“What use is there in my punishing you? Will punishing you bring Ming Rui back from Lord Lu?!” Li Mao’s voice was heavy, his pitch-black eyes gazing at the howling cold wind outside the window. After a long while, he spoke: “Is the old man… still at Jiuchuan Alley?”

“In reply to the Left Chancellor, he should still be there…” the white-robed strategist said.

“Do this—invite the old man back, lest Lu Jin investigate that residence and, seeing the old man’s exceptional martial skills, become suspicious of our Left Chancellor’s Mansion!” The Left Chancellor gritted his teeth and said, “Now that Ming Rui is in prison, I fear Princess Zhenguo might kill him in secret out of wariness. Send the old man to secretly protect Ming Rui—there must be no mishaps.”

“Yes! I’ll arrange it immediately!” The white-robed strategist hurriedly left the study to arrange for someone to summon the old man from Jiuzhou Alley.

That old man was Li Ming Rui’s savior. Years ago, when Li Mao was not yet Left Chancellor, his wife had taken Li Ming Rui back to visit her natal family. They encountered bandits on the road, and it was this old man who risked his life to save them. When the old man awoke, he didn’t even know who he was. Li Mao’s wife and Li Ming Rui brought the old man back with them, and they had respectfully cared for him in their mansion all these years.

Although this old man wouldn’t obey the Li Mansion’s orders, he did take extra care of his son Li Ming Rui and had earned the son’s deep trust. This time, with Ming Rui’s safety at stake, presumably… this old man would be willing to help.

Bai Jinxiu returned to Qinghui Courtyard. Seeing that the main room’s lamp was still lit, she knew Bai Qingyan was still waiting for her. Not daring to delay, she lifted the curtain and entered, glancing toward the gauze screen: “Elder Sister hasn’t slept yet.”

Bai Qingyan, who was sitting under the lamp reading bamboo scrolls, raised her hand to pinch the space between her eyebrows and asked: “How did the Crown Prince dispose of Wang Qiu Lu?”

Bai Jinxiu stood by the copper brazier that was burning red-hot with charcoal, rubbing her hands together as she said: “He let Lord Lu take him away. However, today when I was there, I heard the Crown Prince tell Lord Lu what Wang Qiu Lu had said. I think Wang Qiu Lu doesn’t seem like someone who doesn’t know Li Ming Rui saved him. After all, Elder Sister had told him before, and he even said the person who saved him used a fake Liu Ruofu to try to control him, seeming to lean toward Elder Sister’s side. But to be cautious, without more direct evidence, we still can’t determine whether Wang Qiu Lu has betrayed Elder Sister.”

“No rush. Since Li Ming Rui has implicated Prince Liang, and we’ve smoothly sent this information to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince will naturally keep Wang Qiu Lu to properly deal with Prince Liang! If Wang Qiu Lu still knows that I am his true master, this time will be his chance to regain freedom! If not… then he can go meet his father!” Bai Qingyan shook the bamboo scroll in her hand, arranged it neatly, and set it aside. “Tonight… I can finally sleep peacefully!”

Bai Jinxiu rubbed her hands and walked around the screen, looking at Bai Qingyan’s weary expression with distress in her eyes: “Elder Sister has worked so hard, never getting proper rest since arriving here.”

“Having you leave Wang Ge’er to come care for me is what’s truly hard on you! Return tomorrow…” Bai Qingyan smiled at Bai Jinxiu. “My physical condition isn’t suitable for traveling, so I’ll need to stay in the capital for several more days.”

The capital received war reports from Great Liang faster than Shouyang. Now that the Great Liang attack force led by Liu Hong and Bai Jinzhi had stopped at Yaoyang, if time dragged on, the Crown Prince might grow displeased and either withdraw the troops or reduce supplies. Bai Qingyan was very worried.

The Crown Prince went to check on the Crown Princess, who had fallen asleep from exhaustion, and looked at his plump legitimate son. Still unable to resist, missing Hong Mei’s charming allure, he went to Hong Mei’s courtyard.

