Her rosy lips were tightly pressed together, her beautiful eyebrows filled with killing intent, and her delicate shoulders trembled violently.

The coldness and ferocity surrounding her seemed to freeze anyone to death.

Their eyes met, and the rage in her pupils seemed to slice him into a thousand pieces.

Xie Jin Yan thought that if he didn't rely on his identity as the Crown Prince, he would have ended up like Chen Da and Chen Er that day in the bathroom.

*Bang*, a loud crash.

He stared coldly at the woman for a moment, then slammed the door and left.

Yu Qingwu stood there, watching Xie Jin Yan's departing figure, tears slowly streaming down her cheeks.

As he had said, she prostituted herself to him for revenge, so how was she different from a prostitute?

Yet, she still greedily desired more, still believed his sweet words! Now, not only had she not avenged her grievances, but she was likely to die in this deep palace.

Qingwu stared blankly at the empty doorway, then suddenly collapsed to the ground, laughing. She laughed and then cried again, her voice not loud, but revealing a helpless, broken, and heart-wrenching pain.

Xie Jin Yan had just reached the door when he was startled by the mournful crying.

Turning back, he glanced deeply inside, then turned around and went back...

"Your Highness..." Just then, a voice suddenly came from the shadows.

Xie Jin Yan frowned and looked back.

In the dim courtyard, Feng Yuan was holding a small lantern and walking quickly towards him.

Xie Jin Yan's expression instantly turned cold and stern. He glanced at him with some displeasure and said coldly, "What is it?"

Hearing this, Feng Yuan did not answer immediately, but carefully approached Xie Jin Yan, walked slowly to his ear, and whispered, "Your Highness, as you expected, that person has indeed appeared. He has been wandering around the Crown Prince's residence all afternoon, and several times even wanted to jump over the wall and break into Chunfang Pavilion."

"In addition, he also met with the eldest son of the You family today. The two met in a brothel and called for a dozen courtesans. However, as far as this humble servant knows, the eldest of the You family is not one for sensual pleasures."

Feng Yuan's face was wary. After speaking, he lowered his voice to the lowest possible level and asked Xie Jin Yan, "Your Highness, what do you think? How should we deal with him? Do we need to arrest him?"

"Arrest him? On what grounds?"

"Although he is a spy from an enemy country, on the surface he is just a messenger. What good would it do to arrest him? Let him stay for now. If he wants to rekindle his relationship with A'Yue, let him. Perhaps we can use this opportunity to turn him against them."

"At least, we can make him break with the You family."

Xie Jin Yan raised his eyebrows, glanced at the warm pavilion again, and heard the woman's soft sobbing coming from inside. His chest trembled, and he coldly ordered Feng Yuan, "Alright, we'll talk about the rest back at the Crown Prince's residence."

"Yes." Feng Yuan nodded, and couldn't help but glance in the direction of the warm pavilion, feeling extremely wronged in his heart.

It wasn't his idea to deliberately get close to Gao Minyue to lure out the spy. Why was His Royal Highness the Crown Prince giving him the cold shoulder?

"By the way, send a few more people to the East Palace."

Xie Jin Yan walked slowly ahead, took two steps, and then whispered to Feng Yuan.

In the darkness, the man's figure was gradually swallowed up.

Yu Qingwu sat on the cold floor, not knowing how long she had cried. Feeling that the water in the tub was cold, she changed it.

She slept very poorly that night.

After arguing with Xie Jin Yan last night, Yu Qingwu's mind was filled with images of him scolding her.

She suddenly felt a little scared, afraid that after losing Xie Jin Yan's favor, she wouldn't even be able to protect her life.

She was still too impulsive.

Now, although she was nominally the Crown Princess, she had almost nothing except Xie Jin Yan. Compared with those powerful and influential daughters of noble families, she was even more inferior.

Even if she possessed the skills her master had taught her, enough to establish herself in the world.

But without a backer, in this capital filled with the shadows of swords and flashing blades, death would come in an instant.

"Your Highness the Crown Princess, you should go to Fengzao Palace to pay your respects to the Empress."

Yu Qingwu was sitting in front of the bronze mirror, lost in thought, when she suddenly heard the voice of a maid.

The speaker was called A'Pei, and she came from the Empress's palace. It was said that she was originally the daughter of an official family, who had come to the palace for the imperial concubine selection, but was favored by the Empress and became a lady-in-waiting by the Empress's side.

A'Pei was born with a quiet and gentle demeanor, a steady temperament, and was even more thoughtful in her handling of matters.

Through the mirror, Yu Qingwu saw A'Pei taking a snow-white cloak from the wooden shelf, walking over, and gently urging Yu Qingwu, "Your Highness, you probably won't have time to eat breakfast today. Why don't you go to pay your respects to Empress Zhou first, and then come back to eat?"

"Okay, let's go." Yu Qingwu nodded, her face calm, but a flash of sharpness flickered in her eyes.

Yes, the Empress.

Since Xie Jin Yan was unreliable, why didn't she rely on the Empress?

Wouldn't it be more useful to serve Empress Zhou well than to rely on Xie Jin Yan?

Thinking this way, Yu Qingwu's depressed mood brightened slightly.

All the way from the East Palace, through the palace road, when she arrived at Fengzao Palace, Consort Shu and several other imperial concubines had already arrived. In addition, Xie Ruizhi was also there, but for some reason, her eyes were red.

"This humble subject pays respects to the Empress." Yu Qingwu stepped forward and bowed to Empress Zhou with the utmost respect.

Empress Zhou had her usual kind and benevolent expression, waved her hand, and motioned for her to rise and sit down.

Afterwards, after the concubines reported on the affairs of the palace, seeing that there was nothing major, she dismissed them all.

Leaving only Yu Qingwu and Xie Ruizhi.

Yu Qingwu looked at Empress Zhou, and then at Xie Ruizhi's weeping appearance, and roughly understood Empress Zhou's intention, presumably wanting herself to say something to Xie Ruizhi.

She frowned slightly and asked Xie Ruizhi softly, "What's wrong, Sixth Princess? Why does it look like you've been crying?"

Hearing this, Xie Ruizhi immediately opened the floodgates and said angrily, "Royal Sister-in-law, you be the judge!"

"What exactly happened?" Yu Qingwu pulled her down to sit.

Empress Zhou, who was sitting on the soft couch, also had a gloomy face. She unhappily explained for Xie Ruizhi, "She insists on marrying the fourth son of the Xu family. This Empress doesn't agree, so she's making a scene with this Empress."

The fourth son of the Xu family?

Yu Qingwu supported her cheek and searched her mind slightly. Finally, she looked at Empress Zhou and asked with feigned surprise, "Is it the... the fourth son of the Xu family who stole the family's luminous pearl to give to Qiu Shiyi Niang?"

"Isn't it him?" Empress Zhou was so angry that her face turned green. She glared fiercely at Xie Ruizhi, displaying a sharpness she had never shown in front of outsiders. Then, she turned to Yu Qingwu and said, "A'Wu, tell me, what is this all about? Even the daughters of ordinary officials would have to think twice about marrying a playboy like him. How can a princess born of the direct line of the royal family marry such a prodigal who is being played with by women?"

"That's not true! Brother Xu is not that kind of person! Brother Xu even saved my life that day!" Xie Ruizhi interrupted her and said somewhat aggrievedly to Yu Qingwu, "Royal Sister-in-law, didn't you marry Royal Brother? Brother Xu is much better than Royal Brother..."