Qing Li stood with her hands casually placed behind her back, unfazed by his threatening demeanor. “Don’t be nervous — nobody else knows. That’s why you dismissed Cousin Lu just now, isn’t it?”
“How…did you know?” Prince Duan asked quietly.
“It’s a matter of fate.” Qing Li answered honestly.
The Prince of Duan’s gaze faltered in disbelief. He had indeed suspected something when he noticed Qing Li’s puzzling expression upon seeing Lu Pingyuan and then himself.
He was a cautious man. To avoid suspicion, he kept up the same act for forty years, not touching another woman after his wife died, staying true to her memory.
So when a hint of suspicion arose, he dismissed Lu Pingyuan immediately.
Who could have guessed that she’d gotten it all right?!
How had she done it? Did she calculate it all?
The Prince of Duan was somewhat unwilling to believe it. After all, over the years, countless people who called themselves masters of divination and the arcane had crossed his path, yet none of them were genuine; their words were cryptic, confusing, meant to conceal their ineptitude.
And yet this young woman — barely fifteen — had gotten it exactly right.
Qing Li noticed his silence and added, “Your facial features show you have no daughter, but you do have a son. However, Lu Pingyuan is your granddaughter’s child. I glanced at his face just now and saw no blood relation. If the child were born to your daughter, the bond would be there. But it isn’t, which means there’s only one explanation: Princess Anjin isn’t your biological daughter.”
The person in front of her was, in a way, quite remarkable. Amid the rigid traditions of this dynasty, swapping children and using a soldier’s orphan in place of your own — all to conceal the true heir — was a dramatic move.
This way, the prince’s son remained in his care under a different name, while the clan avoided suspicion and maintained a balance of power.
Because the prince had no “real” heirs, there was less pressure from ambitious relatives or from the ruling king, allowing him to keep a degree of independence and control, a key to retaining power without threatening the throne.
The prince pressed his lips together, drew a deep breath, and said in a somewhat shaky voice, “You… you really… calculated all this?”
Qing Li opened her hands. “If you don’t believe me, you can investigate. Apart from Bai Zhu, I have no people working for me. Do you think I could find all this information myself?”
The prince fell silent. The conspiracy was hidden so well — swapping children, changing their names — even his closest servants hadn’t suspected a thing.
And considering Qing Li’s background—stranded in the Cold Palace, vulnerable, without resources-it seemed impossible for her to learn these details through ordinary means.
The prince felt a chill run down his back as his piercing gaze remained fixed on her.
Qing Li, thinking it might be helpful to press her advantage, said, “If you’re not yet convinced, you can send people to check the reports from those I previously… evaluated. Or you can bring in people immediately and test me on the spot.”
“All right!” the prince nodded decisively.
The prince was a man of action — when a thought struck him, he acted immediately.
He not only made inquiries about Qing Li’s past cases, but also called in people whom Qing Li hadn’t met before.
He asked questions about their marriage, children, relatives — details hard to match just from birthdates and facial features.
These were all people the prince trusted, not outsiders who could be in collusion with her.
So when Qing Li remained accurate each time, naming marriage, children, and relationships without a single miss, the prince fell silent, then sighed in disbelief.
“It seems… there are people in this world who can commune with the heavens.”
He called forward another person. “This one was born in the Year of Yichou…”
Qing Li closed her eyes briefly, then answered, “Married, both parents deceased, has a brother, a son, and… two or three… a small daughter who isn’t born yet.”
The prince looked at the person; the man nodded quietly in confirmation.
The prince exhaled, dismissed the man, and called for another.
Repeat after repeat, Qing Li remained unfailing in her judgments.
Meanwhile, the prince’s cheeks grew faintly red, and his breath fell heavy.
Qing Li paused and asked in alarm, “Your Royal Highness?”
“I… believe you.” The last person left, and the prince nodded, a spark of satisfaction glimmering in his eyes.
He hadn’t believed in gods or ghosts for years — not after seeing the numerous frauds — but now, having met someone who seemed to possess true ability, his outlook shifted.
Because she was a Sima — a princess of the ruling clan — her ability meant something.
It meant she could be a powerful asset to their family’s future.
But then the prince sighed, frowning as the marriage agreement with Chu came back to him.
He nodded toward a nearby pavilion and said, “I believe you. But… Le Yi, you’re not doing all this just to break off your engagement, are you?”
Qing Li nodded with a slight smile. “Not just that. Royal Uncle, you know Third Brother chose me to be a sacrifice, and even my father is willing to let me suffer… If Second Brother were to become king—with Zhou Xing’s backing, I certainly wouldn’t survive.”
The prince remained unfazed; this seemed reasonable to him.
He sighed and asked quietly, “Then… what do you plan to do? If you need help, I’m here. As for the marriage, leave it to me.”
Qing Li blinked. “I can handle it myself… But I will need your cooperation.”
“What do you need me to do?” the prince asked decisively.
Qing Li whispered her plan.
About halfway through, the prince’s face fell, and a shock crossed his features.
He raised his voice in disbelief, “Is… is that true?”
He glared at her, his face turning red with agitation.
Qing Li nodded gravely. “It’s true. I’ve gone over it many times. There’s no doubt. But this is a huge matter. If it fails, I’m willing to shoulder all the blame.”
The prince drew a deep breath, trying to calm himself, then said solemnly, “A few days… no… immediately… I’ll write a letter to bring back my son!”
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152