After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 20

The Crown Prince was diligent and occasionally rose at night to review memorials that had been difficult to discuss during the day. This was something Lan Yue had informed Qun Qing about in advance.

One by one, Qun Qing lit the lamps, and out of the corner of her eye, she noticed two young eunuchs moving a low table from the outer room into the inner chamber, placing it on the carpet. They also brought over cushions, writing supplies, an inkstone, and a red stamp. After a while, someone pulled aside the screen, and the eunuch who assisted the Crown Prince with writing bowed as he entered the inner chamber, placing a stack of memorials on the table.

These eunuchs were well-trained and moved silently; only shadows flickered as they arranged everything before retreating, leaving Qun Qing alone beside Li Xuan.

She hadn’t expected the scene Lin Yujia described to be real. The Crown Prince really could work beside a sleeping consort, with just a maidservant attending him.

The so-called “lamp-holding” meant standing by the wall, ready to respond to the needs of the noble. Qun Qing glanced over and saw Li Xuan quietly seated at the table, draped in a great cloak over his sleeping robe.

At this distance, she couldn’t see the characters on the memorial, so she didn’t stretch her neck to look.

Li Xuan moistened his brush and instructed, 

“Bring some wine, don’t warm it.”

Qun Qing retrieved it from the ice chamber; it was indeed the most intoxicating refined Tai Xi White Wine.

Li Xuan glanced at her as she approached the table with the wine, his eyes holding a hint of coldness.

Unexpectedly, Qun Qing carefully poured wine into the jade cup with an unfamiliar posture, filling it only to the bottom and then stopping immediately.

“Are you done pouring?” After a long pause, Li Xuan peered at the bottom of the cup. 

“Are you playing tricks on me?”

“I wouldn’t dare, Your Highness. It’s easy to get a headache from drinking cold wine at night, so I can’t pour too much,” Qun Qing explained cautiously.

“How do you know I’d get a headache?” Li Xuan suddenly grabbed the wine cup from her hand and filled it forcefully.

Qun Qing hurriedly said, 

“If you get a headache here, you will hold me responsible.”

Li Xuan choked on the wine he had just downed.

Qun Qing quickly unfurled her silk wrap, the silver-red fabric glowing under the lamp like summer flowers, perfectly shielding the memorial above from a single drop of spilled wine.

When she confirmed this, she quickly glanced at the memorial, catching sight of half a sentence: ‘Trapped in Yan Ying Hall… waiting for reports from the Western Barbarians…’

For the first time, someone disregarded the Crown Prince and prioritized protecting the memorial. Li Xuan’s expression suddenly darkened: 

“Get over there.”

Qun Qing swiftly returned to the wall, her palms already damp with sweat.

Li Xuan lowered his gaze to the opened memorial, remaining silent for a while. It was clear he realized what she might have done earlier, and his expression was not pleasant.

Yet he did not explode with anger. After a moment, he casually pointed to a nearby ground lamp. 

“This lamp is blinding; move it a bit further away.”

Qun Qing slowly walked over, just about to adjust the lamp when Li Xuan’s thumb moved slightly in his sleeve. A certain eunuch suddenly appeared from nowhere, gripping Qun Qing’s arm and retrieving a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve to present it: 

“Your Highness.”

“What is this?” Li Xuan asked.

“Replying to Your Highness,” Qun Qing had already knelt down due to the sudden event. Her pale face showed no signs of panic as she replied, 

“It’s lamp oil prepared for holding the lamp.”

The little eunuch opened the porcelain bottle and sniffed it: 

“It’s indeed just lamp oil.”

Li Xuan stared at Qun Qing’s face, his eyes reflecting a hint of concealed anger.

“If Your Highness takes the lamp oil away, the lamp will go out later, and there will be no way to refill it,” Qun Qing said innocently, watching the little eunuch take the bottle away.

Before coming here, she had anticipated that the Crown Prince would be wary of unfamiliar palace maids and would have long since swapped out the sedative for lamp oil.

