Escape and Beating a Dog That Has Fallen into the Water

No matter which of the three—Prince Terrence, Prince Rowan, or Prince Damien—ends up unlucky, Serena would be delighted. If all three could be taken down at once, that would be worth celebrating early.

But Serena understood that such a thing was unlikely. Prince Rowan and Prince Damien aren’t like Prince Terrence—Terrence has already been deposed, but Rowan and Damien still have their emperors and entire nations backing them.

Birth matters more than anything. If you kill a commoner, you can just pay off the officials and smooth things over. But if you kill a prince, that’s a crime so grave it would mean exterminating your whole clan.

“Of these three, the only one we can move against right now is Prince Terrence of Westlyn. What arrangements have you made in Westlyn?” Serena quickly scanned the intelligence reports, then asked respectfully.

Ninth Royal Uncle lifted his eyes, a faint smile flashing in them. “You just knew I’d target Prince Terrence.”

“You always pick the softest target—he’s a dog who’s fallen into the water. If we’re not hitting him, who else would we hit?” Serena shot Ninth Royal Uncle a look, almost saying: Drop the act.

“You’re right, he really is a dog who’s fallen into the water. If the Westlyn Emperor weren’t still looking after him a bit, he’d be nothing by now.” Ninth Royal Uncle nodded with a smile, then asked, “How do you think I’ll handle this?”

“Well…” Serena thought for a moment, then answered, “The same as Prince Rowan and Prince Damien want—cut off his supplies. Without Westlyn’s support, Terrence won’t last long in the Miasma Forest.”

“Exactly. As long as we cut off Terrence’s retreat, he’ll have no choice but to fight.” Without grain, not even Terrence’s best tricks will work.

Seeing Ninth Royal Uncle so confident, Serena asked, “Everyone understands this in theory, but it’s easier said than done. If it were so simple, Rowan and Damien wouldn’t have wasted so much time with him.”