"Chen Nian, you can bully me, but you can't bully Ziwei. Besides, Ziwei is no worse than Qing'er."

For some reason, Er Kang actually responded to Chen Nian's words.

The others were also surprised. The farce was almost over, yet Erkang was so stupid. Didn't he understand the situation? And he still defended Ziwei so much.

Even though Chen Nian had said those words and the matter was essentially over, Er Kang still objected and specifically emphasized that Chen Nian should not bully Zi Wei.

"Oh, but in my heart, Ziwei is no match for Qing'er. How can a palace maid be worthy of being compared to my precious Qing'er?"

Seeing Er Kang's out-of-control emotions again because of Ziwei, Chen Nian responded indifferently, glancing contemptuously at the indignant Er Kang across the way, his eyes looking at him as if he were a fool.

He truly lives up to his reputation as a fiercely protective husband!

Seeing Er Kang's emotions spiraling out of control again, a sudden idea struck her.

She felt that this might be a good opportunity, since she didn't know how to tell Qing'er that Ziwei was the Emperor's child.

This matter had been weighing on her mind, causing her great distress. Keeping it from Qing'er was also difficult for her, but every time she tried to bring it up, she didn't know how.

How could someone who grew up outside the palace possibly know things that even the Empress Dowager didn't know?

She couldn't bring herself to say it, but this was a good opportunity to see if she could get Er Kang to say it.

She was prepared to end Qing'er's encounter with Xiao Jian, and besides, she couldn't bear to see Qing'er get hurt.

If the storyline had to be followed, Qing'er insisted on learning to ride a horse, so she pulled Ertai along, and the two of them followed closely behind Qing'er.

Alternatively, she could ride a horse with Qing'er, tying Qing'er to herself. This way, even if she couldn't prevent Qing'er from falling into the trap, she could avoid an accident on the road where she might fall off the horse halfway.

With her by his side, even if he couldn't prevent Xiao Jian and Qing'er from meeting, he could at least prevent Xiao Jian from healing Qing'er's injuries.

...

If Qing'er doesn't get hurt, then naturally there won't be any more opportunities for Qing'er to get hurt, and then Ziwei will take care of Qing'er, and the two will have a heart-to-heart talk, which will expose the secret.

Coincidentally, the secret is about to be exposed, so it shouldn't matter if it's a little earlier.

The plot has already been changed quite a bit, so this little change won't make a difference.

Furthermore, Ziwei's status as an illegitimate child meant she was not worthy of being compared to Qing'er.

As expected, the last sentence of the poem was uttered with a heavy heart.

"How is Ziwei unworthy? She is a princess too, okay?"

Erkang is still the same Erkang, the same Erkang who loses his mind when it comes to Ziwei.

Seeing the disdain on Shen Nian's face and the contempt in his eyes, Er Kang blurted out.

When Yongqi, Ertai, and Benjamin saw that Erkang's expression was off, it was too late to stop him.

Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei, who had just arrived, froze on the spot.

The five of them stared blankly at Qing'er and Shen Nian. It was all over.

They had been constantly reminding Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei, but little did they know that Erkang would be the one to be exposed in the end.

They never doubted Chen Nian. Even though Chen Nian had just displayed an unusual aura, they thought he was just being pushed to the limit. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered.

Moreover, if Erkang were to encounter two people Shen Nian cares about, it would be strange if Shen Nian didn't protect them.

The longer you spend with Chen Nian, the more you realize that Chen Nian is incredibly protective of those around him and won't tolerate anyone else bullying him. It's a typical case of, "I can bully my people, but you can't."

Even if he becomes powerful after a moment of reflection, in their subconscious impression, he is still that simple-minded, clumsy, delicate, and weak person who needs protection.

Chen Nian and Qing'er were also stunned.

Shen Nian never expected that she would actually provoke him. She really was just testing the waters, asking, "Is Er Kang really that brainless? Where's his intelligence?"

Qing'er had no idea that their secret was this.

This secret was far too big; she never imagined it would be so outrageous.

That explains everything.

Why is Ziwei so good to the master?

Yongqi's feelings for Xiaoyanzi weren't those of a brother and sister, but rather...

She understood why Ertai had been hesitant to express his feelings: there was a knife hanging over his head.

That's a serious crime of deceiving the emperor! She hadn't expected them to be so brave.

However, it's not easy to get Ertai and Xiaoyanzi out of this situation; we'll have to ask the Empress Dowager for help.

In a short period of time, Qing'er had already thought of many ways to pull Ertai and Xiaoyanzi out of the life-threatening vortex.

He has no feelings for anyone else, but he cares deeply about Xiao Yanzi and Ertai, and he must protect them.

Yongqi was the Emperor's favorite son, so his life was not in danger. Benjamin, a foreigner, was also safe.

Lord Furen has served the master for so many years, so there's a high probability he won't lose his life.

The Emperor is merciful and should not hold a grudge against Lord Fu Lun. His life is 90% guaranteed, but Er Kang and Er Tai, as accomplices, will certainly not escape.

Er Kang had nothing to do with her; he was a detestable character, and she didn't have the time or inclination to care about him. Once he was gone, he was gone.

Only Ertai and Xiaoyanzi had no protection whatsoever.

...

Nine-Bend Lake.

"Haha, it's rare to find such a beautiful lake in Long County. Let's relax and enjoy the scenery today."

"Niannian, Xiaoyanzi, you two girls are always getting into accidents, so please be careful not to fall into the water. The four of you keep an eye on them."

The emperor looked around at the scenery with great interest and spoke to the group of people following behind him.

Looking at Chen Nian and Xiao Yanzi who were following him, he was full of smiles and teased them. After speaking, he turned to the four guards behind him and gave them instructions.

"Yes, sir, rest assured, we will keep a close eye on them."

Ertai, Yongqi, and Benjamin also knew about the two's tendency to have unexpected events, so they spoke in unison and took a few steps closer to the two in perfect sync.

Hehe, I've found an excuse to contact people.

The master told them to keep an eye on them, so it's okay if they're close by.

"Ziwei, Qing'er, you two talented ladies, why don't you compose a poem or write a lyric to describe this beautiful scenery before you?"

After giving instructions regarding Xiao Yanzi's safety, the Emperor's attention shifted to Ziwei and Qing'er.

Neither of them spoke; they were both lost in thought as they followed the main group into the pavilion.

Qing'er was still thinking about how to protect Ertai and Xiaoyanzi, while Ziwei was resentful that Erkang hadn't told her earlier that he and Qing'er had a past.

And she had even been trying to please Qing'er, the ex-boyfriend of the person she liked, which was something the proud Qing'er could not accept.

Upon reaching the pavilion, Xiao Yanzi grabbed Chen Nian and darted ahead. Chen Nian, quick as a flash, grabbed Qing'er, as she was worried about Qing'er staying with Ziwei.

...

...