When leaving Changxin Palace, Shen Qianyu pulled Song Wan toward Laiyi Pavilion.

The two remained silent the entire way, yet their tightly interlocked fingers gripped each other with desperate force.

Song Wan valued propriety and never shed tears easily before others. Now that her status was precious, she even less dared show her emotions openly. But seeing her like this, Shen Qianyu didn’t think it was good at all—instead, it made his heart ache terribly.

“If Wan’er is sad, then cry it out.”

“Wan’er isn’t sad, just somewhat reluctant to part with Aunt.”

Song Wan raised her head. When she looked at Shen Qianyu, her face still bore a faint smile. But in Shen Qianyu’s eyes, her eyes were moist and the corners reddened.

“Palace lantern.”

Shen Qianyu turned back, reaching out to take the palace lantern from a eunuch’s hands: “All of you, withdraw.”

He dismissed everyone behind them and walked alone toward the Eastern Palace, pulling Song Wan by the hand.

“There’s no one now. If Wan’er wants to cry, then cry.”

Her heart had still held some sorrow, but with this action of his, how could Song Wan possibly cry? She grasped Shen Qianyu’s hand and smiled faintly, shaking her head: “Wan’er doesn’t want to cry.”

“You may cry. With only me here, Wan’er need not fear.”

Shen Qianyu assumed Song Wan was too embarrassed to lose composure before him, so he raised the palace lantern before his eyes and blew it out.

“Wan’er, cry now. I can’t see you either. No one will know.”

“Wan’er can’t cry.”

Being flustered by him to the point of both laughter and tears, how could Song Wan possibly cry? Yet Shen Qianyu remained relentless, single-mindedly convinced she was forcibly suppressing her emotions and didn’t dare vent them.

“Wan’er…”

Extending his hand to encircle Song Wan’s waist, the man used force to pull her into his embrace. He discarded the palace lantern and pressed the delicate person in his arms tightly against his chest.

“I know Wan’er restrains herself, but I dislike seeing you wrong yourself so.”

“I granted you the Empress position because I wanted to give you the best and most precious thing in this world. I wanted to let Wan’er become the most willful and unbridled person under heaven. Not to trap you with the position of Empress, confining you in this gilded cage for your entire life, making you cautious and careful, never daring to make a single misstep.”

“I want Wan’er to be more free—cry when you want to cry, laugh when you want to laugh. When displeased, you may vent your temper fully. When happy, you may sing aloud.”

“Wan’er, I fear…”

“I fear I’ve trapped you in the inner palace, burdened you with countless shackles, making you never dare to feel joy or sorrow for your entire life, all for the sake of that wretched Empress decorum.”

Shen Qianyu held Song Wan, speaking word by word in low tones beside her ear.

He held her very tightly, as if wanting to merge Song Wan into his heart.

The man’s chest burned hot, scorching Song Wan’s ears until they felt aflame.

“If Wan’er wants to cry, then cry. I won’t laugh at you.”

He feared even more seeing Song Wan’s appearance of never shedding tears.

What he couldn’t bear most was seeing her smile warmly and treat others with gentle kindness while wronging herself and forcibly suppressing her loneliness.

He felt heartache for such a kind and sensible Song Wan. He also couldn’t endure the reality that because of him, he had no choice but to clip her wings. Just thinking about how the person he cherished and doted on so dearly had to wrong herself for his sake—he simply could not tolerate it.

Walking to a corner, Shen Qianyu set her down, pressing Song Wan’s head against his chest: “Wan’er, cry…”

Along the entire journey, he had lifted and set her down repeatedly, sometimes holding tight, sometimes loosening his grip. Song Wan had been tossed about by him until she felt dizzy—how could she possibly cry now?

Now pressed firmly by the man’s large palm, she struggled several times but couldn’t break free. Song Wan simply gave up resisting and lay against Shen Qianyu’s chest, waiting for the dizziness to pass.

