The engagement ceremony took place some days after. For this, the palace grounds were transformed into a sea of red and gold, with lanterns hanging from every archway and flower arrangements adorning every corner. Nobles and officials filled the grand hall, their chatter a murmur under the strains of celebratory music.

In the antechamber, Bai Shengli stood before a large mirror, dressed in his royal attire. His hat perfectly adjusted, and his attendants ensured that every detail of his appearance was flawless. Yet, despite the perfection of his attire, his mind was far from calm.

Since that day in the garden, when he had seen Qin Yufei performing for his grandmother, he had not seen her again. The memory of her playing the zither, her delicate hands moving over the strings, was seared into his mind. He had wanted to speak with her after, but he had no opportunity.

Now, standing on the brink of his engagement ceremony, he felt a restless anxiety bubbling within him. How was she? Had she been eating and sleeping well? Was she even happy to marry him?

He clenched his fists, trying to steady himself. This day was supposed to mark the beginning of their life together, yet he felt as though a wall of uncertainty still separated them. Would she meet his gaze with warmth, or would there be only resignation in her eyes?

"Your Highness," one of his attendants said, bowing low. "It is time."

Bai Shengli nodded, taking a deep breath as he turned toward the hall. The ornate double doors were opened, and he stepped into the grand space, where all eyes turned to him.

At the far end of the hall, Qin Yufei stood in her own resplendent attire. Her dress was a soft, flowing white, embroidered with flowers. A gold hairpin glittered in her neatly styled hair, and a fan partially obscured her face. Despite the finery, there was a reserved grace in the way she carried herself, as though she were quietly enduring the weight of the moment.

When their eyes finally met across the room, Bai Shengli's breath caught. She looked... beautiful, yes, but also... distant. Her expression was unreadable, her gaze calm but detached. Mesmerized, Bai Shengli did not even spare a glace at Lady Jiang Mu standing in front of Yufei, with a more beautiful dress and prettier jewelries.

As the guests settled into their designated places for the formal banquet following the engagement ceremony, Bai Shengli was painfully reminded of the harsh reality of the situation. Lady Jiang Mu, poised and composed, sat beside him, her every movement exuding grace befitting a crown princess. She spoke softly to him, offering polite conversation, but his responses were mechanical, his mind wandering elsewhere.

Seated just behind Jiang Mu, was Qin Yufei. Though she kept her head slightly bowed, her presence was impossible for him to ignore. Every now and then, his eyes betrayed him, stealing fleeting glances in her direction.

Yufei, as always, remained calm, her face devoid of emotion. But Bai Shengli, knowing her better now, could see the subtle stiffness in her posture. Was she uneasy? Or simply resigned to this situation?

Jiang Mu noticed his inattentiveness, her gaze sharpening slightly as she turned to pour him tea.

"Your Highness let me pour you a drink," she said with a light smile, her tone carefully neutral but her words pointed.

He quickly adjusted his expression, offering a polite nod.

"Please do, Lady Jiang," he said, then lifting the cup she had poured for him.

Jiang Mu's smile didn't waver, but she knew were he was looking at.

"Isn't this wine quite sweet? Plum wine is one of my favorite."

Bai Shengli gave her a courteous nod, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Each time Yufei's chopsticks moved to take a cake on her table, it sent a pang through his chest. She was so close, yet so out of reach.

At one point during the meal, he caught sight of her hands as she delicately picked up her cup. Her fingertips were still slightly red—did she practice too much during her lessons with Shen Wei? The thought of Shen Wei, spending hours with Yufei, made his jaw tighten involuntarily. He took another sip of wine.

His focus on her didn't go unnoticed. Jiang Mu subtly adjusted her sleeve and leaned closer, forcing his attention back to her.

"Your Highness, you do not look well, do you want to ask your servant to take you back?" she asked.

"I guess I should" Bai Shengli replied, his gaze flickering to her only briefly before it returned to the banquet hall.

Soon after, a maid came to offer lotus cakes to Yufei. The maid explained that the Crown Prince specifically ordered them for her. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she accepted to take a bite from one cake. But... it was enough for her to get dizzy.

Qin Yufei allowed herself to be guided out of the main banquet hall, her steps unsteady as the dizziness clouded her senses. The servant who escorted her remained calm, her firm but gentle grip on her arm ensuring she didn't stumble. She didn't resist; her head felt heavy, and the air in the hall had become stifling.

The room they entered was quiet and dimly lit, a single lantern casting a faint glow over the simple furnishings. Yufei leaned against the door frame for a moment, pressing a hand to her temple as the servant guided her to the bed.

