The relationship between the eldest prince and Xie Jingyan was not that good; the eldest prince often betrayed Xie Jingyan.

He must have come for something; Shen Wan's intuition told her that he was there because of the murder of the Xizhou Dam official.

With the evidence related to the Xizhou Dam destroyed, the case can no longer be investigated. If the Crown Prince wants to bring down Xie Jingyin, he must first obtain the evidence in Xie Jingyan's possession.

The Emperor asked Xie Jingyan for it, but Xie Jingyan refused. The First Prince was even less likely to give him that favor.

However, if the eldest prince were to plead with the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager were to help the Yun family persuade the Prince of Yanping's mansion to agree to the marriage, then Xie Jingyan would have no choice but to agree.

Although both were motivated by self-interest, the eldest prince was much better than Xie Jingyin. At least the eldest prince didn't make demands first, and Xie Jingyan only helped after agreeing.

Xie Jingyan met with the First Prince in the study. Shen Wan did not disturb him. After waiting for a quarter of an hour, the maid reported that the First Prince had left, and only then did Shen Wan go out.

As soon as they reached the door, they saw the Crown Prince's guards carrying a stack of account books, following behind him.

Chen Feng saw the eldest prince off at the palace.

Shen Wan went to the study and said, "You gave the First Prince the Xizhou map and account books?"

Xie Jingyan said, "He persuaded the Empress Dowager to help convince Princess Yanping to agree to the marriage."

She was right after all.

but--

Shen Wan asked with some concern, "Are you sure the Empress Dowager can persuade the Princess of Yanping?"

“I’m pretty sure the Empress Dowager can’t persuade Princess Yanping,” Xie Jingyan said.

Shen Wan, “…!!!”

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Shen Wanxing's head, chilling her to the bone.

Princess Yanping already knows that someone wants to sell her daughter, and she is furious. Even if she wanted to agree, she would not nod under the persuasion of anyone other than Marquis Pingyang.

The hardest thing to repay in the world is a favor.

The marriage of a daughter by the Prince of Yanping is a matter between the Prince of Yanping and the Yun family; there is no reason for others to benefit from it.

Shen Wan looked puzzled. "You knew you couldn't persuade the Empress Dowager, so why did you give the evidence to the Crown Prince?"

Xie Jingyan said, "Only the Emperor knows that I have the blueprints for the Xizhou case. It must have been the Emperor who had them leaked to him."

“If the Crown Prince knows, then the Prince of Jin will know. You are pregnant, so I dare not let anyone sneak in to steal the blueprints.”

"But--"

Xie Jingyan said, "The First Prince cannot protect those blueprints."

"I have a backup."