Best friends dressed up in ancient times to become mistresses? You run, I run too!

The maid in the room got up and automatically withdrew.

At this moment, the Prime Minister's wife finally spoke.

"Wan'er, how many times have I told you to stay calm in the face of trouble? Why can't you remember?"

"Mother, how can I calm down?"

"Didn't you see that bastard even shit on my daughter's head? How can I stay calm?"

Hearing her daughter's crude words, the Prime Minister's wife shook her head in disappointment.

"Wan'er, you should know how much effort and money we've spent teaching you over the years to create a good reputation for you."

"Don't let yourself get caught up in romantic entanglements all day. You must remember that you bear the future of the entire family on your shoulders, and you absolutely cannot make any mistakes. As for that village girl..."

"Mother, you're going to help your daughter, aren't you?"

Chu Wan'er's eyes lit up instantly. She excitedly ran over, hugged the other person's arm, and shook it back and forth, acting coquettishly.

"Alright, Mom will help you."

"Then what does Mother intend to do..."

"Anyone who dares to block my daughter's path will be made to disappear from this world completely."

Upon hearing this, Chu Wan'er's face lit up with joy.

"But this matter can't be rushed. You need to stay calm and win over the Crown Prince's heart as soon as possible. You must marry into the Crown Prince's residence. I will remove the remaining obstacles for you."

"That's great, thank you, Mother."

The Prime Minister's wife affectionately tapped Chu Wan'er's nose, "You—"

"Oh dear, Mother!"

"Alright, you're not allowed to lose your temper in front of the servants anymore. If word gets out, it will damage your reputation."

Chu Wan'er pouted, clearly bothered, and said, "Mother manages the household well; how could those maids and servants dare to talk nonsense?"

"That's not OK."

The Prime Minister's wife said solemnly.

"Now is the most crucial moment for you to marry into the Crown Prince's household, and we must not allow any accidents to happen."

Chu Wan'er stuck out her tongue. "Alright, Wan'er understands, Mother."

"That's more like it. Someone, come here." Soon, several maids entered the room and walked forward with their heads bowed.

"You lot, help the young lady wash up, put on makeup, and change into a new dress."

"Yes, ma'am."

Prince's Mansion

The Crown Prince went out this morning, but returned with Shen Ningzhu and Liu Zhiyi. This startled the guards at the gate, who stared wide-eyed in shock.

Fortunately, the crown prince did not hold them accountable, which relieved them somewhat.

I just can't figure out how those two got out of the Crown Prince's residence.

Jiang Xuan Yan kept his word. As soon as he returned, he had someone take Shen Ningzhu back to Meixiang Garden and also sent the steward to the storeroom to select many things to be delivered to Meixiang Garden.

This commotion was quite significant, and in an instant, the winds of change at the Crown Prince's residence shifted once again.

Shen Ningzhu had no time to pay attention to these things. Right now, she was closing the door and taking out silver notes from various parts of her body.

Beside her, Liu Zhiyi looked constipated.

"Zhuzhu, did you rob a bank? Where did you get so many banknotes?"

Shen Ningzhu raised her eyebrows smugly.

"I took it from the Prince Chen's mansion storeroom, hehe, how about it? Aren't you a master at making money?"

Liu Zhiyi: ...

Ah this!

"Don't just stand there, come and count them, I don't even know exactly how many there are."

Liu Zhiyi casually picked up a stack of denominations, and when she inadvertently saw the denominations on them, her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and her mouth was wide enough to fit an egg.

"Ten, ten, ten thousand taels?"

"This silver note is worth 100,000 taels? Are the others the same?"

Liu Zhiyi quickly looked through the stack of silver notes in her hand. When she confirmed that they were all worth 100,000 taels each, she was so excited that she bit her tongue.

But she ignored the pain, covering her mouth with one hand while grinning at the money in her hand.

At this moment, Shen Ningzhu had taken out the last few silver notes, straightened them, and stuffed them all into Liu Zhiyi's hand.

"That's all, quickly count how many there are."

Liu Zhiyi's eyes shone brightly, and she nodded excitedly, "Yes."

Liu Zhiyi has a special skill: counting money. In the past, she often live-streamed herself counting money, and her speed was so fast that it dazzled the viewers. Moreover, she never made a mistake.

This time, even if it's in the form of banknotes, it won't be difficult for her.

In the blink of an eye, she had finished counting.

"Two million one hundred thousand taels! Ahhh, sister, you're amazing! My sister's become a rich woman again! I'm now a rich woman's best friend! Please take me in! Please take me in!"

Shen Ningzhu curled her lip in disgust.

"That's enough, when have I ever not taken care of you? Is it really necessary to act like this?"

"I can't bear to look. I'll give you half, and you can take mine too."

"I'm not comfortable going out these days. I'll try to distract the guards. Have Song Hanchuan take you out of the mansion."

"We'll open a depository, buy land and shops; with all that, we can finally relax and enjoy our retirement."

Liu Zhiyi's face stiffened.

"He and I……"

Shen Ningzhu was overjoyed.

"Yo yo yo, the iron tree has blossomed! Look at that little face, it's almost as red as a monkey's bottom, hahaha—"

"Zhuzhu, what nonsense are you talking about?"

"I'm not talking nonsense, I understand, I understand everything."

Shen Ningzhu raised an eyebrow at her meaningfully, successfully making Liu Zhiyi's face turn as red as a boiled shrimp.

"I...I'll fight you to the death—"

"Oh no, no, no, I know I was wrong, help me, hahahahaha—"

Shen Ningzhu was extremely ticklish, so Liu Zhiyi relentlessly tickled her ticklish spots. No matter how much she begged for mercy, it was no use. Terrified, Shen Ningzhu fled the door and headed straight for the Crown Prince's study.

"Clang-"

The door was pushed open forcefully, and a man holding a crimson robe flashed a hint of displeasure in his eyes as he looked up at the culprit.

The other person, however, was completely unaware and swaggered in, flashing him a bright smile.

"Hi, is Your Highness working?"

Jiang Xuan Yan felt a throbbing pain in his scalp, and helplessly raised his hand to press his brow with his slender fingertips, asking,

"Knowing I'm working, you still dare to barge in? Do you know that my study isn't a place you can just walk into?"

Shen Ningzhu chuckled.

"I remember last time, you asked me to grind ink for you. Besides, I am your woman, and the Crown Prince's residence is my home. There is no place in my own home that I cannot go."

Jiang Xuan Yan's lips twitched slightly.

He thought to himself that this woman's ability to gain access to his home was becoming increasingly impressive, and he felt utterly inferior to her.

But is the Crown Prince's residence his home?

Ha, it's laughable, but from childhood to adulthood, he never knew he had a family.

"Shen Ningzhu, can you tell me what home means to you? What is home?"

The man was fine just a moment ago, but now his mood suddenly changed. He seemed to be shrouded in darkness, and his long, narrow phoenix eyes stared at her coldly.

For some reason, Shen Ningzhu sensed boundless loneliness in this indifference.

Remembering the rumors about his background, I suddenly understood.

His birth mother died in childbirth, and his adoptive mother, the late empress, died suddenly when he was very young. Afterwards, the entire maternal clan of the late empress was also convicted and completely wiped out.