Ning Yin had spent his youth in exile, so in everyone’s imagination, he should have been an awkward and impoverished man.

Thus, when they saw this tall figure in purple robes with a jade belt, pale and handsome, for a moment the surprise in everyone’s eyes exceeded their contempt. After hesitating for quite a while, people gradually stood up to pay their respects.

Nearby, Xue Cen rose to cup his hands in greeting, but the moment he saw the Seventh Prince’s face, he suddenly froze.

Why did the Seventh Prince’s appearance look exactly like that guard who had once seduced his second sister into impropriety?!

Wei Qi, Wei Qi…

Xue Cen’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he slowly lowered his sleeves, unconsciously glancing at Yu Lingxi beside him.

Yu Lingxi lowered her eyes, curtsying along with the other ladies. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and the luster of her hairpin reflected in her eyes, rippling with faint, glistening light.

It was a turbulence that had never appeared when facing Xue Cen.

She had to use all her strength to control herself from raising her eyes to look at him.

In her line of sight, the deep purple lower garment passed before her, and the black official boots didn’t pause for a moment.

The wind stopped, and the cool sandalwood incense dispersed, leaving no trace.

“Second Sister?”

A lowered voice came from beside her. Only then did Yu Lingxi awaken from her reverie and slowly rise to return to her place.

Ning Yin took his seat above, holding a wine cup and taking small sips. His purple robe and black hair made his face appear even more handsome and cold. His scattered gaze never lingered for a moment on the positions of the Xue and Yu families, as if he were truly just a stranger attending a banquet for wine.

What had he come to do?

Yu Lingxi’s heart was turbulent, and although she controlled herself not to look or think, the discussions about the Seventh Prince around her never ceased, buzzing into her ears like mosquitoes.

She took a light breath, picked up pastries and preserved fruits from the table, and stuffed them into her mouth one after another to distract herself and calm her heart.

Her heart felt as if it had a large hole in it, as though only by continuously stuffing in food could she fill that emptiness.

Beside her, Xue Cen unobtrusively passed Yu Lingxi a cup of tea, his eyes containing undisguised gravity and concern.

With another announcement, the Crown Prince entered, and only then did the discussions about the Seventh Prince gradually subside.

Upon seeing Ning Yin, Ning Tan’s eyes flashed with a cold smile.

“Seventh Brother is in good spirits. Despite my repeated invitations with courtesy, you were nowhere to be seen, yet today you deign to honor us with your presence at the banquet.”

Ning Tan spoke with barbs and gave a knowing look.

Immediately, a civil official in green robes understood and stood up, holding a wine cup, saying: “His Highness the Crown Prince honors the worthy and treats his siblings with generosity, showing the demeanor of a wise ruler! I am deeply moved and respectfully toast to His Highness the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince!”

The Crown Prince glanced at Ning Yin and forced an interested smile: “Though we have fine wine, there is no one to pour it. I’ve long heard that my Seventh Brother, having been exiled, must be quite familiar with the art of serving others. I wonder if Seventh Brother would pour wine for me so that we brothers can drink and talk cheerfully?”

The Crown Prince and his faction played off each other, clearly mocking Ning Yin for having once been reduced to servitude, waiting to see him embarrassed.

Among the guests at the banquet, no one spoke up to defend Ning Yin. Yu Lingxi couldn’t help but grip her fingers and frown.

Beside her, Yu Xinyi pressed on the back of her hand and shook her head slightly at her.

The Yu family had just retreated from the eye of the storm, and the Seventh Prince had not yet gained a firm foothold. Speaking up now would only give others ammunition and implicate Ning Yin.

Yu Lingxi understood her sister’s concerns, but still felt a blockage in her heart.

Just as she was thinking, the gurgling sound of wine being poured from a jade bottle broke the silence.

She saw Ning Yin personally pour a cup of wine and present it to Ning Tan, smiling softly: “Royal Brother is wise and mighty, deeply beloved by the people. This cup of wine should rightfully be from your humble brother to honor Royal Brother. I hope Royal Brother won’t withhold his pearls of wisdom and will give me much guidance!”

Ning Tan hadn’t expected him to be so compliant and laughed heartily, proudly accepting the wine cup and draining it in one gulp.

This wine was of unknown variety but was very strong. As soon as it entered his stomach, it blazed up like fire meeting hot oil, making Ning Tan’s mind hazy.

