20: Our beautiful moments... are only for you.

"This... isn't Her Ladyship's gift a bit too much?"

Mo Yingqi looked at the several open large chests in the courtyard, filled with gold, silver, exquisite Hetian jade, precious porcelain, and more. For a moment, he couldn't quite believe it.

"It's fine, Yingqi, don't worry about it." Luo Yongning patted the back of his hand. "These are all gifts from Imperial Mother as a welcoming present. It's just that you're still living in that small courtyard, so it might not be convenient to keep them. Someone, after packing them, send them to the Princesss Residence. Steward Zheng will handle it."

Mo Yingqi didn't dwell on these things. Sooner or later, they would be brought into the Princesss Residence anyway. His position as Imperial Son-in-Law was set in stone and couldn't be avoided. But the question was... how did they know he lived in a small courtyard?

"From the day you entered the Pacification Bureau, Yongning and I actually knew," Luo Yongan looked at Mo Yingqi gently. "It's just that at the time, during the national mourning period, and after Imperial Father ascended the throne, the court was unstable. Yongning and I couldn't spare the time, so we could only send people to inquire about your whereabouts daily, just to make sure you were alright."

Of course, there were other reasons. Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning weren't without the thought of recognizing him immediately, but everything was unstable then. Even if their longing for him drove them mad, they could only endure until their goal was achieved.

Most importantly, "Love Follows" was still a bit lacking. They were fervent yet incredibly clear-headed, moving cautiously step by step, and now... the prey had fallen into their hands and could no longer escape.

Mo Yingqi also understood. He could imagine how much effort they had put in and how much criticism they had endured for the two princesses to marry him.

For a moment, Mo Yingqi felt a pang of bitterness. They were still them, still the two sisters who, back in the Northern Territory, had reserved all their gentleness and patience for him.

"You don't need to feel anything about this, Yingqi." Luo Yongning smiled and squeezed his palm. "As long as it's you, we are willing to do anything. Oh, by the way, before the palace banquet, Imperial Mother is hosting a Polo Match for the capital's official families tomorrow. Why don't you come with us?"

"This, wouldn't it be inappropriate?" Mo Yingqi looked down at his flying fish robe. "Perhaps I shouldn't go?"

It wasn't that he was afraid of anything, but rather that he found it troublesome. In the past year, Mo Yingqi had offended too many people, and it was hard to guarantee that among the cases he handled and the people he'd dealt with, none of them had relatives among the officials.

Although he had the Legitimate Princesses with him, Mo Yingqi still wanted to keep a low profile if possible. After all, these official families probably hated and feared the Flying Fish Guard of the Pacification Bureau the most.

"Silly boy, just like when you were little, you hide and play by yourself when there are too many people." Although Luo Yongan spoke with a tone of mock scolding, there wasn't a hint of blame in her voice. "Don't worry, it's just a Polo Match. Besides, don't think you've done anything wrong. The Pacification Bureau's duty is to supervise officials. Why isn't Grand Secretary Ning afraid? Why isn't my maternal grandfather's family afraid? Why are they afraid?"

"If they have nothing to hide, why resent the Flying Fish Guard, who are completely unrelated to them? Besides, Yingqi, although Yongning and I don't like these matters, we still have to maintain appearances. After we get married, we can try to reduce our attendance at such events, but we can't avoid them entirely."

Mo Yingqi thought for a moment, then suddenly chuckled: "You're right, Sister Yongan. Where should I go tomorrow? If it's in the western suburbs, I can go by myself."

The capital's high-ranking officials and nobles often held polo matches, as well as Cuju, Chuiwan, Touhu, archery, and hunting. The western suburbs were the venue for such activities.

"No need, I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow, and we'll go together." Luo Yongan waved her hand, and Ying Hong understood, handing over a waist token. "This is my palace waist token. Keep it; it will make it more convenient for you to enter the palace in the future."

"Isn't this unnecessary?" Mo Yingqi was a bit puzzled. "Usually, I'm summoned to the palace, and then palace staff will lead the way. There's no need to give me this waist token, is there?"

"Oh, so Yingqi doesn't want to visit us in the palace without reason?" Luo Yongning's eyes instantly reddened, tears shimmering. "Is Yingqi still resenting my sister and me, punishing us in this way... Alright, as long as Yingqi is happy, whatever you do, we'll accept it..."

"What is all this about?" Mo Yingqi was completely bewildered by Luo Yongning's sudden change. "After all, we haven't officially married yet. It's really inappropriate for me, an outside official, to enter and exit the inner palace."

"Yingqi is right..." Luo Yongan nodded. "Aunt Ying Hong, send the luggage that Yongning and I have already packed to the Princesss Residence. I will ask Imperial Mother for an imperial decree to move there in the next few days."

After saying that, she turned and winked at Mo Yingqi: "Is this alright now? Yingqi is also looking out for us, not wanting us two sisters to cause you, an outside official, to enter and exit the inner palace and invite criticism. Yingqi is such a good child!"

Uh... While that was indeed what he meant, for some reason, Mo Yingqi felt awkward. And what was all this about? Were they insisting he report to them daily? Even if the yamen didn't give him extra duties, he was still a Captain, even if it was a tiny official. What would his brothers think?

