Chapter 138: Am I a Talent?

In the stillness of the night, Dai Yuheng suddenly let out a soft laugh, her voice gentle as she said, “General, you are truly becoming more and more eloquent. If I were to punish you, according to your reasoning, it would mean I have fallen into the Eastern Palace’s trap and become a fool, would it not? You manage to turn the charge of treason so easily into a mere mistake. If I choose not to pursue your fault, does that mean I gain a loyal subject who will remain faithful unto death?”

Kaimingchui’s voice lowered to a whisper: “I believe, Your Majesty, a person as wise as you surely knows best how to rule in a way that benefits yourself.”

He heard a rustling sound, like the wind stirring. With his eyelids half-closed, he glimpsed the corner of a palace robe; beneath it, a soft-soled palace shoe slowly emerged and was placed right before his eyes.

Startled, he followed the hem upward and saw a figure approaching, slowly crouching before him. His vision blurred, and there before him was Dai Yuheng’s exquisitely beautiful face, her autumn-like eyes unblinking as they locked onto his. A rich fragrance, infused in her palace robe, instantly filled his nostrils.

“I must admit, I underestimated you,” Dai Yuheng revealed a slight smile, showing pearly teeth, “I never expected General Kaiming to be not only stubborn but also quick-witted, able to argue with such impeccable logic. One cannot help but admire.”

She met his gaze calmly and replied, “It is all due to Your Majesty’s exemplary guidance.”

Dai Yuheng gazed at her with a smile. “General Kaiming, since returning from the Western Palace battlefield, you seem somewhat changed.”

Kaiming looked him straight in the eyes, a faint, sarcastic smile curling her lips. “I was immature before, foolishly showing off before Your Majesty. If there is any improvement, it is all thanks to Your Majesty’s great fortune.” Her smile broadened, her tone respectful yet her eyes grew colder. “What I have learned from Your Majesty has truly benefited me greatly.”

Dai Yuheng stared coldly at her, then suddenly raised a hand, his slender fingers brushing across her brow. The cool touch caused her gaze to falter, her body trembling as she looked at him in surprise.

His face emerged from behind his fingers, calm as he looked at her, voice low: “Kaiming, do you know that right now, you resemble Dayin very much?”

Kaiming’s eyes widened. What was he saying? She resembled Dayin? What did that mean? She did not understand his intent and dared not move carelessly.

“Speaking flattering words, yet your eyes carry the killing intent…”

Dai Yuheng’s fingers covered her left eye, blocking her vision on that side. She could only blink her right eye vigorously, her entire body tense and alert.

The beautiful palace emperor opposite her parted his red lips gently, voice soft but expressionless as if speaking through a mask: “I still remember the first time I saw Dayin. She was young and pure, brave and resolute, trusting of everyone. Not only did those around her like her, even I felt admiration at that time. It’s a pity that the Tianjue Emperor acted first and she became my mortal enemy. Years later, thinking back, it remains my deep regret.”

A young and beautiful female general, innocent in thought, surely smiling brightly at everyone around her, naturally beloved. Kaiming silently thought to herself that even Xuan had once been fond of her.

“Dayin chose the wrong side. General Kaiming, do you intend to repeat Dayin’s fate?” Dai Yuheng shifted the topic skillfully, directing the conversation toward her.

Kaiming was momentarily stunned but seemed to grasp something. She leaned back slightly, avoiding his unmoving fingers, and pulled her face away from his palm. With a barely perceptible smile, she calmly said, “Your Majesty’s tireless sermon tonight is merely to lure me here. But what is Your Majesty truly worried about? The entire Central Palace is already under your control; there is no force to challenge you. To which opposing camp could I possibly flee?”

Dai Yuheng’s fingers slowly curled, forming a hollow fist in the air. He smiled with some satisfaction and withdrew his hand. “You are right. Everything is indeed under my grasp. Perhaps I have been overthinking. At this time of new governance in the Central Palace, I am eager for talent and naturally do not wish to let any capable person slip away.”

“Talent?” Kaiming twisted her lips, half-smiling. “If Your Majesty means me, then you are sorely mistaken.”

“General Kaiming, you underestimate yourself.” Dai Yuheng slowly rose from the ground, standing tall and imposing, looking down on her. “Knowing how to use strategy before the enemy, remaining calm in crisis, and knowing how to bend to survive before me — you and Dayin at her transformation are remarkably similar. Given time, you will surely become a figure as influential as she was.”

Her gaze followed his rising movement, and upon hearing this, she sneered. “Your Majesty, that statement is truly mistaken.”

