Hurriedly getting off the couch, Shen Qianyu pressed down on the chest with lowered eyes, saying nothing.

“This… some things are not convenient.”

“Then shall this consort have someone help Your Highness send it to the sleeping chamber?”

Song Wan took a step back, distancing herself a bit from the chest.

“No need. These things are meant for Wan’er.”

Shen Qianyu pressed one hand on the chest while extending the other toward Song Wan. That slight step back she had just taken made Shen Qianyu feel extremely pained.

His Wan’er was too cautious and sensitive. He didn’t know when she would be able to act more freely with him.

Thinking of what was inside the chest, Shen Qianyu’s face reddened.

It would be best if she were like that… that uninhibited.

Song Wan saw his face alternate between anxiety and slight embarrassment, making it truly impossible to discern what he was thinking.

“Then shall this consort have Heng Zhi store this chest away first, and when Your Highness finds it convenient, we can open it then?”

Shen Qianyu shook his head: “We need to open it. I’ll do it myself.”

With that, he raised his hand to unseal the strips on the box and lifted the chest lid.

The contents were revealed before Song Wan. She looked down and saw only some ordinary items—nothing she couldn’t look at.

“These are straw sandals I selected for Wan’er when I passed near the Lan River.”

“According to a local elderly woman, these straw sandals are light and practical—almost everyone wears them. I know you won’t have use for them, but I wanted you to see them.”

Handing the delicately woven straw sandals to Song Wan, she received them and was truly surprised and curious as she examined them for a while.

“Wan’er has never seen these before.”

Shen Qianyu smiled: “I’ve seen them, so I wanted Wan’er to see them too. This way you can know where I’ve been and what I’ve done.”

Even among aristocratic families, not even the lowest sweeping servants wore straw sandals, so naturally she had never seen them.

Taking out a bolt of coarse cloth from the chest, Shen Qianyu said: “The Lan River is where Uncle Yan jumped.”

As he spoke, he shook out the cloth in his hands: “Look at this.”

“This pattern is quite peculiar.”

Song Wan gently touched the cloth, feeling it rough and prickly to the hand, but the floral patterns on it had a unique rustic charm.

“The cloth seller said this pattern was hammered on with fresh flowers and grass, one strike at a time. I’d never seen it before, so I bought it back to show you.”

Taking out items from the chest one by one, Shen Qianyu told Song Wan the origin and use of each one. Song Wan curiously touched and looked at them, thoroughly delighted.

She had never seen these things before.

“This clay figurine is truly quite rare.”

The palm-sized clay figurine was made with an endearingly naive appearance. She played with it, her eyes full of novel delight.

“It’s not rare at all—the streets are full of these things.”

Song Wan pressed her lips together, smiling lightly without speaking.

Seeing this pained Shen Qianyu’s heart, so he said: “Don’t worry, Wan’er. From now on in the palace, I’ll be with you. Confining two people together won’t be dull.”

He spoke sincerely. Song Wan was first startled, then smiled and gently nodded.

Only an indigo bundle remained in the chest. Upon seeing this item, Shen Qianyu suddenly became evasive.

“This… this isn’t for Wan’er. This… this belongs to Wan Xiao.”

Taking the indigo bundle from the chest, Shen Qianyu had Heng Zhi find a lockable box and locked it inside.

“Keep this thing here with Wan’er for now. When Wan Xiao has time later, I’ll have him take it away.”

Song Wan nodded, not dwelling on his abnormal behavior. She just smiled and had Heng Zhi put it away.

She trusted the Crown Prince. For some harmless small matters, she wouldn’t interrogate him about every detail.

As the two were conversing, Ji Rong came to report that Qin Rao was seeking him urgently. Seeing this, Song Wan said: “Your Highness should go. Don’t cause the Princess to become unnecessarily suspicious.”

“It’s fine. The more I delay accepting Feng Commandery, the more anxious she becomes to push it onto me.”

Though Qin Rao’s moods were unpredictable, her thoughts were fairly easy to guess.

The more pampered a person, the less they could tolerate others defying them. Fortunately, Qin Zhan was naturally suspicious by nature, which was why he had Qin Rao come negotiate with him—this allowed him to seize the initiative.

