Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

In the evening, Su Qianrou and Mu Jinchen were having dinner.

Su Qianrou looked at Yingfeng, put on a serious expression, and asked, "Yingfeng, are you dissatisfied with me?"

"Your subordinate dares not."

"So it's not that they don't dare to, but that they don't have the courage."

"No, I have no dissatisfaction with the Princess, really no," Yingfeng hurriedly explained, afraid that she would misunderstand.

"That means they are dissatisfied with Chunzhu."

"No, not at all," Yingfeng vehemently denied.

"If there isn't one, why did you choose some low-class people for her? People who don't know better might think I don't like her."

Yingfeng looked at Chunzhu and said, "You've tattled on me."

You're capable of doing it, but I'm not allowed to say anything about it.

Knowing he was in the wrong, Yingfeng had no choice but to admit his mistake, saying, "It was my fault for not doing my job well. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

"You are the prince's man, how dare I punish you?"

He was indeed the prince's man, but the prince had long ago said that the princess's words were his will, and everyone in the manor had to obey, including him. Yet he had openly disobeyed the princess's orders, so he quickly knelt down to beg for forgiveness, "Your subordinate knows his mistake, please forgive me, princess."

"This will not be repeated."

"Yes".

"Alright, get up. You're not responsible for this anymore."

"Please give me another chance, Your Highness. I will definitely do my best."

"No need. I've heard there's a guard in the manor named Wang Lin. He's a decent guy. Have him come over tomorrow."

Yingfeng had no choice but to reply, "Yes."

After dinner, Mu Jinchen went to his study to deal with memorials.

Yingfeng was grinding ink on the side, but he looked preoccupied, as if something had happened.

Mu Jinchen reached for the ink, but still couldn't write anything. He glanced at the inkstone and realized the ink was gone. Ying Feng, however, didn't notice and was still lost in thought. Mu Jinchen couldn't help but ask, "What are you thinking about, so engrossed?"

Yingfeng did not hear him and therefore did not respond.

So Mu Jinchen nudged him.

Yingfeng then came to his senses and asked, "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

"I was about to ask you what's wrong with you, because you're becoming less and less conscientious in your work these days."

Yingfeng then realized that the ink was gone, so he quickly ground some ink and said, "I'm sorry, Your Highness, it was my dereliction of duty."

"You were all smiles just a few days ago, why do you look so worried now? What happened?" Mu Jinchen asked casually.

"It's nothing, I'm just a little upset."

"But it's because of Chunzhu."

"No," Yingfeng denied quickly, but seemed somewhat guilty.

"Whether it's true or not, you know it in your heart."

After a moment's thought, Yingfeng asked, "Your Highness, how did you become certain that you loved the Princess Consort?"

"Abnormal".

Yingfeng looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"You become abnormal when you fall in love with someone."

Yingfeng couldn't help but think that he always liked to tease her, but this was something he had never done before. Could it be that he had really fallen for her? Then he asked, "Is there anything else besides this?"

"I feel inexplicably happy when I think of her, I miss her terribly when I can't see her, I get angry when I see her with other men, and I unconsciously pay attention to her every move."

"All correct, so I really do like her." Yingfeng found it a bit unbelievable. "Your Highness, what made you decide to tell the Princess Consort that you like her? Don't you find it hard to say those words?"

"What's so difficult about that? There's nothing shameful about liking someone. Besides, if you don't say it now, are you going to wait until she falls for another man before you confess? By then, it will be too late."

Yingfeng thought it made a lot of sense and couldn't help but start thinking about what to do.

Not long after, Mu Jinchen returned to his bedroom. Su Qianrou was already lying down, but she hadn't fallen asleep yet.

Mu Jinchen walked over, gently lifted the blanket, and slowly lay down.

"You're back," Su Qianrou said, opening her eyes and looking at him.

Seeing that she was still awake, Mu Jinchen pulled her into his arms and asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"I was just about to go to sleep, why are you back so early today? Have you finished all your work?"

"No, Yingfeng was distracted all night, which made it impossible for me to work properly."

"It must be because of Chunzhu, but he deserves it. He didn't even know he liked Chunzhu. How stupid."

"He asked me how I knew I liked you."

"So what did you say?" Su Qian looked at him curiously.

“I said it was because of you that I became abnormal.”

"for example".

"I'll come find you to play chess in the middle of the night."

"What else?"

"I get nervous when I hear you were attacked."

Su Qianrou couldn't help but laugh, then lay back in his arms and asked, "What else did Yingfeng ask you?"

He also asked me what made me decide to express my feelings to you.

"I'd also like to know the answer to this question, so what is it?"

"I don't want to have any regrets."

"How to say it."

"The night before I confessed my feelings to you, I didn't sleep a wink. I kept hesitating, afraid that you wouldn't like me, afraid that you would reject me, but I was even more afraid that my hesitation would make you fall for someone else."

"What would you do if I rejected you that day?"

"I'll pester you relentlessly, I refuse to believe that my personal charm will lose to another man."

"How come I never noticed how narcissistic you were before?" She then gently patted his chest. "To be honest."

Mu Jinchen held her hand and said, "Sincerity begets sincerity. As long as I treat you sincerely, you will see it one day."

"If I had known, I should have ignored you for a few days and seen your sincerity. It's all because of your beauty that I agreed to your proposal so easily," she said, touching his face and looking at him.

The dim light shone on her, creating a hazy beauty. Mu Jinchen couldn't help but kiss her, forcefully prying open her mouth, greedily seizing her scent, and exploring every corner of her body.

Su Qianrou responded to him involuntarily.

Their breathing gradually became heavier, and soon, ambiguous panting sounds could be heard in the room.

The next day, in her study, Su Qianrou was checking the accounts of the various shops and found that the profits were quite good. The daily income of Pinshixuan and Meimei Pastry Shop alone was more than a thousand taels. If you add the dozen or so shops in Yangzhou, the daily income is as high as ten thousand taels. After deducting the expenses of the orphanage and the academy, as well as the monthly allowance, there is at least a surplus of three hundred thousand taels every month. So, in a year, she can get three million six hundred thousand taels. Just thinking about it makes her happy.

Just then, Yingfeng walked in and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Yingfeng, what brings you here?"

"I have something I would like to say to Chunzhu. I wonder if Your Highness could do me a favor?"

Su Qianrou guessed what he was going to do, so she didn't stop him and said, "Go ahead."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Yingfeng said, then looked at Chunzhu and gestured for her to come out with him.

Chunzhu felt he was being mysterious and wondered what he was up to, but she still went out with him.