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

A single autumn rain brings a chill. Shen Ningzhu pulled her cloak tighter around herself, burying her face as much as possible in the white fox fur collar, and said with lowered eyes,

"Let's talk about it when we get back."

They walked towards the carriage.

The man frowned deeply, but eventually followed. Seeing that the two weren't at each other's throats, Liu Zhi gradually relaxed.

Song Hanchuan lifted her up with one hand, his arm across her hip. Liu Zhiyi rested her chin on Song Hanchuan's broad shoulder, facing him and held him close in his arms.

He held up an oil-paper umbrella with his other hand.

He walked steadily toward the carriage of the Prime Minister's residence.

The rain was heavy, and thunder rumbled one after another.

When Shen Ningzhu returned to her boudoir, her clothes were mostly wet, and her outer garment was covered with mud.

Hot water was already prepared in the kitchen.

Upon seeing the person return to the mansion, they were immediately carried behind the screen.

The two of them took a hot shower and changed into clean clothes and shoes. Just then, Fuling and Shaoyao each brought in a bowl of ginger soup.

Shen Ningzhu didn't like the taste of ginger soup, so she drank a cup of warm water, put two hot water bottles in her pocket, took off her shoe repair socks, and snuggled into the quilt.

Because of the rain, it was already dark inside the house a quarter past 3 PM.

The maidservant came in quietly and lit a few oil lamps, then lit a brazier in each corner of the room before slipping away.

It uses only the finest silver wire charcoal, which is not only durable but also smokeless and odorless.

The flickering candlelight cast the scene on the bed onto the gently swaying gauze curtains, revealing the woman's slender figure despite the thick quilt covering her.

After Jiang Xuanyan finished drinking the ginger soup, he came to the bedside and, through the layers of gauze curtains, resumed the conversation from the beginning.

"Since his ascension to the throne three years ago, the Ministry of Rites has already begun preparations for the empress's investiture."

"So even though time is tight, there's still time. As for your identity, just tell everyone that you are the young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion, Song Hanchuan's long-lost younger sister."

"Do you have any objections to this arrangement?"

Shen Ningzhu pulled the brocade quilt over herself, covering herself completely except for her head.

Her exquisite fox-like eyes slightly lifted, meeting Jiang Xuan Yan's dark and cold gaze through the gauze curtain, and she spoke softly, word by word.

"Jiang Xuan Yan, what do you want?"

Seeing no response from outside, he then tried to persuade her further.

"If you need an empress, there are plenty of noble ladies in the capital willing to take that position. If you want an heir, all the children in Jinxiu Huanian are yours."

Jiang Xuan Yan pursed his lips, his eyes flickering with light and shadow. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

"I want you."

The fish is hooked.

Shen Ningzhu smiled gently, lifted a corner of the curtain with her delicate hand, stared into his eyes, and said with utmost seriousness,

"I can promise you that you can come and go freely in my yard from now on."

"I will only ever have you as my man."

A glint of light flashed in Jiang Xuan Yan's eyes, along with a hint of disbelief. He grasped the woman's wrist at her side, his fingertips unable to resist caressing her smooth skin.

Pull it over and place it in the palm of your other hand.

Gently kneading her slender, white knuckles, I caught a faint scent of gardenia emanating from her fingertips. My heart stirred with a burning desire, and I felt a sense of unreality.

She actually accepted him?

Shen Ningzhu pursed her lips and continued, "But I don't want to enter the palace, nor do I want to be the empress."

Jiang Xuan Yan was startled, his pupils gradually widened, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head and feet, instantly extinguishing his initial heat and sending a chill through his entire body.

His thin lips were slightly parted, and his eyes were full of confusion.

"why?"

The man's face darkened, his aura instantly subsided, and his eyes revealed the anger of having been mocked.

Shen Ningzhu smiled gently.

Her exquisite fox-like eyes sparkled, shimmering with a gentle charm.

Her small, pink lips parted slightly as she said in a light tone, "I like freedom, I don't know how to manage the trivial matters of the harem, and I don't want to live inside those square palace walls."

"I love the sunrise and sunset, the spring colors of the city, the free air, and the lively atmosphere of the streets."

"Brother Yan, I left before not because I didn't love you, I just loved my freedom. Without freedom, it's like a bird losing its wings; I would die."

The woman's voice trembled slightly as she finished speaking.

With glistening tears in her eyes, she spoke earnestly, looking hesitantly into Jiang Xuan Yan's eyes.

The candlelight cast long shadows on her, enveloping her in a soft golden glow.

Her fox-like eyes, brimming with tears, shone brightly in the candlelight. They looked less alluring and more innocent and seductive than usual.

No matter how angry he is, he can't vent it.

But I'm really unwilling to agree to her request.

How could Jiang Xuan Yan's woman live in this remote and dilapidated place without any status or recognition? Wouldn't she just be a lowly mistress in everyone's eyes, someone who couldn't be seen in public?

How could the Crown Prince's birth mother be a mistress?

Jiang Xuan Yan was not a heartless man, nor could he bring himself to let his woman become a mistress.

Having witnessed Shen Ningzhu's stubbornness countless times, he gradually learned to behave himself.

It was rare for her to speak so gently and kindly; if he didn't take the opportunity to back down gracefully, things would likely get out of hand again.

Therefore, we had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.

"Never mind, let's discuss this later. It's raining heavily tonight, shall I stay and keep you company?"

Shen Ningzhu parted her lips slightly, about to speak, when she heard a knocking sound at the door.

"master."

Jiang Yi's voice came through.

Jiang Xuan Yan's handsome face fell, his jawline visibly tightened, and his expression darkened instantly. He said coldly,

"What is it? Speak quickly."

There was a moment of silence outside before someone hesitated and said, "A message came from the gate that Princess Qingyi is looking for you. Her carriage is waiting at the gate."

"not see."

The man interrupted angrily.

Jiang Yi hesitated, "But the princess said she has urgent business with you and must see you in person immediately, otherwise she will wait at the door until you appear. Your Majesty, the princess is always frail, what if..."

Jiang Xuan Yan snorted coldly.

"Let her wait if she wants to."

Jiang Yi was momentarily confused by such a heartless reply. If they cared so little, why did they spare her life during the palace coup?

Despite not understanding, I still did as I was told.

Inside the house

The light gauze curtains were warm, and the candlelight flickered.

Jiang Xuan Yan stood up, took off his leather belt, removed the jade hairpin from his head, and let his black hair fall down, shining brightly in the candlelight.

After doing all this, he quickly slipped into Shen Ningzhu's bed and extinguished the candle with a wave of his hand.

In the darkness, the man's breathing was shallow.

He lay quietly, waiting anxiously for a long time, but Shen Ningzhu didn't chase him away. Finally, he felt relieved, and his tense body gradually relaxed.