Princess Yu Yan would not make my life easy, but I saw her for nothing but a young girl who needed an outlet for her misery. She was plucked from her home and brought to the new palace without anyone at her side and expected to marry an older prince she had never met in her life.

If anything, I could relate to her, I knew what she is going through, because, I, too, went through the same thing only a few years ago. It had been almost four years since I was brought here. I was fifteen when the emperor took me from my parents and threw me in the life inside the palace. The drastic change alienated and threw me off, taking me a long time to get used to it. I'm almost nineteen now.

It was in the middle of the afternoon when I strolled along the long hallways when princess Yu Yan cornered me and halted me on my tracks.

Bailing and the two guardsmen who accompanied me stopped behind.

Princess Yu Yan had her personal servant with her without any guards. Prince Julong had not bothered assigning her any.

I hardly expected a sudden intrusion when I regarded her politely just as I would wangfei Ai and wangfei Ru Shi whenever I ran into them.

"Princess Yu Yan. What a delight running into you in the hallways." I greeted.

She said nothing as she surveyed me up and down.

My eyebrow wanted to rise, but I controlled myself from inviting unwanted confrontation. "What can I do for you princess?"

A sneer appeared on her face and announced her dislike for me loudly. She didn't have to do any of that since I'm already fully aware of what she thought of me. "So, you and Julong?"

My lips pursed oblivious to her accusation. "Me and Julong?"

Her face turned into a scowl. "Oh please, don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about. It's well known in the palace what you two had. The scholars could practically write a piece of history about it."

My face rearranged into a polite smile. "With all due respect, princess. I know the gossip in the palace spread like wildfire, people always have something to talk about, but the third prince and I never once had an intimate relationship."

She sucked a rage fueling inhale and I saw that my response only angered her further.

"The third prince and I are in no speaking terms, so if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to my husband."

I schooled my face to harden before stepping aside. I went around her path that blocked us aggressively. I saw princess Yu Yan was searching for an excuse to lash out, taking this opportunity upon getting away from her nuclear temper, before she pulled me further into her restraint.

She threw her foot in front of my path and forced me to stop the second time. My eyes darted to her foot in front of me, then lifted to her face. I saw that her jaws clenched while her simmering eyes glittered with so much rage that made me wonder what I did to make her this angry.

My mouth dropped while my chest hammered with anxiety. "Princess?"

"I've seen the way he looked at you."

"Who?" I answered.

"Who else?" She snarled.

"You mean the third prince?"

Princess Yu Yan rolled her eyes. "And I've seen the way you met his eyes, you two hide something. You may not have a relationship happening, but you two have a deeper understanding with each other."

"I'm afraid, I don't know what you're talking about," I said in a rush. "I must go, my husband waits for me."

Her arm bravely barred my path as she prevented me from taking a step forward. Her aggressiveness made my guardsmen move as they flanked both to my sides, but this wasn't enough to make her stop. Princess Yu Yan was not afraid aware she could get away with anything.

It wasn't until a quiet groan from the hallway placed a terrified look on her face. I whipped my head over to the sound and found the crown prince standing at the end of the hall. He's surrounded by his personal guardsmen and numerous advisers.

His glare was on princess Yu Yan. Crown prince Yuan didn't have to say anything when princess Yu Yan chucked all her braveness aside and stepped backward. Trembling as she retreated.

"Let this be the last time I see you antagonize the wife of the second prince." His calm domineering voice traveled from his end of the hallway to us, sending ripples of fright to both of us. My hair stood, and goosebumps erupted creating prickling sensation all over my skin.

There's something so scary about the crown prince. The way he is is so stoic, unpredictable, and petrifying that he didn't have to do anything to let his anger known.

He could be the most dangerous man in the planet and I would never know.

Princess Yu Yan inclined her head to a deep bow and apologized. "Forgive me, your highness. It'll never happen again."

...at least not when the crown prince is around.

Crown prince Yuan strolled forward followed by a flock of people behind. His eyes remained high, never swaying to my direction. Since my arrival here at the palace, not once the crown prince ever regarded me, not once he spoke to me, not once he made himself aware of my existence until now, this is the first time he ever acknowledged me and that was to save me from being bullied.

I wanted to thank him but I'm also afraid to chase after him. I allowed a few moments to pass and calm down until I'm ready to move again.

"Let's go, Jasmine." Said Bailing to me, her hand grasped my arm softly. "This place is getting more and more dangerous every day."