Dai Yuheng raised his eyebrows in slight surprise. Kaiming, who had feigned compliance all this time, dared to bluntly refute him at this moment, to say he, the palace emperor of the Central Palace, had spoken wrongly?

Kaiming looked up at him, slowly straightening her waist and standing bit by bit until fully upright before him.

She spoke with biting sarcasm: “To compare me to Dayin is a grave error. I am myself and will never be anyone else, nor will I ever become Dayin.”

The former Tianjue Palace Emperor was like this, and now Dai Yuheng was too—was Dayin forever to cast such a shadow?

Dai Yuheng’s expression was complex, impossible to tell if it was joy or sorrow. He looked calmly at Kaiming, who lowered her head before him like a low-ranking soldier awaiting orders from a superior general on the battlefield.

After a long pause, Dai Yuheng quietly spoke, his voice smooth like a lake’s surface brushed by bird wings, devoid of much emotion: “Kaiming, the spoon is in my hand.”

Waiting so long, she was met with these unexpected words. She could hardly believe her ears, raising her head in stunned disbelief. “What?”

Dai Yuheng repeated, “I said, the spoon is in my hand.”

“Spoon? Spoon?” She was shaken to the core. What did he mean? Since returning to the Central Palace, she hadn’t even had a proper breath before being summoned inside. She had not yet seen the spoon face to face, so how could the spoon already be here? Had he somehow discovered the spoon’s identity?

Frantically, she asked, “Your Majesty, what do you mean? Why is the spoon with you?”

Dai Yuheng smiled faintly. “Only when mentioning the spoon does General Kaiming reveal her true nature? The spoon being with me is only natural. Dayin sacrificed herself for the country; her descendants have no one to care for them. I have taken him into the palace, ensuring he eats well, dresses well, and receives the best education. What could be wrong with that?”

Kaiming swiftly calmed her emotions and forced herself to sound composed. “Yes, that is very kind. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. The spoon is my son, temporarily living in the general’s residence. Since General Dayin has passed away, I have every reason to bring back my son. I humbly ask Your Majesty to grant this unreasonable request.”

Dai Yuheng’s smile grew faint. “Unreasonable? It sounds quite reasonable to me. Rest assured, I will do nothing to the spoon, although he is not your biological son.”

Kaiming was startled again. How much did Dai Yuheng really know? His words were filled with hidden meanings. Or did he only know a little and was deliberately probing her here?

Since he knew her background, there was no need to hide. Sometimes, being straightforward makes the other party more inscrutable. With this thought, she quickly said, “Yes, the spoon is indeed not my biological son. Though I am his stepmother, I regard the son of my husband’s former wife as my own. I earnestly ask Your Majesty to honor my familial feelings.”

Dai Yuheng smiled brightly. “I would never disregard General Kaiming’s family ties. Rest assured, General, I only have a few questions I wish you to answer.”

“Your Majesty, please ask.”

“I have heard that your husband was once Dayin’s deputy general. Is this true?”

Xuan? Kaiming smiled bitterly inside. Why was he so interested in Xuan? Dai Yuheng was truly confused, always eyeing those around her so keenly. Thinking on this, she suddenly realized—why was Dai Yuheng investigating her background? Why target the spoon? Why question Xuan? She seemed to have found a vague answer.

“General?”

“Yes. My husband once served as Dayin’s deputy general, but that was long ago. He grew tired of soldiering and left.”

“Oh.” Dai Yuheng neither doubted nor agreed, just replied casually, as if his question about Xuan was mere whimsy.

“General Kaiming, may I ask which palace you belong to?” he suddenly asked, catching her off guard.

“Your Majesty, what did you say?” She stared at him in shock. Which palace she belonged to? What was this about?

His eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze turning cold and stern. “General Kaiming, do not play dumb before me. Out of curiosity, I investigated your background. No one knows your origin, nor can it be confirmed which palace you hail from or why you came to the Central Palace. Why not be honest with me today and speak your heart?”

Kaiming’s mind raced. Fortunately, his focus was truly on her, not on the spoon or Xuan. As long as those two remained undiscovered, there was room to maneuver.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I do not know why Your Majesty is so concerned with me, but since you ask, I will tell all. I am an orphan of the Central Palace, abandoned since childhood, raised in a remote temple. I have never left its gates. My husband happened upon me there. The circumstances are complicated, so naturally Your Majesty cannot uncover my origin quickly. I speak nothing but the truth and dare not deceive Your Majesty.”