Even after returning to the Eastern Palace, Shen Qianyu was still troubled by Song Wan’s marriage prospects.

Though Su Qian was Song Wan’s legitimate maternal uncle and probably wouldn’t mistreat her, he didn’t know what kind of temperament Su Qian’s son possessed.

When a woman married, she didn’t live with her parents-in-law. If her bedside companion had a terrible disposition, how could she have peaceful days ahead?

Song Wan had helped him greatly—how could he bear to watch her enter another pit of fire, once again entrusting herself to the wrong person?

Somewhat irritably flicking his robe, Shen Qianyu rose and headed to Dong Chang.

At Dong Chang, Wan Xiao was leisurely drinking wine and listening to music. Seeing the Crown Prince’s gloomy expression, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

Somehow, upon seeing Shen Qianyu’s expression, he felt that today’s matter was seventy percent likely related to the Song family’s legitimate daughter.

“How leisurely you are. Does Dong Chang have nothing to do?”

Wan Xiao’s eyes held a resentful look as he thought to himself that his master’s appearance of finding fault everywhere was ninety-nine percent related to Song Wan.

“Has something happened to the Song family’s legitimate daughter?”

Shen Qianyu’s eyes immediately widened: “Have you heard something?”

Wan Xiao thought to himself: as expected.

His brow furrowed slightly as his gaze swept toward Shen Qianyu. Suddenly enlightened, he understood the reason for his master’s abnormal behavior.

However…

This matter was truly difficult to handle!

Restraining the smile on his face, Wan Xiao said: “I wonder which matter Your Highness refers to?”

“What matter are you referring to?”

“This subordinate heard some time ago that the old servants who had attended Madam Song for many years were all sent back to the Su residence by the Song family’s legitimate daughter.”

“For what reason?”

“It’s said that Madam Song brought an outside man to the residence to meet Miss Song for matchmaking purposes.”

A fierce look flashed in Shen Qianyu’s eyes: “Was his surname Yang?”

Wan Xiao nodded: “Precisely.”

“What a Song Lan’an! What is he even doing? Allowing someone to humiliate his legitimate daughter in such a manner? Does he also think that because Song Wan left the Marquis of Chengyang’s residence, she can be casually insulted by anyone?”

Shen Qianyu’s tone carried seventy percent anger. Wan Xiao stole a glance and dared not speak.

He was deathly afraid his master would suddenly become enlightened and set his mind on the Song family’s legitimate daughter.

“Why aren’t you speaking? Usually you have plenty to say, don’t you?”

Wan Xiao’s brow furrowed tightly. After a long while he squeezed out a sentence about how Song Lan’an truly was inhuman.

However, upon hearing this, Shen Qianyu said: “Though Song Lan’an indeed cannot be called a loving father, he is ultimately Song Wan’s biological father and can also be considered this prince’s mentor. How can you speak of him thus?”

“…”

Wan Xiao coughed lightly, feeling that he’d best find some distant assignment recently—going away for three to five months would be good, to avoid being scolded daily until he no longer knew how to speak.

“Why are you acting like a sealed gourd again?”

Wan Xiao let out a long sigh: “This subordinate will have someone prepare a bowl of cooling medicine to reduce Your Highness’s internal heat. Your Highness, please wait a moment. This subordinate will return shortly.”

“What cooling medicine to drink in the dead of winter…”

Though he said this, Shen Qianyu still allowed Wan Xiao to do as he wished without stopping him.

The truth was he didn’t know where this vexation filling his heart came from. The inexplicable stuffiness made him want to be angry yet he couldn’t find anything to be angry about.

Perhaps he truly had excessive liver fire recently, which was why he found everything disagreeable.

Wan Xiao brought over a bowl of cooled bitter tea and handed it to Shen Qianyu. Without even looking, Shen Qianyu drained it in one gulp.

After drinking, he said: “Go find two people to investigate whether these sons of the Su and Yang families have character and temperament worth entrusting someone to.”

Wan Xiao waved his hand, and two Dong Chang agents stepped forward. He gave them a few instructions and dispatched them to investigate.

When no one else was around, Wan Xiao spoke leisurely: “This subordinate feels that if Miss Song could truly marry into the Su residence, it would be all benefit and no harm for her.”

