The father was only thinking about how to get her away so that he could wholeheartedly plan good marriages for his two older sisters.

I reckon someone will come to look at it in the next few days.

In the inner quarters, women were already restricted in their freedom and were not allowed to move around freely.

However, even so, the father and his family remained worried, fearing that something unexpected might happen.

So he came up with a plan to get rid of her under the guise of praying for blessings. It has to be said that this plan was truly ingenious.

Yun Ziheng, who had been silently observing all of this, keenly noticed the sorrow and helplessness deep in Yuan Qingling's eyes.

He couldn't help but feel a strong sense of resentment towards Yuan Qingling's father's selfish behavior.

But this is ultimately someone else's family matter. As the saying goes, even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes. No matter how much he disapproves, he is powerless and has no way to intervene.

After a moment of contemplation, Yun Ziheng finally made up his mind.

He looked at Yuan Qingling and said solemnly, "Now that I know you went to Xiangguo Temple so late at night, I can't just stand by and do nothing. Let me escort you there. With our General's Mansion's carriage leading the way, those with ulterior motives will not dare to disturb us. This way, we'll have more security on the road."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qingling looked at Yun Ziheng with gratitude.

She said softly, "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Yun. I am truly grateful. However, Xiangguo Temple is quite far from here. If you were to personally escort me, the city gates would probably be closed by the time I return."

"So, it's best not to trouble Lord Yun any further." Despite saying this, deep down, she couldn't help but feel a selfish urge that was hard to put into words.

If Yun Ziheng were to accompany them along the way, the journey would surely be safe and smooth.

But this was, after all, a family matter for the Yuan family, so how could she trouble others? Besides, she couldn't afford to owe anyone a favor.

It's ridiculous that outsiders are more worried about your safety than your own family.

Yun Ziheng raised his hand without hesitation and said indifferently, "What does it matter? Luo Luo once mentioned you and said that you helped her a lot, but we have never found a suitable opportunity to thank you."

"This is merely escorting you to Xiangguo Temple; please do not panic. Besides, I have an estate near the city gate. If I cannot return to the city in time, I will simply rest there for the night and enter the city tomorrow. There will be no delay."

“Lord Yun has to attend court early tomorrow morning, right? If we go through all this trouble, I’m afraid we won’t make it in time,” Yuan Qingling said hurriedly.

She really didn't want to trouble others.

Yun Ziheng frowned slightly, and after thinking for a moment, replied, "It's just a short leave, it should be fine."

Seeing that Yun Ziheng had already put it this way, Yuan Qingling felt that if she didn't accept his kindness, she would seem pretentious and unapproachable.

So she slowly stood up, gracefully bowed to Yun Ziheng, and thanked him softly: "In that case, I thank Lord Yun in advance."

Seeing this, Yun Ziheng quickly waved his hand and comforted her, "Please sit down, it's just a small matter, nothing to worry about, young lady."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Qingling's lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile, and she said slowly, "To you, sir, this may be just a trivial matter, but to me, it might have saved my life."

She knew very well that things would not be smooth sailing after she left the city tonight.

Yuan Qingling lowered her eyes and sneered. How could her aunt and the others give up such a good opportunity? The servants they sent to her couldn't even beat her, let alone encounter mountain bandits and brigands.

Yun Ziyu always felt that Yuan Qingling's words had a hidden meaning, but since she didn't say anything, he didn't press her for an answer.

“Miss Yuan, please wait here for a moment. I will take Zhiyuan and Junye back and then come back to find you,” Yun Ziyu said, turning to Yuan Qingling.

Mo Zhiyuan said she didn't want to leave, "I don't want to go back. I also want to see Aunt Yuan off. Aunt Yuan gave me some delicious pastries, and I want to see her off too."

After she finished speaking, fearing that Yun Ziheng would not agree, she turned to look at Mo Junye, hoping that Mo Junye could help her persuade her uncle.

“Brother, since we ate Aunt Yuan’s pastries, we have a responsibility to escort her to that temple,” Mo Zhiyuan said.

Mo Junye remained silent.

Unlike his second uncle, the eldest uncle is not easily fooled. Once he makes a decision, he will not easily change it.

Sure enough, Yun Ziheng frowned and said, "Don't be naughty. I'm leaving the city tonight and won't be coming back. I can't take you with me. Have you forgotten that your brother has to attend the morning court session tomorrow? Don't you want your brother to be a good crown prince?"

Upon hearing this, Mo Zhiyuan turned to look at her brother, her expression showing some hesitation.

“But if my eldest uncle can ask for leave, why can’t my brother?” Mo Zhiyuan muttered softly.

Mo Junye's face stiffened.

Yun Ziheng patted Mo Zhiyuan's head and said with a smile, "You're still young. When you grow up, you'll understand why your brother can't ask for leave, but I can."

Mo Zhiyuan tilted her head, "Then I need to grow up quickly to protect my brother."

"Alright, let's set off now. Come on, I'll escort you home first. Once we get to the General's Mansion, your maternal grandfather will take you back to the palace." Yun Ziheng stood up with a smile, slowly extending his large, warm hands to gently take the hands of Mo Junye and Mo Zhiyuan.

Then, he walked steadily toward the door, turning back as he went, and said with concern, "Miss Yuan, please wait here for a moment."

Yuan Qingling nodded slightly in agreement.

A gentle smile appeared on her beautiful face, and she softly replied, "Yes, thank you for your trouble, Lord Yun."

Yun Ziheng shook his head, steadily went downstairs, and carefully carried the two little ones onto the carriage.

After settling in, he turned back, still feeling uneasy, and looked at the brightly lit teahouse.

He lowered his voice and instructed, "Yin Feng, Yin Mu, you two must secretly guard this place and never reveal your whereabouts. If you discover anything unusual, you can adapt to the situation. Remember, you must not disturb Miss Yuan to avoid causing unnecessary trouble."

Yin Feng and Yin Mu replied in unison, "Yes, Master, your subordinates will certainly live up to your expectations."

After saying this, the two bowed respectfully, and then their figures flashed, disappearing swiftly into the vast night like ghosts.