The Emperor, with more men than women, made me his mistress.

"Ah Li, what's wrong?" Jin Chenyuan immediately asked, noticing Yue Li's unusual behavior.

"nothing."

It was pitch black there, and there was no one in sight. Besides, even if someone was looking this way, they might not be looking at them, since there were so many people guessing riddles among these lanterns.

After the group finished guessing the riddles and left, Sheng Yifan just watched their backs disappear into the crowd from afar, without ever getting down to talk to them.

Because he wanted to wait for a better opportunity for his fairy to meet him.

Seeing Yue Li holding the exquisite lantern with obvious delight, Jin Chenyuan smiled gently and asked, "Ah Li, would you like to stroll around a little longer?"

"I'm not going shopping anymore," Yue Li shook her head.

She had just overheard them saying that although things were lively these past two days, the most fun events would take place on the day of the Lantern Festival.

Since she'd already done her shopping, she'd just wait until the Lantern Festival to do the rest.

"Shall we go back?" Jin Chenyuan asked.

"Well, go back."

So the three of them said goodbye to Jin Moyu and Gong Hanmo at Qianju.

"Sister Li, will you come again tomorrow?" Gong Hanmo asked.

"Well, I don't plan to come tomorrow. I heard you all say that the excitement is all on the night of the Lantern Festival, so I plan to come on that night."

"I see! I understand." Gong Han thought for a moment, but ultimately didn't mention that he had gone to see the lanterns with Yue Li and the others on the day of the Lantern Festival.

After all, they had only just become acquainted today, and such an intention would be too obvious.

"Well, you can go back now. We need to head back to our residence too."

"Okay, then Sister Li, be careful on the road."

"Stop looking, they've already gone far away." Gong Hanmo's shoulder was tapped by a folding fan.

Gong Hanmo withdrew his gaze from that slender figure and glanced sideways at his friend Jin Moyu, who was standing beside him with a playful expression, fiddling with a folding fan.

Because the two were close in age and their families lived next to each other, they played together as children.

This has continued until now.

"Still laughing at me? Don't you have any ulterior motives?" Otherwise, given Jin Moyu's temperament, how could he have just played along with someone for more than two hours?

"Besides, didn't you praise Sister Li in front of me last time?"

Gong Hanmo was referring to the first time Jin Moyu met Yue Li at the Marriage Lake. After he returned, he told Jin Moyu that Prince Chen had excellent taste, praising how beautiful his Princess Consort was, how sweet her smile was, and how gentle and bright she was when she spoke to Prince Chen.

However, Gong Hanmo didn't pay much attention to it at the time, since he had never met Jin Moyu in person, and he always thought that Jin Moyu was exaggerating.

Unexpectedly, she gave her heart away after falling into the lake.

And Sister Li was even more alluring and radiant than Jin Moyu had described.

“I do have that thought, but as you know, the royal bloodline is not abundant. Although our branch is already the most distant among the royal relatives, I still have to call Prince Chen ‘uncle.’ Other clans might accept this relationship, but I don’t know if Prince Chen can accept it.” That’s why he was unusually silent tonight.

Seeing his friend like this, Gong Hanmo didn't know what to say. After all, things would be complicated as long as they involved the emperor.

However, after thinking for a moment, he said, "Don't rush. You still have two years before you get involved in personnel matters. In these two years, we should spend more time with Sister Li. As long as we can win Sister Li's favor and gain her approval, even if Prince Chen disagrees later, as long as Sister Li is willing, Prince Chen can't interfere."

Hearing his friend's idea, Jin Moyu raised his eyebrows and his lips unconsciously curved into a beautiful smile. "Then I must thank Han Mo for helping me come up with this plan."

His already stunningly beautiful and alluring face became even more sinister and seductive with this action, tempting people to depravity.

"Come on, we grew up together, we all know each other, right? And don't look at me like that, if you want to be a slut, go find someone else." Seeing Jin Moyu like this, Gong Hanmo couldn't stand it and pushed him away.

This guy looks like a male demon when he's being serious, let alone when he's deliberately putting on a seductive pose.

That is to say, he is a member of the royal family; otherwise, with his looks, he would have been kidnapped by some woman who coveted him long ago.

Upon hearing Gong Hanmo's words, Jin Moyu immediately objected, and the two instantly started playfully fighting.

After they got tired of playing around, the two brought up their earlier topic again: "Since we both have this idea, should we find an excuse to go play with them on the day of the Lantern Festival?"

"Of course we want to, otherwise what reason would we have to get close to Sister Li?"

“Alright then, I’ll send Zimu to keep an eye on the movements of Prince Chen’s residence. When we know that Prince Chen’s carriage is coming out, we’ll follow it out as well,” Jin Moyu said thoughtfully.

"Um……"

Then, their conversation faded into the distance as their figures receded into the distance.

………………

From within the light blue gauze bed curtains embroidered with floral patterns, came the sound of a woman's heavy breathing.

Only the silhouette of a woman was reflected on the bed curtains.

At this moment, her black hair was spread out on the large bed beneath her, her cheeks and neck were flushed, her red lips were slightly parted, but her brows were furrowed with suppressed emotion, and her forehead and the tip of her small nose were covered with a thin layer of sweat. The thin blanket covered her chest.

After a long while, with a soft moan from her,

A remarkably handsome face emerged from under the thin blanket.

Shao Qi raised his hand and brushed his sweat-dampened hair behind his head.

Looking at Yue Li's beautiful face, as delicate as a blooming flower, Shao Qi was about to lean down and kiss her, but Yue Li pushed her chest in time to stop his large face from getting close.

"Why is A-Yue complaining about what's rightfully hers!"

Seeing Yue Li frown and turn her head away in disgust, Shao Qi smiled and said.

Yue Li: ……

If she doesn't mind, how could she possibly like it?

If the situation weren't so unforgiving, she might have chuckled twice and then rolled her eyes at Shao Qi.

However, Shao Qi did not force Yue Li; his burning lips kissed her collarbone directly.

The last thought that came to mind as I was swept up by the scorching waves was...

Where did Shao Qi attend some kind of refresher course?