Chapter 123: If I Cannot Have It, I Shall Destroy It

The side hall of the Moon Sparrow Palace, once bustling with activity, had fallen into complete silence. Princess Anya and Xia Mingxuan had failed in their scheme against Xia Jiujiang and only succeeded in humiliating themselves. The Seventh Prince, Jun Qianye, had fared no better; his previous entanglement with Xia Yue’er had already displeased Emperor Zongkang, and his desperate attempt to insert himself into the spotlight only resulted in his being thoroughly shunned.

Consort Chen, seething with fury, led a dark-faced Jun Qianye and Xia Yue’er back to the Zhaohua Palace. No sooner had they entered the hall than she struck Jun Qianye across the face, shouting, "Get on your knees!"

Jun Qianye knelt, his expression grim. Seeing this, Xia Yue’er knelt beside him with a look of practiced submissiveness, as if to share in his suffering. Yet, when a man does not cherish you, no amount of performance can capture his heart.

"What did I tell you?" Consort Chen demanded. "I warned you not to provoke Xia Jiujiang. Did you treat my words as mere wind?"

"Mother," Jun Qianye explained, "I was simply unwilling to give up. I wanted to try one last time. It just so happened that Princess Anya wanted to seduce Prince Jin, so I..."

"So what? If you hadn't set your heart on Xia Jiujiang, would you be so obsessed? Would you have plotted against her time and again?"

"I just like her," Jun Qianye muttered, head bowed.

Xia Yue’er bit her lip. His words stung like a physical blow. She had already shared intimate relations with him, the Emperor had ordered their marriage, and she was kneeling right by his side—yet he still made it clear that she held no place in his eyes. She clenched her fists in resentment.

Consort Chen sneered. "Like her? Do you even know the meaning of the word? If you were not the Seventh Prince, if you were not the future sovereign, your 'liking' would be worth nothing!"

Jun Qianye’s face darkened. He craved the throne, but if he could not even possess the woman he desired, what was the point of his status?

Sensing his frustration, Consort Chen scolded him, "If you possess the empire, what is there that you cannot have? But what do you have now? You have nothing." She knew her words were harsh, but it was the only way to wake him up. "The Zhen’an Bureau has been taken by Jun Buwen, and the support of Prime Minister Xia is hanging by a thread. When you have nothing left, what do you think will be waiting for you? If you cannot get Xia Jiujiang now, you never will."

"Mother, I know I was wrong," Jun Qianye admitted.

Watching him, Consort Chen took a deep breath. "I do not object to you dealing with Xia Jiujiang, but I will never allow such irrational behavior in pursuit of her." Having witnessed Xia Jiujiang’s abilities today, she realized that such a woman beside Jun Buwen was indeed a grave threat.

Turning her gaze to Xia Yue’er, Consort Chen said, "The Second Miss of the Xia family is truly capable. I never imagined that while my son planned so much, you would be the ultimate winner."

"Your Highness, I do not understand what you mean..." Xia Yue’er replied, head lowered.

Seeing her feign innocence, Consort Chen slammed her hand on the table. "Do you take me for a fool? I see through your little schemes. Do you know the difference between the room where Princess Anya and Xia Mingxuan were, and the one where you and Jun Qianye were?"

Xia Yue’er froze, shaking her head blankly.

Consort Chen sneered. "The difference is that you were never unconscious. Princess Anya and Xia Mingxuan were drugged and remained asleep even when the Emperor arrived. But you? If you claim to know nothing, do you think I am an idiot?"

Hearing this, realization dawned on Jun Qianye. He turned to look at Xia Yue’er, his expression shifting. "You plotted against me!" If she hadn't been unconscious, it meant she knew exactly who it was when he entered the room—she had willingly engaged in the act, only to play the victim before the Emperor.

The more he thought, the angrier he became. He had intended to trap Xia Jiujiang, but the scheme had backfired, and upon realizing Xia Yue’er’s deception, he vented all his rage upon her. He raised his hand and struck her across the face. Xia Yue’er collapsed, staring at him in shock. She had always believed him to be gentle and thoughtful, but his current, twisted expression was terrifying. This was a far cry from the prince she thought she knew, yet this was the path she had chosen.

As Jun Qianye stood to continue his assault, Xia Yue’er blurted out, "It wasn't me! It was Xia Jiujiang! You don't know—she uses sorcery! I was forced to stay in that room!"

Her words caught Consort Chen’s attention. "What do you mean by sorcery?"

Xia Yue’er seized the opportunity. "My lady, I followed my brother to the side hall because he went after Xia Jiujiang. I thought with him there, she would be no match, but with a mere wave of her hand, he lost consciousness."

Consort Chen frowned. "Such a thing happened?"

"It gets stranger," Xia Yue’er said nervously. "When she commanded him to rise, he climbed up like a puppet. When she told him to walk to the next room, he obeyed her completely. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it."

*Sorcery?* If Jun Qianye could control such power, wouldn't the throne be within his grasp?

"I was locked in that room by her," Xia Yue’er cried pitifully. "When the Seventh Prince entered, he was disoriented and rushed in. I was just a pawn in her game." Though Xia Jiujiang’s actions had indirectly led to the imperial decree, Xia Yue’er needed to win Consort Chen’s trust. Betraying Xia Jiujiang was a small price to pay—and she wished for nothing more than for Xia Jiujiang to die.

Jun Qianye gasped. "Mother, I told you! There is something wrong with her. Keeping her by Jun Buwen’s side is like giving him wings."

Consort Chen’s eyes turned cold. "Sorcery, is it? I never imagined she was so capable. No wonder none of you could defeat her. In that case... if we cannot possess her, we shall destroy her." Her gaze was that of a beast, baring its fangs as it prepared to devour its prey.