Feng Zhiwei was still smiling as she held her cup, gazing at Grand Elder Yan until the old fellow’s forehead bulged with veins before he finally wheezed out a single word: “Yes…” Her smile grew even brighter.

She warmly grasped Grand Elder Yan’s hand and said with deep feeling, “The Yan family truly has not disappointed this official’s expectations…”

A flash of anger crossed Grand Elder Yan’s eyes, but it was instantly concealed by a bitter smile as he bowed deeply.

Feng Zhiwei glanced at him, smiled slightly, and decided not to pursue the matter further. She picked up her cup and departed. Everything should be done in moderation—pushing too hard might cause the old man to faint, which would be counterproductive.

She furrowed her brow slightly, feeling her stomach somewhat unsettled after swallowing all that seafood.

Suddenly she felt a chill on her back, a prickling sensation as if a thorn was pressing against her spine. Thinking it was an assassin, she spun around sharply, only to see a pair of eyes meeting hers directly with a sharp, piercing gaze.

The Yan family’s eldest young lady.

Feng Zhiwei met that gaze with indifference, then casually turned her eyes away—she wouldn’t engage in a staring contest with that woman. What would be the point?

Suddenly struck by a mischievous impulse, she smiled and raised her cup, offering a distant toast to Yan Huaiying, who was staring fixedly at her.

The entire hall’s attention swiveled toward them. Yan Huaiying hadn’t expected Feng Zhiwei to toast her from afar and couldn’t avoid it in time. Everyone saw her gazing “longingly” at Lord Wei. She froze momentarily before a red flush rose to her face, while everyone revealed knowing smiles—oh, so it’s a young maiden’s spring yearning, admiring a heroic youth.

What a lovely thing, hehe.

Yan Huaiying’s eyes darted around, catching the expressions on everyone’s faces. She wasn’t a fool—she could see the unspoken implications in their gazes. Furious, her chest heaved, but she couldn’t explain herself.

With one raised cup and not a single word spoken, Feng Zhiwei had achieved complete elegance, instantly transforming Miss Yan into her “admirer.”

While one side was bursting with rage, Feng Zhiwei had already returned to her seat as if nothing had happened. Her stomach felt increasingly uncomfortable, so she could only drink cup after cup of wine to suppress it.

Yan Huaishi sat beside her, having recovered his usual agility and ease, conversing pleasantly with everyone at the table. The five great families tried several times to bring up the topic of the Shipping Affairs Bureau, but Yan Huaishi deflected them each time with casual remarks.

Seeing the hour growing late, the Huang family head grew anxious and finally couldn’t help but say directly, “Lord, once the Shipping Affairs Bureau is established, the affairs will be complex. Though the Huang family has meager talent, we do have some barely usable people who would be willing to contribute our modest efforts to serve you, Lord.”

The Shangguan family, which owned the most land, immediately added, “Regarding the Bureau’s location, I wonder if you have any plans, Lord? Whichever plot of land you favor, the Shangguan family will certainly provide full assistance!”

The Chen and Li families also hurried to express that both families could help with finances, manpower, and materials. Feng Zhiwei propped up her wine cup, listening with a half-smile. She nodded at everything each person said, but after each nod, she said nothing. Finally, she said lightly, “That all the family heads think not of personal gain but eagerly offer assistance—such devoted patriotism! This official thanks you here first, and after returning to the capital, will certainly petition before His Majesty to request merit for the Nanhai families.”

The family heads were overjoyed, but Feng Zhiwei continued, “As this official is in Nanhai primarily to coordinate with local officials, such detailed matters as these should be discussed with Brother Yan.”

The family heads’ joy hadn’t yet faded before they froze again, exchanging glances. The Shangguan family head had the most volatile temperament and had drunk too much. His face flushed red, his eyebrows rising as he said, “You want us to deal with a young bastard—”

He got halfway through his sentence when the Li family head beside him tugged his sleeve. He came to his senses and quickly shut his mouth, but Feng Zhiwei had already heard.

Her expression didn’t change, but her gaze had already grown heavy.

Bastard—such a vicious word, used for Yan Huaishi. His background was even more complicated than she had imagined.

He had grown up bearing such an epithet, enduring such discrimination, until now?

“Mister Shangguan!” She set down her wine cup. For the first time all evening, her light and breezy tone shifted to something cold and heavy. “You’ve had too much to drink!”

