Su Yunmo leaned closer, dangling the dagger in her hand. "Don't you owe me an explanation?"
"I admit, I took the item," Ye Ningyuan spread her hands and shrugged, then smacked her lips. She reached out to the little dumpling. "Hand it over."
The little dumpling frowned. "???"
"The evidence. You catch a thief with the goods," Ye Ningyuan stated. I admit I stole it, but you have to show me proof.
Su Yunmo's mouth twitched. She suddenly felt like stabbing her with the dagger and finishing her off right there!
The carriage curtain was lifted.
Prince Yunyi entered from outside. He glanced at the scene inside the carriage and froze.
Seeing him enter, Su Yunmo couldn't press the issue further and sheathed the dagger, returning it to her embrace.
Ye Ningyuan quickly touched her neck.
Thank goodness, her head was still attached.
Prince Yunyi narrowed his eyes dangerously. "What are you doing?"
Ye Ningyuan immediately sat beside the little dumpling, slinging an arm around Su Yunmo's shoulder like a close friend. "Nothing much, just playing around."
The little dumpling rolled her eyes and painstakingly pried off the fingers Ye Ningyuan had placed on her shoulder. She turned her head away, ignoring her.
Prince Yunyi frowned, displeased.
No one had ever dared to be so disrespectful in front of him. Was Su Qingtian's daughter really that bold?
"Hehehe, Momo is young, shy, and timid. Father, please don't mind her," Ye Ningyuan instinctively leaned forward, shielding the little dumpling.
Shy and timid?
Prince Yunyi's gaze towards Ye Ningyuan became increasingly disdainful. "Can you be any more nonsensical?"
This little rascal, it was fortunate she was a daughter. If she were a son, she'd be a useless good-for-nothing.
Ye Ningyuan crossed her arms and snorted, turning her head away.
Momo wasn't just anyone. If she was useless, so be it.
Prince Yunyi sat on the other soft couch and instructed the coachman to head towards the Imperial Palace. He then looked at Su Yunmo. "Come with me."
Ye Ningyuan felt as if she were facing a formidable enemy. She scooped up the little dumpling and held her tightly, glaring at the man. "Father, you promised me you'd help Momo. You can't go back on your word!"
Prince Yunyi glanced at his daughter. "Regardless of whether it concerns Princess Lian or not, she is a party involved, and some matters require her to explain personally."
Ye Ningyuan gritted her teeth and continued to glare, hugging the little dumpling tightly. "Some things only get more complicated the more you explain them, don't you know?"
She paused, then added, "I don't care. You promised me. If you don't keep your word, I'll... I'll run away from home!"
Prince Yunyi's head buzzed.
This little rabbit was sent by heaven to torment him!
"Uncle Li, stop the carriage!" Ye Ningyuan shouted.
The carriage halted.
Ye Ningyuan, holding the little dumpling, pushed past Prince Yunyi, jumped off the carriage, and strode away.
Prince Yunyi's face darkened to the point where it looked like water could drip from it. "You little rascal, where are you going?!"
"Running away from home!" the reply came back, filled with aggression and a hint of entitlement.
Prince Yunyi: "..."
You little brat, raising you has shortened my life by ten years!
Uncle Li looked at the young master who had left, then helplessly at the person in the carriage. "Your Highness, what do you propose?"
Prince Yunyi rubbed his temples with a headache. "Forget it, forget it. I'll go to the Imperial Palace alone."
He waved his hand as a signal. Uncle Li lowered the carriage curtain and urged the horses onward.
Meanwhile, Ye Ningyuan, holding the little dumpling, reached an alley and secretly peeked out. Seeing the carriage still heading towards the Imperial Palace, she breathed a sigh of relief.
She turned to the little dumpling and raised her eyebrows. "Don't worry, my father looks stern and acts cautiously. If he goes personally, he'll definitely resolve the matter."
After all, this was clearly a setup by Ye Jingcheng. Let him deal with his own mess.
Su Yunmo looked at her with a heavy gaze. After a moment, she turned and walked away without saying a word.
Ye Ningyuan blinked and quickly chased after her. "Momo, what's wrong? Why are you still unhappy? I just helped you, aren't you going to say thank you?"
She kept nudging her face towards the little dumpling.
Su Yunmo gritted her teeth and pushed her head away. "Scram!"
She really didn't want to see her right now.
Ye Ningyuan was pushed aside but cheerfully leaned in again, smiling with a mischievous grin. "You're not still upset about you drawing a knife on me earlier, are you?"
"Don't worry, I'm not one to hold grudges. You don't need to apologize, and I won't resent you. Not only that, if you're in danger again next time, I'll still help you."
Su Yunmo remained cold and silent.
Ye Ningyuan continued to chatter. "As long as it's about you, I'll definitely go through fire and water for you, because I like you."
"If anyone wants to hurt you, I'll be the first one to not let them get away with it."
Su Yunmo suddenly stopped, a thought dawning in her mind.
She narrowed her eyes at Ye Ningyuan and got straight to the point. "You don't want the Glazed Lock, you want the treasure map?"
Without her, she couldn't get the treasure map, so she wouldn't let anyone harm her.
The playful smile on Ye Ningyuan's face stiffened slightly.
Although it was only for a moment, Su Yunmo saw a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Su Yunmo knew she had guessed correctly. "You really want to explore the treasure mentioned on the treasure map?"
She had mentioned it a few times before, but Su Yunmo had thought she was just saying it casually.
Ye Ningyuan looked at her and finally sighed. "Momo, I actually like you a lot. I won't hurt you, you don't need to guard against me at all."
"I stole the treasure map to find the treasure because I heard that Nanjiang is a very good place, and I wanted to see it."
Ye Ningyuan squatted beside her, taking the little dumpling's hand. "I want to leave the capital with you and live in Nanjiang. That way, no one will bother us anymore."
Su Yunmo looked at her with the eyes one would give to a fool and asked a question that even she thought was brainless. "What about your father?"
Ye Ningyuan smacked her lips. "Those are external possessions. They're not as important as you."
Su Yunmo: "..."
The little dumpling politely curved her lips, then raised her small hand and delivered a heavy slap.
Get lost, you scoundrel!
Ye Ningyuan: "Ah!"
She was slapped to the ground and wailed, clutching her head.
Su Yunmo lifted her foot and walked out of the alley, but suddenly stopped, her eyes narrowing dangerously.
Ye Ningyuan was still howling on the ground. "Momo, you're so heartless! I've poured out my heart to you so sincerely~"
"Shut up!" Su Yunmo glared back at her, then hid herself further into the alley.
Seeing her posture, Ye Ningyuan pouted and swallowed the rest of her wails. She got up from the ground and followed, mimicking her stance and hiding behind the alley, peeking out.
"What's wrong? Did you see something?"
Ye Ningyuan looked out. The bustling street was crowded with people, nothing unusual.
The spot the little dumpling was staring at was behind an inconspicuous stall.
A man and a woman were talking. The man had his back to them, and his attire suggested he wasn't from the capital. The woman wore a bamboo hat.
Ye Ningyuan frowned, finding both figures familiar, but couldn't recall why.
Then the man turned around, revealing half of his face.