The study in the Eastern Palace was in disarray.

Li Changnian sat coldly at the desk, his eyes filled with violent rage, sending chills down anyone’s spine, resembling a cold venomous snake lurking in the dark of night.

The study fell into silence.

Liu Qingxi, who had some knowledge of the situation outside the secret room, walked out, her toes lightly skirting the debris on the floor, and approached the Crown Prince’s side, speaking gently, "Crown Prince, don’t overthink it. Interestingly enough, I had a dream not long ago, and I’m not sure if I should share it."

His expression softened slightly as he looked at the beauty, with patience in his voice, "Oh? Let’s hear it."

Liu Qingxi explained the incredible dream in detail.

She even spoke of many things Li Changnian had never told her, recounting them with logic and clarity.

The man’s face grew darker as he listened from his seat at the desk.

When the beauty finished, he asked with a sullen face, "So you’re saying that in the future my elder brother will ascend the throne and I will be exiled from the Capital City, ending up in an obscure place as a Vassal King, spending my life there?"

Liu Qingxi nodded gently.

Silence engulfed the room once more.

After a long pause.

He blurted out, "What do you think if I start a rebellion?"

Liu Qingxi’s eyes widened in disbelief at first, but then she realized that she and the Crown Prince were in the same boat now. If the dream were true, the Crown Prince was destined to miss the throne, and given her current predicament, without a home to return to, she’d forever remain an under-the-table concubine. It might be better to let the Crown Prince take a gamble.

She had a backup plan: if the Crown Prince’s army were defeated and their fate sealed, she could hide away and preserve her life.

Her mind calculated rapidly behind her calm exterior as she offered advice to the man, "Crown Prince, as indicated in the dream, there are five thousand loyalists of Prince An left in Yongzhou at the border of the Yan Country and Daqing Country. If you can persuade them, we would have an army. Additionally, you could conspire with Yan Country, using the promise of cities post-victory as a condition to borrow an army of ten thousand."

Li Changnian was skeptical, "To my knowledge, the Monarch of Yan Country is inherently suspicious. Such rash requests might make him unwilling to lend ten thousand troops."

Liu Qingxi slowly explained:

"Soon, the Monarch of Yan Country will visit Daqing with his most beloved sister. If the Crown Prince employs a small ploy to make her your concubine, given how much the Monarch cherishes his sister, he will surely agree. Furthermore, Xue Ling is a talent of exceptional ability who can be heavily utilized, and you could also bring the Heir of Marquis Yongqing under your command. I suspect it was Ye Zhi who had him knocked out and shipped away last time."

Then, she paused, her gaze steady on the man, softly asking, "Crown Prince, do you truly trust Qingxi that much?"

Aren’t you afraid she’s deceiving you?

Aren’t you afraid that everything will end up in vain?

As indicated in the dream, she couldn’t tolerate Shen Chen’s incompetence in the boudoir, secretly engaging with Li Changnian, and giving birth to two boys.

Perhaps Shen Chen felt guilty towards her, unable to satisfy her, turning a blind eye and pretending nothing was amiss.

Liu Qingxi thought the Shen Chen in the dream was pretending, not truly fond of her; otherwise, how could he know she was with another man and still act as if nothing happened?

Li Changnian stood up and embraced her, "I don’t know why, but from the first moment I saw you, that flash of red stunned my eyes, and I was completely enamored, willing to do anything for you. When I become the emperor, you will be the empress, and we will share the world together."