Hongli gently stroked Su Yushan's cheek and said with a warm smile, "Alright, I'll listen to you."

He then told her to have lunch first and not to wait for him. After giving these instructions, Hongli went out.

Upon arriving at the front hall, one sees the fifth brother reclining on a mahogany armchair at the lower end of the hall, his face appearing somewhat gloomy.

Hongzhou was optimistic by nature, and a smile was often on his lips. Such a solemn expression rarely appeared on his face, so it was unclear what was wrong with him today.

It was lunchtime, and the maids entered one by one to serve the dishes and pour wine for their two masters. After all the dishes were served, Hongli waved his hand, signaling them to leave.

Now that there were no outsiders present, Hongzhou remained silent and did not eat any food. Instead, he picked up a wine cup and drank it down in a bitter gulp.

"Why are you drowning your sorrows in alcohol? It can't be because of Yunmeng, can it?" Recalling Su Yushan's instructions before his departure, Hongli finally refrained from uttering any more harsh words, clearing his throat before speaking:

"What I told you that day..."

He originally wanted to say that his tone that day was a bit harsh, but before he could finish speaking, Hongzhou had already spoken, "I remember what Fourth Brother said! I have already sent Yunmeng away."

Hongli had assumed the fifth prince had come to plead for Yunmeng, but to his surprise, he had done so. Seeing his distress, however, Hongli suddenly felt remorse and tentatively asked,

"Are you serious about that Yunmeng girl?"

Hongzhou poured himself a cup, gently swirling the sake in the white porcelain cup, and chuckled indifferently, "Women of the night, it's all just an act, what sincerity could they possibly have?"

"That's not what you said yesterday." Hongli was a little confused about which statement was his true feeling.

Recalling her serene and harmless face, and recalling her words, Hongzhou was filled with regret. He had always thought he was the master of the game, in control of everything, but he never expected that he was the one being manipulated. This feeling of being played was unpleasant.

Clenching the wine cup tightly in his hand, Hongzhou gritted his teeth and rebuked, "That's because I didn't know her true identity yesterday."

Wasn't Yunmeng an orphan who was deceived and ended up at Liuxiang Pavilion? Could there be some other suspicious circumstances involved?

"Oh? What is her identity?"

If it were anyone else, Hongzhou would never have revealed it, but sitting across from him was his elder brother, the person he trusted most. Hongzhou had no intention of hiding anything from him, so he truthfully told him about Yunmeng's origins.

“She is Cha Siting’s niece. Her purpose in approaching me is to get me to save her father and brothers.”

Upon hearing this, Hongli was greatly shocked and immediately sat up straight.

Yunmeng is actually a member of the Cha family? He had only met her twice, but judging from her words and actions, she was well-educated, reasonable, and had an extraordinary demeanor. He knew that she was not a woman from an ordinary family. He had thought she was a rich girl from a fallen family, but he never expected that she was a member of Cha Siting's clan!

"You said yes to her?"

Hongzhou tilted his head back and drank another full cup, then shook his head. "I won't make promises I can't keep."

Hearing him deny it with his own ears, Hongli secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good, I was just afraid you would be tempted by beauty."

He felt a little dizzy from drinking too quickly, but his mind was still clear. Hongzhou's eyes held a mixture of disappointment and profound clarity.

“Beauty is indeed important, but I cannot gamble with my future. Father Emperor is thoroughly investigating those involved in the Cha Siting case. If I were to be with the Cha family’s daughter at this time, where would that leave Father Emperor’s reputation? If he knew, he would be very disappointed in me.”

The fifth prince's words greatly pleased Hongli. "A man can love beauty, but he must never lose his principles. Fortunately, you know your limits, so I don't need to bother persuading you anymore."

Recalling how he met Yunmeng, Hongzhou was still filled with resentment. "I used to be a master of romance, a free spirit among women, and now I've been deceived by a woman. It's truly laughable!"

"If you walk by the river often, you're bound to get your shoes wet. You'd better settle down and stop getting involved with those women in the pleasure quarters."

That being said, many people harbor a sense of wishful thinking, always believing they are the special one who won't be caught. Hongzhou never imagined that one day he would be brought down by a woman.

"It seems that there are not only heartless men in this world, but also hypocritical women. They seem obedient and docile, but their hearts are not with you at all. I have learned my lesson. Fourth Brother, you also have to be careful and not be deceived by women."

The fifth brother's words made Hongli think of himself. Su Yushan always said that she regarded him as a friend and had no feelings for him. So where was her heart? Did Zheng Lin still exist in her memory?

This matter has always been a knot in his heart; he can bear not mentioning it, but he has never been able to resolve it.

Realizing he had been overthinking, Hongli snapped out of his reverie and asked again, "Where did you settle Yunmeng?"

When his elder brother suddenly asked about her whereabouts, Hongzhou immediately sensed something was wrong and hurriedly said, "Fourth brother, she is a woman and will not threaten the country. Please do not kill her."

Seeing the fifth prince's nervous expression, Hongli found it rather strange. "She lied to you, and you're still pleading for her?"

Hongzhou did hate her for being hypocritical, but he couldn't bring himself to be ruthless. "After all, she was once my woman, and I can't just hand her over to the authorities myself."

As expected, the fifth prince still cherished old feelings. Hongli shook his head and chuckled before saying, "I didn't intend to arrest her. I was just worried that she would use sweet words to play the victim, and you would be soft-hearted and rekindle your old feelings for her."

Being completely fooled by a woman was a disgrace to Hongzhou. "I can never be soft on a woman who has deceived me. I have already sent her out of the capital, and I will never see her again in this life."

Hopefully, he will keep his word. Regarding the matter of Cha Siting, Hongli had his own judgment, but was powerless to change it. As for Yunmeng, she was ultimately just a person with a tragic fate; he had no intention of pursuing the matter further.

"I hope Miss Yunmeng can see the truth and stop being so stubborn."

Men are generally able to remain rational when it comes to problems, but unfortunately women are too emotional. Although Yunmeng has been sent out of the capital, she has not truly given up, nor has she gone far. She remains nearby, awaiting the court's final verdict.

After the two brothers finished their banquet, Hongzhou was a little drunk. Hongli ordered someone to take him to a side room to rest, while he himself went back to Huatang Pavilion.

Su Yushan had just finished lunch and was taking a nap. Upon learning that Yunmeng had been sent away, Su Yushan couldn't help but worry about her, "I wonder where Yunmeng will go. Is it safe for her, a woman, to travel alone?"

As for the matter of Yunmeng, it's up to her to decide; what others say is useless. Hongli, having drunk a few cups of wine with the fifth prince, was now a little tipsy. He turned over and embraced her, saying in a sour voice:

"Instead of worrying about others, you should worry more about me."

His jealousy was completely inexplicable. "You're perfectly fine, what's there to worry about?"

"I'm not good, I'm very bad," Hongli drawled, trying to get attention like a child.

Knowing that he was deliberately causing trouble again, Su Yushan grabbed his wrist and pretended to take his pulse, even frowning and thinking like a doctor.

Hongli raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, then suddenly laughed upon seeing her serious expression. "Dr. Su, what symptoms do I have?"

Su Yushan casually replied with feigned profundity, "The pulse is strong and forceful, indicating stagnant heart qi and excessive liver fire."

Holding her slender waist tightly, Hongli said in a hoarse voice, "Then can you cool me down?"