Yun Qing carefully observed Liu Chengxi's expression but couldn't detect any flaws.

However, she didn't say whether she believed it or not, but instead changed the subject: "Didn't you just say that what you were going to talk about was related to my cousin?"

Upon hearing Yun Qing's question, Liu Chengxi hesitated. He had originally intended to tell Yun Qing about what would happen after their marriage, but upon careful consideration, he felt it would be too cruel for her, so he decided against it.

“Miss Yun, it’s like this. The matter I’m about to tell you about the First Prince is actually related to you. I once had a dream in which a deity told me that consanguineous marriage goes against nature, so most of the children born are weak, and in more serious cases, they may die young.”

"How dare you! Are you cursing us?"

"Your subject dares not!"

Since he met Yun Qing, this was the first time Liu Chengxi had seen her angry. Unconsciously, he regarded her as the powerful Emperor Wenxuan in history and subconsciously knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the pavilion became stagnant, so oppressive it was almost frightening.

After a while, just as Liu Chengxi was feeling a dull ache in his knees, Yun Qing finally spoke.

"Get up first. I will verify everything you said. Until then, keep your mouth shut. If any rumors spread in Shengjing, it will implicate the entire Liu family."

After saying that, Yun Qing turned and strode away.

Hearing the footsteps fade away, Liu Chengxi staggered to his feet. After stretching his upper limbs, he realized that although it was already autumn, his back was soaked with cold sweat.

After leaving the backyard, Yun Qing immediately instructed her men to investigate cases of cousin marriages in Shengjing over the past twenty years, with a particular focus on the health of their offspring.

In fact, she already believed most of what Liu Chengxi said as soon as she heard it.

Because there were too many examples around her: the eldest daughter of the Minister of Justice, the second daughter of the Minister of Justice, and the newly appointed compiler of the Hanlin Academy. These friends who were a little older than her, all of whom married their cousins, had husbands who had mostly suffered miscarriages. Those who were lucky enough to give birth had children who were weaker than ordinary people.

After explaining this matter, Yun Qing was worried about how to verify another thing. Half an incense stick's time had passed since the time agreed upon with Li Huaiyin, and time was running out.

Just then, a person walked over from afar outside the gate of the Minister's residence. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be the head maidservant of the Emperor.

Seeing the fawning smile on the newcomer's face, Yun Qing suddenly felt a sense of relief. Perhaps, everything really was ordained by fate.

Thinking of the position she had been planning for so long, Yun Qing felt a rare surge of emotion.

She closed her eyes and silently apologized to Li Huaiyin. When she opened them again, her eyes were clearer than ever before.

"Aunt Qinglan, it's been a long time."

...

The memory paused here. Yun Qing looked up, saw the reflection on the door, and put down the pen in her hand.

"So it's you, Liu Qing. Come in."

With a creak, the study door was pushed open from the outside.

Liu Chengxi brought in the bird's nest soup and walked to Yun Qing's side.

"My lady, you've worked hard. This is freshly arrived bird's nest. Please eat some while it's still hot."

Yun Qing picked up the spoon and took a small sip: "It's really good."

Watching her enjoy the food he had made with a smile on her face, Liu Chengxi felt a warm current flow through his heart, and he even had an urge to shed tears.

He was well aware of how others viewed him, saying he was shameless, that he had been saved twice by Yun Qing but was ungrateful, and that he had repaid kindness with enmity by taking the opportunity to cling to her.