Hearing Xiao Changqin’s words, Xiao Changying felt even worse. He had previously thought the Crown Prince was like him, neither having won Shen Xihe’s heart, merely advantaged by his legitimate birth status. But now…

Seeing his brother still unable to let go, his melancholy appearance made Xiao Changqin’s heartache. He changed the subject: “Four days remain until the appointment with Fourth Brother. Now that the Crown Prince is watching me, I must find another way.”

He looked down at the seal hanging from his wrist, wrapped round and round with a thin red cord like a silkworm cocoon.

Having taken this item, he must fulfill his promise.

“Does Brother need my help?” Xiao Changying knew his brother desperately wanted to recover this seal and hoped to ease his burden.

Xiao Changqin patted his shoulder, smiling appreciatively: “Following the original plan is help enough.”

“How will Brother deceive everyone?” Xiao Changying had experienced Xiao Huayong’s methods – he wasn’t easily fooled.

Raising his hand level with his forehead, seemingly shielding himself from the sun but watching the light reflect off the jade seal, he said something Xiao Changying didn’t understand: “It will show me the way.”

After visiting Prince Zhao’s residence, Xiao Changqin went quiet. Shen Xihe monitored this situation too. Having invested effort in Ye Wantang, she didn’t insist on killing Xiao Changtai this time, especially with Xiao Huayong involved, so she didn’t intervene much.

For several days, apart from one visit to the Princess’s residence after court, when Xiao Huayong hurriedly ate and left without chatting, he didn’t come by. Shen Xihe didn’t question this.

The capital’s heat had noble sons fighting over ice. Many couldn’t bear it anymore. Bu Shulin avoided returning home, but whenever she visited the Princess’s residence, Cui Jinbai always found reasons to force her to leave, earning her deep resentment.

“All because of the leaf price case masterminds! Otherwise, I’d be at the summer palace by now – this sun is melting me!” Bu Shulin had to bind her chest tightly to conceal her feminine identity. At Shen Xihe’s place, she could enjoy ice and relax briefly.

She’d endured previous years, but this year’s heat felt unusually intense. Though hot, the necessary rains still came, otherwise, the entire court would be anxious, not just the ministers.

“Alin, be careful,” Shen Xihe watched her gulp down plum juice, exposing her fake Adam’s apple – an expertly crafted thin clay piece adhered to her throat.

Nobody would rudely stare at another’s Adam’s apple, and she concealed it well, so she hadn’t been discovered.

Bu Shulin wiped it from her neck: “Let me tell you, Stone-head Cui keeps studying my Adam’s apple lately!”

She despised Cui Jinbai. Through her tireless efforts, at least her courtyard at the Bu residence was safe. These years, she often feigned illness to avoid duty, both to ease His Majesty’s mind and facilitate her disguise. In summer, she stayed home, dressing as she pleased or even going unclothed with no one to see.

Since Cui Jinbai started staying at the Bu residence, he sometimes burst into her room without knocking. If not for her quick reactions and sharp senses, he would have discovered her secret!

At this rate, she’d be exposed eventually!

“He enters your bedroom directly?” Shen Xihe frowned, disliking such rudeness.

Even though Cui Jinbai saw Bu Shulin as a young man and young men were less formal with each other, this went too far.

Understanding Shen Xihe’s disapproval, Bu Shulin wore a despairing expression: “I brought this on myself…”

Initially, to tease Cui Jinbai, she had not only snuck into his bedroom at night but also his bathhouse, nearly seeing him naked.

Now whenever she criticized Cui Jinbai, he would respond: “You seduced me this way, making me fall deeply in love. This method works. I’ve never admired anyone else and don’t know how to win someone’s heart, so I can only follow your example.”

Bu Shulin: …

“I regret it, deeply regret it, beyond remedy!” Bu Shulin said miserably.

Hearing the whole story, Shen Xihe understood Cui Jinbai’s behavior and even felt sorry for him – a typically courteous noble son, corrupted by Bu Shulin’s mischief…

She couldn’t blame him; Bu Shulin had brought this on herself.

“You reap what you sow,” Shen Xihe ignored Bu Shulin’s complaints.

“I was just trying to be convincing!” Bu Shulin refused to admit she’d simply enjoyed seeing Cui Jinbai’s shocked, almost delicate expressions, finding it so amusing she couldn’t resist teasing him repeatedly…

Now she’d gone too far, making Cui Jinbai accept even the possibility of male love, turning her own tactics against her! Being pursued was bad enough, but experiencing her previous actions made her realize how awful she’d been last year.

Now at fault, she felt small, pitiful, and helpless.

Shen Xihe glanced at her, knowing why she’d gone overboard – bored and intrigued, unable to let go.

Now she couldn’t let go, and might never escape.

“Youyou, help me find a solution, or I’ll be discovered,” Bu Shulin whimpered, tugging at Shen Xihe’s sleeve, taking the chance to feel the fabric.

Shen Xihe’s clothes were made of precious, light silk – only about two liang each, worth thousands of gold. The palace had only about ten bolts, not enough for all the imperial consorts.

The Crown Prince had given Shen Xihe all his palace allocation of fine silk at once, making every lady in the capital envious!

While others would weep with joy over one or two pieces, Shen Xihe could wear different ones daily as she pleased. In this summer heat, how could others not be jealous? Many noble ladies regretted not pursuing the Eastern Palace’s favor.

The fabric felt cool to the touch. Bu Shulin couldn’t resist fondling it, wishing she could wear it, but the silk was too thin for men’s clothing.

Shen Xihe pulled her sleeve away, looking at the wrinkles: “You know this year’s silk is sold out. Even with money, you couldn’t replace it.”

Bu Shulin carefully smoothed it: “Youyou, please help me, I’m begging you.”

“He’ll discover you’re a woman eventually. You might as well tell him the truth – he might then maintain proper distance, and you could relax more,” Shen Xihe suggested sincerely.

Xiao Huayong knew Bu Shulin was female, and since Cui Jinbai was Xiao Huayong’s man, though Xiao Huayong hadn’t revealed it, this couldn’t remain a secret forever.