“Miss Song speaks truly.”

Shen Qianyu said, “I wonder what method Miss Song has?”

He had struggled to survive in the crevices of the rear palace with great difficulty. Only in these past two or three years had he gained any room to turn things around, which was why he had never truly been able to enter the center of the capital’s powerful elite.

This left Shen Qianyu in a very passive position.

In previous years when the Third and Fifth Princes were still young, he still had time to carefully scheme. But now, though it appeared the Third and Fifth had both suffered losses, the situation was actually more deadlocked than before.

The First Prince was already ruined, the Third Prince’s appearance completely destroyed with no chance at the throne, the Fifth Prince had injured his leg—but once his broken bones healed and he could walk normally, the imperial throne could be said to be in the bag.

His birth couldn’t compare to Shen Qianshu’s, he also had the experience of being a hostage in Nanqing, and the court regarded him with shame. Moreover, he possessed nothing of value and had no supporters behind him. To say his chances of turning things around were a fantasy would not be an exaggeration.

If not for this, he wouldn’t have come to inquire of a woman, having nowhere else to turn for help.

“I wonder in what manner the Crown Prince’s people have previously befriended aristocratic family sons?”

Shen Qianyu said, “Nothing more than eating meat and drinking wine together, at flower houses…”

Thinking that Song Wan was rather rigid, afraid that mentioning going to flower houses to listen to music would make her uncomfortable, Shen Qianyu swallowed his words back down.

“It’s just that in such matters, plenty of silver was spent but little gained.”

Song Wan curved her lips in a light smile. “This approach won’t work.”

“If I haven’t guessed wrong, in the past the Crown Prince frequently hosted those wastrel young masters for entertainment, correct?”

“Exactly so.”

“The Crown Prince’s thinking wasn’t wrong, but aristocratic noble sons aren’t entertained this way.”

Song Wan smiled gently. “Hosting has its particular rules. How a superior hosts an inferior, how the banquet should be arranged, the east and west seating—all have their significance. And the Crown Prince’s people from the start positioned themselves in a subordinate seeking favor position. In this case, if no stunning methods or clever tricks were produced during the banquet, those nobles wouldn’t take notice.”

“To them, being willing to attend the banquet is already a great favor—they naturally won’t give more, much less form friendships.”

Shen Qianyu’s brow furrowed slightly, his expression also becoming more serious by three parts.

Seeing he had no heart to belittle women, Song Wan said softly, “How to entertain, what to entertain with—all have their particular rules. Who brings whom into the gathering, whom you wish to befriend within the gathering, why befriend them, for what purpose befriend them, whether what you seek and the entangled forces behind that person might conflict—the benefits and drawbacks of each family must all be calculated clearly.”

“Those of higher status cannot be easily banqueted, those of lower status cannot be casually invited. How to invite superiors, how to invite inferiors—all are matters of learning.”

Shen Qianyu carefully savored Song Wan’s words, his breathing slightly quickening.

He most detested these troublesome aristocratic family rules and social obligations.

“To truly associate with the capital’s aristocratic family sons, eating and drinking comes second.”

Song Wan lowered her eyes slightly, recalling what those pampered wastrels enjoyed.

“Take watching dances and listening to music, for example—you must watch the palace’s direction. If the other day a palace noble listened to a pipa piece and praised it highly, then during this period when going out, you should listen to and appreciate pipa pieces more.”

“Why is this?”

Song Wan said, “To inform people you’re well-versed in palace news.”

Shen Qianyu immediately understood Song Wan’s meaning.

Someone who could know palace internal affairs, especially these small matters, must have some status—at least someone who could speak with those in the palace. If one made such a move within a gathering, it would certainly attract those of equivalent status.

Status, closeness, and hierarchy would immediately be revealed. Those who understood the situation would naturally gather together at once.

Shen Qianyu looked at Song Wan with a complex expression.

“For refined pursuits there are drinking games, word games, chess matches and flower viewing. For martial activities there are ice games and hunting, cuju ball games, pitch-pot, tug-of-war, chuiwan golf, and such—you must understand all these and be proficient at them.”

“Knowing how to entertain and entertaining skillfully shows this person comes from distinguished nobility with a wealthy household. Entertaining elegantly shows the family has poetry and books passed down through generations, incomparable to merchant types.”

