As for Xie Jingyan, he left the palace immediately after Eunuch Yuan entered the Imperial Study.

On his way back to the Lingwang Mansion on horseback, Xu Ji caught up with him on horseback as they passed Changping Street.

Poor Xu Ji, he had just finished serving tea with his wife and wanted to go back and spend some more time together when his own father ordered him to find Prince Ling.

However, before Xu Ji could speak, Xie Jingyan had already guessed his purpose and said, "Go back and tell your father that it's safer to keep the things with me than with him."

"But……"

Xu Ji looked troubled.

Xie Jingyan said, "Just relay the message truthfully, and your father will understand what I mean."

They didn't even give him a chance to speak; it would be a miracle if he got his hands on the Empress Dowager's decree.

He said that Prince Ling was not taken away by accident, but his father did not believe him and insisted that he make this trip. He had just gotten married. His father's subordinates were given a few days off when they got married, but his own son did not get a single day off.

However, since the item was in Ling Wang's hands, Xu Ji was not worried.

If Young Master Yan were to accidentally reveal his identity, Prince Ling would certainly protect him. If the Yan family is safe, then the Ministry of Justice's mansion will be safe as well.

Xie Jingyan looked at Xu Ji and said, "You have a good alcohol tolerance."

Xu Ji scratched his head.

Xie Jingyan said, "His acting is even better."

Xu Ji, “…”

Awkward.

I've never been this embarrassed since I was born.

Fortunately, the awkward situation didn't last long before they were rescued as someone rushed towards them from a distance.

It wasn't a startled horse, but an urgent message traveling 800 li.

Even in the bustling street, it moved very fast, creating a gust of wind as it passed by them.

Eight hundred taels of silver delivered by express courier usually doesn't bring good news.

Hopefully, something has happened somewhere else.

Xie Jingyan and Xu Ji exchanged only a few words before returning to their respective residences.

Inside the room, Shen Wan was looking at the baby clothes that the embroidery workshop had sent to make for her unborn child; they were all made of the finest silk.

Just kidding, she's carrying the emperor's eldest grandson, whom the emperor values ​​highly. Rewards are sent like a river, and there's no shortage of silk. If not for the young prince, who else would he use?

The little clothes were exquisitely made, and Shen Wan loved them dearly. This was only a part of the collection; the embroidery workshop was working hard to finish the rest.

Shen Wan looked at the items one by one when Chun'er came in and said, "Your Highness, the Prince Cheng's concubine is pregnant."

Shen Wan's mind was entirely on the children's clothes, and when she heard someone say they were pregnant, she asked, "Who's pregnant?"

Chun'er said, "The concubine of Prince Cheng."

Shen Wan frowned.

Is the Prince Cheng's concubine pregnant?

This didn't happen in my previous life.

After the death of the crown prince in his previous life, King Cheng had no heir. The Empress Dowager wanted to adopt a child from the royal family for King Cheng, but he refused. Later, Xie Jingyin ascended the throne and heavily relied on King Cheng. All the civil and military officials felt that this was related to King Cheng's lack of an heir. They were not afraid of a prince without a son seizing power or having ambition. Such a person would not covet the throne. Why bother fighting for the throne when it would only benefit someone else's son in the end?

How did the princess suddenly become pregnant?

However, Shen Wan didn't think it was a big deal. They had already saved the life of the Crown Prince of Cheng, so they didn't care whether the Crown Prince of Cheng would have no heir. They just felt sorry for the Crown Prince of Cheng. The Crown Prince of Cheng only had one son. When someone poisoned him, the Crown Prince of Cheng even protected the poisoner. If he had another son, the Crown Prince of Cheng would care even less about his life or death.

Shen Wan shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the matter, and continued looking at the tiger-head shoes and hats being made in the embroidery workshop.

Xie Jingyan entered the room, and Shen Wan showed him the tiger-head shoes, asking, "Are they pretty?"

Xie Jingyan nodded. "Not bad."

Shen Wan held the tiger-head shoes in her hands, imagining how they would look on her child's little feet, and felt particularly happy.

As the two were talking, there was a knock on the window.

"Come in."

