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

Xiao Chenyuan stood outside the door for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, until the crying inside gradually subsided, before gently knocking on the door.

"Go in." Su Qingrun's voice had regained its composure.

The door opened, and Xiao Chenyuan walked in slowly.

He was still wearing his court robes, which were black with gold dragon patterns embroidered on them, and his hair was tied up with a jade crown. He exuded nobility and majesty.

But the first thing he saw when he entered was Su Yaoyao kneeling by the bed—her eyes were still red, her face was still wet with tears, she was barefoot, and she was only wearing a nightgown and a cloak, looking pitiful.

Xiao Chenyuan frowned slightly, walked over in a few steps, bent down and picked her up horizontally.

"The floor is cold." His voice was soft, but his movements were gentle. He placed her in the armchair by the bed and then took a soft cushion to put under her feet.

The whole process was smooth and natural, intimate and natural.

Su Qingrun's gaze darkened.

After settling Su Yaoyao in, Xiao Chenyuan turned around.

He sat down on the round stool next to Su Yaoyao—a perfect spot, positioned just between her and Su Qingrun without seeming too deliberate.

Chao Su Qingrun nodded slightly: "Young General Su is awake. Are you feeling any better?"

Su Qingrun didn't answer immediately, but instead looked him up and down.

Upon noticing the faint red mark on his collar, alarm bells went off immediately, and he gritted his teeth and said...

"Thanks to Your Highness, I won't die."

Xiao Chenyuan seemed oblivious to the coldness in his tone, his expression unchanged. "General, you were wounded for the country, it is my duty to take care of you. If you need anything, please just ask."

"I do have a need," Su Qingrun said, looking directly at him. "I wish to bring my younger sister back to the manor."

As he spoke, he pronounced the words "my sister" very clearly.

Xiao Chenyuan's fingers twitched almost imperceptibly, but his expression remained calm: "General Su's injuries have not yet healed, so it may be inconvenient for her to take care of your sister. How about letting her remain in the East Palace until the General recovers and then return?"

"Your Highness need not trouble yourself." Su Qingrun's tone remained firm. "The Marquis's residence has servants to attend to you. It is improper for my younger sister, an unmarried girl, to reside in the Eastern Palace for an extended period."

Xiao Chenyuan's expression remained unchanged: "Yaoyao staying here is both convenient for taking care of the general and for her safety."

Slender and graceful?

Su Qingrun raised an eyebrow. "What makes you say that, Your Highness?"

"The mastermind behind the general's assassination attempt has not yet been identified." Xiao Chenyuan looked up at him, his gaze deep. "Since those people were able to track him all the way to the border, it's hard to guarantee they won't make a move in the capital. The Eastern Palace is heavily guarded and safer than the Marquis's residence."

That's a perfectly eloquent statement, and there's nothing wrong with it.

But who is Su Qingrun? He's been fighting on the frontier for ten years, and he's a man. How could he not understand the Crown Prince's meaning?

The two exchanged polite words, but their eyes were locked in a silent battle.

Su Yaoyao sat to the side, looking at her brother and then at Xiao Chenyuan, and suddenly felt like laughing.

These two men...

A child, still weak from just waking up, struggled to sit up straight, his eyes sharp as an eagle protecting its young.

He appeared calm on the surface, but the slightly taut jawline betrayed that he was not as composed as he seemed.

A subtle, tense atmosphere hung in the air.

Xiao Chenyuan suddenly turned to Su Yaoyao, his tone softening: "Have you had breakfast?"

Su Yaoyao shook her head: "I haven't had time yet..."

"Go and use it," Xiao Chenyuan said without room for argument. "I will keep General Su company here."

Su Yaoyao looked at him, then at her brother, a little worried.

Su Qingrun nodded to her: "Go ahead, my medicine has gotten cold, you can take it and heat it up."

Were both men trying to get rid of her?

"...Then you two talk properly, and don't fight." Su Yaoyao stood up and left, turning back every few steps, but deliberately didn't close the door completely, leaving a crack to eavesdrop.

Only two men remained in the room.

The atmosphere instantly became even more tense.

Su Qingrun spoke first, his voice low but clear: "Your Highness, I have been at the border for several years and do not know much about the affairs of the court. But I do know that the Eastern Palace is a treacherous place, and the position of Crown Prince is fraught with peril. My sister is innocent and kind, and cannot bear such things."

"Simple and kind?" Xiao Chenyuan suddenly chuckled.

The laughter carried an indescribable meaning, making Su Yaoyao's ears burn as she listened outside the door.

"General Su," Xiao Chenyuan said slowly, "you have been away from the capital for many years, so you may not understand your sister's current temperament."

He paused, recalling her bewitching appearance in the Buddhist hall, and the sly look in her eyes when she teased him; a smile unconsciously curved his lips.

"She's much more capable than you think..."

Su Qing frowned: "Even so, I do not wish for her to be embroiled in court intrigues. If Your Highness can grant her a lifetime of peace, I will naturally have no objection. But if Your Highness merely..."

"Just what?" Xiao Chenyuan interrupted him, "Just lusting after her beauty? Or trying to leverage the power of the Jiang family and the Yongning Marquis's mansion?"

Su Qingrun didn't speak, but her eyes said it all.

Xiao Chenyuan remained silent for a moment, then suddenly stood up, walked to the window, his back to Su Qingrun, and spoke softly, yet with a heavy weight in his voice:

"Over the years, many people in the court have tried to send people to the Eastern Palace, but I have never given in."

He turned around and looked at Su Qingrun:

"If I wanted to leverage power, I could have done so long ago. Why wait until today? Why... must I have her?"

