Time Travel: He is My Dad!

Bloody trick, another move on the chessboard

Princess Shen's steps remained firm. Though her heart was already swirling with anxiety, she remained calm. She knew that the situation was hopeless. Every decision, every action, would determine her life or death. She told herself that in this game of chess, there was no room for error.

After exiting the secret room, she arrived at a hidden inner courtyard and gently pushed open the door. Inside, the lights were dim, and only a black-clad guard stood by the window, seemingly awaiting her arrival. Princess Shen walked in and whispered, "How are the preparations going?"

The black-clad guard didn't turn around, still gazing out the window. His eyes were deep, as if he could see the distant movements through the palace walls. "Princess, everything is ready. Tonight, the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce has begun its operation, and Prince Zhao is also quietly making arrangements. However, I'm still unsure whether your plan to cooperate with Jiang Shaozong will proceed as planned."

Princess Shen walked over to the guards, stood still for a moment, and finally spoke slowly, "No, this isn't cooperation, it's exploitation. Although Jiang Shaozong holds power, he has a fatal weakness: he can never truly control the power within the palace. His actions are always constrained by the imperial family behind him." Her gaze fixed on the distant night sky, a hint of coldness in her tone, "And I am the one who can change the situation in this power game."

The guard turned around, a hint of confusion on his face. "So, what's the princess' next step?"

Princess Shen didn't answer, but smiled faintly. "Tonight, we will completely thwart the plans of Jiang Shaozong and Prince Zhao and show them that I am the only one who controls the true chessboard." She lowered her head, pulled a secret letter from her sleeve, and handed it to the guard. "This is an order to the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce. Tell them to carry out the plan, but to be vigilant about Prince Zhao's movements and not let him take advantage of them."

The guard took the letter and nodded in response: "Understood, Princess."

A glint of determination flashed in Princess Shen's eyes. She knew this evening's move would be the most crucial in her plan. Through a suspenseful and bloody bargain, she intended to push Jiang Shaozong into an abyss of no return. She didn't intend to truly cooperate with him, but rather to leverage his power to destroy the plan he once believed was unbreakable.

-

At midnight, the sky outside the palace was dotted with countless stars. The night was deep, like a pitch-black curtain, covering countless secrets. Princess Shen was standing in a side hall in front of the palace gate, holding the last secret letter in her hand, ready to deliver it to Jiang Shaozong.

The contents of the secret letter were simple—simply directives for Jiang Shaozong to promptly deploy his forces and make all necessary preparations for the impending decisive battle. However, a deeper meaning lay hidden within the arrangements behind the secret letter. Princess Shen knew that Jiang Shaozong's reaction would determine the outcome.

"Eunuch Li," she whispered, and immediately a white-haired old man emerged from the shadows. Eunuch Li had been Princess Shen's longtime confidant, loyal and astute, and he had always been her most capable assistant.

"Princess, what do you want me to do?" Eunuch Li asked respectfully.

Princess Shen smiled faintly and handed over the secret letter: "Send this letter to Jiang Shaozong. Remember, it must be delivered as soon as possible. No matter what, we cannot give Prince Zhao and Jiang Shaozong any chance to react."

Eunuch Li took the letter, his eyes twinkling, "Yes, Princess. Don't worry, I will definitely see to it."

Princess Shen nodded gently, her eyes revealing an incomparably calm strength. She knew that everything that happened tonight would determine her position within the palace and whether she could fully control the chess game. And the seemingly impossible power behind this might reveal its true face in this plan.

She turned back to look at the scene outside, her eyes sharp as a knife: "We need more than just Jiang Shaozong's power, we also need to thoroughly uncover all of Prince Zhao's schemes."

-

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the palace, inside Prince Zhao's residence, the lights were brightly lit. Prince Zhao sat in his spacious study, staring coldly at the documents in his hands, as if waiting for something.

"Prince Zhao, the princess has already started to act." A spy dressed in black reported in a low voice.

A hint of coldness flashed in Prince Zhao's eyes. "Princess Shen, you are indeed worthy of being Princess Shen. You are decisive and intelligent." He gently put down the documents in his hand and slowly stood up. His steps were steady, but his tone became sharp. "Does she think she can completely control the situation? This game has just begun."

The spy lowered his head and said, "Prince Zhao, Princess Shen's next move seems to be to try to unite the forces of Qingyun Chamber of Commerce, but we still don't know what her plan is."

Prince Zhao's lips curled up in a sneer. "All her plans will come to nothing. The Qingyun Chamber of Commerce may seem powerful, but it's ultimately no more than an ant trying to shake a tree. She's simply walking step by step towards the trap I've laid for her."

He slowly walked to the window, looking at the lights in the palace, his eyes gloomy: "Tonight, everything will come to an end."

-

The darkness within the palace grows ever thicker. Princess Shen and Prince Zhao, Jiang Shaozong and the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce—everyone's actions are intertwined amidst the surging undercurrent. What will be the ultimate outcome of this silent power struggle? Can Princess Shen seize this opportunity to control her own destiny?

All the answers are still pending.

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Chapter 78: Undercurrents surge, the chess game is not over yet