“Your Highness has excellent strategy.”

Wan Xiao carefully folded the territorial cession document and placed it in his sleeve, smiling: “If this subordinate hasn’t guessed wrong, Your Highness toyed with the Nanqing Princess all along the way precisely for today, correct?”

His master had suppressed Qin Rao the entire journey, stoking her full of anger until she lost her rationality. By now, her mind was full of only wanting to oppose his master, with no other thoughts.

This written agreement was handed over so easily—the Princess would surely regret it when she met Emperor Wenhui tonight.

Shen Qianyu scoffed: “If His Majesty knew such a thing existed, forget making this prince marry Qin Rao—even if he arranged a marriage for this prince with a meat pig from the imperial kitchen, he would do it. How could this prince succeed without planning ahead?”

Sending his son to Nanqing as a hostage was a humiliation Emperor Wenhui could never wash away in his lifetime. With the Nanqing sovereign offering up Feng Commandery, how could he easily give up such merit?

Shen Qianyu wanted to strike first, seizing Feng Commandery in hand and stepping on Qin Zhan to claim this prestige for himself.

With Feng Commandery in hand, Emperor Wenhui wouldn’t be coerced by Qin Rao into making her Crown Princess.

He could also use this to win over the court ministers and establish his reputation.

Such a plan that killed several birds with one stone—even Shen Qianyu himself couldn’t help but want to praise it.

“Find some people to protect Wan’er. Don’t let Qin Rao get near her.”

“This subordinate understands.”

Shen Qianyu said: “Also spread word about how Qin Rao has numerous male companions around her and daily revelry. This prince doesn’t want any chance of complications.”

Even if Emperor Wenhui arranged a marriage between him and Qin Rao, he had ways to refuse. But Shen Qianyu truly didn’t want even the slightest connection with Qin Rao.

Wan Xiao nodded. After thinking, he asked: “Did Lady Aman really die?”

“How would this prince know whether she’s dead or alive?”

He was merely taking advantage of the great distance between the two countries and the inconvenience of information transmission to deceive Qin Rao. Based on his understanding of Qin Rao, if she knew Lady Aman was dead and only Prince Ning remained to compete with Qin Zhan for the Nanqing throne, she would surely think Qin Zhan superior to both and regain three parts of her arrogance.

And he wanted Qin Rao to be arrogant—that way, pinning crimes on her later wouldn’t seem abrupt.

Wan Xiao nodded, silently thinking “cunning,” then prepared to handle official matters. But he heard Shen Qianyu say: “There’s one thing…”

He touched his nose and coughed lightly: “I left some things at Wan’er’s place. She probably won’t ask about them, but just in case she or her maids inquire, say they’re yours.”

Wan Xiao asked in confusion: “What things?”

“Mind your own business. In any case, they’re useful things.”

“…”

Wan Xiao watched his master stride away after speaking, without the slightest hesitation.

He helplessly clicked his tongue twice before going about his business.

Though no grand banquet was held today, when Qin Rao entered the palace to pay respects to Emperor Wenhui, she changed into relatively dignified palace attire and, extremely rarely, wiped away the heavy makeup on her face, applying only a thin layer of powder.

“Princess, please review.”

A Nanqing female official handed a gilt bronze mirror to Qin Rao. Taking it in hand, Qin Rao’s eyes darkened.

Her face was covered with fine, small wounds. The injury Shen Qianyu had inflicted on her jaw days ago was especially obvious.

“Useless.”

With a thud, she threw the bronze mirror on the table. Though furious in her heart, Qin Rao didn’t erupt.

“Princess…”

A bare-chested man knelt on the ground, inviting her to ride on him. But Qin Rao kicked his shoulder: “Get lost.”

Just as she was about to go outside and board the palanquin to enter the palace, Huai Jun suddenly rushed in from outside, saying anxiously: “Princess, that Dongning Crown Prince has made the matter of the sovereign ceding Feng Commandery known to everyone. Even within the delegation… everyone knows.”

“Why are you panicking? Since I’ve given it to him, this Princess isn’t afraid of others knowing.”

Though Qin Rao’s expression wasn’t pleasant, she had already guessed that Shen Qianyu would use this matter to make a show and claim unparalleled merit for himself.

Something already anticipated—why panic?

