He hadn’t returned to the Eastern Palace last night, so Wan Xiao had kept vigil there all night. The moment he returned, he was blocked at the bedchamber entrance.

“Does Your Highness know this subordinate waited here for you all night?”

“What are you waiting for me for? Is Dong Chang truly so idle?”

Wan Xiao pressed his lips together, glanced at the thoroughly impatient Shen Qianyu, and frowned: “Should this subordinate have someone prepare another bowl of cooling medicine for you?”

He’d seen through it all—before the marriage between Song Wan and the Su family was ruined, his master’s temper probably wouldn’t subside.

“Prepare it, prepare it for this prince to drink. At least it’ll save me from being vexed and distracted daily, acting absurdly.”

Sprawling boldly on the Eastern Palace’s golden couch, Shen Qianyu lazily placed his hands behind his head: “Also send people to carefully monitor the Su family’s movements.”

Wan Xiao uttered a low “yes” and stood helplessly to the side.

As the two remained wordlessly silent, a young eunuch came from outside. Wan Xiao frowned slightly and stepped forward.

“Reporting to the Director, yesterday morning Lord Zhao, Grand Secretary of the Chancellery, was shot dead at his home. The assassin struck cleanly with a single arrow straight through the center of his brow, leaving no trace behind.”

Upon hearing this, Shen Qianyu stood and walked forward, frowning as he said to Wan Xiao: “This technique seems familiar.”

Wan Xiao dismissed the eunuch before speaking: “It’s nearly identical to how Your Highness shot the First Prince.”

“Indeed.”

“This person seems to have just pledged allegiance to Your Highness some days ago.”

Shen Qianyu’s expression grew solemn as he slowly nodded.

Wan Xiao said: “Did Your Highness encounter anything unusual while outside yesterday?”

“I did not. Are you suspecting me?”

Forcefully suppressing the urge to sigh, Wan Xiao said: “If Your Highness wished to kill a mere minor secretary of the Chancellery, would you need to personally take action?”

Shen Qianyu replied: “True enough.”

A palace maid brought the prepared cooling medicine. Shen Qianyu drank it in large gulps while listening to Wan Xiao speculate about who might have done this.

It wasn’t that he distrusted Wan Xiao—he was simply accustomed to dividing different matters among different people.

Whether concerning the outer court or inner palace, Wan Xiao knew every detail related to him, large and small. But the business dealings he conducted outside under the name Xiao Jiye with Jiang Yan—apart from the two of them, no one else knew.

Liu Changque was the same.

Regarding Nanqing matters, apart from the two of them, no one else could glimpse within.

Setting down the bowl, seeing Wan Xiao had already guessed it involved Jiang Man, Shen Qianyu couldn’t help but say: “What’s the point of endlessly speculating over such a trivial matter? Whether it was Jiang Man or not, what difference does it make?”

From beginning to end, he’d never taken Jiang Man or Shen Qianshu seriously.

A woman and a child still suckling—what could they possibly contend with him for? As long as he used Nanqing’s hands to eliminate Emperor Wenhui, who else in the realm could threaten him?

Wan Xiao also knew his master didn’t regard Jiang Man as an adversary. After speculating briefly, he too lost interest.

He was now more interested in another matter.

Wan Xiao coughed lightly and probed cautiously: “Master’s position is now stable. Have you considered the matter of the Crown Princess?”

“Crown Princess?”

Shen Qianyu raised an eyebrow as he scrutinized Wan Xiao: “Do you miss women?”

“This subordinate is asking whether Your Highness has a candidate for Crown Princess in mind.”

“Your Highness is no longer young. The First Prince had already sired four princesses by your age. If you… continue without offspring, I fear you’ll be criticized by court officials in the future, which would destabilize your claim to the throne.”

“Criticized?”

Shen Qianyu scoffed: “Even if this prince ends his line completely, this imperial position will remain stable.”

“……”

Wan Xiao no longer wished to engage with him. Just as he was preparing to seek out Ji Rong, before his leg had even stepped out, he heard Shen Qianyu say: “However, a Crown Princess must eventually be had.”