Quan Yu led the maids and eunuchs to guard outside, only hearing delicate pleading sounds from within. Those sounds were so soft that they seemed like water could be squeezed from them. Not to mention men—even the eunuchs standing guard outside couldn’t help but feel their hearts race with desire.

After the clouds and rain subsided, the Crown Prince straightened his clothes while turning to look at Hong Mei, who still had teardrops at the corners of her eyes and had collapsed weakly on the carved wooden bed, unable to bear any more. His eyes were full of satisfaction.

The golden candlelight filtered through the swaying white gauze, casting a hazy glow that bathed Hong Mei’s jade-like skin, which gleamed like congealed fat, in warm tones, making her irresistibly captivating.

“Is Your Highness leaving?” Hong Mei rose and embraced the Crown Prince from behind, her movements coquettish as she slipped through from under the Crown Prince’s arm. Her slender white lotus arms encircled the Crown Prince’s neck, her eyes still wet with scattered teardrops, gazing at the Crown Prince as she acted spoiled in his embrace, utterly enchanting. “Today, this servant went to the front courtyard specifically to wait for Your Highness, wanting to congratulate Your Highness on gaining a legitimate son. But all I heard was Your Highness discussing serious matters. This servant had a belly full of ideas to share with Your Highness, but after finally waiting for Your Highness to come, you bullied this person and then wanted to leave without even listening to what this servant had to say. This servant won’t agree!”

The Crown Prince laughed and embraced the beauty in his arms, raising his hand to pinch Hong Mei’s nose tip: “What wicked ideas does our Hong Mei have? Tell me and let me hear.”

Hearing the Crown Prince say this, Hong Mei immediately became energetic. She rose and knelt beside the Crown Prince, gathering her black hair that had slipped from her shoulders behind her ears, her pair of bright eyes gazing at the Crown Prince as she spoke: “This servant was standing outside and heard the Left Chancellor’s son say that Prince Liang instructed him to rescue Wang Qiu Lu. Your Highness then had Grand Justice Lu take away the Left Chancellor’s son. Presumably, you plan to inform His Majesty of this matter at tomorrow’s morning court, right?”

The Crown Prince gazed at the beauty kneeling on the bed with her jade-like skin and ice-smooth bones, adjusted his clothes, and simply propped himself up on his elbow, reclining leisurely against the hidden cushion as he looked at Hong Mei with interest: “Hong Mei has truly become the roundworm in my belly.”

“Your Highness!” Hong Mei moved forward on her knees, pressing close to the Crown Prince, resting her head on his shoulder as she whispered: “But in Hong Mei’s opinion, Your Highness should request a private audience with His Majesty after tomorrow’s court session, then inform His Majesty of this matter. Tell His Majesty… if Your Highness were to speak of this matter before all the court officials, Prince Liang would certainly die. The reason you’re going to His Majesty privately, avoiding the court officials, is because Prince Liang is, after all, Your Highness’s brother and His Majesty’s flesh and blood, so you wanted to request His Majesty’s guidance on how to handle this matter!”

Hong Mei carefully observed the Crown Prince’s expression from the corner of her eye. Seeing the Crown Prince looking thoughtful, she continued in a low voice: “This way, His Majesty will surely feel that Your Highness considers His Majesty’s feelings and also values brotherly affection, showing that you are a benevolent person. Your Highness, tell me… does what Hong Mei said make sense?”

The Crown Prince gazed at the flickering flame in the glazed lamp on the tall table, carefully pondering Hong Mei’s words.

Hong Mei’s eyes darted around, and she simply nestled completely into the Crown Prince’s embrace: “Hong Mei was born into an ordinary family and doesn’t know how the imperial family conducts itself, but from what Hong Mei has observed of ordinary families, elders all hope to see their children and grandchildren show deep love and harmony. His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, but he’s also a father! Your Highness, tell me… does what Hong Mei said make sense? Shouldn’t this deserve a reward?”

Only then did the Crown Prince refocus on the warm, fragrant softness in his arms: “So Hong Mei wants to seek a reward!”

Hong Mei’s moist eyes carried both charming and triumphant smiles.