Chapter 27: Black Silk Fishnets, The Princess's Weakness

  "Mmm..."

  Han Jin Xiu bit her lip, letting out a muffled hum.

  She was, of course, very proud of her long, alluring legs—otherwise, she wouldn’t always wear fishnet stockings.

  But there was one thing—she couldn’t stand being touched there.

  Even when her maids massaged her legs, she could barely endure it.

  Now, with a man’s touch, it had become an undeniable weakness.

  How did he know about this? Could there be spies within Prince Qi’s residence?

  Her phoenix-like eyes flashed with cold suspicion.

  Why had he come here? Was this visit meant to tighten the net around her?

  "Your Highness, don’t look at me like that. You’re too tense."

  "Her Majesty only has vague suspicions, which is why she sent me to investigate."

  Su Qing answered with an innocent tone, completely unfazed by the hostility in her gaze.

  Ah, women—just moments ago, she was fiery and teasing, and now?

  All it took was a few words, and she suddenly wished she’d never met him.

  That’s not a good habit. It needed to change!

  She needed to be trained to the point where, the moment she saw him, she couldn’t help but smile and run toward him.

  Yes, preferably even wagging her tail—then it would be perfect.

  "Vague suspicions? Why do I feel like you know quite a bit already?"

  Han Jin Xiu stared directly at the young man.

  Her gaze bore an immense pressure, devoid of any teasing.

  Clearly, she had switched into serious mode, preparing to probe exactly how much he knew before making her next move.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "You can think whatever you want. It makes no difference to me."

  "But let me remind you—you know me well enough to understand my preferences."

  "Beauty traps work quite well on me, you might want to consider that."

  Su Qing smirked, avoiding a direct answer.

  Since the plan had shifted, he would now center his approach around the Princess.

  With a scheming, venomous beauty, the best approach was simple—go straight for the kill!

  Don’t give her time to plot. Instead, pull her into his own pace.

  Otherwise, if she had the time to set things up, it would only cause him trouble.

  Who knew what tricks a venomous woman like her had up her sleeve?

  The best move was not to give her the chance.

  "What exactly do you mean by that?"

  Han Jin Xiu’s voice turned icy.

  In that moment, she felt a strange sense of irony.

  As someone who had threatened countless others, she naturally understood his implications.

  She had invited him here with the intent of controlling him.

  She wanted another useful dog—one that would be bound by her leash.

  Her plan was to catch him in a weak moment, apply pressure, mix rewards with threats, and have him addicted to her.

  This was supposed to be a flawless strategy, one that would serve her ultimate goal.

  But now?

  Somehow, the roles had been reversed!

  With just a few words, she found herself being threatened instead.

  This turn of events was absolutely infuriating.

  "Do I really need to spell it out? You’ve played this game plenty of times yourself."

  "I’m not asking for much. I don’t need you to do anything—just pay a little price."

  Su Qing’s gaze turned completely unrestrained.

  He looked exactly like a corrupt official extorting bribes.

  He knew that Han Jin Xiu wouldn’t lash out—she would endure it.

  Because anyone smart enough always understood their situation.

  If she wanted to stay in the capital and see her plans through, she had to maintain her disguise.

  She couldn’t afford to let her cover slip, because once it did, making a comeback would be near impossible.

  Sure, she was powerful, but so what?

  No matter how deep her schemes ran, she was still bound by her role as the Princess.

  This game—she had lost completely.

  Han Jin Xiu realized this almost immediately.

  Clearly, he had figured something out based on her reactions.

  And now, if she wanted him to keep her secret, she had to play along with his so-called "beauty trap."

  At that realization, rage surged through her veins.

  Never in her life had anyone dared threaten her!

  Let alone demand such an outrageous price!

  Her eyes burned with fury, but she forcibly restrained herself.

  No—she had to endure it, for the greater good.

  Killing him was easy, but then what?

  He was no ordinary courtier—he was the Empress’s most trusted favorite.

  If she acted rashly, she would lose everything.

  In fact, if she thought about it differently, this wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

  If he were a true patriot, fully loyal to the Empress, she would be doomed already.

  But instead… he was willing to help her cover things up!

  Logically speaking, she should seize this opportunity and use it to her advantage.

  Still… the fact that she had to do this under duress made it unbearably humiliating.

  For a Princess, this was utterly unacceptable.

  Han Jin Xiu closed her eyes, refusing to acknowledge the hand still resting on her leg.

  That was already a sign of compromise.

  The next moment, Su Qing’s hand grew bolder.

  Before, it had simply rested there—now, it started to knead and massage.

  The elasticity beneath his fingertips, coupled with the texture of the fishnet stockings, was simply exquisite.

  With deliberate pressure, Han Jin Xiu felt the strange sensation intensify.

  She could no longer hold back—her teeth sank into her lip as she shot Su Qing a furious glare.

  "Your Highness, that’s not the look you should be giving me."

  Su Qing reminded her.

  "Do you even realize who I am? I am Prince Qi’s consort—your Empress’s aunt!"

  "You dare do this to me? Aren’t you afraid of her wrath?!"

  Han Jin Xiu unleashed her full authoritative presence, attempting to intimidate him.

  She hoped that by asserting her status, she could scare this impudent youth away.

  "Oh? Is that so?"

  Su Qing’s eyes gleamed.

  Not only did he not pull back—he placed his second hand on her thigh as well.

  With such a connection between them, wouldn’t it be a waste not to take advantage of it?

  Seeing him become even more brazen, Han Jin Xiu realized she had made a grave mistake.

  She had played the wrong card.

  A true gentleman wouldn’t be here at this hour in the first place.

  He was no righteous man—why would he care about such trivial formalities?

  She had let her anger cloud her judgment.

  And now, she was paying the price.