The spring sun was very pleasant.

Chu Yi felt somewhat hot wearing his court robes. After removing them, only a dark brocade garment remained, fully displaying the man’s imposing aura.

Nanny Er stood before him: “This old servant sought a grace from the Princess, requesting to leave the residence to retire. The Princess granted it.”

Only then did Chu Yi’s footsteps pause.

Although last night’s arson incident had been investigated and resolved, he was clear in his heart that this matter was more or less related to Nanny Er.

Nanny Er had raised him—she was his elder. He had drunk Nanny Er’s milk. He couldn’t directly expel Nanny Er.

After court ended today, he had specifically made a trip to Changqiu Palace, asking his mother consort to intervene and find a good place for Nanny Er, to honor all these years of affection.

Yet he hadn’t expected Nanny Er to proactively propose leaving herself.

He nodded: “That’s fine. If Nanny Er has a manor she wishes to go to, I’ll have it arranged.”

Nanny Er pressed her lips together.

She had watched the Prince grow up. The Prince had always respected her like this. When good things came from the palace, he would let her choose first.

But after the Princess married in, everything changed.

She spoke gently: “Before leaving the residence, this old servant has something to say—I don’t know if it’s appropriate to say it or not.”

Chu Yi had no patience to hear such things. He only wanted to quickly go to the main courtyard to see Yun Chu. He said coldly: “If it’s not appropriate to say, then there’s no need to say it.”

Nanny Er choked, took a breath and said: “They say honest advice grates on the ear. Even if it’s not appropriate, this old servant must speak. Just now, this old servant saw the study companion the Princess hired for the young county princess. It seems to be Miss Xie, a concubine-born daughter from the Princess’s former husband’s family. The Xie family is long gone—that Miss Xie is just a commoner. Having a commoner be the county princess’s study companion—if word gets out, who knows how outsiders will laugh at the county princess… With this action, this old servant doesn’t know if the Princess looks down on the county princess or still thinks of the former Xie family…”

“Outrageous!”

Chu Yi’s voice was already cold, but now it became like ice. These two words were like icicles drilling straight into Nanny Er’s brow.

This was the first time she felt oppression from Prince Pingxi.

Her body trembled. Forcing herself to hold on, she said: “This old servant is wholeheartedly thinking of the Prince and the county princess, with no other meaning…”

Chu Yi’s eyes were like cold ice.

To avoid embarrassing Nanny Er, he had specifically gone to Changqiu Palace to ask his mother consort to intervene.

He had been thinking of giving Nanny Er the best manor under his name for retirement.

He was willing to give Nanny Er sufficient honor.

But Nanny Er had disappointed him too much.

“Did this prince not tell you that you are a person of the inner chambers, and the princess consort is your master?” Chu Yi enunciated each word. “Everything you do, everything you say, should first consider the princess consort. Your malicious speculation about the princess consort is one crime. Questioning the princess consort’s actions is the second. Sowing discord between this prince and the princess consort is the third crime. You have committed three offenses. How do you think this prince should deal with you?”

Nanny Er’s legs trembled.

She didn’t understand—she had only spoken the truth. Why was the Prince so furiously angry?

“This prince’s fief is in Luochuan. Nanny Er should go there to retire.”

As Chu Yi’s words fell, Nanny Er’s legs went weak and she fell directly to the ground.

Luochuan was so far from the capital. Going there meant never being able to return to the capital again.

She and her family would never be able to see each other again…

“This prince’s residence in Luochuan is no different from Prince Pingxi’s residence. Nanny Er won’t suffer there. Depart in three days.”

Chu Yi strode toward the main courtyard.

Nanny Er completely broke down.

Since she was already leaving, why had she said those words and angered the Prince? Now her remaining retirement days wouldn’t be peaceful.

She scrambled up from the ground and stumbled rushing toward the main courtyard.

Chu Yi had just sat down in the main courtyard, seated beside Yun Chu. There were also two children in the room.

Originally Xie Xian had been happily playing cat’s cradle with Changsheng. As soon as Chu Yi entered, Xie Xian’s whole body began to tremble, her small face visibly turning pale.

Chu Changsheng turned her head and pouted: “Father, can you go out for a moment?”

Chu Yi was puzzled: “Why?”

“Xian and I are playing.” Chu Changsheng spoke. “Mother has to look at account books. Father—you’re extra.”

Chu Yi: “…”

Fine, fine, fine. He had actually become the extra one.

Xie Xian was afraid Chu Yi would get angry and she would become even more scared. She quickly pulled Chu Changsheng’s arm: “Changsheng, let’s—let’s go play outside.”

She didn’t even dare look at Chu Yi once and flew out of the flower hall. Chu Changsheng also followed her out.

Chu Yi frowned: “Chu’er, do I look very frightening?”

Yun Chu reached out and smoothed the wrinkles on his forehead, then pinched the flesh on both his cheeks and lifted upward: “If you smile more often, the children won’t be afraid of you.”

The corners of Chu Yi’s lips curved into a smile.

He reached out, about to lift Yun Chu onto his lap.

Nanny Er’s voice came from the doorway: “This old servant greets the Princess. Please have the Princess persuade the Prince to let this old servant remain in the capital.”

Yun Chu looked at Chu Yi, using her eyes to ask what had happened.

Chu Yi said indifferently: “Chu’er, you needn’t concern yourself with this matter.”

“This old servant was wrong, terribly wrong!” Nanny Er knelt before Yun Chu. “This old servant was wrong to question the Princess, wrong to compete with the Princess for power, wrong to sow discord between the Prince and Princess. Even if this old servant has a thousand faults, I shouldn’t suffer the punishment of separation from family… The Prince was raised on this old servant’s milk. But this old servant’s own son was raised on rice porridge. Because he wasn’t well-nourished in his youth, even now at over twenty he’s still skin and bones…”

Nanny Er cried with tears and snot flowing.

Yun Chu roughly understood.

Because Nanny Er had spoken ill of her before Chu Yi, Chu Yi in his anger had sent Nanny Er to retire in Luochuan.

Many cities lay between Luochuan and the capital. Even by carriage it would take at least half a month to reach. Once she went, it would be difficult to return.

And Nanny Er’s children and grandchildren were all in the capital.

In other words, with this departure, she would likely never see them again in this lifetime.

At an age when she should be surrounded by children and grandchildren, how could she bear to be separated from her family…

Yun Chu looked at Chu Yi: “My lord, Nanny Er knows she was wrong.”

Chu Yi’s voice was cold: “Decisions this prince makes are never changed.”

Yun Chu tilted her head: “Can you do it for my sake?”

Chu Yi’s voice softened considerably: “Chu’er’s sake—that naturally must be considered.”

Nanny Er smiled bitterly.

How had she failed to see the Princess’s weight in the Prince’s heart?

Her current predicament was entirely self-inflicted.

“How about Desheng Manor?” Yun Chu spoke. “It’s one day’s journey from the capital—not too far.”

Nanny Er hurriedly knelt: “This servant is grateful for the Princess’s grace…”

Yun Chu smiled and had Tingxue help Nanny Er pack her luggage and belongings.

Nanny Er was Chu Yi’s wet nurse. If outsiders knew Nanny Er had been driven by Chu Yi to his fief, there might be impeachment by the Censorate.

This was just a small matter—there was no need to make it an issue at court.

Moreover, Nanny Er had sons, daughters, and grandchildren. No matter what, she couldn’t cause any unseemly incidents.

Letting Nanny Er live out her years in peace preserved everyone’s dignity. There was nothing wrong with that.