“Does Your Highness still find it blinding?” Qun Qing moved the lamp a bit further away.

Her tone seemed docile, yet there was a hint of provocation in it, making it sound incredibly harsh to Li Xuan. He tightened his grip on the brush, though his voice remained neutral: 

“Did you teach the consort the palace rules?”

“Yes,” Qun Qing replied. 

“Last time, Your Highness said there were no rules in Qing Xuan Hall. We maids have kept it in mind, and the entire palace has memorized the palace rules, ensuring that the consort does not speak a word against them.”

Li Xuan grunted, using all his self-restraint to produce a single syllable: 

“Mm.”

He had not forgotten the purpose of his visit today.

Shou Xi and he both suspected this girl was a spy planted by the Prince Yan faction, especially since Shou Xi mentioned that the officiating officer happened to be Lu Huating, and the two had previously conversed in the pavilion.

Now that Prince Yan was in trouble, she must be anxiously waiting to see how the Emperor would deal with Prince Yan. If that were the case, they could uncover her today.

His hand pressed down on the memorial, silently glancing towards the wall, coincidentally meeting Qun Qing’s gaze.

Qun Qing’s eyes flickered before she looked away.

“Your scarf, is it the silk that I awarded you?” Li Xuan asked, recalling the silver-red fabric that had unfurled before him.

Qun Qing steadied her mind. 

“Yes.”

“This silk is unsuitable for a scarf; why make it so gaudy?”

The Crown Prince was skilled in calligraphy and painting, with profound knowledge. He preferred elegance and simplicity; ornate palace attire mixed with silver-red would appear chaotic and vulgar, inevitably leading to mockery. 

“Do you think if something is good, you must add it all together?”

These words were harsh. Qun Qing coldly curved her lips, responding sincerely, 

“I do not understand clothing; I imitated the pairing in Meng Taifu’s ‘Night Banquet of Beauties.’”

Li Xuan was taken aback. Meng Guangshen had a painting of ladies, created during a drinking session, using various shades of vermilion to color the palace maids’ shawls and sashes, rendering a style that was both vibrant and strange, highly praised among the literati.

“You even know about the ‘Night Banquet of Ladies’?”

Qun Qing replied, 

“I came from the embroidery workshop in the Yeting Court, where we had calligraphy and painting classes. The Teacher of the Imperial Academy once spoke about this piece. We all think that Master Meng’s paintings are exceptionally beautiful.”

Meng Guangshen was the Crown Prince’s tutor, and students were not allowed to question their teachers, leaving Li Xuan momentarily speechless.

He raised his phoenix-like eyes and coldly laughed, 

“According to what you said, the Yeting embroidery also teaches, and painting is also taught. To produce a palace maid like you is even better than the six noble ladies in the palace.”

Qun Qing responded, 

“The Yeting already has many ladies with talent, but they were burdened by the crimes of the previous dynasty and became slaves for life. I am just one of the more foolish ones among them. If I could have Your Highness show concern for the Yeting and provide opportunities, it would be worth the punishment, wouldn’t it?”

This was exactly what Qun Qing thought in her heart. She spoke with more composure than all her previous statements combined, and Li Xuan’s pen paused, losing the desire to mock her further after a moment.

“Today, did you request the blessing note?” He closed the last book.

“Yes, I hung it on the tree. If Your Highness wants to see it, I can fetch it for you,” Qun Qing said.

“No need, I saw it on the way here.” Li Xuan suddenly slammed the memorial on the table, 

“What a good saying, ‘To know each other and make a heartfelt promise as husband and wife!‘ Zheng Zhiyi wouldn’t dare boast like this. Is this the wish of the noble lady or yours?”

His tone was unfriendly, and Qun Qing knelt with a ‘thud,’ finally showing a hint of panic. Amidst her panic, there was also a sense of grievance: 

“I wouldn’t dare to guess Your Highness’s intentions, so I asked Lord Qi to write some good words. For this, I bribed him with gold beads, but he adamantly refused, saying he would write something good for the Qingxuan Pavilion and insisted that I had to hang a string of copper coins along with it.”

