“It’s nothing.” Shen Qianyu withdrew his hand, yet his heart itched terribly. He looked at Song Wan’s back and ultimately couldn’t help but gently stroke her hair.

Sensing the movement of the person behind her, Song Wan pressed her lips together in a smile but didn’t turn around, allowing him to continue. After spending more time with the Crown Prince, she felt this person possessed a child-like nature in his bones.

He seemed curious about everything related to her—what she ate and drank, her clothing and jewelry. Even if Shen Qianyu caught sight of books she was reading, he would take them to flip through before returning them to her.

Sometimes Song Wan could see he wanted to be close but was afraid of being too forward and improper, the way he became flustered and at a loss. Her eyes curved with amusement, wanting to laugh inwardly.

In this moment, she could feel how much he treasured her. With little ripples of sweetness rising in her heart, Song Wan turned around and grasped Shen Qianyu’s hand in her palm. “Your Highness…”

“Wan’er?”

“What does Your Highness wish to say?”

Shen Qianyu looked at Song Wan, his eyes sincere. “Can ordinary husbands embrace their wives?”

“…”

Song Wan laughed aloud and walked forward two steps to wrap her arms around Shen Qianyu’s waist. It seemed that after meeting the Crown Prince, she could no longer maintain her reserve.

This was only because Song Wan knew that if she said no, he would surely interrogate her relentlessly about why. If she said yes, he would certainly ask when he could embrace her, whether she would be happy with him holding her, and if not, she must tell him—and so on with such vexing questions.

Having been disturbed like this for several days, she found the Crown Prince’s persistent questioning had no end, leaving her both embarrassed and troubled. Now she would rather take the initiative herself than have him hold her while muttering question after question in her ear.

Pressing her cheek against Shen Qianyu’s chest, Song Wan couldn’t help but laugh softly at the thought.

“Wan’er, may I put my arm around your waist?”

“If I do, I won’t move about either.”

Song Wan could hear Shen Qianyu’s chest rumbling like thunder, making her feel somewhat dizzy. Hearing these words, she raised her hand to grasp the man’s wrist and placed his arm around her slender waist.

“Is Your Highness happy now?”

Shen Qianyu pressed his lips together, both somewhat shy and somewhat pleased. He didn’t dare answer. He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, he would ask something Wan’er didn’t want to hear.

How could he not know that Wan’er disliked his constant questioning? Yet Shen Qianyu always felt that if he didn’t ask, with her temperament, even if she suffered grievances for no reason, she wouldn’t speak of them.

She would only keep those grievances in her heart, and at some uncertain time, that disappointment and pain would slowly ferment into bitter fruit he couldn’t bear. His Wan’er seemed tender-hearted, yet sometimes carried the cool detachment of aristocratic children. If she ever became cold-hearted and frozen-lunged, no matter how much he begged and pleaded for her to stay, she would never spare him another glance.

Shen Qianyu held the person tightly. Only after a long while did he hum once with pleasure.

Song Wan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she embraced the man’s somewhat tense and stiff body, yet in her heart arose the same tender affection she felt when doting on Golden Silk Tiger.

The two held each other quietly until near the hour of Hai, when Shen Qianyu finally took his leave from Song Wan, turning back to look at her with every three steps.

The moment he released her hand, he felt an emptiness throughout his entire body.

“Wan’er will stand here watching over Your Highness.”

Song Wan held the palace lantern standing at the courtyard gate of Laiyi Pavilion. Shen Qianyu nodded and walked forward a few steps before turning back to look at her.

The palace lantern’s yellow glow couldn’t illuminate very far. Shen Qianyu couldn’t even make out the expression on Song Wan’s face clearly. But just thinking that she stood behind him made Shen Qianyu feel warmth in his heart.

“Wan’er, you should go back. The wind outside is cool.”

“Your Highness should return quickly. Once Your Highness returns, this consort will return as well.”

The young woman’s soft voice carried a smile. Shen Qianyu murmured a sound of acknowledgment before finally leaving.

When he returned to the Eastern Palace, he saw Wan Xiao lying on a wooden chair in the courtyard with a wooden expression, seemingly pondering something. He hadn’t even noticed Shen Qianyu’s arrival.

Shen Qianyu moved close to him, frowning. “Why did you go bully a young lady today?”

“This subordinate did not bully the young lady.”

