Trust and the Blood and Tears Behind Glory

This question...

I'm afraid only the National Preceptor can answer that!

Prince Nolan and Serena exchanged a glance, then chose not to mention it.

No one can guess the Emperor of Westlyn's true intentions, let alone with the National Preceptor involved—no one knows what decisions those two might make together.

While Serena and Prince Nolan were trying to read the Emperor of Westlyn's thoughts, the Emperor himself was furiously berating the Princess Royal.

Prince Nolan and Serena's deductions weren't entirely correct, but they were close. The assassins who attacked Serena last night were sent by the Princess Royal.

The Princess Royal ordered her people to pose as Ghost Hall assassins—set the fire first, then kill Serena in the chaos and abduct Feng Jin.

The Princess Royal knew that Left Shore was always secretly protecting Feng Jin. With Left Shore there, Serena might die, but Feng Jin would never be harmed, so she wasn't worried about Feng Jin's safety at all.

Unfortunately, what seemed like a flawless assassination plan ended up riddled with mistakes—not only did it fail, it brought a world of trouble down instead.

The Princess Royal's people failed to account for Master Graves's presence, let alone Prince Nolan's sudden arrival. With those two wild cards, the assassins lost all advantage—they couldn't even escape, much less kill Serena.

"Royal Brother, please believe me, I truly don't know. In this world, anyone might betray you, but I never will. For you, I would sacrifice anything—how could I ever betray you?" The Princess Royal cried as she spoke, desperate to dispel the Emperor's doubts. Seeing his lingering suspicion, she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and said, "Royal Brother, do you still not know my character? Back then, I was willing to submit myself to those depraved men, let them abuse me; I humbled myself to win Father's favor, and now I would do anything for you. Please trust me—I would never harm you."

When she finished speaking, the Princess Royal was already in tears...

She had never wanted to mention those shameful memories, always burying them deep and pretending nothing had happened, so she could remain the dignified, radiant Princess Royal in everyone's eyes.

Today, she deliberately brought them up because she sensed the Emperor's growing dissatisfaction with her—especially after his serious illness two years ago, when doubts about her deepened. She had to regain his trust, even if it meant exposing the rotten wounds buried in her heart.

"Royal Brother, we suffered so much together in those years, and we survived. Do you really not trust me now? My life is already ruined; I ask for nothing except your reign to be secure and as long as the heavens." The Princess Royal sobbed uncontrollably, bowing low before the throne.

At this moment, she was no longer the powerful, influential Princess Royal of Westlyn, but simply a woman who had been bullied and was powerless to resist.

Those who abused her are all dead, but so what? The wounds remain in her heart forever. Not just her body, but her spirit is riddled with scars.

Outsiders only see her glory as Princess Royal, but who notices the blood and tears behind it?

So what if she was born into royalty? A child without a mother or maternal clan's protection lives worse than a servant in the palace. Without the Emperor's favor, even a maid or eunuch dared to bully her, starve her half to death.

Tianyu was right—her whole life depended on men. When her father was emperor, she relied on him. After her brother ascended, she relied on him.

She had almost forgotten those humiliations, but now they were dragged out again. To say she felt no hatred or resentment—that was impossible.

The Princess Royal lay prostrate, hands clenched into fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, leaving them damp with sweat...

Men are the most unreliable things under heaven. No matter how much she sacrificed, she could never win the Emperor's full trust. If she didn't want to be controlled, she would have to seize power herself!

The Emperor of Westlyn knew his sister had changed, but memories of the past always made him more indulgent and sympathetic toward her.

"I won't pursue this matter further. Clean up the aftermath—don't let Eastlyn trace it back to you." The Emperor lifted his hand, sounding weary.

If the Princess Royal's plan had succeeded, it would have greatly eased Westlyn's troubles. But she failed. More importantly, she hadn't consulted him before acting.

That was what the Emperor resented most.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor." The Princess Royal wept bitterly, her heart cold as ice despite her outward grief.

She knew that even though he said he wouldn't pursue it, the Emperor was still guarded and didn't truly trust her. The throne he once promised her son was just empty words...