Rong Ning couldn't find fault with him. She stared at him intently, making his scalp tingle.

After a long silence, she finally said, "Come here! What kind of nonsense is it for the commander of the Imperial Guard to follow me like this?!"

Luo Chuan was very obedient and walked up in a few steps. He had dealt with Rong Ning so many times and knew how to appease her.

Rong Ning let him off the hook and stopped picking a fight, speaking to him normally, "Did Father send you out of the palace on business?"

"No, I'm off duty. I'm going back to my residence to rest for a while."

Luo Chuan replied calmly.

"Then why are you following me? Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No!" Luo Chuan said helplessly, "This humble subject dared not overstep the princess, so I followed behind."

Speechless~

Rong Ning looked him up and down, and since they had already met, she asked him some questions, "Has Father been losing his temper lately?"

"His Majesty has always had a good temper and rarely loses it!"

That's really pointless.

As a close advisor to the emperor, Luo Chuan was meticulous in his words and actions. Rong Ning glanced at him sideways, feeling there was no need to say anything more to him, so she waved her hand impatiently and said, "Stop following me, hurry up and leave. I didn't dig this palace road. You can't just leave whenever you want!"

Luo Chuan laughed, cupped his hands respectfully, and said, "Thank you, Your Highness. This humble subject will take his leave."

He walked extremely fast and disappeared in no time. Rong Ning had reason to suspect that if he could have run away directly, he would have disappeared even faster, as if he were fleeing from a flood or a ferocious beast.

I find it inexplicably funny.

Because of Luo Chuan, the aura brought from the Eastern Palace dissipated considerably. Rong Ning looked back at the deep and long palace road and calmly instructed, "Let's go to the Ministry of Justice prison."

Whom does Your Highness wish to visit?

“Let’s go see that Mrs. Zhu Qi,” Rong Ning quickened her pace. “To be honest, I’m quite curious whether she knows that her husband is keeping a mistress outside and has a son with her.”

Aying followed, saying, "She probably doesn't know. If she did, she wouldn't have refused when her family wanted to take her back."

"Right... otherwise why would you say this man is disgusting and shameless!"

He got everything good: a wife and children to die with him, and a mistress to carry on his lineage.

They've calculated everything for us.

Once outside the palace gates, the carriage was already waiting there, but there was another carriage parked next to the princess's carriage.

As Rong Ning approached, the person in the carriage also got off; it was Chu Pingyao.

The last time Rong Ning saw her was at the palace banquet when she first returned. Not long after, however, Rong Ning felt that Chu Pingyao's complexion was worse than before.

I don't know if it's just my imagination.

"Pingyao greets Princess Ningding!" she said, paying her respects according to etiquette.

The voice was soft and gentle, making it pleasant to listen to.

"No need for formalities," Rong Ning said, offering a helping hand. "What brings Miss Chu here?"

"Your Highness, when I left the palace, I saw the princess's carriage and knew it was Your Highness, so I waited here. Please forgive me for disturbing Your Highness."

"Do you need something from me?" Rong Ning asked uncertainly.

Logically, this shouldn't be the case, since she and Chu Pingyao have little interaction.

"Um..."

Chu Pingyao nodded, "There are some things I'd like to say to Your Highness, if it's convenient for you."

That's strange.

Rong Ning, curious about what Chu Pingyao was going to say, nodded, "Convenient, very convenient! But I have something to do later, so let's get in my carriage and talk briefly!"

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Chu Pingyao followed Rong Ning into the carriage, and A Ying told the servants to step back a few meters away from the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Chu Pingyao, who had just dared to stop Rong Ning, now felt a little embarrassed. She said, "Your Highness, what I am about to say may seem a bit ridiculous. If Your Highness thinks I am being irresponsible, please stop me."

"You have to tell me first, I need to hear what it is."

Rong Ning found a comfortable position to lean back and gestured for Chu Pingyao to get to the point.

"It is like this. Recently, the Imperial Concubine has been frequently summoning me to the palace. I understand Her Highness's meaning, but His Highness the Crown Prince has made excuses and avoided seeing me on these occasions, which makes me somewhat apprehensive."

Rong Ning turned to look at her and asked, "Didn't he come to see you yesterday?"

"No... I didn't hear from the Imperial Concubine that His Highness returned late yesterday!"

late at night?

When the Crown Prince left the Princess's residence, it was still early. Where did he go off to again?

As I was pondering this, I heard Chu Pingyao continue, "Although Her Highness the Imperial Concubine intends for me to have more contact with His Highness, she ultimately cannot make decisions for the Crown Prince, so there are many things Her Highness cannot answer for me."

But Your Highness is different... You and the Crown Prince are siblings from the same mother, with a deep bond. You should know some of what he's thinking, if not everything. So, I'd like to ask you, does the Crown Prince dislike me?"

Tsk...

Rong Ning was startled!

That's a very direct question!

The fact that she dared to ask this question shows that this girl is also a person with a strong personality, at least not as soft-hearted and easily manipulated as Xie Xizhu.

Rong Ning thought for a moment, sat up straight, looked at Chu Pingyao, and replied, "Although the Crown Prince and I are siblings, there are some things that I cannot see through. So you should ask the Crown Prince directly about this issue. He can tell you the answer himself, which may be more accurate."

"Your Highness, I know that it would be more direct to ask the Crown Prince directly, but the marriage between the Crown Prince and the Chu family is a done deal. If I ask the Crown Prince directly and get a less-than-dignified answer, I really don't know how I will get through the long and uncertain years ahead with the Crown Prince."

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