His cheeks flushed red, his gaze scattered, and he patted Ning Yin’s arm, saying: “Seventh Brother is so sensible. When I ascend the throne in the future, I will certainly grant you a princedom and keep you by my side to take good care of you! I shall grant you… grant you the title of ‘Prince of Confusion,’ how about that? Hahahahaha!”

The crowd at the banquet tensed, and there was a sudden silence.

The current Emperor was still alive, yet the Crown Prince was already overstepping his bounds by planning what would happen “after his ascension”—this was not good!

The little eunuch who was supposed to announce guests looked at the Emperor and Empress standing outside the door and suddenly became like a duck with its throat pinched, too frightened to make a sound.

The Emperor, who had not yet recovered from a cold, heard the Crown Prince’s presumptuous nonsense and immediately turned blue-black with anger.

The attendant from the Eastern Palace was ashen-faced and rushed to support the Crown Prince who was spouting nonsense: “My lord! Please say less, His Majesty has arrived!”

Only then did Ning Tan see the Emperor and Empress standing at the entrance. Three parts of his drunkenness were shocked away, and he hurriedly stood up unsteadily to pay his respects: “This son kowtows to Fa… Father Emperor, ten thousand years! Mother Empress, a thousand years!”

Unexpectedly, dizzy and unable to find his balance, he tilted and fell to the ground, making a most unseemly spectacle.

The crowd followed with bows to welcome the imperial arrival, wanting to laugh but unable to do so. Nearby, Yu Xinyi’s mouth was almost twitching from holding back.

Yu Lingxi felt vindicated in her heart and secretly thought: Serves him right!

The Emperor sat down with a black face. For the sake of the Empress’s birthday, he maintained some dignity and said in a deep voice: “All ministers may rise.”

The Empress sat beside the Emperor and said discreetly: “Yu Second Miss and Xue Second Young Master are truly a talented and beautiful pair. It pleases me to see them. I wonder if Yu Second Miss’s health has greatly improved?”

Yu Lingxi was crystal clear in her heart that the Empress suddenly directing the conversation to her was not out of concern, but to divert attention from the Crown Prince’s gaffe.

Sure enough, the crowd’s gaze followed the Empress and fell upon Yu Lingxi and Xue Cen.

Yu Lingxi stepped forward, gracefully kneeling and bowing: “Thanks to Your Majesty’s blessing, this humble subject has been chronically ill and should not have come to intrude on Your Majesty’s birthday celebration.”

After speaking, she covered her lips with her sleeve, coughing lightly, appearing completely frail and delicate.

“It’s all right.”

The Empress smiled with half-closed eyes, “Second Miss’s body is weak and needs a joyous event to dispel the illness. In my view, why not take advantage of today’s auspicious occasion to set a wedding date for Second Miss to drive away the illness? It would also give the hardworking General Yu an answer.”

Yu Lingxi’s shoulders trembled.

People said Empress Feng was devout and generous, but Yu Lingxi saw her as deeply hidden and far from benevolent!

Crown Prince Ning Tan, seeing Yu Lingxi up close today, felt she was like a radiant pearl that outshone countless beauties. He inwardly cursed that bookworm Xue Cen for his good fortune!

Though reluctant, at this time, to protect himself, he could only nod in agreement, taking the opportunity to step on Ning Yin: “Seventh Brother, what do you think?”

The matter of imperial marriage grants was not something a disfavored prince should comment on. Ning Tan’s move was purely to irritate Ning Yin, after all, according to rumors, the Yu family had once had dealings with the exiled Seventh Prince.

Yu Lingxi lowered her head, unable to see Ning Yin’s expression.

She only heard his cold, casual voice coming from the front, with an unfamiliar tone and without any hesitation: “Getting one’s wish fulfilled naturally makes everyone happy.”

Despite being prepared, Yu Lingxi was still stung by that casually uttered “getting one’s wish fulfilled,” feeling a sharp pain in her heart.

She hadn’t raised her head for a long time, as if swallowing sharp ice, forgetting how to argue.

She pressed her lips together and heard the Emperor say: “Very well.”

So everyone rose to offer congratulations. Xue Cen smiled dignifiedly and elegantly, patiently returning the greetings of every noble lady and heir who came to congratulate them.

Yu Lingxi stood amid the insincere bustle, looking past the dancing sleeves towards the front, all was quiet.

Ning Yin put down his unfinished wine cup, rose to leave, and from beginning to end, never once glanced in her direction.

…

After the birthday celebration, in Kunning Palace.

