I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

The next morning, Lu Yuan stretched and woke up.

When he turned his head, he saw Liu Ruyan staring at him with wide eyes and a happy expression on her face.

Lu Yuan pinched her cheek, a half-smile on his face.

"Liu Ruyan, didn't you say you couldn't get out of bed?"

"When you kicked me last night, weren't your legs quite powerful?"

Liu Ruyan nestled in Lu Yuan's arms, her pink nightgown hanging loosely on her shoulders.

Upon hearing this, her cheeks flushed, and she quickly pulled the blanket up higher.

"When did I ever kick Your Highness?"

"Still not admitting it?"

Lu Yuan raised his hand and tickled her waist.

Liu Ruyan shrank back and hugged his arm, her eyes and brows full of unconcealed shyness.

"Your Highness is bullying us."

"Who bullied whom last night?"

Lu Yuan lowered his head and kissed her. "I really didn't realize that you, who are usually so quiet and gentle, could be so crazy that most men couldn't handle you."

Liu Ruyan buried her face in his chest.

"It was all because His Highness forced us to do it."

"What did I force you to do?"

"Your Highness is asking a question you already know the answer to."

Lu Yuan lifted her chin. "Then tell me, between me and Lu Cheng, who is better?"

The shyness on Liu Ruyan's face faded a little.

She released Lu Yuan and turned her face away.

"What, is it hard to answer?"

Lu Yuan deliberately put on a stern face, "You were flirting with her during the day, and then you came to my room at night. You're eating what's in your bowl while eyeing what's in the pot?"

"I don't!"

Liu Ruyan hurriedly sat up, but her waist ached and she fell back into Lu Yuan's arms.

"I was blind before to believe what Lu Cheng said."

"He told me that Su Yuling was fierce and unworthy of being the prince's principal wife. He also said that he would marry me as long as Su Yuling's reputation was ruined."

"When the affair was exposed, he pushed the concubine out first."

"Yesterday at the Hundred Flowers Banquet, he didn't even dare to admit that he knew me."

Liu Ruyan became increasingly angry as she spoke, and grabbed a pillow, hitting it twice.

"He has no sense of responsibility, no ability, and only knows how to hide behind the Imperial Concubine. His money comes from the Liu family, his people are supported by the Dali Temple, and when something goes wrong, he makes me, a woman, take the blame."

"How dare such a spineless coward compare himself to my husband?"

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Yesterday you were calling him Second Prince, and today you've become a spineless coward?"

"That's who he always was."

Liu Ruyan hugged Lu Yuan's neck, her eyes filled with ingratiation.

"I was ignorant before and was deceived by his sweet words."

"And now?"

"Now I realize that being a woman can be so blissful."

Lu Yuan stared at her for a moment.

"That's a nice thing to say, say a few more words."

Liu Ruyan's ears turned red, but she still moved closer to him.

"My husband is more capable than him."

"What makes it so impressive?"

Liu Ruyan raised her hand and covered his mouth.

"Don't ask any more questions!"

Lu Yuan removed her hand. "How can I know if you don't explain clearly?"

"My husband is amazing in every way!"

Liu Ruyan glared at him, embarrassed and annoyed, and reached for the clothes by the bed.

Lu Yuan got out of bed first and put on his robe.

Liu Ruyan tried to stand up, but her knees buckled as soon as her feet touched the ground.

She steadied herself against the bedpost and glared at Lu Yuan with annoyance.

"This is all your doing."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"Last night I told you to be gentle, did you listen? It was my first time!"

"I remember someone begging for mercy verbally, but their legs were wrapped tightly around my waist and they wouldn't let go."

"You still dare to talk back!"

Liu Ruyan grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.

Lu Yuan reached out and caught it, then placed it back on the bed.

"Alright, get up and eat."

Liu Ruyan sat back on the edge of the bed and stretched out her arms to him.

"I cannot leave."

"Then let the maid bring the food over."

"no."

Why?

"This is my first breakfast since entering the palace. If I don't go to see the Princess Consort, she will think I'm putting on airs."

Liu Ruyan blinked.

"My husband carries me on his back."

Lu Yuan turned to leave.

"Eat it or don't, it's up to you."

"My husband!"

Liu Ruyan rushed over from the bedside and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Lu Yuan was dragged back half a step by her. He turned around and saw that she was standing barefoot on the ground, so he had no choice but to bend down and pick her up.

Liu Ruyan immediately wrapped her arms around his neck, a triumphant smile on her face.

"I asked you to carry me on your back, not to hug me."

