The Crown Prince spoke while looking toward Qi Qiong.

Qi Qiong’s heart sank.

What did the Crown Prince mean by this?

The usual rules that constrained ordinary people held little binding power over the Crown Prince. Though Qi Qiong felt uneasy about the Crown Prince’s words and actions, she couldn’t avoid responding.

“Second Miss Lin lives in the General’s Mansion next door. She’s a good friend of mine.”

After introducing Lin Hao, Qi Qiong introduced Lin Chan: “This is First Miss Lin.”

Lin Chan lowered her head and curtsied.

Not wanting to reveal his thoughts too obviously, the Crown Prince looked toward Sun Xiuhua.

Qi Qiong said, “This is my maternal cousin. She only recently arrived in the capital.”

Sun Xiuhua clutched her handkerchief and curtsied. Due to her nervousness, her whole body trembled slightly.

If an ordinary woman acted this way, the Crown Prince would only find it provincial. But when a beauty behaved like this, it was different.

The Crown Prince gazed at the young maiden who swayed like willow branches in the spring breeze, finding her manner uniquely charming.

Of course, his greater interest still lay with the Lin sisters.

“Since she’s your cousin, that makes her my cousin as well. No need for such formality.”

The Crown Prince’s gentle tone helped Sun Xiuhua relax somewhat. After straightening up, she couldn’t help but steal a glance at the Crown Prince.

With this single look, ripples stirred in her heart.

The Crown Prince in his early twenties was undoubtedly handsome, and his status as heir apparent had cultivated an air of nobility about him.

Sensing Sun Xiuhua’s gaze, the Crown Prince smiled and glanced over.

Sun Xiuhua quickly lowered her eyes, her cheeks flushing red.

“Your Highness came here to—”

The Crown Prince smiled slightly. “I came to find your eldest brother for a game of chess, but he went out for a walk, so I came to look for him.”

Hearing this, Qi Qiong secretly gritted her teeth, thinking that her eldest brother’s timing for a walk was truly unfortunate.

At that moment, a voice called out: “Your Highness.”

The smile on the Crown Prince’s lips instinctively faded as he turned around.

Qi Shuo strode over.

“Your Highness wishes to play chess with me? I happen to be in the mood for a game as well.” Qi Shuo made a gesture of invitation, asking the Crown Prince to proceed to his quarters.

The Crown Prince’s feet didn’t move. “The weather is so fine, why not play in the garden—”

“By the way, I’ve just acquired a set of glass chess pieces. Your Highness, please come see how they are.” Qi Shuo acted as though he hadn’t caught the Crown Prince’s underlying meaning and enthusiastically led him toward his quarters.

Watching the Crown Prince’s back disappear behind the flowers and trees, Qi Qiong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Please, sit.” Turning back to look at Lin Hao and the other two, Qi Qiong showed them a smile.

“Princess, does the Crown Prince often visit the Prince’s mansion?”

Qi Qiong was somewhat surprised by Lin Hao’s question. She shook her head. “How could that be? He only came once, during Mother’s birthday.”

“Then today’s quite a coincidence.” Lin Hao said this lightly, then without sitting down added, “Princess, my sister and I should return to our mansion. The Crown Prince is precious beyond measure—it wouldn’t do if we inadvertently offended him.”

Lin Hao’s suggestion aligned with Lin Chan’s thoughts as well.

Qi Qiong no longer had any intention of keeping them and instructed a maid to escort the two sisters out of the mansion.

“Ah Hao, I’ll come to the General’s Mansion another time to hear you tell stories.”

Lin Hao nodded slightly. “Alright.”

The two locked eyes and shared a knowing smile.

The pavilion became quiet, with only Qi Qiong and Sun Xiuhua remaining.

“Cousin, let’s return to our rooms as well.”

Sun Xiuhua hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.

Qi Qiong noticed her cousin’s hesitation and frowned inwardly.

Though her cousin’s reaction to the Crown Prince earlier could be attributed to excessive nervousness, she still felt something was off.

She could only hope she was overthinking it.

After returning to her room, Qi Qiong thought for a moment and instructed a maid: “Go keep an eye on what’s happening at Cousin’s quarters.”

Before long, the maid returned to report: “This servant saw Miss Cousin heading toward the main courtyard.”

The main courtyard of the Prince’s mansion was where Prince Jing and Princess Consort Jing resided.

Hearing this, Qi Qiong furrowed her brow.

