After finishing their breakfast, Ye Jingchen and Xie Chang'an rode their horses out of the palace, carrying gifts for their return visit.

Xie Chang'an had already sent people to spread the news of their return visit. From the moment they left Donghua Gate, people lined both sides of the street to watch, all the way to the gate of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. The streets were filled with onlookers.

To make this homecoming a grand affair, Ye Jingchen specially brought two hundred Eastern Palace Guards with him, making it a truly impressive event.

Bai Ling and Hei Mo whispered to each other as they slowly made their way to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion. What usually took only a quarter of an hour took them a full half hour this time.

Although the return visit was a grand affair, what amazed the onlookers the most was the Crown Prince and Crown Princess; their demeanor and appearance were unforgettable.

"A grand wedding and a homecoming visit—these are two things I can brag about for the rest of my life!"

"They're clearly two boys, but I have a feeling they should be a couple."

"Who can disagree? It's truly a match made in heaven; His Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are such a perfect couple!"

......

At the entrance of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, Xu Jingjing had been waiting there ever since she received the news that the two of them were leaving the palace.

The once deserted entrance to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion has become more bustling than the most prosperous Zhuque Street in the capital city since the day of the wedding.

While waiting at the door, Xu Jingjing, with the exceptional hearing of a martial artist, overheard many comments, some blessings and some mockery, which made her feel quite complicated.

Xu Jingjing felt once again that she wished she had given birth to a girl eighteen years ago after ten months of pregnancy.

She waited at the gate for a long time, and several times she wanted to turn around and go into the mansion, and have the gate closed to guests. Finally, the Crown Prince's entourage arrived.

Her eldest son and His Highness the Crown Prince appeared before her like twins.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Xu Jingjing bowed and greeted him from a distance, just as she always had.

Ye Jingchen dismounted and took two steps to Xu Jingjing, offering her a slight support. "Mother, there's no need for such formalities. We're all family now, so it's my turn to greet you!"

Ye Jingchen adapted to his new identity very quickly, but Xu Jingjing couldn't. The word "mother" made her scalp tingle, and she felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig her toes into the ground.

“Mother.” Xie Chang’an dismounted and came to her.

Xu Jingjing glared at him fiercely, but Xie Chang'an pretended not to see it.

"Let's go inside," Xu Jingjing said.

There were too many people at the entrance, and she didn't want to be stared at.

Ye Jingchen and Xie Chang'an followed Xu Jingjing into the mansion, with eunuchs carrying gifts behind them. The people from the Zhenguo Duke's mansion led Bai Ling and Hei Mo to the stables for accommodation, while the Eastern Palace Guards stood guard at the entrance of the Zhenguo Duke's mansion and did not go inside.

They walked in silence until Xu Jingjing led the two to the central hall.

The Dowager Lady, the Duke of Zhenguo and his wife, as well as the Second and Third Young Mistresses were all waiting here.

"Greetings to our ancestors, grandfather, grandmother, second aunt, and third aunt!" Ye Jingchen greeted everyone with a natural expression, showing the respect due to a junior.

On the way here, he had mentally prepared himself, thinking that in such an awkward situation, as long as he wasn't embarrassed, then it was others who would be embarrassed.

Sure enough, when he called out like that, apart from the old lady whose expression remained unchanged, the expressions of everyone else were quite subtle.

Xu Jingjing silently covered her face.

Xie Chang'an kept looking at Ye Jingchen with a gentle gaze.

Since the day they got married, Ye Jingchen's every move has been unexpected.

The importance she placed on the wedding, the public disclosure of their relationship to everyone in the Wenhua Hall, the indulgence of his desires on their wedding night, the frankness of their relationship with the emperor, and now the fact that she still considers her own family as his family...

Every single thing Xie Chang'an did made him feel his tolerance and affection.

Compared to Ye Jingchen, he really seemed like a reckless and impulsive young man.

He had always felt that his affection for Ye Jingchen surpassed Ye Jingchen's affection for him, but now he realized that his love seemed somewhat insignificant in front of Ye Jingchen.

Although it wasn't something he could show off, he felt he was growing to like Ye Jingchen more and more.

I like each day better than the day before.

One day, he will make his affection worthy of Ye Jingchen's affection!

"Does Your Highness like our Chang'an?" The old lady glanced at her great-grandson, whose eyes seemed glued to Ye Jingchen, and asked casually.

"Of course I like it," Ye Jingchen replied without hesitation.

"Then you two should take good care of yourselves from now on," the old lady said.

"Please rest assured, Ancestor, we will definitely live a good life!" Ye Jingchen replied firmly.

"Your Highness, do not forget the responsibilities you bear. Everything should be done with the affairs of the state in mind," the Duke of Zhenguo then said.

"Grandfather, please rest assured, I will never forget it for a moment!" Ye Jingchen said quickly.

"Although Your Highness is of noble status, Chang'an is also the apple of our Zhenguo Duke's eye. We beg Your Highness to treat Chang'an well in the future and not to let him down!"

The Duchess's expression was not good.

She was only told by her daughter-in-law when her beloved grandson was about to get married that her grandson liked the crown prince and that this marriage was something her grandson had schemed to obtain.

The Duchess was heartbroken. Several days passed and she still couldn't understand why her grandson would like a man, but she could only accept reality.

"Grandmother, please rest assured, I will definitely treat him well." Ye Jingchen said earnestly, suppressing a smile.

After saying that, she turned to look at Xie Chang'an and silently said three words to him—"my dearest treasure."

Xie Chang'an was in a good mood and looked at Ye Jingchen with affection, making Ye Jingchen a little embarrassed.

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