"No kissing, no holding hands, no sleeping together... In short, you are not allowed to talk to me in the palace."

Xu Mian thought, could it be because of Concubine Lan? He was afraid that if he and Yi Lan were intimate, Concubine Lan would get angry and jealous?

She shook his hand off, frowning and looking angry.

Shi Yan praised and said, "Yes, he was like this when he saw me (the prince) in the palace, furious, just like before."

Is he really afraid that Yi Lan will be sad, and wants to have a secret relationship with me, playing two boats?

The more Xu Mian thought about it, the sadder she became, and she lay on the pillow and cried.

"Don't cry, look at what gift I will give you?"

Shi Yan carefully took out the Eight Treasures Pearl Dragonfly Begonia Pearl Flower from his arms.

He helped her up, "Take a look, do you like it?"

Xu Mian's eyes were blurred with tears. She picked up the pearl flower, which was quite delicate.

"I picked this for you in a jewellery shop when I was on an errand. I thought it would look good on you."

He pinned it on her bun, "Mianmian is so beautiful. Wear it every day."

Xu Mian stroked the pearl flower and burst into laughter.

"It's so beautiful?"

Shi Yan was about to kiss her face when he heard footsteps outside the door. He quickly let go of Xu Mian, put on his gauze hat, turned over and jumped out of the window.

Xu Mian tidied her clothes and saw Xuelian and the maid standing at the door, looking a little surprised.

"Miss, you're awake. I seemed to see a figure going out of the window just now. Was it a thief who broke in?" the maid asked.

Xu Mian shook her head, "Maybe I saw it wrong, but remember to lock the door when you go in and out next time."

Xuelian looked at the window thoughtfully, secretly guessing the identity of the man just now.

The maid ran in and said, "Miss, Master Pei is here."

"Brother Pei Yu is here!"

Xu Mian was about to go under the bed. Xuelian was packing some things to bring into the palace. Seeing that the side laces of Xu Mian's outer garment were open, she hurriedly hugged her.

"Crown Princess, don't move. The laces are open. I will tie them for you."

"Oh."

Xu Mian smiled shyly. Although she was particularly scared when Shi Yan kissed her just now, she also felt a tingling sensation at the same time.

"Crown Princess, why is your face red? Is it because you drank lychee wine just now?"

"Nothing."

Xu Mian stood up and lowered her head to check if her clothes were torn, but why didn't Shi Yan let anyone know that he had been here?

In the front hall, Pei Yu brought a lot of gifts and was sitting and drinking tea.

He had clear eyebrows, eyes like stars, eyebrows like distant ink, and a faint smile on the corners of his mouth. He looked as gentle as jade, with a strong bookish air, as if he was a gentleman walking out of an ancient scroll.

"Brother Pei!"

"Mian Mian! Look what I brought you."

He handed Xu Mian a clay sculpture album, as well as some fired ceramic shapes and patterns.

Wow, there are so many pictures of pottery here, so there is no need to worry about having nothing to make, and I won't be bored in the palace.

Pei Yu looked at Xu Mian with love in his eyes and a smile on his face.

"I also brought some gifts for my uncle, I wonder if he likes them."

Xu Mian asked the housekeeper, "My father... hasn't come back yet?"

The housekeeper said, "The old man just sent someone to say that he will be back very late, and asked the eldest lady to go back to the palace quickly."

Xu Mian put down the booklet with a look of disappointment.

Daddy is always like this, doesn't he want to see me so much?

Pei Yu persuaded, "Uncle must be busy, it's just right, I will take you back to the palace later."

"Okay, I have to... get something... to bring back to the palace."

Xu Mian ran out and took down Ah Fu and Ah Xi from the shelf in the compartment.

Ah Fu, Ah Xi, I will take you to the palace.

There is a wide and prosperous street in the east of the capital, where stands a magnificent mansion - Pei Mansion.

At this moment, Prime Minister Pei Qing is sitting in the study, concentrating on painting a painting.

