Li Jiancheng’s eyes showed both anger and annoyance as he said sternly: “So this is how you see me in your heart. Good! Good! Good!” After saying “good” three times in succession, he pointed at the tightly closed palace door and shouted: “Go see Father right now and tell him everything. I absolutely won’t stop you!”

Princess Xin’an snorted coldly: “Don’t worry. When the Tang King returns, I will definitely go see him!”

Li Jiancheng stared at her for a moment, then suddenly laughed, confusing Princess Xin’an, who couldn’t help asking: “What are you laughing at?”

Li Jiancheng gradually stopped laughing and said sadly: “To think that I, Li Jiancheng, in these twenty-some years, rarely cared about anyone, yet I’m being scolded and called a heartless person. How utterly ridiculous!”

Hearing this was what it was about, Princess Xin’an immediately said mockingly: “Care? If you truly cared about me, how could you watch me being interrogated and pressured by them without speaking up, not even saying a word to plead for me?”

“If I had pleaded for you, I would be telling everyone that I was also involved in killing His Majesty. What would happen then? Both of us would die!”

“Shouldn’t that be the case?” Before Li Jiancheng could speak, Princess Xin’an pointed at him and said coldly: “I’m telling you, Li Jiancheng, unless you kill me right now, don’t expect me to bear all the guilt alone.”

“Bang!” Li Jiancheng slammed his palm heavily on the table, startling Princess Xin’an, who said with some panic: “What do you want to do?”

Li Jiancheng said excitedly: “I never wanted you to bear all the guilt alone. I stayed out of it before not because I was cowardly or heartless, but because I didn’t want there to be no one left to plead for you!” He took a breath and said angrily: “I thought that if something happened to you, I could at least help you plead, or at worst, find a way to rescue you. But this is what I get in return—such suspicion from you. How disappointing!”

Princess Xin’an hadn’t expected Li Jiancheng to say such things. She was stunned for a while before coming to her senses and said tentatively: “You… really think this way?”

“No!” Li Jiancheng said resentfully: “I’m cowardly, heartless, and a despicable villain!”

Hearing this, Princess Xin’an became even more uneasy. She reached out to hold his cold fingers and said softly: “I’m sorry. I was wrong about you. Don’t be angry with me.” Seeing Li Jiancheng remain silent, she added: “Actually… you can’t blame me for thinking that way. After all…”

“I know!” Li Jiancheng interrupted her: “After all, we haven’t been together long, and you always think I’m using you.” Before Princess Xin’an could speak, he continued: “If you really don’t trust me, when Father returns, I’ll tell him everything and become a pair of doomed lovers with you!”

“No!” Princess Xin’an quickly pressed her hand to his lips: “I won’t let you say such things.”

Li Jiancheng pulled down her hand: “Isn’t this exactly what you want? Why won’t you allow it now?”

“I was speaking in haste just now, saying nonsense. I didn’t even know what I was saying. How could you take it seriously?” Saying this, Princess Xin’an said guiltily: “I’m sorry. Please don’t be angry with me anymore, alright?”

Li Jiancheng tightened his grip on her hand and sighed: “I’m not angry with you. I’m just frustrated with myself for not thinking beforehand that Princess Jinyang would use deception, causing you to be tricked into revealing the truth and putting yourself in danger.”

Mentioning this made Princess Xin’an’s teeth itch with hatred: “It’s not your fault. It’s that wicked Jinyang who’s full of schemes and impossible to guard against!”

“This person first bewitched Shimin, and now she’s harmed you. I definitely won’t let her go!” Saying this, Li Jiancheng added: “What do you plan to do about what comes next?”

Princess Xin’an hesitated for a long time before saying: “Will you really save me?”

Li Jiancheng smiled bitterly and shook his head: “Since you still have no confidence in me, forget it. I’ll go confess to Father together with you.”

Princess Xin’an quickly denied this: “That’s not what I meant. I was just confirming with you. You always say I overthink things, but aren’t you the same?”

Li Jiancheng was made to laugh by her words, then stroked her cheek and said solemnly: “I promise you, as long as I, Li Jiancheng, have breath in my body, I will definitely protect you and never let anyone harm you!”

Princess Xin’an’s eyes were tender as water as she covered his hand: “With these words from you, I’m at ease. When the Tang King returns, I’ll tell him that everything was done by me alone and won’t reveal a single word related to you.”

Li Jiancheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said with apparent emotion: “This really wrongs you.”

Princess Xin’an leaned against him and said softly: “As long as you don’t betray me, I won’t feel wronged doing anything.”

“With such devoted beauty, how could I bear to betray you?” Saying this, Li Jiancheng lowered his head to cover that delicate red lips with his own. When Princess Xin’an was kissed breathless and dizzy with passion, he finally slowly released her and said hoarsely: “I will plead with Father to keep you safe. If he agrees, that would be best. Otherwise, I’ll have to take advantage of the chaos to break you out of prison and send you away from Chang’an. But if that happens…” He said somewhat dejectedly: “We won’t be able to see each other often.”

Seeing how reluctant he was to part with her, Princess Xin’an was delighted: “True love endures; why be greedy for daily meetings? Besides, I can wait for things to quiet down a bit, then secretly return to Chang’an. Wouldn’t we be able to see each other often then?”

Li Jiancheng showed a slight smile: “That’s true. Good, let’s proceed with this plan.”

Princess Xin’an smiled and remembered something: “What about Li Shimin?”

Li Jiancheng’s eyes turned cold as he said grimly: “We can only let him go for now and deal with him later. Comparatively, I’m more worried about Princess Jinyang.”

Princess Xin’an asked puzzledly: “Worried about her? Why?”

Li Jiancheng looked troubled: “The way she looked at me earlier, I suspect… she may have already guessed.”

Hearing this, Princess Xin’an immediately panicked: “Then… what can we do?”

Li Jiancheng comforted her: “As long as you don’t say anything, she can’t find evidence. As for what comes after… let me think about it more.”

As Princess Xin’an nodded, footsteps sounded outside the palace. Li Jiancheng knew it must be Lülǐ returning and immediately stepped back several paces to create some distance from Princess Xin’an.

Indeed, the next moment Lülǐ entered with the imperial physician. After examining Princess Xin’an, he said: “Nothing serious, just scraped some skin. Apply some medicine and be careful not to get it wet.”

After the imperial physician left the medicine and departed, Li Jiancheng said: “Since there’s nothing wrong, I’ll leave first. Before Father returns, please stay well in Shuangyue Palace and don’t go out!”

Princess Xin’an pretended to turn away angrily. Li Jiancheng didn’t say more, bowed respectfully, and turned to leave. As he stepped out of Shuangyue Palace, a cold, sinister smile appeared on his lips.

From beginning to end, he had never intended to plead for Princess Xin’an. Everything he had said was merely to deceive her into taking all the blame.