“Who permitted you to enter? Get out!” Ning Dan was humiliated with anger, grabbing the bedding to cover his lower body. He was only concerned with hiding his shame, leaving the woman beneath him completely exposed from head to toe, making the scene exceptionally dramatic.

Yu Xinyi’s gaze swept over the naked woman—it truly was Zhao Yuming. Relieved, she didn’t retreat but advanced, grabbing a flying curtain in front of the Crown Prince and covering the still-dazed Zhao Yuming.

Although Yu Xinyi disliked Zhao Yuming and was especially repulsed by her after the spring search incident, she always remembered that she was a woman. Fortunately, the one lying on the couch wasn’t Sui Sui. If it had been, this curtain would have been twisted around Ning Dan’s neck.

Ning Zizhuo was also dumbfounded, probably fearing that Ning Dan would become murderous in his humiliation. He hurriedly spoke loudly to defuse the situation: “Officer Yu, have you retrieved Imperial Aunt’s rosewood prayer beads?”

After speaking, he strolled in, pretending to be surprised: “Oh? Your Highness the Crown Prince is here as well?”

Ning Zizhuo invoked Princess Imperial Deyang’s name, causing Ning Dan to swallow back the murderous intent that had surged to his lips. He shouted: “All of you, get out!”

“What’s causing such a commotion?” From the corridor, the authoritative voice of Princess Imperial Deyang steadily carried over.

Everyone immediately fell silent, making way for her approach.

Ning Dan was licentious and unrestrained; besides the Emperor, the person he feared most was his aunt. He hurriedly got off the couch to grab his clothes for cover, but tripped on the bedding and fell to the ground with a thud.

Meanwhile, Zhao Yuming, still confused, moaned and twisted her body, clinging to him.

In the carriage, Yu Lingxi retied her hair bun and neatened her clothes and skirt. Because she had strongly resisted sexual relations with a man, some drug effects still lingered in her body, causing discomfort. She pressed one hand against her still-warm cheek to cool it down, while the other clutched a silver hairpin, its sharp tip pressing into her palm to help maintain her composure.

Perhaps her breathing was too restrained and short, as Ning Yin, driving the carriage ahead, noticed something amiss. He gripped the reins with one hand and pulled, stopping the carriage.

“Why have we stopped?” Yu Lingxi asked, only to realize her voice was extremely hoarse.

Ning Yin lifted the carriage curtain, his gaze resting on her face for a moment before saying: “Please wait a moment, young lady.”

With that, he leaped down from the carriage and headed toward a shop on the street corner.

Having just escaped from danger, Yu Lingxi felt somewhat uneasy remaining alone in the carriage. She didn’t even know when it had started, but not only was she no longer afraid of Ning Yin, but she had even developed a certain trust in him.

Soon the carriage dipped, and Yu Lingxi looked up alertly to see Ning Yin lifting the curtain and climbing in, holding something wrapped in oiled paper, sitting upright across from her.

Ning Yin opened the oiled paper, and just as Yu Lingxi was about to ask what he was doing, he placed a small pill in her mouth.

His fingertip brushed against her soft, vibrant lips, causing Ning Yin to pause slightly, with some ripples passing through the bottom of his cold, detached eyes.

He lowered his hand, the fingertip that had touched her lips rubbing slightly against each other. The brief yet intense exchange of lips and tongues in the confined storehouse gradually became clearer, slowly emerging in his mind.

“What is this?” Yu Lingxi asked with the pill in her mouth, one cheek bulging, frowning slightly in distaste. “It’s so bitter!”

Ning Yin found it amusing that she could endure the torment of aphrodisiac incense but couldn’t bear a slight bitterness on her tongue.

“Licorice pill. Though not an antidote, it will make the young lady feel somewhat better.”

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the wound on Yu Lingxi’s left palm, and he said indifferently, “More effective than the hairpin in the young lady’s hand.”

He had noticed. Yu Lingxi uncomfortably curled her fingers, only to have Ning Yin grab her hand.

“Open your hand.” He tapped her tightly closed fingers with his index finger. When those delicate fingertips opened like flower petals, he took a clean piece of cotton cloth and carefully wiped away the dried blood from her broken skin, then sprinkled some golden wound medicine he had just purchased.

From Yu Lingxi’s perspective, she could see with perfect clarity his slightly lowered eyelashes and straight nose bridge. There was no sickly pallor or mocking madness, nor was he wearing a false mask of pretense—he was simply cold and quiet as he cleaned and applied medicine.

It was a peaceful tranquility she had never experienced in her previous life. Yu Lingxi unconsciously slowed her breathing, the licorice pill in her mouth moving past its initial bitterness to release a slight sweetness.