Just as he was about to refuse, the two sisters, as if possessing mind-reading abilities, instantly put on a pitiable expression, and the words on his lips ultimately turned into a helpless compromise: "I understand. If the yamen doesn't have any duties, I'll go see you."

"That's right, we haven't seen each other for so many years, Yingqi must have a lot to tell us." Luo Yongning instantly broke into a happy smile. "Don't worry about what others think. We are a couple about to be married, but we are also siblings who grew up together as childhood sweethearts, aren't we? We can't let etiquette prevent us from chatting until after we're married, after not seeing each other for so long, can we?"

"It's not that, it's just that I feel embarrassed for us to talk about etiquette," Mo Yingqi couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Empress Shen has already seen it, what more can I say?"

Aside from not breaking the final boundary before marriage, their intimate actions had long since crossed the line. Although Mo Yingqi wasn't someone who cared about rules and regulations, otherwise he wouldn't have joined the Pacification Bureau. But when it came to basic etiquette, especially regarding matters between men and women, Mo Yingqi was still extremely serious and concerned.

Although they had grown up together and had deep feelings, as Mo Yingqi matured, he also understood what it meant to express feelings within the bounds of propriety. His current situation truly made him feel incredible.

"It can't be because of... that dream, can it?"

Thinking of last night's dream, Mo Yingqi felt his heart pound. It wasn't shyness, nor guilt, but a feeling he couldn't name—a naive, nascent desire, mixed with an inexplicable... flutter of the heart?

He couldn't describe that feeling, but the dream had indeed caused an indescribable change in his feelings towards them.

All his changes were observed by the two sisters. In just one night, the effect of "Love Follows" was so obvious, slowly narrowing the distance that had arisen from five years of not seeing each other.

This Gu, though seemingly beautiful, was in fact an invisible shackles, binding Mo Yingqi, but also binding the sisters. Yet, they didn't care, and never would.

They even savored it.

After seeing Mo Yingqi off, the gentleness on Luo Yongan's face suddenly vanished, replaced by a cold indifference, and a hint of murderous intent in her peach blossom eyes: "Aunt Ying Hong, did the assassination attempt on Grand Chancellor Zhou fail again?"

"Yes, Eldest Princess." Ying Hong bowed slightly. "That Old Scoundrel is extremely cautious. Our mole has been in his residence for years, but still can't get close to him."

"No matter, knowing he's difficult to deal with, I never expected to succeed in one or two attempts." Luo Yongan said with a cold smile. "Since we can't touch him, then let's touch his nephew, shall we? Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhou Jinan, right?"

"Yes, and..." Ying Hong hesitated, somewhat reluctant to speak but compelled to. "The Two Highnesses might not be aware, but The Emperor only considered this a minor matter and didn't take it to heart. When The Emperor first ascended the throne, Grand Chancellor Zhou had intended to have The Emperor arrange a marriage for Zhou Jinan to a princess, but The Emperor said it was inappropriate to discuss marriage during the national mourning period, and so it passed."

"Oh, that's fine too." Luo Yongning didn't care. "It's normal for the Zhou family, being powerful, to seek a princess for their nephew."

"Indeed, although Zhou Jinan's official rank isn't high, he is after all Grand Chancellor Zhou's biological nephew. It's just that..." Ying Hong swallowed, unable to help herself. "Zhou Jinan is not only stubborn, but also somewhat conceited and arrogant. He once said privately that if he were to marry a princess, it would have to be the Eldest Princess, otherwise he would rather remain unmarried for life."

A chilling aura suddenly filled the bedchamber. Luo Yongan's exquisite face was covered in frost, then the corners of her mouth curled up slightly, forming a smile devoid of warmth: "So, that's why he's targeting Yingqi, right?"

"Uh, probably not, it's only a small part of the reason. He, he still has opinions about the Pacification Bureau, so..."

Before Ying Hong could finish, Luo Yongning interrupted her: "Find a few reliable people, castrate him, and do it cleanly. Afterward, throw him onto the street. Didn't he say he'd remain unmarried for life if he couldn't marry my sister? Well, now his vow is kept, and everyone in the capital knows."

"Yes, this servant understands." Ying Hong didn't even object. "And no traces will be left. It's just, if this happens, Grand Chancellor Zhou..."

"Let him be, no need to care." Luo Yongan said coldly. "Don't worry, the day Zhou Jinan is crippled will be the day he is completely abandoned by that Old Scoundrel."

This was Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning. All their sweetness was reserved only for Mo Yingqi, and for unrelated people, their cruelty was something even their parents could hardly imagine.

Luo Yongan wouldn't care why Zhou Jinan said those words, because it wasn't important. She would only feel that this person's so-called affection made Mo Yingqi difficult, and would only dislike him more, even hate him.

As for whether he was a good person, they cared even less. For the sisters, only those who wouldn't harm Mo Yingqi and wouldn't compete with them for Mo Yingqi were considered human.

If the opposite were true, to them... he was just a pile of filthy flesh, a heap of garbage.

"Oh, and take these to the Princesss Residence as well." Luo Yongan looked at the gifts from Empress Shen. "Yongning, let's go find Imperial Mother now. I want to move into the Princesss Residence tonight!"

Watching the two sisters leave, Ying Hong merely sighed helplessly, then clasped her hands together and softly murmured: "Amitabha, Imperial Son-in-Law, you must outlive The Two Highnesses..."

"Otherwise, we will be the ones to die."