“The Crown Prince praises too highly.”

Jiang Xingjian accepted Shen Qianyu’s compliment with a blackened face, then thanked Ministers Zhang and Xu before turning to join the dispersing court procession and following everyone out.

Shen Qianyu escorted the two ministers all the way outside the imperial path before returning to the Eastern Palace.

Along the way just now, he had fully displayed the bearing of an elegant gentleman, dazzling quite a few important court officials who didn’t know the full story.

Today’s debut could be considered a resounding success. Shen Qianyu was in quite a good mood—even the Eastern Palace maids could see some joy on his face.

“Send this invitation to the Song Estate. Tomorrow this Palace wishes to see Minister Song and Song Fu.”

Ji Rong carefully received it and had someone deliver it.

Today’s battle could not be called anything but beautiful. Shen Qianyu felt satisfied in his heart but regretted having no one to share it with. When he saw that stack of books in the room, he suddenly felt an urgent desire to see Song Wan as soon as possible.

Only this inexplicable impulse was quickly suppressed.

Though he had now restored his Crown Prince identity, the Eastern Palace still had no assisting ministers.

The Crown Prince’s Three Teachers needed to be decided by the Emperor. Shen Qianyu had never hoped that Emperor Wenhui would take him to heart, so he directly skipped this and pondered other position candidates.

He remained busy until sunset painted the sky, finally selecting several rough candidates.

Ji Rong saw he was busy and had intended to withdraw, but heard Shen Qianyu say, “What matter is there?”

“Today many came to the Eastern Palace to investigate. This servant followed Master’s wishes and dealt with them all one by one. Only just now, Consort Yun and Consort Jiang both sent people with gifts. Does Your Highness wish to see them?”

Shen Qianyu said, “What things?”

“Mostly food and such.”

“The two of them are contesting—no need to pay attention.”

Ji Rong acknowledged and was about to withdraw when Shen Qianyu frowned and said, “That I could restore my Crown Prince identity so quickly, the Song family’s legitimate daughter contributed greatly. What do you say I should do to thank her?”

Ji Rong said, “If it were an ordinary identity, Your Highness could bring her into the Eastern Palace, but the Song family’s legitimate daughter…”

Shen Qianyu waved his hand. “She disdains such things. Think of something else.”

“Since we cannot give her status, perhaps we could benefit her father and brother. This way it would also count as…”

Shen Qianyu shook his head. “Her father and brother are her father and brother. I won’t shortchange them either.”

Ji Rong looked at Shen Qianyu, momentarily unable to think of any good solution.

“Do you really not know what women like?”

“This… this servant has observed that those palace maids usually like hair ornaments and jewelry, golden hairpins and silver bracelets and such. Otherwise they like rouge and powder.”

“How can those common and vulgar things be compared with her?”

Ji Rong was scolded into silence. Shen Qianyu furrowed his brow impatiently and waved his hand.

Ji Rong withdrew. Shen Qianyu propped his chin and examined the Eastern Palace maids.

He only saw that although this group of palace maids wore identical clothing and accessories, their facial makeup each had its own characteristics. Though all wore light makeup and powder, upon close inspection they were indeed not entirely the same.

Thinking of that day when he went to Song Wan’s residence and happened to see her making lip rouge with her household maid, his heart suddenly stirred.

It seemed Ji Rong hadn’t been wrong—women indeed liked these things.

Shen Qianyu summoned Ji Rong and asked if he knew how to make rouge.

Ji Rong wiped the sweat from his forehead and stammered, “This servant truly doesn’t know. However, this servant has observed that nearby palace maids all have eunuchs bring lip rouge from the Beauty Workshop outside the palace. Presumably what they sell there should be quite good.”

“How could that work? Is she someone who hasn’t seen quality goods?”

After having Ji Rong help find a book on making rouge and carefully instructing him to rest well and tend his injuries these next few days, Shen Qianyu himself dove into his sleeping quarters to secretly research.