The more Shen Qianyu listened, the darker his expression became.

Since he could remember, he had worried daily about whether he could survive to the next day—when had he ever known these things? He thought he had hidden himself well, that even with only the gold and silver mountains Duan Yiting had accumulated, he could do as he pleased in the capital.

Yet he never imagined that only today did he learn that in the hearts of those noble young masters, he was nothing more than a jumping clown.

Shen Qianyu was about to say he had no time to learn these things when he heard Song Wan speak doubtfully, “However, this method is only suitable for gradual planning and not suitable for the Crown Prince to befriend court officials.”

“Even befriending a few aristocratic family sons for the Eastern Palace is useless. Why doesn’t the Crown Prince directly plant his own people in the court? Surely this would be much better than befriending those pampered wastrels?”

Shen Qianyu glanced at Song Wan. For some reason, Song Wan detected several parts grievance in his look.

She pressed her lips together slightly, her starry eyes widening. “Why?”

Shen Qianyu’s face was expressionless. “The Crown Prince befriends these people precisely to plant people in the court.”

Before his wings were fully grown, Shen Qianyu didn’t dare casually expose his identity. If he hadn’t clearly understood the Song residence’s situation, he fundamentally wouldn’t have admitted his Ji Rong identity to Song Wan.

Therefore, aside from the Dong Chang, not one person in court stood with the Crown Prince. They had practically forgotten the Eastern Palace even had a Crown Prince.

“Why go to such trouble?”

“You have a method?”

Song Wan said, “Eunuch comes from the Dong Chang, indicating the force the Crown Prince relies on is the Dong Chang?”

“Yes.”

“I have a method. Please listen, Eunuch.”

Song Wan said, “The Crown Prince can have Dong Chang people seek out important court officials and have them pledge loyalty to the Dong Chang’s master.”

“I don’t understand your meaning.”

“Presently no one knows who the Dong Chang’s master is. In the future there’s also no need to say, and it cannot be said.”

Shen Qianyu raised an eyebrow, immediately grasping Song Wan’s meaning.

She was teaching him to play tricks.

Borrowing the Dong Chang’s name, pulling court officials onto a boat nominally for the Third and Fifth Princes but actually for the Eastern Palace. First handle and complete matters the Eastern Palace seeks. In this way, using borrowed force would both avoid exposing his identity and achieve objectives. As long as it wasn’t matters that could influence the succession struggle, no one would question the Dong Chang’s position.

They also wouldn’t dare bypass the Dong Chang to inquire of their true master about those inconsequential small arrangements.

And in the future, once he restored his Crown Prince identity, as long as the Dong Chang revealed their true master of allegiance, those already on the boat—even if unwilling to acknowledge it—would have to acknowledge it.

Shen Qianyu felt wildly delighted, never expecting this woman’s few words could help him solve a problem that had troubled him for so long.

“Miss Song possesses great talent. If you had a man’s body, you could certainly become a minister or general, supporting the times and saving the world.”

Song Wan pressed her lips in a smile, her face showing a slight bashful expression.

Shen Qianyu became interested and said further, “According to Miss Song’s words, I wonder when you feel the Crown Prince should inform the world there’s still an Eastern Palace master would be most appropriate?”

“Now that the Fifth Prince’s injuries haven’t healed, this humble woman feels the Crown Prince should still hide his capabilities and bide his time. If Shen Qianshu truly becomes disabled, in the future the Crown Prince can win without battle.”

“And presently Noble Consort Jiang’s entire energy is focused on protecting the Fifth Prince’s safe recovery. The Crown Prince can also take advantage of this period to act subtly, conducting affairs in the Fifth Prince’s name.”

This aligned with his own thoughts.

Thinking of several people, Shen Qianyu inwardly pondered where he should arrange them.

As he was contemplating, Song Wan said, “When the Crown Prince restores his identity, he will also need to prove his worthiness and great capability to the world. Only thus can he overawe the court officials and make them willingly serve the Eastern Palace.”

Hearing these words, Shen Qianyu lowered his eyes without speaking, carefully considering everything he had done and encountered from when he went to Nanqing as a hostage until today.