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

"If you want to get out, I can protect you."

"I know your situation perfectly well. You're spinning like a top yourself, how can you possibly spare any more attention to protect me?"

"I'll stay here obediently and try not to cause you any trouble."

Shuyan picked up several pieces of chicken and put them into Shen Sangwan's bowl.

"The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is in two days. If you would like to go, I can take you."

He slammed his chopsticks on the table and glared at the other person.

"Come on, Shen Sangwan, did you lose your brain while you were out? Do you think I'm not famous enough?"

"Cough cough cough, this is not my fault. If I hadn't protected you earlier, I would have been heartbroken for a long time if someone had bullied you."

Shuyan suppressed her disgust, wanting nothing more than to slap the other person to death.

"Are you about to have another episode? Stop right there. I just finished eating."

Shen Sangwan, who had already prepared herself emotionally, was completely extinguished by Shu Yan's cold water.

"Now that things have come to this, you'll just have to accept it. Anyway, there's no way to clear your name now."

Shen Sangwan pouted helplessly, waved her hands, and looked like she was asking for a beating.

"I really owe you in my last life."

"Maybe you did something heinous to me in your past life, and even God couldn't stand it anymore, so He sent you to my side in this life."

"Yes, yes, yes, whatever my Miss Shen says is right."

"Are you finished eating? If you are, get out of here."

Shuyan had originally hoped to talk more since they hadn't seen each other for many days, but this guy couldn't keep up the act for even half a minute before he broke down. She really wanted to kick him to death.

"Little Yan Yan, it's been so long since we last saw each other. Tonight I want to sleep with you and talk to you a little longer."

Shen Sangwan held onto Shuyan's arm tightly and shook it slightly.

"You just got back from Wuzhou. Don't you have to go to court tomorrow? You have to get up earlier than the chickens for your shift. Don't drag me into this and keep me up at night."

Shuyan struggled to pull her arm out, squinted her eyes, and smiled smugly, "Go back to the main courtyard early, wash up and rest. Goodbye, sir."

Shen Sangwan kept muttering to herself, glaring at Shu Yan with some resentment, "I'll have to get rid of this early shift sooner or later."

"Who's the kind person who gets up so early to go to work?!"

After letting out two groans, Shen Sangwan, who was already preparing to leave, turned back and took two steps back. "I feel extremely unbalanced if I don't drag you down with me."

"Hey—! Shen Sangwan, don't go too far. I've already had enough of being stuck here because of you. I've never complained. Don't push your luck."

Shu Yan took several steps back, staring at Shen Sangwan warily, afraid that she would grab her and do something to her.

Shen Sangwan pouted helplessly; what the other person said seemed to make sense.

He shook his head dejectedly and left the room.

Seeing Shen Sangwan's unhappy expression, Shuyi, who was waiting outside, immediately had a lot of guesses in her mind.

"Your Highness was in a good mood before you went in, but you seemed like a completely different person during dinner."

"Has Miss Shuyan offended His Highness?"

"Should I go over and ask?"

"His Highness looks quite grumpy; I'd better not provoke him!"

"The meaning of the book!"

"What are your orders, Your Highness?"

"Are there any decent opera troupes in Zhongdu?"

Shuyi was taken aback. Why was His Highness asking about opera troupes all of a sudden?

"Does Your Highness intend to host a banquet?"

"I find Ayan rather dull at home. Go find a theatrical troupe and have them stay here. They can put on some new plays."

"I will make the arrangements tomorrow."

Shu Yi secretly admired her, wondering who this Miss Shu Yan was. She had angered His Highness, yet His Highness was still eager to find ways to amuse her.

Back in the main courtyard, I had Shuyi prepare some water, took a comfortable bath, and then lay down to sleep.

Otherwise, I'd probably have to go to that damned morning court session with panda eyes again the next day.

Phoenix Palace

Just as Wen Yuening finished bathing and was about to rest, a palace maid outside the palace came to report that Eunuch Fu'an had sent word that His Majesty would be coming to Fengluan Palace tonight.

Upon receiving the letter, Wen Yuening waved for the palace maids to leave.

"Your Majesty, it's not the first or fifteenth of the month. Why does His Majesty suddenly want to stay overnight in Your Majesty's palace?"

When Qingluan heard that His Majesty was coming, she was naturally happy for her young mistress and eagerly began to tidy up the bed.

However, Qingque, knowing Wen Yuening's thoughts, couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.

"Sister Qingque, what are you saying? His Majesty and the Empress are in love, isn't that a good thing?"

Wen Yuening could roughly guess Shen Yuchen's reasons.

Smiling, she gently tapped Qingluan's head and said, "There's no need to tidy up this bed. Go and put a thin mattress on the soft couch."

Although Qingluan was puzzled, she obediently went to the cabinet to get a thin quilt.

Around 7:30 PM, Shen Yuchen arrived.

Wen Yuening was getting a little bored, so she asked Qingque to bring her a notebook and casually flipped through it.

"If it weren't for my elder sister, I wouldn't have known that the Empress was actually a disciple of the Carefree Medical Sage."

Shen Yuchen's tone was somewhat strange, and his gaze towards Wen Yuening was not very friendly.

After bowing, Qingque and Qingluan tactfully withdrew from the inner hall.

Wen Yuening put down the book in her hand and slowly stood up to greet Shen Yuchen.

"Your Majesty, I am foolish and have only learned a little from the medical sage. I am ashamed to tell others about it."

Shen Yuchen snorted coldly, "The Empress is truly modest. She was able to save tens of thousands of people in Wuzhou who were infected by the plague. If this is just the tip of the iceberg, then wouldn't the Imperial Hospital that I support be full of good-for-nothings?"

Wen Yuening kept a faint smile on her face, letting Shen Yuchen act as he pleased.

"Your Majesty, we are husband and wife in name only. There's no need for this. You can speak frankly."

Shen Yuchen, whose tail had been stepped on, almost jumped up in anger, but in order not to lose his imperial dignity, he forced himself to remain calm.

"I've heard that you and your elder sister weren't particularly close when you were in Wuzhou?"

"Huh? What—?"

"Shouldn't His Majesty suspect that the Wen family is involved in the Wuzhou incident?"

"Did you come here making sarcastic remarks just because you're jealous of me being with the Princess?"

Wen Yuening's mind went blank for a moment. She had already prepared many words to sever her relationship with the Wen family and Wen Yunhe.

Even if it was the Wen family behind this, she could find evidence to avoid being implicated.

But what I got in return was this sentence, and I was at a loss for words.

"I am very grateful to the Empress for what happened in Wuzhou, but I also ask that the Empress stay away from my elder sister in the future, so as not to ruin her marriage."

"???"

These words made Wen Yuening even more confused.

How could her association with the eldest princess ruin someone else's marriage? What kind of logic is this? She was genuinely confused.

What does Your Majesty mean by this?

"After the beautiful lady in my sister's household found out about my sister and the Empress in Wuzhou, she kicked my sister out of her room. My sister really likes that lady, so don't do anything that could cause misunderstandings."