Shen Qianyu clicked his tongue. “Those little tricks of yours might fool naive young ladies, but not others.”

Wan Xiao sat up with a bitter smile. “This subordinate checked Jinshu’s records today. She comes from Baoding Prefecture.”

“Does she have a connection to you?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

After speaking, Wan Xiao lay back down with an expression suggesting life held no meaning.

Wan Xiao’s original family also came from Baoding Prefecture, and his household had been wealthy since childhood—a famous local wealthy gentry family.

Shen Qianyu only knew that Wan Xiao’s family had offended Duan Yiting, and their entire household had been confiscated by him. Not only had the man seized the family’s wealth, he had also thrown Wan Xiao and several of his cousins into the palace.

Wan Xiao’s original surname wasn’t Wan either. This surname Wan came from when he first entered the palace and, seeking to preserve his life, had taken a eunuch steward as his godfather.

Shen Qianyu stood beside him for a moment, then raised his hand to pat his shoulder. A true man could swallow down even the bitterest suffering. He needed no comfort, nor was there any comfort to be given.

If Wan Xiao wanted to speak, he would naturally do so on his own. Shen Qianyu rose and returned to his sleeping quarters.

After entering his chambers, Ji Rong came to serve him in changing clothes. When only the final inner garment remained, Ji Rong respectfully withdrew.

Seeing the person leave, Shen Qianyu shed his clothing and dove headfirst into the white jade pool.

If in the past the scars on his body had only made Shen Qianyu feel they were eyesores, now it could be said he detested them. If not for these wounds covering his body, he could have stayed overnight at Laiyi Pavilion today instead of having to separate from Wan’er.

The more he thought about it, the more vexed he became. After hastily washing up, Shen Qianyu grabbed a piece of bright yellow soft silk and wrapped it around his waist before emerging from the pool.

Ji Rong had already prepared the moisturizing balm and placed it nearby. Shen Qianyu picked it up, removed the porcelain stopper, and furrowed his brows slightly. How much of this thing should he use?

After brief consideration, he reached in and directly scooped out more than half the jar to smear on his body. A thick layer of sticky paste clung to his skin. Shen Qianyu sat at the pool’s edge with furrowed brows, waiting irritably.

The balm was refreshing and emitted a faint tea fragrance. After smelling it for a long time, however, Shen Qianyu felt an unbearable headache.

Only after the entire pool of warm water had thoroughly cooled did he wash himself clean again and walk to the bronze mirror.

“Tch, seeking fame through deception.”

What moisturizing balm—it showed not the slightest bit of effect.

Feeling rather sullen, he placed the item in his hand aside. Shen Qianyu pulled the covers over his head and fell into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning, Wan Xiao had already returned to normal, as if yesterday’s dejected state had never existed.

“Someone sent something for Your Highness to Cuiwei Tower. The people from Dong Chang delivered it into the palace yesterday.”

Taking the secret letter, Shen Qianyu looked at the unique marking on it and raised his eyebrows slightly. He opened the letter to find only two characters: Ning River.

“Burn it.”

Handing the letter in his hand to Wan Xiao, the latter glanced over it and asked in confusion, “What does this mean?”

Shen Qianyu said, “The Nanqing envoy delegation has arrived at Ning River.”

“The Nanqing envoy delegation? Nanqing is coming to visit?”

Wan Xiao frowned. “How could this be so sudden? The court has received no news.”

“I don’t know.”

Answering indifferently, Shen Qianyu went to attend the morning court session.

Throughout the entire day, he maintained a listless appearance. Only when he went to Changxin Palace in the evening to meet Song Wan did he finally show some traces of a smile.

“Was Your Highness in low spirits today?”

“Did something happen?”

The two walked hand in hand through the palace. Song Wan tried several times to withdraw her hand but failed each time, and could only let him have his way in the end.

However, whenever she occasionally encountered eunuchs or palace maids, she still couldn’t help but instinctively try to pull her hand back. Yet the more she did this, the tighter Shen Qianyu held on, leaving Song Wan truly helpless.

Shen Qianyu was just pondering in his mind whether or not to tell her about Nanqing’s visit when he saw someone hurrying in the direction of Yanqing Palace.

When they stopped walking, the three came face to face.

Shen Qianyu’s expression became solemn, yet Jiang Xingjian’s gaze fell in astonishment upon the clasped hands of the two people before him.