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

"Mother, if you keep crying, you'll ruin your eyes."

Shen Sangwan was having trouble breathing and was afraid that if the other person hugged her again, she would suffocate.

He broke free from the Empress Dowager's embrace and used his hand to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Mother has just woken up. Is she feeling unwell?"

Wen Yuening got up from a chair not far away, walked to the soft couch, straightened her clothes, and went forward to greet him.

"I have nothing to say. You may all leave. I have something to say to Awan."

"Chen and concubine retire."

When Wen Yuening returned to Fengluan Palace, Shen Yuchen was still asleep.

Looking at the person on the bed, many questions welled up in her mind.

This palace had many strange features, which made her feel somewhat confused.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has awakened. Should we send someone to retrieve Qingque? If the Empress Dowager finds out about Your Majesty..."

“Master Sui’an once said that if I have any requests, I can send someone to invite him at any time. Moreover, there are indeed some problems with this palace, and I think the Empress Dowager will not blame me.”

"Your Majesty has been without sleep for several days while following His Majesty. Now that everything has settled down, Your Majesty should go to the side hall to rest properly. Your Majesty, I will look after you here."

Wen Yuening shook her head slightly, sat on the chaise lounge, and rested one hand on the low table. "I'm fine. Go and brew a pot of strong tea."

"The slaves retire."

Turning her head to look out the window, she saw time slipping into the clouds, constantly turning and stirring Wen Yue Ning's memories, reminding her of the first time she went out of the mansion to visit the lantern market during the Qixi Festival.

Among the crowd was a man with long black hair tucked into a white ribbon, dressed in snow-white silk, with a piece of mutton-fat jade tied around his waist, and covered with a soft, light gauze veil.

Her face was as white as jade, her eyes as bright as stars, her clear pupils sparkling, and she smiled gently with relaxed brows.

Such a handsome young man stood out in the crowd.

Not only did Wen Yue Ning spot the man at a glance, but the other young ladies traveling with her also couldn't take their eyes off him after seeing him.

"I wonder which family's young master is so handsome."

Qingluan followed behind Wen Yuening, watching her young mistress's eyes practically glued to her, and muttered something under her breath.

This was the first time she had ever seen her young mistress so out of control.

As luck would have it, the person turned slightly to the side and their eyes met Wen Yuening's.

The man's eyes were unreadable, his pupils were deep black, carrying a hint of intimidation and a touch of coldness.

Her heart suddenly started pounding, and a strange emotion welled up inside her.

She felt as if all the noise around her had disappeared from her ears. Wen Yuening was so engrossed in watching that it took her a long time to realize that she had been very impolite. She hurriedly looked away and pulled Qingluan and Qingque to the other side of the lantern market.

For the first time, Wen Yuening felt a desire to rebel against the teaching nanny her father had arranged for her.

She didn't want to be a crown princess, nor did she want to be the future empress, a woman above all others.

A glance that lasts a lifetime—that's probably what that feeling was all about!

However, she later learned by chance that the man she met that day was actually the current princess in disguise, and that he was there to lure out a spy from the Northern Witch Kingdom.

In her boudoir, Wen Yuening held a half-embroidered purse in her hand, feeling melancholy.

If she were just an ordinary family's child, wouldn't she be free from family responsibilities and able to choose to spend ordinary days with the person she loves, even if that person is a woman?

But she was the legitimate daughter of the Left Prime Minister, while that person was the high and mighty Princess and the female general of Nan Jing, someone she could not even dream of.

"What is the Empress thinking about? Why is she so lost in thought?"

Shen Yuchen had gotten up at some point, half-resting on the headboard, glancing sideways at Wen Yuening on the chaise lounge.

Wen Yuening was dazed. She got up and helped Shen Yuchen off the bed. She called Qingque in and helped Shen Yuchen put on his dragon robe.

"The Empress Dowager and the Eldest Princess had some trouble at Weiyang Palace. Your Majesty had been working hard for many days, so I didn't wake you. Now that Your Majesty is awake, you should go to Weiyang Palace to check on them."

Shen Yuchen grabbed the hand that was adjusting his collar, his expression froze, "What happened to Mother and Sister?"

"The eldest princess committed suicide, and the Empress Dowager fell into a coma..."

"His Majesty...!"

Shen Yuchen couldn't wait to head towards Weiyang Palace after hearing only the first few words, and Wen Yuening had to swallow the rest of her words.

"Isn't Your Highness coming along?"

Wen Yuening shook her head with a wry smile, "I'm tired!"

"Then Your Highness, have a good night's sleep. I'll keep watch over things for you."

Because of Shen Sangwan's funeral, everyone in the palace wore plain clothes and removed their hairpins, jewelry, and cosmetics, which saved Wen Yuening a lot of trouble.

He lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

Weiyang Palace

"Sister, sister, Mother!"

When Shen Yuchen rushed over, the Empress Dowager had already gone to bed, and Shen Sangwan was coming out of the inner palace.

He shoved the person away and scolded in a low voice, "Why are you making such a racket? The Empress Dowager has just fallen asleep. If you wake her up, be careful that your elder sister won't disregard your imperial status and will give you a beating with a rattan cane."

"Sister, I heard from the Empress that something had happened to you and Mother. I was worried, so..."

His speech was hurried and his breathing was still a little disordered, suggesting he had run all the way here.

Upon seeing the white gauze wrapped around the other person's neck, with traces of faint red blood seeping through, Shen Yuchen's eyes reddened slightly. "Sister, your neck..."

Shen Yuchen raised his hand to touch Shen Sangwan's neck, but was stopped by her. "I'm fine, and Mother is fine too, so don't worry."

"Sister, you and Mother..."

"That's all in the past. It was my fault, sister, for making Mother sad. From now on, Achen, you must take better care of Mother, understand?"

"Also, don't be so reckless in the future. Look at you, all sweaty."

[It feels a bit like I'm trying to coax a child. Although the young emperor is indeed still a child, he is still the ruler of a country. What he just said sounded rather strange.]

"Whatever, let's fool the little emperor as much as we can while he's still easy to fool."

My lord, I've noticed that since you woke up, you seem to have let yourself go, becoming increasingly unrestrained.

"Everyone goes crazy sometimes."

It shouldn't be like this now.

Xiao Tong recalled how her master had just tricked the Empress Dowager, leaving her completely bewildered. The Empress Dowager even went along with it, letting her master make up stories while she just kept laughing.

She really wanted to tell her master, but that old bastard in the main system was really going too far with his underhanded tactics.

Now she's starting to deceive the little emperor again. She really wants to say that with the little emperor's doting father mentality, even without brainwashing, he'll still be eager to please her.

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say, sister."

Shen Sangwan led Shen Yuchen to Fuyu Pavilion, which not only had tall buildings but was also a good place to escape the summer heat.

The two sat in a lotus-themed pavilion on the north side.

"Ah Chen, you've put on such a grand funeral for me, yet none of the court officials have said anything about it?"

Shen Yuchen had a smile on his face.

Upon hearing Shen Sangwan's words, he shrank into a ball like a quail, trying to minimize his presence.

But only he and Shen Sangwan were in the pavilion, while Shuyi and Fu'an waited under the corridor not far away.

“When my mother told me about it, I was initially delighted to know that Achen respected his elder sister, but then I felt apprehensive. My elder sister was afraid that you, who had only recently ascended the throne, would be branded as arrogant and extravagant.”

"Sister, I..."

"Remember this: if I really die in the future, you must not act as you are today, ignoring your mother's teachings and the advice of the court officials."

When Shen Yucheng heard Shen Sangwan say that he would die, his eyes instantly reddened. He tightly grasped her hand and choked out, "Sister, I won't allow you to say that. You will be alright. Mother and sister must be alright too."

"Xiao Tong, I'm starting to suspect this little emperor is my son."

[Master, this is no joke; a son appearing out of nowhere is not funny.]

[If it weren't for the age discrepancy, I would really think this young emperor is the eldest princess's beloved son. He's even more filial than to his own mother. Is that reasonable? No, it's not.]

"You're a grown man, why do you cry so easily? If those officials see this, who knows what they'll say behind your back."

"Does your older sister hate it when Ah Chen cries?"

“A man’s tears are the most useless thing. They can’t buy respect or power. Shen Yucheng, you must remember that you are no longer the fledgling bird hiding under your mother and sister’s wings. You should learn to grow up.”

"On the day you ascended the throne, your elder sister taught you not to show your emotions, not only in the court, but also when you are with your elder sister or in the Empress Dowager's palace. You must be very careful with every word and action."

"Only when you yourself hold great power, know how to balance the court, and learn how to govern the people, can you relax a little."

Shen Sangwan made up her mind that she would take advantage of the young emperor's obedience to her to give him many earnest teachings.

"Sister, I promise you, I will be a good emperor. Since the emperor has been granted the power of Heaven, he shall treat all things as food and live forever. The world will surely be peaceful and prosperous."

Shen Yuchen fiercely wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve and made a solemn vow.

Shen Sangwan never doubted Shen Yuchen's words.

She firmly believed that since the main system had instructed her to support this young emperor to ascend the throne, he would naturally be a good monarch loved by all the people, and would be recorded in history and leave a lasting mark on the annals of history.

"Sister is waiting for that day."