“This is the second time the young lady has injured this hand, isn’t it?” Ning Yin performed the medicine application extremely slowly, his gaze falling on her delicate palm as he suddenly spoke.

Yu Lingxi softly responded with an “Mm,” uncertain why he suddenly brought this up.

Some drug effects still lingered, and this methodical application of medicine was truly testing her patience. She pursed her lips and shifted slightly, reminding him: “That’s enough.”

Only then did Ning Yin withdraw his deep gaze, wrapping a bandage around her hand and tying an elegant knot.

He asked: “Can you endure?”

Yu Lingxi nodded while biting on the licorice pill. She wanted to return and see with her own eyes what kind of insidious and ugly face lay beneath the Zhao family’s seemingly weak and easily bullied exterior.

At the Princess Imperial’s residence.

Yu Lingxi had just descended from the carriage when she saw Qing Xiao rushing past the parked carriages to meet her, anxiously calling out: “Young lady!”

“Qing Xiao.”

“Where did the young lady go? I didn’t see you leave the residence, yet why are you returning from outside?”

As he spoke, Qing Xiao glanced at the simple carriage Yu Lingxi had ridden in, barely glimpsing an ochre-colored clothing edge by the carriage, resembling a eunuch’s attire.

Before he could see who the eunuch was, the person had already leaped onto the carriage and driven away.

“It’s too complicated to explain briefly. Where is Mother?” Yu Lingxi asked.

“The Madam and the eldest young lady are still in the residence inquiring about your whereabouts. I’ll go tell them right away.”

“No need.” Yu Lingxi stopped Qing Xiao, patted her slightly warm cheeks, composed herself, and said calmly: “I’ll go find them myself.”

Before the steps, women were coming out in small groups, each with strange expressions.

“Tsk, I didn’t expect Zhao Yuming to be that kind of person, actually doing such things in the Buddhist meditation chamber, and… having an illicit affair under the golden statue of Buddha.”

As they passed by, Yu Lingxi heard their deliberately lowered discussions.

“Didn’t you all see? When Madam Zhao rushed there after hearing the news, her daughter was still shamelessly clinging to the Crown Prince and wouldn’t let go. In front of the Princess Imperial, Madam Zhao was so embarrassed her face turned purple. She slapped Zhao Yuming twice before she finally came to her senses…”

“Wanting to climb the branch and become a phoenix is not accomplished this way! Princess Imperial Deyang is most reverent toward Buddha, and it was also Her Highness’s birthday banquet. Such wild licentiousness will surely enrage Her Highness. I think the Zhao family is finished.”

“Shh, don’t say anymore…”

The women left it at that and departed in their carriages.

Zhao Yuming… an illicit affair? Yu Lingxi was stunned.

She knew without Zhao Yuming as an inside accomplice, Zhao Xu could never have entered the heavily guarded Princess Imperial’s residence to abduct her. Could it be that Zhao Yuming had gone to such lengths just to do something so stupid?

Just as she was thinking, an urgent, shocked call came from inside the mansion gate: “Sui Sui!”

Madam Yu hurried out, her face showing more anxiety than reproach as she said softly: “Child, where did you go? Why is your face so red?”

“I’m fine.” Yu Lingxi held Madam Yu’s hand. “I just heard others saying Cousin has gotten into trouble?”

Madam Yu’s expression faltered slightly, and she sighed, finding it difficult to explain.

Yu Xinyi, who had come out with Madam Yu, pulled her sister to a deserted corner and explained: “Zhao Yuming and the Crown Prince were caught in the act of an illicit affair in the Buddhist hall by many of the female guests. The imperial family has lost face completely, and Princess Imperial Deyang is furious about this matter.”

The anger in Yu Lingxi’s heart was completely extinguished, and she thought, this retribution came unusually quickly.

A flash of insight struck her as she recalled that Ning Yin had been wearing the eunuch’s ochre robes when he rescued her. That meant Ning Yin had already been to Princess Imperial Deyang’s residence before rescuing her.

Could it be… She suddenly turned back, searching in the direction Ning Yin had gone.

But with carriages and guests coming and going, the young man was nowhere to be seen.

“What are you looking at?” Yu Xinyi waved her hand in front of Yu Lingxi’s eyes, her heroic eyebrows knitting as she said: “Where exactly did you go for that hour? You scared me to death, do you know that!”

Mentioning all she had just experienced, Yu Lingxi lowered her gaze: “Sister, it’s too complicated to explain briefly. Let’s discuss it when we get back.”

In the Kunning Palace, the Buddhist hall was completely silent.

Empress Feng, in plain clothes with her hair loose, stood quietly beneath the lotus seat of the Buddha statue, holding a fire lighter to ignite the hundred-plus candles on the bronze stands one by one.

The warm yellow light illuminated her clean features, making her look like the Buddha on the lotus seat, neither sad nor happy.

