The Crown Prince and the Spy

The brilliant red marriage sedan swayed, making me dizzy. When the sedan curtain was abruptly lifted, the breeze carried the sweet scent of sugar candy sold at the street corner. "Quincy, you go down first!" Calvin Clark's voice was laced with impatience as he reached out to grasp my wrist. I wore marriage clothes embroidered with phoenixes; the golden thread at my sleeve brushed against the back of his hand, tingling with itchiness. Outside the sedan chair stood a woman clad in a pale pink gown. Her brows were lowered, her fingers nervously twisting the corner of her garment, giving her a fragile and delicate appearance. I recognized her at once—Linda Lewis, the spy the enemy country had placed in the Capital City for three years. In my previous life, it was she who ruined the entire Scott family. "His Highness the Crown Prince," I clenched the red veil in my hand, the tassels brushing against my palm, "to switch brides on the wedding day—should His Majesty find out, it would be a crime punishable by death for nine generations." Calvin's expression darkened, and Linda Lewis behind him coughed twice at just the right moment. "Your Highness, perhaps... I should leave?"Linda's voice trembled with tears, "Please don't suffer on my account, bringing harm to you and Ms. Scott." Those words made it seem as if I were the one troubling her. In my previous life, I fell victim to this—I tore Linda from the sedan chair on the spot, sparking a scandal that spread far and wide. And the consequence? Calvin held a grudge against me; after he ascended the throne, the first thing he did was consign me to the palace of the abandoned, implicating my father and elder brother, who were exiled to the North Territory. The plaster on the walls of the palace of the abandoned peeled away, layer after layer. In winter, the wind seeped through; in summer, the rain leaked in. Wrapped in a moldy quilt, I counted the frost on the windowpanes for thirty years. On the brink of death, Calvin Clark stood before the palace of the abandoned's gate, clad in a bright yellow robe, smiling like a madman. "Quincy Scott, do you know?"He crouched down and nudged my broken bowl with the tip of his boot. "Linda is the one I hold closest to my heart. Because of you, Father Emperor branded her a spy, had her executed, and displayed her head in public at the palace gate!" He drew the dagger from his waist, the cold tip pressing against my neck. "I have tormented you for thirty years, and it is still not enough. I will make sure that even in death you do not rest in peace. Your head will be hung at the palace gate alongside hers for ten years." The pain on my neck still seemed to linger. I snapped back to attention; Calvin Clark was still pulling at my wrist, and Linda Lewis's eyes held a barely perceptible smile. I must not force things—last life's lessons were harsh enough. I followed his lead and slowly stepped out of the sedan chair. The wind blew, and the hem of the marriage clothes swept past my ankles, cool and soothing. "Your Highness, I will follow your command."I lowered my eyes and softened my voice, "There are too many prying eyes outside the palace. If I am recognized and it is said that the Crown Prince is replacing his bride on his wedding day, it might implicate Miss Lewis." Calvin froze for a moment, clearly not expecting me to submit so readily. Linda Lewis also panicked slightly. She stepped forward, trying to grasp Calvin's arm, "Your Highness, this..." "How about this," I interrupted her, looking up at Calvin, "take me back to the Crown Prince's Palace as well. Once inside, I will find a place to hide and wait for the commotion to die down before leaving. That way, no one will find out." Calvin Clark furrowed his brow slightly, as if weighing the pros and cons. Suddenly, the sound of wheels came from the intersection. An old man carrying a basket of vegetables approached, and upon seeing me outside the marriage sedan, he smiled and said, "Oh dear, why is the bride standing outside the sedan? The auspicious hour must be near, isn't it?" Linda Lewis's face turned pale. Afraid that lingering would only invite trouble, Calvin pushed me sharply back into the sedan. "Enough, we'll do as you say! Once inside the palace, behave yourself and don't cause me any trouble!" The sedan curtain was lowered again, and darkness instantly engulfed the interior of the sedan. I leaned against the sedan wall, listening to Calvin Clark speak softly and tenderly to Linda Lewis outside, a cold laugh stirring in my heart. In my previous life, I thought he was deceived, but only before death did I realize they had long been secretly conspiring. He might not have been unaware of Linda Lewis's identity as a spy; perhaps he had already colluded with the enemy country. The sedan shook, and Linda's voice came from outside: "Your Highness, are all the Guards at the Crown Prince's Palace stationed at the main gate? What about the side entrance?" "There are only two Guards at the side entrance," Calvin's voice carried a triumphant tone, "but additional men are posted at night. Rest assured, no one will harm you." "Where is the granary within the palace? I heard that the food supplies for the Capital City all rely on the palace granary for distribution." "The granary is in the northwest corner, guarded by the royal guards, but..." I drew a small piece of charcoal from my sleeve. This was secretly given to me by my mother before I boarded the sedan chair; she told me to draw a small talisman on the wedding veil to bring good fortune. I tore off a corner of the cotton pad lining the inside of the sedan chair, and by the faint light filtering in from outside, carefully recorded each location Linda Lewis had inquired about. The number of side entrance guards, the location of the granary, and the guard shift change times at the Crown Prince's Palace... Calvin was quite generous; whatever Linda asked, he answered. I folded the cotton pad into small pieces and tucked them between the layers of the marriage clothes. Reborn into this life, I will not only survive but also make Calvin Clark and Linda Lewis pay their blood debts with blood!