The abstinent prince, practicing Buddhism, is seduced by a voluptuous beauty into breaking his vows.

Shen Nannan leaned closer to him, her face full of gossip.

Su Qingrun gritted her teeth,

"It's still that Xiao Yue!"

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow.

Xiao Yue? The Second Prince's sister?

"I don't know what's gotten into that woman, she's been going to the Yongning Marquis's residence every day lately. Today she brings snacks, tomorrow soup, and the day after a hand-embroidered sachet—"

He grew angrier as he spoke, and his voice rose several decibels.

"She follows me everywhere I go. When I'm in the study, she waits outside. When I go to the training ground, she watches from the side and even says she wants to learn horseback archery from me!"

Su Yaoyao was stunned.

So... fierce?

She finally couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Su Qingrun's face darkened even more.

"You're still laughing!"

"No..." Su Yaoyao laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up, "Brother, you...you should just let her learn, wouldn't it be better to have another apprentice?"

"What's so good about it!" Su Qingrun's forehead veins throbbed. "She didn't come here to learn riding and archery at all! She rides slower than a tortoise, and she almost hit my horse with an arrow! I suspect she's here to murder me!"

Su Yaoyao laughed so hard that tears almost came out.

Su Qingrun took a deep breath, looked at her, and his eyes held a hint of pleading:

"Sister, I'm so annoyed by her..."

Su Yaoyao blinked. "So, brother wants me to go back... to save you?"

Su Qingrun grabbed her wrist. "Yes and no, if you don't go back soon, I'm really afraid I might just punch her to death one day in a fit of anger!"

Before Su Yaoyao could speak, her waist tightened.

Xiao Chenyuan pulled her into his arms, slightly raised his chin, and spoke in a calm tone:

"Why didn't Princess Anar come to rescue you?"

Su Qingrun's expression froze for a moment.

In that frozen moment, something flashed by—a sense of loneliness, a sense of loss, and a hint of something indescribable… emptiness.

It was too fast, so fast that it was almost impossible to catch.

But Su Yaoyao saw it.

A thought struck her.

Su Qingrun turned her face away, her voice muffled:

"I wonder what those two siblings have been doing at the inn lately, Anar..."

He paused.

"I've never been here before."

Su Yaoyao looked at him like this, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

When has my usually cold-faced brother ever shown such an expression?

She finally understood.

My brother wasn't annoyed by Xiao Yue at all; he was just feeling empty inside because Anar wasn't coming, and he was using Xiao Yue as an excuse.

Su Qingrun looked up and met her sister's ambiguous smile.

"What's with that expression?" he said, annoyed and embarrassed. "Fine, come back with me!"

He then started to pull people in.

Xiao Chenyuan tightened his grip, showing no intention of letting go.

Su Qingrun took a deep breath, suppressing the tightness in her chest.

"Your Highness, the wedding date is approaching. Shouldn't you come and propose marriage?"

Xiao Chenyuan paused.

Su Qingrun continued, "Are the betrothal gifts prepared? Have the six rites been completed? Has the goose hunt been held? Are the wedding attire ready? Has the bridal chamber been decorated?"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Chenyuan's discomfitured face, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"It's not right for Yaoyao to continue living in the East Palace. Your illness should be cured by now."

Xiao Chenyuan: "..."

Su Yaoyao: "Pfft—"

Before she could finish laughing, she was suddenly lifted into the air.

While Xiao Chenyuan was distracted, Su Qingrun hoisted Su Yaoyao onto her shoulder—literally hoisted her, like carrying a sack of potatoes.

The movements were swift and decisive, completed in one smooth motion.

Su Yaoyao leaned on his shoulder, completely bewildered.

"Brother—what are you doing!"

"Shut up!"

Su Qingrun walked out without turning her head.

"My lifeline," he said in a muffled voice, "you are my lifeline!"

Su Yaoyao: "..."

She turned to look at Xiao Chenyuan.

Xiao Chenyuan stood there, his face somewhat grim, but he did not chase after him.

He simply stared at Su Qingrun's retreating figure, his gaze distant and unfocused.

That look clearly said—you just wait.

Ling Feng peeked out from the shadows: "Your Highness, should I go and snatch the Crown Princess back?"

Xiao Chenyuan glanced at him.

"...No need."

He turned around and walked back, but stopped after taking two steps.

"Which goose is the fattest? I'll go hunting it tomorrow!"

Ling Feng: "..."

-----

Su Qingrun carried Su Yaoyao out of the East Palace and headed towards the Yongning Marquis's residence.

