No one around spoke. Qin Rao reached up to touch her uneven cheek and angrily shouted for a bronze mirror.

The Nanqing palace maids had long been frightened into kneeling and prostrating on the ground. Seeing this, Jiang Man imitated Qin Rao’s earlier crazed appearance, covering her lips and bending over in loud laughter: “Unlucky wretch, becoming my Dongning war horse is your good fortune.”

Hearing this, Qin Rao was greatly alarmed and frantically touched her face.

With her movement, blood immediately flowed down her face, rendering it a blurred mess. Lu Youjun felt frightened in her heart and moved sideways to Song Wan’s side.

Jiang Man restrained the smile on her face. Her gaze swept past Song Wan with a cold sneer before she departed efficiently.

Qin Rao still wanted to continue entangling, but Wan Xiao and Ji Rong arrived from the distance. When the two saw Qin Rao’s miserable state, they couldn’t help but fall silent.

After a long while, Wan Xiao said: “The princess is injured. Does the princess need this Director to summon an imperial physician for you?”

“This princess will remember today’s humiliation deeply. You just wait for the day when my Nanqing levels Dongning!”

Qin Rao covered her face with her hand, already so enraged that her lips and teeth could barely move. She turned and strode away, not even acknowledging the Nanqing palace maids beside her.

“Liangyi Zhao, Liangyi Lu, Chenghui Song, today there are many people and affairs in the palace. Please return to your bedchambers early to rest.”

“Thank you for Director Wan’s guidance.”

After Song Wan, Lu Youjun, and Zhao Nanzhang paid their respects, they went together to Qi Qingling’s Tingyue Pavilion.

These past few days, Qi Qingling had been running a continuous high fever. Shang Rong stayed by her side every moment, while Zhang Baozhen and Wu Xixiang had long been waiting here, just waiting for Song Wan and the others to return and tell them whether their plan had succeeded.

“What? You’re saying that brand was stamped on the princess’s face by Consort Jiang?”

Lu Youjun said tremblingly: “We never expected to encounter Consort Jiang there either. Consort Jiang today somehow… she was truly frightening.”

Hearing this, Shang Rong spoke in a low voice: “Qin Rao’s injury is too severe and was not within your plan. Have you properly covered up those things?”

Song Wan also frowned slightly: “It truly was not within my expectations.”

The two exchanged glances, both somewhat worried.

“Forget it. What’s done is done—no need to dwell on these matters.”

Song Wan nodded: “The repairs to the rockery were reported to the palace long ago. That branding iron also passed through many hands before being brought into the palace. It was originally for craftsmen repairing the mountain rocks to heat leather and mix glue. Though far-fetched, it ultimately cannot be traced back to us.”

“Moreover, Director Wan will handle the aftermath. There will certainly be no issues.”

Though she said this, Song Wan still felt somewhat worried. His Majesty had long been wary of Nanqing. Now that Qin Rao had suffered such a severe injury, he would likely investigate to appease Nanqing’s fury. She didn’t know if this would lead to unforeseen complications.

Shang Rong also understood her worries and gently patted Song Wan’s hand in comfort.

While the several people were conversing, someone reported that the Lu family sought an audience with Lu Youjun. Lu Youjun left looking dejected, and everyone else dispersed to let Qi Qingling rest properly.

When she returned to Laiyi Pavilion, Song Wan saw that Shen Qianyu was already waiting for her. Seeing her return, the man’s eyes brightened slightly, a trace of amazement flashing through them.

Song Wan suddenly felt somewhat shy and uncomfortably touched her cheek.

“Wan’er, don’t wipe.”

Shen Qianyu stepped forward and pulled Song Wan’s hands away, embracing her and kissing her cheeks and behind her ears in a dense scatter of kisses.

The two remained intimately close for a long while before Shen Qianyu finally released Song Wan, who was blushing from head to toe.

“Your Highness…”

Song Wan braced against the man’s chest to keep him at bay, wanting to ask how he had suddenly… suddenly become so skilled and enthusiastic about such matters, but when the words reached her lips, she was too embarrassed to speak them.

Yet Shen Qianyu knew what she wanted to say, his eyes and brows full of smug delight.

“Don’t ask, Wan’er. I won’t tell.”

He pulled her to the washing stand and personally dampened a cloth to help Song Wan cleanse her face bit by bit. After wiping away the makeup on her face, he pulled her to the vanity table to help her remove her hairpins and ornaments.

