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

The early-rising lark sings its song in the half-lit, half-dark sky, while in the distant horizon, a huge morning star gazes down like a lonely eye.

Shen Sangwan was bored and not sleepy at all, so she chatted with Xiaotong for half an hour.

Finally, urged on by the rooster's crow, the sun lazily shone its first rays.

The soft, golden light shone warmly into the room, allowing Shen Sangwan to see the layout of her surroundings.

Through the thin curtains, I looked around this ancient boudoir.

Diagonally opposite the bed was a magnificent dressing table inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

The room has white marble pillars at the four corners, and the walls are all made of white stone bricks.

The light blue gauze curtains swayed in the wind, and the word "luxury" kept popping into my mind.

"The Wen family is so rich? Even their villa in the suburbs is so luxurious?"

[Master, the Wen family is, after all, a prestigious family, and now the residence of the Left Prime Minister. If it were too shabby, it would be beneath our dignity.]

Shen Sangwan frowned, momentarily speechless with frustration.

"Qingque!"

She remembered that the maid's name was something like that.

The person outside pushed open the door in response, accompanied by two maids, about twelve or thirteen years old, each carrying toiletries and a new set of clothes.

"Greetings, Your Highness. General Mo has returned and is waiting for you in the front courtyard."

Qingque and the young maid behind her bowed.

Shen Sangwan got out of bed. Although she was not used to it, she had no choice but to endure the discomfort and let others help her change her clothes.

Before the maidservant arrived, the head maidservant had repeatedly reminded her that she knew Shen Sangwan had an injury on her back.

Therefore, he moved with extreme caution, not daring to slack off in the slightest, for fear of accidentally touching the wound.

The person in front of them was a princess of noble status and a female general of the Southern Jing Kingdom. If they made a mistake, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to cut off their heads.

After washing up, Shen Sangwan stepped out of the house. Led by Qingque, she turned around several times and crossed the corridor to reach the front yard.

"My lord." Upon seeing the person arrive, Mo Ran bowed down.

Where did you go last night?

Shen Sangwan sat upright in the high position, her voice lower than usual.

Mo Ran knew his lord's temperament.

This is a sign that anger is brewing.

He quickly knelt down and bowed his head, "My lord, please forgive me. Last night, I went to the place where Mo Feng and the others were stationed and had the craftsmen modify the flint overnight. They placed the itching powder inside the flint so that it wouldn't be burned to death when it exploded."

These words made Shen Sangwan pause. She had only intended to have someone borrow a few blowers to scatter the mixture with the wind, but she hadn't thought that it could also be thrown into the flint.

If flint is used, the target will be more accurate. After all, blowers can only be used at close range, which not only increases casualties but also requires constant attention to wind direction.

But what angered her was not that Mo Ran did this without permission, but that he so hastily abandoned her to someone else.

If it were given to Cen Yan, it would be understandable, but this Miss Wen is not very familiar with the former Princess. Mo Ran, this fool, just left her here like that. Doesn't he care about his master's life?

Mo Ran raised his head slightly and noticed Shen Sangwan's furrowed brows. His heart tightened. Why did he feel that his lord was getting angrier?

Did he do something wrong?

But isn't that itching powder meant to be thrown into the rebel ranks to confuse them?

Could it be that he misjudged his lord's thoughts?

Mo Yun, my lord's temper seems to have worsened again. Please come and save me.

Now all I can do is pray silently that the other person will calm down soon.

The room was silent as Shen Sangwan tapped her fingers absently on the table.

"My lord—?"

After kneeling for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, seeing that Shen Sangwan still showed no intention of letting him get up, Mo Ran hesitated and called out.

"Let's discuss this matter later."

"Thank you, Lord."

After receiving Qingque's message, Wen Yuening washed up and walked slowly over, followed by a woman who looked very much like Qingque, and an old woman carrying a medicine box.

Several people stepped over the threshold and knelt down to pay their respects to the person in charge.

"This humble woman greets Your Highness."

