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

Su Yaoyao took a step back, creating some distance: "Does Your Highness have something to say?"

"I've come to find you!" Xiao Qiming stared at her, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"You've moved into the Grand Tutor's residence? What, the Marquis's mansion can't tolerate you anymore?"

"This has nothing to do with Your Highness."

"Unrelated?" Xiao Qiming sneered. "Su Yaoyao, don't forget we were once engaged! You just broke off the engagement and now you're trying to seduce someone? Your cousin from the Dali Temple? Su Yaoyao, you really have no shame!"

Su Yaoyao smiled.

That smile was bright, yet it carried a chilling sarcasm.

"Shame?"

She approached slowly, her eyes clear and sharp.

"When Your Highness and my half-sister were caught having an affair at a palace banquet by all the nobles of the capital, did you ever consider the meaning of the word 'shame'?"

Xiao Qiming's expression changed drastically: "You—"

"Your Highness, there's no need to rush to refute." Su Yaoyao stopped three steps in front of him, her face full of sarcasm. "After all, dozens of eyes saw Your Highness's disheveled appearance when the side hall door opened that day."

She paused, her voice suddenly turning cold:

"As for the engagement—it has long been dissolved. Your Highness should pay more attention to Sister Yun'er."

Xiao Qiming's expression darkened further when Su Yun'er was mentioned.

"Don't mention her to me!" His voice suddenly rose. "A concubine's daughter who has lost her virginity, does she even deserve to enter the prince's residence? If it weren't for my mother suppressing me, I would have already..."

"So what if it was already?" Su Yaoyao looked up at him, her eyes icy. "No matter what, Yun'er is still my sister. Since you have consummated your marriage with her, you should take responsibility."

Enraged, Xiao Qiming shouted, "Su Yaoyao! Don't push your luck! I've come to you today to give you a chance! If you're willing, I can forgive and forget and marry you again as my principal wife!"

Su Yaoyao snorted coldly.

"Your Highness," she asked softly, "do you believe... that all the women in the world should revolve around you?"

Xiao Qiming was taken aback.

"When you like me, I'll come at your beck and call. When you don't, I'll dismiss you at will." Su Yaoyao approached him step by step, her eyes sharp as knives.

"Sister Yun'er is like that, and so am I. Right?"

"I……"

"What a pity, Your Highness." Su Yaoyao interrupted him, a cruel smile playing on her lips. "This humble woman... no longer cares."

Xiao Qiming's face was ashen, and his chest heaved violently.

"Why?!" Xiao Qiming's voice rose.

"Is it because of your brother? Just because he gave you a string of Buddhist prayer beads, you think he's taken a liking to you? Su Yaoyao, don't be naive! Your brother has been practicing Buddhism for many years and doesn't get close to women. He's just taking pity on you!"

Su Yaoyao was too lazy to argue with him and turned to leave.

Xiao Qiming grabbed her wrist: "Stop right there! I'm telling you this now, Su Yaoyao, you can only be my woman for the rest of your life! You're arguing with me now, using my brother to provoke me, but don't come kneeling and begging me when he doesn't want you anymore!"

He gripped her wrist so tightly it hurt.

Jingzhe and Guyu immediately stepped forward: "Second Prince, please let go!"

Xiao Qiming stared intently at Su Yaoyao, his eyes filled with obsession: "Since you dare to use my imperial brother to provoke me, fine... then I'll marry Su Yun'er and take her as a concubine, so she can be in front of you every day! I want to see how long you can keep up this act!"

Su Yaoyao finally couldn't hold back and sneered, "Your Highness, please proceed."

She forcefully pulled her hand back, and the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist slid out of her sleeve.

The sandalwood beads gleamed with a warm, lustrous sheen under the snow.

Xiao Qiming's gaze was fixed on the string of Buddhist beads, and his face instantly turned ashen.

"You...you actually wore it..."

"Yes." Su Yaoyao stroked the prayer beads, looked up at him, her eyes full of mockery.

"Therefore, Your Highness, please have some self-respect."

After saying that, she stopped looking at him and turned to leave.

The snow is getting heavier.

Xiao Qiming stood there, watching Su Yaoyao's resolute back, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"Great...very good!"

He gritted his teeth and growled:

"Su Yaoyao, you'll regret this!"

"Once I marry Su Yun'er, once I sit in that position... I'll make you kneel and beg me!"

Su Yaoyao, who had walked away, stopped at the corner.

She turned around, glanced at Xiao Qiming's angry back, and a cold smile curled at the corner of her lips.

Concubine?

If Su Yun'er knew that all her scheming and plotting would only earn her the title of a concubine in the end...

They must be furious!

but……

She touched the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, and then recalled the aloof features of the person in the carriage.

Compared to these clowns, His Highness the Crown Prince is far superior...

That's even more interesting.

Back at the Grand Tutor's residence, Su Yaoyao hadn't even had a chance to catch her breath.

"Miss." Chun Tao tiptoed in.

"Granny Gui, who serves the Empress, said she was ordered by the Empress to deliver some tonics to the young lady."

Su Yaoyao straightened her sleeves: "Please come in."

Granny Gui was a woman in her fifties with a stern face and sharp eyes. She entered with two young maids, who were carrying brocade boxes.

"This old servant greets Miss Su." Granny Gui curtsied. "Her Majesty heard that Miss is not feeling well, so she specially ordered this old servant to bring some bird's nest and donkey-hide gelatin to help Miss recover."

Su Yaoyao rose and returned the greeting: "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I'm sorry to have troubled you, Granny."

Granny Gui stood up, her gaze sweeping over Su Yaoyao before finally settling on the Buddhist beads on her wrist, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

"Miss, this string of Buddhist prayer beads... looks familiar."

Su Yaoyao understood in her heart, but remained calm on the surface: "It was a gift from His Highness the Crown Prince."

"Oh?" Granny Gui raised an eyebrow. "His Highness actually gifted this string of Buddhist prayer beads to Miss, which shows how much he values ​​her."

She paused, then changed the subject: "Her Majesty said she hasn't seen Miss Su for a long time and misses her dearly. It just so happens that the Tangquan Palace has just opened a hot spring, so Her Majesty was thinking of inviting Miss Su to stay there for a few days, as a way to... relax and unwind."

It sounds nice, but everyone knows that the real purpose of relaxing is to put pressure on people.

Su Yaoyao put down her pen and accepted the imperial edict: "This subject accepts the decree."

The nanny added, "Her Majesty also said that His Highness the Crown Prince has been troubled by the floods recently and needs to rest. He will also be visiting the Hot Spring Palace at that time... If Miss Su has some free time, she can spend more time talking with His Highness."

That's even more straightforward.

Chun Tao's expression changed slightly. After the person left, she whispered, "Miss, Her Majesty the Empress wants you..."

"I know," Su Yaoyao interrupted calmly. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

She certainly knew what the Empress meant—to create an opportunity for her to get close to Xiao Chenyuan, and ideally, to "make it a fait accompli".

only……

Su Yaoyao stroked the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, a slight smile playing on her lips.

She wanted to see it too.

That aloof and ascetic Crown Prince, amidst the steaming hot spring...

Can he still maintain his Zen-like mind?