29: I feel like... I've been tricked.

Mo Yingqi had no idea what had just happened, but he really did catch several fish today.

After the Polo Match, the two sisters pulled him into their carriage, insisting on taking him back to the Princesss Residence, ostensibly because... fish wouldn't be fresh if left out too long.

"Didn't Yingqi promise us earlier that we'd eat grilled fish together?" Luo Yongan looked at him with some sadness. "Is it because you have business at the yamen? It's fine, Yongning and I don't mind, your official duties are more important..."

"No, I was thinking you've all been busy for so long, so I thought I'd visit you tomorrow," Mo Yingqi scratched his head. "The yamen won't assign me any tasks recently, so it doesn't matter if I go back or not..."

"Then after you report for duty every day, will you come to the Princesss Residence to accompany my sister and me?" Luo Yongning suddenly leaned close to Mo Yingqi. "Anyway, you don't have any tasks, you might as well come to the Princesss Residence to play with me."

"Yongning, don't be excessive." Luo Yongan glared at her with displeasure. "What kind of decorum is that? Yingqi also has his own things to do."

Anyway, in a few days, your own affairs... will slowly become only about us.

Luo Yongan thought this to herself, but still maintained the gentle and considerate demeanor of an older sister: "Now that the Rebel Prince's remnants have been mostly cleared, the Pacification Bureau should be able to relax a bit. After we get married, I imagine The Emperor will promote you, and I've already mentioned to The Emperor that Yingqi doesn't wish to leave the Pacification Bureau, and he respects your wishes."

"Thank you, The Emperor, and thank you, Sister Yongan and Sister Yongning."

Mo Yingqi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Although they had always said they didn't care about these things, he still couldn't leave the Pacification Bureau for the time being and was afraid The Emperor might transfer him for appearance's sake.

He just didn't realize that, let alone the Pacification Bureau, even if he went to the Imperial Prison to be an executioner or a guard at the fodder yard, The Emperor would only recognize him as his son-in-law... But when he arrived at the Princesss Residence, Mo Yingqi was still stunned. This place was not particularly far from the Imperial Palace; it was the residence of one of The late Emperor's paternal uncles when he was alive. Not only were the gardens exceptionally beautiful, but The Emperor also bestowed the adjacent residence upon the sisters, knocking down walls and renovating it.

"This will be our home from now on. Actually, I prefer a quiet little residence, but Father Emperor said that as a Legitimate Princess getting married, it couldn't be so undignified." Luo Yongan said, pulling Mo Yingqi's hand. "Don't worry, Yingqi, all of this, and everything we have, is yours. Whatever we have, you will have too."

"What you're saying makes me sound more like a kept man." Mo Yingqi was a bit embarrassed. "Speaking of which, I haven't made the betrothal gifts yet. I've been busy these days, so I should make time to go back and prepare."

Mo Yingqi wasn't as penniless as he seemed. He not only had a large inheritance left by his maternal grandfather, but also many estates and shops. After his maternal grandfather sold off most of them, he still left some for him, and the remaining ones were carefully selected by his maternal grandfather, who also arranged for trusted elders of the Mo Family to manage them for him.

"These estates and shops are highly profitable. The land in the estates is fertile, and the estate managers are all my people. After my death, these people will also be loyal to you. You are both like and unlike your mother. You're not cut out for business; you get a headache just looking at an abacus and numbers. But you are clever and thoughtful, and your maternal grandfather believes you can do well."

"Back then, I only wanted to find a support for your mother, so that even after I died, she could live a life free of worries. Who knew... I harmed her, I harmed my own daughter!"

Every time Mo Yingqi thought of his maternal grandfather's dying words, he felt a wave of emotion. In truth, it wasn't his maternal grandfather's fault. People's hearts are unpredictable. No matter how rich his maternal grandfather was, he was still just a merchant. Official families always looked down on merchants, and Righteous Officials even more so.

Although his maternal grandfather had been in business for many years, how could he be a match for those in officialdom? Moreover, with Grand Chancellor Zhou fanning the flames and offering advice behind the scenes, his maternal grandfather had already been very cautious, but unfortunately, he still thought too simply.

"Yingqi, we never cared about these things when we married you." Luo Yongning gently linked her arm through his. "My sister and I lack nothing. As long as your person and your heart are with us, we are already very satisfied."

"How can that be? Although my official position isn't high, there must still be betrothal gifts." Mo Yingqi quickly waved his hand. "Don't worry, my maternal grandfather left me a lot of money; I definitely won't let you be ridiculed over this matter."

"Silly Yingqi, you really don't have to." Luo Yongan looked at him with some heartache. "I heard you mention before, after we get married, why don't Yongning and I arrange for someone to specially manage these things for you?"