The entire court knew that Empress Feng was a benevolent person who ate vegetarian meals, worshipped Buddha, and wouldn’t even step on an ant. It was precisely because of this that she became close to Princess Imperial Deyang, who also believed in Buddhism, thereby successfully helping Ning Dan ascend to the position of Crown Prince.

“Is the Crown Prince still kneeling outside the Hall of Chengde?” she asked.

“Yes. His Majesty personally whipped the Crown Prince ten times, then punished him to kneel outside the hall, showing he is truly angry.”

The eunuch Cui An, still in his ochre robes with a jade belt, raised his hand to shield the candlelight from the wind for the Empress, glancing at her expression and saying: “His Majesty’s old ailment has relapsed due to anger. He just took medicine and lay down, mentioning the other princes who died young multiple times in his words, seeming to reminisce and regret.”

The Empress acted as if she hadn’t heard, continuing to light the last candle stand: “I heard that the Crown Prince’s outrageous behavior at Princess Imperial Deyang’s birthday banquet involved your participation.”

Cui An’s expression changed, and he immediately knelt on the stone floor: “This servant was momentarily confused. Seeing that His Highness the Crown Prince couldn’t stop thinking about the second Miss Yu day and night, I wanted to follow His Highness’s wishes and recommend the second Miss Yu to him. Who knew those below would mistake the person…”

“Again, it’s the second Miss Yu.” The Empress heavily put down the fire lighter and suddenly said, “I remember, General Yu is an old acquaintance of yours?”

Cui An was startled, then quickly understood the Empress’s deeper meaning: “Yes, this servant understands.”

“Also, since His Majesty has shown disappointment in Dan, select a gentle and pleasing concubine from the Eastern Palace and stop her contraceptive medicine.”

The Empress knelt on the cushioned mat, pressing her palms together toward the compassionate Buddha statue, “It’s time for me to have a little prince grandson.”

Just as she was speaking, the sound of porcelain breaking suddenly rang out.

A small palace maid delivering tea had accidentally overheard this conversation. In her haste to withdraw and avoid, she stumbled and knocked over the teacup.

“Your Majesty, spare me!” The little palace maid turned deathly pale with fear, prostrating herself on the ground.

A small insect flew into the lampshade, unable to escape. Just as it was about to be burned to death, the Empress reached out to open the lampshade and released the pitiful insect.

She seemed not to notice the tea spreading across the stone floor and said indifferently to Cui An: “Clean it up.”

Cui An bowed and rose, walking to the small palace maid’s side.

After a brief, sharp scream and the dull thud of a body falling, the hall returned to quietness.

Empress Feng pressed her palms together and recited sutras, her face showing compassionate tranquility.

……

As dusk fell, lanterns were hung at the Yu residence.

Yu Lingxi had taken medicine and rested for a long while before her body fully recovered.

With clear thoughts, she began to piece together the day’s events from beginning to end.

Why did Zhao Xu want to abduct her? How could two completely unrelated people like the Crown Prince and Zhao Yuming end up entangled in such a ridiculous manner? If Zhao Yuming wanted to climb the social ladder to enter the Eastern Palace, she shouldn’t have chosen such an improper method—it was too foolish.

Recalling that when she woke up in the carriage, her arm had been holding Zhao Yuming’s purple silk wrap, and considering why the Crown Prince would secretly appear at the Princess Imperial’s residence, speculation gradually surfaced.

Could it be possible that Zhao Yuming had disguised her as herself, and smuggled her out of the Princess’s residence undetected to hand over to Zhao Xu, only to be mistakenly identified by the Crown Prince?

It was absurd, but she couldn’t think of any other explanation.

Her thoughts darkened, and she sent someone to invite her parents and siblings, then headed toward the main hall with resolve.

In the flickering lamplight, Yu Lingxi sat behind the table and recounted how she had been drugged and taken from the residence, how Zhao Xu had brought her to Fuyu Observatory with the intent to ruin her reputation.

She only concealed the part about being drugged with the aphrodisiac. Otherwise, not only would her parents be worried and heartbroken, but she would also have difficulty explaining how Ning Yin had appeared at the right time.

Even so, her usually composed father was so angered he slammed the table as he stood, actually causing a crack in the solid redwood table.

Yu Xinyi, always protective and impulsive, immediately grabbed a knife and said: “I’ll go kill that scoundrel!”

“Sister, don’t.” Yu Lingxi hurriedly rose to stop her.

Yu Xinyi was so angry her heroic eyebrows stood on end: “Sui Sui, do you want to plead for such scum?”

“Since he’s scum, wouldn’t killing him be letting him off too easily?” Yu Huan Chen said with an iron-blue face, “I’ll have him tied up and brought here, then flay him alive and extract his tendons in front of the Zhao family.”

