Liu Changning narrowed her eyes, the corners of her lips curving almost imperceptibly. She leaned close to his ear and softly replied, “Mm…”

Pei Yuanshao’s relaxed back suddenly stiffened. His eyes deepened slightly, not knowing if it was his imagination, but Liu Cang Yun’s attitude towards him seemed somewhat… intimate!

Pei Yuanshao’s ears reddened slightly, yet he couldn’t control the fleeting peculiar feeling in his heart.

He could only repeatedly replay in his mind the image of that farm girl’s passionate state that night, which made his complexion somewhat better.

Liu Cang Yun’s beauty like the spring dawn and immortal bearing were of no use.

How could she compare to that person?

Could she have that person’s overwhelming fragrance that exuded when aroused, enticing one to sink into depravity?

In this world, apart from that person, no other female ruler had such ability. When she emitted that alluring scent, he would involuntarily spread his legs, begging her to give it to him.

Every time he thought of her, his heart ached slightly.

He was stunned for a moment, concealing all the complex emotions in his eyes.

Turning his head to look at Jing Huan, he said with a half-smile, “What the Southern Garrison King said is extremely correct. This young woman caught this emperor’s eye. I had intended to invite her back to the Mingde Long Emperor Qin’s mansion for some intimate moments… Little did I expect Zhou family girl to rush out and spoil this emperor’s mood, startling the charming guest. If it happens again, don’t blame this emperor for severe punishment.”

He turned his head towards Zhou Huaijin and coldly snorted, his tone neither light nor heavy, yet carrying an undeniable air of authority.

After Pei Yuanshao finished speaking leisurely, he frivolously took out the hand warmer from Liu Changning’s arms and handed it back to Jing Huan.

Raising an eyebrow, he said with a light laugh, “It’s good that the Chief Jing took back the hand warmer. This emperor doesn’t like my people being tainted with others’ scent.”

The woman wearing yellow-trimmed brocade clothes, who had been lowering her head, suddenly looked up. Her full lips slightly pursed, not responding to Pei Yuanshao.

Her phoenix eyes stared directly into Liu Changning’s eyes as she tugged at her mouth and asked in a low voice, “Cang Yun, do you really want to return the hand warmer to me?”

Liu Changning frowned. The Southern Garrison King’s tone was very odd, and the way such a noble king looked at her… was actually full of tender affection.

Liu Changning shook off the chill throughout her body and frowned, saying, “Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. I am unworthy to accept the hand warmer.”

Pei Yuanshao gripped Liu Changning’s hand tightly, his ink-black eyes firmly meeting Jing Huan’s gaze as he said coldly, “Chief Jing, farewell.”

Not far away, some students were already walking towards the back door of the inner courtyard.

Pei Yuanshao glanced at the sea of heads in the teahouse’s main hall. Holding Liu Changning’s hand, he turned and passed through the inner courtyard corridor, exiting through the side door.

Jing Huan stared at their tightly clasped hands, the bloodshot in her eyes about to burst forth.

Just now, that person’s expression towards her was vigilant and impatient, probably having seen through her calculations.

Master had changed. She was no longer the cold, unmoved by worldly affairs, emotionless Daoist ancestor of the past. She could see through her schemes and also understood human hearts.

Three years in the mortal world, and the always supremely intelligent master had already been tinged with worldly smoke and learned the art of human hearts.

Jing Huan clenched her fists and kicked Zhou Huaijin, who was kneeling to the side.

The woman on the ground was caught off guard and kicked over, crying out in pain.

She lowered her head, her narrow eyes flashing with a fierce light.

Jing Huan had called that masked woman Cang Yun, the woman wearing a half silver mask.

If she guessed correctly, it should be Liu Cang Yun.

Zhou Huaijin bowed her head, her mouth opening and closing, silently mouthing three words “Liu Cang Yun”!

――

Being pulled out of the Guiyun Teahouse by her convenient husband, due to his extremely beautiful appearance, red clothes and ink-black hair, dressed carelessly, as soon as they appeared on the bustling street, they attracted careful scrutiny from surrounding vendors and passersby.