The Empress stood in front of the hall, looking at the Crown Prince who was swaying unsteadily, and calmly asked: “Does the Crown Prince know his mistake?”

“This son almost ruined Mother Empress’s birthday celebration. This son knows his mistake!”

Ning Tan, with drunk eyes, staggeringly waved his hand and said: “But Mother Empress need not worry. When this son takes power in the future, I will certainly arrange an even more grand birthday celebration to show filial piety to Mother Empress!”

With these words, even Cui An at the side revealed some mockery.

What a hopeless case, wasting all the Empress’s careful nurturing.

Empress Feng’s moth-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, and she said coldly: “Cui An, sober up the Crown Prince.”

“Yes.”

Cui An understood and walked up to Ning Tan, apologetically saying, “Your Highness, forgive me.”

Ning Tan was slow to react and hadn’t yet understood what was happening when he heard a splash. His entire body flew out like a sandbag and fell into the Buddhist lotus pond in front of the hall.

“Help… help…”

Ning Tan thrashed about, flailing his limbs, but no one dared to pull him out.

His noble mother stood at the steps, royal robes dignified, without joy or sorrow, only complete indifference.

Yes, indifference, as if looking at a useless son who could be discarded at any time.

Ning Tan finally managed to grab onto a stone carving at the edge of the pond, spitting water, covered in algae, shivering miserably in his bedraggled state.

He was completely sober now, utterly clear-minded.

“I can protect you once or twice, but not ten or a hundred times.”

The Empress said, “Let the Crown Prince stay here to reflect quietly.”

The hall doors closed mercilessly before his eyes. Ning Tan wiped away the water, his gaze glaring at the attendants bowing with lowered heads nearby.

At that moment, the low-browed, obedient faces of the attendants seemed to become arrogant, grinning with mockery, ridiculing his foolishness and wretchedness.

His eyes red, amid his fear, there was ultimately some resentment—resentment for the dirty slave blood flowing in his veins, resentment that his mother had raised him to the position of Crown Prince yet refused to bestow even a tiny bit of affection or closeness…

Just wait and see!

Ning Tan thought with chattering teeth, he would prove to everyone that he was the only true dragon bloodline!

On the Zhiyue Tower adjacent to Kunning Palace, Ning Yin stood tall in his purple robe, taking in the Crown Prince’s pathetic, drenched appearance in the pond.

Behind him, a young man dressed as an imperial guard said: “Your Highness, shall we create an accident to let the Crown Prince drown in the pond?”

“No need.”

Ning Yin’s folding fan waved idly in his hand. His lips curved, and his pale face showed a touch of gentle madness. “Death is a simple matter, how could we let Royal Brother off so easily?”

He wanted to return a hundredfold everything he had endured to this mother and son.

His gaze passed over the magnificent pavilions and halls, falling on the distant palace road.

Ning Yin had excellent eyesight. Even though the figures in the distance were as small as ants, he could clearly distinguish that graceful and beautiful silhouette.

The smile at the corner of his mouth finally sank. He closed his fan and turned to descend the tower.

Outside the palace gate, Yu Xinyi quickly caught up.

“Sui Sui.”

She held Yu Lingxi’s hand, the concern in her eyes evident without words. “Are you all right?”

Yu Lingxi’s scattered thoughts finally gathered, and she realized that she had hastily left her seat without paying respects to the Empress along with Xue Cen, which was somewhat inappropriate.

Fortunately, the Empress was preoccupied with the Crown Prince and didn’t notice her movements.

Yu Lingxi shook her head lightly, trying to display a relaxed smile: “I’m fine, Sister.”

Yu Xinyi pulled Yu Lingxi onto their family carriage and lowered the curtain.

She reached out to cup her sister’s face, squeezing her beautiful little face until it wrinkled and became distorted, then pinched her cheeks and said: “If you’re unhappy, say it out loud, Sui Sui.”

Yu Lingxi was startled.

“Did you think your sister couldn’t tell? You no longer have the childhood admiration for Xue Cen, right?”

Yu Xinyi sighed, “The Empress today used the pretext of dispelling illness to block all our retreat paths. Even pretending to be sick won’t work anymore. It’s indeed not very kind. But Sui Sui, if this marriage only brings you pain, I would rather you refuse, even if it means defying an imperial order and facing confiscation of property and imprisonment, I would also…”

“Sister!”

Yu Lingxi embraced Yu Xinyi and said softly, “Don’t say such things.”

