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

Shen Sangwan's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly chased after him.

Shuyi, still somewhat dazed, asked from behind, "Your Highness, this soft cheese..."

Shuyan had heard Ruoying tell her that Shen Sangwan had returned to the manor, so she was eager to find her and share the fruits of her labor over the past few days.

But as soon as they turned the corner, they saw Shen Sangwan chatting and laughing with a woman. After standing there for a while, the woman's smile grew even wider, and she couldn't help but smile from her eyebrows.

"What a heartless scumbag! All she does is flirt and play with other men!"

Shuyan couldn't resist kicking a stray pebble as she passed the gravel path.

"Bang!"

A particularly crisp sound of porcelain shards shattering rang out.

The maids sweeping the house heard the noise and all peeked in this direction.

When they saw that the money tree with fallen leaves, which Miss Cen had given to the Princess, had been kicked and smashed, they all gasped in shock.

"Oh no, oh no! This flower was His Highness's favorite. It was only moved here temporarily today, how could it be gone!"

An old woman came hurrying over, carrying a small hoe.

Looking at the broken roots, she felt like dying.

"I'm sorry... I... I didn't mean to."

Shuyan was also a little confused. She had just kicked it casually, but who would have thought it would be so unlucky.

"This...should..."

"Miss Shuyan, these flowers were a gift from Miss Cen to His Highness, and His Highness cherishes them greatly. Now, this... this is how this old servant can explain to His Highness!"

The old woman collapsed to the ground; if it weren't for the rules, she would probably be crying and wailing right now.

I watched as the broken porcelain shards, mixed with dirt, lay scattered on the ground.

Shuyan stood there blankly, head down, clutching her sleeves, like a child who had made a mistake.

"Shuyan, wait a minute, I..."

Shen Sangwan, who arrived late, caught up and saw three or four maids kneeling under the eaves, an old woman sitting on the ground on the path in the courtyard, and Shuyan standing beside the old woman.

This scene looks really strange.

"What happened?"

Shen Sangwan stopped calling out to Shuyan, her smile fading as she adopted a serious expression and lowered her voice.

"Your Highness, I don't know how, but Miss Shuyan accidentally knocked away your favorite flower!"

The old woman didn't speak first, but a female servant kneeling under the eaves responded in a sarcastic tone.

Shen Sangwan glanced at the maid with a cold face, "When did my palace have such an ill-mannered person?"

Despite the sweltering heat, the temperature seemed to drop a few degrees because of Shen Sangwan's words.

"Qi Bo, this is how you treat me after I entrusted you with managing the affairs of the household?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Bo rushed over as quickly as possible. After hearing Shen Sangwan's words, he held his breath and fell silent.

"Your Highness, please calm down. It is this old servant's fault for not disciplining you properly."

Qi Bo shrugged and gently waved to the two maids behind him, signaling them to quickly drag away the ill-mannered maid.

"Your Highness, spare me! Your Highness, spare me! This servant knows her mistake! This servant knows her mistake!"

"What kind of person dares to speak ill of my little Yan Yan? They should know their own limitations."

"You're chasing after someone I wouldn't even dare to mess with. If I don't make an example of you, who else will I target?"

"If I see you doing this again, and you don't know how to control your mouths, I won't mind taking care of you."

"This servant will remember Your Highness's teachings."

"How is this going?"

After dealing with the arrogant person, Shen Sangwan's attention shifted to the potted plants on the ground.

"Your Highness, this old servant was tending to the flowerbed next door today. This fallen leaf money was just temporarily placed here. This old servant did not expect anyone to come at this time. Miss Shuyan was passing by and perhaps she was walking in a hurry, so I accidentally tripped her. It is all my fault. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

The old woman knelt on the ground and whispered her reply.

"Since the flower is broken, just take care of it."

"—?"

"???"

The old woman and the housekeeper all raised their heads slightly and glanced cautiously at Shen Sangwan.

Why is His Highness in such a good mood today?

The belated letter arrived, carrying the food box, just in time to overhear the last sentence.

"Tsk tsk tsk, His Highness is indeed quite special to Miss Shuyan."

"Come back to the East Garden with me."

Shen Sangwan reached out her hand, and before Shu Yan could react, she was grabbed and dragged away.

"Qi Bo, Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

"Ahem! Less talk, more action."

Qi Bo coughed forcefully, glanced around, and then gave a few more admonitions.

"That...flower...it seems to have been a gift from Miss Cen to the Princess. Today, for my sake, you're just letting things slide like this. Isn't that a bit...unwise?"

Shuyi followed behind with her head down, not too close and not too far, only able to vaguely hear a few words.

"what--?"

Shen Sangwan was taken aback at first, then understood.

"Oh dear, you didn't do it on purpose, and the flower was already broken. Even if I punish you in front of them, what's the point? Do you think I can bring the flower back to life?"

Seeing that Shuyan was in a bad mood, Shen Sangwan naturally pulled her into her arms and gently patted her back, "It's alright, it's nothing serious, don't worry."

The moment Shuyan saw the old woman kneel on the ground, fear welled up inside her.

In this place where imperial power reigns supreme, she was merely a maidservant to Shen Sangwan, and a sense of powerlessness, born of caution and restraint, enveloped her tightly.

"Sang Wan, I really want to go back."

Shuyan buried her head in Shen Sangwan's chest, her lips trembling slightly, tears streaming down her face, soon soaking his clothes.

"It's my fault, it's all my fault. I was so focused on the court that I neglected your feelings."

Shen Sangwan's attempts to comfort Shuyan only made things worse. Shuyan felt more pained, her throat tightened, and she could only cry.

"Um... Your Highness, should I excuse myself, or should I leave quietly? Is this scene something I should be watching?"

Shuyi kept quiet and tried to minimize his presence; even when watching the drama unfold, one should maintain a certain level of self-awareness.

"I don't know how to go back. Xiaotong told me that there's a high chance we won't be able to go back. All I can do is try my best to protect you in this princess's mansion."

These words were whispered in Shuyan's ear.

From the perspective of the book's meaning, the two people's postures are extremely ambiguous.

"Oh my God, is this something I should be able to see? This...this...in broad daylight...under the clear sky...even my own Highness..."

Shuyi lowered her head even further, her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Your Highness! No matter how anxious you are, you should at least wait until you return to the East Garden. If others see this, your reputation will be ruined..."

"Eh—? Her Highness's reputation was already ruined when she took in those vixens from the West Garden!"

"Oh well! Whatever, as long as Your Highness is happy!"