"May Prince Xu be well."

Fu Yunning walked very fast, her chest heaving slightly as she was slightly out of breath. She reached out and took Princess Chunhui's hand. Her eyes were moist and clear as she looked at Xu Yunci with apology.

“Chunhui speaks frankly. If she has offended Miss Li and Prince Xu, Yun Ning apologizes on her behalf. Yun Ning is Chunhui’s cousin. As her younger sister, I hope Prince Xu and Miss Li will not hold it against her.”

Perhaps because she was walking in a hurry, her tone was not steady. Having served the Imperial Concubine for several years, she had clearly learned the rules and etiquette well. Despite walking so quickly, her hair was not disheveled, and even the hairpins on both sides did not sway in the slightest, but fell down obediently.

She adopted a very humble posture, and compared to Princess Chunhui, her apology seemed more sincere. Fu Yunning placed her hands in front of her and knelt for a long time, but Xu Yunci did not respond, not even offering a gesture of support.

A hint of melancholy flickered in Fu Yunning's eyes, but she quickly concealed it, and when she looked up, her face was full of apology.

"Why are you apologizing to her! Father Emperor even wanted to adopt her as his goddaughter and bestow upon her the title of princess. Your cousin has been in the palace for several years to accompany Mother Consort, and the princess consort pleaded for you to become a county princess and a county princess, but those requests were never granted!"

Fu Yunning's wide sleeves were tightly pressed against her flesh, and the pain kept her apologetic expression on her face.

As if he hadn't heard Princess Chunhui's words, he first ordered Princess Chunhui's maid to leave with her. Princess Chunhui didn't suspect anything, but stared at Xu Yunci's face, only to see that he still refused to look at her. She angrily turned and left.

Fu Yunning lowered her eyes and sighed softly. When she raised her head, the hope in her eyes was hard to hide: "Chunhui is just like this. Her aunt can't do anything about it. Please don't blame me, Prince Xu. I was late after all. If I had come earlier, I think I could have held Chunhui back a bit."

"If Miss Li harbors any resentment, I will not retaliate. Please let me vent my anger as I see fit."

Speaking with an air of righteous indignation, Li Shiyue raised her head, and she could still clearly see the situation in front of her.

For some reason, after hearing Fu Yunning's words, she felt a little uncomfortable, but before she could grasp it, that discomfort vanished instantly.

Li Shiyue sniffed, her voice thick with nasal tone: "Miss Fu, you're too kind. The princess's mistake shouldn't implicate you."

Fu Yunning smiled, but her eyes concealed a shadow. She knew she couldn't spend any more time with them, and as she watched the two figures depart, she greedily traced their silhouettes with her gaze.

After leaving the palace, Li Shiyue took off the hood of her cloak after getting into the carriage, her eyes red and swollen. Xu Yunci sat to the side, not looking at her, but Li Shiyue still felt overwhelmed with shame.

"Let's go straight to the street. Sixth Sister and the others should have gone out by now." Xu Yunci didn't seem to want to bring up what had just happened, but he must have heard everything.

Li Shiyue looked up, puzzled.

"I promised to take you to release the lanterns, and I won't go back on my word." Xu Yunci's gaze was gentle, with one hand resting on his knee.

Actually, my little cousin did a great job. Everyone has a vulnerable side. When her painful memories were brought up, she was able to argue her point, which is also a way for her to protect herself.

The bustling noise of the street gradually drifted in from outside the carriage. Li Shiyue tidied herself up again, and when she got off the carriage, apart from her slightly red eyes, there was nothing wrong with her appearance.

But Chunling had a sharp eye; however, since they were outside, there were some things she couldn't say, so she had to swallow them.

Although it was still daytime, a few lotus lanterns had already been placed on the moat. Li Shiyue stared at the lotus lanterns of different sizes on the river, lost in thought.

Suddenly a lamp appeared in front of her. Li Shiyue looked up and saw Xu Yunci's cold face.

"This lamp isn't particularly big; it'll be just right for you to place it."

Li Shiyue took it from her hand, but her eyes were filled with confusion: "But shouldn't we put out lanterns at night?"

Xu Yunci's expression was gentle: "If everyone releases lanterns and makes wishes at night, how many wishes would the gods have to read before they could see you?"

"Let's release it in advance so that the gods know your wish early on, and then it will be granted."

He spoke with a serious expression, his phoenix eyes carrying a slight smile.

Li Shiyue looked at the lotus lantern in her hand. The delicate apricot-pink petals gradually deepened in color, with the outermost layer rendered in green, making it look as realistic as a real lotus flower in June.

It would be a lie to say that Li Shiyue wasn't moved. Her eyes welled up with tears, but she held them back and said, "Cousin, thank you."

Xu Yunci gazed at the river with a faint smile on his lips. And so, his relationship with his little cousin was just like his affection for his sixth sister; this kind of interaction was the most relaxed.

As for the worries I had before, until that point is reached, they were all just unnecessary anxieties.

Xu Yunci understood the situation, and the oppression in his heart began to dissipate. He watched as his little cousin released the lantern, stood on the stone steps, and watched as she gently stirred the river with her hand, using the ripples to propel the lantern forward.

Those hands were truly beautiful, slender and delicate.

Red lanterns hung along both sides of the ten-mile-long street, and the gray stone bridge was adorned with even more red decorations. Reflected in the red lanterns, the lanterns seemed to merge into the sky, their colors shimmering on the river's surface.

It was nearly evening when they returned to the Duke's mansion. Li Shiyue did not intend to tell Old Madam Xu about the matter. After all, Princess Chunhui was the daughter of an official. Even if she told Old Madam Xu, knowing that it was not her fault, what could she do?

You can't just go into the palace, point at the Emperor, and say that his daughter is disrespectful to you; that would be a ridiculous joke.

Talking about it wouldn't solve anything, and it would only upset Old Madam Xu and make her worry. Li Shiyue thought for a moment, then brought it up with Xu Yunci. Although Xu Yunci didn't say anything, his attitude clearly indicated his acquiescence.

As soon as you entered Chengyu Pavilion, Lian Dong came in carrying some things: "Miss, this was sent by Chang Shun. He said he is his nephew and it is inconvenient for him to come in, so he asked me to give these things to you."

Li Shiyue walked over, looked at the steaming roasted chestnuts on the round table, and then looked at Lian Dong with a puzzled expression. She still couldn't understand why Chang Shun had sent them; it must have been Xu Yunci's doing.

The roasted chestnuts wrapped in oil paper were still steaming hot. Li Shiyue picked one up, and it was still a little hot to the touch. Each chestnut had been slit in it, and with just a gentle squeeze, the chestnut meat inside easily came off.

First, they sent her lanterns, and now they're giving her all these things. Do they think they're treating her like a child?

“You have a grandmother, you have us, you’re not alone.”

"My cousin is a member of the Xu family, the matriarch of the Xu family, and the mistress of the Xu family."

As she clenched her fists, Li Shiyue's eyes welled up with tears. Having lived a second life, she finally understood the meaning of this heartbeat.

She is not just herself; she has family behind her.

"Take that inkstone from my dowry to the front yard and make sure to give it to Chang Shun."

Lian Dong asked in confusion, "Is there something you want to say?"

Li Shiyue shook her head, saying nothing. She appreciated the kindness, and the gift she gave in return should naturally be substantial.