“That’s not it. It’s not that I want to let Zhao Xu go, but rather…” Yu Lingxi softened her voice, “I’m afraid you won’t be able to find him anymore.”

After Ning Yin rescued her, she didn’t see any trace of Zhao Xu. If he hadn’t fled out of fear of punishment, there was only one possibility: Zhao Xu was likely no longer in this world.

Yu Lingxi said: “The Zhao family is not to be feared. What’s truly difficult to handle is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace.”

Upon hearing this, General Yu clenched his iron fists. If, as his daughter said, the Crown Prince had seen her and desired her when the marriage arrangement failed, and intended to defile his daughter, only to mistakenly take Zhao Yuming instead…

Was such a future Son of Heaven truly worthy of his loyalty? Was it worth pushing his eldest daughter into the fire again?

“We’ve established glorious military achievements, and shed blood on the battlefield, yet the heir apparent thinks about how to seize my authority and insult my sister. What an irony of the greatest magnitude!” Yu Xinyi’s hand holding the scabbard trembled as she said mockingly, “Is such a Crown Prince worth our protection?!”

“Xinyi!” General Yu thundered. “Watch your words.”

Yu Xinyi stepped forward defiantly: “Father!”

What use was there in saying these things now? He, Yu Yuan, uprightness personified, loyal and devoted, was destined never to become a rebel. Moreover, the current Emperor had not mistreated the Yu family.

General Yu’s temples showed traces of frost, his jaw clenched, and after a long while, he said wearily: “Many princes died young, the Third Prince is feeble-minded, and the Seventh Prince’s fate is unknown. Now in our Da Wei, only the Eastern Palace’s heir remains…”

Her father’s heavy sigh fell on her ears, and Yu Lingxi’s eyelashes trembled lightly. She knew this was an opportunity to naturally remind her father and brother, planting a fuse for the Yu family’s alternative path.

She raised her clear, pure eyes and said softly: “Has Father ever considered, what if the Seventh Prince is still alive?”

Though she merely hinted at it, her words stirred tremendous waves in the silent hall.

The night had grown deep.

As Yu Lingxi left the hall and was returning to her room, she saw someone standing in the corridor. Without much hesitation, she dismissed her maids and walked alone toward Ning Yin.

Ning Yin seemed to have anticipated she would come looking for him. His face showed no ripples of emotion as he continued to stand with his hands behind his back, gazing at the night sky.

The weather wasn’t good tonight, with no stars or moon. The sky was pitch black, and it was unclear what he found so interesting to look at.

Yu Lingxi noticed a dark patch on his clothes and said: “Where did you go? Why is your sleeve wet?”

“Went fishing.” Ning Yin’s thin lips curved into a cold, meaningful smile. “Fished it out, ground its bones to dust.”

Yu Lingxi didn’t believe he had gone fishing. Just as she was thinking this, Ning Yin suddenly spoke: “I killed him.”

Yu Lingxi tilted her head, bewildered for a moment, before realizing he was referring to Zhao Xu.

Was she afraid? No. She felt a sense of satisfaction.

Yu Lingxi stood beside him calmly and said: “Those who do evil will meet their due retribution. That was his karma.”

Ning Yin finally stopped looking at the sky and glanced sideways at Yu Lingxi, staring at her for a long time.

“The young lady isn’t going to berate herself for letting a wolf in this time?” Ning Yin seemed to laugh, saying casually, “I was wondering how many lashes the young lady would give herself tonight.”

How long would he hold a grudge over their argument the night Xue Chen fell into the lake? Yu Lingxi sighed helplessly and shot him an annoyed glance: “Am I such a person who can’t distinguish right from wrong? How can an evil person with malicious intentions be compared to the blameless Xue Chen?”

“Oh, yes, no one can compare to the young lady’s Young Master Xue.” Something in what she said must have struck a nerve with Ning Yin, as not only did he not seem pleased, but his smile grew increasingly cold and detached.

With his disguise removed, this person truly had not a shred of flattery left.

“I didn’t come tonight to discuss this with you,” Yu Lingxi had to change the subject.

“What does the young lady wish to say?” Ning Yin didn’t even raise his eyes.

The night wind of late spring and early summer passed through the corridor, rustling the tree shadows. The warm light fell softly on Yu Lingxi’s head, her beautiful eyes clear as she looked at the tall, powerful young man beside her.

After a moment, she smiled and said, “I want to thank you.”

Ning Yin’s eye corners lifted, his ink-black eyes turning toward her, like an unfathomable deep pool.

Yu Lingxi then stepped back half a pace in front of him, brought her palms together within her sleeves, bowed with bent knees, and gracefully performed a formal courtesy.