Raising his eyes to glance at Shen Qianyu, he continued probing: “Miss Song must remarry sooner or later. She is remarrying, and being able to enter the Su family’s doors is already the best possible outcome. This subordinate wonders what dissatisfaction Your Highness still has?”

“What dissatisfaction does this prince have? This prince has no dissatisfaction.”

“It’s merely that this prince still doesn’t know what that Su family son’s character is like. If he’s a wayward good-for-nothing, it would be better not to marry at all.”

Wan Xiao shook his head: “This subordinate rather feels that going to the Su residence would be much better than staying at the Song residence.”

Shen Qianyu fixed his gaze on Wan Xiao: “You’ve developed a habit of contradicting me nowadays.”

“This subordinate wouldn’t dare.”

Not daring to probe too much, Wan Xiao looked at Shen Qianyu’s appearance—restlessness evident in every corner of his eyes and brows—and closed his mouth.

He didn’t wish to say more now. If that Song family daughter could smoothly remarry and suppress his master’s budding thoughts before they arose, that would be best of all.

For a moment there was no conversation. Shen Qianyu toyed with the tassel on the small table, lost in thought.

The person sent to investigate returned to Dong Chang in less than half an hour. One of them reported: “Your Highness, Lord Su Qian has only three legitimate sons. The eldest son Su Zhen and second son Su Tan are both already married, and their wives’ clans are…”

Shen Qianyu waved his hand: “What about the third son?”

The agent said: “The third son Su Xie just turned sixteen this year. He came to the capital with Madam Su this time because he’s entering Jingshan Academy to study. This son is clever and obedient, but being young, he’s somewhat stubborn.”

“The Su family maintains upright conduct. Apart from studying and socializing with classmates, Su Xie’s only hobbies are cricket fighting, playing cuju, and such things.”

After briefly describing Su Xie’s usual manner of receiving people and handling affairs, Shen Qianyu impatiently waved his hand to interrupt.

The other person’s account of Yang Xun was much the same as what Yang Xun himself had said. The only difference was that Yang Xun had years ago proposed marriage to his teacher’s daughter. However, that woman had some disability in both legs, and had consecutively observed mourning for her parents, missing her prime years, which was why she had refused him.

Though the two now had some contact, it was mostly Yang Xun providing for this woman. One couldn’t really say there was anything improper between them.

Upon hearing this, Shen Qianyu said: “This account clearly shows the man has feelings and the woman is willing—it’s merely that due to women’s thin face, having refused once she finds it difficult to speak again. The two are one unmarried and one unwed—this prince finds them extremely suitable.”

“Go find an opportunity to have that Yang Xun marry his teacher’s daughter. This would also create a fine romance.”

Wan Xiao cast a meaningful glance at the bewildered agent, who nodded blankly and withdrew.

Having served at Dong Chang for many years, he’d done plenty of investigation and assassination work, but playing matchmaker for others—this truly was a first.

The remaining agent looked at Shen Qianyu, his eyes likewise carrying some inexplicable confusion.

Shen Qianyu hooked the tassel on the small table with an inscrutable expression. Wan Xiao began: “The Su family’s third young master and Miss Song are truly quite suit…”

“This prince will meet him personally.”

His gaze was sharp as he looked at Wan Xiao, who said softly: “This subordinate feels this method is feasible.”

Shen Qianyu rose, the restlessness between his brows instantly dissipating as he left Dong Chang with light steps.

The Su family had long resided in Baoding Prefecture, so though Su Xie wasn’t entirely familiar with the capital, he had several former classmates studying there. Now that he’d arrived, naturally he had to host his classmates for tea and reminisce about old times.

Shen Qianyu merely had someone inquire slightly before encountering Su Xie, whose stature hadn’t yet fully developed.

Su Xie was still young, his face bearing the unique frivolity and flamboyance of youth. But because the Su family all possessed outstanding looks, he had a refined handsomeness like jade, which combined with the faint aristocratic bearing of a distinguished family emanating from his whole being, easily won people’s favor.

Shen Qianyu stood at the entrance of Cuiwei Tower, watching Su Xie pour tea for his friends. His eyebrow arched as he calmly walked inside.