Thrown out of the house, the wet nurse enters the noble household and becomes a person of high statu

It's actually the Crown Prince?

Liu Wenying froze.

The hand warmer was still in her palm, but she suddenly felt a chill down her spine.

She should have thought of this earlier: how could she ambush and kidnap people right under the emperor's nose and still make the eunuchs treat her with utmost respect?

Who else could it be but the Crown Prince, who is second only to the Emperor?

"He was the one who sent people to attack you in the hunting grounds last time."

Liu Wenying found it hard to believe.

"Why? I'm a complete stranger to him, we've never had any interaction, so why is he targeting me time and time again?"

"During the hunt at the Xishan Hunting Grounds, the Crown Prince secretly tampered with the Second Prince's saddle, intending to make the Second Prince fall off his horse."

Either injure himself or lose face in front of everyone, so as to weaken the Second Prince's power.

And you happened to notice the abnormality in the saddle, kindly pointed it out, and ruined his plans.

"So... my being pushed off the cliff was also done by the Crown Prince's men?"

Liu Wenying should have expected this, but she just couldn't believe it.

She was just an ordinary person who offered a well-intentioned reminder, but she never expected it to cause such a stir.

"They have taken you captive but are not killing you because you are more valuable to them alive than dead."

Liu Wenying raised her head and met his calm, unfathomable eyes.

"The old man guessed right, they gave me poison and asked me to poison Old Madam Yu."

Liu Wenying bit her lip, "It was that poison that I used..."

"Used it?" Now it was Pei Dingxuan's turn to be puzzled.

"Yes, the old man led his men to chase after us, alerting them, so I took the opportunity to splash the poison on the eunuch's face."

Liu Wenying said with some regret, "If we could have left even a little bit behind, wouldn't it have been easier for the old man to investigate? It would have been like a piece of evidence, wouldn't it?"

In the heat of the moment, she poured it all out, even throwing away the bottle.

Pei Dingxuan smiled, stood up, placed his hands on her shoulders, and gently held them.

His sudden approach made Liu Wenying freeze for a moment.

"You did a good job. The other party has been poisoned. At best, they cannot be seen by others; at worst, they will die. At that time, we only need to investigate the eunuchs in the palace who have taken leave or gone missing."

Liu Wenying's cheeks flushed. "It's good that I can help you, sir."

He sat on the edge of the bed, his hands still on hers, but now he held her left shoulder with one hand instead of both.

"Do you remember what I told you in the carriage?"

Liu Wenying thought for a moment, then nodded, "I remember."

"Well, it's not hard to guess why they arrested you. You were sent by the Duke of Yu's mansion. The two families already have differing political views, and if something happens to Old Madam Yu..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Liu Wenying finished it for him: "I was the fuse that ignited the conflict between the two families."

When Old Madam Yu had an accident, everyone suspected that it was the work of the Duke of Yu's mansion.

When the time comes, the Duke of Yu's mansion and the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion will completely turn against each other, and the Crown Prince will be able to reap the benefits.

If the poison is not immediately fatal, and the Crown Prince has the antidote, he can use the image of the savior to bring the Duke of Zhenguo under his command.

Liu Wenying understood perfectly well.

If she refused to comply when she was kidnapped, she would die on the spot.

If they agree, they will kill them to silence them after the deed is done.

Either way, it's death.

Fortunately, the bone whistle the old man gave her became the key to breaking the deadlock.

"Thank you, sir."

Liu Wenying was no longer so resistant to his unintentional contact and was sincerely grateful.

Pei Dingxuan's lips curved into a slight, genuine smile.

He used to relentlessly pursue her, pushing her further and further away.

She feared him and avoided him as if he were a drawn sword.

Now that he has learned to sheath his knife, he can actually get closer to her.

"Since it is Grandmother who wants you to go back, and today's events were dangerous, it is possible that the other party has no other tricks up their sleeve. I will take you back."

What he said made sense, and Liu Wenying did not refuse, nodding and saying, "Thank you for your trouble, sir."

