First annul the engagement, then sever ties with the empress; the empress reigns supreme.

Gu Junxi had a gut feeling that Su Li wouldn't say it so easily, but she still held onto a sliver of hope.

As expected, Su Li raised a finger, revealing a small cut on it.

Su Li laughed mischievously, like a naughty child: "That person was me. I accidentally cut my finger while carrying a plate, and Murong Yuan made a big fuss. He's so easy to fool. You're the same. As the Crown Princess, you're so stupid. You believe whatever people say. You probably won't be the Crown Princess for long."

Unable to hit her or scold her, Gu Junxi helplessly watched as Su Li, after teasing her, swung Qian extremely high, and Su Li's clear laughter echoed through the garden.

It was nearing dusk when Mu Lingye came over after seeing off the guests and finishing his work.

He reached out to touch Gu Junxi's face, his eyes gentle: "Why do you look so pale?"

Gu Junxi tilted her head and pressed her face against Mu Lingye's palm: "I'm a little tired. I need your help with something."

"What is it? Just say it!" Mu Lingye put his arm around Gu Junxi's shoulder.

Gu Junxi glanced back and saw Su Li, who was now standing on the swing and swaying. She then relayed what Murong Yuan had told her to Mu Lingye.

"Aunt Wen has volunteered to keep an eye on Lili, but I'm not comfortable with that. I'd like to transfer a few more highly skilled guards from your staff to keep an eye on Lili, and also assign a few more to keep an eye on the Gu residence. The person controlling Lili is definitely connected to Gu Yuanbai. After all, it was Gu Yuanbai who carried Su Li out of the residence in the first place."

"Don't worry, leave it all to me!" Mu Lingye gently stroked Gu Junxi's shoulder. Having just experienced passion, his desires were indeed stronger, especially since they were so close and surrounded by Gu Junxi's scent.

The atmosphere was just right, and Mu Lingye leaned down to bring his lips close to Gu Junxi's.

"Gu Junxi, so you've been here all along! I've been looking for you everywhere."

Just as their four lips were about to touch, a sudden sound rang out.

Zuo Chengfeng, looking anxious and furious, appeared behind them, abruptly interrupting the atmosphere.

Gu Junxi realized they were in the garden, with people coming and going in the mansion, and that their behavior was inappropriate. Fearing they would be discovered, she pushed Mu Lingye away.

Mu Lingye glared at Zuo Chengfeng in frustration after her good deed was ruined.

Zuo Chengfeng was initially a little embarrassed when he caught Gu Junxi and Mu Lingye being intimate, but when he saw the glare Mu Lingye gave him, he burst out laughing.

Although he has gradually calmed down his fervent feelings for Gu Junxi, he still feels particularly satisfied to see Mu Lingye get his comeuppance.

Zuo Chengfeng deliberately ignored Mu Lingye's possessive gaze, stepped forward, grabbed Gu Junxi's arm, and dragged her aside: "Xixi, I have something urgent to tell you."

"What's the urgent matter?" Gu Junxi asked in return.

She sensed Mu Lingye's displeasure and originally wanted Zuo Chengfeng to speak there, but then she remembered that Zuo Chengfeng's relationship with her had finally improved, and she couldn't bear to upset him any further, so she swallowed her words back.

Gu Junxi winked reassuringly at Mu Lingye, then let Zuo Chengfeng pull her away.

Once they reached a secluded spot, away from Mu Lingye's sight, Zuo Chengfeng released Gu Junxi, his smug and boastful expression vanishing, and he said anxiously.

"Xixi, you should try to persuade Princess Qingfu. She's gone mad."

Gu Junxi frowned: "What? I just saw my cousin, and she seemed perfectly fine. What exactly happened? Tell me properly."

Zuo Chengfeng had just heard the report from his attendant, who had already found out the specific details about the blue-robed young master's family.

Zuo Chengfeng licked his lips, feeling embarrassed to speak of it now.

He first made an excuse for himself, stating: "I didn't mean anything else. I just felt that I had known Princess Qingfu for a while and couldn't bear to see her jump into a fire pit."

“Sun Wencai is a poor, pedantic scholar. She’s only known him for a few days, yet she wants to marry him. Isn’t she crazy? This man is nineteen and still unmarried. He looks respectable, but he’s extremely hypocritical. It’s obvious he’s after her family background and status.”

