The carriage drove out of the Third Prince's Palace, with A'er and Atu riding their horses on both sides.

In the carriage, Meng Guxue and Baili Chengyou sat on the left and right sides of the carriage, close to the wall. In the already small space, the two of them sat as far away from each other as possible.

Baili Chengyou frowned, his eyes swept across Meng Guxue's face many times, and finally asked:

"Why are you unhappy?"

Meng Guxue lowered his head and said nothing.

From Baili Chengyou's perspective, he could only see Meng Guxue's calm profile, which was completely different from her usual cheerful and eloquent appearance.

Baili Chengyou thought about it, leaned towards Meng Guxue, and softened his voice:

"Are you feeling uneasy? Don't be nervous. Just don't leave my side at any time tonight. Everything will be fine."

Meng Guxue suddenly raised her head upon hearing this, and her eyes fixed on Baili Chengyou's face.

"So, something is going to happen tonight?"

Baili Chengyou was slightly startled, then nodded, "Brother suddenly proposed to host the evening banquet, and arranged it on the banks of the Jinghua River. He must have a plan in mind."

"What's the outcome?" Meng Guxue asked.

Baili Chengyou couldn't help but turn his head to look at Meng Guxue, but didn't answer.

Seeing this, Meng Guxue slowly sat up straight, leaned his back against the car wall again, and sneered:

"Baili, you have been very good to me over the past year, whether it's the daily obedience or the promise of "we will be together forever" at the engagement party.

"The ladies in Kyoto are all envious, saying that I, a princess from a foreign country, am so lucky. I have no beauty or power, but I am favored by you."

"Baili, even I almost lost myself."

Meng Guxue's voice was colder than ever before, and her usually smiling face was full of seriousness.

"But now I look back, your love and favor have put me on the spotlight, pushing me out and making me a target for everyone's attention."

"Everyone knows that the Third Prince loves the Third Royal Consort to the bone. The Third Royal Consort is the Third Prince's weak spot."

"Baili, do you know my situation?"

When Baili Chengyou heard these words, his expression changed immediately.

Meng Guxue's coldness and calmness gave him a premonition that today's conversation must not be perfunctory, otherwise some things, once broken, would be irreversible.

Thinking of this, Baili Chengyou looked directly into Meng Guxue's eyes and said in a deep voice:

"I, Baili Chengyou, have never bothered to do such things in front of others. I promised you these at the East Suburb Poetry Conference in Yong Dynasty."

"Now that I have brought you to Nanli, as a man, I must fulfill my promise and do everything I promised you!"

"My only mistake was that I thought too highly of myself and let them take advantage of me. As a result, I was too exhausted to care about other things, and you were poisoned by the fourth sister."

"I have made all the necessary preparations tonight, and I will certainly not let you suffer from the schemes of others."

Baili Chengyou has a frank look on his face. He never says sweet words, but once he makes a promise, he will naturally spare no effort to fulfill it.

Meng Guxue has been in Nanli Kingdom for more than a year. He asked himself if he had always protected her very well. Otherwise, how could she still retain her unrestrained innocence in the strict and oppressive imperial palace?

It was really because his mother's suffering some time ago was beyond his expectations, and he found out some things from it that he had not foreseen in his dreams, which made him a little confused and caused Meng Guxue to be plotted against by his fourth sister.

This matter was his fault and he has reflected deeply on himself.

Meng Guxue stared at Baili Chengyou steadily. After they looked at each other for a while, Meng Guxue's shoulders relaxed slightly and the coldness on her face slowly disappeared.

She slightly adjusted her sitting posture, still with a solemn look on her face, and said in a calm voice:

"Baili, I admit that I have often made trouble for you over the past year, and sometimes I have been unreasonable, but I have always considered your bottom line."

"I don't expect you to understand my situation and confusion, but I hope you know that I am also learning to grow."

"The situation in Nanli is so tense now. Even if you don't intend to involve me, I am already involved."

"You guys always look ten steps ahead when you take one step, so I'll learn to look three or five steps ahead when I take one step. Do you know what I mean?"

"Baili, what I want is not to be protected in ignorance, but to grow up, become stronger, protect myself, protect Xiaotao, and even protect--"

Meng Guxue became more and more excited as she spoke. Her eyes suddenly fell on Baili Chengyou's face, but then she stopped in an instant.

She took a long breath and continued, "I know that I am weak, and I don't expect you to tell me all your plans."

"But, when the situation involves me, Baili, I hope you can share what you have with me, at least this way I can be prepared and even fight back."

"For example, for tonight's banquet, Baili, have you thought about it? Do you have anything to say to me?"

Night had fallen outside the carriage, and there was no light inside, making it dark and gloomy.

At this moment, the dim light coming in from outside the car curtain fell on Meng Guxue's face, as if giving her a layer of soft light.

Baili Chengyou was stunned, his eyes were moved, and his heart was surging with indescribable emotions.

This is simply... not like the Meng Guxue he knew.

In the dream, she was the dodder and money tree beside Shen Yuanbai, gentle and fragile, with eyes full of love.

When Baili Chengyou woke up from his dream, he even doubted how he could have fallen in love with such a woman.

However, in order to prove himself and for the formulas in Meng Guxue's mind, he took great pains to bring people to Nanli.

But after more than a year of getting along with them, he found that Meng Guxue might be weak, but she was indeed special.

Whether it is the equality and freedom she talks about, or the eccentricity and unrestrainedness.

He thought that all he had to do was to take her under his wing and protect her like Shen Yuanbai in his dream.

But when he was unaware, Meng Guxue had grown up quietly. What she had just said surprised and delighted him, and he even felt that he had underestimated her from the beginning to the end.

Meng Guxue is not weak now, she even looks glowing.

"Bai Li?"

Meng Guxue saw Baili Chengyou staring at her blankly. After hesitating for a while, she stretched out her hand and waved it in front of his eyes.

This was the last time she was honest. She didn't want to be pretentious, so she laid out all the problems and left it to Baili Chengyou to choose.

Baili Chengyou slowly raised his eyes, and when he looked at Meng Guxue, a different light flashed in his eyes.

The corner of his mouth curled up slightly, and he suddenly tightly grasped the hand that Meng Guxue extended to him.

Meng Guxue frowned slightly when she saw this. "Why are you holding my hand? So what?"

Baili Chengyou opened his thin lips and said with warmth: "If you want to know, I am willing to tell you, but you have to sit next to me."

Meng Guxue:?

What is the causal relationship between this sentence?

She was extremely curious and without hesitation, she moved her butt to sit next to Baili Chengyou and said quickly:

"Okay, tell me now, I'm dying of curiosity!"

A hint of smile appeared between Baili Chengyou's eyebrows. He leaned slightly closer to Meng Guxue and spoke softly.