The Blue Lotus Assembly in Sheng Capital was more lively than Spring Festival celebrations, attracting attention not just from common people but also from noble and official households.

In Prince Wen’s mansion in the southern part of the city, lights burned brightly tonight.

The current Prince Wen, Mu Sheng, inherited his father’s title. The old Prince and the late Emperor had been as close as brothers. After the old Prince’s passing, the Emperor, honoring his father’s loyal minister, showered the Prince’s mansion with numerous honors and privileges, making it especially noble and prestigious.

The courtyard was silent, with only crystal lanterns casting soft glowing shadows. A matron in blue clothing crossed the courtyard carrying a wooden tray, passing through beaded curtains and embroidered screens to enter the inner chamber.

On a broad couch surrounded by seven screens made of Guang Han wood, cushioned with soft padding, sat a beauty with her hair styled in a casual bun. She wore a honey-pink silver-threaded brocade dress made of fortune silk, with two light pink pearls hanging from her ears, making her cheeks appear rosy and her entire presence radiant.

This was the eldest legitimate daughter of Duke Zhaoning, the current Princess Consort Wen, Pei Yunshu.

Pei Yunshu was the eldest legitimate daughter of Duke Zhaoning, born of the same mother as the Duke’s heir Pei Yunying, and two years older than her brother.

The matron placed the wooden tray on the table and took out a white porcelain bowl containing brown medicine. Even before bringing it close, one could smell an unbearable bitter odor.

Pei Yunshu couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose.

The matron smiled and said, “Princess Consort, this is the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine.”

The Princess Consort touched her flat belly and frowned, “Leave it here, I’ll drink it later.”

The matron picked up the medicine bowl, as if not hearing her words, and held up a spoonful to her lips, smiling sweetly, “My lady, don’t mind the bitterness. This was prepared on His Highness’s orders, it’s best taken while hot.”

Pei Yunshu’s eyes grew cold, and just as her maid was about to speak, someone announced from outside: “Princess Consort, the Young Master of Duke Zhaoning has arrived!”

Pei Yunshu’s face lit up with joy. She quickly took the medicine bowl from the matron’s hands and put it on the table, about to stand up. Her maid Fangzi hurriedly supported her, and after taking just two steps toward the door, they saw a figure approaching through the heavy night.

Moonlight filled the courtyard, the lamplight was dim, and the person’s silhouette appeared and disappeared in the darkness. As he drew closer, the eaves of lanterns brightened, illuminating the young man more clearly.

He was a magnificently dressed young man wearing a black brocade robe embroidered with gold patterns, his long hair held high with a golden crown, making his beautiful features even more striking. On the heavy spring night, he created his beautiful scene, gleaming like a bright pearl.

As Pei Yunshu, supported by Fangzi, walked forward two steps, the young man saw her, merely smiled, and smoothly took her arm to help her back inside.

After Pei Yunshu sat down again inside, Pei Yunying said helplessly, “Didn’t I say? Sister, you’re with child, you shouldn’t come outside to receive me.”

“I’ve only just conceived, and haven’t even started showing, how could I be so delicate that I can’t even walk a few steps?” Pei Yunshu said reproachfully.

Pei Yunying glanced around the room and suddenly gave a light laugh, his voice carrying faint mockery: “You’re a Prince’s Consort, and now that you’re with child, besides Fangzi, I hardly see any servants attending you. Indeed not very ‘delicate.'”

“Even in ordinary households, a pregnant mistress would have several more people to care for her. I’m truly surprised to see the Prince’s mansion has fallen so low,” he said.

Though he was smiling, his tone carried some coldness. The matron who had brought the medicine couldn’t help but freeze.

Although this Princess Consort was beautiful and the legitimate daughter of Duke Zhaoning, with both noble birth and beauty, unfortunately, her personality wasn’t gentle and agreeable, and she didn’t have the Prince’s favor. The Princess Consort had also been childless for many years. In this mansion, Pei Yunshu merely held the empty title of Princess Consort, often overshadowed by another.

Now though the Princess Consort was finally with child, the Prince seemed unconcerned, and the household servants inevitably became negligent. Usually, this was fine, as the Princess Consort herself kept it hidden from others, but today she was caught red-handed by the Young Master of Duke Zhaoning.

It was well known that the Young Master of Duke Zhaoning, Lord Pei of the Imperial Guard, though appearing gentle and handsome, was formidable and shrewd, even the Prince himself was somewhat wary of him. In fact, if not for Lord Pei’s protection, the Princess Consort’s position would likely be even lower.

The matron pondered that since entering, this Lord Pei hadn’t even glanced at her once, clearly intentionally making things difficult for her. Not daring to anger him, she could only smile and bow.

Pei Yunying didn’t even properly look at her, his gaze merely swept across the wooden tray on the table, landing on the bowl of brown medicine.

The matron hurriedly explained, “This is the pregnancy-stabilizing medicine that His Highness ordered the kitchen to prepare for the Princess Consort.”

“Pregnancy-stabilizing medicine…” he mused, walking to the table and lifting the medicine bowl to his nose, his lips curling slightly.

Pei Yunshu looked at him.

The matron felt inexplicably nervous.

The young man smiled, raised his arm, and poured the entire bowl of medicine into the narcissus planter in the corner of the table.

“Not good,” he said lightly. “Too bitter. Brew another bowl.”

The matron felt relieved and smiled apologetically, “Young Master, how can medicine not be bitter? Good medicine tastes bitter…”

Pei Yunying looked at her, his handsome face wearing a gentle smile, but his tone carried bone-chilling coldness: “Then brew it until it’s not bitter.”

