The clingy concubine ran away, and the sickly prince lost control.

"I have no grudge against the Crown Prince. He is polite and courteous, and doesn't easily get into conflicts with others. Even when Prime Minister Lin targets me, he will mediate between us."

The Empress always acted like a kind-hearted person, and she raised the Crown Prince in the same way.

Pei Shiyuan stroked his chin: "Just remember what you're supposed to do, okay?"

"I know, I've remembered everything Aunt Liu taught me!"

Luo Qingyan tightened her grip on Pei Shiyuan's arm.

Pei Shiyuan glanced coldly at his hand, which was tightly gripping his: "You've given so much now, what if I die? Wouldn't that be a waste?"

"Yes, so don't die. And don't get any wild ideas. I'm just getting used to it in advance so I won't give myself away when we get to the palace."

Luo Qingyan spoke casually.

Daydreaming?

Pei Shiyuan choked on his words. Weren't those his own words?

Even if he had inappropriate thoughts, it was Luo Qingyan who led him astray.

If he thinks about that all day long, how can it not affect him?

I need to go back and copy the "Qingxin Jing" (a Buddhist scripture) to strengthen my concentration.

"Your Highness, what are you thinking about? Your face is a little red. We're almost there. Let me touch up your makeup."

Luo Qingyan took out a powder box and touched up Pei Shiyuan's powder, making his face look even paler.

"Sir, Miss Biao should be waiting for us."

Yuan Qing saw Cui Rou waving in this direction from afar, standing in front of the palace gate.

Luo Qingyan was speechless. Did Cui Rou not have a brain? She sold herself out and then counted the money for the other person.

"Stop," Pei Shiyuan ordered.

Luo Qingyan was surprised. Shouldn't she stay away from Cui Rou? If they got together, Cui Rou might say something if she got into a bad mood.

In the palace, saying the wrong thing can be a matter of life and death.

Yuan Qing didn't understand either, and slowly stopped the carriage.

Cui Rou was even more excited. Her brother Yuan had taken the initiative to stop the carriage, which showed that he still cared about her.

"Cousin, let me do it!"

As soon as Pei Shiyuan got off the carriage, Cui Rou offered to help push his wheelchair.

"Ugh, ugh, pfft." Pei Shiyuan spat out a mouthful of blood all over Cui Rou's skirt.

"Ah, ah!" Cui Rou screamed and backed away.

Luo Qingyan suppressed a laugh. It turned out that Pei Shiyuan had come over to spit blood on Cui Rou. He had originally planned to spit blood at the palace gate and had put a blood pack in his mouth beforehand.

Cui Rou has come to her own door to embarrass herself.

Luo Qingyan hurriedly wiped Pei Shiyuan's mouth, "Your Highness, rinse your mouth."

"Hmph!" Cui Rou turned and went back to her carriage.

What bad luck, he vomited all over her.

This outfit was carefully prepared by her for the palace banquet.

"Miss, let me help you change your clothes." Ginkgo took out a spare set of clothes.

"It doesn't look good, I don't want to wear it."

"Miss, please bear with this for now. There won't be enough time to go back and change," Yinxing advised. She guessed that Pei Shiyuan was doing this on purpose, and that the young lady couldn't see through his true colors.

Cui Rou reluctantly followed Yin Xing to change her clothes.

This set was no match for the previous one. Cui Rou felt completely humiliated and stomped her feet in anger. She watched as Luo Qingyan pushed Pei Shi away, and she became even angrier.

"Miss, could Prince Pei be doing this on purpose?" Ginkgo asked ominously. Her young mistress was confused, and she needed to give her some pointers.

"Who knows?" Cui Rou pouted and headed towards the palace gate.

Imperial banquets were held in the Longhe Hall, while family banquets or small gatherings were usually held there.

Pei Shiyuan deliberately arrived late, and because he encountered Cui Rou on the way, by the time he arrived, everyone else had already arrived.

The emperor and empress sat high above each other.

"No need for formalities, Yuan'er. You're not feeling well, so please take a seat!"

The emperor's eyes were filled with regret. He raised his hand, signaling Pei Shiyuan not to perform the ceremony.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Yuan Qing pushed Pei Shiyuan to the designated spot, then carried him to sit at the banquet.

Luo Qingyan maintained a smile throughout, serving Pei Shiyuan, straightening his clothes and removing wrinkles. After settling down, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at Cui Rou.

