Report to the Empress and the Eldest Princess: They're using the system to poach your men.

"I had already brought the princess to the corridor not far from Xuyang Palace, but I don't know what's wrong with her. She kept clutching her chest and saying that it hurt. I was going to take her to Xuyang Palace and ask His Majesty to invite the imperial physician to examine her pulse."

Because the princess was in great pain, she lingered in the corridor for a while. Then, the princess suddenly told her subordinates to take her to find His Highness, saying that His Highness was in danger.

"I tried to dissuade her, but the princess grabbed me and headed towards the warm pavilion. I couldn't dissuade her, so I used my light-footed skill to carry her there as quickly as possible."

Shen Sangwan tapped the tabletop absently with her fingertips.

"It was my dereliction of duty; I failed to protect the princess. Your Highness, please forgive me—"

"I have no intention of holding you responsible for this matter. You don't need to keep apologizing. Now that you have explained the reason, go and rest well."

Ruoli's eyes widened slightly, clearly still immersed in the world she was so deeply remorseful about.

"What, didn't you understand?"

Ruoli quickly shook her head, bowed, and stepped back.

No sooner had the person left than another person climbed in through the window.

What's going on? Everyone seems to love climbing through windows so much; are the doors just for show?

Shen Sangwan turned her head to look at the back window and saw a familiar figure.

"You only left recently, why are you back again?"

Wen Yuening had changed her clothes and walked over unhurriedly.

"I have come to see Your Highness with good business. Do you think Your Highness is starting to miss Yue Ning after not seeing her for a while?"

Goodness, you're getting better and better at turning the tables.

“What could possibly be worth all this trouble? Why don’t you sleep a little longer and have breakfast before coming over?”

Wen Yuening put her arms around Shen Sangwan's neck and sat on her lap, saying, "Naturally, it's for the person Your Highness has been longing for."

That sounds so sour, like it's laced with jealousy.

As the other person hooked their arm around her neck, Shen Sangwan's hands were not idle either, wrapping around Wen Yuening's waist.

"I was thinking of trying to find out about Ah Ning's intelligence network, but I never expected that Ah Ning would come to me on her own."

Wen Yuening casually draped her arms over Shen Sangwan's shoulders, her face very close, her breath hot against him—it was pure seduction.

This puzzled Shen Sangwan. She remembered that the information given to her stated that Wen Yuening had been favored by the late emperor since childhood and had been raised to meet the standards of a future empress.

But now, even if the Wen family had ten lives, they probably wouldn't dare let anyone imitate this seductive behavior.

"I've always had a question for A-Ning."

"Your Highness probably has more than one question to ask!"

Wen Yuening leaned into Shen Sangwan's arms. She was so small that Shen Sangwan got a taste of what it meant to be a little bird clinging to someone.

"Ahem, well—you asked several questions before, so let me ask one today."

The other person didn't speak, but their fingers traced circles on their shoulder, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally.

"Since A-Ning hasn't said anything, I'll take that as agreement."

Just as Shen Sangwan was about to ask, the other person covered her mouth with their hand, "Your Highness, it's not appropriate to expect to get the information for nothing!"

"Hey—hey...you, why are you making demands of me now?"

A queen who lacks martial virtue is not a good queen!

Wen Yuening shifted her body slightly upwards and whispered in Shen Sangwan's ear, "If Your Highness is willing to let Yuening kiss, hug, and lift you up high, Yuening may consider answering Your Highness's question."

"Wow, where did they learn these words?"

"You...you're going too far!"

"Doesn't Your Highness want to know who plotted the assassination and accidentally injured the Princess?"

You know how to strike at a snake's vital point; you're quite adept at manipulating people.

Shen Sangwan's face drooped, and she pouted somewhat unwillingly.

"If Your Highness finds it too strenuous, then Yue Ning will return to Fengluan Palace to rest."

Wen Yuening made a move to get up, but Shen Sangwan quickly hugged her tightly. "I...I promise you, but you can't use this as an excuse to get me to do anything else. You have to answer whatever I ask."

"it is good!"

Wen Yuening readily agreed, and then she saw Shen Sangwan with a look of grim determination as she closed her eyes and brought her whole face close.

After waiting for a long time without any further news, Shen Sangwan opened her eyes with some curiosity and found Wen Yuening looking at her with great interest.

"you--"

"Your Highness, I never said it had to be now!"

Shen Sangwan, like an enraged little wolfhound, opened her little paws to attack Wen Yuening, "It's the Ming King."

The moment Wen Yue Ning's name was uttered, Shen Sangwan felt a sense of powerlessness, like a eunuch visiting a brothel.

Should she reprimand the other person, or not?

"The information from Ah Ning came so quickly. What kind of organization is behind her? It's so sinister."

Wen Yuening stood up on her own, pretending to wander on the ground. She took the opportunity to find a table some distance away from Shen Sangwan. After confirming that it was safe, she slowly spoke.

"The Soul-Hooking Pavilion that attempted to assassinate His Highness twice was founded by me. At first, it was just doing things like taking money to solve problems for people. Later, as its power gradually grew, it planted various spies to collect intelligence in various prefectures and resell it."

Upon hearing the first sentence, Shen Sangwan's anger level skyrocketed.

It was her first time being assassinated, and she almost died. She thought it was some kind of mortal enemy, so she made Shuyun risk her life to find the person behind it, and even thought about how to punish the person once caught.

But in the end, she was told that the person behind the assassin organization was her target—the Empress!

With a loud "bang," Shen Sangwan clenched her fist and slammed it down on the wooden table beside her.

"Has something happened to Your Highness?"

Hearing the noise, Hou Zaiwai Hall Shuyi was anxious to push the door open and come in, but Shen Sangwan stopped her, saying, "I'm fine, you don't need to come in."

Shuyi, who had just opened the door a crack, vaguely saw the Empress's shadow. She quickly closed her eyes and shut the palace door, pretending not to have seen anything, and ran to the kitchen as fast as she could.

"The Soul-Hooking Pavilion never accepts orders from members of the royal family. It was a traitor within the pavilion who secretly took the job, and I've already uncovered some clues..."

Seeing that Shen Sangwan's anger had not subsided in the slightest, Wen Yuening began to panic.

If she had known it would be this complicated to explain, she wouldn't have said anything in the first place!

"Um... Your Highness, I suddenly remembered I have matters to attend to at Phoenix Palace, I..."

Wen Yuening tried to slip away, but Shen Sangwan blocked her way with a quick step and locked the back window.

"Your Majesty, I never knew you had such abilities. I knew you were no ordinary person, but this was truly a pleasant surprise."

Wen Yuening, who had taken a step back, had already pressed her back against the corner of the wall.

"It's all because Yue Ning misjudged people and almost harmed His Highness. It's all Yue Ning's fault!"