Li Xuan remained silent for a long time.

Lu Huating? There had already been a rift between the Wang family of Yan and the Eastern Palace, and writing a couple of sarcastic lines suited Lu Huating’s unusual temperament perfectly.

If she was truly a spy from Prince Yan faction, would she deliberately sow discord and secretly harm the chief advisor?

There was also a possibility that they were conspiring together. But Qun Qing continued talking, disrupting his thoughts.

“I certainly wouldn’t take that string of copper coins. I only wanted to ask for a good word for the noble lady, to make her happy.” Qun Qing said in fear, 

“Your Highness, is there something wrong with the phrase ‘heartfelt promise as husband and wife’? I have read little…”

“There’s nothing particularly wrong with it,” Li Xuan interrupted, closing his eyes, 

“You talk too much. Tomorrow, I’ll have someone else carry the lamp.”

Qun Qing’s words came to a halt, but her black eyes remained calm, showing no sign of disappointment.

Li Xuan stared at her: 

“Why do you seem to have a hint of joy?”

Qun Qing tentatively asked, 

“Your Highness… Will you still come to the Qingxuan Pavilion tomorrow?”

Li Xuan realized he had misspoken, coldly looking at her: 

“I meant that from now on, you will no longer carry the lamp.”

Qun Qing leaned against the wall, still showing no sign of disappointment, instead looking relieved, her expression relaxing: 

“Night duty is tiring, thank you for your kindness, Your Highness.”

The next day, the Crown Prince’s carriage passed by the eagerly awaiting Baoshu and entered the Qingxuan Pavilion once again, drawing curious glances from the Eastern Palace.

Late that night, Li Xuan got up to handle affairs of state, flipping through the memorials, with only the sound of paper rustling in the night.

His gaze drifted to the wall and he saw Lan Yue leaning against it, drowsily nodding off.

He placed his brush on the stand, making a crisp sound. Lan Yue was startled awake: 

“Your Highness, are you hungry?” After a pause, she cautiously added, 

“Do you want to refill the ink?”

“No.” Li Xuan replied, “If you’re tired, sleep next to your noble master.”

Lan Yue happily thanked him, covered Zheng Zhiyi with a quilt, and lay down on the low couch, falling asleep.

Li Xuan felt no trace of drowsiness, his mind taut as a string. He looked at the moonlight streaming through the window, hearing the sounds of crickets in the grass.

Yet, the master and servant duo snored loudly, echoing like waves…

“Call Qun Qing over, you can go back to sleep.” Li Xuan woke Lan Yue.

Qun Qing entered the inner chamber without saying much.

Li Xuan ignored her, as if forgetting his previous words of ‘don’t come again,’ tacitly allowing her to stay by the wall.

Time passed without him noticing. Li Xuan had emptied his wine cup, resting his head on the table, the candlelight flickering in the room, and the memorials were only half-reviewed.

Qun Qing hesitated between moving and remaining still for a long time, then slowly walked over.

Her footsteps grew closer.

First came the sound of closing the window, then the sound of covering Zheng Zhiyi with a quilt, and finally, she slowly approached Li Xuan from behind.

Li Xuan became fully alert; she suddenly paused, picked up her outer garment that had fallen on the carpet, dusted it off, and draped it back over him without lingering, returning to the wall.

Qun Qing’s hand tingled, and she quietly gathered her five fingers in her sleeve.

Earlier, her mother had taught her how to distinguish between true sleep and feigned sleep. Li Xuan’s spine was concealed beneath his close-fitting silk garment, and his outline was clear.

In the moment she approached, his back muscles tensed slightly, startling her so much that she abandoned her idea of flipping through the memorials.

The Crown Prince was actually pretending to sleep, testing whether she would take the opportunity to browse the memorials!

He couldn’t possibly test every palace maid like this; otherwise, he would have been exhausted long ago.

That meant he was specifically targeting her.

Had she given herself away somehow, and Li Xuan suspected her of being a spy from the South Chu?