The matron was speechless.

Pei Yunshu was quiet for a moment before saying, “Matron, you may leave first. I have something to discuss with the Young Master.”

The matron, already rendered speechless by Pei Yunying’s pressure, heard this pardon as if receiving a great blessing, and immediately left with the empty bowl.

After she left, the atmosphere in the room relaxed somewhat. Pei Yunshu glared at the person opposite her: “Why did you frighten her for no reason?”

“That wasn’t frightening,” Pei Yunying smiled indifferently, “If I killed her with one stroke in front of everyone in the Prince’s mansion today, that would be frightening.”

“You’re talking nonsense again.” Pei Yunshu didn’t want to discuss this with him and changed the subject, “By the way, why did you suddenly come today? Didn’t you say you were too busy with official duties these days to get away?”

Pei Yunying smiled, “The estate sent over several baskets of fresh lychees, I brought them specially for you. But since you’re with child, don’t eat too many.”

Pei Yunshu was surprised: “I just finished the plums you sent earlier, and now you’ve brought lychees. Do you think your sister is a pig?” After saying this, she laughed first, “But the plums you sent were indeed excellent. Some days ago I was so sick I could barely leave my bed, but after having your plums, I felt much better. Even my stomach isn’t as acidic as before.”

“Those were freshly picked plums, of course, they were good.” Pei Yunying raised an eyebrow, “I’m glad you like them.”

“Of course I like them. Even things I didn’t like before, I like now.” As Pei Yunshu spoke, she suddenly remembered something, “Oh right, the Blue Lotus Assembly is coming up, but I’m with a child this year, so I’m afraid I can’t go with you.”

Since the death of Duke Zhaoning’s wife, every year at the Blue Lotus Assembly, Pei Yunshu would go with Pei Yunying to Wan’en Temple to light lotus lamps and pray for blessings. But this year her condition made it inconvenient, so she could only prepare incense, candles, rice, and oil, and ask Pei Yunying to take them up together.

Pei Yunying sighed: “I expected as much.” He glanced at Pei Yunshu and said unhurriedly, “Don’t worry, I’ll say all the proper prayers for you, asking the Buddha to bless your child to be lively and healthy, to be born safely, for mother and child to be safe, mother and daughter to be safe, and for safety year after year.”

Pei Yunshu pinched his arm and said irritably: “Nonsense! What I want is for my good-for-nothing brother to quickly meet a suitable young lady and establish his own family soon. Otherwise, when everyone else has their own families in the future, he’ll be the only one alone – wouldn’t that be pitiful and miserable?”

“Hey,” Pei Yunying snorted and pointed at himself, “Look at my face. Do I look like I need Buddha’s blessings? Every time I come to your Prince’s mansion, I could fill a mountain with the handkerchiefs I pick up along the way.”

Hearing this, Pei Yunshu burst out laughing.

This was indeed true. Whenever Pei Yunying came to the Prince’s mansion, the maids would be especially eager, all dolling themselves up to flutter around this courtyard. So later on, they stopped having the doorkeepers announce his arrival loudly.

Pei Yunshu looked at the person opposite her, feeling emotional. If nothing else, her brother’s appearance and bearing were indeed quite appealing. After she married into the Prince’s mansion, everyone knew she wasn’t favored, and at the ladies’ banquets, she could never really connect with those noble ladies. Only with Pei Yunying… those ladies would find all sorts of ways to inquire about the Young Master of Duke Zhaoning’s marriage prospects.

Unfortunately, though the flowers were willing, the stream was indifferent. The Young Master of Duke Zhaoning had extremely high standards. In all his years, he hadn’t liked a single person, wasting such a handsome face.

After chatting with Pei Yunying for a while longer, she gradually grew tired. After Fangzi helped Pei Yunshu to her couch to rest, she escorted Pei Yunying to the courtyard entrance.

The crystal lamps swayed slightly in the night wind, the smile faded from the young man’s face, his black eyes deeper than the night.

Fangzi followed behind him, reporting in a low voice: “…The other maids in the courtyard have all been sent away on various pretexts by the Consort’s people these past days, leaving only your servant. The Princess Consort fears causing trouble and hasn’t brought in new people, but this probably can’t last much longer. She’s been secretly disposing of the tea and medicine in her room…”

Fangzi was someone Pei Yunying had arranged to be there.

Though Pei Yunshu was Duke Zhaoning’s legitimate daughter, even if she wasn’t favored by the Prince, the people of the Prince’s mansion wouldn’t dare harm her life.

But a pregnant Princess Consort was different.

If the Princess Consort bore a son, he would be the Prince’s heir. In this world, great fortune lies in danger – when the benefits are great enough, what wouldn’t people do?

So Pei Yunying had sent Fangzi into the mansion to secretly protect Pei Yunshu’s safety.

He stopped under a lantern and said only: “I’ll send two more people in a few days.”

Fangzi respectfully replied: “Yes.”

“There are many eyes in the mansion, some may have noticed your identity. If anyone catches on and uses it against you, just implicate me.”

“Yes.”

“If anyone threatens the Princess Consort, protecting her takes priority. Just don’t kill Mu Sheng.”

“Yes.”

He paused before continuing: “Actually, it doesn’t matter even if you do kill him.”

In the thick, impenetrable darkness of night, among the lush flower branches, shadows seemed to lurk.

He glanced back, and smiled, his tone carrying casual cruelty.

“If he dies, I’ll take responsibility.”