“Such small matters can be done by Heng Zhi. There’s no need to trouble Your Highness.”

Shen Qianyu said warmly: “I want to do it. I find sweet pleasure in doing any small thing for Wan’er.”

Unable to resist lovingly stroking Song Wan’s long hair, Shen Qianyu carefully and gently helped her comb her black hair smooth, then took a long silk cloth to tie up her hair.

“Qin Rao was injured very severely. As soon as she returned to the diplomatic guesthouse, she ordered a return to Nanqing. She must be furious.”

Song Wan said: “Today’s events were not what this concubine anticipated.”

“No matter.”

“Even without this incident, she would always find some other excuse.”

The two no longer concerned themselves with how Qin Rao fared, only quietly nestled together, talking about matters related to Qiqiao.

Shen Qianyu said that Nanqing did not place much importance on the Qiqiao Festival. In the palace, only palace maids would thread needles on this day and sew simple sachets and such. Song Wan said she too had not participated in the Qiqiao Festival for a long time. In the past on this day, the old madam at the Marquis Manor would send dyed red eggs to Longxiang Pavilion.

Speaking of the past and thinking of Old Madam and Shen Qianshu, Song Wan sighed softly.

“Wan’er, don’t think of other matters. Just think of me.”

The two laughed and conversed when Ji Rong arrived through the night.

“Reporting to Your Highness, Princess Nanqing has submitted a memorial demanding that Dongning pay thirty million taels of silver and hand over the two territories of Suncheng and Chiyang north of the Su River to Nanqing as compensation. His Majesty is now in a towering rage. Lord Song, Lord Huang, Lord Luo, and others are all at Taiji Hall. His Majesty has summoned Your Highness to go discuss countermeasures.”

Shen Qianyu frowned slightly.

Never mind thirty million taels—even if Qin Rao demanded two taels of silver, he wouldn’t agree, let alone Suncheng and Chiyang. Moreover, Emperor Wenhui’s reaction was also beyond his expectations.

After thinking, Shen Qianyu said: “I’ll go take a look. Wan’er need not wait for me.”

Song Wan nodded and watched Shen Qianyu leave.

When Shen Qianyu arrived at Taiji Hall, Emperor Wenhui was at the height of his anger. Seeing him arrive, he showed no pleasant expression either.

“Ignorant woman and child—does she truly think I fear her Nanqing? How can she even speak of thirty million taels of silver?”

Even if they emptied Dongning’s treasury, they couldn’t gather thirty million taels.

“Arrogant child who knows not life from death.”

Several ministers stood in the hall, and hearing this, all wore expressions of relief and satisfaction.

Though Nanqing’s military strength was greater than Dongning’s, there was no reason to retreat endlessly. Moreover, past concessions not only failed to bring peace but instead fed Nanqing’s ambitions. Now even an insignificant princess dared make such enormous demands—did she truly think all the men of Dongning were dead?

Several old ministers showed anger on their faces. Emperor Wenhui’s eyes were bloodshot, looking extremely furious.

Shen Qianyu stepped forward and knelt: “Qin Rao has an elite force of seven thousand in her hands. Your son guesses these troops should be gathered around the Su River area. Only thus would she propose demanding Suncheng and Chiyang.”

“Your son wishes to request troops to personally lead the campaign and hopes Father Emperor will grant permission.”

Hearing that Qin Rao had an elite force of nearly ten thousand in her hands, Emperor Wenhui narrowed his eyes slightly, silent for a moment. After a long silence, he said: “Nanqing’s military strength exceeds Dongning’s several times over. Are you confident?”

“Your son has no certainty, but a man wrapped in his horse’s hide has no regrets even in nine deaths.”

“Good, well said—’no regrets even in nine deaths.'”

“I grant permission. I await the day my son returns victorious to court.”

Shen Qianyu exhaled a long breath, not expecting this matter to proceed so smoothly.

Though other ministers in the hall felt it improper for the Crown Prince to personally lead the campaign, the Su River was a vital region of Dongning with a military command post stationed there. Within its jurisdiction were five thousand-household offices, which meant nearly six thousand troops. Moreover, with the Crown Prince personally leading the campaign, the capital would also appoint a commander-in-chief to deploy troops. Ensuring the Crown Prince’s safety would not be difficult.

More importantly, they all perceived the Crown Prince’s ambition. Thus everyone remained silent. Only when Song Lan’an looked at Shen Qianyu did his brows furrow slightly, feeling uneasy.