Serena opened the door and saw Ninth Royal Uncle standing outside. Hearing about Elaine Lane, Serena’s mood was low; she forced herself to ask, "You heard everything?"
"Yes." Ninth Royal Uncle nodded gently, indicating he’d heard it all—even if he hadn’t, he could guess most of it.
If it were him, he’d do the same. There are few truly loyal fools in this world.
"You still plan to send her back to the Cui Clan? In the Cui Clan, she’ll just be a puppet." Serena felt herself softening. That girl called Elaine Lane reminded her of her own past—just as helpless and afraid, just as unwilling to bow to fate.
In this strange world, they were both outsiders. Only, Elaine Lane and Serena had chosen opposite paths: Serena carefully hid her abnormality and tried to blend in, while Elaine flaunted her differences.
If she weren’t a Lan, if she hadn’t been raised by the Cui Clan, maybe she’d have had a brilliant life. But she ended up in the hands of the Cui Clan—a behemoth no individual could shake.
"A puppet? We’re all puppets—me, you, everyone. If you want to control your fate, you need enough power. She ended up like this not because of anyone else—blame her Lan surname. If she doesn’t go back to the Cui Clan, she’s dead for sure. If you want her alive, hand her over; the Cui Clan won’t kill her."
The Cui Clan is Elaine Lane’s best protection. If she leaves them, she’s as good as dead. Ninth Royal Uncle knew Serena understood this.
Yes, Serena understood. That’s why she only said it out loud—she and Nolan were hunted themselves. How could they protect Elaine Lane?
"I get it." Serena closed her eyes, burying the rare softness in her heart.
She had no right to pity Elaine Lane, and no power to protect that naive girl.
"Keep an eye on her. Before the Cui Clan arrives, don’t let her wake up—I don’t want any accidents." Ninth Royal Uncle’s order was almost heartless, but he knew Serena could do it.
"Alright." She’d already planned to give Elaine Lane a sleeping pill. If that child could run once, she could run again. This time she was lucky to meet them; next time she might be killed or sold.
Serena turned back to the room to medicate Elaine Lane, while Ninth Royal Uncle went left, paused at a corner, then walked outside with the Grand Heir.
The two men reached an open area and stood side by side, gazing into the distance. The wind blew, sending their robes and hair streaming back—one exuding imperial dominance, the other calm restraint. Just their silhouettes made people yearn to approach and see what kind of men could possess such a presence.
But no one dared come near. Just by standing there, the two gave off the aura of an emperor and his most trusted minister—ordinary people wouldn’t dare approach.
"You heard everything?" After a while, Ninth Royal Uncle finally spoke.
"I did. The once most exalted royal clan, and the Cui Clan that was once closest to them." William Wang Jinling stared blankly ahead, eyes unfocused.
The fate of the Lan clan struck a chord deep inside him—power is the only thing truly reliable in this world.
The once high and mighty Lan Imperial Clan was slaughtered until almost nothing remained; the few survivors were raised like livestock, and only the mentally impaired children were allowed to live.
How pathetic, yet how real. Winner takes all, loser gets nothing. If the Wang clan ever falls, its descendants will end up even worse than the Lan clan’s—the Lan survivors at least have use value, but the Wang heirs won’t.
"So what’s your decision?" Ninth Royal Uncle looked at William, not letting him refuse or run away.
This war had already begun—they were all part of it, no one could escape. And he couldn’t let the Wang clan side with the Cui Clan.
Seeing how the Cui Clan treated the Lan survivors, William should understand: in Cui eyes, there’s only profit—supreme profit.
If the Wang clan cooperates with the Cui Clan, it’s like seeking skin from a tiger. In the end, the Wang clan will either be sacrificed or swallowed whole.
William forced a bitter smile, not answering Nolan, but met his gaze, silently begging for one more moment to evade. This decision was too important; he couldn’t choose just yet.
"You knew all along, didn’t you? You knew that Lan girl’s connection to the Cui Clan, and maybe her link to Serena—so you broke your habit of not meddling and saved her?"
"I guessed." Ninth Royal Uncle didn’t hide it from William.
He really did guess—he was eighty percent sure. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought her back. If he wanted to get rid of a woman, he had a hundred ways and wouldn’t go soft just because she was a Lan.
Lan clan?
In the Nine Provinces Realm, the ones who slaughtered the Lan bloodline most were not the emperors of the Four Kingdoms, but the Lan clan itself. Royal power struggles are always brutal—either you die or I do.
"So, at the tea shed, did you deliberately leave her and Serena together, giving them time alone to talk?" William pressed.
Ninth Royal Uncle didn’t bother to hide it—he nodded.
"You’re crazy. Weren’t you afraid something would happen to Serena? The Cui Clan just lost Elaine Lane—who’s to say their people wouldn’t chase after her?" William wanted to yell, but realized he had no right, so his words came out weak.
"You’re no different—you suspected, didn’t you? If you hadn’t, how could you have played along?"
"Yes, I suspected. So I have no right to criticize you." William forced a bitter smile. "Don’t you regret it?"
When he saw Serena running toward him, blood on her clothes, he regretted it in that moment.
Why dig into Serena’s secrets? She was fine as she was—why insist on knowing what she didn’t want them to know?
"Why regret? Serena’s fine, isn’t she?" Seeing William’s confusion, Ninth Royal Uncle explained for once: "I’d never truly leave Serena alone. This isn’t the Capital, it’s not our territory."
Meaning, even if Zuo An hadn’t held back, Serena wouldn’t have been left unprotected.
"You… really are sly." William almost said 'old fox,' but remembered Nolan was about his age and changed it.
"Right back at you—you’re no lamb either." Ninth Royal Uncle retorted, not too heavy, not too light.
Both had backup plans, so neither could criticize the other.
William sighed helplessly. Trying to get the upper hand with Ninth Royal Uncle? Impossible!
Forget it—the incident already happened; what’s the point in blaming anyone now? William brought up the Cui Clan again: "You’re really going to send Elaine Lane back? Let the Cui Clan realize their ambition?"
Some things you can avoid for a while, but not forever. The Cui Clan’s ambition is obvious; the Wang clan can’t avoid it. If they keep wavering, trying to stay neutral and protect themselves, they’ll be abandoned by both sides. In a power struggle, no one can stand apart. As Grand Heir, William had to decide the Wang clan’s stance!