The Shangguan family head stood up in alarm, about to say something, but Feng Zhiwei had already taken the coldly silent Yan Huaishi’s arm and left their seats, saying, “Let’s disperse.”

Everyone hurried to stand. Feng Zhiwei paid them no heed and strode away. The family heads, thoroughly embarrassed, quickly took their leave. The Yan family members saw them off, then gathered again in the courtyard.

Grand Elder Yan said nothing. Yan Wenhong sighed heavily, and after a long moment said, “When he left home saying he was going to the Imperial Capital, we thought it was just a childish tantrum and hoped sending him away would give us peace. Who could have known this boy had such schemes, that he’d actually latch onto a current court favorite! Truly, man’s plans are no match for heaven’s!”

Grand Elder Yan pondered for a long while before sighing, “Now he has backing and his courage has grown. We thought that by holding his mother, that cheap woman, and his woman, he’d understand how to back down. But tonight it seems he’s prepared to go down in mutual destruction. Well, if he becomes the future Yan family head, then what we’re holding over him now will mean nothing.”

“Grand Elder! You really intend to give him the position of next family head?” The Yan family members were shocked and alarmed. “No! Everyone in Nanhai knows this boy’s background! Once this bastard becomes family head, it will shame our Yan family’s hundred-year legacy—he’ll destroy the Yan family!”

“Perhaps we should stall for now, Father,” Yan Wenhong suggested. “Once the imperial envoy leaves, what will he have to be proud of?”

Grand Elder Yan looked at his second son with some disappointment, thinking he lacked even his grandson’s decisiveness. He thought of his eldest son who had left home, felt a pang in his heart, and coughed for a while before saying, “You’re confused again! Even after the imperial envoy leaves, the Affairs Bureau will still be here! When the court later bestows titles and official positions, they’ll certainly go to the Bureau’s director. As long as he becomes this director, the Yan family headship must be his!”

The Yan family members showed expressions of utter shock. Yan Huaiyuan suddenly walked over and whispered something in Grand Elder Yan’s ear.

The old man first looked startled, then his face showed a bitter expression. He looked at the silent Yan Huaiying, then at the panicked Yan family members. After a long moment, he sighed deeply and murmured, “This is the only way…”

Yan Huaiyuan let out a long breath, revealing a pleased expression. But when he turned around and faced his sister with her flushed face, tears fell.

“Our Yan family is sending out our precious eldest young lady, lowering ourselves to this degree—surely His Highness will be delighted…” Grand Elder Yan sighed. “You’re right—great achievements require flexibility. This concerns our Yan family’s hundred-year fortune. Huaiying… you’ve been wronged.”

“For our Yan family, Granddaughter should do whatever is proper.” Yan Huaiying rose and bowed. “Grandfather, trust me—I will definitely prevent him from succeeding, and make that bastard imperial envoy roll out of Nanhai.”

“Don’t be hasty, just do your duty,” Grand Elder Yan said. “Huaiyuan is right—there’s no time like the present. If we make a grand production of proposing this matter, the imperial envoy will surely obstruct it. Wenhong, go make arrangements immediately. Tonight we’ll send the young lady… over.”

“Yes!”

Feng Zhiwei didn’t know about that group of Yan family members’ schemes. Her stomach churned in waves. She couldn’t walk far before leaning against a waterside railing, using the hard stone to press against her abdomen as she smiled and said, “Now you can finally tell me, can’t you?”

Yan Huaishi gripped the railing, facing the sea breeze and azure water, his eyes flashing with crystalline light. After a long moment, he said in a low voice, “I’m the only son of the first branch, but I’m not my father’s biological son. The year after my mother married into the family, Father sailed overseas. One night, my uncle forced his way into her room… Later… I was born…”

Feng Zhiwei spun around sharply.

A child born of incest?

In Tiansheng, in Nanhai where clan bloodlines and legitimacy were so valued, what a tragic background this was!

No wonder the Yan family loathed him like poison, no wonder the family heads called him a bastard! No wonder he went alone to the Imperial Capital, and even after establishing such great merit, still couldn’t gain recognition.

One could imagine what kind of status and life a child with such origins would have in a great family clan—he had grown up amidst such malicious bullying and hostility to reach the present day?

Feng Zhiwei recalled that first meeting before the Qingming Academy gates—that youth with his bright, cheerful smile, quick and clever, who had immediately recognized the value of the seal in her hand, and from then on helped her knock on the gates of Qingming Academy, knock open a life of magnificent, colorful waves.

