When Feng Qingyin emerged from the chrysanthemum grove, her garments were still in a state of disarray.

Zhan Yuheng lay on the ground, still lost to the wine and exhaustion, having fallen soundly asleep.

Feng Qingyin tidied herself and straightened him as well, leaving him at least presentable.

She wanted to go, yet felt reluctant to leave. She crouched down and stared at his still-handsome face as he slept, and the thought of what had just passed between them sent a wave of warmth and dizzying bliss flooding through her again.

The unfortunate thing was that the Crown Prince had genuinely drifted off — rousing him now would be no easy matter.

What was more, once this was done, he might well wake having forgotten it entirely. If she could not slip away before he woke and he discovered the truth, he would certainly not let this pass without consequences.

This adorable, beautiful man…

Feng Qingyin still could not quite stop herself from reaching out and running her fingers gently across his cheek.

Truly so handsome. So captivating. And so… foolish. A silly, pitiable creature — it was genuinely hard to bring herself to simply leave him lying here among the chrysanthemums.

But she could not afford to stay any longer.

Crown Prince Brother — rest assured, one day when she had become Empress Dowager and held the military authority of the entire Bei Mu nation in her hands, she would certainly seek him out and continue what they had begun.

They would have a future together. They absolutely would.

She placed her hand over her own lower abdomen, lowering her gaze to her still-flat stomach.

She hoped that after tonight, she might be carrying the Crown Prince’s child.

Lingling had made thorough inquiries: the Crown Prince was the true-born son of that wretched, long-lived Emperor. Even if that old man later demanded a blood-lineage verification, whatever the result, it could still be made to pass. After all, it had been discovered that grandfathers and grandsons could also be tested against each other for lineage — and Lingling’s discovery of this was an absolute gift in the nick of time.

Tonight, she must conceive. She absolutely must.

“Crown Prince Brother, I will miss you.”

She looked at Zhan Yuheng one last time, then rose to her feet, ready to leave.

But she had taken only a few steps when she came to an abrupt halt, her face draining instantly to a ghastly pallor.

Not far beyond the chrysanthemum grove stood a lean, tall figure — standing perfectly still, with the unmistakable air of someone who had been there for a very long time.

Had this man witnessed everything that had passed between her and Zhan Yuheng tonight?

Who was he?

Feng Qingyin dared not cause a commotion — she feared drawing more people. But reconsidering, this person had stood there all along without making any move to raise the alarm. Perhaps… he also did not dare act rashly?

“Who are you?” Feng Qingyin moved forward, closing the distance slowly.

In the darkness of the night, she finally made out the other person’s face.

“Qingyun?” Recognizing him as Qingyun, Feng Qingyin released a breath. She felt considerably less frightened now.

“You — you…” You demon woman!

Qingyun’s large hand clenched so tight his knuckles cracked, the joints going pale one by one.

He had only stepped out for a brief moment tonight — and to think that on returning he had heard the Crown Prince entangled with a woman. He had assumed His Highness had simply been in a dark mood and taken comfort with a palace maid. Never had he imagined he would eventually make out from the sounds that it was Noble Consort Qing.

His Highness the Crown Prince had been in his own Yuyang Palace, drinking quietly — what business did Noble Consort Qing have coming here? She had clearly come to seduce His Highness. Otherwise, His Highness would never have wanted anything to do with this demon woman!

“This Lady only heard that the Crown Prince was overcome with grief and longing for his mother. This Lady merely came to offer a few words of consolation.”

Feng Qingyin watched Qingyun’s face closely, monitoring every shift in his expression.

What she and Zhan Yuheng had done just now — Qingyun must certainly know. But looking at his expression in this moment — was he furious with her?

It seemed he had no intention of using it as leverage. This Qingyun, at least, was loyal enough to Zhan Yuheng.

“Sir, it would seem that the Crown Prince’s standing before His Majesty has recently grown considerably less secure. If, at such a time, certain unfavorable rumors were to circulate — rumors that could harm His Highness — I fear the Crown Prince’s position at court would become even more precarious. Would you not agree?”

“Just say what you mean.” Qingyun found it truly impossible to muster any respect for this Noble Consort Qing. She was the Emperor’s consort, and yet here she was on a night like this, posting her maid as a lookout outside while she herself barged in to seduce the Crown Prince.

If she had not come, would His Highness the Crown Prince have gotten entangled with her in a wine-addled haze?

Qingyun loathed himself bitterly. If he had returned even a step sooner, none of this outrageous affair would have been allowed to happen.

By the time he returned, the two of them were already… already like that. Was there any way to stop it then?

Now — what was to be done?

“Sir Qingyun, you are a sensible man. I trust that, for the sake of Crown Prince Brother’s prospects, Sir Qingyun would not let any unseemly words slip out. Would he?”

“Get out.” Qingyun’s hand clenched hard, the veins at his temple standing out sharply as he pressed down his fury.

“You…” Feng Qingyin’s expression shifted, and she barely managed to hold herself back from erupting.

She was now Noble Consort, first in the inner palace — how dare a lowly guard be so insolent before her?

“Before I make up my mind to silence you permanently — get out of my sight!”

Feng Qingyin was genuinely frightened. Every last shred of her arrogance evaporated in an instant. She cast Qingyun one more glance, then turned and left with rapid steps.

The possibility had not occurred to her — what if Qingyun, in order to protect the Crown Prince’s reputation, simply killed her and was done with it?

With Qingyun’s skill, how difficult would it be to kill her?

Feng Qingyin cursed herself for her own stupidity. Qingyun might very well kill her — and then dispose of Lingling, who was standing guard outside, as well.

Within the high walls of this deep palace, how many people died unjust deaths every day? If the palace lost one person, it ran just the same. Emperor Qiwen had not given her the slightest thought for a long time now — throughout all these months, he had never once summoned her to attend him. If she died, it would likely be the same as when Nanmeng Rong had died: no one would speak for her, and she might not even receive a posthumous title.

The more she thought, the more certain she felt that if she did not leave immediately, she would truly be in danger.

In an instant, the woman had gone far from sight.

Qingyun walked into the chrysanthemum grove and looked at the Crown Prince lying on the ground. Though Feng Qingyin had helped him back into his clothes, Qingyun had heard with his own ears what had transpired between them.

Zhan Yuheng, still lost in his wine and not yet awake, stirred slightly at the sound of movement nearby. His thin lips shifted almost imperceptibly.

“Jiu’er…”

Those two faint syllables were still caught by Qingyun.

His Highness the Crown Prince… Qingyun could have struck himself dead on the spot.

His Highness had certainly mistaken Feng Qingyin for Feng Jiu’er! His Highness had simply been deceived! Otherwise — given His Highness’s profound contempt for Feng Qingyin — how could he ever have done something so heedless of propriety with her?

It was all Feng Qingyin’s fault! Every last bit of it — all of it was the doing of that demon woman, Feng Qingyin!

When His Highness woke, if he took it all as nothing more than a dream, that would be the end of it. But if he remembered — how could he not be consumed with regret and self-reproach?

He should have killed Feng Qingyin just now. He should have let that demon woman be silenced forever, never able to bring ruin upon His Highness again.

But now… he turned to look — where in the darkness was there any trace of Feng Qingyin?

If he gave chase now and alarmed the people outside, and word got out — what was to become of His Highness the Crown Prince?