She had just set foot inside when Alchemist Mei arrived.

Seeing Ye Lingyue's unusual expression, he showed some concern with a few words.

Unable to get an explanation, he handed over two bottles of Qi Boosting Elixirs to Ye Lingyue.

"Ling Yue, you've returned just in time. A few days ago, the Crown Prince Mansion requested a batch of Qi Boosting Elixirs, and today they came to urge us again, saying that once they are refined, you should deliver them yourself."

Alchemist Mei found it remarkable as well; recently, the Imperial Hospital seemed to have had a streak of luck, with one noble visitor after another. Before this, Sixth Prince and Heir Qinghai had scrambled to visit, and now, even Crown Prince Hong had come.

And without exception, they were all here for Ye Lingyue.

All of them were highly sought-after by the unmarried young ladies of Xia Capital.

There was no need for her to personally run errands to deliver elixirs to the Crown Prince Mansion, but since the people from there had asked for it explicitly, Ye Lingyue understood in her heart that Crown Prince Hong must want to meet her.

Although she didn't know his intent, Crown Prince Hong was, after all, the Crown Prince, and Ye Lingyue was but a Third-grade Princess. Whether for public or private reasons, she had to go when summoned by the Crown Prince.

Ye Lingyue took the elixir pills and went to the Crown Prince Mansion.

"Princess Ye, the Crown Prince has been waiting for a long time. Please, this way," said the butler of the Crown Prince Mansion, who eagerly led Ye Lingyue into the back garden upon her arrival.

As per the customs of Daxia, the Crown Prince and titled Princes and Princesses could build their own palaces and courtyards outside the palace. The Crown Prince's courtyard was a beautifully crafted residence within Xia Capital.

This season was the prime of plum blossoms.

The courtyard of the Crown Prince Mansion was splendid with plum blossoms of varied hues blooming everywhere.

Crown Prince Hong was sitting in the pavilion; in front of him was a stove, where snow melted from the first snow was boiling with a gurgling sound.

Beside him were several tea cups and an assortment of pastries.

Had Ye Lingyue not known about the sleazy things Crown Prince Hong did before, she might have mistaken him for a cultured gentleman.

"Princess Ye, please have a seat."

Crown Prince Hong dismissed his attendants and personally took to washing and steeping the tea. In no time, two cups of fragrant tea appeared before Ye Lingyue.

"Your Highness, here are your Qi Boosting Elixirs."

Ye Lingyue didn't drink the tea; instead, she handed the elixir pills to Crown Prince Hong.

To her surprise, he didn't take the elixirs but instead pressed his hand against hers.

"Princess Ye, my summoning you today is not for the elixir pills. Admiring your beauty and talents, I hold you in high regard. If Princess Ye is willing, I intend to forge a marriage alliance with the Lan Residence. I wonder how Princess Ye feels about this?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Lingyue almost spit out her overnight meal from the previous evening, while forcefully suppressing the urge to chop off Crown Prince Hong's pesky hand, and managed to squeeze out a smile on her face.

"Your Highness, Ling Yue doesn't understand what you mean?"

Could it be that Crown Prince Hong's head had been kicked by a horse? His numerous past actions showed not so much admiration but rather a desire to tear Ye Lingyue limb from limb.

"The Emperor and the Empress Dowager have been urging me to find a suitable lady to join the harem. I intend to take Princess Ye as a concubine, and I have already mentioned this to General Lan. However, General Lan indicated that the matters of your marriage are for you to decide. Hence, I have specially requested for your presence today."

Crown Prince Hong, having spoken, had a subtle affection flickering within his delicate eyes.

Compared to his earlier disdainful attitude toward Ye Lingyue, his demeanor today had undergone a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree transformation. Ultimately, it wasn't that Crown Prince Hong's personal preferences had changed, but rather because of the incident involving Nangong Jian.

As the General of Army, Nangong Jian, along with Grand Protector Hong Fang, who represented civil and military authority, had always been the Emperor's left and right hand.

But now, with Nangong Jian executed and Lan Yingwu appointed as the new General of Army, the military power of the court had fallen into Lan Yingwu's hands.

Lan Yingwu was famously neutral. After deliberation, Crown Prince Hong and Hong Fang concluded that their best option was to form an alliance with Lan Yingwu.

Among Lan Yingwu's daughters, Ye Lingyue was the most suitable in terms of age.

Although Ye Lingyue was somewhat cunning, once she became Crown Prince Hong's woman by marrying into his household, she would have to obediently follow his commands.

Moreover, being a country woman taken into recognition, she should be overwhelmed with gratitude for being offered the status of a concubine.

Thus, Crown Prince Hong had specifically invited Ye Lingyue over today, with the intent of proposing to take her as his concubine.

The sky was turning dark; the north wind was howling, blowing into the open pavilion.

The snow atop the brazier melted, gurgling as air bubbles emerged.

Crown Prince Hong, smiling, gazed intently at Ye Lingyue.

Putting aside Crown Prince Hong's unique predilections, merely his pleasing appearance was enough to catch one's eye.

He held a high position and wielded great power. When he spoke tenderly, there were few girls who could resist his seduction.

Having spoken, Crown Prince Hong's fingers lightly skimmed over the back of Ye Lingyue's hand, expecting her to reveal a shy expression, kneel down gratefully and excitedly in acceptance.

However, Ye Lingyue suddenly withdrew her hand, and her dark, shiny eyes fixed upon Crown Prince Hong's face.

"Your Highness, surely I must have heard wrongly. You wish to take me as your concubine?"

Crown Prince Hong affirmed with conviction.

"Indeed, once you marry into this palace, besides the official wife, you will be the most prestigious person in the Crown Prince Mansion."

"Ha, may I then inquire about the daughter of Grand Protector, Hong Yuying, and Lord An Minxia of the An Country Marquis Mansion, as well as the second young miss from the Vice Minister's family..."

Ye Lingyue listed more than a dozen names of unmarried daughters belonging to high-ranking court officials in one breath, which dimmed Crown Prince Hong's expression.

"Your Highness, if you truly wish to win people's hearts, I'm afraid your villa wouldn't be able to accommodate so many concubines." Ye Lingyue picked up the cup of tea personally brewed by the Crown Prince, blew gently to scatter the steam.

"Ye Lingyue, don't pass up the wine only to later be forced to drink as punishment. It's your fortune from a previous life that this Crown Prince fancies you; don't overestimate your own status."

Furious, Crown Prince Hong crushed the cup in his hand with a loud snap.

"Your Highness, I think you've been Crown Prince for too long; you've grown accustomed to speaking to people in a commanding tone. Let me make it perfectly clear to you: even if all the men in Xia Capital were dead, I, Ye Lingyue, would still not marry you as a concubine," Ye Lingyue declared, thoroughly rinsing the back of her hand that had been touched by the "claws" of the Crown Prince with the tea.

"The next time, if you wish to invite me over for tea laced with something extra, please don't resort to such low-class drugging methods. I've stopped needing such substances eight generations ago." Following her words, Ye Lingyue rose gracefully, leaving the Crown Prince with nothing but an empty teacup and her bold departing figure.

"Ye Lingyue, just you wait; there will come a day when this Crown Prince will make you kneel on the ground, begging me to marry you." The furious voice of Crown Prince Hong echoed through the villa, startling the snow off the branches.