As the sun set in the evening, the carriage finally stopped in front of the Yongle Marquis's residence. Ruan Changhong was worried and rushed out as soon as he heard the noise. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Ruan Qing'an get off the carriage safely.

"Qing'an, nothing happened, right?"

"Don't worry, Father."

Nguyen Thanh An chuckled softly, and only after she and Nguyen Chang Hong entered the main hall did she whisper about the palace affairs and her speculations.

Ruan Changhong's face immediately darkened: "They actually dared to plot against me! They've really given them a lot of face!"

"There's nothing we can do about it."

Ruan Qing'an sighed. In the midst of the chaotic situation, the Yongle Marquis's Mansion had to find a way out as soon as possible. Ji Wuyu would ascend the throne in the future, so choosing him was naturally the best option.

only……

Her eyes flickered slightly, and she lowered her voice: "Father, in three days, please instruct some guards to lie in ambush in the mountains."

Ruan Changhong was taken aback: "Why is that?"

"I have a brilliant plan."

Ruan Qing'an drew out a soft hum, her smile unwavering.

...

Three days later, outside Cining Temple.

The morning mist, carrying cold and damp air, appeared and disappeared among the mountains and forests, like a thin veil. The snow piled up on the branches in large patches, contrasting with the mountains and forests. And at the end of the stone path was Cining Temple.

Standing on the path outside the temple, Ruan Qing'an was still wearing her deep red brocade fur coat. She had walked a long way, which had exhausted her energy, and she was now panting heavily.

Ji Wuyu, standing beside her, barely moved, and even carefully supported Ruan Qing'an.

"It was my oversight that caused Qing'an to suffer."

"No, it's not Your Highness's fault."

Ruan Qing'an answered softly, but then coughed for a long time. Her slender fingers gripped Ji Wuyu's clothes tightly, and she almost fell half of her body into his embrace, pitifully shrinking away.

Her bosom held a slightly bitter, cool fragrance mixed with herbs. Seeing her coughing badly, Ji Wuyu subconsciously reached out to support her, only to find that she was so slender that he could easily put his arm around her. It seemed that she was uncomfortable, and her leaden gray eyes were misty with tears.

She said softly, "Your Highness is too kind."

"It's alright. If you feel unwell, please let me know."

Ruan Qing'an nodded slightly and stepped out of Ji Wuyu's embrace, putting some distance between them again.

The fragrance that had lingered on his nose had suddenly faded away. Ji Wuyu also withdrew his hand, unconsciously rubbing his fingertips. When his arms felt empty, he seemed to have a slight sense of loss.

He shook his head, pulling himself out of his rambling thoughts, and changed the subject, saying, "By the way, does Qing'an know anything about this Cining Temple?"

"The abbot of Cining Temple is the national teacher of our Great Liang. He is in charge of many ceremonies, including sacrifices. His prestige is unparalleled in Great Liang. Therefore, Cining Temple is very popular and attracts many worshippers, all of whom come for the abbot."

As the two spoke, they entered Cining Temple. The snow was thick, and the sunlight reflected off it, making it almost dazzling. Inside the temple, a stream flowed, which must have come from the mountain. Some pieces of ice floated on the surface of the stream.

Above the stream is a stone bridge, with iron chains suspended from it, wrapped with red ribbons, and words can be vaguely seen on them.

Before Ji Wuyu could react, Ruan Qing'an pulled him up, obtained a red ribbon from the monks in the temple, placed it on the desk, picked up a pen and began to write something, while Ji Wuyu stood aside.

"Qing'an seems to believe these things?"

"It's not about believing, it's just about seeking peace of mind."

Ruan Qing'an paused, then looked up at Ji Wuyu: "Your Highness should know that everything depends on human effort, nothing more."

Ji Wuyu was silent for a moment, then looked at the red ribbon in her hand, which read "May the Yongle Marquis's Mansion prosper." He suddenly said, "It's as if I've never known you before."

"Because Your Highness has never understood me."

She chuckled softly, slowly unfurling the red ribbon. Her voice, though light and airy, carried a weighty meaning: "I should have some similarities with Your Highness. Given the current situation, I'm afraid you're not just looking to protect yourself, are you?"

"The world is bustling, all for profit; the world is bustling, all for gain. Your Highness is seeking your own interests, while the Yongle Marquis's Mansion is naturally seeking its own interests."

Ruan Qingan looked up at him and said, “Your Highness, you and I are just selfish people who have gathered together for the sake of interests. We are similar. You may not trust me, but you cannot distrust yourself.”

The noise behind him faded away, and Ji Wuyu's dark eyes stared at her, as if he were seeing her true face only now. He suddenly smiled and said, "So, we are indeed similar."

【Affection Level: 15】

037: [Although countless mission takers have perished at his hands before, his ancestor is incredibly powerful!]

Ruan Qing'an scoffed: "As long as Ji Wuyu's interests are not harmed, it is easy to gain his favor, but it is not so simple to win the heart of this scoundrel."

Ji Wuyu was an absolute egoist. For him, there was no stance, no love, only the interests and power he held in his hands were the most important. Perhaps this was due to the humiliation he suffered in the royal family when he was young.

Ruan Qing'an was certain that if she showed any side that was harmful to him, even if Ji Wuyu had half the love he had for her, he would probably still turn around and stab her to death!

"Little system, don't doubt the ruthlessness of a dog who can wipe out his whole family and ascend the throne."

037, recalling the original text, felt a pang of shame: 【That makes sense.】

A moment later, Ruan Qing'an hung the red ribbon on the iron chain. She clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and murmured devoutly. Ji Wuyu looked down at her beautiful profile, scrutinizing her, seemingly lost in thought.

The two strolled around Cining Temple for quite a while, ate a vegetarian meal, admired the winter plum blossoms, and kowtowed to pray for blessings before leaving Cining Temple.

—If it weren't for the fact that today would be the day the original owner was killed, it would seem as if Ji Wuyu really brought Ruan Qing'an on a "date".

Once the two were seated in the carriage, the atmosphere suddenly quieted down. Ruan Qing'an leaned against the window, lifted the beaded curtain and looked out. He could vaguely see messy footprints in the snow and forest.

Moreover, out of the corner of his eye, he could also see shadowy figures following behind the car, indistinct and not too close...

Ruan Qingan's face darkened, his leaden eyes gleaming with coldness.

The carriage suddenly stopped, the whole carriage shook, and Ruan Qing'an fell down, but Ji Wuyu immediately helped her up: "Are you alright?"

Ruan Qingan shook his head: "I'm fine."

"I'll go ask the driver what's wrong."

As Ji Wuyu was speaking, just as he was about to ask a question, footsteps sounded outside the carriage, followed by a rough voice—

"I built this road, I planted these trees!"

"If you want to get over here, hand over your money!"