The Crown Princess’s surname was Liang, given name Huaying.

The Liang family ancestors had once fought alongside the Grand Ancestor to conquer the realm. After achieving fame and success, they proactively surrendered military authority and secured a leisurely position in the Ministry of War, cleverly avoiding the Grand Ancestor’s massacre of meritorious officials.

Liang Huaying was the legitimate eldest daughter, with heroic looks, a steady temperament, and the decisive killing intent characteristic of a military family background.

This marriage was arranged by Empress Xiaoren.

Reportedly, in the years following their grand wedding, Lady Liang and the Crown Prince didn’t get along very well.

Later, after receiving Empress Xiaoren’s guidance, she restrained all her sharp edges, transforming from hard to soft, and gradually earned the Crown Prince’s trust.

Subsequently, the Crown Prince handed over all matters inside and outside the Crown Prince’s estate to Lady Liang to manage, and Lady Liang lived up to expectations, handling everything in perfect order.

During the years of Empress Xiaoren’s illness, Lady Liang attended to her personally without rest, and the Crown Prince regarded her with increasing esteem.

Thus, husband and wife supported each other, step by step, walking to the present.

“Yan Sanhe, do you know why Lady Liang invited me to play the qin on her birthday?” Dong Chengfeng asked.

Yan Sanhe shook her head.

There’s actually something even you don’t know!

Dong Chengfeng’s face showed three parts pride: “She used me to calm the resentment of those women in the Crown Prince’s rear courtyard.”

Zhao Rongyu often slept alone in his study. Over time, the women developed complaints.

At this moment, an exceptionally handsome young man suddenly appeared in the Crown Prince’s estate, and that man was summoned by the Crown Prince late into the night…

How provocative to the imagination!

They didn’t dare complain to the Crown Prince, so they ran to the Crown Princess to pour out their grievances.

The Crown Princess simply took advantage of her birthday to summon Dong Chengfeng over and let everyone see him.

In the Hua Kingdom imperial family, having male favorites wasn’t unusual.

When the various consorts saw Dong Chengfeng’s appearance and heard him play the qin, they presumed on their own that this person was the Crown Prince’s new plaything.

Moreover, the Crown Princess took the opportunity to mention the three-year agreement…

“The three-year agreement made them understand this plaything couldn’t stir up any storms, so their complaints toward the Crown Prince transferred to you.”

Yan Sanhe looked at Dong Chengfeng with infinite sympathy and smiled: “Lady Liang used one you to silence all the women’s mouths.”

“Yan Sanhe, judge this for me.”

Dong Chengfeng’s face showed considerable grievance.

“For Lady Liang to pull off such a thing, wasn’t there someone behind the scenes pushing and facilitating? Isn’t this a genuine old fox?”

“Yes!”

Poor him—at the time he hadn’t understood. Later, when strolling outside the courtyard, he noticed the servants all looking at him with strange gazes, pointing and whispering.

Only then did he realize he’d been made a shield.

Yan Sanhe: “The Crown Princess knew the inside story. This also reflects from another angle the Crown Prince’s trust and reliance on the Crown Princess.”

Dong Chengfeng nodded: “Every glance he cast toward Lady Liang, she understood; every sentence he spoke, Lady Liang could hear the deep meaning within.

Even just a short cough—Lady Liang could immediately judge why the Crown Prince would issue such a cough at that time and moment.”

After hearing these words, Yan Sanhe fell into contemplation.

For a woman to understand a man that thoroughly, she must have studied his every word and action, every gesture and movement, investing countless efforts into this man.

Besides effort, time was also needed.

Years of accumulated interaction, slowly grinding together, only then could such tacit understanding develop.

“Yan Sanhe, in my life I’ve only admired two women. One is Crown Princess Liang.”

Dong Chengfeng’s gaze suddenly grew distant.

Half a month after the birthday celebration, Lady Liang entered his courtyard for the first time.

After dismissing everyone, she confessed to him frankly: “Chengfeng, I schemed against you.”

These words left Dong Chengfeng shocked speechless.

First, she called him Chengfeng.

During the several months at the Crown Prince’s estate, he had gained some understanding of imperial family rules. In Yan Sanhe’s words, just based on his initial attitude toward the Crown Prince, he should have been beaten to death with random clubs.

Imperial family rules were strict—what person does what task, what words should be spoken—all had rules, all had propriety.

Though he, Dong Chengfeng, was a qin master, fundamentally he was merely a commoner. Forget playing qin for the Crown Prince—he couldn’t even step through the Crown Prince’s estate gates.

“Chengfeng” was what only close people could call him.

By calling him this, Lady Liang treated him as one of her own.

“I schemed against you”—both Lady Liang’s frank admission and a trace of her apology.

One sentence, eight characters, containing so much deep meaning—how could Dong Chengfeng not be shocked? So perfectly appropriate.

“His Highness has found it increasingly difficult to sleep these years. The imperial physicians repeatedly warned to minimize female company and focus on nourishing his health. I had no other way, so I used you as a shield. This was my selfish desire…”

“Yan Sanhe, she spoke unhurriedly, eloquently, saying much about the Crown Prince’s difficulties, the Crown Prince’s hardships, and also said she could hear troubles from my qin…”

Dong Chengfeng smiled more bitterly than coptis root.

“Just like an old friend of many years chatting with you about heartfelt matters, without a trace of the Crown Princess’s proper loftiness. This move—tell me, who could withstand it? The tactics were too masterful.”

Indeed masterful, especially for someone like Dong Chengfeng.

What did a qin master need?

Respect and understanding.

These two things, Crown Princess Liang gave unstintingly.

“Besides masterful tactics, her words should have also carried a portion of sincerity, right?” Yan Sanhe asked.

Dong Chengfeng nodded: “Not one portion, but two—she even brought out the Crown Prince’s portion.”

Anything bearing the word “sincerity” was virtually invincible.

He watched Lady Liang’s departing back, thinking: Being misunderstood a bit—what of it?

“Truly exquisite from all angles!”

After Yan Sanhe’s heartfelt exclamation, she continued: “Presumably, from then on you willingly played qin for the Crown Prince.”

Dong Chengfeng stroked his forehead self-deprecatingly: “Not only willingly, I even gave up sex and became a monk.”

A person “warming the Crown Prince’s bed,” then returning to his own courtyard to embrace others left and right—what would that look like? Wouldn’t that put a green hat on the Crown Prince’s head?

As it happened, he’d lost interest in those two people anyway, so he simply took this opportunity and had the Crown Princess lead them away.

After living so purely and abstinently for a month, one day while dressing before a bronze mirror, he suddenly discovered his reflection had clear, bright eyes and radiant features.

He thought carefully for a long time before suddenly understanding—the old fox avoided women to keep his ears sharp and eyes bright.

That night playing qin for the old fox, he played two full pieces, yet this person still hadn’t fallen asleep.

This was unprecedented.

Could it be that qin-induced sleep no longer worked on the old fox?

Just then, the old fox lifted his eyelids and said indifferently: “Today’s qin music differs from before.”

“How does it differ?”

“More spiritual energy, less murky qi.”

The old fox closed his eyes and took a long breath: “Play one more piece. I can fall asleep once I adjust.”

Dong Chengfeng thought to himself: You’re just spouting nonsense.

Someone who falls into drowsy sleep upon hearing qin—how could he detect spiritual energy and murky qi from the qin music?

However, halfway through the third piece, the old fox indeed fell asleep.

“Yan Sanhe, help me think about this—does this old fox understand qin or not?”

Dong Chengfeng looked directly into Yan Sanhe’s eyes and suddenly asked this question.

—