Before Xie Jingyan could finish speaking, Chen Feng jumped in through the window and said, "Master, the Crown Prince of Xiliang was assassinated and fell off a cliff; he's missing..."

The news that eight hundred taels of silver were just sent to the capital by express courier is this.

Xie Jingyan frowned.

Shen Wan was stunned. "The Crown Prince of Xiliang has disappeared?"

Two things that didn't happen in my previous life actually happened in one day.

In his previous life, the Crown Prince of Xiliang did not encounter any assassins on his way back to Xiliang, nor did he go missing.

No wonder Father is worried that war will break out on the border and is rushing to train the iron cavalry. The Crown Prince of Xiliang was assassinated and went missing in Da Chu. Whether he is found or not, Xiliang will definitely besiege the city and demand an explanation from Da Chu.

Shen Wan's mind raced. The biggest difference between this life and the previous one was that Xie Jingyin had lost power and was completely out of the running for the crown prince position. Along with him, the Prince Cheng, who had been supporting him, had also been exposed.

Furthermore, given that King Cheng colluded with the people of Xiliang, could the assassination and disappearance of the Xiliang crown prince be related to King Cheng?

While Shen Wan was only guessing, Xie Jingyan was already seven or eight parts certain in his heart.

Shen Wan asked Chen Feng, "Where is Princess Nanyi of Xiliang?"

Chen Feng said, "Princess Nanyi is fine, only the Crown Prince of Xiliang is missing."

The disappearance of even one person is already a huge deal. If Princess Nanyi were to also be in trouble, I'm afraid Xiliang wouldn't even give Da Chu time to search for her, and would immediately besiege the city.

These are truly turbulent times.

Shen Wan was a little worried. She looked at Xie Jingyan and asked, "Won't there be a war?"

Xie Jingyan said with a dark look in his eyes, "It all depends on whether the Crown Prince of Xiliang has a lucky life."

He warned the Crown Prince of Xiliang to be careful after returning, and even pointed out that the Crown Prince should find out who was colluding with King Cheng. As a result, the person was still in Da Chu when an accident happened.

Xie Jingyan went to the study. While having lunch, he was summoned to the palace by the Emperor. Shen Wan ate lunch alone. After finishing, she walked around the courtyard twice and then fell asleep.

Xie Jingyan can handle matters of the court; she only needs to take care of herself and the baby in her womb.

She slept for almost an hour before waking up. As soon as she did, Yinshuang stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager just sent someone to bestow many gifts upon Doctor Tao..."

Shen Wan, “…???”

Shen Wan had just woken up and was still a little confused. "What is the Empress Dowager rewarding Doctor Tao for?"

The Emperor has already rewarded Doctor Tao for saving the Crown Prince, and so many days have passed that the Empress Dowager shouldn't be giving him any more rewards.

Yinshuang said, "Prince Cheng was drugged years ago and only has his heir and Princess Yong'an as his children. Half a year ago, Doctor Tao treated the heir. Princess Cheng was afraid that the heir's illness would not be cured and that Prince Cheng would have no heir, so she asked Doctor Tao to take a look at Prince Cheng. Doctor Tao prescribed a medicine for Prince Cheng, and Prince Cheng took the medicine on and off for three months before his concubine became pregnant..."

Shen Wan never expected that Prince Cheng would be drugged. If it weren't for the fact that the concubine was pregnant, the Empress Dowager would have kept it a secret.

And Princess Cheng...

Shen Wan didn't know what to say.

She is so virtuous it's outrageous.

Her own son was almost beyond saving, yet she still feared that King Cheng would have no heir. King Cheng's wife was truly speechless with love for him. It was just a pity that when she asked Doctor Tao to treat King Cheng, she never imagined that he would be so heartless towards her. Upon hearing that the concubine was pregnant, King Cheng's wife must have been filled with deep regret.

This also explains why this life is different from the previous one. In the previous life, when Doctor Tao went to the capital, both Princess Cheng and the Crown Prince Cheng were already dead. They would not ask Doctor Tao to treat their illnesses, nor would they treat the Crown Prince Cheng at the same time.

The Empress Dowager's reward was well-deserved for Doctor Tao.