She pressed her lips together, a slight sourness rising in her heart. After a long moment, she said, “Huaishi, we cannot choose our origins, but we can choose our future.”

Yan Huaishi had been watching her tensely, afraid to see on her face the contempt and disgust that others habitually showed. Though he had seen such expressions for so many years and was psychologically prepared, though it would be reasonable for Wei Zhi to show such an expression, he just felt that if Wei Zhi showed such an expression, he would be hurt more than ever before.

But no—Wei Zhi was indeed shocked, but after the shock, there was only faint sorrow in his brows. Those eyes that looked at him with a hint of pain suddenly made all the bitterness and anguish of many years swell in his chest, ready to pour out.

He quickly turned his eyes away, Yan Huaishi pretending to look casually at the surrounding scenery.

“…Where is your mother now?” After a long while, Feng Zhiwei asked softly.

Yan Huaishi’s body stiffened. After a moment he said, “She’s… at a nunnery in the Yingzhou suburbs practicing cultivation… Grandfather said she disgraced the family and won’t allow her to enter the family home again…”

“How is this your mother’s fault? Your mother, a weak woman, suffered such a tragic ordeal, and the Yan family not only didn’t comfort and care for her, but expelled her?” Feng Zhiwei’s eyes turned cold, then she sighed. Her view didn’t matter—the world didn’t see it this way. The world favored men over women. In relations between men and women, once consequences occurred, regardless of who was the instigator, the blame always fell on the woman.

Perhaps only she was different. Mother came from a military family, open-minded, and had learned both civil and martial arts from childhood. Later she even led troops as a female commander. In Mother’s mind, there was no concept of male superiority over females, which naturally influenced her. But Mother had never explicitly expressed this viewpoint to her—it was only after obtaining that mysterious book that she found independence and self-identity for women between the lines written with such high spirits.

Yan Huaishi looked at her with some disbelief. In this matter, the world would think the woman lacked private virtue, bringing shame to the entire family. Even he himself had resented his mother for many years in his youth—why didn’t she resist to the death, why didn’t she commit suicide afterward, why did she give birth to him?

Yet today, hearing this matter for the first time, Wei Zhi’s first words were to defend his mother. Yan Huaishi’s fingers gripped the stone railing tightly, his heart shaken. He took a long breath.

“That… your uncle?” After a moment, Feng Zhiwei asked with some difficulty.

Yan Huaishi was silent for a long while before answering, “He was beaten and driven out. Now he’s in Yongzhou managing the local shops.”

Feng Zhiwei laughed coldly.

The rapist who destroyed someone’s reputation and purity received only a beating and was moved elsewhere to continue doing business comfortably.

The victim suffered miserably, confined to a nunnery to endure the days, even the child suffered, growing up in hardship and humiliation in an environment of contempt.

“This time, the Yan family used this to threaten you?”

“Yes.” Yan Huaishi said in a low voice, “Last time when the court conferred the title of Imperial Merchant, the elders told me that I had achieved merit and the family was very pleased, but I would still have to return to Nanhai in the future. For the Imperial Merchant position in the capital, it would be better to put it under Yan Huaiyuan’s name. I also felt I couldn’t abandon my mother, so I agreed. Later when establishing the Affairs Bureau, the family hinted that if I did well, after returning they would hold an ancestral hall meeting to consider bringing my mother back into the household. I was very happy… My mother in that nunnery is truly suffering…”

“Then they went back on their word?” Feng Zhiwei asked coldly.

“Then… as we approached Nanhai, their tone became evasive, and they still haven’t given me a firm answer.” Yan Huaishi’s eyes flashed with grief and anger. “My mother and I… are in their grip. I didn’t want to fight for the family head position—the Yan family headship could never be mine. All my efforts were just hoping to gain the Yan family’s acknowledgment, so my mother could safely return and I could serve her in her later years. Poor thing, she too was a daughter of a prominent family, from the Chen family, but ended up with all relationships severed on both sides, suffering half her life in that nunnery. Last time I saw her, she looked so old and haggard…”

Yan Huaishi finally couldn’t continue, choking up.

“So you chose to yield, hoping their conscience would awaken.” Feng Zhiwei gave a cold laugh.

Yan Huaishi remained silent for a long while before saying, “I was wrong.”

