Fuquan returned to Qianyuan Palace and waited anxiously for An Yue to come and report.

He was so anxious it felt like a hundred claws scratching at his heart.

After cursing them a hundred times in his mind, he couldn’t help but report the situation to the Crown Prince word for word.

Yuanbao was tired, resting his little head on the Crown Prince’s knee.

When he heard Fuquan talking about the situation with Rong Rong, he immediately became alert and listened intently.

Although he didn’t understand what an aphrodisiac was, he wanted to ask his father but noticed Fuquan giving him urgent signals.

So, he obediently closed his eyes again and remained quiet.

“This matter came up suddenly,” Fuquan said with a worried frown. “Miss Xue insists on seeing His Highness, and the staff doesn’t know what to do.” Fùquán was anxious, fearing he might be punished.

But he had seen how the Crown Prince had made it through the years, and he felt sorry for him.

Even if he got scolded again, he needed to try.

The Crown Prince’s eyes were deep and unreadable.

Fuquan waited for a long time but didn’t hear anything from him, unsure of what the Crown Prince thought.

Yuanbao was also waiting for the Crown Prince to speak.

After waiting for a while with no response, he couldn’t hold back and said urgently, “Father, let’s go back quickly. Aunt Rong Rong is calling for you…”

Yuanbao shouted loudly in his urgency, waking everyone in the hall who had been feeling sleepy.

They all turned to look.

Realizing his mistake, Yuanbao shut his eyes and buried his face in the Crown Prince’s lap again.

“Yuanbao is tired; we’ll return to the palace,” the Crown Prince said calmly, picking up Yuanbao who was pretending to sleep on his knee.

Prince Qing smiled, saying, “Yuanbao is really tired; he even dreamed of asking his brother to hurry back.” Everyone laughed, understanding the Crown Prince’s concern for his child.

The Empress Dowager also mentioned that she had noticed Yuanbao yawning and that it was impressive he had stayed awake this long.

Once the Crown Prince had Yuanbao settled into the carriage, Yuanbao quietly opened his eyes and blinked at Fuquan.

Fuquan, feeling relieved, blinked back at Yuanbao.

It seemed he had made the right bet.

---

“Your Highness, Miss Xue is settled in Ruyi Pavilion,” Liu Li said softly to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince gave Liu Li a cold glance, looking displeased. “You used to be careful. Now you’re getting bolder.”

Liu Li quickly knelt down, not saying a word.

An Yue also emerged from the shadows and knelt beside Liu Li.

The Crown Prince, holding Yuanbao, coldly stared at them.

Perhaps having Yuanbao had softened his temperament, making them more presumptuous.

With a cold smile, he left them kneeling and took Yuanbao back to the palace.

On the way back to the Eastern Palace, Yuanbao fell asleep in the carriage.

The Crown Prince carefully placed Yuanbao on the dragon bed and changed his clothes with gentle, slow movements, as if afraid of waking him.

After everything was done, he sat by the bed and quietly watched Yuanbao’s sleeping face.

“Father, aren’t you going to see Aunt Rong Rong?” Yuanbao finally moved and asked.

The Crown Prince’s expression, which had been indifferent, finally showed a hint of a smile.

He quickly fastened Yuanbao’s nightgown belt and gently flicked his forehead. “Hmm? Not pretending to be asleep anymore?”

“I was asleep, but then I woke up,” Yuanbao’s fair little face flushed with a pink hue.

He quickly wiggled his chubby body into his father’s embrace, trying to hide his embarrassment. “Father, you haven’t answered me yet! Fuqian said Aunt Rongrong wants to see you. You should go check on her.”

“She just took some medicine and is acting up. With Liuli looking after her, she’ll be fine.”

“Father, what is an aphrodisiac?” Yuanbao asked again.

“It’s a type of drug that makes people lose their rationality,” the Crown Prince explained patiently, as he always was with Yuanbao.

Yuanbao lowered his head and fell silent.

“What are you thinking about?” the Crown Prince asked gently.

“Father, why does Aunt Rongrong call out for you when she loses her senses? Why doesn’t she call me to save her?”

This puzzled the Crown Prince as well.

It was curious why a woman who seemed so resistant to him would call out for him after being drugged.

If Fuqian and Liuli weren’t lying, it only meant that this woman had been trying to play hard to get with him.

It was quite a high-level strategy; even he had nearly been fooled.

Yuanbao was still troubled. “… Why doesn’t she call out for Yuanbao? Does she not like me?”

“It’s late; you should go to sleep,” the Crown Prince said firmly, tucking Yuanbao into bed.

At this point, Yuanbao had no desire to sleep, but understanding that his father wanted him to sleep, he obediently lay down and stayed silent, his round eyes rolling as he observed the Crown Prince.

However, the Crown Prince did not leave and stayed by Yuanbao’s bedside.

Yuanbao wanted to urge his father to go see Aunt Rongrong, but each time he tried, the Crown Prince silenced him with a glance.

The Crown Prince was very fond of Yuanbao, but Yuanbao never acted out of line in front of him.