He has entered middle age, and the years have not left too many traces on him, but have given him a kind of elegant temperament.

A pretty woman gently opened the door and walked in. She was wearing a light blue dress, with a graceful figure and a beautiful face.

She is the eldest daughter of the Pei Mansion, Pei Yao.

"Father, are you painting again?"

Pei Qing put down the paintbrush in his hand and looked at his daughter with a smile: "Yes, painting can make me feel peaceful."

"Dad, your daughter made soup for you."

Pei Qing smiled and said, "Dad is still the best. Where is your brother? Why hasn't he come back?"

Pei Yu put down the soup bowl and pouted, "Brother went to Xu's house. Today is Uncle Xu's birthday. Xu Mian must have come back as well."

Pei Qing put down the wolf-hair brush, "Your brother is closer to Lord Xu than dad. He goes to Xu's house every few days. But I think he goes less often after Xu entered the palace." Pei Yu

said coquettishly, "Dad, you said before that it was not a good time to enter the palace with the concubines of the East Palace. Then when is the right time?"

Pei Qing took the soup bowl, drank two sips and said, "Now is the right time. Dad will go to the Queen to talk about this tomorrow. You should prepare to enter the palace."

"Then can your daughter become the Crown Princess?"

"That's not enough."

Pei Yu said angrily, "Xu Mian is a stutterer, how can she be the Crown Princess?"

"Yao'er, when you enter the palace in the future, you should talk less, keep things in your heart and think about them secretly, instead of speaking quickly, remember?"

"My daughter remembers."

Pei Qing's face showed a scheming expression, as if everything was under control.

On the mountain behind Lingyun Temple, a middle-aged man poured wine in front of a tombstone.

"Xiang'er, Mian Mian has married into the palace. She is very sensible, you can rest assured."

At that time, Xue and Xu Chao were a well-known loving couple in the capital. Xue died of heavy bleeding after giving birth to Xu Mian, and Xu Chao did not remarry for many years.

"Today is my birthday, and I just want to spend it with you. This is the peach blossom pastry you like."

The man choked up and shed tears silently. He stroked the tombstone and wiped the dust off it with his sleeves.

"Don't worry, I won't go down to find you until Mianmian is settled in the palace. I'm afraid you will blame me. You won't wait until Mianmian becomes the queen before allowing me to go down to accompany you?" "

Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. As long as there is someone who loves her, don't worry. The prince is not mature yet. With more training, he will be a good crown prince. Mianmian is a silly child. She didn't see it. In fact, the prince also likes her, otherwise why would I marry her to the palace?"

Here, when Xu Mian returned to the East Palace, it was already a time when the moon was bright and the stars were sparse.

Holding Ah Fu and Ah Xi tightly in his hands, he walked into the Penglai Palace in a happy mood.

When he stepped into the palace, he felt a strange atmosphere, and the palace servants were standing with their heads bowed.

Could it be that the Empress has come?

Xu Mian guessed in his heart, and his pace could not help but quicken.

When he walked into the inner hall, he saw a tall figure standing by the window at a glance.

"Shi Yan?" Xu Mian shouted excitedly.

She remembered the tenderness she had with him at noon in the Xu Mansion, and a blush appeared on her face.

After hearing this title, Shi Jun's face instantly became gloomy, turned around, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes.

He said coldly: "Why did the Crown Princess return to the palace so late? You are so ignorant of the rules!"

Xu Mian was startled by his sudden change of expression. She pouted her lips a little aggrieved and gently shook the pottery in her hand.

These are gifts from you, and I brought them back specially.

But Shi Jun seemed to have no interest in the two pottery figures. He walked straight to the rosewood round table and sat down. The table was filled with all kinds of delicious dishes.

Xu Mian secretly speculated in her heart. It was clearly noon in the Xu Mansion’s chamber that Shi Yan had just said that the palace did not want her to talk to him, so why did he come to Penglai Palace again?