“You were wrong,” Feng Zhiwei said bluntly. “With these so-called relatives whose hearts are as cold and thin as paper, even if you burn yourself trying to warm them, you can’t heat them up. Rather than yielding step by step, better to fight with all your might. If you become the Yan family head, who would dare bully you and your mother?”

“What you said yesterday, plus seeing their faces today, I already understand clearly,” Yan Huaishi said. “They won’t honor their promises. Those hints were just to coax me back, then coax me into giving up my position, then cross the bridge and tear it down. In the end, I won’t get anything, and might even be pushed aside out of jealousy. If I can’t protect and strengthen myself, how can I protect my mother? Retreating means death, advancing means danger. If I must die, better to die fighting.”

“I’m here—I won’t let you die.” Feng Zhiwei held her head, smiling. “It’s late. We still have hard battles to fight. Rest early.”

“I’ll escort you back to your room.”

“No need.” Feng Zhiwei leaned tightly against the railing, waving her hand. “Go on, go on.”

The moment Yan Huaishi’s figure left, Feng Zhiwei climbed onto the railing and vomited spectacularly.

As she vomited, she sighed in dismay—such a lovely pool of clear water, utterly ruined by that seafood.

After an earth-shattering bout of vomiting, she lazily draped herself over the railing. Her stomach emptied, the excessive wine she’d drunk began to wreak havoc. She was shocked to discover that she, who could hold a hundred cups without getting drunk, seemed to actually be drunk.

Dizzy and seeing stars, her whole body felt boneless and powerless. She draped over the railing like a limp piece of paper, recalling that time she had gotten Ning Yi drunk. So this was how uncomfortable being drunk felt.

Feng Zhiwei’s conscience stirred for a quarter-hour, and she decided to leave herself sprawled on the railing as punishment for getting Ning Yi drunk that day.

Actually, she couldn’t climb down. Anyway, there was temporarily no one around, and the railing was wide enough. She could sleep here—when nausea rose, she’d vomit into the lake, then vomit again when it rose again. How convenient.

However, someone wouldn’t let her be lazy. Her body suddenly lightened—someone had picked her up.

“Hey, don’t shake… don’t shake…” As she rose and fell, Feng Zhiwei’s head spun and her stomach churned. She quickly turned her head aside, but it was too late—a few drops had already splattered onto someone’s exquisite, soft water-blue garment hem.

Feng Zhiwei closed her eyes in misery, waiting to be dropped unceremoniously to the ground.

The expected fall didn’t come. Her body sank then stopped, then rose again. Feng Zhiwei opened her eyes to see Young Master Gu had lifted her to eye level, carefully examining her face.

The soft white face veil brushed against her face. Feng Zhiwei reached up to brush it away, squinting as she smiled, “Young Master, I really am drunk this time. Last time when I was drunk I only knew to sleep, but this time in my half-drunk state, I don’t know what I might do. You’d better take me back to my room—the small courtyard on the east side with the red flying eaves.”

Young Master Gu didn’t answer, still examining her like that. Feng Zhiwei held her head, murmuring, “Either hurry and carry me over, or put me down and let me walk myself. Hanging in mid-air like this, I’m dying…”

Before she finished speaking, she suddenly felt a coolness on her face. The white face veil had dropped down, and Gu Nanyi’s fresh, clean scent like pine needles approached, brushing past her lips.

Something slightly cool swept across her cheek—she glanced from the corner of her eye to realize it was Young Master Gu’s nose, pressing close to her lips, carefully sniffing the wine fumes, as if trying to determine what kind of wine this was.

Layers of the veil piled on her face, his lips close at hand, their skin lightly touching, that fresh, clean scent completely enveloping her. She froze, forgetting everything she meant to say.

Young Master Gu hadn’t drunk wine tonight, fearing the fierce seafood. He just wanted to smell this rather novel wine scent, but leaning in like this, he suddenly sensed behind the wine fumes something very soft and fragrant, tender as clouds of delicate flowers, warm and lustrous—another entirely new, unfamiliar sensation. Unprecedentedly, he paused there in a daze.

This daze allowed Feng Zhiwei to react and push him. Young Master Gu woke with a start, released his grip with a swoosh, and Feng Zhiwei dropped with a “plop”…

Feng Zhiwei, having fallen to the ground, climbed up resentfully, thinking that since she was destined to fall anyway, why had she struggled earlier?