“Just keep delaying until tonight before she enters the palace.”

The Nanqing delegation had just arrived and was currently staying at the capital’s guesthouse. Once settled, they would surely enter the palace to pay respects to Emperor Wenhui. Shen Qianyu wanted everything settled before they entered the palace to see Emperor Wenhui, preventing Emperor Wenhui from acting recklessly in Nanqing’s affairs.

“Wan’er.”

Song Wan looked at Shen Qianyu.

Shen Qianyu said in a low voice: “I’m annoyed.”

Just after being intimate with his Wan’er, he had to go see Qin Rao again—truly quite vexing.

Knowing he was deliberately seeking her affection, but seeing Shen Qianyu like this, Song Wan still felt inexplicably pained.

She extended her arms around the man’s waist, saying softly: “How about this?”

“Still a bit annoyed…”

Song Wan tightened her arms, smiling softly: “How about this?”

Shen Qianyu lowered his head and held her tightly in his embrace, as if wanting to fuse his beloved back into his bones and blood.

After holding her for a long while, Song Wan finally said quietly: “Your Highness should go find the Nanqing Princess. If you’re too late, you might miss important matters.”

“Can’t miss it. Hold a bit longer.”

“No, hold for another quarter hour.”

Knowing Song Wan indulged him, Shen Qianyu hummed as he negotiated terms with her.

Indeed, the two had not seen each other for quite some time. Song Wan’s longing was no less than Shen Qianyu’s. Hearing this, she also quietly held her beloved, stealing this moment from their busy schedules.

Only when Ji Rong came to urge again did Shen Qianyu reluctantly let go.

“I need to leave the palace. I won’t return tonight, so sleep early and don’t wait for me.”

Tonight he still had to pay respects to Emperor Wenhui together with the Nanqing people. The court would host a banquet, and who knew how late all the miscellaneous matters would keep him busy. If he came to disturb her late at night, Wan’er surely wouldn’t rest well.

“Tomorrow the palace will probably hold a grand banquet to host the Nanqing delegation. I’m afraid I won’t be able to come see you tomorrow either…”

The man’s tone grew increasingly plaintive. Hearing this, Song Wan smiled and coaxed him: “After the banquet, Your Highness can come accompany Wan’er. Wan’er will keep waiting at Laiyi Pavilion for Your Highness.”

“Mm…”

Shen Qianyu drew out a long response, the lingering reluctance in it making Song Wan’s ears flush.

By the time he left Laiyi Pavilion, more than half the day had passed. Qin Rao had long been left waiting until she was irritable and restless.

She had never suffered such humiliation. The more she thought about it, the more indignant she became.

“Princess, the Crown Prince of Dongning has arrived.”

Shen Qianyu walked into the main hall of the guesthouse. Looking at the grinding-teeth Qin Rao, he said indifferently: “You’ve sought this prince repeatedly. What exactly do you want to do?”

Qin Rao handed Shen Qianyu the written agreement ceding territory: “This Princess hopes your word will be as good as gold, and that you’ll assist Imperial Brother in stabilizing the throne in the future.”

Shen Qianyu received the document. After glancing at it twice, he handed it to Wan Xiao.

“Lady Aman has died. Did you know?”

“What did you say?”

Qin Rao’s eyes widened. She didn’t yet know of Imperial Aunt’s death.

“You have people in the palace?”

Shen Qianyu laughed coldly: “Do you think only Qin Zhan is clever and everyone else is a fool?”

“Though Lady Aman is now dead, Prince Ning still lives. Qin Zhan’s position is still insecure, so…”

“The attitude of one seeking help—the Princess should maintain it more properly.”

Finished speaking, Shen Qianyu walked out of the guesthouse.

As soon as he emerged, he handed Qin Zhan’s written agreement for ceding territory to Wan Xiao: “Take this to the Court of State Ceremonial, then send it to Minister Song. Before Qin Rao enters the palace, make sure everyone in the court, high and low, knows that the Nanqing sovereign is respectfully presenting Feng Commandery to this prince.”