After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

In the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince pushed open the tightly closed window.

I stretched out my hand, and a carrier pigeon landed steadily on my arm.

The young man had gentle features and tenderly stroked the snow-white feathers. The carrier pigeon lowered its head, touched his clothes with its sharp beak, and cooed. The prince removed the note tied to the pigeon's leg, tossed it upwards, and the pigeon flew back along the path it had come from.

He opened the small bamboo tube, took out the rolled-up paper strip inside, read it quickly, went inside, and threw the paper strip into the incense burner.

The boy's eyelids drooped, casting a shadow as he seemed lost in thought.

The stove lit up briefly, and the incense smelled slightly more like burning paper scraps.

In Ronghua Palace, Lu Zhiyuan was administering acupuncture to Xiao Yebai, while Lu Yun leaned against the doorway, sword in hand, motionless. The atmosphere in the side hall was somewhat strange; A Luo and Liu Ying exchanged glances, neither daring to utter a sound.

"Young Master Lu, please move aside, you're blocking the light."

Lu Yun reluctantly moved aside: "You're a patient, just lie down quietly, why do you need light?"

Xiao Yebai raised an eyebrow and looked at Lu Zhiyuan with a wronged expression, but said to Lu Yun, "I don't need it, but Yuan'er does. Acupuncture requires light."

Lu Yun snorted: "Don't use my young lady as an excuse! I know my young lady's medical skills well; she can prick the needles perfectly even with her eyes closed."

Xiao Yebai's lips twitched almost imperceptibly: "Are you sure your young lady can stab someone even with her eyes closed?"

Lu Zhiyuan: "I just stuck the needle in the wrong spot... I felt that the acupoint wasn't right. Look, it's much better here. It doesn't hurt as much as before, just a little sore and numb. Don't worry, it'll be fine after the needle is removed."

Xiao Yebai's eyes reddened slightly. "I trust Yuan'er's medical skills. If Young Master Lu wants to block the light, let him. This side hall of Ronghua Palace is still better than the one we used to live in, Jinxiu Palace. Even if Yuan'er didn't make a mistake, I can bear this little bit of pain. Yuan'er doesn't need to worry about it. Continue the acupuncture."

"Xiao Yebai!" Lu Yun stormed into the room. "You're a hostage, can you stop playing the victim here?"

Xiao Yebai pursed his lips and looked at Lu Zhiyuan: "Yuan'er, do you also think I'm pretending to be pitiful?"

"You're really pathetic!" Lu Zhiyuan rolled her eyes, turned her head, waved her hand, and gestured for Lu Yun to stand aside: "You two, one of you is of marriageable age, and the other is of engagementable age, can you please stop being so childish?"

“You, Xiao Yebai, lie down properly and wait for me to give you acupuncture. Don’t pretend to be wronged and pitiful here.” Lu Zhiyuan pointed at Xiao Yebai: “I’ve read at least ninety, if not a hundred, storybooks. You’re a typical white lotus.”

Lu Yun chimed in, "Exactly! They have to take off their clothes just to get an acupuncture. It's already October, aren't they afraid of catching a cold?"

"Stop being sarcastic," Lu Zhiyuan said, pointing at Lu Yun. "It's just a doctor's visit and an acupuncture session. Do you really need to stay here all the time?"

"I'm just afraid he'll bully Miss." Lu Yun muttered, "The people of Nan Chu are the most cunning. This prince of Nan Chu probably has eight hundred cunning schemes. My uncle instructed me to protect Miss at all times and never leave her side, especially to guard against this kind of cunning person. I don't know if he'll come up with any tricks."

A Luo couldn't help but defend his young master: "Young Master Lu, my lord has never intended to harm Miss. Miss is our benefactor, and we are grateful to her. How could we scheme against her or harm her? A Luo swears to heaven that he is willing to go through fire and water for Miss. My lord is the same; he is willing to do anything he can for Miss."