Turning around, she suddenly saw a small sedan chair gliding past on a curved path not far away.

Feng Zhiwei narrowed her eyes.

She’d had a lot to drink, but her mind wasn’t addled. This garden had strict security. In the middle of the night, who could openly have a sedan chair carried in like this?

Looking at the direction, it was heading toward the rear courtyard’s Tranquil Heart Pavilion—hers and Ning Yi’s lodgings.

So, who was it going to see?

After leaving the banquet, Ning Yi hadn’t returned to his room but meditated in the courtyard for a while. On autumn nights, the dew was heavy and the moon clear and bright. The energy of heaven and earth was very beneficial for his internal cultivation. These past days he had been practicing constantly, forcing that strange poison deep into his core dantian, so that when he went to southern Fujian to seek medicine, the situation wouldn’t deteriorate too badly.

Ning Cheng had tried to persuade him several times to hurry to southern Fujian—every day of delay increased the danger. He listened and agreed, but still stayed day after day.

Ning Cheng slept in a pavilion not far away, tossing and turning restlessly, clearly displeased. Ning Yi ignored him. After practicing for a while, he said flatly, “I’m going to enter deep meditation. Unless it concerns her or threatens safety, don’t disturb me for anything else.”

Ning Cheng made a sound of acknowledgment. Knowing that once his master entered deep meditation in his internal cultivation he became completely absorbed, he carefully sat up from the pavilion and arranged the surrounding defenses even more tightly.

He sat opposite his master, looking at his somewhat haggard features, his expression slowly filling with indignation. He sat there angrily, twisting his cheeks until they bulged first on the left, then on the right.

Then he picked up a clod of dirt and frantically poked at it with two fingers, sending dirt flying everywhere as he muttered curses: “Woman! Woman!”

He poked at his imaginary enemy with satisfaction. After all, His Highness didn’t know right now anyway.

There was suddenly a commotion ahead—someone was speaking in low voices. He frowned and turned around the corridor to see a small sedan chair stopped at the door.

A young man who appeared to be from the Yan family was speaking obsequiously to the guards blocking the entrance. Ning Cheng walked over, listened for a few sentences, frowned, and instinctively was about to send them away, but suddenly stopped.

Then he approached and said, “You’ve come to serve His Highness?”

Yan Huaiyuan didn’t recognize him, as Ning Cheng rarely showed himself, but could tell this person held status beside the Prince of Chu. He quickly confirmed, stepped forward, leaned close to his ear and smiled, “My sister admires His Highness’s elegant bearing and wishes to offer herself. This is the Yan family’s great fortune…”

A trace of disgust flashed across Ning Cheng’s brow. He slowly pushed him away, saying, “Step back. Your breath stinks.”

Yan Huaiyuan’s face instantly turned pale, then flushed deep red. Ning Cheng didn’t even glance at him, waving his hand: “Search her.”

“Sir, you cannot—” Yan Huaiyuan rushed to stop him, not daring to breathe toward him anymore, pleading with his head turned sideways, “This is my sister, the Yan family’s eldest young lady!”

“I don’t know about your Yan family’s eldest or second young lady,” Ning Cheng said flatly. “I only know this is a woman you’re sending to warm the bed. This isn’t some brothel—this is an imperial prince’s residence. Not just anyone can enter if they please. If you can’t abide by imperial family rules, then go back.”

“Brother, let them search!” From inside the sedan chair came Yan Huaiying’s voice, holding back tears, with a resolute tragic air. “Once I enter this door, I’m no longer Miss Yan!”

Once through this door, enduring this humiliation, losing that Miss Yan identity, there would be an even better future!

Yan Huaiyuan understood this meaning. He had only been making a token protest anyway and immediately released his grip. The guards lifted the sedan curtain and thoroughly searched both the sedan chair and Yan Huaiying from top to bottom, then nodded to Ning Cheng.

Ning Cheng glanced toward the front courtyard, excitement and satisfaction flashing in his eyes, and waved his hand.

The small sedan chair was carried silently inside.

Yan Huaiyuan retreated respectfully, gazing at Tranquil Heart Pavilion surrounded by low, pierced flower walls, triumph gleaming in his eyes.

He hurriedly left by another path, not noticing two figures standing behind the flowering trees ahead.