It wasn’t time for morning or evening greetings—what was her cousin doing going to see Mother?

Thinking of the Crown Prince who had suddenly appeared in the garden, Qi Qiong’s expression turned cold.

Could it really be what she was thinking?

When the Crown Prince visited the Prince’s mansion, he would certainly need to pay his respects to Mother. Could her cousin be hoping to encounter the Crown Prince again?

Qi Qiong knew she shouldn’t make wild speculations, but this thought wouldn’t leave her mind.

She simply stood up and headed toward the main courtyard.

The Crown Prince’s mind wasn’t on the chess game. Staring at the defeated position on the board, he tossed down a glass chess piece. “Prince-Brother’s chess skills are superb. I’m no match.”

“Another game?” Qi Shuo suggested with a smile, though his heart was ice-cold.

Previously, the Crown Prince had never sought him out for chess.

“No need.” The Crown Prince waved his hand. “I’ll come find Prince-Brother for chess again in a couple of days. Since Prince-Brother plays so well, it seems I should visit often to polish my skills.”

“Then I’ll see Your Highness out.”

“I came so suddenly, I didn’t even greet Uncle and Aunt.”

“Father is out today. I’ll accompany Your Highness to see Mother.”

The two arrived at the main courtyard. Before entering the room, they heard laughter coming from within.

Princess Consort Jing was reclining on a beauty couch, with Sun Xiuhua sitting on her left and Qi Qiong on her right.

The one chatting and laughing with Princess Consort Jing was Sun Xiuhua, while Qi Qiong was rather quiet by comparison.

Hearing a maid announce that the Crown Prince had arrived, Princess Consort Jing stood up.

“How has Aunt been recently?”

Though the Crown Prince’s manner was gentle, Princess Consort Jing didn’t dare lower her guard. She smiled and said, “All is well. What brings Your Highness here?”

The Crown Prince glanced at Qi Shuo. “On a sudden whim, I came to play chess with Prince-Brother. His chess skills are exceptional, so I plan to visit often in the future to seek instruction.”

Princess Consort Jing forcibly suppressed the twitch at the corner of her mouth and smiled. “Your Highness gives Shuo’er too much credit. His chess skills are quite ordinary.”

Please don’t come often.

Attending the sovereign was like attending a tiger, and the heir apparent was half a sovereign. Inadvertently offending him or catching his attention would bring no benefit to the Prince’s mansion. If something happened to him on the roads to and from the mansion, that would be even worse.

The Crown Prince smiled faintly. “Aunt is too modest. Prince-Brother just now utterly defeated me.”

Princess Consort Jing: “…” What an unfilial son!

After finally seeing the Crown Prince off, Princess Consort Jing glared at her son. “Shuo’er, you can play chess, but why did you have to beat the Crown Prince?”

Qi Qiong spoke first: “Mother, Cousin and I will return to our rooms now.”

While the Crown Prince was present, she had observed coldly. Her cousin had stolen glances at the Crown Prince at least three times.

Mother didn’t treat her cousin as an outsider, but she couldn’t let Mother discuss the Crown Prince in front of her cousin.

After Qi Qiong pulled Sun Xiuhua away, Princess Consort Jing spoke without reservation: “Why didn’t you let the Crown Prince win? Now you’ve provoked his competitive spirit—won’t he be coming to the mansion every few days?”

Qi Shuo’s smile was somewhat cold. “Mother is mistaken. The Crown Prince isn’t coming to the mansion because his competitive spirit was provoked. He’s simply found a convenient excuse to visit. If not chess, it would be something else.”

“Why is that?” Princess Consort Jing didn’t understand.

“Perhaps—” Qi Shuo’s expression was cold. “He’s been moved by lust. When the Crown Prince went to the garden looking for me and passed by the pavilion, both Lin sisters and Cousin were in the pavilion.”

Princess Consort Jing was shocked. “The Crown Prince has taken a fancy to Xiuhua?”

Qi Shuo fell silent.

“This won’t do. I need to ask Qiong’er about the specifics. If the Crown Prince truly has such intentions, we must be on our guard.”

In her concern and confusion, Princess Consort Jing only worried about her niece. When her gaze swept over her extraordinarily handsome son, words suddenly came out: “Shuo’er, what do you think of Xiuhua? If it’s acceptable, why not settle your engagement first, to prevent that lecher of a Crown Prince from setting his sights on her.”