Pei Yin spent the whole day tidying up the courtyard.

Pei Yin and Pei Zhi are not biological sisters; in fact, they are not related by blood at all.

Moreover, Pei Zhi was stunningly beautiful, while Pei Yin was of average appearance.

Fortunately, the two are not much different in size.

Pei Yin and Pei Zhi had spent a lot of time together, so she decided to dress Pei Zhi up for school.

She styled her hair in the same bun that Pei Zhi used to wear, and also took out the pale yellow dress that Pei Zhi used to wear.

After getting dressed, Pei Yin put on a veil.

The person who came to pick up Pei Yin was a trusted confidant secretly cultivated by Consort Shu.

He only obeyed Consort Shu's orders to come here to pick up people; he knew nothing else.

Pei Yin got into the carriage, clutching her handkerchief tightly in her hand, her palms sweaty.

Pei Yin kept telling herself that whether it would work out or not depended on tonight.

She didn't want to spend her whole life entangled with someone like the Second Prince.

Leaving aside the Second Prince, Consort Shu alone is enough to give her a hard time.

She has no family to rely on now; she has only herself left.

The Second Prince is not taking action against her now only because she still has value to Consort Shu.

Consort Shu specifically instructed the Second Prince to treat her better.

Once Consort Shu realizes that she is no longer of any use, what good will come of her?

If she can win over Xiao Chengci tonight, she can achieve a different life.

As for whether failure would implicate the Duke's mansion, that was no longer within Pei Yin's consideration.

The Duke's mansion ignored her completely, and she couldn't care less anymore.

The carriage stopped outside the courtyard, and Pei Yin was guided forward.

The young eunuch whom Pei Yin had met before at Consort Shu's place came to lead the way, allowing Pei Yin to enter the Crown Prince's courtyard smoothly.

Pei Yin suppressed her excitement until she followed the eunuch into Xiao Chengci's bedchamber.

"Drinking alcohol is forbidden in temples. I have put some hallucinogenic drugs in Your Highness's food. I hope you will seize this opportunity to rise to prominence."

Pei Yin bowed to the young eunuch.

Fearing the young eunuch would recognize her voice, Pei Yin remained silent.

The young eunuch did not linger in the bedchamber. After taking Pei Yin away, he hurriedly left as well.

Tonight, the little eunuch managed to get everyone out of the back door for a quarter of an hour, which took a lot of effort.

Fortunately, the Consort Shu finally got her wish and brought this person in.

Whether it succeeds or not, that's up to fate.

Pei Yin sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince to come over.

But as she waited, she couldn't help but start trembling all over.

Pei Yin knew that she was just too nervous.

Pei Yin got up and paced back and forth in the room to avoid her body becoming stiff.

Pei Yin blew out all the lights in the room, leaving only one, and then smelled the fragrance on her body.

This scent is the same one that Pei Yin smelled on Pei Zhi.

This was a gift from Pei Zhi to Pei Yin, but Pei Yin always disliked it and kept it at the bottom of her makeup box, never taking it out to use.

After taking off her outer robe, Pei Yin lay on the bed, quietly waiting for the Crown Prince to come.

De Shun helped Xiao Chengci walk towards the bedroom.

"Your Highness, do you have a fever?"

De Shun was worried that the prince might have fallen ill because the nights in the mountains were cold and the prince hadn't been paying attention.

Xiao Chengci only felt slightly dizzy and saw double. "It's nothing. I'm just a little tired. I'll be fine after a nap."

De Shun was still worried. "Your Highness, please go inside and lie down. This servant will call the imperial physician for you."

Xiao Chengci stayed in the temple for a long time, and the palace also sent imperial physicians to him.

"I said I don't need it, and that means I don't need it."

Xiao Chengci quite liked his current state because he seemed to be able to see Pei Zhi in front of him.

It would be even better if Deshun weren't constantly chattering in my ear.

De Shun helped Xiao Chengci into the hall, but Xiao Chengci turned around and shut De Shun out of the door.

De Shun didn't dare go far. "Your Highness, I'll stay outside the door. Call me if you need anything."

Xiao Chengci grabbed the chair and sat down, burying his head and closing his eyes. Pei Zhi appeared before his eyes again.

That's great. Xiao Chengci couldn't even remember how long it had been since he last saw Pei Zhi.

It is said that people appear in dreams after they die.

Xiao Chengci had never dreamed of Pei Zhi, not even once.

Xiao Chengci thought that Pei Zhi probably really disliked him, so much so that she didn't even want to come into his dreams.

Sometimes, Xiao Chengci would even wonder if Pei Zhi had gone to the north to enter Shang Huai's dreams since Shang Huai had gone there.

That's too far, and the north is too cold. Pei Zhi is still in the capital; it's better for him to enter his dreams.

Pei Yin lay on the bed, waiting for the Crown Prince for a long time, but he did not come.

Moreover, judging from the Crown Prince's appearance, it seems he intends to lie down on the table and sleep there for the night.

This won't do.

Pei Yin gritted her teeth, threw off the covers, got out of bed, and walked towards Xiao Chengci.

Xiao Chengci seemed to smell a faint scent, like the scent on Pei Zhi.

Xiao Chengci squinted, "Zhizhi, you've finally deigned to come see me?"

Pei Yin dared not speak, afraid that she would give herself away if she opened her mouth.

“I have lived in the temple for half a year, and I have been chanting sutras and praying for you, and I also beg you to come and see me.”

"I didn't expect you to actually come." Xiao Chengci gave Pei Yin a silly smile.

Xiao Chengci asked worriedly, "You didn't come here to scold me, did you?"

"Won't you blame me for having Father move you to the imperial mausoleum?"

"If you really don't want to be buried in the imperial mausoleum, just tell me. At worst, after I die, I won't be buried in the imperial mausoleum either. I'll just be buried with you."

"As for the three years of mourning for you, do you remember when we were on the bus, we saw a woman being beaten up by her ex-husband's family on her wedding day?"

"The ex-husband's family scolded the woman for not observing three years of mourning for her ex-husband."

"At the time, you said dismissively, 'Women are often made to suffer in this world. Why is there no saying that men should observe three years of mourning for women?'"

"I know you won't be happy to make me my future empress and go down in history with me."

Xiao Chengci grinned, "But there's nothing you can do. You can't stop me now, and you can't jump up and yell at me. So, let me do my own thing one more time."

Xiao Chengci murmured, "Zhizhi, I miss you so much, I really miss you..."

Xiao Chengci seemed exhausted as well, leaning on the table and propping his head up as if about to collapse.

Pei Yin thought that once the Crown Prince mistook her for Pei Zhi, he should be eager to hug her and then take off his clothes... wouldn't that make things happen?

What's wrong? Now that the Crown Prince has mistaken her for Pei Zhi, he's spouting a bunch of nonsense?

If we wait until the Crown Prince actually falls asleep, the whole thing will fall apart.

Pei Yin couldn't let this hard-won opportunity go to waste.

Pei Yin knelt down, took Xiao Chengci's hand in hers, and said softly, "Your Highness, how about letting Zhizhi serve you?"

Seeing that Xiao Chengci did not react, Pei Yin continued, "Your Highness, you must miss Zhizhi too, right?"