Where exactly is it good?

Xie Yan... this was the Assistant Minister who grew up with her in Zhuoyue Tower, who was competitive, ambitious, sharp-tongued, and often clashed with her over merits and benefits.

It actually appeared on a "cleanup list"?

Although Gu Jinghong hated him and often wanted to kill him, she was also well aware that because of the Qianyuan Pavilion, their relationship had become quite special...

Having spent so much time together, the two of them had already developed a kind of "cruel camaraderie unique to those who seek survival in the darkness" in a place like Qianyuan Pavilion.

They didn't want the other to be well, but they also couldn't let the other die easily—Xie Yan's sudden withdrawal of power in the water dungeon was probably due to this concern as well.

If he hadn't seen the list, it wouldn't have mattered, but now that Gu Jinghong has, he has to protect him this time, at least by removing him from the list.

But how do we do that?

Gu Jinghong reached out and stroked the paper, then smelled the ink on the list—the paper was special, written with Huizhou ink, and the characters had the charm of ancient seal script from the south. To imitate or tamper with it, one would have to find a top-notch forger and do it without anyone noticing.

She cannot use any of the resources of Zhuoyue Tower.

Whether she sought out a skilled handwriting imitator within the building or used her own secret channels as a secretary, it was highly likely that she would expose the fact that she had already seen the contents of the secret box.

The only hope lies in the Prince's Palace.

The world under Xiao Chengyan's control has nothing to do with Qianyuan Pavilion.

Gu Jinghong carefully cleaned the tiny holes left by the poisoned needle on the white jade paperweight, put it back in its original position, and restored the desk to its original state, as if no one had ever touched it.

Then, she summoned Zhixin.

“Zhixin,” Gu Jinghong began casually, her fingertips unconsciously tracing another unimportant book lying open on the desk, “I’ve heard that the Prince’s mansion has many talented and extraordinary people. Do you know if there is any… a master of antique imitation and copying, especially skilled in the brushwork of ancient seal script?”

Zhi Xin was quick-witted and immediately understood that Gu Jinghong wanted something.

She thought for a moment and said in a low voice, "The young lady asked about this... There is indeed one. Mr. Cen from Jingxinzhai has superb calligraphy skills, especially in copying various ancient and variant characters. It is said that he can even imitate several lost rubbings from previous dynasties with great skill. The prince sometimes asks Mr. Cen to copy and finalize many important documents."

Gu Jinghong was secretly delighted, but kept a calm expression on her face: "Oh? Mr. Cen... then how can I ask him for some guidance?"

"This Mr. Cen is aloof and only listens to the Prince. Without the Prince's personal order, it is unlikely that anyone can persuade Mr. Cen in the slightest. Even... well, I heard that the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion once wanted to request a piece of calligraphy or painting, but the Prince did not agree, and Mr. Cen politely declined."

Zhixin tilted her head and thought for a moment, then added, "If you want to learn calligraphy, I'm afraid... you'll need the Prince's permission."

Gu Jinghong understood.

To access Xiao Chengyan's exclusive resources, one cannot bypass him personally.

She squeezed the slip of paper with the list of contents she had copied, hidden in her sleeve; her fingertips were icy cold.

"Fine..." Gu Jinghong stood up, straightened her clothes, suppressed the subtle embarrassment and guilt of taking advantage of him, and waited quietly in the study.

These past few days, she's been timing her visits with Xiao Chengyan. When he goes out to court, Gu Jinghong comes to his study to study the Southern Wind Secret Box. When Xiao Chengyan returns from court, Gu Jinghong goes back to her room—in short, she tries to avoid running into him as much as possible.

But since I have a favor to ask of you today, I'm afraid I can only pretend it's a coincidence.

As Gu Jinghong pondered this, he cut the printed list into individual square characters, then organized all the unique characters into a set and destroyed the duplicates.

As evening fell, Xiao Chengyan returned to his study, covered in dust from his journey.

The moment he pushed open the door, Xiao Chengyan subconsciously looked towards Gu Jinghong's desk.

Unlike usual, today Gu Jinghong was sitting at the empty desk.

Almost instantly, a surge of emotion welled up within him, but his sharply defined face remained calm, as if he hadn't seen her at all.

"Your Highness..." Gu Jinghong suppressed her racing heart and stood up to greet Xiao Chengyan when she saw him arrive.

Her voice was not loud, and even carried a hint of deliberate calmness.

Xiao Chengyan did not look up upon hearing the voice, but simply hummed in response. He then walked to his desk, sat down, and began to peruse the memorials, his brushstrokes flowing smoothly.

The only sound in the study was the soft scratching of pen on paper.

Gu Jinghong stood a few steps away, her fingers slightly curled inside her sleeve. She cleared her throat, trying to break the somewhat tense atmosphere: "Your Highness... has been very busy with military affairs lately?"

Xiao Chengyan finally put down his pen and looked up.

Those deep eyes, calm and unwavering, fell upon Gu Jinghong's face, taking in her feigned composure and the barely perceptible anxiety deep within her eyes.

He leaned back slightly against the wide chair back, his posture relaxed, yet carrying an invisible pressure.

"What's up?" he asked directly, his voice low.

"...Yes. Jinghong has recently been reading ancient books and has become quite interested in the ancient seal script of Nanfeng. I have heard that Mr. Cen of Jingxinzhai has excellent calligraphy skills, especially in this area. I wonder... if Your Highness would allow Jinghong to go and ask Mr. Cen for some guidance?"

