"Who?"

  Nan Cheng Yao suddenly sat up, his face turned to the approaching person, his voice echoing in the quiet bedroom, with undisguised cold anger and apparent vigilance, as if he had just been startled awake from a dream.

  The room is filled with a refreshing wine fragrance, quietly surging, or perhaps, whats surging isnt just the wine fragrance.

  Xun Yun hastily knelt down, her voice trembling: "Your Highness, its the Crown Prince who has arrived. We slaves cannot stop him, please forgive us."

  He paused for a few seconds, and Nan Chengyao lazily leaned against the headboard, one hand seemingly carelessly stroking my long hair like water, lightly laughing: "No wonder I said that Big Brother doesnt understand romance, in the middle of the night, youre not accompanying Ruhua at the East Palace, what are you doing running to my place?"

  He did not address Nan as crown prince, but used a familial term instead. As such, he also leaned against the couch and did not rise to show respect in accordance with the rites between ruler and subject.

  Nan Cheng Mei didnt think much of it, and calmly replied, "Third brother, tonight there was an assassin who snuck into the Eastern Palace. I brought people to chase him all the way here, and personally saw him enter the Third Kings residence. Thats why I came over to take a look, disturbing your intimate time with your lover. Its my fault."

  Because I was lying on my side, and the light gauze hanging from the bed canopy was covering me, Nan Xiang couldnt see my appearance. He might have thought I was just an ordinary flower among his third brothers many concubines, although it wasnt proper, he didnt seem to want to avoid me either.

  "Oh?" Nan Chengyao raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Is big brother suspecting that our manor is hiding assassins?"

  Nan Chengmo didnt get annoyed, but instead smiled warmly and said: "Look at what youre saying, as an older brother, Im just worried about your safety and cant put my mind at ease, thats why I came over specially."

  Nan Chengyao smiled lazily: "In that case, thank you very much, big brother. However, on my end, theres nothing out of the ordinary going on. With a beauty in my arms, I can only say its an unspeakable comfort."

  After saying this sentence, he stopped talking and didnt show any intention of getting up. Although he didnt say it directly, he had already hinted at asking the guest to leave.

  Nan Cheng didnt notice anything unusual, but he still stood there motionless, as if unwilling to leave empty-handed.

  After a brief pause, he spoke again: "Since my third brother is safe and sound, I can also put my mind at ease. However, this matter is of great importance after all, so Im afraid well have to ask my third brother to join me in convening the officials for further discussion."

  "Now?" Nan Chengyao chuckled: "Big brother isnt joking with me, is he? Leaving the soft jade warmth in his arms unattended, I couldnt bear to part with it."

  Nan Cheng also smiled faintly and said, "I ruined Third Brothers fun, its my fault. However, as princes, we should prioritize state affairs, this is an unavoidable responsibility. Third Brother, Im afraid youll have to put up with me and get up immediately to go to the council hall with me. After things are settled, as your older brother, I will personally select a few beautiful women to send to your mansion as an apology."

  The words were finished, but there was no sign of leaving, and it seemed that they would not rest until they saw Nan Chengyao get up personally.

  Nan Chengyao smiled and said, "Since youve already brought up the responsibility of being a prince and tempted me with beautiful women, it seems that I have no choice but to follow you tonight."

  While speaking, he wanted to lift up the quilt and get out of bed.

  I know the bleeding wound on his waist has stopped, and when Qin An was stalling for time outside, Xun Yun had already put a black undergarment on him. If he gets up now and puts on his outer robe, it shouldnt be noticeable.

  Although his face was pale due to blood loss, the gentle smile on his face made it impossible for anyone to grasp any small flaws. I knew that with his self-control, he would be able to conceal everything seamlessly. However, the pain he was about to endure would also be unimaginable for ordinary people.

  I changed my mind and opened my mouth with his movements, my voice low and soft, as if I had just been woken up: "Your Highness? Is it already dawn?"

