The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

The Han family members all had a hint of excitement on their faces, but Han Nianxia was the only one who, as usual, had nothing in her eyes except for a handful of candied fruit, and did not clamor to go to the palace to join in the fun.

Shang Xi and Cheng Feng exchanged a glance, their thoughts unspoken. Since Madam Wan had decided to bring Han Muran along, they might as well go together; it wouldn't interfere with their relationship anyway!

Upon arriving at the palace, before the banquet had even begun, Madam Wan led Shang Xi and Han Muran to Wankang Palace, while Cheng Feng went to Yangxin Hall.

Wan Lianxing and his entourage sat together talking, and it seemed that, just as Cheng Youning had said, Wan Lianxing had no one else in his eyes except his entourage at this moment.

Seeing Cheng Feng arrive, he asked him, "Why did you come alone?"

Cheng Feng smiled meaningfully, "Uncle, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I'm not the only one who's come."

Why didn't my sister-in-law come?

Cheng Feng nodded. "Not only has your sister-in-law come, but Han Muran, who is determined to marry you, has also come."

Unexpectedly, Wan Lianxing didn't expect his sister-in-law to push him so hard.

Cheng Feng glanced at Wan Lianxing's ever-changing face and teased, "Uncle, aren't you happy that your sister-in-law is here? Hey? Uncle, aren't you scared?"

Wan Lianxing leaned back on his dragon throne, saying insincerely, "I'm overjoyed that my sister-in-law is here, what am I afraid of? I just didn't expect that my sister-in-law, who always stays at home, would come to the palace today for the Zhong family. Eh? Where are my sister-in-law and the others?"

Cheng Feng said, "They went to see the Empress! My mother is anxious to see her two in-laws."

"Where did you go to the Empress?"

"I asked them to come to my uncle's place, but your sister-in-law glared at me and said she couldn't be bothered to see you!"

Wan Lianxing picked up a fan and tapped it against his hand, looking somewhat troubled. "I've offended your mother."

Cheng Feng said, "Of course! Your sister-in-law looks forward to you going to the Prince's Mansion every day to hear her talk. If you don't give her the chance, she'll definitely curse you behind your back!"

“Feng’er is absolutely right!” Wan Lianxing looked at the old steward and said, “Old steward, go to Shou Kang Palace and see. Yesterday, I sent the Empress to the Prince’s residence to visit my brother and sister-in-law because Empress Han Muran was lying in bed crying.”

The old butler chuckled and agreed, then quickly left.

Cheng Feng asked Wan Lianxing, "Did the Empress cry when she returned yesterday?"

"Not only that, the Empress's eyes are still as red as a rabbit's." Wan Lianxing chuckled rather unkindly. Zhong Siyu would cry behind his back several times a month, and Wan Lianxing was already used to it.

Cheng Feng asked in confusion, "My mother wants to support the Han family. Although she has gone to extremes, she hasn't become completely insane. I didn't hear anything about what she did to the Empress yesterday."

Wan Lianxing said, "As long as it involves me, even the smallest thing is a big deal to the Empress! Actually, it's not a big deal. As you probably know, your mother wanted to give the Han family's granddaughter to me. Since she couldn't find me, she told the Empress her about her plans and gave her a month to let Han Muran enter the palace within that month."

Cheng Feng teased his uncle, "Uncle, your palace is full of empty halls, isn't it? Why not select a batch of concubines to enter the palace? Actually, Han Muran is quite good-looking, and her demeanor far surpasses that of ordinary women. What's wrong with taking her as a concubine, Uncle?"

Wan Lianxing's expression suddenly turned serious. He said solemnly, "Feng'er, it's not that I'm disrespecting my sister-in-law, but the Han family's ambitions are too great. If you don't believe me, let my attendant tell you." Wan Lianxing called out his attendant's name from afar, and a gust of wind blew by, and the attendant appeared on the chair.

"I'm catching up on sleep, what does Your Majesty need me for!" The attendant, whose eyes were already mostly white with small pupils, looked even more dull due to lack of sleep, and he looked wooden. Judging from his appearance at this moment, no one would have guessed that he was agile and extraordinary.

Wan Lianxing instructed, "Tell Cheng Feng about the Han family!"

"Hehehe, what's there to say about the Han family? Han Yuanqiao is eager to become the emperor's father-in-law, and Han Muran is obsessed with becoming the empress. This father and daughter are both incredibly ambitious. The Han family believes that as long as Madam Wan is around, these things are theirs for the taking."

Cheng Feng asked knowingly, "Didn't Han Muran want to enter the palace as a concubine? I didn't hear her say she wanted to be the empress!"

The attendant said sarcastically, "I've visited the Han family's residence several times. They've raised Han Muran to be the Empress. They've already confessed their true intentions: they entered the palace for the Empress's position. What's even more outrageous is that, knowing the Emperor is not interested in women, the Han family still hired someone to teach Han Muran some secret arts. Han Muran can learn anything and do it perfectly."

The Han family lived in Prince Pang's mansion, and Cheng Feng knew a lot about them, including the ambitions his attendants had mentioned. He often drank tea with the three Han brothers, and he could glean their thoughts from their conversations. The most ambitious were the eldest, Han Yuanqiao, and Han Muran, but he hadn't heard of Han Muran practicing any secret arts! "What secret arts? Isn't this guy just learning some palace rules?"

The attendant looked at Shang Xi and shook his head. "Hey, Cheng Feng, you're such a blockhead. You're asking about secret techniques? Do you think they're just bedroom arts? All those moves are for serving the Emperor. She's already prepared to compete for his favor."

Cheng Feng couldn't help but laugh, "Isn't this nonsense? What's the use of learning secret arts? It's better to learn medicine. If he can cure the Emperor's ailment, he'll be the greatest contributor..."

Before Cheng Feng could even close his mouth, Wan Lianxing's fan had already flew into Cheng Feng's forehead. "Ouch—, Uncle, why are you hitting me! The one practicing the secret technique is Han Muran, not your nephew. Why are you hitting me!"

"I'm beating you, you brat. Today's beating is too lenient. If you expose my shortcomings again, I'll punish you with a rod."

"Uncle, I'm also worried about your health..."

"Hey—you brat, you insist on saying things I don't want to hear. My health is fine, you don't need to worry about me. If you dare to offend me again, I'll teach you a lesson."

Wan Lianxing's words didn't scare Cheng Feng, but Cheng Feng still cooperated by raising his hands and pretending to surrender, "Nephew wouldn't dare. But what about that Han Muran? She even learned the palace rules for her uncle."

"Hmph, that was her own choice, what does it have to do with me! If all the women in the world were to learn palace rules, would I be responsible for them all?"

“That’s right, it’s just wishful thinking on the part of the Han family, and no one is taking responsibility for him.” Sui Ying smiled mischievously. “Your Highness, to be honest, your relatives are really going all out, learning everything they should and shouldn’t have. But they don’t even know who our Emperor is.”