Because she noticed that Cui Rou kept looking this way. When she saw Pei Shiyuan being held and seated by Yuan Qing, she rubbed her nose in disgust. When she saw Cui Rou getting close to Pei Shiyuan to serve him, she became jealous and her eyes turned red.

Cui Rou immediately turned sour, realizing it was a palace banquet, she quickly picked up her teacup to ease the awkwardness, then put it down and gave a polite smile.

The Empress gave her an approving look, while smiling as she looked at Luo Qingyan.

Luo Qingyan smiled in response, thinking to herself, "The Empress is indeed as Pei Shiyuan said, never offending anyone, and possessing a gentle, dignified, and elegant demeanor."

"Second brother, look."

Cui Rou complained to Cui Chengxuan, who was standing to the side.

She couldn't stand Luo Qingyan sticking to Pei Shiyuan like a piece of clay. Was it really necessary for their clothes to be pressed together when they were sitting together?

That arm keeps bumping into my brother, what does that mean? It's so annoying.

And the drawing she did today looks like a ghost. Isn't it enough that she usually seduce Yuan-gege? Why does she have to come here and show off?

Cui Chengxuan went to the Ministry of War for his shift early in the morning and came directly to the palace banquet at noon, so he was a little tired.

Cui Rou nudged him, but he paid no attention and just kept eating. He had tasted all kinds of delicacies in the world, but this was the first time he had ever eaten at a palace banquet.

"Second brother only knows how to eat." Cui Rou smiled, but clenched her molars tightly.

A chuckle rang out.

Luo Qingyan looked in the direction of the laughter and saw a woman dressed even more glamorous than herself.

"Consort Ming, the birth mother of the Third Prince," Pei Shiyuan said calmly.

"As expected of a daughter of the Cui family of Qinghe, her poise and elegance surpass even that of noble ladies from the capital!"

Consort Ming smiled deeply, her lips a deep crimson.

"Your Highness is too kind. My daughter is no match for the noble ladies of the capital." Cui Rou rose and curtsied.

Everyone present, who hadn't noticed Cui Rou before, now turned their attention to her.

Among them were the Third Prince and Lin You, the son of Prime Minister Lin.

Consort Ming enjoyed the emperor's favor for many years, and her words carried more weight than even the empress's.

You should definitely get to know who deserves her praise.

"Please sit down, don't be shy," Consort Ming said with a smile. "Your Majesty, if it weren't for Prince Pei's illness, we wouldn't have missed Miss Cui."

"Cough cough cough."

The Empress's violent coughing could be heard. Consort Ming always wanted to outdo her, and had been doing so for so many years. "Miss Cui is good. The Third Prince is still unmarried. If Consort Ming has taken a liking to him, she can ask His Majesty to grant him a marriage."

"Your Majesty, marriage is a major life event, and it depends on fate," Consort Ming said with a smile, always sitting with her back slightly tilted, so that from the Emperor's perspective, her waistline was fully visible.

The Empress didn't even bother to glance at it.

The emperor raised his cup, and everyone followed suit, offering their congratulations in a peaceful atmosphere.

The Third Prince brought in newly acquired dancers, and the singing and dancing continued, accompanied by the sounds of string and wind instruments.

"It was Consort Ming who invited Cui Rou," Pei Shiyuan whispered in Luo Qingyan's ear.

So she was a troublemaking vixen. Luo Qingyan nodded and whispered, "You don't get along with the Third Prince?"

"There's no problem with each other."

Pei Shiyuan said coldly, "Why does Luo Qingyan feel like he has a grudge against everyone?"

He was preoccupied with official duties and had little interaction with others. Even when the emperor ordered the confiscation of property and the extermination of families, it was his responsibility and had nothing to do with him.

The Third Prince likes to win people over, but he never seems to be trying to win him over.

When we meet, we only exchange polite greetings.

Luo Qingyan looked around, unable to discern who had a grudge against Pei Shiyuan and was determined to kill him.

It was just an ordinary palace banquet.

The fact that Cui Rou was summoned suggests that Consort Ming enjoys causing trouble.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, however, eyes held hidden agendas.

Cui Rou looked at Lin You, but Lin You looked at Luo Qingyan. She looked so familiar. Where had she seen her before?

The Third Prince glanced at Cui Rou, then shook his head. She wasn't his type; he didn't want to eat her.