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

"Brother Zhou Er." Shen Chuning's voice came from outside the door.

Zhou Lin glanced at Shen Chengliu and Shen Chengbai with a threatening look, then put down the book in his hand and walked out the door.

"Miss Jiu, what do you want to see me about?" Zhou Lin asked while leaning against the door frame.

"I saw you with Tai... and Young Master Qi at Juxian Tower that day. Are you familiar with him?"

Shen Chuning wanted to talk about the prince, but she thought about the prince's dress that day and realized that he probably didn't want anyone to know, so she quickly changed her words.

Zhou Lin nodded. "My mother and the late queen were childhood friends, and I'm about the same age as them. So when I was five, I was chosen to be the prince's study companion, and we've been together since we were little."

"Is it convenient for you to enter the palace?"

"When I was working in the Jinwu Guard, I could go to the palace every day. But then something happened and I stopped going."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to expose your scars." Shen Chuning didn't dare to ask him how his job as a Jinwu Guard was going.

"It doesn't matter. The Crown Prince lives in the East Palace, so it's convenient for me to go to the palace now."

Shen Chuning looked at Zhou Lin with sparkling eyes, "Can you do me a favor?"

Zhou Lin smiled slightly, "You have to tell me what you need help with, then I'll know if I can help."

"When teaching someone martial arts, you don't need them to become masters. You just want them to strengthen their bodies. This person has suffered a lot since childhood, so he's a bit weak."

After hearing what Shen Chuning said, Zhou Lin asked, "How old are you?"

"Seven or eight years old."

"Is it the Fifth Prince?"

Shen Chuning's eyes widened. "How did you guess that?"

"The only seven or eight-year-old child in the palace who can get Miss Shen Jiu to come to me out of favor and suffer since childhood is the Fifth Prince."

"Brother Zhou Er, can you do me this favor?" Shen Chuning asked cunningly.

Zhou Lin sighed helplessly, "I'll help you, but you need to find a secluded place and don't let anyone know."

"The Fifth Prince has been living in the North Third Residence. There aren't many people there, but why can't anyone know about this?"

Zhou Lin slowly explained, "Although the North Third Residence is a cold palace, it doesn't mean that no one is paying attention to me. Given my relationship with the Crown Prince, outsiders would think I'm a member of the Crown Prince's faction. If anyone knew that I was teaching the Fifth Prince martial arts, he would also be labeled a member of the Crown Prince's faction. Then all the arrows would be aimed at him, and he wouldn't be able to protect himself. Can you imagine the consequences?"

Shen Chuning nodded slowly.

Zhou Lin: "You found me here for him, I will certainly teach him well, but since he is the one you want to protect, I will not let him suffer any misfortune because of me."

"Thank you, Brother Zhou Er." Shen Chuning bowed solemnly to Zhou Lin.

"By the way, I heard that the Juxian Tower is the property of the Third Prince. If you want to talk about anything private, it's best to go to another place." Shen Chuning reminded.

"Third Prince?" Zhou Lin didn't specifically ask Shen Chuning how she knew. Since she used the word "heard", she must not tell outsiders. "Okay, I understand. Thank you for reminding me."

……

On August 15th of the 14th year of Mingde, a reunion banquet was held in the palace.

Old Madam Shen brought the three daughters-in-law and two young ladies of the Shen family into the palace.

Shen Chuning was wearing a fiery red dress and a ruby headpiece, looking bright and flamboyant.

Shen Jingwan was dressed in a plain white dress with a pearl headpiece, looking graceful and quiet.

Old Madam Shen took Shen Chuning and Shen Jingwan to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager, and then let them go find their little sisters to play.

Shen Chuning was about to go find Xiao Jinyu, but was stopped by Xiao Jinhuan on the way.

"Shen Chuning, it was you who complained to the Empress Dowager that caused me to be imprisoned for three months, right?"

Shen Chuning stopped and said, "If you don't want to be imprisoned again, you'd better not mess with me."

Xiao Jinhuan sneered, "Shen Chuning, I haven't seen your ability in half a year, and you dare to talk back to me. Caidie, slap your face."

The palace maid Caidie quietly tugged at Xiao Jinhuan's sleeve and said, "Sixth Princess, if you cause any trouble at the reunion banquet today, the Empress Dowager will punish you again."

Xiao Jinhuan glared at Caidie and rolled up her sleeves. "If you don't want to do it, I'll do it myself."

Shen Jingwan's eyes turned, and she knelt in front of Xiao Jinhuan, "Sixth Princess, this is all my fault. I apologize to you on my behalf. Please don't embarrass me. If you really want to hit me, hit me."

Shen Chuning cursed in her heart. Before she could say anything, Shen Jingwan admitted her mistake first.

Xiao Jinhuan was frightened by Shen Jingwan's sudden kneeling action and took a step back. "Who the hell are you? Are you wearing all white to attend a funeral?"

"Sixth Princess, I am the second daughter of the third branch of the Shen family." Shen Jingwan grabbed her clothes tightly and answered respectfully.

Xiao Jinhuan sneered, "You are just a concubine's daughter, what qualifications do you have to shout in front of this princess?"

Shen Jingwan clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms. "Sixth Princess, Mother is your aunt after all. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to say that?"

"Heh." Xiao Jinhuan rolled her eyes. "Can the term 'aunt' or 'mother' change the fact that she's a concubine's daughter? You're just a concubine's daughter speaking up for other concubines."

Shen Jingwan lowered her head and said nothing.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Jinhuan no longer had the mood to talk anymore, so she waved her hand and let them go first.

"Talk as little as possible in the palace." Shen Chuning turned and said to Shen Jingwan.

"Sister." Shen Jingwan pulled at her handkerchief and said, "Wan'er really wants to be punished for you. She really wants to stand up for mother."

Shen Chuning rolled her eyes inwardly. "First of all, you don't know what happened between the Sixth Princess and me, yet you take it upon yourself to admit my fault. Are you a judge? Can you directly convict me?"

"No, Wan'er just doesn't want her sister to clash with the Sixth Princess. After all, if we clash with the Royal Princess, we won't get any good results."

Shen Chuning: "..."

"You don't want me to clash with the Sixth Princess? I've noticed you rush forward quickly when it comes to your affairs. Why is it that the word 'bastard' breaks your defenses so much?"

Shen Jingwan kept shaking her head. "Wan'er accepts whatever the Sixth Princess says about her, but she's talking about her mother. Wan'er can't let her suffer even the slightest injustice. As her biological daughter, why don't you defend her?"

Shen Chuning looked at Shen Jingwan as if she were a fool. "What are you trying to explain? My mother is the concubine of the Duke of Qing. Besides, Xiao Jinhuan was just telling the truth. She didn't say anything excessive. In the end, it's just that you can't stand other people saying that to you."

"Sister." Shen Jingwan filled her eyes with tears again and said aggrievedly, "Sister, how can you think of Wan'er like this?"

When Shen Chuning saw her like this, she was furious.

"Put away your artificial expression, it's useless to me." After saying this, Shen Chuning walked away without looking back.