"Your Highness, I do not know about this. The Crown Prince is lying," Xi Feng defended himself. "Your Majesty, even the Empress is lying," Xi Feng stated, but Han Wenji did not believe him.

  "Take them to the Prison," Han Wenji ordered. "It is late night, so I will not give any judgment," the Emperor asserted and walked out of the hut. The Empress glanced at the Crown Prince while Xi Feng and the Ministers kept pleading for forgiveness.

  "Imperial Mother, you shall go back. You shall take a good sleep. We all know that Minister Xi is lying," Sheng Li told Deng Hui, who was still in utter shock. "Xiao, escort the Empress to her chamber," Sheng Li commanded Xiao Zhan, who came forward.

  "Your Majesty, please come this way." Deng Hui looked at General Xiao and left for her manor. The other princes also left except Lei Wanxi. Commander Sun took away those six Ministers to Prison after ordering the soldiers.

  "What was this, Brother Sheng?" Lei Wanxi asked curiously.

  "Wanxi, I will converse with you in the morning. You shall sleep," Sheng Li patted his shoulder and turned his gaze to Ying Lili. "I will come to the chamber in a while. Go back," Sheng Li told her, who nodded and walked out of the hut with Lei Wanxi.

  "Your Highness, is there something more left?" Wang Hao asked Sheng Li.

  "Who was she?" Sheng Li knitted his brows and waited for Wang Hao's response.

  "May I ask about whom his highness is talking?" Wang Hao asked.

  "The one whom you met in the Courtesan's house. Why do you want to free that woman?" Sheng Li questioned him.

  Wang Hao did not answer. He did not want to share it with anyone. However, the Crown Prince had seen him, and, if he hid, then it would not be good. "Five years ago, I saved her from getting killed in a war. She is like a sister. I could not meet her for many years, and she ended up in the brothel," Wang Hao felt guilty.

  "She does not want to leave that place. Do you want me to do something for it?" Sheng Li asked Wang Hao, who politely refused the Crown Prince.

  "No, your highness. Thank you for thinking so much for me. However, I cannot take your help. It is between a brother and a sister. Somewhere, I am responsible for this state of hers. I didn't meet her for five years, and she had the anger hidden inside her because of this."

  Sheng Li did not argue with him anymore. "If you do feel like that I can be of your help, then do not hesitate to tell me," he affirmed. Wang Hao nodded. "You shall leave and have a good sleep." Sheng Li patted his shoulder and walked out of the hut.

  He went straight to Ying Lili's chamber. Xing-Fu and Court Lady Xu bowed before him. "Your Highness, the bathhouse is ready," Xing-Fu informed Sheng Li, who hummed and walked in.

  He found Ying Lili on the bed. "I will be back in a while," he informed Ying Lili. "I will take a bath first. Do you want to join me?" Sheng Li asked her.

  "No," Ying Lili immediately refused. Sheng Li smiled and told her to wait for him then. He walked out of the chamber and left for the bathhouse.

  Ying Lili, oppositely, ordered the maidservants to set the dinner table. She stood up and checked the dinner. "Your Highness, you shall remove the jewelry and the Crown. Let the maidservants help you," Court Lady Xu suggested to Ying Lili, who nodded.

  She went to the dressing room where two maidservants removed the jewelry and buyao, first, followed by the Crown. 'It is the reason for the fights among everyone,' Ying Lili thought while looking at the Crown.

  She removed the bangles from her hand and went back to the chamber. "Your Highness, the Crown Prince will soon be here. Refrain from getting too close to the Crown Prince for two nights," Court Lady Xu reminded Ying Lili, who nodded her head.

  Sheng Li came to the chamber after 20 minutes, in a white silk robe. His hair was wet while he had not worn an upper jacket. "Forgive me for letting you wait for too long," he apologized first before taking a seat around the table.

  Court Lady Xu gestured to a maidservant to serve the dinner to the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. "Leave," Sheng Li ordered them and they left.

  He picked the chopsticks and started to eat the rice. "I scared the Empress. I cannot punish her, since she is the mother of Brother Nianzu," Sheng Li told Ying Lili.

  "Hmm. You did right. I saw how terrified she was! What will you do about Eunuch Zhen?" Ying Lili queried.

  "I will let him live until he is useful for us," Sheng Li asserted. He picked a slice of meat and put it over the plate placed in front of Ying Lili. "Eat this," he told her. Soon they finished eating and the servant cleaned the table for them.

  "What happened in Courtesan's house?" Ying Lili suddenly asked him. "Whom did you ask to help you?"

  "I asked Lady Ki to help me– the chief courtesan, who serves the Court Ministers," Sheng Li replied. He pulled the curtain down and sat on the mattress beside Ying Lili.

  "And she helped you?" She was a little astonished.

  "Hmm." "Why?"

  "No one touched you, right?" She asked him more.

  Sheng Li was amused to hear Ying Lili's questions. Was she jealous that he went to a place full of women? It was fun for him whenever Ying Lili used to be jealous.

  "I was on a mission so, I could not help," Sheng Li gave a vague answer to her. Ying Lili peered into his eyes. "And so many women were there that——"

  "——that you let anyone touch you!" Ying Lili chuckled and scoffed.

  "How do you know? I cannot let the mission get ruined," asserted Sheng Li and passed her a tiny smile.

  "Why are you here, then? Go to them and sleep there," Ying Lili got angry. "That's why you did not let me come with you," she deduced. "Go away. You will not sleep here today." Ying Lili pushed him, but Sheng Li did not budge from his place. Instead, he was enjoying the reactions of Ying Lili.

  She put her hands on his arm and tried to push him away. "Go away!"

  Sheng Li caught her arm and swiftly pinned her down on his lap. He leaned down and kissed her nose tip. "Lili, I was teasing you. I did not know you would react this way," Sheng Li asserted, keeping the smile on his lips.

  "Don't talk to me and let me go." She averted her gaze from him.

  Sheng Li curled his fingers under her chin and turned her face towards him. "There is no one born who can touch me except you, Lili. I do not permit others. Don't you know?" Sheng Li muttered.

  "Why did you say that so many women were there that you let them touch you?" Ying Lili questioned him.

  "That's your deduction, Lili. You did not let me complete my words. I got angry at two women who approached me. They ran away from my sight. Other than that, I encountered the most famous Courtesan there, who mixed the powder in those Ministers wine," Sheng Li explained to Ying Lili. He pulled his hand back and made Ying Lili sit on his lap.

  "Let me go," She requested.

  "No." "I want to hold you like this," he added. Ying Lili extended her index finger out and moved the hair back which was coming to the front of Sheng Li's face.

  "Your hair is still wet. You should have let it dry first," Ying Lili suggested.

  "I was hungry," Sheng Li replied. Ying Lili looked at his chest and then moved the robe slightly away. The scar was still there. Sheng Li looked at her face, which had focussed on the scar. She moved her finger over it gradually.

  "Does it still hurt?"

  "No. I have forgotten about it," Sheng Li replied. Ying Lili lifted her gaze to meet his…… Studying them for a while, she leaned towards him and kissed his lips.