She wore a long cyan dress with a white gauze overlay, her hair was neatly styled at the back of her head, adorned with a magnolia hairpin and a tassel hair ornament, and her waist was slender and supple.

Her skin was as white as snow, her hair as thick as brocade, her eyes as alluring as magic, and her lips as red as cinnabar—she was so beautiful!

"Little Yan Yan, I have a beauty here—no, I mean a fairy!"

[What a pity, Xiao Yan Yan, you won't have the chance to see such a beautiful woman!]

And if she remembered correctly, this Miss Wen was seventeen years old this year, while her adopted younger brother seemed to be only twelve. This...

"Huh—? I suddenly feel like my brother, whom I've never met, isn't good enough for such a beautiful woman. Sigh!"

Shen Sangwan's expression remained unchanged, but she was initially overjoyed, and then began to mutter to herself.

Xiao Tong was so annoyed by Shen Sangwan's nagging that she wanted to block her out.

"No need to be polite, sit down and talk."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Qingluan, who was behind Wen Yuening, helped her up and sat down in the first seat on the lower right. Then, Qingluan took half a step back and stood properly behind the chair.

"This is Doctor Ru. She treated His Highness yesterday. Just now, Qingque came to report that His Highness had risen, so I brought her here, thinking that she could take His Highness's pulse again."

Shen Sangwan did not refuse, and raised her sleeve to reveal half of her wrist.

Dr. Ru draped a silk handkerchief over her wrist, calmly taking her pulse. Her expression remained normal, but a slight ripple stirred within her heart.

After half an incense stick had burned, he curtsied and said in a hoarse voice, "Your Highness is in good health. As long as the wound is not aggravated, it will heal completely in less than half a month."

"I thank Miss Wen for her kindness. The Princess's residence will send a gift of thanks after the rebellion is quelled."

Shen Sangwan felt like she had lost her mind. The moment her eyes met Wen Yuening's, she felt an urge to go up and hug her.

She figured she must have been out of sleep that morning, her mind was a bit foggy, and that's why she had such absurd thoughts.

"Your Highness is too kind. Your Highness is an invincible female general of Southern Jing. If it were anyone else, they would also lend a helping hand to Your Highness."

Wen Yuening did not refuse the gift of thanks, but simply smiled and let the matter drop.

Her mother had told her that she could accept both rewards and punishments from those in high positions.

If it is a reward, it is a favor from a superior; if it is a punishment, she should accept it first, and afterwards, the Prime Minister's residence will make amends for her.

The daughters of the Wen family must remain calm and composed in the face of both honor and disgrace.

“Yesterday, I saw that Your Highness’s armor was torn, so I sent someone to repair it without permission. I beg Your Highness to forgive me for acting on my own initiative.”

After speaking, Wen Yuening slightly raised her hand towards the door, where a young maidservant held a tray with a silver chest armor on it.

No wonder she didn't see the chest armor when she got up early; it turned out the other party had taken it.

"Xiao Tong, is this former princess acquainted with Miss Wen? What she's done is already overstepping boundaries, yet she acts so confidently, as if she's certain I won't do anything to her."

[Your Majesty, the former Princess and Miss Wen were not well acquainted. At most, they had met a few times at palace banquets in the past, and that was all.]

What gives her such confidence? The Left Chancellor? Or the Emperor's favor?

“Miss Wen, I have always had a bad temper. What I hate most is others touching my things without permission. Today, for the sake of the Prime Minister’s residence, I will forgive you. This is a one-time exception, and it will not be allowed to happen again.”

Shen Sangwan gestured with her eyes, indicating that Mo Ran should take the tray.

He then stood up, narrowed his eyes, and glanced at Wen Yuening. "The chaos of war has not yet subsided. Miss Wen, you should stay here and return to your residence after the turmoil has calmed down."

"Your Highness, I thank you for your forgiveness and respectfully see you off."

Led by the maid, he returned to his previous bedroom, put on his armor, and hurriedly left.