After being sentenced to death, she came to her senses.

"A person? Who is it?" Fang Xiaoran curiously pulled back the car curtain and peeked out, only to see a man dressed in black with a cold face standing in front of the car.

Upon seeing Fang Xiaoran appear, he first bowed respectfully, and then said, "This humble servant conveys His Highness's message, requesting that Miss Fang meet at the Lakeside Pavilion."

Fang Xiaoran recognized this person; he was Zhao Jin's close bodyguard, Wen Shao, who possessed extremely high martial arts skills and could kill people invisibly with his Taiye Flying Blade.

The fact that he personally relayed the message shows how much Zhao Jin values ​​Fang Xiaoran.

Upon hearing this, Wu Guicheng instinctively shielded Fang Xiaoran behind him and refused, saying, "My lady has other matters to attend to, so she will not keep you company any longer."

No sooner had she finished speaking than a flying blade came hurtling through the air. Its speed caught Wu Guicheng off guard. Fortunately, Fang Xiaoran channeled her inner strength to slightly deflect the blade, which grazed past Wu Guicheng's neck before slamming into the carriage.

Just a moment ago, Wu Guicheng almost lost his life. His heart was in his throat, and he didn't react for a long time.

"He is my man. Are you trying to make trouble for me by attacking him like this?" Fang Xiaoran said coldly. Although her voice was calm, it was full of provocation and threat. Wen Shao's expression changed slightly, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He clasped his hands and said, "I do not mean to make trouble for Miss Fang. However, His Highness has given an order. I hope Miss Fang will not make things difficult for me."

Judging from the way this person addressed his master, he could tell that the other person was either a member of the royal family or a prince or princess. Wu Guicheng had never seen such a person of high status before, and he was at a loss for what to do. Fearing that he might offend someone on behalf of his young lady, he cautiously looked at Fang Xiaoran and waited for her instructions.

Fang Xiaoran was fully aware of Zhao Jin's purpose, but since he was a prince, she couldn't show it here, even if she had many grievances against him, nor could she refuse his invitation.

Of course, her main reason for not going there was to see Zhao Jin, as she would definitely want to kill him. However, she was unable to kill him, which made her extremely anxious and tormented.

"Lead the way," Fang Xiaoran replied calmly. Wu Guicheng wanted to follow and protect her, but Fang Xiaoran refused, leaving only the words, "Wait here." Then she left with Wen Shao.

The island in the center of the lake is located in the middle of Moon Lake. From a distance, you can clearly see a small island standing quietly in the middle of the lake. Its area is not large, so a seven-story octagonal observation tower, Moon-Viewing Tower, was built there, which offers a panoramic view of Yancheng.

Downstairs, there was a vast expanse of peonies, just beginning to bud and waiting to bloom. When the peonies were in full bloom, it was common to see talented men and beautiful women strolling around, playing the zither and composing poems, creating a truly beautiful scene.

Upon arriving at the lakeside, a small boat slowly approached. The person in charge, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, could not see his face clearly. His voice, though not deep, had a slightly hoarse quality. "Please, young lady."

Fang Xiaoran didn't stand on ceremony and immediately jumped onto the small boat. She landed very steadily, without veering off course, which surprised the person in charge of the boat.

As the oars struck the water, ripples spread out, gently parting the lake surface. The small boat moved slowly forward, the clear sound of flowing water bringing a moment of peace. Fang Xiaoran sat quietly at one end, gazing into the distance, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up in her heart.

Until a clear and melodious song came from the boatman's mouth, her somewhat chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down, like a gentle breeze blowing across the lake, carrying away all her distractions and worries.

Moon Lake is not large; it takes less than 45 minutes to reach the island in the middle of the lake by boat. After docking, Fang Xiaoran disembarked from the small boat and just stepped onto the pebble path when she heard someone behind her say, "Excessive worry is not good for you. You should calm down and deal with things calmly."

The voice was completely different from before, as if it belonged to a different person. It was strangely familiar, like... Master?

Fang Xiaoran turned around abruptly, only to see that the person had already rowed away, leaving only a hunched back. In her memory, her master was peerless in beauty, how could he look like this? It must just be that the voice was similar, and it was not him.

After calming her thoughts, Fang Xiaoran walked up to the island in the middle of the lake and came to the foot of the Moon-Viewing Pavilion. Looking up, she could vaguely see Zhao Jin's figure standing on the top floor. A chill unconsciously rose from her fingertips, and the killing intent in her eyes grew stronger.

Even though she was filled with murderous intent, she still had to hide it. After all, she could not kill him yet. He was a prince, and killing him would be a crime that would implicate nine generations of his family. The Fang family, the Bai family, and even her mother's family, the Yan family, would be implicated. Such a risky move could not be done recklessly.

The seventh floor of Guanyue Tower wasn't too high for Fang Xiaoran, as she had already fully recovered and climbing the stairs was a piece of cake.

Upon arriving at the top floor, the structure differs from the lower floors. This floor features a pavilion with a chessboard and stone table, where guests can play chess while enjoying the surrounding scenery.

However, Fang Xiaoran had no interest in playing chess and had never played with Zhao Jin. Zhao Jin even teased her, saying that she only knew the black and white colors but didn't know where to place the pieces.

At this moment, Zhao Jin was standing on the Moon-Viewing Platform with his hands behind his back. He was wearing a magnificent brocade robe, his posture was upright, and his back view was solemn and dignified.

Perhaps hearing footsteps, he suddenly turned around and saw Fang Xiaoran bowing slightly to him, "This humble woman greets Your Highness the Third Prince."

“It’s just the two of us here, no need for formalities.” Zhao Jin reached out and gently took her arm, helping her to stand up. Fang Xiaoran then stood up as well, but slightly pulled away from his hand to keep her distance, exuding a unique sense of detachment.

Zhao Jin noticed her subtle actions, which surprised him greatly. Although they weren't exactly inseparable, Fang Xiaoran had always considered Zhao Jin someone she could rely on, and rarely treated him with such coldness.

Zhao Jin frowned slightly, pondering to himself. He stared at Fang Xiaoran, trying to find the answer in her eyes, but there was nothing in those clear eyes.

Fang Xiaoran lowered her eyes slightly and asked in a humble yet assertive manner, "May I ask what brings Your Highness here?"

"I just wanted to ask how you are doing. I didn't help you out in Taoyuan last time, so don't take it to heart."

Hearing these words, Fang Xiaoran inwardly sneered. He wasn't trying to help her out of a predicament at all; he clearly wanted to push her into the abyss and then pull her out himself, so that she would be completely devoted to him. How could she let the same drama play out again?

"Your Highness is too kind. How could I trouble you to help me out of this predicament? Besides, I wasn't feeling particularly tired at the time. I was just playing a tune. Although my musical skills are not excellent, I could manage." Fang Xiaoran smiled slightly.

Her self-deprecating and aloof words did not anger Zhao Jin. Instead, they made Zhao Jin slowly walk towards her, his slightly cold and deep eyes staring at her as if trying to see through her. "There are always many surprises about you, which makes me more and more curious about you."

Seeing him approach, Fang Xiaoran did not back down, but looked directly into his cold eyes and smiled, "Your Highness has seen countless people, and your feelings for me are just a passing fancy."

"How do you know it's just a passing fancy?" Suddenly, Zhao Jin grabbed her wrist, his eyes darkening and his gaze ambiguous.