Speaking of the Crown Princess, Shen Qianyu’s face was full of contempt.

He’d always detested women. Just the thought of having a useless woman who only knew how to throw tantrums and act jealous constantly by his side in the future made him extremely vexed.

His disgust was far too obvious. Wan Xiao thought for a moment and said: “Your Highness should put this matter on the agenda. There truly aren’t many in court qualified to be Crown Princess.”

“Women’s youth is fleeting. Once they reach the proper age, marriage discussions begin. If already betrothed, no matter how suitable, Your Highness cannot very well steal a subject’s wife and must choose someone else.”

Shen Qianyu said: “Aren’t all women under heaven the same? You may select one at random.”

Women under heaven…

Wan Xiao sighed: “How many women has Your Highness actually dealt with?”

“Two or three, I suppose.”

Shen Qianyu was utterly indifferent.

Apart from Song Wan, to whom he owed gratitude as a teacher and whom he’d never regarded as an ordinary delicate woman, all the others he’d encountered were ruthless and vicious types—enough to make him thoroughly disgusted.

Wan Xiao had initially wanted to follow this thread to settle on a Crown Princess candidate, but he didn’t dare speak further. After hemming and hawing for a moment, he lost patience along with Shen Qianyu.

He was a eunuch—what did he know about such matters?

These romantic affairs of love—better leave them for his master to worry about himself. Perhaps before his master became enlightened, that Song family daughter would have remarried several times over.

Shrugging his shoulders, Wan Xiao completely gave up on his master’s bedchamber affairs.

The two discussed court affairs for a few more exchanges before Wan Xiao’s personal attendant entered.

Apparently someone had come to report that Su Xie had been severely beaten by Song Fu at the residence today. Supposedly his cries and wails were utterly pitiful.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qianyu stood up with a smile.

“Oh? Do we know what it was about?”

The person said: “The agent reported that Young Master Su Xie went early this morning to the Ministry of Personnel offices to seek Gentleman Song. After Gentleman Song finished his shift, the two returned to the Song residence together. Before they’d even reached Gentleman Song’s courtyard, Young Master Su was knocked to the ground with a single punch from Gentleman Song.”

“Before falling, Young Master Su said something about refusing to have a remarrying cousin forced upon him, that he’d die before agreeing to this match.”

“How outrageous—he dares to be picky?”

Shen Qianyu’s brow and eyes turned fierce, suppressed anger in his heart.

A woman he himself wouldn’t dare disparage even once—yet that Su Xie, whose hair hadn’t even fully grown in, dared to come to the door to humiliate her?

Youthful temperament was most susceptible to provocation. He knew the few words he’d said would surely make Su Xie resist Song Wan, who was older than him and had a reputation for being rigid and proper.

But he’d never imagined Su Xie would dare use Song Wan’s remarrying status to refuse this marriage.

Such blatant humiliation—any sensitive person learning of it would surely grieve inwardly while forcing a smile.

The image of Song Wan smiling faintly under the moonlight that day floated before his eyes. Shen Qianyu felt inexplicably vexed again, his internal fire surging.

Wan Xiao looked at him, feeling his master had truly made a terrible move.

For Su Xie to refuse this marriage, he would necessarily use this point, as this was the only thing that could make Song Fu, who cherished his sister, firmly resolve to reject the Su family.

Su Xie had probably quarreled with Madam Su, and only when that failed had he run to the Song residence himself.

Stealing a glance at Shen Qianyu, Wan Xiao secretly felt pity for that Song family daughter.

If not for his master’s meddling, Song Wan might well have gained an excellent marriage match, marrying into the Su residence to enjoy her uncle and aunt’s doting affection. That woman was already clever—what difficulty would there be in managing a youth still young in years?

Now it had come to this. The reputation of severing family ties was already unpleasant to hear—now add to it being publicly refused for remarrying, and she’d probably never finish enduring the cold stares from within the household alone.

Thinking of this, Wan Xiao’s brow furrowed.

That woman… she wouldn’t become distraught and throw herself down a well, would she?