Su Qingrun was stunned.

Xiao Chenyuan walked back to the bedside, his eyes open and honest: "I love her, I want to marry her, nothing more. As for court intrigues..."

He paused, a hint of coldness in his voice:

"With me here, no one can harm her."

The two men stared at each other, neither looking away.

After a long silence, Su Qingrun finally spoke slowly: "Your Highness's words have been noted. But I still have a question—if Your Highness ascends the throne one day and has three thousand beauties in the harem, how will my younger sister cope?"

"What I want is very simple," Su Qingrun stared at him, enunciating each word clearly, "I want her to be happy, I want her to be safe, I want her to never suffer any more injustice for the rest of her life. Can Your Highness do that?"

Xiao Chenyuan met his gaze, his eyes calm yet firm: "I can do it."

He answered without hesitation: "There will be no concubines in the Eastern Palace, and in the future, there will only be her in the harem."

Even Su Yaoyao, who was outside the door, was stunned.

Su Qingrun was clearly taken aback by his words, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, before she said in a deep voice, "Words are meaningless. What guarantee does Your Highness have?"

Xiao Chenyuan remained silent for a moment,

"I have devoted myself to Buddhism for ten years, purifying my mind and reducing my desires, abstaining from women." His voice was calm, yet every word was clear.

"Yaoyao is my only exception," Xiao Chenyuan continued, "and she is also my only faith for the rest of my life."

That's too harsh a statement.

Su Qingrun was momentarily at a loss for words.

His tense expression finally eased a little.

After a moment of silence, Su Qingrun suddenly said, "Your Highness has cultivated Buddhism for ten years, and now you've broken your vows for Yaoyao... Aren't you afraid of Buddha's wrath?"

Xiao Chenyuan smiled faintly, a hint of relief in his smile: "Buddha saves all beings, including those with feelings. If truly loving one person is a sin... then I accept it."

"Also," Xiao Chenyuan paused, then deliberately added, "she has a small red mole on her right side."

Su Qingrun: "!!!!!"

His eyes widened suddenly: "How did Your Highness know?! Your Highness and her..."

"She has not overstepped any boundaries," Xiao Chenyuan interrupted him, his voice steady. "I... cherish her."

Su Qingrun took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

That kid did it on purpose!!

It’s over.

My little sister has been seen naked by someone.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze towards Xiao Chenyuan was much more complex. There was scrutiny, resentment, and a hint of... resignation.

"Your Highness," he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, "I only have one younger sister."

"I know." Xiao Chenyuan nodded. "I will treat her like a precious jewel."

"What if in the future..." Su Qingrun's tone turned serious, "What if Your Highness betrays her, or causes her even the slightest injustice..."

He didn't finish speaking, but the murderous intent in his eyes said it all.

Xiao Chenyuan smiled.

The smile was faint, yet it carried an undeniable certainty:

"The general will not have that opportunity."

The two stared at each other for a long time.

Su Qingrun twitched the corners of his mouth, his tone complicated, "This younger sister of mine... has been spoiled by me, and is quite willful. If she offends me in the future, I hope Your Highness will forgive her."

"She's fine." A hint of tenderness appeared in Xiao Chenyuan's eyes. "It's alright if she's a little spoiled; I can handle it."

Looking at the undisguised affection in his eyes, Su Qingrun finally let out a long sigh.

"Enough." He waved his hand. "I will not concern myself with your affairs. But..."

He looked up, his gaze sharp as a knife:

"If Your Highness dares to overstep the bounds before the wedding, I will not let you off lightly."

Xiao Chenyuan: "..."

Su Yaoyao outside the door: "..." Brother, you're overthinking it. What's meant to be crossed has already been crossed; it's just one last step away...

But she dared not say it.

Xiao Chenyuan coughed lightly, his expression unchanged: "General, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Discretion? Su Qingrun looked at his neck and sneered inwardly—if someone had any sense of propriety, would they have left such obvious marks?

But he didn't pursue the matter further, only saying, "Your Highness is tired, please return."

Xiao Chenyuan nodded, turned around and left the house.

As soon as he came out, he saw Su Yaoyao sneaking around by the door. When she saw him come out, she quickly stood up straight and pretended to be someone who had just arrived.

Xiao Chenyuan raised an eyebrow, walked over, and naturally took her hand: "Finished eavesdropping?"

Su Yaoyao blushed: "Who, who was eavesdropping! I got food for my brother."

After saying that, she took the food that Chun Tao had just brought and stepped into the room: "Brother, you just woke up and shouldn't eat anything greasy. This almond milk is light, would you like to try it?"

Xiao Chenyuan followed closely behind, taking the bowl and saying, "I'll do it."

He sat down on the edge of the bed, scooped up a spoonful, carefully blew on it to cool it down, and then handed it to Su Qing to moisten her lips.

Su Qingrun: "..."

He looked at the high and mighty Crown Prince before him and condescended to feed him...

Su Yaoyao, who was watching from the side, suddenly burst out laughing.

Xiao Chenyuan looked up at her: "What are you laughing at?"

"It's nothing." Su Yaoyao's eyes crinkled into a smile. "It's just that...the way His Highness feeds us is quite skillful."

Xiao Chenyuan's ears turned slightly red, and he looked away: "...Eat."

Su Qingrun looked at her younger sister, then at the Crown Prince, and finally sighed, resignedly opening her mouth.

So be it.

As long as his sister is happy, what can he, as her older brother, say?

The warm sunlight streamed in through the window, casting the three people's shadows on the ground, overlapping each other.

Warm and inexplicably harmonious.