The docks were always a gathering place for people from all walks of life.

Xie Shi’an wore a face full of smiles as he conversed with four or five burly men.

After officially becoming an adviser to Prince Gongxi’s residence, the first strategy he proposed was to win over these common people in order to achieve great things.

Prince Gongxi had dismissed this proposal.

He would produce results to prove this path was correct.

After finishing his conversation with the men before him, Xie Shi’an raised his head and saw a familiar figure standing on the large ship docked at the wharf.

His lips involuntarily pressed tight.

He had long known this ship was his mother’s property, but when he personally witnessed his mother standing on the deck, his feelings were still somewhat complicated.

If back then, his mother had given this silver to the Xie family, Father probably wouldn’t have died, he wouldn’t have lost an eye, and the Xie family wouldn’t have been destroyed like this…

Xie Shi’an stood at the edge of the dock, quietly waiting. After Yun Chu finished her business and disembarked, only then did he step forward, saying softly: “Moth—Princess Pingxi.”

Yun Chu curved her lips and spoke: “Since I left the Xie family, you’ve finally stopped calling me Mother. Does this mean you have a new allegiance?”

Xie Shi’an lowered his head: “I’ve become an adviser to Prince Gongxi’s residence, which counts as finding work to earn a living.”

“Then congratulations to you.” Yun Chu said gently, “I still say the same thing—I hope you can become an unyielding person. No matter which path you walk, you should have your own backbone.”

Xie Shi’an raised his head, his lips full of bitter smiles: “Who doesn’t want to become a noble gentleman? But if I choose to become a gentleman, the Xie family will never rise again. Mother is right, I truly am a selfish person who can bow for five pecks of rice. If Mother needs me, I can turn traitor at any time and serve Prince Pingxi’s residence.”

Yun Chu shook her head: “Prince Pingxi’s residence has no intention of competing for power, and I don’t need you to go to such lengths for me. Having been mother and son, I only hope you are well.”

She paused, then continued, “But if one day we truly reach that point, neither side needs to hold back.”

Xie Shi’an lowered his eyes, the depths showing a trace of dark ruthlessness.

Since his mother married Prince Pingxi, he and his mother were destined to walk in completely opposite directions.

There would come a day when they stood on opposing sides, him wielding a long blade, his mother holding a short sword, and they would inevitably cross swords.

He didn’t want that day to come.

But he also hoped for that day’s arrival.

At least it would mean he was qualified to be his mother’s enemy, wouldn’t it?

As Yun Chu boarded her carriage, she slightly turned her eyes and saw Xie Shi’an still standing at the dock, gazing from afar in this direction.

“Although he’s an adviser to Prince Gongxi’s residence, having lost an eye, he cannot pursue an official career path and naturally cannot achieve great things,” Qiutong spoke. “Moreover, I’ve heard he’s been ostracized and suppressed by the other advisers at Prince Gongxi’s residence. It seems he won’t be able to stay there much longer.”

Yun Chu lowered the carriage curtain without speaking.

The carriage slowly moved forward, leaving the capital and arriving at the entrance of a small courtyard in the suburbs.

Concubine Jiang was sweeping at the main gate. Raising her head, she saw a low-key yet luxurious carriage stop before her.

Seeing Qiutong sitting outside the carriage, she immediately reacted, hurriedly dropping her broom and stepping forward to bow: “This humble concubine greets the Princess.”

Yun Chu descended from the carriage, smiling as she said: “Concubine Jiang is too polite. Won’t you invite me in to sit?”

Concubine Jiang was somewhat dumbfounded and quickly stepped aside to invite Yun Chu into the house.

When she had lived under the same roof as Yun Chu before, she hadn’t dared to place herself at a similar level to Yun Chu. Now that she had left the Xie family and Yun Chu had become a princess consort—like mud on the ground versus clouds in the sky—the gap between them had grown ever wider, and she didn’t even dare raise her head to look at Yun Chu.

One could imagine how much courage she had mustered last time to dare visit Prince Pingxi’s residence to seek an audience with Yun Chu.

Concubine Jiang hurriedly went to pour tea, carefully placing it before Yun Chu.

Yun Chu took a sip before asking: “How have these past few days been?”

“Thanks to the Princess’s protection, Xie Shi’an hasn’t come again,” Concubine Jiang said. “Ti’ge started school officially today, and Xian’jie is just playing around at home.”

Yun Chu nodded: “Do you have plans to send Xian’jie to school?”

Concubine Jiang shook her head: “She can just learn embroidery at home.”

She lived in a narrow alley in the suburbs, where the residents were all ordinary common people. Girls from ordinary families generally didn’t go to school.

Previously, Xian’jie had been a daughter of the Xie family, which was a scholarly household, so learning to read and write was nothing unusual. But now… there was no necessity for her to learn.

“Does Xian’jie herself want to learn?” Yun Chu asked.

Concubine Jiang keenly sensed there was more to these words and raised her eyes to ask: “Is the Princess suggesting…?”

“Changsheng—that is, the young county princess of Prince Pingxi’s residence—is preparing to begin her education,” Yun Chu said with a smile. “Changsheng wants Xian’jie to be her study companion. What does Concubine Jiang think?”

Concubine Jiang’s face was filled with disbelief.

A prince’s residence county princess’s study companion should generally be the daughter of a high-ranking official, shouldn’t it? How could it fall to Xian’jie?

“P-Princess, this won’t do.” She hurriedly waved her hands. “This humble concubine knows the Princess looks after us mother and daughter, but there’s truly no need…”

Even when Xian’jie was still a daughter of the Xie residence, her status hadn’t been presentable, let alone now.

She worried that if Xian’jie entered the prince’s residence, it would bring trouble to the Princess.

“This is Changsheng’s idea,” Yun Chu said warmly. “If Xian’jie is also willing, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

She knew what Concubine Jiang was worried about.

Mainly it was Xie Xian’s identity as the concubine-born daughter of her former husband, which could easily be made into a big issue.

If Chu Yi was a petty person who calculated every detail, she would indeed still hesitate.

But she knew Chu Yi wouldn’t mind.

Most importantly, Changsheng liked Xian’jie, and moreover, Xian’jie had grown up in the Xie family yet had rarely become twisted—she was a good child.

Seeing that Yun Chu’s mind was made up, Concubine Jiang brought over Xie Xian, who had been embroidering in her room.

Xie Xian curtsied: “This daughter greets the Princess.”

Yun Chu smiled and spoke: “Your mother just told you, didn’t she? Are you willing to enter the prince’s residence to study alongside Changsheng?”

Xie Xian hesitated for a moment before saying: “Can I still come home?”

She was afraid that once she entered the prince’s residence, she would never see her mother again. In that case, she’d rather not go.

“Of course you can.” Yun Chu took her hand. “You can come home every day, or you can come back once every few days—it all depends on you.”

Xie Xian’s eyes revealed a bright light: “Then I’m willing to study with Changsheng.”

Concubine Jiang quickly pulled her daughter aside and quietly reminded her: “You should call her County Princess…”

Xie Xian was about to correct herself.

But Yun Chu said: “Changsheng doesn’t just need a study companion, she needs a friend even more. However Xian’jie interacted with Changsheng before, that’s how she should interact with her in the future.”

Xie Xian nodded vigorously.

Yun Chu made arrangements with Concubine Jiang that once they found a female teacher, they would send someone to fetch Xie Xian.

After finishing the main business, Yun Chu rose to leave.

Concubine Jiang actually very much wanted to keep Yun Chu for a meal, but didn’t dare make this offer. She walked out of the alley, seeing off Yun Chu’s carriage as it disappeared onto the main road.