"Please rest here for a moment, my lady," the servant said softly, bowing before stepping out of the room, closing the door behind them.

The silence was comforting at first, and Yufei exhaled shakily. The dizziness began to ebb, replaced by a strange tension in the air. Something didn't feel right and it was strangely hot in this room.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. Turning her head slowly, she saw a figure standing in the doorway. The dim light obscured his features at first, but as he stepped forward, the flickering lantern revealed the face she had not expected to see.

"I... I don't feel good at all," she admitted, lowering her head.

He was still dressed in his usual dark robes, his imposing figure illuminated faintly by the flickering lantern. His gaze was sharp, piercing through her in the way that always unsettled her. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and the air between them grew heavy.

He closed the door behind him.

"I saw the maid bring you the lotus cakes," he said, his voice low but steady. "And then you suddenly left the hall. Something didn't sit right with me."

Her heart raced as she clutched the bed frame for support.

"You... followed me?" she asked, a mix of surprise and confusion in her tone.

He ignored her question, his gaze flickering to her reddened face, her eyes seemed to be burning.

"How much did you eat" he asked, stepping closer.

She hesitated, glancing down.

"Just... one bite," she admitted. "Because I started feeling dizzy afterward."

Shen Wei's jaw tightened, his hand curling into a fist at his side. Without another word, he crossed the room, took her chin in his hands. His expression darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line.

"It's obviously laced with something," he said after a moment, his tone grim. "Not to kill you, but to make you lose awareness."

Yufei's eyes widened in shock, and her grip on the table tightened. "Why... why would someone do that?"

Shen Wei's eyes locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. "You're the crown prince's... fiancé," he said bluntly. "You don't need me to tell you why that puts a target on your back."

Her chest tightened, and she looked away, her mind racing. It was really to hot in this room and she started to sweat, her breath growing heavy.

Shen Wei's voice softened slightly as he continued, "You were careless. Accepting food from an unfamiliar servant... do you not understand how dangerous this place is?"

"I didn't know..." she murmured, her voice trembling. "I didn't think—"

"That's the problem," he interrupted sharply. "Now look at you."

Her eyes snapped back to him, her cheeks flushing harder.

"Why do you care?" she asked, her voice low. "You're always cold, always looking down on me. Why follow me here? Why involve yourself?"

For a moment, Shen Wei said nothing, his expression hard to read. Then, he let out a soft, sign.

"You misunderstand me," he said, his tone quiet. "Don't think I'm here because I care."

His words stung, and Yufei bit her lip to keep her emotions in check. She started to pull on the collar of her dress.

After a moment of silence, Shen Wei sighed, stopping her from going further.

"Stay here, I will ask Xiao Tong to come tend to you. Promise me to not go out at all costs."

Before she could protest, he turned and moved toward the door. But just as he was about to leave, he paused, glancing back over his shoulder.

✤

Bai Shengli lay on the bed, his body heavy and unresponsive as the heat surged through him. His mind was clouded, but he felt the soft touch of someone pulling at his robe. A faint smile tugged at his lips when he glimpsed the familiar white fabric. It was her... Qin Yufei.

"Yufei," he murmured, his voice hoarse, as he weakly reached out to touch her arm.

"Yes," the woman answered softly, her voice delicate, a whisper.

She leaned closer, her hands gently brushing his chest as she loosened his outer robe. His vision blurred, and his head spun, but he managed a smile.

"You came to see me..." he said, almost to himself.

Her hands moved to his hat, carefully lifting it off his head. Her own hair were loose, and she set the hat aside before her fingers reached for the jade hairpin holding the rest of Bai Shengli's hair in place. As it clattered to the floor, Bai Shengli sighed, letting his head fall back against the pillow. His hand found hers, and he held it tightly.

She moved closer, her warm breath brushing against his face. His heart raced as she leaned in, their lips meeting in a kiss. It was soft at first, then deeper, more insistent. Bai Shengli's arms wrapped around her instinctively, pulling her closer as his body betrayed the confusion lingering in his thoughts.

He felt the silk of her sleeve against his cheek, the faint scent of flowers in her hair. It reminded him of her, the way she had looked that day in the garden. His mind swirled, caught between desire and a nagging feeling that what he was doing was wrong.

"Yufei," he whispered again between kisses, his voice tinged with desperation.

He needed to hear her say it one more time, to reassure himself that it was truly her.

"Yes," she answered once more, her voice soft and alluring. She pressed her lips to his again, silencing his doubts.

Bai Shengli's dizziness took over, his thoughts blurring as he gave in to the moment. His grip on reality slipped further with each kiss, until all that remained was the warmth of her body against his and the lingering taste of her lips.