Ye Zhen’s shoulders stiffened a bit.

  Mo Rongyi didn’t notice the abnormality in her behaviour, and said excitedly, “Yaoyao, Imperial Brother also plays polo very well!”


  “A’Yi, go practice riding and let…… Yaoyao take rest,” Mo Rongzhan said.

  Without a word, Mo Rongyi left with his buddies to practice equestrianism.

  “Your Imperial Majesty, I will go first.” Ye Zhen didn’t want to face Mo Rongzhan’s suspicion alone, so she couldn’t wait to just leave.

  “You haven’t answered zhen’s question yet.” Mo Rongzhan watched the sweat slipping down her fair cheeks and resisted the impulse to wipe it off for her.

  Ye Zhen looked at him, pretending to forget what he had asked, “Your Imperial Majesty, what do you want to know?”


  Mo Rongzhan smiled and said, “A’Yi told me that it was your idea to host a banquet and invite other families?”


  “I just think that Little Prince should know more people, and hosting a banquet on his birthday is the best way,” Ye Zhen answered plainly.

  “Then how do you know who can help A’Yi?” Mo Rongzhan asked.

  Ye Zhen bit her lip. “I don’t know.”


  She was always defensive in front of him, and he never knew how much of what she said was true. For the first time, Mo Rongzhan felt a little frustrated.

  “Go get changed and come to the imperial garden,” Mo Rongzhan said in a low voice.

  Ye Zhen looked at him, frowned, and asked, “I don’t know what else His Imperial Majesty has to order, but you can just let me know now.”


  “Why don’t you call me imperial brother?” Mo Rongzhan asked with a smile. She was already Princess Fu Rong but refused to call him brother. Although it might sound awkward, if she could let her guard down by becoming a princess, he could treat her as his sister for the time being. After all, he had ways to change the identity of a princess.

  “Didn’t you tell me not to call you imperial brother?” Ye Zhen asked rhetorically.

  Mo Rongzhan choked. “Go get changed. Zhen will be waiting for you at the imperial garden!”


  “I have something else to do.” Ye Zhen was extremely afraid to be with him alone.

  “Don’t you want to know about your eldest brother?” Mo Rongzhan had to toss a bait.

  She cared not a whit about Lu Lingzhi, however, she did want to know about Tian Jiu. “Okay, I’ll go and change first.”


  ♚


  After she had changed, Ye Zhen came to the imperial garden. Mo Rongzhan was already waiting for her at the pavilion by the lake. Seeing her reluctantly coming towards him, he appeared to be uncomfortable.

  “Your Imperial Majesty.“ No matter how much she dallied, she still entered the waterside pavilion, bowed, and looked at the man with a trace of vigilance in her eyes.

  “Have a seat.” Mo Rongzhan pointed to the place on the opposite side.

  Ye Zhen sat with her head down, never once looking at Mo Rongzhan. His words from the last time around still haunted her.

  “Why are you so afraid of me?” Mo Rongzhan asked in a low tone, his eyes lightly fixed on her fair face. She was afraid of him, so much so that he could sense it from the very beginning.

  “How many people in this world are not afraid of you? You are the emperor,” Ye Zhen said calmly.

  “If you continue to talk nonsense in front of me, zhen will punish you in my own way,” Mo Rongzhan said indifferently.

  Ye Zhen raised her head, frowned, and looked at him. “Did I say it wrong? No one is going to fear you if you are not the emperor.”


  Only

  The smile on Mo Rongzhan’s face emphasised the nonchalance in his heart. “I thought you were afraid that zhen would kiss you.”


  She instantly flushed and was quick to glare back defensively. “Your Imperial Majesty, I am now your sister.”


  “Sister?” He chuckled and looked at her. “Didn’t you enter the palace to find out about your eldest brother?”


  “Yes.” She trembled, feeling the weird air when he called her sister in a sarcastic tone.

  “Lu Lingzhi’s injury is not bad. It is just that he is poisoned. I have asked Qi Jin to treat him with the antidote made with the fire lotus flower, he will be fine,” he said quietly.