Keep your voice down. Are you trying to look glamorous dressed as a forced lover?

Because he had attended a banquet, Li Qingyan was busy until late at night before returning to Jingchen Palace before setting off for the capital's border pass.

Unexpectedly, she encountered Wen Sheng at the palace gate, or rather, Wen Sheng blocked her way.

He waited for three days and finally caught her.

Seeing Li Qingyan for a moment, Wen Sheng was glad she had persevered.

"Your Highness."

Wen Sheng stared at Li Qingyan, feeling as if a lifetime had passed since they last met a month ago.

"Jun Wenzi."

Li Qingyan stopped in his tracks: "What is it?"

Listening to her polite and distant words, and smelling the faint yet distinct lavender scent on her clothes that men in the capital liked, Wen Sheng thought about how she had been interacting with other people and that new people might soon enter the Eastern Palace. Her hand tightened even more.

He took a deep breath before speaking in a steady voice: "I heard that Your Highness is going to offer condolences to the fallen soldiers. These days, thanks to Your Highness's care, Wenji's income is very good. I would like to send some subsidies to repay everyone's trust and care, and also to thank Your Highness for your protection."

It turns out it was a donation.

Li Qingyan smiled warmly: "On behalf of all the soldiers, I thank Lord Wen."

She solemnly promised: "I will carefully have people screen out those in dire circumstances, and I will never waste Lord Wen's kindness. I will also truthfully inform those who have been taken care of."

Wen Sheng forced a smile: "I believe Your Highness."

"Well..." Li Qingyan was about to say goodbye. She was very busy and needed to rest early. She had to get up early to do physical labor before leaving tomorrow to ensure the smooth progress of this trip.

For the next three days, she didn't want to be unlucky, didn't want to fall, and didn't want any accidents to happen.

Wen Sheng sensed her intention and somewhat rudely interrupted her:

"Your Highness, I've had the kitchen prepare some of your favorite dishes. Would you like some?"

"No need." Li Qingyan had already smelled the fragrance, but refused without hesitation.

Wen Sheng's eyelashes trembled. He had been rejected as expected. He knew she loved to eat, and he had tried to ease their relationship with food before, using the aroma to lure her to go out, but she never went. In fact, she returned to the East Palace even less often afterward.

It seems to have driven her even further away.

"It is indeed quite late tonight." Wen Sheng persisted, "I noticed Your Highness has lost weight and has wounds on your hands. Is your appetite not good? Or should I have my chef accompany you...?"

Li Qingyan glanced at Wen Sheng; in his eyes, she was associated with greed.

That's true, but she still refused. The weight loss was due to her previous anxiety, bad luck, poor diet, and being too busy. The wound was nothing, since she was still alive.

It's hard to go from luxury to simplicity. Having gotten used to eating well and enjoying gourmet food, how can she get back to the days of choking on every bite?

"No need, it's just the heat of summer."

She treated it as a way to lose weight.

Anyway, people work 996 in modern times, and they were used to it in ancient times as well.

If we're talking about being thin, Wen Sheng is even thinner, her waist even more slender than usual. Yet, this haggard and frail appearance only adds to her fragile and vibrant beauty, making her even more captivating and breathtakingly beautiful than usual.

But she didn't look at it much, and her expression remained indifferent.

Their roles seem to have reversed.

Previously, it was Wen Sheng who remained indifferent, but now it's Li Qingyan who has taken over.

However, Wen Sheng is not the same as the Li Qingyan of the past, and he can never become Li Qingyan. He can't be as cheerful as her, nor can he be as... cute as her, and able to make conversation.

Wen Sheng finally met Li Qingyan, but their relationship did not improve.

All that's left is to handle business as it is, and to cooperate.

He supported her financially, and she protected him, giving him status and power.

Wen Sheng's attempt to ease tensions did not succeed.

Li Qingyan quickly took his leave, and Wen Sheng stood in the darkness for a long time watching his group disappear.

They were chatting and laughing just a moment ago, and they had even made plans to find an artist...

But all of this vanished with his hesitation and refusal, with his greed and desire for everyone's well-being.

Even though he knew perfectly well that she was resolute, he still made a mistake.

