He Le'an spent half a day in the kitchen, stirring sauce and soup base. She ordered the maids to pick out the freshest seasonal vegetables, and summoned several guards to use sharp knives to slice the tenderest parts of beef and pork into thin pieces. She also made many meatballs with different flavors, wrapped some colorful lamb dumplings, and fried some small dishes. Finally, she ordered the maid to cook wine.

  When everything was ready, He Lian ordered the maid to carry the dishes to the small pavilion in front of the kitchen, and then called Hong Zhang to invite Rui Qin Wang and Mu Mian. She arranged the dishes in the pavilion while waiting for them, the thick white mist from the pot on the small stove wafted without stopping, the fragrant meat smell floated far away with the wind.

  Ruiqin Wang and Muxian followed the fragrance, only to see that in the soft red lantern light, the white moonlight highlighted her absolutely beautiful face like snowflakes or clouds. Her serious and focused expression as she savored the dishes made one's heart involuntarily feel a sense of longing.

  "It smells so good, what is this? I've never seen it before." Rui Qin Wang smiled.

  He Le'an said, "It was a year when I was at the border, and I accidentally discovered that it could be eaten in this way. So I named it 'Little Warm Pot'. In autumn and winter, it's best to eat with cooked wine under the cool breeze. Come on, let's try it together! This is my first time eating like this this year, and I'm starving!"

  She motioned for them to sit down, and the maid brought over bowls and wine, and they chatted and laughed together.

  **

  The night deepened, and Mu Hong saw off Ruiqin Wang.

  He Le'an leaned against a crimson wooden pillar, and Mu Jin walked over quietly and said, "Your Majesty, there is a reply."

  "Uh-huh." On a night like this, it seemed that she missed her family even more, but the play wasn't over yet. She had to hold on and not let things fall apart at the last moment. He Lian said, "You can withdraw now, I want to be alone for a while." Then she signaled the maids to also withdraw.

  In the small garden, it suddenly became unusually quiet again. He Le'an was deep in thought when Mu Mian returned after sending Rui Qin Wang off at the door. Afraid of disturbing her, he spoke softly: "Your Majesty, Rui Qin Wang asked if you have any free time tomorrow. If you do, would you like to go to his mansion to admire the flowers?"

  "No, you reject it for me."

  Mùmián briefly responded with a "yes" and then stepped down.

  These days, Ruiqin Wang would often come to find her, either chatting or playing chess and drinking wine. He would also invite her to his mansion, but she always declined, maintaining a distant yet intimate demeanor that left people unable to grasp her intentions. Even he, who was skilled at guessing others' thoughts, couldn't help but admit defeat.

  In the secret room of the Ruiqin Wangfu, along with the hidden passage, Ruiqin Wang said to the man standing back to him, "Regardless of whether she is trustworthy or not, the chaos she created is indeed our best opportunity. If this succeeds, I can give up everything, you just need to promise me, return the treasure map to Yun Guo, and don't harm her."

  "What's wrong with you? Are you no longer interested in Zhong Lin and want to go to Yun Guo to be the husband of the female emperor instead? Don't forget, she was once Zhong Sun Ruo's woman and has two children"

  Rui Qin Wang smiled and said, "When did you start caring about children? I never believed that after getting what you wanted, you would still stay in the humble prince's mansion. You don't need to use these words to tease me. What I want has always been very simple."

  That man seemed to have heard the most hilarious joke in the world, "Having improper thoughts about your stepmother is extremely simple, however, I do want to see what kind of person He Le An is, who can actually turn around that stubborn heart of yours that has been set for decades..."

  **

  On the day of the winter solstice banquet, Emperor Hui Xi held a grand farewell feast for the Tong Hui envoy. Beautiful maidens welcomed the night with song and dance, while court officials and their families entered the palace in droves to join in the revelry, making the banquet even more magnificent. At this moment, groups of black-clad assassins emerged from the shadows, surrounding the entire imperial garden, causing screams of terror to erupt continuously as people frantically crowded together.

  He Le'an, who was at the forefront, said coldly, "Shut up, you're making too much noise." She raised the sword in her hand and casually swept it, causing the officials and family members closest to her to fall to the ground in terror. "If you don't want to be next, then just stay still and quiet."

  The girls were frightened and covered their mouths, but He Le Xiang suddenly exclaimed, "You, you, you are He Le An!"

  He Le'an glanced at her calmly and smiled coldly, "What's it to you? What can you do to me? Can't you just shut your stinky mouth? For a younger cousin like you who never treated me as an older sister, I won't go easy on you."

  "You!" He Le Xuan glared at her indignantly, but was indeed intimidated by the blood-stained sword that was about to swing over in the next instant.

  He Lian walked towards Emperor Hui Xie, who was being held by Mu Jin and Mu Mian. In the sudden silence, her voice was cold and clear: "Emperor Hui Xie, many years ago, your father, the emperor, and Qingqin Wang of Tonghui Country also treated our Yun Country's imperial family in this way. At that time, blood flowed like rivers, wails echoed through the sky, but the slaughter had no intention of stopping until Yun Country was trampled flat."

  "They say that sons repay their fathers' debts. Since you're sitting on this throne, of course most of the debt will be repaid by you. Moreover, you even plotted against me, what nonsense about harming the King and Queen of Qin, it was just because you discovered my identity as the heir of Yun Country and wanted to get rid of me." He Lian swung her sword at Emperor Hui Xing, but suddenly a pure white figure floated down and blocked her path.

  "An er, don't be like this."

  He Lan An gazed at the man in front of her with a mixture of anger and sadness, "Zhong Sun Yue, if you are still willing to walk with me from this moment on, I will forgive your past suspicions and hurtful actions. Otherwise..."

  "An Er, put down the butcher's knife. I promise you, I will investigate your mother's death for you. Don't make another mistake." Zhong Sun Yue advised with a hint of sadness and disappointment in his eyes, "The fall of Yun Guo is already a distant past. The grudges of our ancestors have nothing to do with us."

  He Lian'an coldly laughed and pulled down the black mask on her face, looking at him with a sinking expression. "It's because you doubted me that you abandoned me, Ah Leng died protecting me. You're my husband, Nuo Zhong Sun Yue, yet you don't believe me? But Ah Leng never doubted me from start to finish. A friend trusted me more than you, why should I still listen to your hypocritical words?"

  "Get out of the way! Otherwise, I won't be polite!" She steeled herself and raised her sword, her eyes blazing red as she stared fixedly at him, who didn't move. Just then, a familiar female voice said:

  "Alright, alright, I know you're upset, but this time you've gone too far, don't go on"

  "Mei Jie!" He Le'an's gaze passed over Zhong Sunyue and looked at Cheng Shu Mei beside Hui Xidi, "As long as you don't resist or help Hui Xidi with any small actions, I won't harm you out of consideration for our years of friendship. You've also experienced the pain of losing a loved one, so you should understand my feelings right now. No matter who it is or what reason, no one can stop me!!"