Feng Zhiwei stood there silently with her hands behind her back, feeling her empty stomach burning from the wine. That the Yan family would make a move, that they would work on Ning Yi—this was within her expectations. But sending someone like this was outside her expectations. She truly hadn’t thought the Yan family could be so shameless as to send out even their legitimate eldest daughter this way.

Even more unexpected was that Ning Yi had accepted.

Since the incident on the road, the security around both Ning Yi and herself had been elevated to ironclad levels. Ning Yi wouldn’t normally sleep this early. When the Yan family sent their young lady just now, he should have known. Without his consent, Yan Huaiying absolutely couldn’t have entered the courtyard.

Feng Zhiwei smiled slightly in the shadows behind the flowering trees.

The Prince of Chu’s romantic reputation filled the Imperial Capital. In all the time she’d known him, except for that encounter at the brothel, she truly hadn’t experienced the Prince of Chu’s “romantic nature.” But tonight, she was finally getting a taste of it.

Well, he’d been holding back long enough. From leaving the capital until now, thirty-one days and eighteen hours without a woman—thinking about it, it really was inhumane.

Feng Zhiwei’s hand stroked the flowering tree covered with night dew, the touch wet and icy cold, like her constantly churning stomach at this moment. She suddenly lost all interest in returning to the courtyard to sleep, turning around and saying, “Brother Gu, let’s take a walk.”

Gu Nanyi looked at her. Even through the veil, one could see his eyes shining bright as morning stars. “You’re tired. You should sleep.”

Feng Zhiwei raised her long lashes to look at him, smiled after a moment, and said slowly, “Yes, I’m tired and want to sleep, but tonight there’s a guest in the courtyard. I’d better make way and find another courtyard to sleep in tomorrow.”

But Gu Nanyi wouldn’t leave. He understood Feng Zhiwei’s meaning as someone occupying the bed. After thinking for a long time and hesitating for a long time, he said with difficulty, “Then sleep with me.”

“…”

Feng Zhiwei, who had already turned around, stumbled and quickly grabbed the tree. Both annoyed and amused, she looked at Gu Nanyi’s bright eyes. After thinking for a long time, she could only remind him, “You hate sleeping with other people most of all.”

Young Master Gu pulled out a walnut and slowly ate it, using a very flat tone to express a very great sacrifice: “I’m your person. Can sleep.”

“…”

Feng Zhiwei stumbled again. The flowering tree she hit shed petals profusely. Young Master Gu brushed the scattered flowers from her head, took her sleeve, and said, “Come, sleep.”

All right, Young Master, I know you mean you’re the person protecting me and you can sacrifice to let me sleep in the bed, but could you please not be so concise and brief? Talking like this could kill someone.

“I don’t want to sleep tonight.” Feng Zhiwei hugged the tree, holding her ground. “Really don’t want to sleep.”

But Young Master Gu was very insistent. “You’re not feeling well. Go sleep.”

Feng Zhiwei knew Young Master Gu’s stubborn nature—once he insisted on something, it was quite frightening. Just look at how he ate walnuts. Terrified that Young Master Gu might get impatient and knock her unconscious to carry her off to sleep, she suddenly felt her stomach rumbling and cramping. She quickly said, “I’ll sleep in a moment. Right now my stomach’s upset—I need to use the privy.”

Young Master Gu released his grip. Feng Zhiwei looked around and saw a public privy not far ahead to the side. She quickly shook off Gu Nanyi and rushed over.

She rushed into the privy and only then felt her stomach truly hurting badly. Her intestines, unable to adapt to Nanhai seafood, had thoroughly rebelled tonight. She squatted there, unable to get up, and suddenly heard Ning Cheng’s voice in the distance, seemingly arranging people.

She paused, only now noticing that this exquisite privy was built right next to Tranquil Heart Pavilion. The Yan family was wealthy and spared no expense. For the convenience of garden visitors, they had built many privies, all more elaborate than other people’s houses. All the buildings in this leisure garden were meticulously refined and exquisite. All the courtyard walls were pierced flower walls, more decorative than concealing. So this privy, which almost no one used, was right next to the last section of her room in Tranquil Heart Pavilion. Diagonally across was the rear window of Ning Yi’s room.

This position wasn’t very good. She sighed, wanting to get up and leave, but her stomach was rebelling and she had to continue squatting.

At this time, Ning Yi had already finished his meditation and risen from beneath the cold, clear moonlight. Hearing Ning Cheng’s footsteps, he came out of his room.

He didn’t think much of it and casually asked, “What hour is it?”

