"What? Is this because you don't welcome me?" Yinzhen looked at Yin Qingyi in confusion. This shouldn't be the case. He had just punished Fucha Shi. How could this little woman not welcome him?

"No, but does Your Excellency know what kind of impact your arrival here right after dealing with the Fucha clan has on me?" Yin Qingyi looked at the man in front of her. Had someone suddenly ripped out this man's brain? He couldn't even understand something so simple.

"Because of this? Don't worry, I won't stay long. I'll leave in a bit, and everyone will just think I'm here to see the children. Besides, even if I don't come, who in the back courtyard wouldn't understand? This is also my intention—to keep these people in line and not to have any wicked ideas! Otherwise, their fate might not be any better than that of Lady Fucha!" Yinzhen thought it was something serious, but with how obvious he was today, how could the shrewd people in the back courtyard not guess what was going on?

"Sigh...yes, who could have foreseen this? My days are going to be tough." Yin Qingyi sighed again. She knew this all too well, and it was precisely because she knew that her heart was in turmoil. Everything Yinzhen had done was announcing one thing to everyone in the inner courtyard: she, Yin Qingyi, was his most beloved! No one could touch her, but this was not what she wanted. Yin Qingyi looked at Yinzhen with complicated emotions. If Yinzhen had done this a few months ago, her heart would have been completely won over. But after that incident, Yin Qingyi had already decided not to open her heart to Yinzhen again. But now, everything Yinzhen was doing was constantly pounding on her closed heart.

"With me here, who would be so blind as to cause you trouble?" Yinzhen found it somewhat amusing. Although he had been spending time with Lady Fucha during this period, he had already reorganized the management of the inner courtyard. From this day forward, not even a fly would be allowed to fly out of the inner courtyard without his permission! It was precisely because of this that he dared to come to Luoxue Pavilion so openly now. Otherwise, if that gossipy woman were to spread the word again, things would not go well for the little woman in front of her father.

"...Does Your Highness really know what you're doing?" Yin Qingyi looked at Yinzhen with serious eyes. This man was undeniably handsome. When he was kind to someone, he was genuinely kind, wholeheartedly kind. But when he was unkind to someone, he was truly ruthless. For example, the deceased Geng Shi and the current Fucha Shi were the best proof of that.

"What are you worried about, Qingqing? Of course I know what I'm doing. I didn't think it through before, but now I do. Can you trust me a little more, Qingqing?" Yinzhen knew what Yin Qingyi was asking, and he didn't want to avoid the question. It was because he avoided the question before that Qingqing and he became estranged. Even now, Qingqing still hasn't gone back to how things were before. He knew all this, so he hadn't done anything to Qingqing. But he really wanted Qingqing to know that he was serious this time.

"...Life is long, and how can Your Majesty know you won't meet a woman who truly moves your heart in the future? It's not that I don't want to believe Your Majesty, it's just that I'm afraid." Yin Qingyi lowered her head and thought for a while before looking up. This was the first time she had spoken to Yinzhen like this. These words could be considered extremely disrespectful. In this era, the most important thing for a woman was to be a good wife and mother, and to be tolerant and magnanimous. Jealous women in this era were like villains and would be criticized. For example, the Eighth Prince's wife was an example, and she was even whipped by Yinzhen after her death! This shows that Yinzhen also disliked jealous women like the Eighth Prince's wife.

"Very well, Qingqing, just watch and see. I will make you believe me." Yinzhen sighed. He knew that this little woman would not give her heart away so easily, but Yinzhen was not discouraged at all. Life is still long, and he has plenty of time to slowly warm this heart.

Yin Qingyi remained silent, only looking at Yinzhen. To be honest, in this era where having multiple wives and concubines was permitted, she truly did not believe that Yinzhen could remain devoted to only her. Not to mention this era, even in her previous time, the law could not sway men, let alone in this era where having multiple wives and concubines was legal.

"Qingqing, you don't need to look at me like that. Time will tell you my feelings. Let's talk about what to have for lunch now. It's almost lunchtime." Yinzhen looked at Yin Qingyi, who was staring at him, with a doting smile in his eyes.

“Didn’t you say you were just coming to see the child and then leaving?” Yin Qingyi spoke up at this moment.

"But I haven't seen it yet, and it's almost lunchtime. It shouldn't be a problem for me to stay for a meal, right?" After expressing his feelings to Yin Qingyi, Yinzhen felt much more relaxed and spoke more cheerfully.

"...Then Your Highness can order whatever you'd like to eat." Yin Qingyi looked at the somewhat shameless Yinzhen with a sigh; this man really was...

"I want to eat what you ordered." Yinzhen shook his head.

"...How about a hot pot? It's so cold, nothing beats a hot pot. Would you like some, sir?" Yin Qingyi thought for a moment, feeling a bit craving hot pot.

"Eat." Yinzhen nodded. He could eat anything this little woman ordered, and besides, eating hot pot on such a cold day was indeed a very comfortable thing.

Su Peisheng, ever the astute one, immediately headed outside. The kitchen staff had no idea their master was there; if they served the wrong food, it would spoil his rare good mood. Su Peisheng had naturally overheard Yinzhen and Yin Qingyi's conversation, but to be honest, he wasn't particularly surprised… He knew perfectly well what his master had been doing behind his concubine's back—wasn't it all for her sake? Back then, he already had a feeling that this concubine would be blessed, and now, wasn't he absolutely right?

"Isn't Your Majesty afraid of being exposed for saying these things in front of them?" Yin Qingyi realized, looking at Su Peisheng's back, that Yinzhen hadn't kept those words from these people.

“Su Peisheng already knew about this.” Yinzhen glanced at Su Peisheng and then at Yin Qingyi, and said with a light laugh.

“…I don’t know about that.” Yin Qingyi pointed to the three women beside her: Granny Qi, Qiu Ju, and Chun Lan.

"Aren't these all your own people? Not to mention Granny Qi, do you think your two maids would be traitors?" Yinzhen raised an eyebrow.