In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

"Yes, Fifth Prince."

Soon after, the manager from the Persian Gulf arrived in a hurry. Following the Fifth Prince's gaze, the manager saw the woman's face and his expression changed, but he quickly concealed it.

"Your Highness, those two women are from the Xie family."

"The Xie family of Chen Commandery?" The Fifth Prince's brows relaxed, and a disdainful smile appeared on his lips. "It's nothing, just a fallen aristocratic family. Put this medicine in that woman's tea and bring it to me."

He took a small paper packet from his sleeve and pushed it in front of the steward. "I want the woman in the pink dress."

The steward's expression changed. He didn't take the package, but bowed and said, "Fifth Prince, I'm afraid this won't do. That woman is the fiancée of the eldest son of the Cui clan of Qinghe. We can't afford to offend her."

The Fifth Prince's expression froze for a moment.

The man in the dark blue robe with dark patterns beside him lowered his voice and said, "Fifth Prince, Cui Yutang is currently favored by the Empress. It is not advisable to touch his people now. This is a crucial period for you. It's not too late to make your plans after you have taken that position."

The Fifth Prince remained silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on Xie Yige's face for a few breaths before reluctantly looking away.

He put the paper package back into his sleeve, picked up his teacup and took a sip, as if nothing had happened.

"I'm leaving." He stood up, wanting to take another look at the other side, but the man inadvertently stood up and blocked his view, so he had no choice but to leave dejectedly.

After he walked away, the black-clad guards who had been hiding behind him came out.

"Master, should we really support the Fifth Prince?"

The man in the dark blue robe with its intricate patterns did not answer immediately. He took a sip of tea, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips, and his deep amber eyes turned to look at the woman opposite him.

She gripped the railing with both hands, watching the alien cat from beyond the realm while talking to the woman beside her.

Sunlight streamed through the openwork of the dome, casting dappled shadows on her face. Suddenly, she broke into a radiant smile, her lips curving upwards, while all around her seemed to darken.

The man's eyebrows furrowed slightly. His features were refined and almost flawless, radiating a rare gentleness. He sighed softly.

"Go and remind that woman."

He paused, then added, "Don't let her know that we were the ones who reminded her."

With that, he picked up a plain bamboo flute from the table, got up, and left.

His steps were steady yet light, like a breeze passing through a hall, leaving no trace; he was clearly a martial artist.

The black-clad guard saw him leave, then turned and disappeared into the private room.

While Xie Yige and Xie Wanning were enjoying Persian cuisine, they suddenly discovered a note under the soup bowl.

She paused for a moment, then slowly opened it, her face instantly darkening.

The note read: "The Fifth Prince attempted to drug you, but was stopped. Be careful in the future."

The handwriting is neat and the strokes are restrained, making it impossible to tell whose hand it is.

"Yige, what's wrong?" Xie Wanning asked, noticing her unpleasant expression.

Xie Yige didn't say anything, but handed her the note. Xie Wanning took it, read it, and then angrily slammed her hand on the table.

"That bastard! Lustful and despicable, does he think the Xie family has no one to rely on?"

"Auntie, this place is probably not safe to stay any longer. Let's go back today." Xie Yige suppressed the nausea surging in her heart and tried her best to make her voice sound calm.

"Okay, I'll take you home first."

After they finished speaking, Xie Wanning escorted her downstairs. Zhixia quickly followed on the other side, her hand already discreetly resting on the short blade at her waist, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

When they arrived at the door, the Persian steward was already waiting there.

He bowed respectfully and said, "Ladies, we apologize for our poor hospitality today. I will send six guards to follow you from a distance and escort you back. Please do not refuse."

Xie Yige then realized that the Persian Gulf was also involved in helping to stop this, so he agreed.

"Thank you for your trouble." She nodded in acknowledgment, her gaze lingering on the steward's face for a moment, as if to say she appreciated the favor.

After returning to the Zhou residence, Xie Yige drank five or six cups of tea to suppress the nausea rising in her heart.

But it couldn't dispel the chill in her heart.

How could such a person be a prince? So despicable! I really want to gouge out his eyes.

Meanwhile, the imperial study in the palace was brightly lit.

Cui Yutang was indeed extremely busy. His seat was temporarily arranged in a corner of the Imperial Study because Empress Wu was going to hold the Spring Ploughing Ceremony in a few days.

This was originally scheduled for February, but it was delayed until now due to the deadlock over the issue of taxes and corvée labor.

He wanted to finalize all the policy details as soon as possible, discuss and confirm them with her at any time, and issue them on the day of the Spring Ploughing Ceremony.

The desk was piled high with files, and the strong tea used to keep him awake had been refilled countless times.

When he returned to Liantang Residence, it was past midnight.

"Master, Yaoyue from the Persian Pavilion has been waiting for a long time," Baoyu reported in a low voice, her tone tinged with caution.

"What urgent matter could she have come so late?" Cui Yutang asked, picking up his teacup as he spoke. He was quite tired today.

"I heard it's related to Miss Xie."

Cui Yutang's grip on the teacup tightened slightly, and his expression turned serious: "Let her in quickly."

After entering, Yaoyue, who was wearing a veil, performed the solemn Persian etiquette, prostrating herself on the ground: "Yaoyue greets the young master." Her voice was choked with sobs and trembling.

"Get up." Cui Yutang's voice turned somber. "What happened today? Why are you so late?"

Yaoyue then recounted the entire story of how the Fifth Prince met Xie Yige that day.

When she mentioned that the Fifth Prince wanted to poison her, Cui Yutang instantly crushed the teacup in his hand.

The sound of shattering porcelain was particularly jarring in the quiet night. Blood immediately flowed from his palm, dripping through his fingers and spreading into dark red flowers on the gray-blue ground.

Baoyu and Yaoyue both fell silent, not daring to even breathe loudly.

"Li Xianning." Cui Yutang spoke this name quietly, yet it was more chilling than any outburst of rage, like the name of a dead man.

"Who is that man next to him?" he continued to ask.

"Reporting to Young Master, it is Pei Chongyi of the Pei family of Hedong."

"The Pei family of Hedong." Cui Yutang's lips curled into an even colder smile. "They're so impatient, supporting any kind of trash."

"Master, would you like to bandage it first?" Baoyu couldn't help but remind him, her gaze falling on his still bleeding hand.

Cui Yutang ignored him. After a moment of silence, he said, "You can all go down now."

He paused for a moment, then said to Yaoyue, "Go back and accept your punishment."

"Thank you for your forgiveness, young master." Yaoyue knelt and prostrated herself on the ground, then stood up, bowed her head, and retreated.

As Baoyu led Yaoyue along, she complained, "How can you be so unreliable? Making our future mistress sit in a semi-open limousine, a mixed bag in the Persian Gulf."

"Isn't it because she wanted to see the Persian cats?" Yaoyue's voice was filled with grievance and frustration. "The view from there is the best in the whole place."

"Why don't you just take it to her house and show it to her?" Baoyu was speechless again.