Shen Qianyu left the palace under cover of night and quickly arrived at the residence in the capital’s outskirts. As soon as he entered the residence, he saw Wan Xiao sitting in the courtyard drinking wine. Shen Qianyu frowned slightly: “Why are you here? Does Dong Chang have nothing to do?”

Wan Xiao said: “This subordinate came to report to Your Highness.”

“Report what?”

“The Chengyang Marquis Manor sent an old woman here. These past few days she’s been acting suspiciously, not knowing what she’s doing.”

“Has she entered the residence?”

Wan Xiao said: “She has not.”

Shen Qianyu nodded, turned and walked toward his room. Seeing the direction he was going—not toward the back door that was closer to Song Wan’s residence—Wan Xiao couldn’t help but speak: “Your Highness isn’t going to the Song family’s legitimate daughter’s residence?”

Hearing this, Shen Qianyu’s steps paused: “You…”

“This subordinate doesn’t understand.”

Wan Xiao held up his wine flask with an air of slight intoxication. Shen Qianyu laughed scornfully: “Barging into a young lady’s boudoir in the dead of night—what kind of person do you take me for? And what kind of person do you take that young lady for?”

“To disregard a woman’s reputation like this, such despicable behavior—how could it be the conduct of a gentleman?”

Wan Xiao opened his mouth, but before he could make a sound, Shen Qianyu continued: “That eunuch identity is merely a public persona. In the end, I’m still a man. How could I, knowing she doesn’t know the truth, bully a delicate young woman?”

“Moreover, don’t you know there are people from the Chengyang Marquis Manor outside? Knowing it would bring disaster to others yet insisting on going—am I such a despicable and shameless person?”

These few sentences Shen Qianyu spoke with forceful conviction. Wan Xiao’s thin lips opened and closed, finally pressing tightly shut.

This righteous and stern appearance nearly made Wan Xiao think that it was he himself who had entered Song Wan’s residence under cover of darkness a few days ago.

“Has the kitchen heated water?”

Wan Xiao nodded. Shen Qianyu said: “I’m going to bathe. I’ll visit the Song family’s legitimate daughter tomorrow.”

After speaking, Shen Qianyu left, leaving behind Wan Xiao clutching his wine flask with a bewildered expression.

He didn’t know what had gotten into his master recently. His words were strange, not to mention running here in the middle of the night to bathe—truly puzzling.

Putting Shen Qianyu out of mind, Wan Xiao picked up his wine flask and drank by himself.

This residence wasn’t large. The bathhouse contained only a wooden tub, a washing stand, and a small table for holding clothes.

Shen Qianyu took out the pearl from his chest and placed it on the small table, casually tossed his clothes on the ground, and stepped into the bathing tub.

The man closed his eyes to rest. When he opened them, he happened to see the large branded character “slave” on his shoulder.

This thing had been branded on him by that crazed demoness from Nanqing. Over all these years, it had long since merged with the scars covering his body.

In the past, he had never given it any thought. He didn’t know why, but seeing it today, he found it extremely glaring.

He picked up the washcloth in the water and scrubbed it hard twice, then irritably threw it down, rose, and got dressed.

After dressing properly, he picked up the pearl box from the small table and tucked it into his chest.

He slept dreamlessly through the night. The next day, Shen Qianyu changed into coarse cloth clothing and pushed a wooden cart loaded with vegetables to Song Wan’s residence. When Old Woman Lang opened the door and saw his attire, her heart suddenly jumped—she instantly knew there were people keeping watch nearby.

After welcoming him inside, Shen Qianyu straightened up.

Song Wan was in the courtyard with Heng Zhi, Heng Wu, Jinshu, and Luanjian, melting insect wax and mixing it with safflower juice to make lip rouge. Several plates of already-made and solidified rouge were set beside them. Song Wan was carefully applying one to her lips.

The bronze mirror in her hand happened to reflect Shen Qianyu as he entered. Song Wan turned around in surprise to look.

“Eunuch Ji Rong has arrived?”

She hurriedly took the handkerchief in her hand and wiped the rouge from her lips clean. Song Wan’s face turned slightly red, feeling that her disheveled appearance was quite impolite.

Her ears tinged with a faint red, she invited Shen Qianyu to sit in the main hall.

“Miss’s item—returned today.”

Placing the pearl before Song Wan, Shen Qianyu spoke flatly.

“Thank you for the trouble, Eunuch.”

Carefully putting away her mother’s relic, Song Wan was as considerate as ever and didn’t ask why the item hadn’t been left with Imperial Concubine Yun.