“Third watch.” Ning Cheng answered.

Ning Yi felt this boy’s tone was somewhat strange, but still didn’t think much of it. He asked again, “Has the banquet in front dispersed?”

“That Wei hasn’t come back yet,” Ning Cheng said resentfully. “Better come back soon.”

“What are you saying?”

“Ah, nothing.” Ning Cheng said, “Master, you should rest. That Wei Zhi should be back soon.”

Ning Yi remained silent, thinking that woman really was a heavy drinker. He said, “Go prepare some sobering tea, and prepare some snacks.”

“I remember you ate snacks just an hour ago.” Ning Cheng always liked to express his thoughts.

“I’m hungry again. Is that not allowed?” Ning Yi glanced at him coolly. Ning Cheng shut his mouth and walked away, muttering as he went, “Can’t even see, and still glares so fiercely.”

Ning Yi heard clearly and smiled helplessly in the empty shadows where no one could see.

Everyone said he indulged this guard inexplicably, spoiling this monkey-like creature lawlessly, inconsistent with his usual style. Only he knew that with Ning Cheng around, those heavy, dark oppressive clouds had a trace of brightness worth feeling cheerful about.

“Get the pine nut pastries and mint cakes, not those greasy goose oil rolls!” He suddenly remembered and called another instruction to Ning Cheng.

“I know!” Ning Cheng answered somewhat ungraciously, holding up one finger and muttering, “Just because she doesn’t like goose oil rolls!”

Walking past the corridor and back to his room, Ning Yi had just pushed open the door when he stopped in his tracks.

Then he smiled slightly.

His smile sank into the space before the door, half moonlight and half darkness, quiet and elegant. His slanting brows rose in a smooth arc, appearing somewhat happily content. Moonlight slanted across, that smile blooming clear and bright in the moonlight.

His hand rested on the doorframe. He didn’t immediately push it open but leaned casually against the door, suddenly wanting to savor this faint, mysterious joy that only he knew.

This woman—she had this little scheme too. Clearly it was over, yet she slipped in through the back window.

Recalling how before leaving the banquet he had half-jokingly invited her to his room, and her agreement had sounded very insincere—he’d known she wouldn’t come and just smiled.

Who knew she would actually come? Had the wine made her a bit drunk, so she was willing to set aside her usual distance and reserve?

He was suddenly in a very good mood.

He walked over lightly, faintly catching the fresh, clean scent that only someone who had bathed would emit, intertwining with the curling incense from the burner, creating an ambiguous, charming lingering note in the air.

Ning Yi smiled softly, thinking her movements were really quick—she’d already bathed.

He was just about to call Ning Cheng to bring up the snacks when he turned his head. Suddenly he heard a soft, coquettish laugh ring out in the darkness, utterly captivating. Immediately after, a warm, youthful body threw itself into his embrace.

Feng Zhiwei was in the privy, squatting until her legs went numb.

Several times she felt she was done, resolved, and wanted to stand up. But just as she straightened, her stomach would begin another round of upheaval.

She squatted until her head was dizzy and her legs weak, and that bit of seafood still showed no sign of letting her go.

The leisure garden had no idle people. Tonight some Yan family members who lived in the west part of the city were staying in the front courtyard. At this hour, the rear courtyard was completely silent—even a dropped needle would be audible. So even if she didn’t want to listen, she could hear the sounds from Ning Yi’s side clearly.

She heard the sound of Ning Yi opening his door, the sound of him standing still in the room. There was no rebuke, no refusal, no question. Ning Yi’s room was naturally, matter-of-factly quiet.

Then she laughed at herself—why should there be rebuke, refusal, or questions? What was she thinking? That Yan Huaiying could enter this courtyard was with his personal consent.

Ah, tomorrow when she saw Miss Yan, should she address her as “new concubine”?

She clutched her stomach, feeling tonight was truly unlucky. In this lifetime, seafood definitely had a grudge against her.

Then she heard someone striding over, saying as he walked, “Wei, Wei, come out.”

She’d squatted too long. Gu Nanyi was worried and had come to find her.

Feng Zhiwei’s heart jumped. She thought Ning Yi didn’t know she was here in the privy with an upset stomach. If she responded now, what would Ning Yi think?

She quickly hurried to compose herself and go out to meet him. But Gu Nanyi, getting no response from her, grew even more worried. After thinking, knowing he couldn’t barge into the women’s privy, he simply raised his palm and struck.

