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

Yuexin already knew about Shen Sangwan's arrival, but she pretended not to know anything.

Only after the song ended did he casually glance at Shuyan, cough lightly, and give her a meaningful look.

"Why didn't you send someone to announce your arrival, Your Highness?"

Shuyan got up from her chair and walked towards Shen Sangwan.

"You're so engrossed in watching, I can't bear to interrupt you."

There was a black spot on the tip of Shuyan's nose, and Shen Sangwan subconsciously tried to rub it off.

When her fingertips touched her skin, Shuyan's pupils visibly dilated.

If Yuexin hadn't been there, she probably would have taken two steps back.

"When did acting have to reach this point?"

"They didn't even give us any advance notice?"

"What if I can't help but break down and someone else sees it? Wouldn't that be a complete waste?"

It's understandable that Shu Yan overthinks this, after all, Shen Sangwan's tender eyes were practically overflowing with affection at that moment.

"Your Highness, is there something you need from me?"

After bowing, Yuexin tactfully returned to her room.

"It's not a big deal."

Shen Sangwan took Shuyan's hand, and the two walked slowly toward the main courtyard.

Shuyan tilted her head and leaned closer, asking in a low voice, "Did something happen at the palace banquet last night?"

Shuyi followed behind, watching the two walk side by side. She felt that her prince and Miss Shuyan were becoming more and more well-matched, and joy could not be hidden in her eyes and brows.

"Um... I was drunk and accidentally eavesdropped on someone's conversation."

Shuyan secretly glanced at Shen Sangwan's expression, which piqued her curiosity.

After the two of them walked to the main courtyard and sat down, she asked, "Tell me quickly?"

"Little Yan Yan, when did you become so gossipy?"

Shu Yan rolled her eyes at Shen Sangwan and said, "Everyone has curiosity, especially since you were eavesdropping in the palace. It's bound to be pretty juicy. How can you not eat your fill of this gossip?"

Shen Sangwan actually nodded quite consciously, and then shook her head.

"Have you been cooped up at home for too long?"

"It's a bit boring, but didn't you find me a theatrical troupe? Their play is quite interesting. Don't try to change the subject, tell me about what happened in the corner."

For some reason, Shen Sangwan couldn't stand hearing people say the words "corner of the wall," always feeling that they were implying something and subtly pointing at her.

The feeling of having a guilty conscience is truly awful.

What a damned coward.

"Your original body's younger sister had a lover before entering the palace. It was because of that lover that you unfortunately fell into the water. Last night, the two of them struggled for a long time in the lotus pond next to the Golden Palace. You know what, that scoundrel is really a scoundrel, and Miss Cen is also a fool. Fortunately, she is not in the late stage of love-struck, so there is hope for her."

"I fell into the water because someone pushed me. What does that have to do with Miss Cen?"

"She wanted to fake her death by drowning, so she dragged you along on the lake trip. If you hadn't gone, you would still be perfectly fine inside Miss Cen's body."

Shen Sangwan felt the stool was a bit hard, so she pulled Shuyan down to lie on the soft couch with her. "Do you really not remember who pushed you back then?"

"That person behind me took advantage of the chaos to push me hard. Before I could even react, I fell straight into the water, face down. You know I'm afraid of water. At that moment, I didn't even have time to see who pushed me. I was completely overwhelmed by fear."

Shuyan still feels a bit scared when she recalls it now. After the incident of falling into the water, she became even more afraid of water and wouldn't even go near the slightly deeper pool in the Princess's mansion.

Shen Sangwan sighed twice. "The main problem is that they were all servants from the Cen family that day, and you are not at home now, so I really can't find an excuse to inquire. Shuyun and the others have tried to find out more, but they haven't gotten anything out of it."

"I'm fine, I'll just be more careful next time."

"At worst, I'll just stay out of the mansion from now on."

Shuyan spoke casually, but Shen Sangwan did not want Shuyan to remain trapped in the Princess's residence.

He tightened his grip on her hands, turned halfway around to face Shuyan, and said, "I've already sent Shuyun to train the new bodyguards. Just wait a little longer."

Shu Yan, however, didn't take it to heart and shook her head with a smile. "Sang Wan, whether I go out or not doesn't depend on the number of guards, but on my identity."

This is indeed a very tricky problem.

The gossip that started from a playful incident at Weiyang Palace is still going strong, to the point that the two of them have to put on an act at home.

It is widely rumored that the eldest princess dotes on Shuyan alone, yet she has never formally acknowledged her or given her a title, leading people to speculate about the reasons behind this.

Shen Sangwan was also having a headache. What kind of status could she give Xiao Yan Yan? Even if she did, the other party would have to accept it!

"How about once your bodyguards are fully trained, I'll get you a house of your own, and then you..."

"Huh? Shen Sangwan, are you sending me away so quickly? Do you have a new love and are afraid I'll ruin your chance at marriage?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Sangwan suddenly jumped up from the soft couch, her words somewhat urgent.

"What nonsense are you spouting? What do you mean by 'to get rid of'? I just wanted to make you happier and free you from so many constraints. Besides, you are neither a slave nor a servant now; you are a respectable person. Because of me, you've become caught in a dilemma."

"Besides, what new love have I been involved with? Apart from the Empress, I haven't messed with anyone else. Even if I do find someone in the future, given our friendship of over twenty years, wouldn't I ask you to vet them first?"

Shen Sangwan acted rashly, fearing that Shuyan would misunderstand her, without realizing what she had said.

On the contrary, Shu Yan, who was lying on the soft couch, was calm and looked on with amusement when she heard Shen Sangwan's self-disclosure.

Seeing that the other person didn't speak, Shen Sangwan processed what she had just said and couldn't help but slap her mouth twice.

"Tell me again how you offended the Empress. I'd love to hear it."

Shen Sangwan was filled with questions. She remembered that when Lady Xie came to ask her to rescue Miss Cen, Xiao Yan Yan was very resistant to Miss Cen and seemed to have had a falling out with her.

But look at her now, hearing that she has an inextricable connection with the Empress, why does she look like she's just watching the show?

"Um...aren't you angry?"

Why would I be angry?

Shuyan looked at him with a puzzled expression, her eyes filled with confusion.

"Well... how should I put it? To make a long story short, well... okay, it's nothing, I was just overthinking it."

"Shen Sangwan, you don't actually think I'll be jealous if I find out, do you?"

Having her thoughts exposed, Shen Sangwan looked embarrassed.

"The main thing is that you go talk to Cen Luoxing first..."

"Please, don't you think Miss Cen is obviously not a good person? She was being sarcastic and mocking from the very first glance. Who would like that?"

Shuyan climbed up from the soft couch and gave Shen Sangwan a disdainful look. "I wish you could find someone to mess with as soon as possible, as long as it's not just me. And then give me some money and power from time to time, that would be great, wouldn't it?"

Shen Sangwan went from being embarrassed at the beginning to being at ease later, and then to having nothing to say in the end. It turns out that she had been imagining things from the beginning and was just being delusional.