Lightly adjusting the phoenix-wrapped begonia hairpin on her head, Qin Rao was about to leave when she heard Huai Jun speak again: “But that Dongning Crown Prince says the sovereign presented the Feng Commandery document to thank Dongning for helping him assassinate the old sovereign.”

“Outrageous! What nonsense is he spouting?”

Qin Rao’s eyes instantly turned red. Before long, her eyes were streaked with blood vessels from anger.

Her mission to Dongning was originally under the pretense of coming to Dongning to demand accountability.

Some time ago, there were rumors that her father emperor was secretly assassinated by the Dongning Emperor and Crown Prince. Imperial Brother used this as an excuse to arrange for her to come to Dongning.

Ostensibly to demand accountability, in reality she came to seek a lifeline for Imperial Brother.

But now unexpectedly…

“That wretch dares to play this Princess for a fool?”

If the accusation of colluding with an enemy nation’s crown prince to commit patricide and seize power spread to Nanqing, Prince Ning would definitely use this as leverage to impeach Imperial Brother.

“Princess, what should we do now?”

Huai Jun frowned, not daring at all to mention that the territorial cession document had been handed over too rashly.

Thinking back now, that Dongning Crown Prince had been angering the Princess the entire way. He played hard to get, making the Princess fall into his cunning trap. Now that the territorial cession document had been handed over, no matter how he fabricated things, they could only forcibly acknowledge it.

Qin Rao bit her teeth, her cheeks twitching violently.

Only after her cheeks had twitched almost to the point of spasm, and Huai Jun had gently massaged her for a long while to relieve the tension, did Qin Rao say with blood-red eyes: “Do you think Lady Aman could truly have fallen and died as that barbarian slave claimed?”

Huai Jun shook his head, looking at Qin Rao.

If Lady Aman were truly so easy to deal with, she wouldn’t have stood in a tripartite confrontation with Prince Ning and the sovereign for years.

“This Princess also thinks not.”

Qin Rao’s face was ferocious: “He’s been lying to me the entire way, even going so far as to swear on the Dongning throne.”

Extending her hand, Qin Rao said: “Bring this Princess’s scorpion-tail whip. This Princess needs to enter the palace and properly ask that barbarian slave why he’s done this.”

Huai Jun nodded and walked out with Qin Rao.

Just as they reached outside, a Nanqing delegation accompanying official came forward to question them.

But the moment that person opened his mouth, Qin Rao lashed him across the chest with her whip.

“Ah…”

A large chunk of flesh was torn from that person’s chest. The surrounding people immediately fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

“Those who know what’s good for them won’t provoke this Princess’s bad luck. Everything else can wait until I return from the Dongning Imperial Palace.”

With a sweep of her long sleeves, Qin Rao tucked the scorpion-tail whip into her sleeve and boarded the palace palanquin.

Wan Xiao spread all sorts of unspeakable rumors everywhere. Before Qin Rao even entered the palace, she had already caused discomfort among many ministers. Emperor Wenhui had also heard something. After listening, he could only set aside certain thoughts.

“Nanqing’s Qin Rao pays respects to the sovereign of Dongning.”

Upon meeting Emperor Wenhui, Qin Rao didn’t perform a kneeling bow. She merely cupped her hands and that was that.

Shen Qianyu sat in the seat below Emperor Wenhui. Seeing this, he slightly curved his lips.

The corner of his brow lifted slightly, full of provocation. Qin Rao’s gaze swept across his face but she didn’t speak a word before quickly looking away.

“The Princess has been exhausted from the long journey—truly hardship. Someone, grant the Nanqing Princess a seat.”

A eunuch brought over a chair. Qin Rao sat down with a gloomy expression.

Her gaze swept across the great hall. After looking around the circle, it landed on the woman beside Shen Qianyu.

Though this was a welcoming banquet, Emperor Wenhui, Shen Qianyu, Song Yuning, and even Jiang Man, who hadn’t appeared in public for a long time, were all present—showing Emperor Wenhui’s regard for Nanqing.

Seeing this, Qin Rao slightly pressed her lips together. After thinking for a moment, she spoke: “Qin Rao thanks His Majesty for the hospitality. But this Princess has one presumptuous request. I wonder if His Majesty might grant it?”

But before Emperor Wenhui could inquire, Shen Qianyu interrupted her words.