Xiao Yebai added, "I will do my best to accomplish anything that I cannot do, as long as it is Yuan'er's instruction."

“I will take care of my young lady’s affairs myself, there’s no need to trouble Your Highness.” Lu Yun rolled his eyes at Xiao Yebai. “Your Highness is not young anymore, you should think about how to return to Southern Chu. Northern Liang is not a place for Your Highness to settle down, Your Highness should not think about my young lady.”

Xiao Yebai's gaze darkened.

“Yuan’er treats me like a friend, and I treat Yuan’er like a confidante. Young Master Lu, instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself. Yuan’er said that you are of marriageable age. If you get married and have your own children, I’m afraid you won’t be able to take care of Yuan’er all the time.”

"Your Highness need not worry. I, Lu Yun, have no intention of getting married." Lu Yun looked at Lu Zhiyuan: "Lu Yun is yours in life and in death. I will protect you in life and in death. As for you, the hostage, you will get married whether you return to Southern Chu or not."

Xiao Yebai's eyes grew increasingly dim.

As a hostage, he had no say in anything. Not to mention marriage, even his life and death were in the hands of the Northern Liang emperor.

With her fist slightly clenched and muscles tense, Lu Zhiyuan, who was giving her an acupuncture, frowned: "Loosen up, how can I give you the injection if you clench your fist so tightly?"

The moment she released her grip, a silver needle pierced through, and Lu Zhiyuan breathed a sigh of relief: "On New Year's Eve, the Emperor will announce my marriage to the Crown Prince at the palace banquet. At that time, all the empresses, imperial relatives, and civil and military officials will gather at Xuanlu Hall. The palace guards will also focus their defenses there. Using the New Year's bell as a signal, you and A'luo will take the opportunity to leave the palace. My second uncle's men will meet you outside the palace. Your clothes and luggage will be placed in the carriage. Once you get in the carriage, head straight for the palace gate, with escorts along the way. Don't take the main road, as you'll easily be caught by the Imperial Guards. Take the side roads, preferably alternating between land and water routes. If all goes well, you can reach the border city in less than half a month. Don't go to my maternal grandfather's and mother's place. Once you reach the border city, head south and exit through Yunshui Pass. The general guarding Yunshui Pass is Consort Yu's distant uncle, and the defenses are lax. With a little effort, you can get out."

In the original storyline, Xiao Yebai and A Luo left through Yunshui Pass, so there should be no surprises.

As the needles were being removed, Xiao Yebai grabbed her hand: "You want to be the Crown Princess?"

"What? You think I'm not good enough?" Lu Zhiyuan smirked and put the silver needles back into her needle case. "Don't underestimate me because of my young age. I can handle the Crown Prince's position without any problem. I will become the most qualified and beloved Crown Princess since the founding of Northern Liang."

Xiao Yebai released his grip with a look of dejection: "You like the Crown Prince?"

“I wouldn’t say I like him, but I wouldn’t say I hate him either.” Lu Zhiyuan rolled up the needle bag. “I’ve only met him a few times, but I know he is a very good crown prince and will become a very good emperor in the future. Xiao Yebai, if one day you become the King of Southern Chu, I hope that Southern Chu and Northern Liang will live in harmony for a hundred years and there will be no more war and killing.”

"Alright, I promise you." Xiao Yebai looked at her sincerely, "Five years, at most five years, I will definitely sit in that position. At that time, if you don't want to be the Crown Princess of Beiliang, would you come with me to Nanchu?"

Five years?

Judging by the timeline, she should have helped the Crown Prince quell the rebellion of the Prince of Yong'an by now, making a trip to Southern Chu a good option.

He reached out and gave Xiao Yebai a high five: "Alright, let's make it a five-year deal. If you successfully ascend to that position, I will find a way to annul my marriage to the Crown Prince and travel with you to Southern Chu. Xiao Yebai, what I want is a Southern Chu where the sea and rivers are peaceful and prosperous. Can you do that?"