With a tremendous crash, he demolished half the privy.

That female body threw itself into Ning Yi’s embrace.

In an instant, soft as silk, smooth as silk, like a soft cloud in the darkness completely enveloping Ning Yi. Rich peony fragrance rushed toward him. She trembled in his arms, part timid, part wronged, part pitiful, softly calling, “Your Highness…”

Ning Yi first felt a surge of joy, then immediately knew something was wrong.

Feng Zhiwei wouldn’t be this soft, this fragrant, with her garments half-open, heavily made up, lying in his room actively offering herself to seek favor.

Oh no, Feng Zhiwei was this soft and fragrant, but she wouldn’t let him taste it.

If Feng Zhiwei didn’t push his hand away, that would already be heaven’s blessing.

It must be a woman sent by the Yan family…

Some empty, disappointed emotion surged up. That spontaneous joy from a moment ago now left only faint disappointment. After disappointment came some anger, yet he didn’t know what he should be angry about.

The woman in his arms had willow-like arms that climbed onto his shoulders, her arms trembling slightly, as if not quite skilled at this posture of seeking favor. Her movements were a bit stiff, uncomfortably constricting his neck.

He laughed coldly, suddenly thoroughly disgusted by the peony fragrance.

In future, all the peonies in the Prince’s Manor must be uprooted!

Also, what was Ning Cheng doing, actually letting someone climb into his bed like this!

Just as he was about to push away this inexplicable woman, he suddenly heard a tremendous crash.

A booming sound, right near his back window, followed by a startled cry—Feng Zhiwei’s voice.

He started, about to rush over, but the woman in his arms clung tightly to him. Ning Yi’s eyebrow arched as he was about to strike this woman dead with one palm. His hand had just risen when he suddenly paused.

How could Feng Zhiwei be outside his back window?

What was she doing?

He froze there, his eyes changing. The conversation from outside the window had already come through clearly.

“What are you doing!” Feng Zhiwei’s voice sounded startled.

“Too long.” It was Gu Nanyi’s calm voice. “Come, go to bed.”

Feng Zhiwei seemed choked by dust, coughing loudly.

Ning Yi smiled slightly.

This smile still looked like the one when he had pushed open his room door earlier. Looking carefully, though, there was a difference. If earlier it had been clear, bright, with the fresh, joyful sparkle of dewdrops, now it was cold, bewitching, with the seductive, deep fragrance of moonflowers in the night.

After smiling, Ning Yi’s raised palm slowly fell on her shoulder. His hand applied force—with a ripping sound, he tore Yan Huaiying’s garment.

Snow-white, rounded shoulders were exposed, lustrous as beautiful jade and pearls in the half-light and half-shadow.

Yan Huaiying gave a low cry, truly not expecting that in this situation where he clearly knew someone was eavesdropping, His Highness would be so impatient. Was he going to… immediately consummate? Her face flushed with shame, somewhat fearful yet somewhat joyful. She felt it improper but didn’t dare refuse.

Ning Yi raised his hand again and undid the fastenings at his collar. A line of skin showed, lustrous and crystalline. Yan Huaiying blushed, her gaze seeming to dodge yet not dodge. After a long moment, she gently leaned her face against his chest.

A trace of an inscrutable smile appeared at the corner of Ning Yi’s mouth. He pulled her toward the back window and with a swoosh opened the window casement.

Not far beyond the back window outside the flower wall, Feng Zhiwei was struggling to emerge from the privy. She truly hadn’t anticipated Gu Nanyi destroying the privy with one palm strike. Her clothes weren’t fully fastened yet, and in her haste she nearly got hit by debris. Gu Nanyi pulled her out. In the confusion, she couldn’t say anything and first hurried to compose herself. Gu Nanyi, holding her, wanted to leave. Just then she heard the sound of Ning Yi opening his back window.

She looked up to see Ning Yi with his garments half-undone, embracing a woman whose clothes were mostly unfastened. His hand pressed tightly on her bare shoulder, her face pressed firmly against his exposed chest.

She saw him wearing a faint smile, vaguely familiar like that romantic, elegant air from their first encounter at the brothel. He lazily beckoned to her, smiling, “Attendant Wei, this prince has just taken a new concubine who is very understanding and has served this prince to exhaustion. Since you happen to be here, why don’t you come in and help us fetch a basin of water for washing?”