After reflecting on her behavior over the past few days, Qun Qing dismissed this possibility and calmed her heart.

After thinking it through, the only incident that might have been related was the fight in the Western Market when she had just left the palace. It seemed very likely this matter was connected to the Crown Prince, which was why he reacted so strongly to her visit to Lingxin Ji, drove her out of the palace, and then called her back…

With this understanding, Qun Qing felt relieved; fortunately, she hadn’t acted rashly.

For several days, the vial of sleeping powder had remained untouched in her package.

Qun Qing picked up the candlestick and passed it by.

The safest and most self-preserving response to the Crown Prince’s probing was to do nothing at all.

She read the memorials not for South Chu, but simply because she wanted to know Li Huan’s fate. She would no longer risk her life under South Chu’s threats.

As for how to deal with Lin Yujia, the information she had seen on her first day was sufficient. Qun Qing could infer from the daily memorials and Li Xuan’s unchanged expression that Li Huan had been placed under house arrest in Yan Ying Hall, halting his official duties. The Emperor was waiting for the return of the Western Barbarians’ battle report before making a decision.

After all, she was just a palace maid, and it was already a challenge to have contact with the Crown Prince. Taking things slowly was quite normal. This bit of information could reassure Prince Zhao, and for the rest, Qun Qing decided to bet on Lu Huating winning.

She detailed the news, wrote it into a wax seal, and released a lark.

The lark flew up and disappeared into the sky.

Recently, the sky had been overcast.

At noon, two low rumbles of thunder sounded, the light dimmed, and soon fine rain fell like silk, enveloping the flying eaves in a pale mist.

Water accumulated on the corridor, making the wooden bricks on the ground slippery. The Crown Prince had a close relationship with the favored consort. He enjoyed the soup from the small kitchen of Qingxuan Pavilion. If Ruo Chan held a wooden tray, delivering the daily soup to the East Palace, and saw the noblewoman’s skirt approaching, she would hurriedly step aside.

A vicious cat’s yowl exploded in her ear, startling Ruo Chan, causing her silk shoes to slip heavily, spilling soup onto the noblewoman’s skirt across from her.

“Your Highness, forgive me…” Ruo Chan knelt down with a thud, and when she raised her head, her face had turned a few shades paler.

The noblewoman wore a royal blue long-sleeved robe, her black hair elegantly tied up, her skin as white as snow, and her expression languid. It was the long-absent Princess Bao’an, Yang Fu.

Bao Shu’s expression changed instantly when she saw the oil stains on Yang Fu’s sleeve: 

“Your Highness is finally stepping out for the first time in a while; are you doing this on purpose?”

Ruo Chan was on the verge of tears: 

“I didn’t do it on purpose; it was… that cat…”

More than a month ago, Princess Bao’an had just started to recover her health. Under Bao Shu’s careful management, her appearance was meticulously maintained.

She was already beautiful, and after being dressed up, she looked even more stunning. Bao Shu believed that once the Crown Prince laid eyes on Yang Fu, he wouldn’t be able to look away.

On the day of the Qiqiao Festival, they prepared food, but the Crown Prince’s carriage went to Zheng Zhiyi instead. The mocking laughter from the harem rushed over like a tide, and this humiliation caused Yang Fu to fall ill once more.

As the Crown Prince and Zheng Liang Di’s relationship grew deeper, Bao Shu exerted great effort to persuade Yang Fu to visit Han Wan Yi, but they encountered such an unfortunate incident, and Yang Fu looked like she wanted to turn back again.

“She is from Zheng Liang Di’s palace.” Bao Shu recognized Ruo Chan, who had been teased by A De and Ah Meng along with Qun Qing. Bao Shu already hated Qingxuan Pavilion to the bone. Stepping forward, she deliberately stepped on Ruo Chan’s fingers with her embroidered shoes, 

“The noblewoman is too kind and allows herself to be bullied. This time, you absolutely cannot retreat or endure; you must speak up in front of the Crown Prince.”

