With her delicate face and slender waist, the royal uncle lost control.

Just as she was hesitating whether to turn around and take another look.

Qin Jiuchen's deep and magnetic voice rang out unhurriedly in the quiet room.

"Three years ago, I was ordered to inspect the northwestern border. The furthest I went was to a place called 'Fengming Town,' which was near the border. Further west lay the vast Gobi Desert and foreign tribes."

Yun Nian was immediately drawn to the sound, and quietly turned her head slightly to listen.

"In that place, strong winds blow for most of the year, carrying sand and gravel that sting your face. Locals, both men and women, usually cover their faces with thick cloths when they go out, leaving only their eyes exposed."

"Their clothes are also very different from those of the Central Plains. The men mostly wear fur-lined coats, while the women's dresses are extremely brightly colored, decorated with intricate silver ornaments and colorful embroidery, making a tinkling sound when they walk."

His voice was calm, but the scene he described was extremely exotic, and Yun Nian could almost see the endless yellow sand and the colorful crowds.

Qin Jiuchen paused, as if recalling something interesting.

"Once, a young girl from another tribe took a fancy to one of our young captains. The girl wasn't shy at all; she simply took a bowl of mare's milk wine, walked up to him, sang a song, and looked at him with sparkling eyes."

"The captain was a hothead; his face turned redder than the red tassel on his uniform. He was at a loss and almost knocked over his wine bowl, which caused the people around him to burst into laughter."

Yun Nian listened intently, and the vivid and lively scene involuntarily appeared in her mind, completely different from the square sky and complicated formalities she saw in the backyard of the Prime Minister's mansion.

She couldn't help but interject, "And then what? Did the captain accept the wine?"

Qin Jiuchen glanced at her, seeing the curiosity and anticipation in her eyes, and continued, "According to their custom, accepting the wine means accepting the other party's kindness. In his panic, the captain actually accepted it, and then, amidst the even louder cheers of the crowd, he forced himself to drink it. As a result, he choked on the strong liquor and coughed repeatedly, while the foreign girl laughed even more happily."

"And then what?" Yun Nian asked, completely absorbed in the story.

"And then?" Qin Jiuchen raised an eyebrow slightly. "After the patrol mission ended, we left. The captain, it is said, entrusted a merchant caravan to send that girl a jade hairpin from the Central Plains the following year. As for what happened after that, I don't know."

The story ends abruptly, leaving endless room for imagination.

Yun Nian felt a little lost, but also felt that this ending was more realistic and meaningful.

She murmured, "Wind Howl Town, brightly colored dresses, dancing around a campfire, it must look so beautiful and so carefree."

She turned to look at Qin Jiuchen again, "Your Highness, are there many more interesting places like that outside?"

Qin Jiuchen met her clear, bright eyes, the candlelight flickering on her face.

He withdrew his hands from the bedpost and sat up straight.

The gentle aura that had been present during the storytelling had vanished, replaced by the usual coldness.

"A lot," he replied simply, standing up. "You should rest."

The medicine had been administered and the story had been told; he seemed to have no reason to linger any longer.

He took a step and walked outside.

The figure in black disappeared beyond the beaded curtain, and Yun Nian revealed a triumphant smile.

Aside from Qin Jiuchen's thoughts being a bit harder to fathom than expected, tonight's progress has largely followed her plan.

Even the fact that he was able to tell her a story was an unexpected bonus.

"Miss!"

The door was pushed open and then quickly closed.

Qiluo rushed in and pounced on the bedside in a few steps.

The little girl's eyes were swollen like peaches, and her face was streaked with tears.

"How are you? Is the injury still very painful? What did the imperial physician say?"

She bombarded her with questions, looking flustered and at a loss for what to do.

Seeing her, Yun Nian felt a warmth in her heart. She reached out and grasped Qi Luo's cold, trembling hand, and said gently, "Don't be afraid, I'm much better. It's all thanks to your quick thinking that you were able to bring the Prince here in time."

Qi Luo shook her head blankly: "No, Miss, it wasn't the prince I invited!"

Yun Nian was taken aback: "What?"