Knowing that she had been meeting new people, he felt a burning anxiety coursing through his heart, his chest heaving with pent-up frustration and torment. Before seeing His Highness, he had countless things he wanted to say, countless questions he wanted to ask, and countless plea: Your Highness, don't look for them, don't abandon me.

But when he actually saw Her Highness and saw her cold expression, he couldn't utter a single word.

Not to mention Ji Mingzheng.

"Wen Cejun, go back quickly. The night breeze is cool; don't fall ill again."

He quickly advised Wen Sheng.

Wen Sheng hummed in agreement and slowly returned to Zhenxing Pavilion.

The Pillow Star Pavilion is more than twice as spacious as before. The fusion of the two halls has been completed. Now Wen Sheng's living and working areas are separated. When Li Qingyan comes, he will no longer encounter the same situation as before.

However, after the expansion was completed, Li Qingyan never came again.

Wen Sheng returned to her bedroom, recalling Li Qingyan's indifference and the laughter they had shared, and once again found herself unable to sleep all night.

He sat on the bed all night, wrapped in a blanket and hugging his knees.

The next day, before dawn, he still got up to instruct the kitchen. Although Li Qingyan refused, he still made a lot of Li Qingyan's favorite dishes and personally delivered them to her.

She's going to be busy on her journey again, and she might lose even more weight. Even though she's tired of him, he still wants her to eat more.

As dawn broke, fearing he might miss Li Qingyan, he went ahead and waited for her.

Li Qingyan woke up late because last night her head palace maid, Sui Shi, had presented her with a grand gift—a portrait of a handsome unmarried man from the capital.

At the beginning of her life, she was of average appearance but very well-behaved. She was the steward carefully selected by the emperor for her, and she also managed the properties under Li Qingyan's name. She was not in the palace before because she was checking the accounts.

When I came back a few days ago, I was furious to find that Li Qingyan was changing his underwear so frequently.

"A princess with four concubines, and she still suffers this injustice? As her concubines, they dare to refuse her, and yet she treats them kindly. She's really giving them face."

Li Qingyan touched her nose. She just didn't want to look low-class, so she carefully examined the picture book, like she was choosing a concubine.

Finally, they selected several people who were both good-looking and from good families.

"We'll contact them again when we get back to see if they're up to standard."

At the beginning of the year, she didn't know what His Highness meant by the standard of qualification. While deciding to expand the scope of the picture album collection, she also made up her mind that if none of them were qualified, only the four concubines would be. Then she would have to find a way to train them for His Highness and let them know what was good for them!

Based on her previous interactions with several concubines, they were not heartless towards His Highness, but unfortunately, they were all hesitant and indecisive.

She was very dissatisfied. When she came to find Li Qingyan before Wen Sheng and the others to inquire about Li Qingyan's search for someone outside, Sui Shi blocked her with a forced smile.

Every word was polite, but every sentence was barbed.

Wen Sheng got up early to lie in wait, and naturally couldn't escape Sui Shi's eyes and ears.

She made no attempt to hide it, pretending not to notice him, and had the palace servants put away the selected picture albums as usual. She casually said a few words, which made Wen Sheng guess what they were.

Wen Sheng's face paled. When Li Qingyan appeared, she was stunned for a moment and did not speak immediately.

When he came to his senses, someone spoke up before him and went to greet him: "Your Highness, the things are ready."

It is the autumn southern candle.

He was still dressed in women's clothing, but he was completely different from before. His eyes were full of eagerness as he looked at Li Qingyan, like a dog seeing its owner.

Li Qingyan took the collar from his hand: "Do you know what this is for?"

Qiu Nanzhu shuddered slightly: "I know."

He seemed both afraid and excited.

"Very well, come in quickly, I'm busy."

Li Qingyan turned and returned to Jingchen Palace, with Qiu Nanzhu grabbing her sleeve and following behind her.

Li Qingyan turned around and glanced at Qiu Nanzhu, but said nothing.

Wen Sheng froze, watching Qiu Nanzhu follow Li Qingyan into the palace.

The palace doors were wide open, but Wen Sheng didn't have the courage to enter.