The attendant reported that Mu Qingfu's statement about marrying Sun Wencai was not just empty talk; some neighbors had seen Mu Qingfu frequently visiting the Sun family home in recent days.

Sun's mother also told others that their family was about to get married and move out of their current house.

Because of her relationship with Mu Qingfu, Sun's mother's voice became louder and her posture became more robust when she spoke to the neighbors.

"The Sun family is no good place. I heard that Sun's mother married her daughter off to a fifty-year-old widower as his second wife for just twenty taels of silver. How can you marry into a family that sells even their own daughter?"

As Zuo Chengfeng spoke, his true feelings became more and more apparent, and he forgot to pretend. He also became increasingly angry.

Gu Junxi naturally knew that Sun Wencai could not marry.

In her previous life, Mu Qingfu died in childbirth because she married Sun Wencai.

Reborn, she had clearly taken the initiative to attack Sun Wencai, kicking him down the hillside.

He also spoke ill of Sun Wencai in front of Mu Qingfu. He originally thought that Mu Qingfu would never have anything to do with Sun Wencai again. How come, after all the twists and turns, Mu Qingfu still has to marry Sun Wencai?

Is fate unbreakable?

No, this is not possible.

If she couldn't break through, she should be dead by now, instead of being alive and well, and even married to Mu Lingye.

Gu Junxi first reassured her, "Don't worry, I believe my cousin wouldn't marry Sun Wencai for no reason. Maybe there's a misunderstanding. I'll go ask her first!"

“I’ll go with you.” Zuo Chengfeng seemed even more anxious than Gu Junxi, having completely forgotten to pretend. He couldn’t wait a moment longer: “When I was looking for you just now, I saw her in the front yard.”

When Gu Junxi was dragged by Zuo Chengfeng to find Mu Qingfu, Mu Qingfu was drinking with a group of people.

The men at the table were all drunk and passed out, but Mu Qingfu remained sober, one leg boldly planted on the stool.

She slammed her hand on the table and yelled, "Get up and drink! You useless thing, you're already pretending to be dead after just a few drinks!"

Ignoring Mu Qingfu, the only one who looked up only glanced at Mu Qingfu before waving his hand and lying down again.

At this moment, Mu Qingfu felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

Who says women are inferior to men? Mu Qingfu has always been stronger than men.

Gu Junxi walked over.

When Zuo Chengfeng arrived here, he retreated again, unwilling to get close, and only wanted to stand at a distance and watch.

Gu Junxi called out, "Cousin."

Mu Qingfu looked over upon hearing the voice, smiled and waved to Gu Junxi, then casually put her hand on Gu Junxi's shoulder: "Gu Xiaoxi, you're here. Come and have a few drinks with me."

When Mu Qingfu spoke, a strong smell of alcohol wafted over, but it wasn't smelly at all; instead, it had a pleasant, refreshing fragrance.

Gu Junxi let Mu Qingfu embrace her, only then realizing that she hadn't had a private conversation with Mu Qingfu in a long time. No wonder Mu Qingfu hadn't told her anything when she was with Sun Wencai.

"Cousin, I heard you're hiding something from me?"

Given Mu Qingfu's personality, once she made up her mind, even if Prince Su and Princess Su objected, it wouldn't matter, let alone her being just a cousin. Therefore, she couldn't ask directly, but could only probe indirectly.

Mu Qingfu may seem carefree, but she is not stupid at all; in fact, she is quite meticulous in certain aspects.

But even the smartest woman can lose her head when she falls in love.

Ning Hanshuang is an excellent example.

Upon hearing Gu Junxi's tone, Mu Qingfu realized something.

She glanced at Zuo Chengfeng, who was standing straight over there, pretending to be casual but his gaze kept drifting in her direction: "Zuo Chengfeng told you, right? That's right, I'm planning to get married. Seeing all of you getting married one by one, I also want to get married for fun."

"Getting married is a good thing!" Gu Junxi continued, pretending to be angry, "But cousin, do you still consider me your sister? You're getting married soon, and you haven't even introduced your future brother-in-law to me. I wonder which family's son he is, that you've taken a liking to him."

Mu Qingfu chuckled, revealing a hint of guilt.