“Tender Wu Fragrance, Small Spring Red, Dewdrop, Ten Thousand Gold Red…”

Shen Qianyu frowned—he was truly dizzied by these varieties.

How would he know what kind Song Wan liked?

Flipping through page by page, when he saw the lip rouge recipe named Pomegranate Beauty, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

He didn’t know why, but seeing this name made him think of Song Wan’s fragrant pink lips that day.

With great difficulty obtaining safflower from the palace maids, Shen Qianyu tinkered alone in the Eastern Palace late into the night.

The book said the flower-killing method required pounding to soften them, so he placed fresh flowers in a stone mortar and repeatedly pounded them into thick pulp, then used a cloth bag to squeeze out the pure juice, placed it in a jar, and added vinegar and pomegranate to blend it.

He didn’t know to what degree the rouge color should be made to be suitable. After making it several times and feeling the color was too thin, he kept adding flower juice until seeing the color in the bowl was deep red, then he secretly felt at ease.

That person had always been plain—unlike other women who were bright and colorful. Whenever he thought of this, Shen Qianyu felt it unfair to her.

These past days, he attended court in the morning, socialized with various ministers outside the palace in the afternoon, and devoted his evenings to making rouge for Song Wan. After seven or eight days like this, he barely selected one he was somewhat satisfied with.

Carefully storing away that fist-sized jar of rouge, Shen Qianyu summoned someone to prepare a bath.

“No need to attend me. You may all withdraw.”

The palace maid withdrew the hand she had already extended before him, which had been about to help him change clothes, and respectfully retreated.

Having tinkered with rouge for several days, Shen Qianyu only felt his body carried a cloying scent of powder. He removed his garments and quickly washed away the floral fragrance covering his body, then worked on his face for a while before taking the rouge and leaving the palace, heading to Song Wan’s residence.

Seeing Song Wan again, he felt somewhat dazed.

“Eunuch Ji Rong?”

“Miss Song.”

Song Wan smiled slightly, as if not noticing his distracted appearance.

Shen Qianyu came to his senses and said, “The Crown Prince has recently paid visits to many officials. Compared to the Fifth Prince who hasn’t appeared for many days, his reputation is growing higher and higher.”

“The Crown Prince is approachable, sincere, and candid. That he wins favor from various officials is only natural.”

Shen Qianyu said, “Without Miss’s assistance, for the Crown Prince to have today’s achievements, who knows how many difficulties it would have required.”

“Eunuch speaks too highly. This young lady dare not accept such praise.”

Song Wan’s face reddened at his words. How had she helped at all? She had merely quoted a few passages from books.

In the past, the Crown Prince had no one to teach him. If in the future he found a renowned teacher, with the Crown Prince’s natural talent, he would only grow faster.

Thinking of the Crown Prince’s recent actions, Song Wan also had to praise them as brilliant.

An achievement like assassinating an enemy nation’s ruler would be recorded even in future history books. The auspicious signs that Jiang Man had originally prepared for the Fifth Prince had all become phenomena that the common people said appeared to welcome the Crown Prince’s return.

Now not only the court but even the common people greatly admired the Crown Prince.

“The Crown Prince is not only magnanimous but also resourceful. Even without this young lady, restoring his identity wouldn’t have taken much time.”

Song Wan smiled with pursed lips, happy that the realm would have such a ruler in the future.

Her smile made Shen Qianyu freeze for an instant. When his gaze swept over those lips carrying a faint pink color, his heart trembled uncontrollably again.

He reached his hand into his robe and hesitantly pulled out a large porcelain bottle.

Song Wan looked at him somewhat surprised. As soon as she had seen him, she had noticed the thing in his robe, only she hadn’t expected this thing was for her.

“A gift of thanks from His Highness the Crown Prince to Miss.”

“What is this?”

Shen Qianyu’s cheeks grew hot. “Lip rouge… for women to use.”

Upon hearing this, Song Wan’s brows furrowed slightly.