Shen Qianyu informed Song Wan about yesterday’s events—people entering the Eastern Palace and the First Prince’s death. Hearing this, Song Wan blinked, momentarily speechless.

She was already outstanding in appearance. Now without powder or makeup, with only the faint remaining color of lip rouge on her lips, her appearance was soft and lovely, causing Shen Qianyu’s expression to tighten as he rigidly averted his gaze.

He had told Wan Xiao that Wan Xiao didn’t understand.

If Wan Xiao were present, he would probably agree with what he’d said earlier.

Shen Qianyu’s face was completely solemn, making Song Wan furrow her brows almost imperceptibly.

While this Eunuch Ji Rong was informing her of matters that would force Father to take sides, his expression was cold and serious. Could he be dissatisfied with the Song Manor?

Unable to guess his meaning for the moment, Song Wan couldn’t help but worry.

After thinking for a moment, she said gently: “Having spent this time with Eunuch, we’ve developed some rapport. There are some words Wan’er will ask Eunuch directly.”

“I wonder if the Crown Prince is dissatisfied with the Song family?”

Shen Qianyu was silently savoring that phrase “some rapport” when he heard this and shook his head slightly: “The Crown Prince has no such intention. Why would Miss have such thoughts?”

Song Wan only saw Shen Qianyu’s expression grow increasingly somber. Somewhat nervous, she gripped the handkerchief in her hand.

The Crown Prince’s actions had already pulled the entire Song Manor onto his ship. If the Crown Prince was dissatisfied with Father, he might settle accounts later.

Thinking about how although it was Song Fu who first became acquainted with Ji Rong, in the end it was she who drew the Song family before the Crown Prince, Song Wan felt uneasy.

“Eunu—”

“Miss So—”

Both spoke simultaneously. Shen Qianyu said: “Miss Song, please speak.”

Song Wan shook her head, momentarily unsure what to say.

Saying too much would only leave the Crown Prince with an impression of the Song family as greedy and insatiable, which would be counterproductive.

Shen Qianyu seemed to understand what Song Wan was thinking. After brief consideration, he said: “It’s merely sizing up the situation. The Crown Prince won’t hold a grudge against Lord Song for this. Miss Song can rest assured.”

He wasn’t the sort of narrow-minded person who would take such small matters to heart.

“I came today because the Crown Prince has a question he doesn’t understand and wanted to ask Miss.”

“Please speak, Eunuch.”

Shen Qianyu said: “Although the Crown Prince can now gain a foothold in the rear palace, the court officials and people of the realm likely won’t acknowledge my… master’s identity. I don’t know how to resolve this predicament.”

Song Wan lowered her eyes, pondering these words.

Although the Crown Prince had the backing of Dong Chang and his aunt, at present he could only temporarily preserve his position as Crown Prince. Getting court officials and common people to acknowledge his identity would truly be difficult.

First, he had no mother to rely on. Second, he had no court officials who sincerely supported him. Behind him, one could say there was no one at all. Wanting to move in the court could be described as extremely difficult at every step.

After thinking, Song Wan said softly: “The Crown Prince has nothing to his name and can only attain his position through virtue.”

“Now that Aunt supports the Crown Prince, after the Crown Prince appears before people, her supporters will certainly consider the Crown Prince’s potential. If the Crown Prince is a wise ruler worth following, there will certainly be people who pledge allegiance.”

“The Fifth Prince is truly too young. Waiting for him to grow up is a huge unknown, not to mention no one knows what kind of person he’ll grow into.”

“Don’t look at how auspicious omens have appeared everywhere these past few days. How can those things fool the people at court? Calling them auspicious omens—it’s more like Jiang Man is using the pretense of heaven-sent phenomena to wash away the various stains and foolish appearances left by the marquis manor’s previous farce.”

“Although the Crown Prince has no maternal clan, as long as benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom are rooted in his heart, and he can implement benevolent governance in the future to benefit all people under heaven, there will be those who voluntarily follow.”

“After all, with an excellent choice right before their eyes, why wait for an unknown to slowly grow up?”

“If the Crown Prince treats worthy men with courtesy and views his officials as brothers, over time the officials will certainly regard their ruler as their confidant.”

Song Wan’s tone was warm and soft. Perhaps because they were discussing such treasonous words made her somewhat constrained, so certain words weren’t articulated quite clearly. To Shen Qianyu’s ears, it was as if cotton balls were bouncing against his heart—both sweet and ticklish.

He raised his eyes and stealthily glanced at Song Wan, only feeling that the Song family must have harbored some not-quite-proper intentions.