Su Yaoyao was so dizzy from being jostled around that she kept patting his back.

"Brother! Put me down! I'm going to throw up! I can walk by myself!"

Su Qingrun then put her down.

Su Yaoyao steadied herself, straightened her disheveled clothes, and glared at him.

"Are you carrying a pig?"

Su Qingrun said expressionlessly, "More or less."

Su Yaoyao: "..."

"Brother, you look just like a little wife who's been chased and has nowhere to run."

Su Qingrun paused in her steps.

"……Shut up."

Su Yaoyao looked at him.

Under the moonlight, his cold, hard face remained expressionless, but the weariness in his eyes was impossible to hide.

She suddenly felt a pang of heartache.

"Brother," she asked softly, "has Anar really not come for so long?"

Su Qingrun turned her face away.

"……Um."

"How long has it been?"

Su Qingrun remained silent for a moment.

"Since the winter hunt," he said.

"I've never been here before."

Su Yaoyao's heart skipped a beat.

After the winter hunt—that is, after Xiao Chenyuan's "assassination attempt".

During those few days, Anar even came to help drive Xiao Qiming away. But later...

She thought for a moment and asked, "Have you gone to see her?"

Su Qingrun remained silent.

Su Yaoyao understood.

"Brother," she sighed, "you have to take the initiative. Anar is a princess; she can't keep running to you all the time, can she?"

Su Qingrun looked at her with a complicated expression.

"She..." he paused, "She has her own things to do."

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow.

"How did you know? Did you ask around?"

Su Qingrun fell silent again.

Su Yaoyao looked at his awkward expression and felt both annoyed and amused.

This person clearly cares to death, but pretends not to care.

"Alright," she said. "I'll go see her at the inn tomorrow."

Su Qingrun's eyes lit up slightly.

It quickly returned to normal.

"Sigh, whatever. Go inside and get some sleep."

Su Yaoyao entered the room.

Su Qingrun looked up and gazed in the direction of the post station.

Under the moonlight, the place was brightly lit.

I don't know what that person is doing.

---

Post station.

Anar is about to explode too.

"Brother!" she cried, grabbing her brother's sleeve and shaking him violently. "I can't take it anymore! I need to see him!"

Ashina Lie leaned back in his chair, holding a wine flask in his hand, and took a slow sip.

"What's the rush? Don't you understand the art of playing hard to get?"

Anar glared at him: "You've been spoiling him for days! If you keep spoiling him, he'll be snatched away by that Xiao Yue!"

Ashina Lie raised an eyebrow.

"Xiao Yue? The foolish prince's younger sister?"

"Yes!" Anar gritted her teeth. "That infatuated girl! She goes to the Yongning Marquis's residence every day, waiting for him after court, following him to the military camp—I've heard everything!"

Ashina Lie put down the wine bag.

"Then we absolutely mustn't rush in. If you rush over now, wouldn't that be playing right into that girl's hands?"

Anar was taken aback.

Ashina Lie continued, "You need to stay calm. Let Su Qingrun know how much he suffers without you by his side. When he can't hold back anymore and comes to you, you've won."

Anar looked at him, then suddenly pouted.

"Brother... are you kidding me?"

Ashina Lie: "?"

Anar: "You can't even handle your own little sister Yaoyao, and you want to teach me?"

Ashina Lie choked, "That was respect! Don't you understand respect?!"

Anar had already stood up and grabbed her outer robe.

"No! I can't take it anymore!" She rushed outside. "I'm going to find him!"

Ashina Lie reacted quickly and grabbed his sister, who was as wild as a horse.

"Let's go tomorrow!" He pulled her back. "Don't you even know what time it is! That kid's probably asleep!"

Anar struggled twice but couldn't break free, so she stomped her feet in anger.

"Waaaaah, he can still sleep!"

Ashina Lie pressed her back into the chair and sighed.

"Anar, listen to your brother. If that kid cares about you, ignore him for a few days, and he'll come looking for you."

Anar pouted.

"What if he doesn't have feelings for me?"

Ashina Lie looked at her and remained silent for a moment.

"Then... let's choose another one."

Anar paused for a moment.

Then her eyes reddened.

"I don't want to change..."

Ashina Lie's heart softened when he saw her like this, and he reached out and patted her head.

"Alright, alright, I'll go with you tomorrow, okay?"

Anar sniffed.

"real?"

"real."

Anar then stopped crying and started laughing.

Outside the window, the night was deepening.

In the study of the Marquis of Yongning's residence, Su Qingrun sneezed.