Fortunately, Mu Yanming managed to steady himself in time, preventing himself from falling on Mo Qinghuan completely.
Frowning, he snapped angrily, "What's going on?"
The coachman reined in the carriage and replied tremblingly, "Your Highness, there's a pit on the road out of nowhere. It's this lowly one's fault for not noticing it, which led to this..."
Before he could continue, Mo Qinghuan squeezed Mu Yanming's arm, and his temper immediately cooled down.
After returning to the prince's mansion, she headed straight for her room.
Bai Ke saw Mo Qinghuan and Mu Yanming coming back and was about to bow when, unexpectedly, Mo Qinghuan bumped into him.
Scratching his head, he looked at Mu Yanming awkwardly.
Mu Yanming's face was also grim. He followed Mo Qinghuan with a straight face. Just as he reached the door, Mo Qinghuan slammed it shut with a bang.
Mu Yanming was left outside.
"Your Highness, what's wrong with the princess?"
He sighed helplessly. He knew last night that Mo Qinghuan would find out about this sooner or later, but he didn't expect it to be so soon. Even worse, Mo Qinghuan wouldn't listen to his explanation.
He raised his hand and knocked on the door.
Mo Qinghuan's voice came from inside, "Your Highness, please find somewhere else to rest tonight. I'd like to be alone."
Bai Ke finally understood what was going on. Knowing he couldn't help, he shook his head helplessly. As Mu Yanming walked towards the study, he headed for the side hall.
In the side hall, he saw Jing Hua dozing off against a pillar. He nudged Jing Hua.
Jing Hua opened his sleepy eyes, saw Bai Ke, and immediately stood up straight.
"Brother Bai, what's up?"
Bai Ke sighed, "Alas, the prince and the princess had another fight. The princess even refused to let the prince into the room."
Hearing this, Jing Hua perked up and immediately asked curiously, "What happened?"
Bai Ke shook his head, "They've been like this since they came back from the palace. We don't know, and we don't dare to ask."
Jing Hua laughed and put his hand on Bai Ke's shoulder, "It's only our princess who can do this. If it were someone else, the prince would have kicked her out of the mansion, I bet."
Bai Ke tapped Jing Hua on the head, "Well, if it were someone else, the prince wouldn't even let her into the mansion."
Jing Hua thought for a moment and realized Bai Ke was right...
In the Sunlit Hall, Mo Qinghuan curled up on the bed alone, hugging her knees.
She recalled what Gu Qinglan had told her and couldn't help but let her mind wander.
The lewd music and the image of people making love kept haunting her mind.
Finally, she couldn't bear it anymore. She got up, walked to the door, and opened it.
Seeing her get up in her nightgown, Dan Er quickly asked, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"
"Where's the prince?"
Dan Er pursed her lips and lowered her head.
"The prince is in the study," Dan Er said, keeping her head down and not daring to look into Mo Qinghuan's eyes.
Mo Qinghuan didn't suspect anything at first and turned to go back into the room.
Suddenly, she noticed something was off about Dan Er. She turned back sharply and saw Dan Er patting her chest and gasping for breath.
She walked back to Dan Er and asked again, "Dan Er, where's the prince?"
Dan Er bit her lip, lowered her head, and said nothing.
Mo Qinghuan immediately understood.
She took two steps back into the room and closed the door.
At this moment, the Flourishing Flowers Pavilion was bustling with activity, filled with singing and dancing.
Mu Yanming sat at a table, quietly sipping his tea. A beautiful woman in red was playing the pipa opposite him.
When the song ended, she put down the pipa, came over, and sat down in front of Mu Yanming. She poured him a cup of tea.
"Your Highness seems even more preoccupied today than yesterday. Has something else happened?"
Mu Yanming sighed with a solemn expression.
"It's nothing. How about you? Are you getting used to it here?"
The woman in red's eyes welled up with tears, "What's there to get used to? Living under someone else's roof in such a filthy place, even if I'm not used to it now, I'll have to get used to it sooner or later. Your Highness doesn't need to worry."
She raised her hand and gently wiped away the tears from the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. Her slender fingers, like jade onions, brushed against her pink peach - blossom - like face.
Mu Yanming put down his teacup and looked up at the tearful Shishi. A pang of guilt welled up in his heart.
"Don't worry. Even if you're here, as long as you don't want to, no one can force you to do anything you don't like."
She looked up at Mu Yanming and gave a faint smile, her bright eyes filled with affection.
She stood up, walked behind Mu Yanming, and said, "Shishi knows it's all thanks to Your Highness's care. Shishi is grateful. If Your Highness is tired, you can come here often. Shishi can help you relax." She began to massage Mu Yanming's shoulders.
Mu Yanming frowned slightly but didn't stop her.
Outside the door, Bai Ke shivered when he heard the woman's soft and tender voice. It felt like goosebumps were falling off his body.
Half an hour later, Mu Yanming opened the door and walked out.
"Let's go. It's time to go back."
Shishi followed him out, looking reluctant and full of affection.
"Your Highness, go back and rest well. Don't overwork yourself."
Bai Ke couldn't help but think this woman was really considerate. But after all, she was a courtesan. No matter how good she was, she couldn't be compared with the intelligent, kind, and beautiful princess back at home. They were like the sky and the earth.
Seeing Bai Ke standing still, Mu Yanming coughed lightly.
Only then did Bai Ke obediently follow.
"Do you have something to say?" Mu Yanming stopped suddenly, turned around, and looked at Bai Ke.
Although Bai Ke was indignant, thinking that the prince shouldn't come to such a place when he was in a fight with the princess, he didn't dare to say anything.
He shook his head, "No, Your Highness. This subordinate has nothing to say."
Before they could leave the Flourishing Flowers Pavilion, it suddenly started to rain outside, and the temperature dropped sharply.
Bai Ke shivered involuntarily.
— Why is even the sky so inconsiderate...
Just as he was worrying about how to get back, Shishi ran out.
She gasped slightly, "Your Highness, the rain is coming down hard. It's better to wait until it stops before leaving."
Mu Yanming looked at the sky outside, nodded, and turned to go back into the room.
When Mo Qinghuan arrived in the rain, she saw the woman in red holding Mu Yanming's arm and walking inside.
Bai Ke seemed to sense something. He looked back outside.
Seeing Mo Qinghuan, he was startled.
When he looked back at Mu Yanming, Mu Yanming had already lifted his robe and stepped onto the steps.
He picked up the oil - paper umbrella leaning against the door and walked to Mo Qinghuan.
"Your Highness, why did you come out without an umbrella?"
At this moment, she was completely soaked. She looked up at Bai Ke with red eyes, and the rain ran down her face.
Bai Ke could feel her heartache and sadness, but with the rain mixing with her tears, he couldn't tell which was which.
"Your Highness, it's not what you think. The prince and that woman have nothing going on. They were just listening to music and drinking tea. That's all."
Suddenly, she laughed and turned to walk back. But after taking just two steps, she staggered and fell.
"Qinghuan!"