CHAPTER 336: CHAPTER 281: THE KEY_2

She collapsed into the chair, looking at the deep night outside, and bit her lip.

Instead of directly confronting him, it would be better to find a way to get that key and open the cabinet!

Thinking of this, she said, "Tomorrow morning, go to the kitchen and make some of the Prince’s favorite dishes. I’ll deliver them personally."

Nanny Gao, hearing this, finally felt relieved, "Yes. I’ll go and arrange it now."

After Princess Rong saw her leave, she let out a long sigh and massaged her forehead.

Prince Rong did not hold a heavy position at court, and he lived a very regular life, rising at the crack of dawn every day to exercise, then returning to his room for a meal.

Princess Rong timed her entry into his courtyard just when he would return, encountering Prince Rong wiping sweat as he came back from the courtyard.

"Why are you here?" Prince Rong stopped and stood under the veranda.

Princess Rong smiled and approached him, "I got up early today and thought it’s been a while since I personally prepared soup for the Prince, so I went to the kitchen with Nanny Gao to make some dishes."

Upon hearing this, Prince Rong smiled as he entered the house, "That’s thoughtful. This kind of thing can be left to them; there’s no need for you to do it personally."

"I just thought I’d bring back the pouch for the Prince, so I came together," Princess Rong said, taking the breakfast dishes from Nanny Gao and placing them on the table, then she approached to help Prince Rong change clothes and freshen up.

Once tidied up, the couple returned to the table. Seeing the dishes, Prince Rong nodded approvingly, "The color, aroma, and taste are all excellent. Only with the crafts of you two can it taste like it used to!"

Princess Rong added a bowl of soup for him, and then took out the new pouch, saying, "Take out your personal belongings, and I’ll put them in here and hang it on you."

Prince Rong casually untied the existing pouch from his waist, taking out the private seal and the copper key he had set aside that day, "You should sit down and eat too."

"After helping you hang it, I’ll eat," Princess Rong said, all the while casually stuffing the private seal into the new pouch, keeping an eye on him drinking soup, and stealthily slipping the copper key into the pouch before tightening it and hanging it on him.

Prince Rong weighed the pouch, his fingers pinching the items inside as if confirming they were correct, then he wiped his hands and handed over a rolled pancake, "This pancake made by Nanny Gao is something I could never tire of. You should try it too!"

Princess Rong withdrew her hands from her sleeves, took a bite of the pancake, and nodded.

Beneath her elegant gown, no one could see her legs trembling with great control.

"Drink some soup, why are you only eating dry food," Prince Rong looked at her, scooping another bowl of soup, his gaze still on her face.

Princess Rong nearly faltered, but fortunately, someone came to the door just then:

"Reporting to the Prince, Mr. Song has sent an invitation, saying the lotus flowers in the pond at Song Mansion’s countryside estate are in full bloom, and he especially invites the Prince to enjoy them outside the city."

Prince Rong turned his head and took the invitation from his hand.

Princess Rong said, "Speaking of it, the Prince hasn’t been out for quite a few days either."

Prince Rong grunted, handing back the invitation after reading it, "Tell Mr. Song that it’s hot, and I’m too lazy to go out."

Princess Rong said, "Song Yi was initially supported by the Prince himself; he can be considered half a household servant of ours. We can refuse others, but if we also reject invitations from the Song Family, it might make outsiders wonder if something serious has happened at our home."

If you don’t step out of the door for a long time, isn’t it like being under house arrest?

Upon hearing this, Prince Rong’s expression began to waver.

Princess Rong sighed again, "Outsiders only see that we, the royal relatives, are in advantageous positions, but they don’t understand that being a noble is not easy. You must be cautious in everything, think thoroughly, and lack the carefree life of ordinary people."

Lately troubled by his status, Prince Rong turned to the servant, "Have Mr. Song wait outside the city gate."

"Yes."

Seeing this, Princess Rong finally released her tightly clenched hands from her sleeves.

...

Helping Prince Rong change into his outing robes again, and after sending him out, Princess Rong quickly returned to her own room.

Once the door was closed, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a copper key, her hands trembling again.

Prince Rong had no idea that just when he was changing pouches, she had swapped out the real key using another copper key, thus deceiving him without a trace. There was only that step left of going to the ancestral hall to unlock and reveal his secret.

But since she was going for the key, she naturally had to arrange the follow-up. So Song Yi was also invited through her plot to assist, and with Prince Rong out of the city, he would naturally be held up and unable to return tonight.