Fuqian had told him that the Crown Prince, as the heir, had to help the Emperor with state affairs daily, which was very exhausting.

Yuanbao didn’t want to make things harder for his father.

The father and son sat quietly together until Yuanbao finally fell asleep.

Once he was sure Yuanbao was sound asleep, the Crown Prince left the bedroom.

“Let’s go to the Ruyi Pavilion.”

Fuqian could not read any emotion from the Crown Prince’s face, but since the Crown Prince wanted to go, there must be something to it.

Fuqian dared not say another word and silently accompanied the Crown Prince to the Ruyi Pavilion.

The Ruyi Pavilion was next to the Eastern Palace’s garden and was originally a place for distinguished guests to rest and have tea after enjoying the flowers.

Liuli, who had been summoned, gave her report, while Dark Moon remained kneeling.

Seeing that the master did not ask any further questions, Liuli quietly explained the situation: “Miss Xue’s family wanted to sell her to a wealthy man in the neighboring village as a concubine.

Later, for some reason, they changed their minds.

The wealthy man then sent two thugs to beat up Miss Xue’s family and throw them out of the village, and then sneaked into Miss Xue’s house to commit a crime.

When we left the capital, the master only told me to follow, so I hesitated before taking action and made Miss Xue swallow the aphrodisiac.”

“How is she now?” The Crown Prince asked in a calm tone.

However, this indifferent tone made those around him anxious and unsure.

Liu Li reported honestly, not daring to exaggerate. “It’s just ordinary aphrodisiac. It should be enough to give her more water when it acts up. I estimate that Miss Xue took too much of the medicine, so she might have a few more episodes.”

The Crown Prince nodded quietly and stepped into Ruyi Pavilion.

Fuquan moved forward to stand at the entrance of Ruyi Pavilion, making it clear that he intended to stay outside.

The others following the Crown Prince also remained outside.

---

Upon entering, the Crown Prince saw Rong Rong lying unconscious on the bed.

He approached, placing his hand on her delicate wrist.

Her pulse was chaotic, indicating that she had indeed been given too much medicine.

Perhaps sensing someone nearby, Rong Rong suddenly turned her wrist and grabbed the Crown Prince’s hand.

“Your Highness,” Rong Rong’s gaze was hazy, but upon seeing the Crown Prince, she seemed to regain her senses and urgently clung to him.

Earlier, due to the effects of the medicine, her clothes had been tossed aside.

Now, as the blanket was lifted, her white skin was exposed.

The Crown Prince’s brows furrowed slightly.

He picked up a nearby silk blanket and covered Rong Rong entirely.

Despite being under the influence of the drug, Rong Rong’s movements were still very agile.

In an instant, she had wormed her way into his arms, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Your Highness.”

Her voice carried a hint of crying.

The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned and reached out to hold Rong Rong’s chin.

Her face, usually pale, was now tinged with a delicate pink due to the medicine, making her appear pitiful and endearing.

Even though the Crown Prince had never been moved by Rong Rong, he had to admit that she was very beautiful.

But now, this beautiful face looked up at him with tearful eyes, and her dark eyes were misty, with tears falling from her trembling lashes.

The Crown Prince had never heard of an aphrodisiac causing such effects.

If he hadn’t personally checked Rong Rong’s pulse, he might have believed that Rong Rong and Fuquan were staging a play for him.

As the Crown Prince pondered, Rong Rong clung even more tightly to him.

“Your Highness, don’t leave me.”

The Crown Prince was stunned.

A familiar feeling suddenly hit him.

It was as if he had been struck by lightning.

He realized why he had always paid more attention to this woman.

She had the same… scent as her.

She was saying the same things?

Rong Rong beside him continued to cry.

Unable to bear looking at her any longer, the Crown Prince turned and rushed out of Ruyi Pavilion.

---

The snow that had fallen all night finally stopped in the morning.

Liu Li stepped out of Ruyi Pavilion and saw the distant sunrise, sighing in relief.

A young eunuch approached respectfully and called out, “Sister Liu Li.”

“Miss Xue has woken up. Prepare some light breakfast to be sent over. Also, send someone to reply to Fuquan,” Liu Li had stayed with Rong Rong all night, and by dawn, the effects of the medicine had worn off.

“Yes.” The young eunuch responded and went on his way.

Liuli returned to the Ruyi Pavilion and saw that Rongrong had already sat up by herself, wearing only a belly band and with her long hair messily draped around her.

Because of the frequent effects of the medicine throughout the night, she hadn’t slept well, and there were dark shadows under her eyes.

Even so, her beauty was undeniable.

“Miss Xue, you’re awake?” Liuli picked up a piece of clothing from a nearby rack and walked over to help Rongrong put it on.

Rongrong turned her head to see it was Liuli, and she wasn’t too startled.

She reached out to take the clothing and put it on herself.

After a while, she asked in a muffled voice, “How did I end up in the Eastern Palace?”

“After Miss Xue left the capital, Young Master Yuanbao was worried and instructed me to follow and protect you. I was careless and didn’t see the villains climbing through your window. I acted too late.”

Recalling the three repugnant villains from last night, Rongrong felt a shiver of disgust.

