As soon as the words left his mouth, Wan Xiao saw Shen Qianyu slam the wine pot heavily on the table with a sharp crack.

“You want to be the Crown Prince’s grand-teacher?”

Wan Xiao’s expression froze, and he said respectfully, “This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”

He looked up and glanced at Shen Qianyu, thinking to himself that his master’s thoughts were truly difficult to fathom.

It was he who said he wanted to find one of his own people for that Song family legitimate daughter, and now it was also he who was unwilling to let anyone become the Crown Prince’s grand-teacher. No wonder people say accompanying a lord is like accompanying a tiger—how true indeed.

Shen Qianyu’s eyelids drooped slightly. After thinking for a moment, he said, “It still won’t work. No one is worthy of being the Crown Prince’s grand-teacher.”

Wan Xiao’s eyes were vacant. “Your thoughts change remarkably quickly.”

“What do you know? In warfare, deception is key.”

Wan Xiao picked up the wine pot from the table, thinking to himself that these were completely unrelated matters.

Not wanting to dwell on this trivial issue any longer, he poured wine for Shen Qianyu and said, “Master chose these next few days to appear before people—could it be because of those auspicious signs Jiang Man created?”

“Precisely.”

Shen Qianyu smiled with a slight curl of his lips. “These auspicious signs don’t have names written on them. I can also say they descended for me. I am the Crown Prince after all, legitimate and proper. I’m worthy of several auspicious signs.”

Wan Xiao thought to himself that although it was somewhat shameless, it was indeed a good opportunity.

“Although those auspicious signs don’t have Shen Qianshu’s name written on them, they do implicitly contain the Fifth Prince’s name everywhere.”

“Just like those five luminous pearls…”

Shen Qianyu said, “Go to Duan Yiting’s treasury and find four more to add, making it the supreme number.”

“What about the ‘Shu’ character stele?”

“Have Dong Chang’s people continue erecting steles in the same area. Every three to five days, erect another stele for prefectural magistrates and county magistrates. After half a month, erect steles for village chiefs, clan leaders, and ward chiefs too.”

He scoffed. “Within a month, Shen Qianshu’s name will only become a laughingstock.”

Wan Xiao smiled. “Excellent strategy.”

“What about the seven-colored Buddha’s light?”

Shen Qianyu raised an eyebrow. “Find some people to proclaim in the marketplace that the Buddha’s light revealed the Crown Prince’s figure or the Crown Prince’s face. Common people are accustomed to following what others say. Over time, as it spreads, it will become truth.”

Wan Xiao was speechless, yet had to admit it was indeed a good method.

He put down the wine pot in his hand. “This subordinate will see to it immediately.”

After lying dormant for many years, he too was eager to flex his muscles.

After he hurriedly left, Shen Qianyu looked at the books on the stone stool beside him. His eyes showed a smile as he carefully opened them.

Flipping through casually, he saw written in the book: “The virtue of the gentleman is like wind; the virtue of the petty man is like grass. When wind blows over grass, it must bend.”

“When superiors and subordinates are not harmonious, commands will not be carried out…”

“The gentleman cherishes virtue; the petty man cherishes land…”

A faint smile floated in Shen Qianyu’s eyes.

That woman was upright and open—naturally she felt that speech and conduct should all be like the gentleman in books, with a heart that swallows a hundred rivers, magnanimous and candid.

But how would she know that gentlemen are burdened by their reputation, while wealth and nobility don’t concern themselves with treacherous villains?

She was a gentleman among women, yet look how well she fared—daily dragged down by that empty reputation.

Although he thought this, Shen Qianyu’s eyes still carried a trace of unconscious tenderness.

Carefully arranging those books properly, he decided to study them thoroughly in the evening.

Though he disdained the name of gentleman, Shen Qianyu had to admit that if he appeared as a gentleman in others’ eyes, matters would proceed much more smoothly.

By the time he returned to the Eastern Palace, it was evening. Ji Rong reported that today various parties had come to secretly investigate. The head eunuch from the Empress’s palace had tried to force his way in but was stopped by Eastern Palace personnel who injured his leg.

Shen Qianyu waved his hand, interrupting Ji Rong’s words.

“You handle it as you see fit.”

Placing the books in his hands in the room, Shen Qianyu had someone bring hot water. Before long, a female palace official carried over a brass basin and placed the water basin and bright yellow cloth towel before him.

“Go find two people who understand palace etiquette.”

Ji Rong acknowledged and respectfully withdrew.

Shen Qianyu lowered his head to look at the soft towel before him, furrowed his brow slightly, then tossed it into the water.

The warm damp cloth applied to his face allowed Shen Qianyu to rarely experience a sense of relaxation. He reclined in the wooden chair, quietly waiting for time to pass. When he felt an itching sensation appear on his face, he carefully wiped away the thin coating on his face with the soft towel.

After removing the disguise technique specially prepared by Dong Chang for agents, Shen Qianyu frowned slightly as he looked at himself in the bronze mirror.

The face in the bronze mirror made him feel strange. Though it bore some resemblance to before, it was not entirely the same.

The man in the mirror had a half-damp collar, his complexion appearing somewhat pale from long absence of sunlight. Shen Qianyu’s eyebrows lifted slightly. In the mirror, the man’s elegant brows moved, black eyes with flowing light carrying a somewhat unrestrained and wild arrogance.

He greatly disliked this face.

“Your Highness, this servant will change your clothes.”

The palace maid brought a bright yellow undergarment for Shen Qianyu to change into, then took a purple outer robe embroidered with silver bamboo patterns and draped it over him.

Shen Qianyu sat before the bronze mirror, allowing the palace maid to place the crown on his head.

His ink-black hair fell down, making that handsome face—so beautiful it carried three parts bewitching charm—appear even more demonic and alluring.

Shen Qianyu lowered his eyes, concealing the disdain within them.

For a man to be born with such an appearance was truly disgusting.

He scoffed, frightening the palace maid behind him so much she nearly dropped the jade crown.

“It’s not your fault. Continue.”

No longer looking at the bronze mirror before him, Shen Qianyu closed his eyes to rest.

If not for this face, perhaps he wouldn’t have suffered so many unwarranted humiliations when he was in Nanqing.

Thinking of past events, Shen Qianyu grew increasingly irritated.

His brows furrowed slightly, his refined features carrying sharp intent radiating coldness. The palace maid behind him only felt that every part of the person in the mirror emanated an intense aura of pride that inspired awe.

She thought to herself, no wonder the master hadn’t shown his true face all these years. With features so sharp and handsome they were unforgettable, if he didn’t conceal himself, he would likely attract attention the moment he appeared in a crowd.

“Your Highness, the instructors have arrived.”

Shen Qianyu opened his eyes without looking at the bronze mirror again, stood up, and walked out.

In the coming days, he still needed to learn the dignified bearing of an imperial prince and palace protocols.

Thinking of suddenly appearing before all the court officials and their possible reactions, Shen Qianyu smiled with great interest.