Helpless, Shang Xiye took out several plates of pastries from the hidden compartment and pushed them all in front of her: "These were originally prepared for you, why are you taking them? Are you afraid others won't know you're a bandit?"

"Is this really for me?" Ji Fengyao looked at him warily, making sure the pastry wasn't poisoned.

"Mm," Shang Xiye nodded.

"You would be so kind?" Ji Fengyao was skeptical.

Shang Xiye's face darkened instantly, and he reached out to snatch the plate from her hand: "You're not allowed to eat anymore, put it down!"

"Your Highness, Your Highness, I misspoke. You are the kindest prince in the world. These pastries have become a hundred times more delicious after your kindness!"

Ji Fengyao immediately began to fawn over him, devouring the pastries in front of her like a whirlwind. She had only had a sip of porridge in the morning before entering the palace, naively assuming that either the emperor or the empress dowager would invite her to stay for a meal.

They did leave the food for me, but well, the result was... well, let's just say it was bad!

She was starving, so there was no need to make herself suffer over a verbal argument. Anyway, this narcissistic guy was quite susceptible to flattery, and it wouldn't hurt her to give him a few insincere compliments.

After a while, Ji Fengyao felt a little full. She glanced sideways at Shang Xiye, who was sitting upright, and gossiped, "The Empress Dowager seems to value that Princess Zhaoping very much."

“Princess Zhaoping’s birth mother and the Empress Dowager are sisters from the same mother. When the Sun family was hit by fire, only Zhaoping, who was visiting the Empress Dowager in the palace, survived. Therefore, the Empress Dowager has always favored Zhaoping,” Shang Xiye said calmly.

Ji Fengyao nodded in realization: "So, Your Highness and Princess Zhaoping are cousins."

In ancient times, people often liked to form marriages between relatives, such as cousins, which sounded ambiguous.

No wonder Princess Zhaoping looked like her lover had been stolen; she might actually have stolen someone else's sweetheart.

"What?" Shang Xiye asked, puzzled.

"Nothing, I just think your cousin is quite pretty, haha," Ji Fengyao chuckled dryly.

Shang Xiye frowned slightly. Why did it feel like she was talking to him?

What does it matter to him whether Princess Zhaoping is good-looking or not? Besides, he doesn't like women raised in the deep palace who are pretentious, delicate on the outside but dark on the inside.

"When I return to the manor, I must truly deal with Bai Rumei," Ji Fengyao said after a moment of silence.

"Um."

Shang Xiye responded indifferently, his cold and aloof attitude so much that Ji Fengyao lost all desire to tease him.

The journey was too long and the process was very boring.

After a while, Ji Fengyao remembered something else and asked, "Oh right, I forgot to ask you, what is Black Owl's background?"

"Don't pay too much attention to him, and don't get too close to him," Shang Xiye said calmly.

Ji Fengyao: "..."

This girl is a "chat killer," she just doesn't believe it!

“He said he was sent by you to my side, but you told me not to get too close to him. Your Highness, he is my personal guard. Does your 'too close' have a specific meaning? I am not sure how to judge this.”

Shang Xiye looked up at her fox-like smile, which seemed ingratiating but actually carried a hint of provocation.

With a blink of his beautiful, almost otherworldly eyes, he said clearly, “First, you must not let him come within three steps of you; second, you must not meet him when you are disheveled, even if your outer garment is undone or a single button is undone; third, you must not keep any secrets from him that I do not know, and if I find out, you will not be able to bear the consequences.”