Qi Luo sobbed as she explained, "I understood your hint and ran back to the palace desperately to ask the prince for help, but he wasn't there at all."

"This servant was so anxious that I didn't know what to do. I wanted to go to the young master for help, but before I could see him, I heard the servants say that you should come back immediately so that I could get ready."

Yun Nian suddenly sat up straight.

The sudden movement aggravated the still-healing cane wound on her back, and the sharp pain made her furrow her brow instantly, but she didn't care at all.

He stared intently at Qiluo: "You mean, you didn't actually ask him for help at all? He appeared on his own and saved me?"

Qi Luo carefully recalled the chaotic situation at the time and nodded firmly: "Yes, Miss."

Yun Nian's heart sank suddenly.

The slight warmth and sense of accomplishment that had just arisen were instantly replaced by a cold sense of vigilance.

She slowly leaned back onto the pillow, the pain in her back injury particularly clear at this moment, as if reminding her of the cruelty of reality.

Seeing that her expression was not right, Qiluo quickly wiped away her tears and comforted her, "Miss, this means your plan has been even more successful! The Prince must be starting to care about you, which is why he went to save you. I saw that the Prince looked very upset at the time; he must have been heartbroken for you..."

"No,"

Yun Nian interrupted her, her voice calm, "He definitely didn't come to save me because he cared or felt sorry for me."

Qi Luo was taken aback: "Miss?"

Yun Nian closed her eyes, then opened them again after a moment, her eyes now clear. "He has never truly let go of his suspicions about me. From the moment I stepped into the Ningxiang Prince's mansion, he has been secretly monitoring my every move."

Qi Luo covered her mouth in fright, her eyes widening: "Surveillance?"

Yun Nian slightly tugged at the corners of her mouth, but the curve held no real joy. "Think about it, how long has it been since the news of my theft of the list was leaked? My father just punished me for it, and almost at the same time, he happened to appear in Yun Duantao's courtyard?"

"What kind of coincidence is this? The only explanation is that he has been keeping an eye on the Prime Minister's residence and on me. Everything that has happened to me is under his control."

Qi Luo felt a chill run down her spine: "But... but if the Prince suspected you, why did he save you?"

"That's where his brilliance lies, and that's also where I underestimated him."

Yun Nian's voice lowered, carrying a solemn tone of having met her match. "My original plan was to use a series of coincidences and misunderstandings to gradually dispel his suspicions about me, and even make him feel a little guilty."

"Now it seems he's far more difficult to deal with than I imagined. Perhaps he saved me to see how I would react in a desperate situation, and whether I would have any weaknesses."

She paused, then changed the subject.

"However, tonight's events weren't entirely without merit. At least, he personally led me away from danger, applied medicine to my wounds, and promised to give me books and tell me stories..."

"Whatever his purpose, these actions in themselves represent a shift in attitude. He is still very suspicious of me, but at least he no longer sees me as a pawn that needs to be carefully guarded against and can be discarded at any time, as he did at the beginning. This can be considered the first step in laying the groundwork."

Qi Luo only vaguely understood, but seeing Yun Nian's calm expression, she felt somewhat relieved. However, she was still puzzled: "Miss, what exactly is your plan? The more I listen, the more confused I get!"

Yun Nian glanced at her, at this loyal yet naive girl who had followed her since childhood.

She hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I never really wanted to steal the prince's list. My initial display of interest in the list and some seemingly suspicious behavior in front of him were all deliberate acts for his benefit."

"I had Yue Xing disguise himself as Chen Sha and deliberately reveal his presence to Qin Senyao, making him mistakenly believe that he had obtained the list."

When Yuexing was mentioned, Yun Nian's eyes dimmed.

Those were the martial arts practitioners she had saved by chance in her previous life, and they were one of the few remaining, hidden, sources of support for her now.

This matter is extremely risky. If Qin Jiuchen or Qin Senyao discovers it, the consequences will be unimaginable.

"Qin Senyao..."

Yun Nian slowly uttered the name, and fragments of memories from her previous life uncontrollably surfaced in her mind.