Ruo Chan cried out in pain. Yang Fu, with her dark eyes wandering far away, suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance, and her expression changed: 

“Slap her.”

The change in her tone caught Bao Shu off guard. Yang Fu stepped forward and raised her sleeve, ‘Smack!’ She struck Ruo Chan hard across the cheek.

She used all her strength, causing Ruo Chan to cry out: 

“Your Highness, I was wrong…”

Hearing Ruo Chan’s voice, Qun Qing hurried over.

Seeing that Yang Fu was about to raise her hand again, she stopped Yang Fu’s second blow: 

“The Princess must not punish palace maids personally. If you have something to say, let it be with me, the maid of Qingxuan Pavilion.”

Her tone was exactly the same as before, leaving Yang Fu unable to discern whether she was protecting her maid or simply worried about violating palace rules in front of others.

Yang Fu stared at her for a long time before coldly saying, 

“When you speak to me, do you not need to bow?”

Qun Qing bowed: 

“Please forgive me, Princess Bao’an.”

Yang Fu said, “Do you not understand the rules? Perform a proper greeting.”

Watching Qun Qing endure and kneel before her, Yang Fu began to regain a sense of control in this process of torment.

Whatever schemes were concocted for her were all lies. Qun Qing’s appearance had changed, but her eyes could not deceive anyone. This long illness had been enough for Yang Fu to realize that Qun Qing had betrayed her and was still deceiving her!

Ruo Chan sobbed, and Qun Qing, seeing the remnants of the soup in her hands and the stains on Yang Fu’s sleeve, understood what had happened. She took out a neatly folded plain handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it over, saying calmly, 

“Your Highness, wipe your sleeve first, then follow me to the side hall to change.”

Qun Qing knew that with such a drastic change in her life this time, Princess Bao’an would have many questions and would want to confront her directly. She could not avoid a conversation with Yang Fu.

The handkerchief was offered but not accepted for a long while.

Yang Fu said, “I want you to come here and wipe it clean for me personally.”

Bao Shu was shocked at Yang Fu’s words. Almost exposing their secrets, Qun Qing felt a surge of anger rise within her. She looked up at Yang Fu, her gaze filled with defiance: 

“The maid does not wish to.”

The wind blew, and the rain fell diagonally, making Yang Fu’s eyes redden all at once.

“Your Highness, have them kneel here together. I’ll find a way to punish them later. But right now, we are going to be late.” Bao Shu had just taken the handkerchief to wipe it for Yang Fu when her hand was suddenly slapped away, startling her.

After a moment of calm, Yang Fu then turned her attention back to Bao Shu, holding her hand again and looking down at Ruo Chan: 

“Did you see how Zheng Zhiyi’s maid bullied this princess? Report to the Crown Prince for me.”

Bao Shu, feeling bewildered, held back her grievances and replied, 

“… Yes.”

The sound of armor echoed through the pattering rain, and Qun Qing turned sharply, seeing an inner servant leading a tall figure swiftly entering the garden. She exclaimed, 

“Prince Yan has arrived.”

Seeing Yang Fu’s expression suddenly become anxious and frightened, Qun Qing felt a complex emotion arise within her: 

“Does the princess really fear Prince Yan?”

“What do you mean by that?” Yang Fu’s eyes turned red as a knife.

Qun Qing thought for a long time before saying, 

“If the princess truly fears Prince Yan, follow the covered corridor forward. The second palace on the west is where Concubine Chen De practices her qing, where you can change. Prince Yan cannot enter there.”

“What are you saying?” Bao Shu interjected, 

“Our princess is going to visit Han Wan Yi; that Concubine Chen is the mother of the Fourth Prince, who has gone mad after losing her son and keeps people in to preach nonsense. She won’t be able to leave for half a day. Are you deceiving the princess to go there, thinking I don’t know that you want us to be late?”

Qun Qing instead looked at her and asked, 

“You are going to Han Wan Yi’s palace today?”

