I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Just as Zhao Mingzhu hid the blue cloth book behind her back, Lu Yuan reached out to take it.

"The more you prevent people from seeing it, the more it indicates a problem."

"This was given to me by my mother!"

"I know."

Lu Yuan held her wrist and pulled the book out from behind her, but instead of opening it directly, he placed it between the two of them.

"Your mother asked you to bring a nameless book to the Crown Prince's residence, and specifically instructed you not to read it alone."

"Miss Zhao, did your mother sell you?"

"nonsense!"

Zhao Mingzhu snatched the book back and held it in her arms.

"My mother said that this book can only be read when the two of us are together."

Lu Yuan paused for a moment while pouring the wine.

He pushed the wine glass in front of Zhao Mingzhu, his expression unusually serious.

"Since it's my mother-in-law's arrangement, let's open it and take a look."

"Who is your mother-in-law?"

"You were just about to take me to Yangzhou to marry into your family, but now you're going back on your word?"

Zhao Mingzhu had no choice but to pick up her wine glass and take a sip.

She untied the blue cloth, revealing the book inside. The cover only depicted two twin lotus flowers, and looked perfectly normal.

Lu Yuan moved to the other side of the soft couch.

"Open."

Why aren't you coming over?

"I'm afraid it contains the martial arts manual of the Zhao Family Escort Agency. If you try to silence me after reading it, I can still run away."

"coward."

Zhao Mingzhu turned to the first page.

She glanced at it only once before quickly closing the book, her cheeks and ears turning completely red.

Lu Yuan reached out and pressed down on the cover.

"What did you see?"

There's nothing there!

"There's nothing there, so why are you blushing?"

"He drank too much."

"Can half a glass of fruit wine make you drunk?"

Zhao Mingzhu tried to stuff the book back into the blue cloth, but Lu Yuan had already taken the book away and opened it again.

The book page featured a drawing of a man and a woman, with a few lines of small text beside it. The next page changed the pose, and there were dozens more pictures following.

Lu Yuan deliberately widened his eyes.

"Miss Zhao, I never knew you were always practicing martial arts and swordplay, but you also secretly studied these things."

"It's not mine!"

Zhao Mingzhu lunged at her and snatched the book.

"I have absolutely no idea what's drawn in there!"

"Now I know."

"Give it back to me!"

Lu Yuan held the book above his head. Zhao Mingzhu knelt on the soft couch to reach it, lost her balance, and fell into his arms.

The two remained close together, neither of them moving immediately.

Zhao Mingzhu looked up at him, her earlier aggressive stance vanishing instantly. She tried to get up by supporting herself on his shoulder, but Lu Yuan's hand was already on her waist.

"No wonder my mother-in-law said it could only be watched by us together."

"She must have taken the wrong one."

"This book was wrapped in blue cloth and hidden away for so many years, how could it have been taken by mistake?"

"That's because she was deliberately teasing me!"

Zhao Mingzhu's eyes reddened with anxiety, and she raised her hand and punched him twice.

"You're still looking!"

"I need to see what my mother-in-law's requirements are for her son-in-law."

Lu Yuan flipped to the middle and began to carefully select.

"This is too difficult."

"This one won't do either, it's easy to fall."

Zhao Mingzhu buried her face in his shoulder.

"Shut up."

"Mingzhu" (明珠).

"Don't call me."

Lu Yuan put down the book and wrapped his arm around her waist.

Which page would you like to try tonight?

Zhao Mingzhu stiffened, immediately broke free from his embrace, and leaned over the table to cover the book.

"I'm not trying anything!"

"Then why did your mother send you here?"

"How would I know?"

"How about we start from the first page?"

Zhao Mingzhu was so anxious that she stomped her feet under the table, knocking over the wine glass.

"Lu Yuan, if you keep bullying me, I'm really going home!"

It was the first time she had called him by his name.

Lu Yuan's playful expression faded slightly. He straightened his wine glass and then draped his coat over her shoulders.

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore."