During last year’s northern expedition, she had barely managed to change fate, allowing these lovable and respectable family members to remain by her side. How could she bear to let it all be in vain because of temporary grievances?

Besides, from the day she left Ning Yin, she knew that no matter what happened in the future, she had no right to feel aggrieved.

This was the path she had chosen herself; she could only continue down this dark road.

Yu Xinyi sat with bold strokes, pressing her sister’s head into her embrace.

She recalled Yu Huanchen’s words: Yu Xinyi, it’s our incompetence that we can’t give Sui Sui more choices.

Imperial power oppresses, the emperor’s commands are like heaven, and all merits are but bubbles.

To change this, one would need a different sky.

…

Since it was under the name of dispelling illness, the Ministry of Rites moved quickly, setting the wedding date for Yu Lingxi and Xue Cen at the end of the year.

Yu Lingxi didn’t appear in public and began to accelerate her search for the mastermind behind Zhao Yuming’s death.

She needed something to distract her chaotic thoughts, and she feared that after the marriage, she would no longer have the opportunity to help Ning Yin.

At the very least, before that, she needed to know who the hidden culprit was who had plotted against the Yu family and attempted to assassinate Ning Yin.

Unexpectedly, the maid of the Zhao family, whom she had been investigating for half a year without news, suddenly had a lead today.

“You’re saying Zhao Yuming’s maid, Hong Zhu, is hiding in a brothel?” Yu Lingxi suddenly jumped down from her swing, asking in surprise.

“After receiving information from our informant, this servant personally infiltrated the brothel with a portrait to confirm. The appearance is indeed very similar,”

Qing Xiao reported, “And that woman has a scar on her forehead, which matches with Hong Zhu’s previous incident of hitting a pillar.”

Hong Zhu was a registered slave; without freedom papers, she couldn’t have run far. Yu Lingxi only expected her to be hiding in the capital but never thought she would be hiding in a brothel.

“Why not bring her back?” asked Yu Lingxi.

Qing Xiao revealed a troubled expression: “Miss doesn’t know, that the brothel is not an ordinary pleasure house, but has a front and back courtyard division. The front courtyard is for ordinary people’s entertainment, while the back courtyard especially receives distinguished officials and nobles with high status. It requires a special identity token to enter and is extremely heavily guarded… This servant feared alarming the quarry, so didn’t dare to approach.”

This is somewhat similar to the rules of Yujie Xiandu…

Thinking of something, Yu Lingxi’s eyes brightened: “There is one person who has access. Go invite the Lady of Qingping Village here and tell her I urgently request her help!”

Qing Xiao accepted the order and left with cupped hands.

At the palace gate.

Xue Cen came out from the Ministry of Rites and happened to see Ning Yin boarding a carriage from the palace gate, heading towards the market.

Recalling this Seventh Prince’s appearance, Xue Cen couldn’t help but think of the scene on the night of the Qixi Festival when he had stumbled upon him kissing Yu Lingxi as if declaring his ownership. His heart sank, and he reined in his horse, secretly following in the direction of the Seventh Prince.

He wanted to see what this Seventh Prince, who had meticulously approached Second Sister, was up to.

After following for a while, the Seventh Prince’s carriage turned a corner and disappeared at the street corner.

Xue Cen dismounted and looked in the direction where the carriage had vanished, only to see that at the end of the street was a place of rouge and powder, a pleasure pavilion.

The Seventh Prince frequenting prostitutes?

No wonder only such a person with improper conduct would make the innocent Yu Second Miss so confused.

Xue Cen immediately felt that Second Sister was being taken advantage of. How pitiful that at the birthday banquet, she still lingered on thoughts of this fickle and unfaithful man.

Only he was the one who loved her wholeheartedly.

Xue Cen turned away with a sneer, just about to inform Second Sister of this matter when he suddenly felt a tremendous pain at the back of his neck and instantly collapsed.

Someone caught his falling form and dragged him into the hidden side door of the brothel in the alley.

And at the end of the alley, that vanished carriage was quietly parked at the side door, having observed everything.

“Your Highness, the person has been successfully brought in,” reported a subordinate.

The wind lifted the carriage curtain, and a line of light poured in, illuminating the noble youth leaning by the window inside the carriage.

A fleeting glimpse, a figure of unparalleled beauty.

“Very good.”

He supported his temple with one hand, his cold white knuckles carefully playing with an exquisite black jade carving, cold laughter rippling in his eyes.