The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

Yun Jin suddenly raised her head, no longer concealing the determination in her eyes, and even no longer deliberately lowering her voice. Although it was still slightly hoarse, it had regained some of the clarity of a woman's voice:

"Mr. Su, let's not beat around the bush. To be honest, I am not some young man seeking refuge with relatives." She took a deep breath and said, word by word, "I am the Third Princess of the current dynasty, Yun Jin."

After speaking, she stared intently at Su Che's face, not missing a single subtle change in expression. Was it surprise? Fear? Greed? Or... had she expected this?

Su Che's expression did indeed change. It was a perfectly balanced expression, a mixture of surprise, realization, and a hint of understanding, as if unexpected, yet also as if confirming some suspicion. He stood up, took a half step back, cupped his hands, and bowed slightly, his posture respectful but not servile: "So it is Your Highness the Princess. I was blind and my apologies."

"Sir, there's no need for such formality. This is not the palace," Yun Jin quickly offered a helping hand, though his palms were slightly sweaty. "I risked leaving the palace and disguising myself as a man; it was truly out of necessity. What you just said was insightful and to the point. To be honest, my current situation is exactly as you predicted, even worse. The Crown Prince has set a wedding date, and on the eighth of next month, he will escort me to the Northern Barbarians. I... I am truly unwilling to accept my fate and become a sacrifice in the exchange of power!"

Tears welled in her eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall, her voice trembling with a desperate resolve: "Since you have a solution to this predicament, you must possess the talent to save the world. Although I, Yun Jin, am alone and powerless, I still hold onto a sliver of resentment and a trace of dignity as a princess. If you do not abandon me, I am willing to help me escape this desperate situation. In the future… I will certainly not fail to repay your kindness today! Whatever you ask of me, as long as I can do it, I will not refuse!"

This was her entire, naked plea and promise. She abandoned her princess-like reserve, revealing all her vulnerability and resentment, placing her hopes on this stranger she had known for less than an hour.

Su Che watched her quietly, watching this princess who, even in dire straits, still tried to straighten her spine, her eyes burning with an indomitable spirit. Compared to Lin Chu, whom he had assisted in his previous life, Yun Jin before him might be more naive and in a worse situation, but her resilience and clarity in the face of adversity gave him a glimpse of another possibility.

He neither immediately agreed nor made a hypocritical refusal. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly spoke, his voice steady and powerful: "Your Highness's frankness is admirable. I am fairly aware of Your Highness's situation. There is indeed room for negotiation regarding the Northern Barbarians, and the Crown Prince's pressure is not monolithic. However, the situation is complex and requires careful consideration, and absolute secrecy is essential."

He raised his eyes, his gaze clear and firm: "This is not the place to discuss matters. If the princess trusts me, we can find a safe place where I can explain my thoughts in detail and discuss countermeasures with Your Highness."

Upon hearing this, Yun Jin felt a huge weight lifted from her heart, and an indescribable surge of excitement and hope welled up within her. He agreed! At least, he was willing to discuss it in detail!

"I do have a secluded courtyard outside the palace, which my mother set up many years ago. No one knows about it except for me and Qingdai," Yun Jin said in a low voice without further hesitation. "It's just that the place is simple and I'm afraid it might be too much of a burden for you, sir."

"It's alright," Su Che smiled. "As long as it's secluded and safe."

"Then... please follow me, sir." Yun Jin stood up and nodded to Qing Dai beside him. Qing Dai understood and went downstairs first to settle the bill and check the situation outside.

A moment later, the three left Qingyuan Teahouse and disappeared back into the misty autumn rain of Linyuan City. Yun Jin and Qingdai led the way, while Su Che followed half a step behind at a leisurely pace, maintaining a subtle, protective distance.

They weaved through the streets and alleys, deliberately avoiding the main roads and choosing instead quiet, secluded lanes. Rain soaked their clothes, and they hurried along. After walking for about half an hour, they arrived at a working-class area near the western city wall. Here, the houses were low and crowded, the alleys narrow and winding, sewage flowed freely, and the air was thick with the scent of poverty and chaos.

Finally, they stopped in front of an inconspicuous, peeling black lacquered wooden door. The door was tightly closed, no different from the other courtyards around it. Qingdai stepped forward and knocked rhythmically on the door knocker a few times.

A moment later, the door creaked open a crack, revealing an old and wary face—a mute woman. Upon seeing Yun Jin, a flicker of excitement flashed in her cloudy eyes. She quickly opened the door, letting the three of them in, then swiftly closed it and bolted it shut.

Inside the gate was an extremely narrow courtyard with only two main rooms and a kitchen built on one side. There was a well in the courtyard, and some miscellaneous items were piled up in the corner, making it look quite desolate. But it was still relatively clean. This was the last secret property and escape route outside the palace left to Yun Jin by her mother, and it was also the only relatively safe place she could think of for their conversation at this moment.

The mute old woman gestured a few times to Yun Jin, then bowed to Su Che before silently retreating back to the kitchen.

"This humble abode is so plain, I hope you'll forgive my rudeness, sir," Yun Jin said somewhat embarrassedly, inviting Su Che to sit down in the main room. The room was simply furnished with a table, two chairs, a wooden bed, an old wardrobe, and nothing else. Qingdai quickly went to boil water and make tea.

"In these chaotic times, it's already a rare find to have such a small, peaceful place," Su Che said calmly, looking around. He could tell that although the place was simple, it was secluded and guarded by a loyal mute servant, making it suitable as a temporary meeting place.

The two sat down at the table. Outside, the rain began to fall, and inside, the light was dim, with only an oil lamp casting a dim yellow glow that projected their shadows onto the mottled wall.

Now that their identities are revealed and the environment is relatively safe, the real dialogue is about to begin.

Yun Jin looked at Su Che's calm profile across the oil lamp, and her heart raced again. She knew that the conversation that was about to begin would determine her fate, and even... might change the course of many things.

"Mr. Su," she composed herself and spoke solemnly, "there are no more Six Ears here. Please speak frankly, sir, what should Yun Jin do? And... how can you help me?"

Su Che met her expectant yet resolute gaze, and slowly spoke, his voice clear and powerful in the quiet, rainy courtyard:

"Your Highness, the first step to breaking this deadlock is to make the Crown Prince realize that forcing you into a marriage alliance is too costly and not worth the effort. And to do this, we need to start by opening a breach with the Northern Barbarian delegation."