Dad, open the door. I'll bring your mistress back for you.

"You actually know what materials are needed to make gunpowder?" Xiao Yuanlang asked, staring at Shen Jingwan.

Shen Jingwan answered without hesitation: "We need saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur..."

However, halfway through her words, she suddenly realized that she seemed to have let something slip, so she quickly closed her mouth and stopped talking.

Xiao Yuanlang sneered, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes. "It seems you know quite a lot! Most women in the boudoir wouldn't know how to make ice, let alone the ingredients needed to make gunpowder."

There was a hint of menace in his tone that made people shudder.

Shen Jingwan knew that it was pointless to hide it any longer, so she faced Xiao Yuanlang's questioning calmly.

She replied calmly, "Your Highness, there is indeed no charcoal or sulfur on that farm."

Xiao Yuanlang gently turned the ring in his hand, with a faint smile on his lips.

"Of course I know. I was the one who originally sent people to bring those charcoal and sulfur."

Shen Chuning looked at Xiao Yuanlang in shock and angrily asked, "Your Highness, you...you are robbing me by doing this, aren't you?"

Xiao Yuanlang smiled slightly and replied disapprovingly, "Yes, so what if I robbed it by force? Do you still want to report me?"

"Aren't you afraid that the censor will find out and impeach you if you do this?" Shen Jingwan's voice was full of indignation and dissatisfaction.

However, Xiao Yuanlang stood up fearlessly and pinched Shen Jingwan's chin, making it impossible for her to avoid his sharp gaze.

"If you don't tell me and I don't tell you, who will know? Tsk, you definitely won't tell me either, after all, He Er is still in my hands."

There was a hint of provocation and threat in Xiao Yuanlang's tone, as if he was showing Shen Jingwan the bargaining chips in his hand.

Shen Jingwan's face turned pale in an instant, "Your Highness, you...what do you know?"

"I don't know what. When we arrested He Er, he said he was a relative of Prime Minister Shen. But as far as I know, Prime Minister Shen's family doesn't have such a lowly relative. After eliminating them, the only one left is you, who just entered the mansion. Judging from your performance now, this He Er's identity is probably not ordinary."

Xiao Yuanlang sneered, his eyes flashing with a cunning light.

All the hairs on Shen Jingwan's body stood up, and she felt a chill rising up her spine.

She tried hard to calm her fear, but her trembling hands betrayed her.

She took a deep breath, tried to force a soft smile, and said, "Your Highness, just tell Wan'er directly what you want. How can Wan'er not give it to you? Why go to so much trouble?"

There was a hint of resentment in Shen Jingwan's voice, as if she was blaming Xiao Yuanlang for not trusting her.

"Tell you directly? When you expressed your loyalty to Jinhuan, you didn't tell me that you could make ice and gunpowder." Xiao Yuanlang released his hand that was pinching Shen Jingwan's chin, and wiped it with a handkerchief in disgust.

His eyes were cold and sharp, as if they could penetrate people's hearts.

Shen Jingwan's heart tightened, she knew she had to find a way to explain it clearly.

She took a deep breath and tried to stay calm, "This...this..." Her brain was working fast, trying to find a reasonable explanation.

Suddenly, an idea flashed in her mind, and she said, "It was my sister who didn't let Wan'er tell anyone else."

There was a hint of grievance and helplessness in her voice, which made people feel pity for her.

"Shen Chuning?" Xiao Yuanlang frowned, his tone full of doubt.

Shen Jingwan nodded firmly, with a sincere light in her eyes, and said: "It is Sister An Ning. In fact, most of the ice sold on the market now belongs to Sister."

Then, she continued, "But because the amount of ice needed in the capital this year is so huge, the ice my sister has is in short supply, so I asked Wan'er to find a way to make ice."

"It has just been tested and Your Highness has already brought people to seal off the manor." There was a hint of regret and helplessness in her tone.

Finally, she said, "Actually, Wan'er left the palace this time to go to the farm to test the results. When I return to the palace in three days, I will present this ice-making method to the Sixth Princess and have her pass it on to you."

"Isn't this a coincidence? You've saved Wan'er the trouble. She doesn't have to go through the Sixth Princess again."

Shen Jingwan smiled shyly after she finished speaking, as if this method was originally intended to be told to the Third Prince.

However, the Third Prince expressed doubt about Shen Jingwan's words: "Are you really willing to tell me about your Shen family's business?"

Shen Jingwan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and said softly: "Actually, this is not the Shen family's business, but my sister's personal business."

Then, she continued to explain: "Your Highness, you should understand my identity. In the Shen family, I have always been cautious and treading on thin ice."

"My sister thought I had taken her parents away from her, so she has always been hostile to me."

"In order to maintain the dignity of the Shen family, Wan'er didn't want the elders in the family to see the discord between us sisters, so no matter what my sister said, Wan'er never dared to disobey."

"But in reality, Wan'er's heart is also full of resentment."

"After all, we are both daughters of the Shen family. It's just that my sister was born to the first wife, and I wasn't, which led to my efforts and achievements being overlooked."

Speaking of this, Shen Jingwan couldn't help but sigh: "Just like you, Your Highness. You are obviously the most outstanding and most outstanding prince, but because Your Highness is the Queen's son, your talents and abilities are not valued as they should be."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuanlang suddenly interrupted Shen Jingwan and scolded her harshly: "Bold!"

Shen Jingwan lowered her eyes and whispered, "Wan'er just couldn't help but tell the truth. Even the Sixth Princess can see Wan'er's feelings for you. Your Highness, do you still not believe Wan'er?"

Xiao Yuanlang looked at the aggrieved Shen Jingwan and gradually calmed down.

"You said that Shen Chuning doesn't have much ice left in her hands, but is that true?" Xiao Yuanlang asked.

"Your Highness, it's absolutely true." Shen Jingwan said firmly.

According to her observation, even though the price of ice was already very high, Shen Chuning did not take out more ice to sell.

Moreover, after her people started selling ice, Shen Chuning's shop reduced the supply.

So Shen Jingwan concluded that Shen Chuning's ice was almost sold out.

Xiao Yuanlang nodded and said, "Since the ice on the farm was originally given to me, I will accept it. You can leave now."

Shen Jingwan felt regretful. Although she didn't get all the things back, at least she had gained the trust of the Third Prince.

But now there is something more important. She cannot leave He Er with the Third Prince and give others a handle.

"Your Highness, what about He Er..." Shen Jingwan asked tentatively.

"Privately manufacturing gunpowder is a capital crime. Do you still expect him to get out alive?" Xiao Yuanlang asked disdainfully.

"But...but don't you also know that this didn't happen?" Shen Jingwan didn't give up.

Xiao Yuanlang glanced at Shen Jingwan coldly, "Do you really want to save him? Isn't your main goal just to make him shut up?"

Shen Jingwan was so touched by what she was thinking that she didn't dare to say anything more.

"There is a mass grave outside the city. Whether he is still alive or not depends on his luck." Xiao Yuanlang served tea to see the guest off.