Pei Yuanshao stopped in his tracks, originally intending to shake off the hand of the woman beside him, but unexpectedly, she stepped forward and calmly gripped his hand in return, walking towards the Xiangyun Restaurant not far away.

As they walked, she leaned close to his ear and said in a low voice, “Help should be given to the fullest. There’s someone following you on your right rear. I trouble the Long Emperor Qin to continue covering for this commoner. It’s already noon, would Your Highness honor me by having a meal together?”

Pei Yuanshao paused, seeing her tea-colored almond eyes, and swallowed the refusal that had come to his lips.

He nodded, pretending to be intimate as he allowed her to lead him into the nearby Xiangyun Restaurant.

It was just noon, and the restaurant was full of diners.

Liu Changning, holding the hand of the man beside her, strode into a private room on the second floor.

――

“Baiji pork lung soup, winter bamboo shoots with magnolia petals, osmanthus fish strips…”

The young waitress reported a list of dishes with lowered hands, glancing at the two guests not far away.

Her eyes rolled, and she said cleverly, “I wonder if the guests have any dietary restrictions? It would be convenient for me to make recommendations.”

Pei Yuanshao lazily leaned back in the purple sandalwood chair, raising his chin towards the woman in white brocade robes not far away: “Does Lady Liu have any foods she avoids?”

Liu Changning stood by the window, her gaze falling on the bustling street outside. At the entrance of the Xiangyun Restaurant, a small servant dressed in gray clothes was peering around, guarding the restaurant door.

A strange color flashed in her eyes, but it didn’t show on her face.

She replied indifferently, “I have no dietary restrictions, light flavors are fine.”

After selecting and reporting the dish names, the young waitress finally bowed and retreated from the private room.

Liu Changning turned around. The open window had blown her hair a bit messy, tickling her nose and making it itch slightly. She took off her silver mask and cupped her hands towards the man lazily leaning against the wooden chair not far away: “This commoner thanks Your Highness.”

The man opposite nodded distantly. His eyes, black as if dripping ink, met her gaze as he asked aloofly, “The lady doesn’t seem to fear that this emperor will tarnish your reputation?”

Liu Changning’s brows furrowed slightly. She had seen his eyes embarrassed, ashamed, and sorrowful, but never had she seen these black eyes full of self-mockery or devoid of interest in life as they were now.

He was clearly right before her eyes, yet his eyes seemed to have lost their light.

Liu Changning had long felt a strange familiarity with her convenient husband’s eyes, and now seeing the deathly stillness in them, a feeling of being moved arose in her heart from an unknown source.

She stepped forward twice, walking up to him.

Taking the poured tea from the Eight Immortals table and handing it to him, she replied in a gentle voice, “Reputation is surely useless to me, I just do what I can without shame in my heart. Why should Your Highness belittle yourself? If pretending to be such a habitually frivolous person can leave you with a clear conscience, then there’s no wrong in it.”

Liu Changning paused for a moment, glancing at his open collar: “It’s just that now it’s cold, if Your Highness wants to pretend to be such a romantic figure, it would be better to find another way. Having your collar wide open is being unkind to your own body.”

Pei Yuanshao’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly, a drop of tea falling from the porcelain cup onto his fingertip.

He put down the teacup, stunned for a moment, then curved his lips in a faint smile.

Only the trace of sorrow in his eyes couldn’t be hidden: “The world all says that Liu Jun is greatly talented, and this emperor sees it is indeed so. But today, this emperor still has a piece of advice to give you. In this vast Jinling City, those who talk too much die. Liu Jie Yuan should stay away from the Southern Garrison King in the future, she must have designs on you. Of course, stay away from me too. Any woman associated with the Auxiliary State Long Emperor Qin is bound to be criticized by the remonstrating officials.”

Liu Changning looked at the person before her. Those alluringly red lips opened and closed, clearly giving her advice to avoid getting involved in party struggles in the future, yet the words spoken were unusually harsh.

A smile spread in her eyes as she took out a square handkerchief from her bosom and handed it to him, pointing at his fingers and saying softly, “Wipe it, the tea water is hot on the hands. Look, your fingertips are already red from the heat.”

Pei Yuanshao lowered his head, his gaze falling on that handkerchief, unable to move away.