  He looked at me deeply, paused for a moment, and then spoke again in his usual lazy tone with a smile: "Not yet, sleep a little longer, Ill be right back."

  I rubbed my temples with one hand, and coquettishly complained: "Your Highness got me drunk on so much wine, Qingers head is still hurting now. Dont think you can just abandon me like this, Qinger wont let you."

  I never thought Id speak like this, intentionally lowering and softening my tone, with infinite tenderness and temptation hidden within, surprisingly learning a bit of the gentle and alluring demeanor of Empress Qing.

  Nan Chengmo did not expect this sudden change and was speechless for a moment.

  And I was completely unaware of his existence, nor did I know what had happened, and still lay on my side with my face towards the south.

  Nan Chengyao smiled: "How could I ignore you? However, this king still has something important to attend to. Ill come and keep you company in a bit, alright?"

  I smiled tenderly and refused to give in: "Its so late, Your Highness must have something important, wont you be going out again to visit some red-dressed acquaintance? Even if it was okay before, today Qinger just won back the Surging Waves ancient zither for Your Highness, and Your Highness got me drunk on so much wine that Im all dizzy, I absolutely refuse to let you go. If Your Highness doesnt listen, then dont think about coming to find Qinger again from now on."

  Every word and every tone reveals the spoiled and arrogant nature of a woman, yet she speaks softly and gently, making it hard for people to refuse her.

  Nan Cheng Yao chuckled and spoke up, facing Nan Cheng Mians direction: "Big brother, what do you think we should do now?"

  "Big brother?" I looked slightly puzzled, and immediately smiled without waiting for Nan Cheng to speak: "Your Highness is playing another trick on me, Id like to see where this big brother came from."

  As she spoke, she subtly turned her body and slightly raised herself up, but her movements were extremely skillful.

  Under the quilt, my right hand tightly grasped the thin blanket, not letting it fall down. My black hair also fell down due to my movement, covering my exposed left arm.

  Then, I inadvertently cast a mysterious and unclear expression at Shang Nan, allowing the original tenderness and comfort in my eyes to transform into shock and loss of color in an instant.

  "Ah!"

  I let out a cry and instinctively shrank back into the quilt, turning my back to him, avoiding Nan Chengyaos waist injury, holding him tightly and burying my face in his chest, refusing to say another word.

  "I didnt know it was Your Highness here, Im deeply sorry for the disturbance and startling you, its all my fault." Nan Chengmo hastily spoke up.

  I still didnt lift my head, nor did I speak, and just pretended to be ashamed and humiliated.

  "Princess, okay, let me go quickly. If you dont lift your head up soon, youll suffocate yourself." Nan Chengyao laughed and coaxed me.

  I still didnt lift my head, muffling myself in his arms and speaking in a very soft and extremely embarrassed tone, but it was enough for all the people who should hear to hear: "Its not my fault, its all your fault, Your Highness. Qinger wont have the face to see anyone from now on. When Father, Mother, and the Emperor find out, I dont know how theyll scold me."

  "This cant be blamed on me. In the bridal chamber, its only natural to add some romance. I didnt think... probably no one would have thought that Your Highness the Crown Prince would suddenly disrupt our romantic moment. Even if His Majesty and your parents found out, who knows who theyd blame?"

  I still pretended not to hear, and tightly hugged him, burying my face in his chest, refusing to let go.

  Nan Chengyao smiled and coaxed me for a while, then seemed to smile helplessly: "Alright alright, I admit defeat. Tonight, even if the sky falls, this king wont go out. Let you hug me like this for one night, how about that?"

  I still didnt speak, and Nan Chengyao smiled at Nan Chengmou, saying: "Big brother, you also saw it, I really cant get away from this, even if its a big deal, it can only be left until tomorrow to talk about."

  Nan Chengmo was taken aback by the sudden turn of events, and the awkward situation made him unable to ignore my identity. For a moment, he didnt know how to react, but after hearing Nan Chengyaos words, I could only nod reluctantly, and after apologizing, I left Qintian Residence.