She continued, “That Han Wan Yi, Han Qing Xu, is a distant half-sister of Yang Fu. When the Han family was in dire straits, Yang Fu’s mother, the Han Consort, had helped Han Qing Xu. After the new dynasty was established, Han Qing Xu was selected into the palace and married to the Emperor, ranking among the Nine Concubines. Now, Yang Fu, the fallen princess, is going to borrow Han Wan Yi’s influence.”

Bao Shu, being somewhat clever, remembered that in the previous life, Qun Qing had also brought Yang Fu to seek Han Wan Yi’s help, asking her to whisper to the Emperor on Yang Fu’s behalf to help her become the Crown Princess. However, she clearly remembered that Han Wan Yi had flattered them, promising to help, and even played with the cat. Who knew that after more than ten days, she inexplicably miscarried, placing the blame on Princess Bao’an, claiming it was caused by the cat.

Yang Fu was left with no way to argue, and although she wasn’t punished, to quell the incident, the Emperor ordered the cat to be killed. Since then, Yang Fu had added another layer of desolation.

At least the cat was innocent.

Qun Qing extended her hand: 

“Your Highness, if you are leaving, please give the cat to me. I’ll take it back to Luanyi Pavilion.”

“Give it to you?” Bao Shu laughed. She thought this person was always looking for a moment to shine, not knowing her limits, and didn’t mind watching a good show.

This cat was fierce and only recognized the princess; it would claw and bite anyone else, leaving several scratches on Bao Shu’s wrist, so she dared not even touch it, wishing she could kill it.

But the next moment, Yang Fu’s expression softened, her hand relaxed, and the snow-white cat suddenly jumped into Qun Qing’s arms, curling up against her neck affectionately, changing its call as it snuggled closer to her. Qun Qing, however, remained expressionless, as if she were holding a cloth bag.

Bao Shu’s expression froze on her face, as if she had spilled an inkwell.

“No wonder you’re a lowly servant; you must have fed horses and scrubbed the toilet often. This beast recognizes its scent,” Bao Shu said disdainfully, and upon seeing Yang Fu hurry away, she had no choice but to lift her skirts and follow.

Qun Qing held the cat servant in one arm and helped Ruo Chai up with the other. Ruo Chai had never seen such a large cat servant and shrank back: 

“Sister, how dare you hold it…” Sensing someone behind her, she gasped and clutched Qun Qing’s sleeve, “Sister, it’s Prince Yan!”

Qun Qing turned around, and a bronze demon mask appeared in front of her.

Her feet felt as if they were rooted to the ground; she exerted tremendous strength to steady the cat servant, preventing it from tumbling over, but it had already been squeezed painfully, letting out a “miwu” sound.

It turned out that Li Huan had spotted Yang Fu arguing with someone from afar and, disregarding Zheng Fu’s warnings, strode over. Yang Fu’s skirt flowed like a goldfish as he took a long stride and crossed into the corridor, blocking the two maids.

Li Huan stood tall at nine feet, appearing like a mountain rising from the ground. His words came from beneath the mask, low and muffled with a buzzing echo: 

“You are the troublesome servant who humiliated Princess Bao An that day? I haven’t settled accounts with you yet. Try disrespecting the princess again.”

Qun Qing couldn’t make out a single word of Li Huan’s speech. The sounds of shouting and door-banging echoed in her ears. Amidst the raging fire and screams, a person wearing a bronze demon mask rode in on a horse, stabbing a rusty long sword through her chest.

Terrifyingly, she did not die immediately, as if nailed to a chopping board like a crab. Her entire face soaked in cold sweat, she could still hear Princess Bao An’s cries for help, yet trying to move a finger felt like being pierced by a thousand arrows.

People always have some shadows when it comes to the enemies who once brutally killed them.

Having gone through two lives, she thought she could overcome it, but as soon as she got close to Prince Yan, the pain of old wounds and the feeling of being suffocated reminded her that the fear and hatred had not faded one bit.

The cat servant’s fur stood on end, crying out fiercely without stopping. Qun Qing’s face was pale, and she generally did not speak.

