In front of that courtyard gate was a small open space, decorated only with a few stones and clusters of bamboo at the entrance.

At the gate stood a person with a stern and cold expression, guarding it.

Another case of enemies meeting in a narrow path, Ye Zhi sighed, wondering how such encounters could fill her day of visiting the temple. Indeed, the one guarding the gate was Ji San...

The person inside must be the Crown Prince, Li Changnian.

Could they be meeting secretly here? 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Ye Zhi knew Ji San’s martial arts were not weak, and feared he might not be alone nearby. There might be other palace experts lurking, watching intently, so she didn’t dare act rashly.

Finally, she decided to circle around, avoiding Ji San’s eyes and ears, and sneak into the courtyard to eavesdrop.

Liu Qingxi and the Crown Prince had no need to talk secretly in such a secluded courtyard unless they were discussing something unspeakable.

On tiptoe, like a cat, she silently left and searched for a breakthrough point to listen in on their conversation.

Her intuition proved correct, as there were indeed other hidden guards around. She found one relatively easy to bypass, used Qinggong, Stepping on Snow Without Trace, quickly leaped over the wall, and entered the courtyard.

Fortunately, there were not many hidden guards around.

The hidden guards beside the Crown Prince didn’t expect someone to use Qinggong to enter, and were caught off guard, unaware that someone had slipped through a gap.

In the courtyard, there was a large, lush Chinese scholartree, a rockery built on the west side of the garden, a few ground stones gradually paving a winding path, and several wing-rooms in the courtyard. The doorframes of the wing-rooms were old, and the paper covering the windows was slightly peeling off, giving the entire courtyard a desolate appearance.

Ye Zhi, being petite, was initially hiding behind the rockery on the west side of the garden, and then discovered a hollow in the middle of the rockery, large enough for a person to hide inside, her heart raced as she squeezed herself in, making it even harder for others to find her.

Li Changnian and Liu Qingxi, unaware of martial arts, didn’t notice anyone entering, and continued their conversation without restraint.

"I do not wish to marry you as a concubine, Crown Prince. Please don’t force me," said Liu Qingxi.

Ye Zhi secretly covered her mouth from the shadows; upon entering, she overheard explosive news. She had thought Li Changnian would make the female protagonist happy by offering the position of Crown Princess Consort with open arms...

At the very least, she thought it would be the position of Concubine...

To her surprise, it was as a concubine.

The position of a concubine is much lower than that of a Princess and Concubine, akin to that of a maid. How could Liu Qingxi possibly agree, she shrugged off his hand holding hers, her expression cold, saying, "Changnian, you know my feelings for you, I only wish to be your wife, with a Phoenix Crown and red bridal wear, carried by an eight-lifted sedan chair, married with a red veil. Not a single step can be skipped; if you can’t do this, then please find someone else."

Ordinary people saying this to the Crown Prince would likely have been dragged to the Ministry of Justice, charged with severe disobedience.

Yet,

Li Changnian liked the naive and candid nature of young girls, patiently persuaded her: "This is just a temporary measure. In the future, when I ascend the throne, who to appoint as Imperial Concubine, and who as Empress, isn’t that all up to me? Right now, my eldest brother’s forces are slowly rising. Inevitably, some in the court harbor rebellious hearts, coveting the throne. Consolidating my power is the most crucial thing at the moment."

Liu Qingxi’s expression softened slightly, giving the young man a sideways glance: "Then how can you guarantee that you will make me Empress in the future? That you won’t choose someone else?"

He had just mentioned both positions, Imperial Concubine and Empress.

She meticulously planned for the position of Empress, not caring about the position of Imperial Concubine.

In the next moment,

A red gold jade Qilin pendant appeared in her hand.