Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

Liu Zhiyi wore a soft, light peach-pink blouse with a simple peach blossom embroidered on each side of the neckline, and a pearl-colored pleated skirt underneath.

He walked out of the house against the light.

A few rays of the setting sun shone from behind her onto her shoulders, bathing her in a halo of light, making her look like a fairy, hazy as smoke.

The silky, soft fabric covered her fair, smooth hands, her fingertips round and pink.

Pu looked up and met a pair of warm eyes.

The man was tall and upright, with full and smooth muscle lines all over his body, like bamboo and pine.

Liu Zhiyi never expected that her master would be so handsome, young, and with an air of authority about him.

"Miss Liu, this is our master. Today, you will simply follow behind him and obey his orders."

The butler stepped forward and whispered instructions.

Liu Zhiyi nodded cautiously, her gaze once again passing the butler and settling on the distinguished-looking man not far away.

For some reason, this man always gave her an overly familiar feeling, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

She stepped forward gracefully and bowed to the man.

"This servant greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings."

The man nodded slightly, then turned and walked towards the gate. Soon, the carriage curtain was lifted and then lowered again.

"Miss, please sit down as well," the butler reminded Liu Zhiyi.

Just as Liu Zhiyi stepped onto the footstool and reached the carriage shaft, the curtain was lifted from the inside, and their eyes met unexpectedly.

One person embarks on an exploration, while the other remains calm and undisturbed.

Unbeknownst to anyone, for the few days since Liu Zhiyi entered the manor, Song Hanchuan had only watched her from afar and never dared to approach her.

Since we met, his body has been stiff, and every nerve in his body is taut.

They looked at each other, their expressions indifferent.

But only he knew that the hand hidden behind his back had long since clenched into a fist.

"Thank you."

Liu Zhiyi said something out of habit.

Once inside the carriage, she found a seat some distance away from the man.

The man withdrew his hand, and the carriage curtain fell.

The carriage slowly started moving. Song Hanchuan sat upright, his forehead covered in a thin layer of sweat from his nervousness.

He would steal glances at Liu Zhiyi from time to time, feeling conflicted. He was afraid that she would discover any clues and recognize him, but he also secretly hoped that they would recognize each other.

At the very least, when he was Song Hanchuan, she wouldn't have kept such a distant distance from him.

But fearing the consequences, she ran away silently once again.

The wheels rolled on, and while he was lost in thought, the carriage arrived at its destination.

"Master, we're here."

While Song Hanchuan breathed a sigh of relief, he also felt a slight sense of loss.

She glanced at her with a complicated expression. Her mind was only on Shen Ningzhu. She kept her head down the whole way, lost in thought.

Perhaps in her heart, the person beside her was merely a stepping stone for her to enter the circle of the powerful and wealthy.

Who he is doesn't matter; what matters most is that he brought her to today's banquet.

"Please be careful, my lady. Let me help you."

Liu Zhiyi regained her composure, got off the carriage, and waited to help Song Hanchuan.

He pondered all the way, but still couldn't figure out who could have taken Shen Ningzhu away.

Liu Zhiyi was anxious, but she didn't dare to neglect her duties. She could only cheer herself up and do her job well.

What if the other person thinks she's insensitive and doesn't know how to take care of people, and then doesn't take her out next time?

Song Hanchuan's eyelids trembled slightly.

Normally, he never needed anyone to help him get off the carriage, but today, for the first time ever, he placed his hand on Liu Zhiyi's fingertips and gently helped her down from the carriage.

A servant handed over the banquet invitation, and soon Song Hanchuan was respectfully ushered in by the gatekeeper.

At the same time, Shen Ningzhu was already at the banquet, sitting next to Prince Chen. Before getting off the carriage, Jiang Yanche casually took out a white veil and asked her to put it on.

She was also afraid of running into Jiang Xuan Yan, so she didn't refuse.

The ladies present, whether intentionally or unintentionally, cast their gazes toward Shen Ningzhu.

There is no other reason.

Prince Chen was the Empress's only son, so he naturally had a noble status and enjoyed the Empress's special favor.

The problem is that Jiang Xuanyan was the son of a concubine who was adopted by the late empress.

In this way, both of them would be legitimate heirs, with Jiang Xuan Yan having the advantage of being the eldest son and thus having a more prestigious status than Jiang Yan Che.

Before her death, the late empress used the full strength of her clan to help Jiang Xuanyan ascend to the position of crown prince.

Jiang Xuan Yan lived up to expectations, displaying extraordinary talent and courage at a young age, along with ruthless methods and decisive killing.

He not only rapidly expanded his power and secured his position as crown prince, but also made the old emperor dependent on him.

He even devised a plan to send Jiang Yanche, who posed a threat to him, to his fiefdom in Jiangnan.

After that, all the princes and princesses of the royal family were either deposed or died young. Now, the entire court has almost become his personal fiefdom.

The throne, so high and mighty, was practically within his grasp.

The old emperor was in his prime, and how could he be willing to be a puppet? So, without Jiang Xuan Yan's knowledge, he issued a secret decree summoning Jiang Yan Che to the capital. Everyone knew what he was planning.

Therefore, the seemingly calm capital city was actually rife with undercurrents, with various forces standing by and watching.

Shen Ningzhu had recently heard rumors about all of this.

This is also why she wanted to leave so quickly.

It doesn't matter to her who sits in that position in the world, as long as she has a place to live and survive.

No sooner had I thought that than trouble came knocking.

Jiang Qingyi, dressed like a beautiful and wealthy woman, walked gracefully toward their location with Shen Ningxue by her side.

"Ah Che is here too?"

Jiang Qingyi smiled familiarly and greeted him gently.

Shen Ningxue, who was standing to the side, secretly glanced at Jiang Yanche, then immediately looked away shyly, her cheeks flushing red.

"Xue'er greets Your Highness Prince Chen. May Your Highness enjoy boundless blessings and peace."

Shen Ningzhu froze as she was putting fruit into her mouth, and the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

Shen Ningxue actually looked at Jiang Yanche with the air of a young girl in love?

She expressed her admiration for the warrior.

You're so young. Didn't you realize that Jiang Yanche is a wolf in sheep's clothing?

"Wolf" is an understatement; in her opinion, that person was a yandere, a disgusting pervert.

But looking back, it's not surprising that she misjudged.

This jerk is such a good actor and such a good actor. Even she herself used to think he was just an innocent and shy young man!

Alas, it’s hard to look back on the past.

I wonder how Xiaoyi is doing? Thinking of this, the pastries and fruits in my hand lost their appeal.

He raised his hand and put it back in the jade dish, poured himself a cup of wine, and took a small sip to moisten his throat.

Jiang Yanche smiled faintly and nodded, which was his way of greeting him.

Jiang Qingyi felt awkward after being snubbed, and immediately turned her attention to Shen Ningzhu.

"Who is this young lady? Why is she wearing a veil in this hot weather?"

Jiang Yanche raised his eyebrows slightly, turned to look at Shen Ningzhu, and his expression was meaningful.

"She——"