"Mhm!"
The three children chimed in unison.
They knew how to handle such small matters.
They guaranteed they wouldn't call the wrong person.
Yun Changfeng squinted and smiled, his three grandsons made him incredibly proud and boastful, especially compared to Li De's three grandsons.
He felt that his three grandsons were good in every way.
"Grandfather believes in you. We don't cause trouble, but if anyone dares to bully you, you must not be afraid, understand?"
Yun Changfeng didn't care anymore. He was no longer a great general; he was just Yun Shu's father and the maternal grandfather of three grandchildren. In his wife's eyes, only they mattered. If they were bullied, he would fight to the death!
What was the dog emperor of Western Xia, or Li De, to him? They were nothing.
His words were coarse but held truth. The rest of his life was for them.
Yun Shu watched Yun Changfeng's protective demeanor towards the three little ones and smiled, "Listen to your maternal grandfather."
"Mhm, mhm!"
The family enjoyed a harmonious dinner.
After dinner, Qiu Lu entered from outside.
Yun Shu looked at Qiu Lu as he entered and asked, "Is there any news from Yi Qing?"
With Jing Heng guarding the entrance, the spies in the general's mansion couldn't overhear their conversation.
Qiu Lu nodded, "Young Master Ruan said the problem is resolved. They had a quarrel and then made up."
He lowered his voice on the last few words so only Yun Shu could hear.
After speaking, he blushed.
If it weren't for the need to report exactly what Ruan Xi said to the Princess, he wouldn't have said it; it was too embarrassing.
Yun Shu was surprised.
She hadn't expected the usually gentle Ji Rong to have pushed Qin Yi Qing into a fait accompli when pushed to the brink?
Given Qin Yi Qing's obsession with Ji Rong, if Ji Rong had made the first move, she would undoubtedly have lost herself.
She had only intended for them to talk things through, clear up misunderstandings, and have a good future together, but this was explosive.
A moment's thought was enough to guess that Ruan Xi must have given Ji Rong the idea.
...
Under the ink-black night.
Zhen Lin, who had left the Pingyang Prince's mansion that morning, stumbled back to his residence, supported by servants.
Seeing Zhen Lin return tipsy and smelling strongly of perfume, the servants all understood.
The young lord had gone seeking pleasure again.
Who would have thought that the young lord, who had always stayed away from women, would suddenly become so decadent?
None of them knew what was going on, but some privately speculated that the young lord must have suffered some shock, otherwise, this wouldn't be happening.
The servants who encountered him exchanged glances.
The drunken Zhen Lin seemed oblivious to the servants' thoughts.
When he reached his courtyard, he shoved them away, "You may leave."
His voice carried a hint of intoxication.
The young servant at the door was about to remind Zhen Lin, but before he could utter a single word, Zhen Lin had already gone inside.
The moment the door opened, Zhen Lin saw Ning De County Princess sitting in the room.
At that very instant the door opened, Ning De County Princess caught the overwhelming scent of alcohol.
And also a strong smell of perfume.
Ning De County Princess, who could usually remain calm, lost some of her composure due to anger upon seeing Zhen Lin. "Brother, what has gotten into you these past two days?"
He was so unfamiliar, she wondered if the Zhen Lin before her had been swapped out for someone else.
Zhen Lin casually closed the door, a trace of clarity returning to his eyes. Facing Ning De County Princess's questioning, he said calmly, "I'm used to one kind of life, and now I want to try another."
"Are you trying to forget Yun Shu this way?" Ning De County Princess questioned him sharply.
There could be no other reason.
No one understood her brother better than she did.
He wasn't the type of person to be blinded by lust. The merchant's daughter today had only gone for a boat ride; there were no further actions.
And the concubines in the following days did not resemble the disguised Yun Shu.
So what did this prove?
The answer was clear to both siblings!
Zhen Lin's lips tightened.
His expression was blank.
The drunkenness vanished from his face. He walked a few steps towards Ning De County Princess, poured himself a cup of tea, drank a few sips, and then said expressionlessly, "It has nothing to do with her; it's me who wants to indulge."
"You want to become worse so you won't dare to hope for Yun Shu, don't you?! Brother, I am your sister. We grew up together. Don't you think I can guess what you're thinking? Is she worth it for Yun Shu? She came for that person with all her heart. You and I are just chess pieces she can use. Do you understand, chess pieces? Before we could even guard ourselves, she had already made the first move! You and she can never be together, so don't hurt yourself for her! I know you don't like being like this, so why turn yourself into a person you dislike? There are thousands of women in the world. I can find many like Yun Shu for you in the future. Brother, stop hurting yourself. There's a banquet in the palace tomorrow, and you'll see Yun Shu. Perhaps after seeing Yun Shu and her three children, you can finally let go."
Ning De County Princess persuaded him earnestly.
She could feel her brother waver.
She didn't care about others falling into depravity, and would only stand by and watch, but he was her brother!
Her most important kin!
And the only person in this world who treated her well!
Zhen Lin's back bent slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow I will feign illness and not enter the palace."
"You must enter the palace," Ning De County Princess insisted, her attitude firm. He couldn't escape.
Zhen Lin lowered his head, looking at the scent of perfume on his body. He had just held a gentle woman, but Yun Shu's image kept appearing before him, entangled and confusing him. When he lost his reason in his drunken stupor, he truly believed he was holding Yun Shu.
He thought that after a few days of indulgence, he could cast aside his longing for Yun Shu.
However...
It was all his wishful thinking.
Seeing Zhen Lin trapped by his emotions, Ning De County Princess's eyes flickered, and a bold idea suddenly formed in her mind.
Matters of love and desire were actually quite simple. Once obtained, that perceived deep affection would fade.
Why should she and her brother be tormented by those two?
They had already suffered enough torment since childhood.
It was more than enough.
A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes. It was time to devise a plan to fulfill her brother's desires; one night would be enough.
At this moment, Zhen Lin was completely unaware of Ning De County Princess's scheme.
He treated the tea in his hand as wine and gulped it down. He didn't know if his taste buds were off, or if the tea was indeed wine. He was once again lost in a drunken stupor, collapsing onto the table, drowsy.
Seeing this, Ning De County Princess gritted her teeth, "Brother, you must pull yourself together."
...
The next day.
Not long after breakfast, Li De sent someone to inform them to prepare to enter the palace in an hour.