Li Huan couldn’t help but touch his mask.

He knew his mask was somewhat frightening, but this was the first time someone had been so scared: 

“Why are you so nervous?”

Qun Qing was drenched in cold sweat: 

“The servant is anxious and can’t hold this cat servant; I’m afraid I might hurt His Highness.”

Zheng Fu was originally startled by Qun Qing’s expression, but upon hearing this, he couldn’t hold back any longer: 

“She’s just a young lady; His Highness is so tall, why frighten her! Come with the servant and don’t cause more trouble!”

Li Huan didn’t leave and continued to stare at Qun Qing. The cat-holding maid had just been looking at him with wide, dark eyes, as if poisoned, concealing malicious intent that made one feel creeped out.

Having fought in many battles, he had encountered no less than fifty enemy spies. He keenly sensed that the atmosphere was unusual, and as she turned to leave, he reached out and grasped her right shoulder.

The cat servant let out a sharp yelp, and Qun Qing thought that Li Huan’s appearance today must be because the Emperor was preparing to give him a verdict. If Li Huan truly intended to make a move, she wouldn’t dodge; she just needed to appear innocent in front of Zheng Gonggong.

Li Huan was already impulsive and had angered the Emperor; if she added another charge of disrupting the inner court, it would be a serious offense.

Li Huan’s fingers pressed on her nape, and with an unexpected pinch, Qun Qing suddenly felt a sharp pain in her right arm, cold sweat pouring down her back.

Something’s not right…

Li Huan’s move was a common technique in the army. If it were a regular person, it would naturally be harmless, but if someone had martial skills, he could directly incapacitate the strength she had cultivated in her right arm.

Qun Qing sensed the piercing pain and her expression momentarily flustered. 

One hand pressed down on Li Huan’s wrist, forcing his hand away: 

“Third Young Master, let go.”

The pressure on her shoulder suddenly eased, and Qun Qing caught a whiff of agarwood wafting from behind, mixed with a hint of citrus fragrance.

Amidst the cold sweat, Qun Qing turned around and saw another person in the corridor. Lu Huating was gripping Li Huan’s arm, pushing him away a few steps.

Lu Huating stood between the two, his gaze lightly brushing over Qun Qing’s face before slowly addressing Li Huan: 

“Your Highness, being this close to an unfamiliar lady, aren’t you afraid that someone might pull out a thin blade from their sleeve and cut your throat?”

His voice was pleasant, like a plucked string, hiding sharpness within the jest.

There were many who had tried to assassinate Prince Yan, and Li Huan understood the warning. Thus, he forgave Lu Huating for gripping his wrist so tightly, merely brushing off the dust from his robe to show his displeasure.

Zheng Fu looked like he had found a savior: 

“Lord Lu has arrived; the Emperor has summoned you with great difficulty, yet His Highness is not taking his own future seriously!”

Lu Huating said, “Zheng Gonggong, quickly take Third Prince to meet the Emperor; do not delay the matter.”

As he spoke, Qun Qing noticed Lu Huating passing a note, which Li Huan skillfully hid in his sleeve, before being taken away by Zheng Fu.

Qun Qing’s gaze was like a cold blade. She understood; they had specifically brought a note for him.

Was Lu Huating worried she might attack Li Huan? He had intervened so timely, presumably to prevent Prince Yan from causing further trouble…

Lu Huating turned his head, his face under the sunlight as beautiful as pearls and jade. Ruo Chan quickly said, 

“We are maids from Zheng Liangdi’s palace, and we happened to meet by chance; we have not offended His Highness Prince Yan.”

“Your face is swollen like this, and you say you haven’t offended anyone? What is your name?” Lu Huating asked Ruo Chan.

Ruo Chan not only stated her own name but also sold Qun Qing out: 

“Replying to the lord, I am Ruo Chan, and my sister is Qun Qing. This was not caused by His Highness Prince Yan, but by Princess Bao An.”

Hearing this, Lu Huating suddenly looked toward Qun Qing.

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