In her ear, she heard the man still continuously urging her to cry properly. She truly could not endure it anymore and laughed aloud in his embrace.

“Could His Highness be trying to smother Wan’er unconscious…”

His hand strength was considerable. When speaking with emotion, he would add three more measures of force. The sorrow Song Wan felt in her heart over her aunt leaving the capital was completely dispelled by his repeated tossing about.

“Did I smother Wan’er?”

Shen Qianyu pulled her away and carefully helped Song Wan tidy her slightly disheveled hair.

Song Wan pulled down his hand and said gently: “Your Highness need not worry. If Wan’er feels distressed inside, naturally she will tell Your Highness.”

After thinking, she added another line: “Whether laughing or crying, I’ll only tell Your Highness.”

How could she not see Shen Qianyu’s appearance of fearing she had suffered wrongdoing? With him having such concern, how could she not be moved?

Due to his experiences, Shen Qianyu truly was a solitary man. Song Wan knew he cared for her, so she was willing to set his heart at ease.

She held onto Shen Qianyu’s arm, giving him her response: “If in the future Wan’er feels uncomfortable inside, I’ll seek out Your Highness and tell you everything in complete detail. I won’t hide it or endure it. At that time, Your Highness must not find me bothersome.”

“How could I?”

Shen Qianyu’s face filled with joy.

How could he find her bothersome?

Knowing Song Wan was not an ordinary maiden, that she was unwilling to rely on others—this was precisely what Shen Qianyu had always been concerned about.

“In the future, tell me all of Wan’er’s feelings. I won’t find you bothersome.”

“Wan’er understands.”

Song Wan smiled as she stood beside Shen Qianyu. Even after seeing her into Laiyi Pavilion, he remained reluctant to leave.

“Your Highness, please return. Don’t let others worry.”

Shen Qianyu nodded, then returned alone to the Eastern Palace.

Sitting in the canopy bed, before Song Wan were displayed all the exquisite trinkets Song Yuning had given her over the years. There were pearl hairpins and jade pendants, face powder and rouge, as well as rare ornamental pieces.

From childhood to adulthood, whenever Aunt found any fine items, she would prepare one for her. Even when she went to the Marquis of Chengyang’s estate to live as a widow and couldn’t use many items, Aunt would still help store them in the palace.

After playing with each of those items in her hands one by one, Song Wan carefully put them away.

Tomorrow would be when Aunt left the capital. She knew why Aunt wouldn’t let her and elder brother go see her off.

Too much reluctance—seeing them would only cause more heartache.

“Heng Zhi, please help me put these away.”

The next day, when the sky had just begun to brighten, Song Wan awoke. She sat in Laiyi Pavilion gazing blankly at the scenery outside the window.

At this time, Aunt and Qianbai should have already risen and dressed, just waiting for the palace gates to open before departing.

“Miss, shall this servant accompany you outside for a walk?”

Song Wan nodded and walked out of Laiyi Pavilion with Heng Zhi.

“The weather is perfect today—no wind, no rain.”

Heng Zhi said: “Concubine Yun will surely have a smooth journey and arrive safely in Nanqing.”

The two stood at a place quite far from the palace gates. Song Wan watched as Aunt boarded a carriage and departed together with Qianbai. Just as they reached the palace gates, Song Yuning, with Cai Ji’s support, slowly descended from the carriage.

She stood at the palace gates gazing inward for a long while, then turned and said something unknown to Cai Ji before boarding the carriage again.

The carriage drove out through the palace gates. Not until the palace gates closed did Song Wan come back to her senses.

Her aunt had truly left Dongning. She didn’t know if there would be any possibility of seeing her again in this lifetime.

“Miss…”

“Let’s go. Aunt will be safe.”

After speaking, Song Wan returned to Laiyi Pavilion together with Heng Zhi.

After Song Yuning’s departure, the days in the palace became extremely plain. In the blink of an eye, the hundred days passed in an instant, and the new Emperor’s ascension ceremony also arrived before their eyes…