After their passionate lovemaking, the light faded, and the paper windows in the room became slightly brighter. The crimson candle struggled to burn for a moment or two before finally going out.

Inside the curtained room, Hongli lay down, and Xueying rested her head on his strong chest.

The two of them caught their breath and lay quietly on the bed.

After a long pause, Hongli grasped her hand and asked, "What did you and Mingyu talk about in the delivery room that day?"

Xueying looked up at Hongli, who was still thinking about Mingyu at this moment. She shook her head after a moment's thought, "I won't tell that to the Prince, and neither will the Princess Consort. It's a secret between us."

That day in the delivery room, when she saw Hongli's expectant expression, hoping that both mother and child would be safe, she finally softened. She did this to provoke Mingyu into giving birth, even though her relationship with the principal wife was in a cold war, and even if it continued, they would become irreconcilable.

"You promised me you wouldn't have any designs on Mingyu," Hongli said, squeezing her hand tighter.

Xueying loosened Hongli's tightly gripped hand, indicating to calm down, and said, "Don't worry, Xueying won't do that."

A slight tightness gripped his heart. Mingyu and her—it was Mingyu who Hongli truly cared about.

"I hope you will keep your promise." Hongli's expression darkened slightly.

"Xueying keeps her word. If she breaks the agreement, Prince Renping will punish her accordingly," Xueying nodded.

“There is no breach of contract, and I will not allow it.” Hongli’s voice gradually became somewhat authoritative. He did not refer to himself as ‘I’ but as ‘this king’.

Xueying simply lowered her head, took a light breath, and said, "Yes, Xueying will not have any feelings for Mingyu."

Hearing her affirmative tone, Hongli's expression softened somewhat. "I'm going to the morning court session. You rest a little longer." With that, Hongli got up and began to dress.

Xueying smiled and nodded slightly. Her smile faded only after Hongli left the room.

A'Luo came in carrying a tray of clothes, smiling and saying, "Master, you two last night..."

Xueying was taken aback. Seeing A'luo blush, she said, "You little rascal, you went out last night without saying a word."

"Master, if I hadn't refused to go out, this wonderful thing wouldn't have happened."

Xueying was immediately embarrassed and annoyed, "How can you be so shameless?"

Hongli returned to the front courtyard, familiarized himself with it, changed into his court robes, and then went to the palace to attend court.

Mingyu was sitting upright on the couch, sipping tea. "Did His Highness go back to his room to rest after the third-day celebration yesterday?"

She waited anxiously inside the house, but he never came.

"Reporting to Madam, the Prince came to visit you yesterday, but seeing that you were sleeping soundly, he went to the East Courtyard," the nanny said from the side.

"What?" Mingyu put down her teacup, her voice rising. "He went to the East Courtyard yesterday."

Seeing that the Princess Consort was angry, the nanny advised, "The Prince has been keeping his eyes on the Princess Consort for several months now, and hasn't shown his face to any other woman. The Princess Consort has just given birth and is not in good health. It is only right that the Prince go and relax."

Seeing that Mingyu's complexion had improved slightly, the nanny continued, "The princess has given birth to a son, so the prince will naturally be very fond of him."

Her words calmed Mingyu's slightly angry expression; if she were to argue at this moment, she would appear too angry.

Mingyu knew that she was in poor health during her postpartum period and it was inconvenient for her to take care of Hongli. She guessed that the nanny sent by Lanqin from the palace was there.

Mingyu's expression tightened slightly, and she murmured, "I hope so."