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

So, when she said she was leaving, she was deliberately lying to him. Besides, Gu Junxi never actually said she was leaving; it was all just something he imagined.

Realizing he had been tricked, Mu Lingye wasn't angry. Instead, he felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest.

"Oh, you've lied to me." Mu Lingye pulled Gu Junxi into his arms and tickled her.

Gu Junxi twisted and turned, trying to hide.

Finally, unable to hold on any longer, she collapsed into Mu Lingye's arms.

Her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes were watery; she looked exceptionally alluring.

Mu Lingye's breath hitched, and he hugged Gu Junxi tightly one last time.

After embracing for a moment, the two tacitly released each other.

"Tell me what happened," Gu Junxi said, no longer avoiding the question, and sat down at the table.

Mu Lingye considerately placed Gu Junxi's favorite dishes in her bowl. Having learned her lesson, she no longer hid her physical condition and revealed it to her.

"Stretch out your hand." After hearing this, Gu Junxi pushed the bowl in front of her away.

Gu Junxi hadn't said she forgave him yet, and Mu Lingye was still on tenterhooks. He willingly let himself be manipulated as he extended his hand to Gu Junxi.

After Gu Junxi finished taking Mu Lingye's pulse, she silently withdrew her hand, her expression somewhat unpleasant.

"What's wrong? Is my condition serious?" Mu Lingye gave a wry smile.

Gu Junxi shook her head: "It's more serious than the illness itself. I can't diagnose what's wrong with you. Have you eaten anything unusual lately?"

Mu Lingye thought for a moment and shook his head in denial.

For safety reasons, he avoids eating imported food whenever possible, and even if he has to eat it, he will test it for poison. Under normal circumstances, he would not give others the opportunity to poison him.

After studying for a long time without any results, Gu Junxi let out a heavy sigh: "I will write another letter to my master later. If it is convenient, I would like to invite him to the capital. From now on, all food you import, whether it is inside or outside the mansion, must undergo strict inspection."

Mu Lingye had no objections, as long as Gu Junxi paid attention to him. Mu Lingye nodded: "I'll listen to you. Can I go back to my room to sleep tonight? I've been sleeping in the study for several days now. The soft couch in the study is so narrow and small that it's inconvenient to even turn over. I feel like I'm about to catch a cold. This morning, I almost fainted while standing in court."

Mu Lingye blinked pitifully and moved his chair closer to Gu Junxi. He was taking advantage of the situation, testing Gu Junxi's limits step by step.

A few days ago, to prove he was in good health, he beat up almost all the guards in the Crown Prince's residence on the training ground. Only a few days later, he's so weak he can't even stand up for a court session.

That's quite a show-off.

Even though she knew Mu Lingye was faking it, Gu Junxi still couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

She pursed her lips, forcing herself to remain composed.

I'm determined to use this argument to establish rules for how they should get along.

"You brought this on yourself." Gu Junxi moved her chair away from its original spot, further widening the distance between her and Mu Lingye.

"Yes, it's all my own fault. I deserve to not sleep well, I deserve to catch a cold, and I deserve to almost faint." Gu Junxi moved an inch away, and Mu Lingye shamelessly moved an inch closer, reaching out to grab Gu Junxi's sleeve and gently shaking it.

This sudden movement completely resonated with Gu Junxi's heart.

Heaven knows how captivating His Highness the Crown Prince, who is usually aloof and unapproachable, was when he first acted coquettishly. His awkward yet cautious attempts, his earnest efforts, and every subtle expression were worth remembering.

Gu Junxi broke down completely, unable to hold back any longer. She grabbed Mu Lingye's restless hand to stop him: "Alright, then tell me, if something similar happens again, will you still hide it from me?"

"I won't hide it anymore," Mu Lingye blurted out immediately.

"If I find out about that, do you think I'll never forgive you and will definitely divorce you? Will you keep it from me?" Gu Junxi was still worried and gave another serious example.

"No." Mu Lingye shook his head, his eyes clearly reflecting Gu Junxi's image. He was truly reflecting on his actions. "I hate your deliberate distance from me. Axi, after this incident, I deeply understand my mistake. I would rather you hate me than treat me like a stranger."

If there is no love, then there must be deep hatred.

"Okay, remember what you said." Having received the promise, Gu Junxi deflated, a smile spreading across her face. She couldn't resist and made a move on Mu Lingye.

Gu Junxi pinched Mu Lingye's cheek and teased, "Your Highness, do you know that you were like a little devil when you were being coquettish just now? I never thought that the cold-faced crown prince had the talent to be a devil."

"Really? Then I'll just be your enchantress." Mu Lingye let Gu Junxi pinch his face and winked ambiguously.

Gu Junxi felt as if her hands had been burned by something, but unfortunately, her plan to have a baby could not continue, and she was destined to be unable to enjoy the handsome man in front of her.

That night, Mu Lingye was finally able to enter Gu Junxi's room. The next day, everyone in the Crown Prince's residence knew that their Highness and the Crown Princess had reconciled.

The reason, of course, was that in the early morning, they saw their prince and the crown princess walking out of their room hand in hand.

After the misunderstanding was resolved and they reconciled, Gu Junxi and Mu Lingye's relationship experienced another significant breakthrough, and their bond became even stronger.

Gu Junxi took Mu Lingye's hand and escorted him out of the Crown Prince's residence. She watched him ride off to court before returning to her own residence.

Just a few days later, Gu Junxi sent another letter to Mr. Suxin. This time, in addition to clearly explaining Mu Lingye's situation, the letter also sincerely invited Mr. Suxin to come out of seclusion.

Master, I've had a feeling lately that a storm is brewing. The arrival of the Three Kingdoms might just be the beginning of chaos in the world.

If you have the time, I would like to invite you to stay in the capital for a while.

After the letter was sent out, a little later, a guard from Princess Fengwu's side came to the post station to request an audience. He wanted Gu Junxi to go to the post station to help Princess Fengwu choose the attire for her wedding.

"Your Highness, our princess said that you are her only close friend in Dasheng. Please visit her at the post station these next few days."

Although it was understandable that Feng Wu framed Feng Yang, Feng Wu was ultimately cunning and affectionate. To associate with such a person was tantamount to asking a tiger for its skin. Gu Junxi did not want to have too much contact with Feng Wu and was about to refuse when the attendant bowed and spoke again.

"If it's convenient for you, Your Highness, please depart now. My princess is waiting for you. Although they are not yet married, the Sixth Prince is truly considerate of our princess. To make her happy, he went to the palace yesterday to inform the Emperor that you would go to the post station to give her advice. This is also to prevent anyone with ulterior motives from making trouble."

Bringing up the Emperor Sheng was a way of denying him any chance to refuse.

Gu Junxi's attempts to refuse were completely blocked.