This was all thanks to Demin; the usually straightforward Demin had actually started beating around the bush—that was unusual! However, he couldn't say this to her, so Hongli made an excuse:
"My right eyelid has been twitching for a while now. I had a feeling that something was going to happen, so I came to take a look."
Is it really such a coincidence? Demin has always been dutiful and responsible, so why has he suddenly disappeared? Su Yushan was suspicious, but since Hongli wouldn't say for sure, she didn't delve any deeper. She simply said "Oh," and then asked:
"Whose son is Hongchang?"
"Prince Yi".
Prince Yi? Isn't that the legendary Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang? "So it's the Thirteenth Prince! No wonder."
Her remark was quite meaningful. Hongli turned to look at her, his eyes filled with curiosity. "What do you mean by that?"
In reality, Su Yushan didn't really understand the relationships among those royal relatives. She just guessed based on the limited history she knew. "Among the emperor's brothers, he was only close to the thirteenth prince. It's only natural that the thirteenth prince's son would use this relationship to oppress the people."
Speaking of Hongchang, Hongli's eyes could not hide his disdain. "Hongchang and my thirteenth uncle are completely different in temperament. My uncle is humble, polite, and well-behaved, while Hongchang is arrogant and domineering. My uncle is very worried about him and is afraid that he will cause trouble. He has been strictly disciplining him, but he is obedient on the surface but still very arrogant in private."
Su Yushan was so shocked earlier that she hadn't had time to think it through. Now, after considering it carefully, she realized something was wrong. "No matter what, he's still your cousin. Won't hitting him cause trouble?"
In Hongli's view, the person who should be worried is Hongchang. "He was wrong first, so what's wrong with me teaching him a lesson?"
“That makes sense, but he is, after all, Prince Yi’s son. I’m afraid that if the Emperor finds out about this, he will reprimand you for Prince Yi’s sake.”
Hongli didn't care about any of that; what he cared about most right now was Su Yushan's attitude.
With his elbows resting on his knees, Hongli turned to her with a smile, looking at her with interest, and said, "Are you worried about me?"
"..." Really? Hastily averting her gaze, Su Yushan retorted, "I was just analyzing with you what might happen."
Her eyes flickered noticeably, clearly indicating that she was hiding something. Hongli was in a good mood and continued to press, "If Father Emperor scolds me, will you feel sorry for me?"
Su Yushan was speechless, but calmly changed the subject, "He is your father, and his scolding is just for show. It shouldn't be too serious, right?"
"You don't know Father's temperament. He's stern, cold, and upright, especially strict with his own sons," Hongli said, adding fuel to the fire as he watched Su Yushan's brows furrow, seemingly growing increasingly worried. He deliberately sighed.
“What you consider a small matter is a big deal in his eyes, and Father Emperor might even punish me for it.”
The more he talked, the more serious it became, and Su Yushan sensed something was wrong, becoming extremely anxious. "Oh no? What should we do?"
She seemed to take it seriously, so Hongli stopped teasing her and coaxed her with a smile, "It's alright. The fact that you still care about me is my greatest reward today."
“Who cares about you?” Su Yushan retorted immediately. “I just don’t want to involve you in my affairs.”
"Why should we distinguish between ourselves? Your business is my business."
His gaze was gentle yet firm, and Su Yushan dared not meet his eyes, as if she would fall into his trap if she looked at him any longer.
Tired of these sweet words, Su Yushan said seriously, "I'm talking to you about serious matters, but you're always rambling on."
Judging from Hongchang's personality, he probably wouldn't let the matter drop, but Hongli never took this person seriously, so he wasn't worried. "Things will work themselves out. Don't worry! I'll handle it."
During dinner, Hongli had some free time, so he stayed at Huatang Pavilion to dine with Yushan and Yuchan.
Su Yushan usually didn't like drinking, and Hongli didn't want to drink either. But today, with guests present, he ordered someone to bring out a pot of Jade Dew Wine.
A jade cup filled with clear wine has a unique charm.
Yu Chan only offered the Fourth Prince a cup of wine and then didn't look for him again. Instead, she found various excuses to pester her sister to drink with her.
Since it was a rare occasion for her younger sister to come over, Su Yushan didn't want to spoil the fun, so she drank one cup after another with her.
After several rounds of drinks, before the main course was even served, she was already feeling very dizzy. She sighed softly, holding her forehead, "This wine has a very strong aftereffect. I can't take it anymore, I can't drink any more."
She had no appetite right now, didn't want to eat anything, and just wanted to lie down and rest.
Seeing this, Yu Chan wisely took her leave, saying, "Fourth Master, I've finished eating. My sister is feeling dizzy, and I don't have the strength to help her. Please help her back to the inner room to rest!"
Hongli secretly praised this girl for being truly capable; she always seemed to think the same way as him without him having to say a word.
After Yu Chan left, Hongli stood up, walked to Su Yushan's side, and picked her up in his arms.
Su Yushan, who was slumped against the chair, feeling dizzy and disoriented, was suddenly swept up in someone's arms. Startled, she gasped and instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, afraid of falling.
"Hey? What are you doing? Put me down!"
Surrounded by her fragrance, Hongli was unconsciously drawn to her scent. His thin lips brushed against her ear, his husky voice making no attempt to conceal his desire, "Do what I've longed for for so long..."
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