Outside the inn, the snow had stopped.

Pei Dingxuan mounted his horse and reached out his hand to her, making the exact same gesture as at the alley entrance.

Previously, they were trying to escape being hunted down, but now the situation isn't so urgent.

Liu Wenying held Luo Luo in her arms, looked up at him, and hesitated.

"The incident happened so suddenly that we didn't have a carriage prepared. Shall we make do?"

Liu Wenying said softly, "I won't settle."

Finally, she placed her hand in his palm.

Pei Dingxuan pulled her and Luo Luo onto the horse and held them firmly in his arms.

He held the reins with one hand and held the mother and daughter tightly with the other to prevent them from falling.

"Do you remember the horseback riding lessons I taught you before?"

The breath brushed past my ear, feeling even hotter in the cold weather.

Liu Wenying nodded, "I remember."

Pei Dingxuan's lips curled up slightly. "Then tighten your grip on the horse's belly and sit tight."

Liu Wenying did as he was told. He gave a soft shout, and his horse reared up, treading through the snow-covered streets towards the Yuguo Duke's Mansion.

Winter days are short and dark. In front of the Duke of Yu's mansion, lanterns were already lit, glowing red.

A carriage with a magnificent canopy and jeweled roof stopped at the entrance, the curtain slightly lifted, revealing a glimpse of the hem of a scarlet dress.

Pei Yaojun sat inside, waiting listlessly.

He finally received news that she was coming back, so he sent someone to pick her up, but she was not found along the way, so he had no choice but to come back and wait.

With the wind and snow raging outside, she must have been cold and hungry coming back alone.

Fortunately, he had prepared a hand warmer and snacks in advance.

The clattering of hooves grew louder as the horse approached; someone dared to ride a horse so boldly in front of the Duke's mansion!

Pei Yaojun curiously peeked out, only to be met with a scene that chilled him to the bone.

Liu Wenying sat on her horse, held in someone's arms. The person was wearing a black cloak and had a somber expression; it was Pei Dingxuan.

The two rode together on one horse, their intimate posture making them particularly eye-catching against the vast expanse of snow.

The cold air hit his face, damp and chilly, and Pei Yaojun's smile gradually faded.

Why did she end up with Pei Dingxuan?

My older brother has always disliked her and has many prejudices against her, so why would he personally go to pick her up?

Liu Wenying, on horseback, was preoccupied with her daughter and had just experienced the horror of being kidnapped, so she did not notice the carriage in front of the mansion gate.

It wasn't until Pei Dingxuan pulled on the reins and helped her and Luo Luo off the horse that she inadvertently caught a glimpse of the carriage and the person inside.

"Third Master? What are you doing here?"

Pei Yaojun jumped out of the car, walked a few steps to her, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her away.

Liu Wenying stumbled as he pulled her, and Luo Luo in her arms stirred, nuzzling her little face against her neck before falling into a deep sleep again.

"Third Master, what are you doing?"

"She was just quite frightened, don't be willful," Pei Dingxuan said calmly.

Pei Yaojun stopped and turned around. "Scared? I'd like to ask, where exactly did my brother take her that could frighten her?"

The words were laced with barbs, and Liu Wenying couldn't bear to listen anymore. "Third Master, you misunderstand. If it weren't for Eldest Master's timely intervention, this servant would have already—"

"He treated you like that before, and you still speak well of him?" Pei Yaojun interrupted her.

Liu Wenying was taken aback. "What I said is the truth. How did it become flattery?"

She keeps calling herself a servant, but why are the things she says so infuriating?

Pei Yaojun's anger and jealousy grew stronger, so he stopped arguing and pulled her towards the mansion.

Unable to break free, Liu Wenying glanced back.

Pei Dingxuan stood tall and elegant before the horse, saying, "Wenying, go back and rest well. Don't think about anything else."

Before Liu Wenying could answer, Pei Yaojun pulled her around the screen wall, and the sound dissipated.

Pei Dingxuan did not stop her, using retreat as a tactic to advance; the more he did this, the more she would worry.

…………