"I don't really care; I'm not interested in these things anyway." Mo Yingqi was almost completely defenseless against them now. Heart for heart, the Legitimate Princesses of the Daxing Dynasty showed such favoritism, Mo Yingqi was only flattered and didn't think of anything else. "It's just that I heard my maternal grandfather mention that he... seemed to have some connection with Partridge Sky."

"That's right, otherwise, why do you think he knew your master?" Luo Yongan blinked. "Merchants all over the world are either members of Partridge Sky or have a cooperative relationship with Partridge Sky, so Yingqi, you can rest assured."

"Your maternal grandfather didn't know my sister and me back then, otherwise, she wouldn't have sold off most of the Mo Family's assets." Luo Yongning said with a giggle. "With my sister and me here, even if we have to leave due to special circumstances, we can ensure that your Mo Family's assets are well-managed, and no one would dare to do anything."

"Then you still left for five years... Alright, alright, I was wrong, okay?"

Mo Yingqi was truly frustrated and dared not bring up the matter. As soon as he did, the two sisters would instantly become tearful and hesitant, making it seem as if it were his fault, even though it wasn't.

"No, Yingqi, don't say that!" Luo Yongan quickly grabbed his hand. "Yongning and I were wrong; we shouldn't have left you..."

"Alright, let's not mention this again, so you don't cry, and I don't feel bad watching you." Mo Yingqi could only scratch his head helplessly. "Sister Yongan, shall I help you?"

"Okay, if Yingqi wants to eat, elder sister will make it for you." Luo Yongan's face changed so quickly that Mo Yingqi could barely keep up. Just a moment ago, she looked sad and remorseful, and now she was smiling through her tears. "Oh, Yingqi, I had someone get some Fruit Wine from the palace. Don't worry, this Fruit Wine is sweet and delicious, and it won't get you drunk. Have some later, and after you've eaten your fill, I'll have someone send you back, alright?"

Hearing about drinking again, Mo Yingqi initially wanted to refuse, but when he heard it was Fruit Wine, his heart slowly settled. He used to drink this Fruit Wine often in the Northern Frontier; it was more like a beverage than an alcoholic drink, sweet and delicious, and no matter how much you drank, it wouldn't go to your head or make you drunk.

"Oh, Aunt Ying Hong, pour Yingqi a cup in a luminous cup." Luo Yongning seemed to just remember. "It was specially stored in the ice cellar; one cup is refreshing and quenches thirst."

"Yes, Second Princess, this servant will go now."

Ying Hong nodded upon hearing this, then withdrew with the maidservants. Afterward, the two sisters took Mo Yingqi to the pavilion. The scenery here was truly beautiful and very quiet. There were even peacocks in the garden, and birds perched in the trees, occasionally letting out melodious calls.

"Do you like it?" Luo Yongan pointed to the garden. "The winters in the Northern Frontier are long. Yingqi most likes listening to birdsong in the forest. Now, elder sister has found a way for Yingqi to hear birdsong at home in the future."

"Thank you, Sister Yongan, Sister Yongning."

Mo Yingqi felt a warmth in his heart. Since he entered, he had noticed that the decor and color scheme here were exactly to his liking. Yet, these two sisters remembered every casual word he had spoken in the past.

Sometimes he wondered, what exactly... were they after? But then he thought that although he also had immense wealth, these two were Legitimate Princesses and leaders of Partridge Sky; money was precisely what they lacked least.

The more this was the case, the more moved and fearful Mo Yingqi felt, afraid that all of this was merely an illusion. In fact, for some reason, he had even become somewhat anxious and uncertain these past two days.

"Yingqi, come, drink this Fruit Wine first, alright?" Luo Yongan handed him a very exquisite luminous cup, filled with a purplish-red liquid. "I know you must be wondering inside right now. After you drink it, shall we talk openly and honestly?"

Mo Yingqi was a little embarrassed; having his thoughts seen through so easily was quite awkward. Mo Yingqi didn't know how to answer for a moment, so he could only take the luminous cup. He had been tired from the journey, and he was indeed a bit thirsty, so he drank half a cup in one gulp.

But soon, Mo Yingqi felt dizzy. He looked at them in shock, only to once again meet the familiar yet unsettlingly possessive gaze in the sisters' eyes.

"This isn't good, I think... I've been tricked."

Mo Yingqi felt his consciousness growing increasingly blurry, but he heard Luo Yongan's voice, trembling with excitement, in his ears:

"Yingqi, you want to know what I'm after, right?"

"We only want you, we want your whole heart and mind, all your thoughts and desires, to be entirely for us..."

"So, you can't escape, Yingqi..."