The princess regretted it.

"That possibility can't be ruled out, and there could be other motives. But Jin'an, he can only manipulate your marriage to get you to his side," Zhong Chuzhou said softly. "If he truly has that in mind, he'll undoubtedly resort to some shady tactics. Han Shuang has received special training in this area, and I feel more at ease with her by your side."

Jin An frowned slightly and nodded, "I understand." But suddenly he looked at Zhong Chuzhou with a scrutinizing look and asked, "Cousin Zhong, was it Han Shuang who told you to come here today?"

"Yes!" Zhong Chuzhou didn't hide anything and told Jin An very sincerely, "I know you will be unhappy and think that I am spying on you. In fact, I told her before letting her into the palace that I would inform her about the matters concerning the Third Prince and the Zhang family. They can plot to frame you while you are in the palace, so what about you outside the palace?"

Jin An didn't say anything, just staring at him for a moment. She thought he might deny it, so she wouldn't harbor any resentment. But he was so frank that she didn't know how to deal with it. She was used to seeing people in the harem saying things in a roundabout way, and she had never seen him so straightforward in her previous interactions. This was a bit off guard.

Seeing this, Zhong Chuzhou stepped forward and whispered, "If you don't like it, then I will ask her to stop reporting to me in the future. Jin'an, don't worry, you are not alone now. Not only do you have the Prime Minister's Mansion, you also have the Protector of the Country Mansion. We will all protect you and will not let you come to any harm. I know you have always been strong and independent, but sometimes, you can rely on us."

Jin An lowered her eyes, her mind racing. She understood Zhong Chuzhou's good intentions. But she still had concerns. She thought back to her previous life, when her father was seriously ill and the court was in chaos, her great-aunt was ordered to go out, and the Duke of the State's Palace finally demonstrated its strength to the public. And her cousin had joined the army long ago, despite widespread disapproval, and had unexpectedly killed so many that even the new emperor, Changsun Wuwang, dared not easily attack the Duke of the State's Palace. He had also successfully protected her cousin, Mu Zixuan.

Zhong Chuzhou watched her reaction, wondering if she still had some wariness towards them. However, he didn't feel disappointed, because he knew that trust couldn't be built with just words. It was actually a good thing that Jin'an was being more cautious. So he just said softly, "Jin'an, Grandmother is your great-aunt. We are family, right? Besides, you are also the cousin of the Duke of Huguo. So, you can try to trust us first and don't have any burdens, okay?"

Jin An pursed her lips and slowly raised her eyes to look at Zhong Chuzhou. A gentle breeze rustled through the paddock, rustling the grass and causing a few unknown flowers to sway gently in the wind. Jin An's hair was gently lifted by the breeze, and she whispered, "Brother Zhong, it's not that I don't trust you. I'm just thinking that the Duke of Huguo's Mansion has chosen to hide from the world and bide its time like my grandfather's family has in recent years. If it's exposed because of me, wouldn't all the previous efforts be wasted? Is it worth it?"

Zhong Chuzhou was filled with pity after hearing her words. The sun shone on them, warm, but it couldn't warm his heart, which was tightening because of Jin'an. He frowned slightly, looked at Jin'an and said, "Jin'an, the Duke of Protectorate's Mansion is not retreating because they are afraid of anyone. It is mainly for the stability of the court and not to cause unnecessary troubles to the emperor. It is also because grandparents want to live in peace and quiet and don't want to be involved in those disputes. But if it is for you, everything is worth it. You are the cousin of the Duke of Protectorate's Mansion, and you are also an important person in our hearts. We will not watch you fall into trouble and do nothing."

Jin An's heart warmed, and her eyes reddened slightly. She raised her head slightly and looked into the distance. The sky was as blue as a gem, with a few white clouds floating leisurely. She said, "Cousin Zhong, thank you! But I don't want to put you in danger because of me."

Zhong Chuzhou stepped forward and gently took Jin'an's hand, looking at her with a determined gaze. Jin'an turned to look at him. The grass beside them was like a green ocean, rippling with the breeze.

Zhong Chuzhou said, "Jin'an, don't worry. We have our own considerations and preparations. The Protectorate Palace is not so easily manipulated. As long as we work together, we will be able to overcome any difficulties."

Jin An looked at Zhong Chuzhou's sincere eyes, and the tangled feelings in her heart gradually subsided. She suddenly thought, why not marry him? At the critical moment, reason once again pulled her back. No, this matter has not yet been consulted with the emperor. However, we can discuss the next deployment openly. Before, she only thought of it as an alliance between her and him, but she never thought that now with the powerful backing of the Protectorate Mansion, she has more confidence.

So she nodded slightly and said, "Okay, Cousin Zhong. I believe you. Let's arrange a suitable time another day to call you, and I will tell you everything I know. Today is not convenient. We have been delayed here for a long time. We should go back first. In order to avoid my third brother's suspicion."

Zhong Chuzhou smiled gently, as warm as the sun. He said, "Okay!" A gentle breeze blew by, bringing with it the fragrance of flowers. "But we'd better take something back!" Zhong Chuzhou continued.

"Huh? What to bring?" Jin An didn't quite understand what he meant.

Zhong Chuzhou smiled and then whistled. A man appeared from a distance and flew over. He was handsome, but his expression was a little cold. He still looked very impressive, of course, if you ignore the two pheasants in his hands, which were already drooping.

The visitor clasped his fists and bowed to Zhong Chuzhou and Jin An, "I, Mo Qing, greet the princess and the prince."

Jin An looked at the pheasant in his hand with some curiosity, which was shaking as he saluted. He turned his head to look at Zhong Chuzhou, his eyes asking, "Is this yours?"

Zhong Chuzhou smiled and took the pheasant from Mo Qing's hand. He said to Jin An, "Jin An, this is one of my subordinates, Mo Qing."

"Mo Qing?" Jin An thought to herself, "This name sounds familiar. Oh!" A light flashed in Jin An's mind, and then her two round almond-shaped eyes looked at him. She thought to herself, "It's him, the capable general under Cousin Zhong. Speaking of which, what's the name of the other one with him? I think it's Mo Yan!" Unconsciously, she called out the name "Mo Yan".

"Princess, I'm not Mo Yan, I'm Mo Qing!" Mo Qing said quickly when he heard the princess call Mo Yan's name. He didn't suspect anything, just thought the prince had mentioned him and Mo Yan to the princess.