.

Fortunately, he caught himself in time, suppressing the wild impulse that was threatening to burst forth.

He had more important matters to attend to.

Amidst the flickering lanterns and the hushed, murmuring crowd, a shrill, piercing voice shattered the lively chatter.

"His Majesty has arrived—"
"Her Majesty the Empress Dowager has arrived—"

A high-ranking eunuch, dressed in deep crimson robes and cradling a horsetail whisk, dragged out the long, trailing syllables of his announcement. His voice, neither male nor female, sounded unnervingly unpleasant to the ear.

The proclamation succeeded in silencing the hall, and in an instant, the entire assembly knelt in a wave.

"Long live the Emperor, long live, long live Your Majesty."
"May the Empress Dowager be blessed with eternal peace."

Su Kui was pulled down into the throng. Lowering her head, she curled her lip. "Long live"? Such grand ambition—they should be grateful if they even make it to a hundred!

Out of the corner of her eye, she suddenly caught sight of a lone figure that stood out in stark contrast to the rest. He remained standing, his back straight and unyielding.

His solitary, aloof silhouette stood amidst the kneeling crowd, looking remarkably conspicuous.

In particular, the aura he projected was far more formidable than that of the Emperor on the high throne; it was the presence of a man who looked down upon the world.

Su Kui had always possessed keen eyesight. Even from a distance, she was certain she had not been mistaken.

The Emperor, with his handsome face still carrying a trace of youthful softness, allowed a flicker of ruthlessness to cross his eyes.

Squinting, she realized the Emperor was finally preparing to move against Jun Mo.

It was only natural; who in a position of power would not want to grasp all authority for themselves? With Jun Mo wielding such immense power and showing signs of potentially usurping the throne, the young Emperor was surely losing sleep at night.

He was likely impatient to be rid of him, was he not?

She cast a sidelong glance at Jun Mo, only to see he still wore that same cool, indifferent expression, terrifyingly calm. Su Kui’s cat-like eyes narrowed. She refused to believe he was unaware of what was happening.

To be honest, even though she knew the script and could see through everyone else, she could never quite read him.

Jun Mo...

What did he truly want? What was his endgame?

Unexpectedly, in the moment she was lost in thought while staring at him, Jun Mo seemed to sense her gaze. He whipped his head around, his phoenix eyes filled with a terrifying, murderous intent.

Yet, the moment he saw it was Su Kui, that intent vanished in a heartbeat. The eternal frost that seemed to cling to him was scorched away by the golden sun, melting into nothingness in an instant.

The official kneeling beside him looked on, bewildered. *Huh? How did the Prince’s aura change so drastically in the blink of an eye?*

Su Kui had not expected to be caught spying. Feeling somewhat awkward, her fair face flushed slightly. She stuck out her tongue and lowered her head, feigning a look of coy annoyance.

"Heh—" Jun Mo chuckled, a low, cold, and resonant sound spilling from his throat.

"Rise, my subjects. Tonight is the Lantern Festival. I have invited you all to join me in admiring the moon. Do not be restrained; please, be seated!" The young Emperor, dressed in his bright yellow dragon robes, spoke in a stiff, rehearsed manner, managing to project a tiny sliver of authority.

But compared to Jun Mo, he fell short by a wide margin. It was a wonder how Jun Mo could have possibly lost in the end.

Was the protagonist’s halo truly that powerful? Su Kui mused to herself.