After my luck was stolen, I led my whole family to defy fate and change our destiny.

The eldest princess understood all too well the cruelty of the royal family; if she hadn't been a woman, she might not have survived to this day.

Even if Jinyang were to marry the Fourth Prince, she would definitely never be able to have her own children.

The eldest princess's expression shifted between light and dark, but the fourth prince didn't notice. He took the box containing the nine-linked rings and began to think about how to solve the puzzle.

The eldest princess had no choice but to give up, sit down, and wait patiently for the fourth prince to solve the nine-linked rings puzzle.

The Nine Linked Rings consist of nine jade rings interlocked together, making them very difficult to untangle.

After trying for a while, the Fourth Prince shook his head: "Aunt, this nine-linked ring puzzle is too difficult. I can't solve it. Why don't you let Sixth Brother try?"

The eldest princess secretly breathed a sigh of relief: "Then Yan'er, let's give it a try."

Chu Jingyan nodded and took it from the Fourth Prince's hands: "Alright, I'll give it a try."

After thinking for a while, Chu Jingyan started to solve the puzzle. The Fourth Prince couldn't solve the third ring, while Chu Jingyan had already solved the fifth ring.

The princess grew increasingly anxious as she looked at the document. Two little voices echoed in her mind: one urging her to untie it quickly, while the other whispered, "Don't untie it, don't untie it, it won't help even if you do."

The princess gripped the handkerchief tighter and tighter. Her palms began to sweat.

When they got to the sixth ring, they couldn't solve it no matter what they tried. Chu Jingyan shook his head: "Aunt, I don't know how either, I can't solve it."

The eldest princess sighed, whether with regret or relief, "It's alright. It seems neither of the two princes will be able to win over their aunt, this luminous pearl."

After a few words, guests arrived one after another.

Gu Yu'an and his siblings were led to the men's section.

Gu Linglong was held in Gu Yu'an's arms, looking around curiously.

The play "The Butterfly Lovers" is being performed on the stage.

The noise was so loud that Gu Linglong's ears started to hurt.

【I don't want to listen to opera, it's so noisy, waaaaah...】

Upon hearing this, Gu Yu'an stood up and said to Gu Linglong, "How about your big brother takes you around?"

Okay, okay!

Gu Linglong clapped her hands with joy.

Gu Yu'an led her to the corridor, where a person walked towards them. Gu Yu'an paused and stepped aside to make way for them.

Gu Linglong turned to look at her. Li Xiaohan?

"Brother Yu'an, you're here too?"

Gu Yu'an nodded, not wanting to say more, and prepared to leave.

As the two passed each other, Gu Linglong smelled a faint, very familiar scent.

Li Xiaohan stomped her foot as she watched Gu Yu'an walk away without saying a word.

He muttered to himself, "What does Gu Yu'an mean? I greeted him first, and he's still so cold."

The maidservant said from the side, "Miss, you and Young Master Gu have already broken off your engagement. If others see this, who knows what rumors they'll spread. Young Master Gu must still care about you, which is why he's concerned about your reputation."

Li Xiaohan curled her lips into a smug smile: "I knew it. He wouldn't forget me so quickly."

The maid chimed in, "Of course! Miss is exceptionally talented, a renowned woman of exceptional ability. I wonder how many young gentlemen will fall at your feet at today's flower-viewing banquet."

Li Xiaohan glared at her, but her eyes were full of smugness: "Don't talk nonsense. The socialites we associate with are far more prestigious than our family."

"Yes, miss"

Li Xiaohan walked away with her maid.

Gu Linglong slapped her forehead. "Ah, I know what it is! It's an aphrodisiac. When I used to raise pigs, I would buy this to help them give birth to piglets smoothly during their estrus cycle. I can't be wrong."

Why does Li Xiaohan have this kind of medicine?

Gu Yu'an stopped in his tracks, a suspicion forming in his mind, but he also felt he was overthinking things. After all, Li Xiaohan was a lady from a respectable family; she couldn't possibly do something so despicable.

[Would Li Xiaohan be planning to drug the Fourth Prince? With his leg like that, he wouldn't be able to escape even if drugged. Even if he settles old scores later, it'll probably be too late. Li Xiaohan will likely still be able to manipulate and bully him because of his leg.]

[What should I do, big brother? Please save fourth brother, sob sob sob...]

Gu Yu'an handed Gu Linglong to Gu Liyao and exchanged a glance with him.

Gu Liyao immediately understood and returned to the flower-viewing banquet.

Gu Yu'an then walked quickly to the Fourth Prince's room and knocked on the door.

"Yu'an? The guests have mostly arrived, let's go to the banquet hall together."

Gu Yu'an, his face tense, quickly entered the room and closed the door.

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?"

Gu Yu'an then bowed and said, "Greetings, Fourth Prince, Sixth Prince."

"Free gift"

Both of them offered a helping hand.

Gu Yu'an frowned, unsure of what to say.

Chu Jingyan: "What's wrong? Is there anything we can't say now?"

That's right, Gu Yu'an had already gotten on Chu Jingyan's side long ago.

"With a flower-viewing banquet being held today, I fear some people might resort to underhanded tactics."

Chu Jingyan frowned as well: "You mean someone drugged my fourth brother? Who was it?"

Gu Yu'an pursed his lips: "Li Xiaohan"

Chu Jingyan was taken aback: "Is it the one who broke off your engagement?"

Chu Jingyan gave Gu Yu'an a meaningful look, his eyes seeming to say, "What kind of taste do you have?"

Gu Yu'an continued, "This is just a guess, and it may not necessarily happen. It may not only affect the Fourth Prince, but it could also affect the Sixth Prince."

Thinking of Gu Linglong's special qualities, Chu Jingyan said to the Fourth Prince, "It's right to plan ahead."

He then pulled a talisman from his pocket: "Fourth Brother, if you encounter danger, just poke it hard, and the talisman will ignite on its own, and I will come running."

The fourth prince took it: "And what about you?"

Chu Jingyan laughed, but the smile didn't reach his eyes: "Fourth Brother, have you forgotten that I'm a member of a sect? I don't even consider her tricks a threat."

suddenly.

Chu Jingyan looked at Gu Yu'an: "You two were engaged, after all. If..."

"Sixth Prince, you need not worry about me. If she really does such a thing, then let things take their course."

Chu Jingyan patted him on the shoulder.

The group went to the flower viewing banquet.

The men's area was bustling with activity.

As Gu Yu'an approached, he realized that they were all trying to solve the Nine Linked Rings puzzle. It was said that the Princess had thrown out a prize: whoever solved it would receive a luminous pearl from the South China Sea.

Gu Yu'an wasn't interested and sat down next to Gu Liyao.

Chu Jingyan glanced at the Eldest Princess from time to time, feeling that her actions were not simple.

"How do we solve this?"

"I don't know. I just tried untying them one by one, but it always ended up being a dead knot."

"That proves you solved it wrong. There should be a better way to do this; you can't solve it one by one."

"I remember reading about a solution to the nine-linked rings puzzle in an ancient book, but I've forgotten how."

"I'll give it a try, I'll give it a try."

Everyone tried to solve it but couldn't. One of the young men spoke up: "If we can't solve it, why don't we let the woman solve it?"

The servant thought the same thing and was about to take the nine-linked rings to ask the princess for her opinion.

"Wait, the two young masters of the Gu family haven't solved it yet. Let them try."

All eyes turned to Gu Yu'an and Gu Liyao.