"If you say another word, I'll throw you back on the bed."

"I will not say any more."

She verbally agreed, but then leaned closer to Lu Yuan's chest.

When Lu Yuan carried Liu Ruyan into the dining room, the people at the table all looked over at the same time.

Su Yuling held the bowl of porridge, her gaze shifting from Lu Yuan's face to Liu Ruyan, and then from Liu Ruyan to her bare feet.

Shen Hanqiu put down her chopsticks.

Su Bo'an quickly turned his head towards the door, but couldn't suppress the urge to smile.

Liu Ruyan sensed something was wrong and struggled to get down.

"My husband, please put me down."

"Didn't you just say you couldn't leave?"

"You can walk now."

"Your legs really know how to pick where to go."

Lu Yuan placed her on a chair and then pulled out a stool next to him to sit down.

Su Yuling took a sip of porridge. "Weren't you crying your eyes out yesterday?"

"Why can't you even walk properly today?"

Liu Ruyan's cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head to straighten her sleeves.

"Your Highness, I was out of control yesterday."

"You've lost your composure in many ways."

Su Yuling picked up a piece of pickled vegetable and said without any politeness, "You drugged me, helped Lu Cheng harm me, and then pretended to be pitiful at the Hundred Flowers Banquet. Now that you're in the manor, you've become a completely different person after just one night's sleep."

"Miss Liu's ability to change faces is unmatched, even by the opera singers in the capital."

The blush on Liu Ruyan's face faded, and she stood up to bow.

As soon as she put her legs together, she grabbed the edge of the table again.

Lu Yuan reached out and touched her hand.

Su Yuling put down the bowl of porridge.

"You can't even stand properly, what kind of bow are you going to perform?"

"Speak while seated."

Liu Ruyan sat up straight and said apologetically, "Your Highness, I'm sorry for what happened before."

"I was deceived by Lu Cheng. He said that as long as I ruined your reputation, he would ask His Majesty to annul the engagement and make me his principal wife."

"I was confused for a moment, which is why I went along with his arrangements."

Su Yuling looked at her.

"A moment of confusion?"

"He was confused before administering the drug, confused while administering it, and even knew to destroy evidence after the incident."

"You're being confused in a very methodical way."

Liu Ruyan opened her mouth, but couldn't refute it.

Shen Hanqiu pushed a bowl of porridge in front of her.

"Miss Liu, you say you were deceived by the Second Prince, but it's also true that you helped him harm people."

"Yesterday he refused to acknowledge you, so you turned around and said he was bad."

"His Highness treated you better today, and you said you wanted to stay in the manor."

"Who knows, if the Second Prince grants you the position of his principal wife one day, will you still work for him?"

Liu Ruyan quickly shook her head.

"Won't!"

Su Yuling raised her eyelids.

Why should I believe you?

"I can swear."

"Oaths are effective; the Ministry of Justice's prisons are already empty."

Su Yuling placed the longsword on the table. "If you really want to stay in the manor, then bring out something useful."

"Don't expect that sleeping with your husband for one night will wipe the slate clean of past grievances."

Lu Yuan picked up the steamed bun and took a bite, but did not speak up for Liu Ruyan.

Liu Ruyan turned to look at him.

Lu Yuan also glanced at her.

"Why are you looking at me?"

"With the Crown Princess managing the household, I can't protect you without her approval."

Su Yuling scoffed, "Didn't you protect her quite well last night?"

"That's different."

"What's different?"

"Last night was something between husband and wife."

Su Yuling's hand landed on the scabbard.

Lu Yuan immediately lowered his head and drank his porridge.

Shen Hanqiu suppressed a laugh and looked at Liu Ruyan again.

"Miss Liu, if you are not sincere, the Ninth Prince's residence will not be able to keep you."

Liu Ruyan remained silent for a moment, then raised her hand and pulled out the silver hairpin from her hair.

She held the silver hairpin, pressing the tip against her palm.

"I, Liu Ruyan, hereby pledge my allegiance."

"From this day forward, I have nothing to do with Lu Cheng. If I ever again pass on messages for him or plot against anyone in the household, the Princess Consort may do as she pleases."

Su Yuling looked at her but did not reach out to stop her.

Anyone can say nice things.

"I don't want your life, I want something that can prove you've betrayed Lu Cheng."

Liu Ruyan put down the silver hairpin and looked up at Lu Yuan.

"I know a few of Lu Cheng's money bags."

Lu Yuan's eyes lit up instantly, and he abruptly looked up at her.

"Tell me quickly, what kind of money bag is this?"