Chapter 3: 003 Seen Completely

At nightfall, the most captivating night view of the Imperial City was the brightly lit Imperial Palace. The most magnificent and brilliant part of the palace was not the Emperor's Spirit Palace, but the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace.

The Crown Prince was not in the palace tonight, so there was a lack of singing and dancing; instead, the faint sounds of zithers playing in harmony drifted through the air. Even someone unversed in music could hear the sorrowful melody within the song. Aside from the Crown Prince's side consort, Consort Xiao, and Consort Qin, who else could it be?

Both consorts came from beyond the pass through political marriage. For three years, they had not even seen what the Crown Prince looked like.

Ling Siye liked to meddle in other people's business, but he hated it most when others interfered in his. This was especially true for matters as significant as marriage; even the Emperor and Empress were not permitted to intervene.

Deep within the Eastern Palace, inside the Crown Prince's sleeping quarters, there was a secret passage leading directly out of the palace. The exit opened onto a cliff, and at the bottom of the cliff lay a secluded valley. Within the valley was a massive natural hot spring. In winter, the air was thick with swirling steam and misty vapors. Beside the warmth were buildings and pavilions built against the mountainside, which, much like the Eastern Palace, were extremely luxurious and possessed everything one could desire.

Inside the room, upon a warm daybed, a man dressed in magnificent robes reclined lazily. He propped his head up with a slender hand, his handsome, peerless face filled with a lazy and leisurely smile. His deep black eyes stared at the "man" in front of him, looking both wicked and playful.

"Tang Meng, Tang Meng, Tang Meng." Ling Siye repeated her name with a playful smile. To a man who had seen countless people, Tang Meng could not be called breathtakingly beautiful, but he was greatly interested in the fact that she was a woman disguised as a man.

So, the Seventh Young Master of the Tang family was a woman.

If she was a woman, then she should belong to the Imperial Family!

Tang Meng curled her lip helplessly; this time, she had truly run into trouble!

"Your Highness, Tang Meng guarantees that I saw nothing and heard nothing!" For the Crown Prince to execute a mere palace maid was not a major matter in a place like the palace that devoured people without spitting out the bones. However, once children were involved, the nature of the matter changed.

A child! A child! The Emperor and Empress had been waiting for a long time, hoping that this no-longer-young Crown Prince would have an heir.

Ling Siye rose lazily and walked over. Tang Meng instinctively took a step back.

Ling Siye took another step forward, and Tang Meng retreated again.

A wicked smile appeared on the corners of Ling Siye's lips as he took another step, and Tang Meng was completely pressed against the wall.

"Saw nothing, heard nothing? I hope this matter never happened, as long as..." As Ling Siye spoke, his large hand suddenly gripped Tang Meng's jade-like neck, his strength increasing bit by bit. He narrowed his eyes and continued, "As long as the person is dead, I can act as if this matter never happened!"

Tang Meng did not struggle, nor did she show terror. Her originally respectful eyes instantly turned cold as she stared straight at him. She was no fool; if he truly intended to kill her, why would he bring her here?

Ling Siye furrowed his brows and smiled. The large hand gripping Tang Meng's chin turned to caress her, lingering on her neck.

"As expected of the Tang family's Seventh Young Master."

"Crown Prince, if you have something to say, it is better to say it directly. The Emperor is still waiting for Tang Meng to discuss the matter of the homicide." Tang Meng's heart trembled slightly. They were two grown men; did this fellow's hands need to be so improper? Was he a demon who preyed on both men and women?

"Using my father to pressure this Prince?" Ling Siye was displeased, and his large palm suddenly moved downward, covering Tang Meng's chest.

Tang Meng felt as if she had been struck by lightning, instantly unable to move!

"Tang Meng, Tang Meng, Tang Meng..." He began repeating her name again, his black eyes full of playfulness.

"Crown Prince, if there is nothing else, Tang Meng will take her leave." Tang Meng finally regained her senses and pushed Ling Siye away without leaving a trace.

"How about marrying this Prince?" Ling Siye approached again. He was very interested in this woman; having her as a side consort to accompany him for a while was acceptable.

"Tang Meng does not have a penchant for men." Tang Meng smiled very naturally.

"A penchant for men?" Ling Siye sneered, leaning even closer. "This Prince has meticulously inspected every inch of your skin from head to toe. Do you intend to doubt this Prince's eyes?"

Ling Siye deliberately elongated his tone.

"Tang Meng wouldn't dare. It's just that... such matters cannot be forced." Tang Meng gritted her teeth in silence. To be seen so thoroughly, and for him to act so despicably by taking advantage of her vulnerability—it wasn't unusual for Ling Siye to do such things.

"What if this Prince specifically likes to force things?" If he were to publicly expose her disguise, the crime of deceiving the Emperor alone would be enough to bring ruin to the Tang family. Moreover, in this Imperial Dynasty where women were not allowed to enter the imperial court, this woman had actually become a Court Investigator!

Such a threat did not need to be stated explicitly; Tang Meng understood it naturally.

"With the Crown Prince's power, you could keep ten Tang Mengs by your side, but you can never keep Tang Meng's heart." She was intentionally provoking him, but she was also telling the truth.

Why could one never keep a person's heart?

Perhaps because that person had no heart to give.

"A heart? What use would this Prince have for a heart?" Ling Siye laughed loudly.

A heart?

This woman overestimated herself far too much. What use would he have for a heart?

Tang Meng was slightly stunned. To someone who did not care for hearts, what was the point of talking about them?

Compared to the demon before her, she was ultimately too naive.

Tang Meng hesitated for a long time before speaking again, saying bluntly, "Crown Prince, Tang Meng wishes to speak with you about Qing'er's matter."

"Qing'er? What do you know?" Ling Siye sneered, his wicked face pressing close to her lips.

"Qing'er's child must be five years old by now, right?" Tang Meng remarked with emotion. This was also the trouble she had brought upon herself by meddling; years ago, she had saved an infant outside the palace walls, and that child was none other than Ling Siye's offspring!

Ling Siye's pitch-black eyes instantly turned sharp, and he snorted, "What does that have to do with this Prince?"

"The Emperor and Empress will be interested!" Tang Meng's tone also hardened, though she wondered inwardly: this Crown Prince seemed to despise children intensely; he was nearly thirty, yet he had not left a single descendant.