Xiao Chengyan's gaze lingered on her face for a few moments before he finally asked, "Haven't you been avoiding me these past few days?"

Gu Jinghong's breathing faltered slightly—hiding?

Xiao Chengyan narrowed his eyes slightly, "What, you suddenly realize that I'm still the best, and you've come looking for me again?"

Why does it sound like she's using people only when they need them and discarding them when they don't?

Gu Jinghong lowered her eyelashes: "Your Highness, Your Highness is already excellent, there's no need for Jinghong to 'suddenly discover' this."

At this point, Gu Jinghong suddenly regained some of the feeling she had when dealing with Xiao Chengyan when she first entered the manor, and a smile quickly appeared on her face. "Of course, it would be even better if Your Highness allowed me to study 'A Study of the Remains of the Ancient Nanfeng Kingdom'... I think such a good Your Highness would also fulfill my wish to learn from you, sir."

Xiao Chengyan slightly curled the corners of his lips. This person was good at taking advantage of others and flattering them.

He watched her go from initial hesitation to quiet composure, and then to seizing the loopholes in his words, turning to a frank yet slightly spoiled offensive. Her eyes sparkled with a lively light, like a kitten that had finally lowered its guard and reached out its paws to probe.

Her appearance instantly brought him back to the time when she first entered the Prince's Mansion, to the bold, spirited, and vibrant Gu Jinghong.

The pent-up frustration from her aloofness and avoidance over the past few days vanished under her clumsy yet deliberate flattery.

A genuine smile finally spread slowly from the depths of Xiao Chengyan's eyes, softening his cold and hard features. "You just said that I am 'inherently excellent,' but you haven't explained that clearly yet. Tell me in detail, what exactly makes me excellent?"

Gu Jinghong was taken aback by his question.

He was just saying that casually to achieve his goal. Someone as intelligent as him, couldn't he tell it was just polite talk? Why did he press for details? Is it because… he really likes to hear compliments?

Oh well, it's just a few nice words, she can say them with ease!

She tried her best to maintain a proper smile, and started counting on her fingers: "The Prince saved Jinghong."

"Hmm." Xiao Chengyan nodded, indicating to continue.

"The prince smoothed things over for Jinghong."

"Mm." He nodded again.

"The prince is handsome and dashing." She racked her brains for an answer.

"Anything else?" he pressed, his smile deepening.

"Your Highness... is a man of perfect strategy, a master of managing his subordinates, and possesses the bearing of a dragon and the grace of a phoenix..." Gu Jinghong's voice gradually lowered, her eyes seemed to be drawn in, her cheeks grew hotter and hotter, and she searched her mind for every word of praise she could think of.

She frowned slightly, her eyes wandering aimlessly. In Xiao Chengyan's eyes, her appearance of racking her brains and being at a loss for words was more captivating than any deliberate charm.

Just as Gu Jinghong was being pressured by this "test" to the point of almost revealing a flaw, her eyes darting around, her cherry lips slightly parted, unsure how to continue with her next strength—

The playful smile in Xiao Chengyan's eyes, like a lake surface ripped with a pebble, suddenly calmed down, replaced by a deeper, more turbulent emotion.

He looked at her slightly flushed cheeks, her watery and bewildered eyes, and the little gesture of biting her lower lip as she tried to think... It felt like something had hit his heart hard, and a strange, intense feeling instantly swept over him.

As if possessed, he stood up, walked around the large desk, and slowly approached the person who was still racking his brains, counting on his fingers.

Xiao Chengyan stopped in front of her, his tall figure completely enveloping her, blocking out the surrounding light and creating a suffocating sense of intimacy. The crisp scent of pine and cypress emanating from him, mixed with a faint fragrance of ink, forcefully invaded her senses.

“Gu Jinghong…” he called her name softly, his voice low and hoarse, carrying an indescribable tenderness and sigh, as if the name had been repeated a thousand times on his lips.

Gu Jinghong's heartbeat suddenly became disordered, as if it was about to burst out of her chest.

She was forced to look up at him, meeting his eyes, now as deep as whirlpools, churning with emotions she had never seen before, emotions so intense and overwhelming that she instantly forgot to breathe, to think, to remember the jade token in her sleeve and the secret box. A barely audible gasp escaped her throat.

Just as her mind went blank—

Xiao Chengyan's strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist, the force so great that he lifted her up and held her firmly and tightly in his warm embrace.

"Ugh!" Caught off guard, Gu Jinghong gasped and fell uncontrollably against his broad chest.

Through the fabric of his clothes, she could clearly feel the strong, powerful heartbeat beneath his chest, and the scalding heat that instantly burned her cheeks and her reason.

An ambiguous atmosphere instantly filled the air, so intense it was dizzying.

The soft glow of the copper lamp cast overlapping warm silhouettes on their embracing figures.

Xiao Chengyan lowered his eyes, gazing intently at the wide, watery eyes of the woman in his arms. Her trembling eyelashes fluttered like startled butterfly wings, her cherry lips parted slightly, and her breath was sweet as orchids. All restraint, consideration, and probing seemed so pale and powerless at this moment.

He gave her no chance to react or escape.

The next moment, he lowered his head, with an almost reverent probing, and gently, slowly covered her slightly parted, alluring lips.