She immediately got up and bowed to Liuli. “I am deeply grateful for your help. I will never forget it.”

Liuli helped her up. “Miss Xue need not thank me. I was just carrying out orders. Once you’re ready, I’ll take you to see Young Master Yuanbao. You can thank him then.”

“Liuli, I remember being given something unclean by those villains last night. Did I make a fool of myself?”

“You didn’t make a fool of yourself.” Liuli’s eyes briefly showed an unusual expression but quickly smiled and shook her head. “That thing wasn’t particularly powerful. The effects are just temporary; drinking some water during the effects is all that’s needed. It’s not something to be embarrassed about.”

Rongrong felt slightly relieved, as long as Liuli was okay.

She quickly cleaned up and changed her clothes.

Soon, a little eunuch brought her breakfast, which consisted of the usual palace fare: yam and lily porridge, crystal plum blossom buns, dried tangerine peel beef, and sweet and spicy crispy melon.

After a few bites, tears started to well up. After all these years, the Eastern Palace’s cook hadn’t changed.

After breakfast, Wang An arrived.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has taken Young Master Yuanbao into the palace. It’s unknown when they will return. His Highness said if Miss Xue has no issues, she may leave on her own.”

Liuli seemed a bit surprised.

After a moment of distraction, she turned her attention back to Rongrong.

Rongrong was also a bit surprised.

Liuli had said that the Emperor’s grandson instructed her to secretly protect her, but even though Yuanbao was of high status, he was just a four-year-old child.

It seemed the idea to track her down likely came from the Crown Prince.

She had been thinking about how to leave today, but instead received a simple permission to leave.

“In that case, I will leave immediately.” Rongrong gave a slight bow to Wang An. “If Young Master Yuanbao asks, please convey my thanks.”

“Of course.” Wang An conveyed the message and then left.

Liuli looked at Rongrong and sighed slightly. “I’ll see you off.”

Rongrong thought it wasn’t necessary; after all, she had walked these paths in the Eastern Palace many times before. However, she still smiled and said, “Please lead the way.”

Since Liuli had brought Rongrong to the Eastern Palace in a hurry yesterday, there was nothing much to tidy up.

The clothes Rongrong was wearing were also picked out by Liuli.

As Rongrong followed Liuli, everything looked as it did before, stirring her emotions.

“Thank you, Liuli, for taking care of me for so long. I truly feel sorry for the trouble.”

“Miss Xue, you’re overestimating me. I’m just doing my duty for my master. You don’t owe me any gratitude,” Liú Lí said.

“Take care.”

“Take care.”

Liu Li spoke in her usual manner.

Rong Rong simply nodded, offered a polite bow, and then walked toward the main street.

Liu Li stood by the corner gate, watching Rong Rong’s departing figure, but her mind was filled with the image of the Crown Prince running out of Ruyi Pavilion in distress last night.

She had never seen the Crown Prince like that, so disoriented and lost… Liu Li had a feeling that Rong Rong would return.

---

After leaving the Eastern Palace, Rong Rong went straight back to Huaihua Lane.

Although many had gone home for the New Year, there were still some people around.

Mei Ningxiang’s embroidery workshop had taken in several homeless seamstresses.

In just one day, the courtyard had been decorated with two large red lanterns and festive couplets, adding a lot of holiday cheer.

“Why are you back so soon? Didn’t you stay at home longer?” Mei Ningxiang’s voice came from behind.

Rong Rong turned around, forcing a smile, and wished Mei Ningxiang a Happy New Year.

Mei Ningxiang was dressed in new clothes with a deep blue base and gold patterns, looking especially festive and prosperous.

“Did something happen?” Seeing Rong Rong’s pale face, Mei Ningxiang came forward and held her hand, asking with concern like an elder sister.

“Something happened, and I’m afraid I might not be able to go home.”

Mei Ningxiang assessed Rong Rong and smiled. “Don’t worry. As long as you’re fine, that’s what matters.”

That was true.

Although the night had been difficult, it was safe in the end.

“Come, let’s go to my place for a meal today. It’ll help you relax,” Mei Ningxiang said, pulling Rong Rong towards her home.

Unlike the festive decorations at the embroidery workshop, Mei Ningxiang’s home had no special decorations, no lanterns or couplets.

Only the plum trees in the courtyard had colorful silk ribbons with pretty knots hanging from them.

“I don’t like celebrating the New Year. I prefer good food and clothes any other day!” Mei Ningxiang pouted playfully, “We’re not short of money.”

Although she was four or five years older than Rong Rong, Mei Ningxiang still had a youthful and playful demeanor.

“Sister Mei, you live so freely. I really envy that.”

“Freely? I’m just too lazy to think too much. I can tell you’re a thoughtful person, but in life, we can’t always control everything. One must accept their fate. No amount of thinking will change it, so just relax and go with the flow.”

Rong Rong looked at Mei Ningxiang, reflecting on her words.

She thought about how, in both lives, she had always been cautious and careful, but trouble kept arising.

In her past life, she had even met a tragic end.

One can’t fight fate.