Regent, please maintain your aloof image.

On the way, Su Qianrou and Chunzhu walked in front, with two palace maids following behind them.

Chunzhu couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, how could you accept them? The Empress Dowager clearly has ulterior motives."

"If we don't accept them today, the Empress Dowager will still find opportunities to send people into the Prince's residence in the future, so it's better to accept them directly."

"So you really intend to have them serve the prince?"

"The Empress Dowager probably tried to bribe the Prince with many women in the past, but there isn't a single woman in his residence. It's likely that the Prince refused them or dealt with them. When you get back, have Li An inquire about how the Prince dealt with them."

"Yes".

Yanxi Palace

Inside the room, Su Qianrou slowly sipped her tea.

Two palace maids stood in front of her. Seeing that she remained silent, one of them, named Chuntao, couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, we still need to pack our things."

Seeing her rudeness, Chunzhu angrily rebuked her, "How dare you!"

Su Qianrou calmly put down her teacup and said leisurely, "I've heard that the rules in the palace are very strict, but it seems that they're not so bad after all."

Chun Tao, relying on her position as the Empress Dowager's person, was certain that Su Qianrou wouldn't dare to do anything to her, so she was extremely arrogant and didn't take her seriously at all.

Su Qianrou didn't tolerate her and immediately ordered, "Someone, take her back to the palace and let the Imperial Household Department teach her what manners are."

"Yes".

"You dare? I was sent by the Empress Dowager to serve the prince."

"How dare you! You falsely convey the imperial decree! When did the Empress Dowager ever say that you were to serve the Prince?"

"Although the Empress Dowager didn't say it explicitly, that was her meaning."

"How dare you presume to guess what the Empress Dowager is thinking! Juxia, personally escort her back to the palace and explain today's events to the Empress Dowager. Such an audacious servant cannot be tolerated in our Regent's Palace."

"Yes".

Chun Tao was dragged out, and no matter how much she struggled, it was no use.

Then, Su Qianrou looked at another palace maid. Seeing that she was neither humble nor arrogant and that there was no fear in her eyes, she couldn't help but look at her a few more times before asking, "What's your name?"

"Your Highness, my name is Huixiang."

"The name is quite elegant."

"Thank you for your praise, Princess."

"We happen to be short of a sweeper in our yard, so you'll do."

"Yes".

"Chunzhu, take her downstairs."

"Yes".

The two walked out.

However, Chunzhu returned quickly and called out, "Miss."

"how".

"I can't tell anything."

"To be watched."

"Yes".

At that moment, Ang Lee walked in and said, "Miss."

"I found out."

"Yes, I asked Steward Yu. In the past, His Highness would not accept them. However, there was one time when he accepted one, but..."

"But what?"

"The prince ordered them to be sent to Prince Yu."

"Prince Yu" Su Qianrou had been back for more than half a year and had never met this Prince Yu. However, she had heard of him. He was the second son of Emperor Ming Chong and also the most favored son. Back then, the emperor even wanted to depose the late emperor from his position as crown prince because of him, but in the end, he failed. Later, he went hunting and fell off his horse, breaking his leg and becoming disabled. Since then, he rarely went out and stayed in his mansion all day. However, he was very lecherous and had many wives and concubines in his mansion.

Su Qianrou thought to herself, "It's a good thing he doesn't go out, otherwise, I would have one more problem."

Three more days passed, and during these three days Mu Jinchen was busy, leaving early and returning late every day, rarely staying at the mansion. Therefore, even Su Qianrou had never seen him, let alone dined with him.

Fuyun Palace

At the door of the study, Yingfeng and Yulian were talking about something.

“It’s been three days already. If this continues, the prince’s health will collapse,” Yu Lian said.

Yingfeng chimed in, "Who says otherwise? But what can we do? We've tried to persuade him, but the prince won't listen."

"Why don't we ask the Princess Consort to persuade him? Maybe the Prince will listen."

"I think it's okay."

"Then you go quickly, I'll stay here and watch over things."

"Okay," Yingfeng then walked towards Yanxi Palace.

At that moment, Su Qianrou was sitting on the couch reading a storybook when she suddenly remembered something and asked, "Has there been any movement from Huixiang?"

Chunzhu replied, "No, I'm very obedient. I do whatever you tell me to do."

"They're quite composed. Keep an eye on them and don't let your guard down."

"Yes".

Then, Su Qianrou continued reading the storybook, but after reading only two chapters, Juxia came in and said, "Your Highness, the Shadow Guard requests an audience."

Su Qianrou thought that Mu Jinchen had gotten into trouble again, so she hurriedly said, "Let him in."

A moment later, Yingfeng walked in and said, "Your subordinate greets Your Highness."

"Why are you here? But something has happened to the prince again."

“No, it’s…” Yingfeng was unsure how to begin.

"You're not, you are, are you or aren't you?" Chunzhu couldn't help but say.

"The Princess Consort knows that the Prince is injured, but the Prince does not take care of his health. These past few days, he has been busy until very late every day and has hardly rested. I am worried that his body cannot take it, so I have come to ask the Princess Consort to persuade him."

Why don't you try to persuade them?

"We tried to persuade him, but the prince wouldn't listen."

“He doesn’t listen to you, but he listens to me.”

"You are the princess, the prince should be able to listen."

Su Qianrou thought to herself, "You overestimate me."

Seeing that she didn't speak, Yingfeng called out, "Your Highness."

"Wait a moment, I'll change my clothes."

"Yes".

Afterwards, Su Qianrou arrived at Fuyun Palace and entered the study.

Mu Jinchen was engrossed in his work, completely absorbed, and didn't even notice her coming in.

"I'm not done yet," Su Qianrou said.

Upon hearing this, Mu Jinchen looked up at her and asked, "Why are you here?"

"What do you think? Knowing that you're still injured and haven't fully recovered, you're still working so late every day. Are you out of your mind?"

"What, are you afraid I'll die young? Don't worry, I won't leave you a widow."

Su Qianrou sat down to the side before saying, "I'm not afraid. Now that I think about it, being a widow doesn't seem so bad. If you're gone, all your property will be mine. That way, I won't have to worry about the rest of my life. If I meet a handsome young man, I can follow the example of the princesses of the previous dynasty and take them all into my household as male concubines. Wouldn't that be wonderful? As for reputation and such, you know I don't care about that."

"Very well, using my money to support male concubines, you really dare to think that way," Mu Jinchen said through gritted teeth.

"Then I can't remarry, and I can't find someone to pass the time either."

At this point, she was unaware of how petty Mu Jinchen was. By the time she realized it, it was too late, and she would pay a "painful" price for her words.

Mu Jinchen stood up and walked up to her, looking down at her.

Su Qianrou felt a chill run down her spine as he stared at her, and timidly said, "I was just joking."

Suddenly, Mu Jinchen leaned down, braced his hands on the chair, and whispered in her ear, "Don't even think about it in this lifetime. I will never give you such an opportunity." After saying that, he walked out without looking back.

Su Qianrou froze, staring blankly at him.

When Yingfeng saw him come out, he asked, "Your Highness, where are you going?"

"Go to sleep," he said, and strode towards his bedchamber.

Yingfeng didn't react for a moment, then was overjoyed, thinking, "As expected, the princess has a way." He then followed along eagerly.

Su Qianrou was still confused, but without thinking too much about it, she got up and left.