Zhao Mingzhu looked up and saw that he was really walking towards the door, so she grabbed his sleeve.

"Where are you going?"

"Have someone take you home."

"I didn't say I was leaving now."

"So when do you want to leave?"

Zhao Mingzhu was stumped by the question.

She lowered her head to adjust her sash, and after a moment she managed to squeeze out a sentence.

"My mother told me to go back tomorrow."

Lu Yuan turned around.

"So you're staying tonight?"

"I'm just afraid someone will see me when I go back at night."

"clear."

Lu Yuan sat down next to her again, keeping an arm's length distance between them.

Zhao Mingzhu glanced at the gap and felt a little uncomfortable. She moved a little closer to him, and when he didn't react, she moved a little more.

Lu Yuan reached out and picked her up.

Zhao Mingzhu lost her support and instinctively hooked her arms around his neck.

"What are you doing?"

"You're moving too slowly, let me help you."

"Put me down."

"Who just said they were staying tonight?"

"They didn't say they wanted to stay..."

She couldn't finish her sentence.

Lu Yuan had already carried her to the bedside.

Zhao Mingzhu saw the bed curtains, her fingers gripping his collar, her body stiffening. Once Lu Yuan placed her on the bed, she immediately closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling.

Lu Yuan leaned down and looked at her for a while.

"If you don't want to, I won't touch you."

Zhao Mingzhu waited for a moment, not noticing him getting closer, and quietly opened one eye.

Lu Yuan had already stood up straight and was preparing to cover her with the blanket.

She suddenly reached out and grabbed him.

"Are you disgusted with me?"

"If I disliked you, why would I have brought you here?"

"Then why did you stop?"

"You're scared."

Zhao Mingzhu moved her lips and pulled his hand to her waist.

"Who isn't afraid of their first time?"

Lu Yuan looked down at her.

"It's not too late to regret it now."

Zhao Mingzhu turned her face toward the bed.

"You saved the Zhao family today, and I promised to come with you."

I have no regrets.

Lu Yuan leaned closer, and she closed her eyes again.

Outside the gate, Su Yuling led Shen Hanqiu and Liu Ruyan around the courtyard wall and into the pavilion.

There were melon seeds, tea, and a plate of pastries on the table.

Liu Ruyan peeked into the bedroom where the lights were on.

"Your Highness really kept them here?"

"With another sister in the household, we should first observe her temperament."

Su Yuling peeled a melon seed. "If she takes advantage of her husband's favor to disrespect her elders, I will send her back tonight."

Shen Hanqiu stared at the tightly closed door with a strange expression.

"Yu Ling, why do I feel like I've seen this scene before?"

"Where have I seen you before?"

"The night I entered the manor, you seemed to be waiting outside as well."

Liu Ruyan smiled, "Sister Hanqiu was probably much quieter than Sister Yuling back then."

Inside the room, Zhao Mingzhu suddenly cried out in pain.

Su Yuling held the melon seeds in her hand, which were now at her lips.

"asshole."

Shen Hanqiu's cheeks felt hot.

"brute."

Liu Ruyan put the pastries back on the plate.

"Worse than a beast."

After the three finished cursing, none of them left.

Meanwhile, outside the capital, a troop of cavalry stopped in front of the tightly closed city gates.

The leader, wearing a black cloak and with a long sword at his waist, was none other than General Shen Chongshan, the General Who Guards the North.

One of the guards glanced at the city gate.

"General, the gates are already closed. We'll have to wait until tomorrow morning."

Shen Chongshan looked up at the soldiers guarding the city, his right hand pressing down on the hilt of his sword.

There was no news from Zhaohua Palace for two days, and Lu Cheng's men sent to the northern border had also lost contact. The closer he got to the capital, the more he felt something was wrong.

"I can't wait."

Shen Chongshan spurred his horse to the moat and revealed his military tally.

"General Shen Chongshan, the General Who Guards the North, has been summoned back to the capital!"

"Open the city gates immediately!"