Let them offer their loyalty!-Chapter 1438 - 620: Out of Control! Princess Xi Loses Control

"But what made me absolutely sure you were Qiu Tu's person was that conversation you had with me before I left."

"You told me, Qiu Tu is someone who's good at creating miracles. If I ever encountered an insurmountable predicament, I didn't have to believe in miracles, but… I could believe in you."

Yanyan's eyes revealed a look of reminiscence, clearly recalling that conversation. But… she felt that while she had been leaning toward Qiu Tu during that talk, it shouldn't have been obvious enough to expose herself outright.

Yet, just as she was thinking this, Princess Xi suddenly said faintly, "So, when I contacted Qiu Tu again, I deliberately brought up the conversation I'd had with you."

"And… I even fabricated a sentence on purpose. I said that after telling me about this faith, you gave yourself as an example. That you were the first to practice this belief. And that's why you'd resolutely thrown yourself into Qiu Tu's camp." (Chapter 566)

After saying this, Princess Xi smiled. "And Qiu Tu… though he didn't admit it, he didn't deny it either."

When Yanyan heard this, she could no longer keep up the act.

No matter how much she calculated, she truly didn't expect that it would be the carelessness of her past that gave her away.

This, in fact, wasn't Qiu Tu's fault at all. After all… back then, everything she did for Princess Xi was kept secret even from Qiu Tu. She was acting for Qiu Tu on her own.

So, Qiu Tu had no idea about her plans, so he couldn't coordinate with her either.

This could only be blamed… on her being too independent-minded, ending up tripping herself up.

Thinking this, Yanyan finally stopped pretending.

She turned her head, looking sharply at Princess Xi at her side, and said, "So… Sister Xixi, you knew all along that I was a problem. Yet you still deliberately let me attend all those secret gatherings?"

Seeing Yanyan drop the act, Princess Xi's smile widened. She stretched out her slender fingers, and gently traced Yanyan's angelic face.

Then, in a gentle voice, she said, "Yanyan, because… I really envy Qiu Tu, for having such a sweet, obedient little bitch like you."

"And… your abilities are so impressive. Almost on par with your father."

Princess Xi said softly, "I truly want to keep you by my side."

At her words, Yanyan's pupils contracted slightly. She sharply sensed that something was off.

She jerked her head toward Princess Xi and said, "You've colluded with my father?!"

Princess Xi laughed brilliantly, "How could you call that collusion?"

"I am the leader of the Ninth Sanctuary, and I'm crusading against the Sixth Sanctuary. And your father is a cabinet minister of the Sixth Sanctuary."

"He's just coming out of the dark, into the light."

"Surely you don't actually think the position he holds was arranged by Qiu Tu, that he's one of the Four States' agents?"

"Not even Qiu Tu is that naïve."

Hearing this, Yanyan felt cold all over.

To be honest, all her life she'd known she was a genius.

Because Ai Li and Xue'er would have to spend ages working out a problem, and she only needed a glance to see through it.

And all kinds of scheming adults played with were almost transparent in front of her.

It was as if she was born able to see through any intrigue, no matter how complex—she could easily unravel it all with a single glance.

But… even though she knew she was a genius, she couldn't act like one.

The reason was simple… she was just the daughter of an ordinary department head. Yet her two best friends—one's parents were Deputy Speaker of the Sixth Sanctuary, had rendered great service to the Eighth Sanctuary and paid their lives for it; the other, a pillar in the Academic Faction, half a step into the upper echelons.

The three of them said they were close friends, but really… she was just a little hanger-on.

So, she could only hide everything, and quietly study in secret.

In that way, she gradually developed her double-sided persona—one face for others, one face for herself.

And as she grew, she became exposed to more politics, conspiracies, and power struggles—but she could still see through them at a glance.

Which only made her all the more aware of her own talent.

This was also why, so many times, she would take things into her own hands: she trusted her ability, and believed she could pull anything off.

On top of that, everything she'd previously done for Qiu Tu had always succeeded, so this time she was that confident taking on a mission from Qiu Tu on her own. And she'd even been so sure of herself that she didn't tell Qiu Tu her plan.

Who could have expected—after all these years of success, she would stumble spectacularly this time, tricked by Princess Xi joining hands with her father!

And what's worse… Qiu Tu had already left the Northwestern Region. There was no way to salvage anything now.

For a moment, Yanyan felt as if she'd fallen into an ice pit.

She wasn't afraid of failing, nor was she afraid of being captured or killed.

What terrified her… was that, because of her own confidence, she would destroy the foundation Qiu Tu had worked so hard to build.

Especially at the thought of Qiu Tu's disappointed gaze, or that he might abandon her—she almost wanted to throw herself off the Isolation Mountains and end it all in atonement!

But a genius is still a genius. Even after being caught off-guard, Yanyan, in her regret, quickly regained her composure.

She knew that now, with Qiu Tu gone, she had to stand on her own—only that way could she try to salvage the situation.

With this in mind, she put on a sweet smile, then looked at Princess Xi and tried probing,

"Sister Xixi. Since you've already seen through all my plans, you must also know… While I've been publicly supporting your coup, I've actually been quietly setting Qiu Tu up as the spiritual leader of the Reform Club, expanding his influence?"

Princess Xi glanced at Yanyan, noble and aloof, and gave an elegant "Mm." Then said,

"Not only do I know you've been secretly boosting Qiu Tu's influence, letting those officers think I'm just his puppet."

"I also know that the reason you urged me to found the Ninth Sanctuary was so that you could help Qiu Tu resolve the 'Overseas Enclave' bill without offending the Third Sanctuary. To keep his name unblemished."